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diff --git a/old/14222.txt b/old/14222.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..406cc4d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14222.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15451 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Poor Jack, by Frederick Marryat + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Poor Jack + +Author: Frederick Marryat + +Release Date: November 30, 2004 [eBook #14222] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POOR JACK*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Charlie Kirschner, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 14222-h.htm or 14222-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/2/2/14222/14222-h/14222-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/2/2/14222/14222-h.zip) + + + + + +POOR JACK + +by + +CAPTAIN MARRYAT + +Works of Captain Marryat, Volume Ten + +With Illustrations + + + + + + + +[Illustration: POOR JACK--FRONTISPIECE--Marryat Vol. X.] + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +VOLUME TEN + +FRONTISPIECE--Poor Jack +Fisher's Alley +I summoned all my strength, and called out long before we floated past her +Anderson reading the Bible to Jack +Anderson reading the news of the Battle of the Nile +Jack's Father landing after the Battle of the Nile +Jack in Nanny's Room +Jack and Bramble aboard the Indiaman +The Fore-peak Yarn +"How's her head, Tom?" +Bramble saving Bessie +Jack heaving the lead +Nanny relating her story +Jack and his Father under the Colonnade +A Surprise +Bramble and Jack carried into a French Port +The Leith Smack and the Privateer +The Arrival of the Privateer at Lanion +The Prison +Jack a Prisoner +The Escape +Wreck of the Galley +We found both Bramble and Bessy clinging to the rope +Bramble had knelt by the bedside, and was evidently in prayer +I went down to the beach, ... and I was soon on board +"Mr. Saunders, ... may I ask where you procured this spy-glass?" +Sir J. O'Connor and Mrs. St. Felix +I met face to face a Frenchman + + + + +POOR JACK + + + + +CHAPTER ONE + + In which, like most People who tell their own Stories, I begin with + the Histories of other People. + + +I have every reason to believe that I was born in the year of our Lord +1786, for more than once I put the question to my father, and he +invariably made the same reply: "Why, Jack, you were launched a few +months before the Druids were turned over to the Melpomene." I have +since ascertained that this remarkable event occurred in January 1787. +But my father always reckoned in this way: if you asked him when such an +event took place, he would reply, so many years or months after such a +naval engagement or remarkable occurrence; as, for instance, when I one +day inquired how many years he had served the King, he responded, "I +came into the sarvice a little afore the battle of Bunker's Hill, in +which we licked the Americans clean out of Boston[1]." As for Anno +Domini, he had no notion of it whatever. + +[Footnote 1: I have since heard a different version of the result of +this battle.] + +Who my grandfather was, I cannot inform the reader, nor is it, perhaps, +of much consequence. My father was a man who invariably looked forward, +and hated anything like retrospection: he never mentioned either his +father or his mother; perhaps he was not personally acquainted with +them. All I could collect from him at intervals was, that he served in a +collier from South Shields, and that a few months after his +apprenticeship was out, he found himself one fine morning on board of a +man-of-war, having been picked up in a state of unconsciousness, and +hoisted up the side without his knowledge or consent. Some people may +infer from this that he was at the time tipsy; he never told me so; all +he said was, "Why, Jack, the fact is when they picked me up I was quite +altogether _non pompus_." I also collected at various times the +following facts--that he was put into the mizzentop, and served three +years in the West Indies; that he was transferred to the maintop, and +served five years in the Mediterranean; that he was made captain of the +foretop, and sailed six years in the East Indies; and, at last, was +rated captain's coxswain in the "Druid" frigate, attached to the Channel +fleet cruising during the peace. Having thus condensed the genealogical +and chronological part of this history, I now come to a portion of it in +which it will be necessary that I should enter more into detail. + +The frigate in which my father eventually served as captain's coxswain +was commanded by a Sir Hercules Hawkingtrefylyan, Baronet. He was very +poor and very proud, for baronets were not so common in those days. He +was a very large man, standing six feet high, and with what is termed a +considerable _bow-window_ in front; but at the same time portly in his +carriage. He wore his hair well powdered, exacted the utmost degree of +ceremony and respect, and considered that even speaking to one of his +officers was paying them a very high compliment: as for being asked to +his table, there were but few who could boast of having had that honor, +and even those few perhaps not more than once in the year. But he was, +as I have said, very poor; and moreover he was a married man, which +reminds me that I must introduce his lady, who, as the ship was on +Channel service, had lodgings at the port near to which the frigate was +stationed, and occasionally came on board to take a passage when the +frigate changed her station to the eastward or to the westward. Lady +Hercules, as we were directed to call her by Sir Hercules, was as large +in dimensions, and ten times more proud than her husband. She was an +excessive fine lady in every respect; and whenever she made her +appearance on board, the ship's company looked upon her with the +greatest awe. She had a great dislike to ships and sailors; officers she +seldom condescended to notice; and pitch and tar were her abomination. +Sir Hercules himself submitted to her dictation; and, had she lived on +board, she would have commanded the ship: fortunately for the service, +she was always very seasick when she was taking a passage, and therefore +did no mischief. "I recollect," said my father to me, "once when we were +running down to Portsmouth, where we had been ordered for provisions, +that my Lady Hercules, who was no fool of a weight, being one night +seasick in her cot, the lanyard of the cot gave way, and she came down +with a run by the head. The steward was called by the sentry, and there +was a terrible shindy. I, of course, was sent for, as I had the hanging +up of the cot. There was Sir Hercules with his shirt flapping in the +wind, and a blanket over his shoulders, strutting about in a towering +passion; there was the officer of the watch, who had been sent for by +mistake, and who was ordered to quit the cabin immediately; and there +was I, expecting to be put in irons, and have seven dozen for my +breakfast. As for Sir Hercules, he didn't know what to do; he did +nothing but storm at everybody, for my lady, with her head under the +clothes, was serving him out at no small rate. She wouldn't, she +declared, allow any man to come into the cabin to hoist her up again. So +indecent, so indelicate, so shocking--she was ashamed of Sir +Hercules--to send for the men; if they didn't leave the cabin +immediately, she'd scream and she'd faint--that she would--there was no +saying what she wouldn't do! Well, there we waited just outside until at +last Sir Hercules and my lady came to a parley. She was too sick to get +out of bed, and he was not able to hoist her up without assistance; so +being, as I suppose, pretty well tired of lying with her head three feet +lower than her heels, she consented, provided that she was properly +kivered up, to allow us to come in and put all to rights. Well, first +she made Sir Hercules throw over her his two boat cloaks, but that +wouldn't do; so he threw the green cloth from off the table, but that +warn't enough for her delicate sensibility, and she hollowed from under +the clothes for more kivering; so Sir Hercules sent for two of the +ship's ensigns, and coiled away the bunting on her till it was as high +as a haycock, and then we were permitted to come in and hoist her +ladyship up again to the battens. Fortunately it was not a slippery +hitch that had let her down by the run, but the lanyard had given way +from my lady's own weight, so my back was not scratched after all. Women +ain't no good on board, Jack, that's sartain." + +But I must now introduce a more important personage than even Lady +Hercules, which is my mother. They say "like master, like man," and I +may add, "like lady, like maid." Lady Hercules was fine, but her maid +was still finer. Most people when they write their biography, if their +parents were poor, inform you that they left them a good name and +nothing else. Some parents cannot even do that; but all parents can at +all events leave their children a _pretty_ name, by taking a little +trouble at their baptism. My mother's name was Araminta, which, as my +father truly observed, was "a touch above the common." She had +originally gone into service as a nursery maid, living in her first +situation one year and nine months; in her second she remained two years +and four months; then she left to _better_ herself, and obtained the +situation of nurse in a family where she remained two years and one +month; after which Lady Hercules then having a child of a year old, she +was received into her service. At three years old the child died, and my +mother was promoted to the situation of lady's maid. This advancement +quite spoiled her; she was prouder than her mistress, and gave herself +ten times more airs, and when, at first, my father (who as coxswain was +constantly up at the house) offered to speak to her, she turned away +from him in most ineffable disdain. Now my father was at that time about +thirty years of age, and thought no small beer of himself, as the saying +goes. He was a tall, handsome man, indeed, so good-looking that they +used to call him "Handsome Jack" on board of the "Druid," and he had, +moreover, a pigtail of most extraordinary size and length, of which he +was not a little proud, as it hung down far below the waistband of his +trousers. His hair was black and glossy, and his lovelocks, as the +sailors term the curls which they wear on their temples, were of the +most insinuating description. Now, as my father told me, when he first +saw my mother with her sky-scraping cap at the back of her head, so +different from the craft in general, he was very much inclined to board +her; but when she boomed him off in that style, my father, who was +quite the rage and fancy man among the ladies of Sally Port and Castle +Rag, hauled his wind in no time, hitching up his white trousers and +turning short round on his heel so as to present his back to her +whenever they happened to meet. For a long time he gave her a wide +berth. Now this fact of my father returning her disdain had the usual +effect. At first she was very savage, and when she spoke of him to Lady +Hercules, she designated him as "that proud coxswain, who seemed to +think himself a greater man than Sir Hercules himself--with his filthy +pigtail, indeed!" My father also, when he spoke of her to the boat's +crew, termed her "that proud ---- of a lady's maid," the word not +mentionable being both canine and feminine. Thus matters went on for +some time, until my mother, by a constant survey of my father's handsome +proportions, every day thought him to be a more proper man, and a few +advances on her part at last brought them to a mutual understanding. + + + + +CHAPTER TWO + + My Father does what most Sailors do--he makes a foolish Marriage, + one of the Consequences of which is brought to Light at the End of + the Chapter. + + +I have observed at the finale of my first chapter, that at last my +mother and father came to a good understanding; but at the same time +Madam Araminta (for so my mother insisted upon being called) took good +care to let my father understand that she considered that she was +lowering herself by surrendering up her charms to a captain's coxswain. +She informed him that her father might be said to have been royally +connected, being a king's messenger (and so, indeed, he might be +considered, having been a twopenny postman), and that her mother had +long scores against the first nobles in the land (she was a milk-woman), +and that she had dry-nursed a young baronet, and was now not merely a +ladies' maid, but a _lady's_ laides' maid. All this important and novel +communication sunk deep in my father's mind, and when he heard it he +could hardly believe his good fortune in having achieved such a +conquest; but, as the sequel will prove, his marriage did not turn out +very happily. He used to say to me, "Jack, take my advice, and never +marry above your condition as I did; nothing would please me but a +_lady's ladies'_ maid; I had no right to look up to even a _ladies'_ +maid, and had your mother only been a simple maid, all might have been +right." But these were after-reflections when it was too late. I do not +wonder at my poor father's senses being dazzled, for, as he said to me, +"You see, Jack, after being used to see nothing but Point women, all so +slack in stays and their rigging out of order, to fall aboard of a craft +like your mother, so trim and neat, ropes all taut, stays well set up, +white hammock-cloths spread every day in the week, and when under way, +with a shawl streaming out like a silk ensign, and such a rakish gaff +topsail bonnet, with pink pennants; why, it was for all the world as if +I was keeping company with a tight little frigate after rolling down +channel with a fleet of colliers; but, howsomever, fine feathers don't +make fine birds, and handsome is as handsome does." + +My father's marriage was, however, precipitated by circumstances. One +afternoon, after he had been accepted, he had taken his quid out of his +cheek, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and was in the act of +giving and receiving a chaste salute, when Lady Hercules happened to +come down into the kitchen--a most rare occurrence, and wholly +unexpected from a lady of her refined and delicate ideas. She caught my +father and mother in the very act; and (as my father expressed it) with +an exclamation of horror, "She 'bout ship, and sculled upstairs like +winkin'." A loud peal of the bell summoned up my mother, leaving my +father in a state of no pleasant suspense, for he was calculating how +far Sir Hercules could bring in "kissing a lady's ladies' maid" under +the article of war as "contempt of superiors," and, if so, how many +dozen kisses his back might receive from the cat in return. While he was +absorbed in this pleasing speculation, Lady Hercules was pouring out +anathemas against my mother's want of delicacy and decency, informing +her that it was impossible she could submit the decoration of her person +to one who has so contaminated herself with a tobacco-chewing +seaman--who was all pigtail within and without; for, as the Scripture +says, "Who can touch pitch without being defiled?" + +Although my mother had made up her mind that if it was to be a question +between a place and a husband, she should decide upon retaining the +latter, still she thought it advisable, if it were possible, to +conciliate my lady. She therefore pulled out a cambric handkerchief, and +while her ladyship scolded, she covered up her face and wept. Lady +Hercules continued to scold until she was out of breath, and thereby +compelled to stop. My mother then replied, with deep humility and many +tears, "that indeed she had been so persuaded (sob) that she at last +promised to (sob) marry; but only on one condition--yes, indeed--(sob) +that her ladyship gave her consent--positively on no other (sob)--no, +indeed, upon her honor! Mr. Saunders was--(sob)--excellent young +man--(sob), so attached to Sir Hercules (sob), and had such a great +respect for her ladyship, that--(sob--sob--sob)--he had won her heart." + +By this time her ladyship had regained her breath, and she interrupted +my mother by pointing out to her, that allowing all she said to be +correct, yet still that was no reason why she should allow such indecent +liberties; that Sir Hercules had never obtained such favors from her +until after the ring had been put on her finger. Then, indeed, such +things might be--that is, occasionally; but the kitchen of all +places!--And, besides, how did she know how many wives the coxswain had +already? She shouldn't be surprised, if, with that long pigtail of his, +he had five at least--nay, perhaps, six or seven. Here my mother +replied that "it was out of gratitude to her (sob) for having consented +to permit him to (sob) speak to Sir Hercules (sob), who would plead with +her ladyship (sob), which had occasioned Mr. Saunders (sob) to +take--such--a--liberty (sob--sob--sob)--which he had never--done +before--(sob)--No!--never--upon her honor--never!--" And here my +mother's sobs choked her utterance. + +This explanation somewhat pacified, and a little subsequent humility and +flattery gained the mistress, who consented to settle the matter with +Sir Hercules, alleging, as one principal reason for so doing, that after +the familiarity which had taken place between them, the sooner they were +married the better. The wishes of her ladyship were tantamount to +commands. Sir Hercules pronounced my father to be a fool, and they were +married. + +My mother was a good-looking person, perhaps two or three years older +than my father; she was of a very bad temper, very vindictive and +revengeful, and in every way she had a pleasure in annoying other +people, and when she succeeded she invariably concluded her remarks +with, "There--now you're vexed!" Whenever out of humor herself from the +observations of others, she attempted to conceal her vexation by +singing; and having been so many years of her life in the nursery, her +songs were usually those little ditties used to pacify or amuse children +in arms. "Saunders," she would cry out, "if you aren't the biggest fool +that ever walked on two legs--to look at that long tail of yours you're +so proud of, one would think I'd married a monkey--a _hourang-howtang_, +instead of a man. There--now you're vexed! One can't open one's mouth." +My mother knew where to strike; and this attack upon his pigtail was +certain to provoke my father, who would retort in no measured language, +till she, in her turn, lost her temper, and then out she would sing, in +a sort of scream-- + + "Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle, + The cow jumped over the moon," etc. + +And thus she continued to sing (or squeal) until her wrath cooled down. + +The consequences of forming a matrimonial alliance with a captain's +coxswain soon became visible. Six months after they had been married, +Lady Hercules pronounced my mother's appearance to be quiet indecent, +and declared her no longer fit for the office of lady's maid to a lady +of her exquisite delicacy; and my mother, who became less active every +day, received notice to quit, which she did, when her month was up, in +great wrath, packing up her boxes, and slamming the door as she left the +house, singing at the very highest pitch of her voice, + +"Dickory, dickory, dock; the mouse ran up the clock," etc. + +My father wished her to come and live with him on board the frigate; but +to that my mother would not consent, saying that she had, it was true, +degraded herself and her family by marrying a coxswain, but she was not +going to further contaminate herself by mixing with the vulgar creatures +on board. In this resolve I think my mother was right; but her dismissal +and disgrace was followed up by my father being disrated and turned into +the maintop, for no other reason in the world than such being the will +and pleasure of Lady Hercules. + +Her ladyship considered that she had lost a good servant through my +father's intervention; and having therefore taken a dislike to him, did +not choose that he should, as coxswain, come up to the house as usual; +and, as he no longer did the duty of coxswain, she asserted that he was +not entitled to the rating. Thus, seven months had hardly passed away +before my father's marriage became a source of vexation and annoyance; +his pay was decreased, and he was no longer a petty officer. My mother's +pride was hurt; and if she was resolute in not going on board to remain +with him when he was captain's coxswain, she was still more so now that +he was reduced to a common seaman. As for my father, he was the picture +of misery--he had no consolation except turning his quid and tying his +pigtail. + +But everything changes in this world, and among other changes was that +of the station of the frigate, which was ordered foreign. Sir Hercules +took leave of his lady, who retired to Tunbridge Wells. My father took +leave of my mother, who retired to Woolwich. She had saved some money in +service, and my father handed over to her all the pay which he received, +when the ship's company were paid previous to the sailing of the ship. +It is but justice to observe that the moment he was out of soundings and +away from the influence of her ladyship, Sir Hercules reinstated my +father, and gave him back his rating as coxswain. My father was indeed +the smartest and best seaman in the ship; he could do his work from stem +to stern--mouse a stay, pudding an anchor, and pass a gammoning, as well +as he could work a Turk's head, cover a manrope, or point a lashing for +the cabin table. Besides which, he had seen service, having fought under +Rodney, and served at the siege of Gibraltar. + +But I must return to my mother, who, when she first went to Woolwich, +which she did in a transport that was ordered round, took lodgings in +the outskirts of the town; and not wishing to acknowledge that she had +married a common sailor, as she supposed my father still to be, +asserted that she was the wife of a captain of a merchant vessel, which +had been taken up as a transport to convey troops to the West Indies. On +this supposition, being received into a society above her real station, +she was compelled to spend more money than she could afford, and her +finances rapidly wasted away. In the meantime I was born--a fine baby, +but with nothing to look up to but a penniless mother, an absent (if +existing) father, the workhouse, and the sky. + + + + +CHAPTER THREE + + In which my Mother proves herself a tender Wife, and at the same + time shows her Patriotism and Devotion to her Country. + + +I had almost unconsciously arrived at the age of two years before there +were any tidings of my father. All the information that my mother could +obtain was, that the ship's company of the "Druid" had been turned over +to another frigate called the "Melpomene," the former having been +declared not seaworthy, and in consequence condemned and broken up at +Port Royal. + +But no letter had been received from my father, who indeed was not much +of a scholar; he could read, but he could not write. By this time my +mother's savings were expended, and she was in great tribulation lest +the deceit she had practiced should be exposed. Indeed, there were +already many surmises as to the truth of her story, it being so long +that her husband had been absent. At last, when she had changed her only +remaining guinea, a letter arrived from my father, dated from +Portsmouth, stating that the ship was to be paid off in a few days, and +then "he would clap on all sail and be on board of his old woman in no +time." + +My mother, although not a little disgusted at being called an old +woman--an affront which she determined to revenge upon a more fitting +occasion--was in raptures with the contents of the letter. She therefore +returned a kind answer, informing my father what a promising child he +was blessed with, and giving him a direction to meet her at Greenwich, +as she had resolved upon not receiving him at Woolwich, where her false +assertions would have been exposed. Going round to all her +acquaintances, she bade them farewell, telling them that her husband had +returned well, and _well to-do_, and had ordered her to meet him at +Greenwich. Having thus satisfactorily, as she imagined, got out of this +little difficulty, she packed up and hastened to Greenwich, where she +sunk her assumed rank and waited very impatiently for her husband. He +came at last, seated with many others on the outside of a stage +coach--his hat bedecked with ribbons, a pipe in one hand and flourishing +a pewter pot in the other. It hardly need be added that he was more than +half tipsy. Nevertheless, even in this state, he was well received; and +after he had smothered her with kisses, dandled me on his knee, thrown +into her lap all the pay he had left, and drank three more pots of +porter, they went very peaceably and lovingly to repose. + +I regret to say that this amity did not last long. My father's manners, +which perhaps had been softened down by the awe which he had of Lady +Hercules when he first made my mother's acquaintance, were now more +coarse, and so was his language; and the neatness and cleanliness of +person which he was obliged to maintain while performing the duties of a +coxswain to a married captain were not so observable. Besides which, +being no longer under discipline, he was almost every night intoxicated; +and, being so, was more self-willed and regardless of his wife's +injunctions. The consequences were that having received from my father +fifty pounds, my mother first locked that up, and then "unlocked her +jaw." Disputes were now hourly occurring; and it was "now you're vexed," +and "hey diddle diddle," from morning till night. + +My father would repair to the grog-shops to have a dance and carouse +with his messmates, and my mother would not accompany him to such a +vulgar place; consequently he went alone, was out very late, coming home +very drunk, if indeed he came home at all. Moreover, the wives and +companions of the other seamen would insult her when she walked out, for +pretending to be better than they were. + +One day when she was walking out arm-in-arm with my father, unluckily +she was met by one of her Woolwich acquaintances. This was the severest +stroke of all, as she had intended to return to Woolwich; but now she +was discovered, and avoided by one party, as well as insulted by the +other. I cannot defend my mother's conduct; nor indeed was she deserving +of pity, as her treatment had been brought about by her own folly and +pride. The effect of all this was, however, that of souring her temper +still more; and the constant vituperation poured out upon my father so +roused his indignation that one evening, when more than usually +intoxicated, the "lady's ladies' maid" received such a severe box on the +ear that the one candle turned to a general illumination. This blow was +never forgotten nor forgiven, although my father was very sorry for it, +and begged her pardon the next day, with promises of amendment. + +Just at this time the French Revolution commenced, and there was +expectation of a war with France; the press-gangs were ordered out, and +the seamen, aware of it, remained concealed until they should leave the +town. But my mother had made up her mind. She found out an officer who +commanded one of the press-gangs, gave her address, and, having supplied +my father with spirits until he was stupefied, she let in the gang, and +before morning my father was safe on board of the tender lying off the +Tower. This treachery on her part my father did not discover until some +time afterward; and it was the occasion of a scene between them, as I +shall hereafter show. The next day my mother went on board of the tender +to visit my father, put her cambric handkerchief to her eyes, pressed +his hand between the iron bars, and lamented _his_ hard fate, and _her_ +hard fate; but when requested by him to smuggle a little liquor in a +bladder to comfort him with, she tossed up her head, and declared "that +nothing could induce her to do anything so ungenteel." Whereupon my +father turned away, lamenting the day that ever he had married a lady's +ladies' maid. + +A day or two afterward my mother brought my father his kit of clothes, +and two pounds of his own money. As a war was expected, my mother would +have persuaded my father to give her his "will and power" to receive his +prize money; but my father, grown comparatively wiser, positively +refused. He turned away on his heel, and they parted. + +I shall, for the present, leave my father to his fortunes, and follow +those of my mother. Convinced by his refusal to sign the deed, which she +had brought ready prepared with her, that she had little in future to +expect from my father, and aware probably of the risk incurred by a +seaman from "battle, fire, and wreck," she determined this time to +husband her resources, and try if she could not do something for +herself. At first she thought of going again into service and putting me +out to nurse; but she discovered that my father's return was not without +its consequences, and that she was again to be a mother. She therefore +hired rooms in Fisher's Alley, a small street still existing in +Greenwich, and indeed still a general thoroughfare. Here, in due time, +she was brought to bed of a daughter, whom she christened by the name of +Virginia; not so much out of respect to her last mistress, who bore that +name, as because she considered it peculiarly ladylike and genteel. + + + + +CHAPTER FOUR + + In which I tell the Reader all I can recollect about myself, and + moreover prove the Truth of the old Adage, "That it is a wise Child + who knows its own Father". + + +My readers must not expect me to tell them much of what passed during +the first four years of my existence. I have a recollection of a deal +board put at the door of our house, which opened into Fisher's Alley, to +prevent me, and afterward my sister, from crawling out. Fisher's Alley +is a very narrow street, and what was said in a room on one side of it +can be heard on the other, and I used to hang over the board and listen. +There were drunken men and drunken women, and occasionally scolding and +fighting. My mother, having made up her mind to be saving, had taken a +lease of the house and furnished it; and every day I heard her saying at +the door, "Walk in, gentlemen; I've a nice clean room and boiling hot +water"--for the seamen used to come in to take tea, drink, and smoke; +and so did the old pensioners occasionally, for my mother had made +acquaintance with several of them. I was always very ragged and dirty, +for my mother neglected and ill-treated me. As soon as my sister was +born she turned all her affections over to Virginia, who was always very +much petted, well dressed, and a very beautiful child. + +All this I recollect, but little more, except that my mother gave me +several beatings for calling my sister "Jenny," which I had learned to +do from others who knew her; but when my mother heard them, she was +always very angry, and told them that her child had not such a vulgar +name; at which many would laugh, and make a point of calling out "Jenny" +to Virginia whenever they passed and saw her at the door. When I was a +little more than four years old I would climb over the board, for I had +no pleasure at home. As I grew older I used to hasten down to the +landing-steps on the beach, where the new inn called the Trafalgar now +stands, and watch the tide as it receded, and pick up anything I could +find, such as bits of wood and oakum; and I would wonder at the ships +which lay in the stream, and the vessels sailing up and down. I would +sometimes remain out late to look at the moon and the lights on board of +the vessels passing; and then I would turn my eyes to the stars, and +repeat the lines which I had heard my mother teach little Virginia to +lisp: + + "Pretty little twinkling star, + How I wonder what you are; + All above the earth so high, + Like a diamond in the sky;" + +and when I did stay out late I was sure of having no supper, and very +often a good beating; and then Virginia would wake and cry, because my +mother beat me, for we were fond of each other. And my mother used to +take Virginia on her knee, and make her say her prayers every night; but +she never did so to me; and I used to hear what Virginia said, and then +go into a corner and repeat it to myself. I could not imagine why +Virginia should be taught to pray and that I should not. + +[Illustration: FISHER'S ALLEY.--Marryat, Vol. X. p. 27.] + +As I said before, my mother let lodgings, and kept the ground-floor +front room for people to drink tea and smoke in; and I used to take my +little stool and sit at the knees of the pensioners who came in, and +hear all their stories, and try to make out what they meant, for half +was to me incomprehensible; and I brought them fire for their pipes, and +ran messages. Old Ben the Whaler, as they called him, was the one who +took most notice of me, and said that I should be a man one of these +days, which I was very glad to hear then. And I made a little boat for +my sister, which cost me a great deal of trouble and labor; and Ben +helped me to paint it, and I gave it to Virginia, and she and I were +both so pleased; but when my mother saw it, she threw it into the fire, +saying it was "so ungenteel," and we both cried; and old Ben was very +angry, and said something to my mother, which made her sing "High diddle +diddle" for the whole day afterward. + +Such are the slight reminiscences, which must content the reader, of my +early existence. + +When I was eight years old (about six years after his last visit), my +father made his appearance; and then, for the first time, I knew that my +father was alive, for I was but two years old when he left, and I +remembered nothing about him, and I had never heard my mother mention +his name as if he still existed. + +My father came in one day very unexpectedly, for he had given no notice +of his return; and it so happened that as he came in, my mother was +beating me with the frying-pan, for having dipped my finger in the +grease in which she had been frying some slices of bacon. She was very +angry, and as she banged me with it, Virginia was pulling at her skirts, +crying and begging her to desist, "You little wretch," cried my mother, +"you'll be just such a sea-monster as your father was--little wulgar +animal, you must put your finger into the frying-pan, must you? There, +now you've got it." So saying, she put down the frying-pan, and +commenced singing as loud as she could, "Hush-a-by, baby, Pussy's a +lady." "Ay, now you're vexed, I dare say," continued she, as she walked +into the back kitchen. + +All this time my father had been at the door looking on, which she had +not perceived. My father then came in. "What's your name, my lad?" said +he. + +"Tommy Saunders," replied I, rubbing myself; for the frying-pan was very +hot, and my trousers very much out of repair. + +"And who is that little girl?" said he. + +"That's my sister Virginia--but," continued I, "who are you? Do you want +my mother?" + +"Not very particularly just now," said my father, taking up my sister +and kissing her, and then patting me on the head. + +"Do you want any beer or 'baccy?" said I. "I'll run and get you some, if +you give me the money, and bring back your change all right." + +"Well, so you shall, Jack, my boy," replied he; and he gave me a +shilling. I soon returned with the pipes, tobacco, and beer, and offered +him the change, which he told me to keep, to buy apples with. Virginia +was on the knee of my father, who was coaxing and caressing her, and my +mother had not yet returned from the back kitchen. I felt naturally +quite friendly toward a man who had given me more money than I ever +possessed in my life; and I took my stool and sat beside him; while, +with my sister on his knee, and his porter before him, my father smoked +his pipe. + +"Does your mother often beat you, Jack?" said my father, taking the pipe +out of his mouth. + +"Yes, when I does wrong," replied I. + +"Oh! only when you do wrong--eh?" + +"Well, she says I do wrong; so I suppose I do." + +"You're a good boy," replied my father. "Does she ever beat you, dear?" +said he to Virginia. + +"Oh, no!" interrupted I; "she never beats sister, she loves her too +much; but she don't love me." + +My father puffed away, and said no more. + +I must inform the reader that my father's person was very much altered +from what I have described it to have been at the commencement of this +narrative. He was now a boatswain's mate, and wore a silver whistle hung +round his neck by a lanyard, and with which little Virginia was then +playing. He had grown more burly in appearance, spreading, as sailors +usually do, when they arrive to about the age of forty; and, moreover, +he had a dreadful scar from a cutlass wound, received in boarding, which +had divided the whole left side of his face, from the eyebrow to the +chin. This gave him a very fierce expression; still he was a +fine-looking man, and his pigtail had grown to a surprising length and +size. His ship, as I afterward found out, had not been paid off, but he +had obtained a fortnight's leave of absence, while she was refitting. We +were all very sociable together, without there being the least idea, on +the part of my sister and myself, with whom we were in company, when in +rolled old Ben the Whaler. + +"Sarvice to you," said Ben, nodding to my father. "Tommy, get me a pipe +of 'baccy." + +"Here's pipe and 'baccy too, messmate," replied my father. "Sit down, +and make yourself comfortable, old chap." + +"Won't refuse a good offer," replied Ben, "been too long in the sarvice +for that--and you've seen sarvice, too, I think," continued Ben, looking +my father full in the face. + +"Chop from a French officer," replied my father; after a pause, he +added, "but he didn't live to tell of it." + +Ben took one of the offered pipes, filled, and was soon very busy +puffing away, alongside of my father. + + + + +CHAPTER FIVE + + My Father and Mother meet after an absence of Six Years--She + discovers that he is no longer a Coxswain but a Boatswain's Mate. + + +While my father and Ben are thus engaged, I will give the reader a +description of the latter. + +Ben was a very tall, broad-shouldered old fellow, but stooping a little +from age. I should think he must have been at least sixty, if not more; +still he was a powerful, sinewy man. His nose, which was no small one, +had been knocked on one side, as he told me, by the flukes (_i.e._, +tail) of a whale, which cut in half a boat of which he was steersman. He +had a very large mouth, with very few teeth in it, having lost them by +the same accident; which, to use his own expression, had at the time +"knocked his figure-head all to smash." He had sailed many years in the +whale fisheries, had at last been pressed, and served as quartermaster +on board of a frigate for eight or nine years, when his ankle was broken +by the rolling of a spar in a gale of wind. He was in consequence +invalided for Greenwich. He walked stiff on this leg, and usually +supported himself with a thick stick. Ben had noticed me from the time +that my mother first came to Fisher's Alley. He was the friend of my +early days, and I was very much attached to him. + +A minute or two afterward my father pushed the pot of porter to him. Ben +drank, and then said: + +"Those be nice children, both on 'em--I know them well." + +"And what kind of a craft is the mother?" replied my father. + +"Oh! why, she's a little queer at times--she's always so mighty +particular about gentility." + +"Do you know why?" replied my father. + +Ben shook his head. + +"Then I'll tell you: because she was once a lady's ladies' maid." + +"Well," replied Ben, "I don't understand much about titles and nobility, +and those sort of things; but I'm sorry she's gone down in the world, +for though a little particular about gentility, she's a good sort of +woman in her way, and keeps up her character, and earns an honest +livelihood." + +"So much the better for her," replied my father, who refilled his pipe +and continued to smoke in silence. + +My mother had gone into the back kitchen to wash, which was the cause +(not having been summoned) of her being so long absent. + +Virginia, who had become quite sociable, was passing her little fingers +through my father's large whiskers, while he every now and then put his +pipe out of his mouth to kiss her. I had the porter-pot on my knees, my +father having told me to take a swig, when my mother entered the room. + +"Well, Mr. Benjamin, I shouldn't wonder--but--Oh! mercy, it's he!" cried +my mother. "Oh! be quick--sal-wolatily!" + +"Sail who? What the devil does she mean?" said my father, rising up and +putting my sister off his knee. + +"I never heard of her," replied Ben, also getting up; "but Mistress +Saunders seems taken all aback, anyhow. Jack, run and fetch a bucket of +water!" + +"Jack, stay where you are," cried my mother, springing from the chair on +which she had thrown herself. "Oh, dear me! the shock was so sudden--I'm +so flustered. Who'd have thought to have seen you?" + +"Are you her brother?" inquired Ben. + +"No; but I'm her husband," replied my father. + +"Well, it's the first time I've heard that she had one--but I'll be off, +for Mistress Saunders is too genteel to kiss, I see, before company." +Ben then took up his stick and left the house. + +It may be as well here to remark that during his absence my father had +fallen in with one of the men who had been employed in the press-gang. +From him he learned that a woman had given the information by which he +was taken. He made the man, who was present when my mother called upon +the officer, describe her person, and the description in every point was +so accurate that my father had no doubt in his mind but that it was my +mother who had betrayed him. This knowledge had for years rankled in his +breast, and he had come home, not only from a wish to see how things +were going on, but to reproach my mother with her treachery. + +Whether my mother's conscience smote her, or that she perceived by my +father's looks that a squall was brewing, I know not; but as soon as Ben +had left the house, she shut the street-door that the neighbors might +not hear. Having so done, she turned to my father, who had resumed his +seat and his pipe. + +"Well," said she, putting her apron to her eyes, "you have been away a +good six years, and left me to get on how I could with these two poor +orphanless children." + +"You know best why I went," replied my father, "and by whose means I was +walked off in such a hurry." + +"Me?" replied my mother. + +"Yes, you," responded my father. + +"Well, what next?" cried she. + +"I'll tell you what next," said my father, rising, and taking about +eighteen inches of inch-and-a-half rope out of his pocket, "Look you, +ma'am, when I first found out that it was by your peaching that I was +sent on board of the tender, I made up this colt, and I vowed that I +would keep it in my pocket till I served you out. Now the time's come." + +Here my father flourished his rope's end. My mother would have flown to +the door, but my father was beforehand with her; he turned the key, and, +to the astonishment of Virginia and me, he seized my mother, and, +holding her at arm's length, gave her several blows--not severe ones, I +must acknowledge, indeed, they could not have hurt her. + +"There," said my father, "it's well for you, my Lady's ladies' maid, +that I did not fall in with you when I first made up this colt; and it's +well for you that I've heard a good character of you from the old chap +who has just now left the house, or you'd have smarted for the false +trick you played upon me. Howsomever, I've kept my oath, and you may +thank your stars that it's not worse." + +My mother, who had not uttered a cry during the punishment, but only +looked very indignant, now that my father had finished his speech, and +was rolling up his colt to put it in his pocket, suddenly threw herself +down on the floor, screaming murder with all her might. The noise +summoned the neighbors--all Fisher's Alley was in an uproar, and our +house was besieged with people, who attempted to force their way in--for +my mother continued her screams, and poor little Virginia became so +frightened that she also roared as loud as her mother. + +"I've more than two minds," said my father, taking the rope's end out of +his pocket again; "but howsomever, since you wish it, all the world +shall know it." + +My father put his colt into his pocket, and went to unlock the door. My +mother, perceiving what he was about, immediately rose and hastened +upstairs to her own room. My father then told the neighbors what had +occurred, and why my mother had been punished, and the verdict of +Fisher's Alley was, "sarved her right." Ben the Whaler, who was outside +with the others, espoused my father's cause, and as soon as the people +dispersed my father invited him to join him in his pipe and pot. + +Little Virginia, still terrified, had crept up to her mother. I, on the +contrary, felt the highest respect for one who could dare to punish my +mother, who had so often punished me; and the knowledge that he was my +father inspired me with a feeling of tenderness toward him which I could +not repress. I was old enough to understand why my mother had received +such treatment, and I could not feel angry with my father; I therefore +stayed below, and went for the porter as was required. + +I believe that at first it had been my father's intentions to have +administered a much severer castigation to my mother, and then to have +left the house, taking me with him, for he had not been apprised of the +birth of Virginia; but whatever were his intentions before he came, or +for the morrow, it is certain that he continued to smoke and talk with +old Ben the Whaler till a very late hour, while I sat by and listened. + + + + +CHAPTER SIX + + A bright pleasant Evening after a Squall, in which the Art of + Angling is introduced in a way which would have added to the + Knowledge of Izaac Walton himself. + + +"I beg pardon, messmate," said Ben, as he and my father became more +sociable; "but may I make so bold as to ask you how you contrived to get +that seam across your figure-head? You did say something about a +Frenchman, if I heard right; and as the war is now of two years' +standing, I suppose you've had a rap or two at Mounseer." + +"'Xpect I have," replied my father. "Well, old chap, I'll just wet my +whistle, and then I'll tell you all about it, and it won't take long, +neither. The boats were ordered away--" + +"Of what ship, messmate?" + +"Very true, I began in the middle. Well, it was in the ship I now +belongs to, the 'Oudacious'--we were with the squadron off Ferrol; +signal made to chase southeast--clapped every stitch on her after two +gun-boats who were running down in-shore. Light winds--got well in for +the land, and then it fell calm. Gun-boats four miles off using their +sweeps--our boats in chase--I was coxswain of the first pinnace--a +devilish fast boat, messmate, I can tell you, with a smart brass +gun--pulled two feet to their one, and came up with them +hand-over-hand--both cutters and the other pinnace well up with us--the +old launch half a mile astern. Now you see, sir, I've got the picture +for you, haven't I?" + +"Just exactly," replied old Ben. + +"Well, then, it was a long pull; and that reminds me that I'll have a +long pull now, so hand me the porter, messmate." My father took a +tremendous long pull at the pewter, and then handing it to Ben, he +recommenced: + +"We were soon within gun-shot, and they turned their heads toward us and +blazed away: very pretty shot they fired, for they cut away three of our +starboard oars before we were near enough to return the fire with our +small gun. However, the second pinnace and cutters came up and shared +the shot with us; and at last the old fat launch came grunting along, +for all the world like an old board, pitching into them round and grape. +Now the first lieutenant was in the launch, and, of course, commanded, +and he ordered the boats to separate more, which was very right, as it +divided the shot; and then he passed the word that when he sounded the +bugle we were all to pull to the headmost gun-boat and board her. D'ye +understand, messmate?" + +"Perfectly," replied Ben, taking his pipe out to reply. + +"Well, then, just hand me the pot." My father drained it this time, and +told me to go for another. + +"Then I shall lose the story," replied I. + +"No, boy, you won't," replied Ben; "I'll answer for it your father will +heave-to till you come back." + +"So I will, Jack," replied my father. And having with every expedition +executed my task, my father then continued: + +"Well, there we all were, waiting for the bugle, each boat creeping on a +little every moment, so as to have a fair start, as they do in a race; +when at last the signal was given, and away we all went like smoke, +with our oars bending double. The first pinnace reached the gun-boat +first; then the cutters banged alongside of her--all three of us to +windward--while the second pinnace and launch took her to leeward. +There's not much climbing in getting on board of a gun-boat; indeed, we +were at it before we were out of the boat, for the Frenchmen had pikes +as long as the spanker-boom; but we soon got inside of their points, and +came to close work. They stood a good tussle, I will say that, and so +they always do. We may laugh at 'em, and call 'em Johnny Crapows, but +they are a right brave nation, if they aren't good seamen; but that I +reckon's the fault of their lingo, for it's too noisy to carry on duty +well with, and so they never will be sailors till they larn English." + +"I never heard them carry on duty in French," said Ben; "it quite beats +my comprehension how they can do it at all." + +"Well, I have," replied my father; "and every word they use is as long +as the maintop bowling, and the mast is over the side before they can +get them out. Why, would you believe it? I once asked one of those +fellows what he called the foremast in his language, and what d'ye think +he said? Why, I'm blowed if he didn't call it a _'Mar-darty-marng'_ (and +that's the only bit of French I know); but how is it possible to work a +ship in such gibberish?" + +"Quite unpossible," replied Ben. + +"Well, as I've yawed a little out of my course, suppose we have another +swig before I takes a fresh departure?" + +After they had both drunk, my father proceeded: + +"Well, messmate, I was on the gunnel as soon as the others, and a sword +came down upon me like a flash of lightning. I had just time to lift my +cutlass and save my head, and then I found that it was the sword of the +French lieutenant who commanded the gun-boat. He was a, tall, +clean-built chap, with curls hanging down like a poodle dog's--every +curl not thicker than a rope yarn, and mayhap a thousand of them--and he +quite foamed at the mouth (that's another fault of these Frenchmen, they +don't take things coolly, but puts themselves in a passion about +nothing); so thinks I to myself it won't do for you to go on chopping at +that rate, for when I fended off he made my whole hand tingle with the +force of his blow; so I darts at him and drives the hilt of my cutlass +right into his mouth, and he fell, and his own men trod him underfoot, +and on we went, hammer and tongs. By this time the boarding of the +launch and pinnace to leeward, for they could not get up as soon as we +did, created a divarsion, and bothered the Frenchman, who hardly knew +which way to turn; however, as there were more of our men on the other +side, they most on 'em faced about; and the French officer was then able +to get on his knees again, and while I was busy and did not see him he +just give me this cut across the figure-head, which don't add to my +beauty, anyhow. Well, it was cut for cut, messmate. I just took one look +at the beggar, and I drove my cutlass into his skull, just as he was +rising up, and he never rose again. That's my story." + +"I suppose you took the craft?" + +"Yes; and her consort, too. But many lost the number of their mess, and +I lost all my beauty. Just hand me the 'baccy, messmate; and, Jack, go +for the next pot of beer." + +I found them both smoking in silence when I returned; but, after a few +minutes, my father said, "Messmate, as I have told you how I got this +chalk, suppose you tell me in return how you got that nose of yours +fixed so hard a starboard? That's fair play." + +"Exactly so," replied Ben. "Why, d'ye see? I sarved most of my early +life in the whaling line. I was three voyages to the north; but taking +the black whale counts for nothing; you must go south arter the +sparmacitty if you wish to see sport." + +"I never was in that line," replied my father; "but I've heard fellows +spin the devil's own yarns about it." + +"And so they may, and tell the truth, that's sartain, shipmate. You see, +the sparmacitty don't take the harpoon quite so quietly as the black +whale does; he fights hard to the last, and sometimes is very free with +his jaws. The very large ones are the most easy to kill; so we always +look out for them when we can, as they give less trouble, and more oil; +the most dangerous are the half-grown, which we call 'forty-barrel +bulls,' as that's about what oil we get out of them." + +"Well," said my father, "I'm blessed if ever I knew whales were called +bulls before this night." + +"Yes, that's our term," replied Ben; "and now to my story. We were down +off the coast of Japan; when, about one hour after daybreak, the man +looking out at the masthead gave the usual word when he sees a whale +blowing--'There she spouts.' And this he repeats every time the fish +rises. We had a clean hold at the time, for we had but just come to our +fishing-ground, and we were mighty eager. The boats were down in a +jiffy, and away we pulled. We were within a quarter of a mile of the +whale, when, to our disappointment, he peaked his flukes--" + +"What's that, messmate?" inquired my father. + +"Why, you see, it's the right term after all, for the tail of +sparmacitty is like the flukes of an anchor; and, of course, now you +understand me." + +"Yes, you mean to say he went down, I suppose." + +"Of course; for how could he go down headforemost, without peaking his +tail in the air?" + +"One lives and larns as long as one lives," observed my father. "Heave +ahead again, old boy." + +"Well, as you can't know what you haven't heard anything about, I must +now tell you that these animals be as regular as the bells in a +man-of-war; and whenever they goes down to fed, they always stays +exactly about the time allowed for dinner in a comfortable ship; that +is, seventy minutes exactly. An hour, you see, is the regular time +allowed, and the other ten minutes are by favor of the officer of the +watch, or first lieutenant. We knew that we must wait that time for him, +so we tossed up our oars, and laid by." + +"I suppose them sparmacitty chaps have a watch in their pockets," said +my father, smiling. + +"It's a true bill, nevertheless, messmate, and they never alter: how and +why they keep to their time, the Lord who gave them the sense to do so +only knows. It is one of the wonders of the deep, which they only who go +on the great waters can bear witness to." + +"It beats my comprehension quite entirely," replied my father; "and yet +I have seen animals with a great deal of sense. In one ship, we had a +sheep who would chew tobacco and drink grog. Now go ahead again." + +"Well, we had waited about half an hour, when we saw a whiff at the +masthead of the ship; we knew that it was to direct our attention to +some other point, so we looked round the horizon, and perceived that +there was a 'school' of young bulls, about three miles from us. We were +four boats in all; and the first mate desired my boat and another to go +in chase of them, while he remained with the other two, for this old +whale to come up again. Well, off we went, and soon came up with the +school: they are the most awkward part of whale fishing; for they are +savage, and, moreover, easily 'gallied,' that is, frightened. I picked +out one, and tried to come up with him; but he was very shy, and at last +he raised his head clean out of the water, and set off at the rate of +ten miles an hour; this showed that he was aware of danger. I had just +thought of giving him up, and trying for another, when he suddenly +turned round and came right toward the boats. That we knew meant +mischief; but, in coming toward us, he passed close to the other boat +and the steersman gave him the harpoon right well into him. This made +him more savage, and he stood right for my boat, plowing up the sea as +he rushed on. I was all ready in the bow with the harpoon, and the men +were all ready with their oars to pull back, so as to keep clear of him. +On he came, and when his snout was within six feet of us we pulled sharp +across him; and as we went from him, I gave him the harpoon deep into +the fin. 'Starn all!' was the cry as usual, that we might be clear of +him. He 'sounded' immediately, that is, down he went, headforemost, +which was what we were afraid of, for you see we had only two hundred +fathoms of line in each boat; and having both harpoons in him, we could +not bend one to the other, in case he 'sounded' deep, for sometimes they +will go down right perpendicular, and take four lines, or eight hundred +fathoms, with them; so we expected that we should this time lose the +whale as well as our lines, for when they were run out we must either +cut or go down with him. Well, the lines ran out so swift that we poured +water on them that they might not fire--and we thought that it was all +over, for the lines were two-thirds out, and he was going down as fast +as ever, when all of a sudden he stopped. We were hauling in the slack +lines, when we saw him rise again, about a quarter of a mile off. It +was a hurrah, for we now thought that we had him. Off he set with his +nose up, right in the wind's eye, towing the two boats at the rate of +twelve miles an hour; our stems cleaving through the sea, and throwing +off the water like a plume of feathers on each side of the bows, while +the sun's rays pierced through the spray and formed bright rainbows. We +hoped soon to tire him, and to be able to haul in upon our lines, so as +to get near enough to give him our lances; but that was only hope, as +you'll hear. Of a sudden, he stopped, turned round, and made right for +us, with his jaws open; then, all we had to do was to balk him, and give +him the lance. He did not seem to have made up his mind which boat he +would attack--we were pretty near together, and he yawed at one, and +then at the other. At last he made right for the other boat, and the +boatsetter dodged him very cleverly, while we pulled up to him, and I +put the lance up to the stock into his side. He made a plunge as if he +were going to 'sound' again; and as he did so, with his flukes he threw +our boat into the air a matter of twenty feet, cutting it clean in half, +and one of the boat's thwarts came right athwart of my nose, and it +never has been straight since. So now you have it, messmate; and I +shouldn't mind if you passed the beer this way, for this long yarn has +made my throat somewhat dry." + +"When you've had your swig, old chap, you may as well tell us how the +matter ended," observed my father. + +"Why, it just ended in our losing the whale in the first place, and the +boat with her gear in the second. We were picked up by the other boat, +and there was no time to be lost, for the sharks were brought together +by the scent of the whale's blood; the whale sounded again, and we were +obliged to cut the line and return on board. But God bless you, +messmate, I could tell you many a longer yarn than that, and mayhap I +shall some day or another." + +"Well, I hope you will," replied my father; "but your fishing story has +put me in mind of rather a curious fish, caught by a lad on board of a +man-of-war; and suppose I finish what's at the bottom of this here pot; +send Jack for another, and when he comes back, I'll tell you all about +it." + +"There's nothing gives me more satisfaction," replied Ben, "than to pass +away the evening in a sober, quiet way, as we are doing now, telling and +listening to long yarns. Ain't you sleepy, Jack?" + +"Oh! no," replied I, "not a bit. I'll run for the porter; and don't let +father begin till I come back, Ben. The house will be shut up soon: +shall I get more than a pot?" + +"Yes, Jack; but not more beer," replied my father, putting some silver +into my hand; "get one pot of beer and a bottle of rum. We'll have that +by way of a nightcap, old boy." + +I ran for the beer and liquor, and was soon back. My father and Ben +refilled their pipes, and the former commenced as follows: + +"When I was quartermaster on board of the 'Melpomene,' we had an old +chap for first lieutenant whose name was Fletcher. He was a kind-hearted +man enough, as he never worried the ship's company when there was no +occasion; but, at the same time, he was what you call a great stickler +for duty--made no allowances for neglect or disobedience of orders, +although he would wink at any little skylarking, walking aft, shutting +his eyes, and pretending not to see or hear it. His usual phrase was, +'My man, you've got your duty to do, and I've got mine.' And this he +repeated fifty times a day; so at last he went by the name of 'Old +Duty.' I think I see him now, walking up and down with his spy-glass +under his left arm, and the hand of the other pushed into his breast, as +if he were fumbling for a flea. His hat was always split and worn in the +front, from constantly taking it off, instead of touching it, when he +came on the quarter-deck; and, as soon as it was too far gone in front +to raise the purchase off his head, he used to shift it end for end, +bringing the back part in front, and then he would wear it, until, as +the Yankees say, it was in 'taterations altogether,' and he was forced +to bend a new one. + +"Now, we had a boy on board, who entered one day when the captain landed +at Torquay to dine with a friend. His name was Jack Jervis: his father +and his whole tribe had been fishermen for as long as could be +remembered; and Jack himself had been drafted out of his cradle into a +coble; and there he had continued day and night, from one year's end to +another, helping his father to fish--so, you see, it had become second +nature to him; and, after he came on board, his liking for his former +calling still remained with him, and he never was so happy as when his +line was overboard, or when he was snooding a hook in some corner or +another. He went by the name of Jack the Fisherman; and a smart, active, +willing lad he was, sure enough. + +"Now, there was a little difficulty between Old Duty and Jack the +Fisherman. Old Duty would not allow the lines to be overboard when the +ship was in harbor; as he said it was untidy in appearance, and that +there was always plenty of work, and no time for fishing. So Jack hadn't +pulled up his line ten or a dozen times before he was pulled up himself. +'Whose line's that?' says Old Duty. 'Mine, sir,' says Jack, touching his +hat. 'I don't allow fishing, young man,' said the first lieutenant. +'You understand me?--I don't allow fishing. You've your duty to do, sir, +and I've got mine.' + +"Jack, who had only been two or three days on board, and who, I believe, +would never have entered, had he known that there would have been such a +'_weto_,' as the boatswain used to call it, looked quite astonished, and +said-- + +"'What, mayn't I fish, sir?' + +"'No, my man, you must not fish without permission; and that I never +give in harbor. If I catch you fishing again, you get two dozen at the +gun, recollect that. You've got your duty to do, and I've got mine.' + +"Well, Jack could not give up his habit, so he used to fish at night, +and all night long, out of the fore-chains; but it so happened that the +ship's corporal caught Jack in the middle watch, and reports him to the +first lieutenant. + +"'So, you've been fishing again, sir,' says Old Duty. 'No, sir,' replied +Jack, 'not fishing--only laying night lines.' + +"'Oh! that's it,' replied the first lieutenant; 'only laying night +lines! Pray, what's the difference?' + +"'Please, sir,' said Jack, touching his hat, 'the difference is--that +it's not the same thing.' + +"'Well, sir, I see but one difference, and I'll meet it accordingly. +You've your duty to do, and I've got mine.' + +"The boys' heads and ears having been pulled about and examined by the +master-at-arms, they were dismissed; and Jack thought that he had got +off--but he was mistaken. + +"After the hammocks had been piped down, and it was dark, the boys were +ordered up by the master-at-arms; Jack was seized to the gun, and had +his two dozen. 'There, sir,' said Old Duty, as they cast the seizings +off, 'if fishing at night is not fishing, punishment at night is not +punishment. Now we're quits. You've your duty to do, and I've got +mine.' + +"I don't think that Jack perceived any more difference in the two dozen +at night-time than the first lieutenant did between day and night +fishing; however, Jack did not fish for some time afterward. But it so +happened that the first lieutenant was asked on shore to dine with the +port-admiral; and, although he seldom left the ship, he could not refuse +such a compliment, and so he went. As soon as it was dark, Jack thought +his absence too good an opportunity not to have a fish; so he goes into +the mizzen-chains and drops his line. Well, he fished (but I don't know +whether he caught any) till the boat was hailed in which the first +lieutenant was coming on board, and then Jack thought it time to haul in +his line; but, just at that moment, there was a jerk; and Jack, who knew +that fish was at the bait, could not for the life of him pull up his +line--for, you see, he was a fisherman heart and soul; so Jack trusted +to Providence and the first lieutenant's going down below as soon as he +came on deck. + +"Now, you see, the ship was lying at the time 'cross the tide, the wind +blowing against the current: the starboard side (being to leeward as to +the wind, but to windward as to the tide) had been cleared away, and +manned for the boat, and Jack made sure that the first lieutenant would +pull to that side; but he was mistaken. Whether it was that the first +lieutenant wished to have a look round the ship or not, I do not know, +but he pulled across the bows, and went round the stern, passing the +larboard side: as he passed, Jack shrunk under the lee of the deadeyes +and lanyards, hoping he might not be seen; but the first lieutenant, +having the clear horizon on the other side, perceived the line which +Jack had half hauled up, and, having an eye like a cat, makes out Jack +also. + +"'I see you, sir--I see you, Mr. Jervis, fishing again, sir. Very well,' +cried the first lieutenant, from the sternsheets of the boat, as he +passed by. 'You've your duty to do, and I've got mine.' 'That's as good +as two dozen to-morrow morning at muster,' thought Jack, who cursed his +luck, and, in a very melancholy mood, began to haul up his line, which, +as soon as he had been discovered, he had let go down to the bottom +again. Now, it so happened that, as Old Duty went up the other side, his +foot slipped; and, how it was I can't tell, for they say he wasn't the +least groggy, but down he fell, between the boat's gunnel and the ship's +side, just like a deep-sea lead, and disappeared. There being so few men +on deck, there was not much of a bustle--there was a dive or two for him +with the boat-hook, but all in vain--Old Duty was gone. + +"In the meantime, Jack on the other side was slowly hauling up his line; +but he had not got it half-way up when he felt a heavy strain, and he +thought that a large conger eel had followed the bait up, as they do +sometimes, and he hauled and hauled with all his might. At last, who +should he bring to the surface of the water but Old Duty, who had been +sucked under the ship's bottom by the tide, and had been hooked by Jack, +as he was pulling up. When Jack saw it was the first lieutenant, as he +told me, his first idea was to let him down again; but that was only for +a moment. The words of the first lieutenant still rang in his ears, +'You've your duty to do, and I've got mine'--so Jack did his duty. He +hollows out that he had caught Old Duty, and the boat shifted round and +took him on board. The old fellow was quite senseless; but as he had +been but a short time in the water, he was put to bed, and resuscitated +by the surgeon. The next morning he was all just as if nothing had +happened, walking the deck with his right hand in his breast, and his +spy-glass under his left arm, as usual. + +"Well, we all told Jack that he was safe this time, but Jack seemed to +think otherwise. He shook his head; and now you'll learn who was right. + +"When the boys were all mustered next morning, toeing a line, and +holding out their paws, the first lieutenant turns round and says, +'Jervis, you were fishing last night, against my orders.' 'Yes, sir,' +said Jervis, 'and I catched a first lieutenant;' for Jack had a good +deal of fun in him. 'Yes, sir, and queer fishes they are sometimes,' +replies Old Duty; 'but you forget that you have also catched two dozen. +You have your duty to do, and I've got mine.' + +"Well, as you may suppose, there were many of us looking abaft, just to +see what would take place, and were not a little astonished at the idea +of his rewarding Jack with two dozen for saving his life; however, of +course, we were mum. Jack was tied up; and the first lieutenant +whispered a word into the ear of his master-at-arms, who again whispered +to Williams, the boatswain's mate; and the effect of that whisper was, +that the cat was laid on so lightly that Jack hardly felt it; so +lightly, indeed, that the first lieutenant walked away aft, that he +might not appear to be a party in the consarn, and Jack was cast off +without having half a tear in either eye when Old Duty went up to him. + +"'You fished last night against orders, and therefore you have received +your punishment. You saved my life last night, and therefore it is my +duty to reward you. I could not let you off this punishment, as it would +be making the King pay you for me, instead of my paying you myself. I'm +not a rich man, but here's ten guineas for your purse, and here's my +gold watch. Spend the first usefully, and keep the other; and observe, +Jack Jervis, if ever you are again caught fishing in harbor, you will as +surely get two dozen for your pains. _You've your duty to_ do, _and I've +got mine_.'" + +"Well, messmate, that's a queer story altogether, and queerer fellows in +it. I wouldn't have minded sailing with that Old Duty. Suppose we drink +his health?" + +"With all my heart; for you're right, old chap. When we knows what we +are to expect, we're always ready to meet-it; but some officers I've +sailed with shift about like a dog-vane, and there's no knowing how to +meet them. I recollect--But I say, Jack, suppose you turn in--your eyes +are winking and blinking like an owl's in the sunshine. You're tired, +boy, so go to bed. We shan't tell any more yarns to-night." + +I was very tired indeed, and could not keep my eyes open any longer; so +I went upstairs, and was asleep almost as soon as I laid my head upon +the pillow. + + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN + + In which my Mother gives my Father a Scriptural Lesson--My Father's + Grief at parting with an old Friend--He expostulates with my Mother + and quits the House. + + +I Woke early the next morning; for the whole night I had been restless, +and dreaming of the unusual occurrences of the day before. It was just +daylight, and I was recalling what had passed, and wondering what had +become of my father, when I heard a noise in my mother's room. I +listened--the door opened, and she went downstairs. + +This surprised me; and being conscious, even at my age, of the +vindictive temper shown by my mother upon every occasion, and anxious to +know where my father was, I could not remain in bed. I put on my +trousers, and crept softly downstairs without my shoes. The door of the +front room was ajar, and I looked in. The light was dimly peering +through the window which pointed to the alley; the table was covered +with the empty pipes, tobacco, and large pools of beer and liquor which +had been spilled on it; the sofa was empty, and my father, who evidently +had become deeply intoxicated the night before, was lying on the sanded +floor with his face downward; my mother, in her short dressing-gown and +flannel petticoat, was standing over him, her teeth set, her fists +clinched, and arms raised, with a dire expression of revenge in her +countenance. I thought at the time that I never saw her look so ugly--I +may say so horrid; even now her expression at that moment is not effaced +from my memory. After a few minutes she knelt down and put her ear close +to his head, as if to ascertain whether he was in a sound sleep. She +then took a knife from off the table, felt the edge, looked at my +prostrate father, and raised it. I would have screamed, but my tongue +was glued to my lips with horror. She appeared to reflect, and, after a +time, laid the knife down on the table, put the palm of her hand up to +her forehead, and then a smile gleamed over her moody features. "Yes, if +he murders me; but they will be better," muttered she at last. She went +to the cupboard, took out a large pair of scissors, and, kneeling down +by my father, commenced severing his long pigtail from his head. My +father was too sound asleep to be roused: in a minute the tail was off, +and my mother rose up, holding it, with an expression of the utmost +contempt, between her finger and thumb. She then very softly laid it +down by his side, and replaced the scissors in the cupboard. As I +expected that she would go upstairs again, I concealed myself in the +back kitchen. I was correct in my supposition. A moment afterward I +heard her ascending the stairs and go into her own room. + +I must say that I felt indignant at this conduct of my mother's, as, so +far from provocation, she had hardly received the reward of previous +treachery. I believe, however, that, like most people, I was actuated by +my own feelings toward my mother, who had treated me so unkindly. I +thought for a little while--what would my mother do? She would hardly +remain in the house, to meet the wrath of my father, when he made the +discovery. She would escape him; this I had no wish that she should do; +so I went softly into the front parlor and pushed my father to awake +him. For some time this was useless; he muttered and growled, but it +appeared impossible to rouse him. There were the remains of a jug of +water on the table; and, as I had seen the same thing done before to a +drunken sailor, I took the jug, and poured the water softly on the nape +of his neck. In a minute or two this had the effect of waking him. He +turned over, opened his eyes, and, when I put my finger to my lips to +intimate silence, he looked at me with a vacant stare. Time pressed; I +heard my mother moving about upstairs, and I was afraid that she would +leave the house before my father had recovered his senses. I therefore +took his pigtail from the floor and held it up before him. This appeared +to surprise him. He fixed his eyes upon it for a few seconds, and then, +as if at last suspecting what had taken place, he put his hand to the +back of his head and found no pigtail there. Suddenly he jumped up; he +appeared to be sobered all at once. He caught the tail out of my hand, +looked at it, felt convinced of his loss, threw himself down on the sofa +and wept like a child. + +"I saw my mother do it, father," said I, whispering in his ear. This +appeared to recall him. He raised himself up, wiped his eyes with the +back of his hand, ground his teeth, and shook his head. He threw his +tail on the floor, and, as he eyed it, a deep melancholy spread over his +countenance. After a minute or two he folded his arms, and thus lamented +over it: + +"Well, I never would have thought it had they told me that you and I +should have parted company. Many, many years has it taken you to grow to +your present length; often have you been handled, often have you been +combed, and often have you been tied. Many's the eel has been skinned +for your sarvice, and many's the yard of ribbon which you have cost me. +You have been the envy of my shipmates, the fancy of the women, and the +pride of poor Tom Saunders. I thought we should never have parted on +'arth, and, if so be my sins were forgiven me, and I could show a fair +log, that I might be permitted to wear you in the world which is to +come. But there you are--parted for all the world like a limb shot off +in action, never to be spliced again. What am I to say when I go on +board? I shall have a short tale to tell, instead of a long tail to +show. And the wife of my busum to do this! Well, I married too high, and +now my pride is laid low. Jack, never marry a lady's ladies' maid; for +it appears that the longer the names the more venomous the cattle be." + +Just as he had finished I heard my mother coming downstairs with +Virginia, whom she had taken up and dressed, to take away with her. +"Hush!" I heard her softly say to Virginia, "don't speak, dear, or +you'll wake your naughty father." + +She had hardly said this when she made her appearance, with Virginia on +one arm and a large bundle on the other. But as soon as she perceived +that my father was awake, and cognizant of her revenge, she uttered a +loud scream, dropped Virginia and the bundle, and, running upstairs to +her own room, locked herself in. + +Poor little Virginia set up a roar at this very unusual (and I believe +felonious) act of child-dropping on the part of my mother. I ran to her, +and carried her to the sofa, while my father, with compressed lips, +first taking two or three quarter-deck strides up and down the room, +locked the street door, put the key in his pocket, and then ascended the +stairs to pay a visit to my mother, who, I believe, would very willingly +have been "not at home"; but some people are importunate, and will take +no refusal; and, when my father retired three or four steps from the +door, and with a sudden run brought the whole weight of his foot to bear +upon it, it flew open. At first my mother was not visible, my father +thought she had escaped; but at last he spied her legs under the bed. +Seizing her by her extremities, he dragged her out, without any regard +to propriety, until he had her into the middle of the room with his foot +upon her. What a situation for a lady's ladies' maid! I had put Virginia +down on the sofa, and crept up the stairs to see what took place. My +father and mother were in these relative positions, and he thus +addressed her: + +"I have heard say that a man mustn't thrash his wife with anything +thicker than his own thumb. That's as may be--and I do recollect when +the first lieutenant wanted to cut off the men's hair that the purser +told him that it was felony, under the Act of cutting and maiming. I +don't know whether the first lieutenant would have made a felony or not; +but this I'm sartain of--he'd have made a mutiny. You desarve no mercy, +and you shall have none. This pigtail of mine shall be what I shall use +upon you, and if the colt is heavy, recollect you cut it for yourself; +and as you may not be able to hear what I say by the time I have done +with you, I'll just tell you now. I'll point the end, and work a mouse +on this pigtail of mine, and never part with it. I'll keep it for your +own particular use, and for nobody else's; and as sartain as I come +back, so sartain every time I come you shall have a taste of pigtail +without _chewing_', my lady's ladies' maid." + +Having made this uncommon long speech, to which my mother offered no +reply, her eyes being fixed in terror upon the brandished tail, which +was nearly as thick as her own arm, my father proceeded to put his +threats into execution. Blow resounded after blow; my mother's cries +became feebler and feebler, until at last she appeared senseless. Then I +ran to my father, and, clinging to his leg, cried, "Oh, father, she's +dead!" + +This observation induced him to leave off. He looked at my mother's +face; her eyes were closed, and her jaw had fallen. "Well, she had +enough of it this time," said my father, after a pause; "maybe too much +on it. But when I looks at this tail in my hand, I feel as if I could +still give her more. And if she be dead, I think the judge would not +hang me, if I showed him what I have lost. I'd rather have parted with +an arm or a leg any day of the week. There's been provocation enough, at +all events, if she be dead--a saint in heaven couldn't stand it." + +During these remarks my mother gave no signs of returning animation, and +at last my father became seriously alarmed. "Jack," said he, "I must cut +my stick, or they may put me into limbo. As soon as I have cleared out, +do you run for a doctor to look at your mother; and mind you don't +forget to tell that old chap who was boozing with me last night +everything which has happened, and the people will say, come what will +on it, that I was aggravated sufficient; and, Jack, if there be a +crowner's inquest, mind you tell the truth. You know I didn't want to +kill the old woman, don't you, my boy? for didn't I say that I'd keep +the tail to give her another dose when I came back again?--that proves I +didn't intend that she should slip her wind, you know, boy. I said I'd +give her another dose, you know, Jack--and," continued my father, "so I +will, if I find her above ground when I comes back again." + +My father then went downstairs. Little Virginia had fallen asleep again +on the sofa; my father kissed her softly, shook hands with me, and put a +crown in my hand. He then unlocked the door, and, thrusting the end of +his pigtail into his breast, coiled it, as it were, round his body, +hastened down the alley, and was soon out of sight. + + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT + + In which the Doctor pays a Visit and receives no Fee; and I am + obliged to work very hard to procure myself a Livelihood. + + +I did not forget my father's injunctions, for I was very much +frightened. There was a doctor who lived half-way up Church Street, a +short distance from Fisher's Alley. He was a little man with a large +head sunk down between two broad shoulders. His eyes were small and +twinkling, his nose snubbed, his pate nearly bald; but on the sides of +his head the hair was long and flowing. But if his shoulders were broad +the rest of his body was not in the same proportion--for he narrowed as +he descended, his hips being very small, and his legs as thin as those +of a goat. His real name was Todpoole, but the people invariably called +him Tadpole, and he certainly in appearance somewhat reminded you of +one. He was a facetious little fellow, and, it was said, very clever in +his profession. + +"Dr. Tadpole," cried I, out of breath with running, "come quick, my +mother is very bad indeed." + +"What's the matter?" said he, peering over a mortar in which he was +rubbing up something with the pestle. "External or internal?" + +Although I did not know what he meant, I replied, "Both, doctor, and a +great deal more besides." + +"That's bad indeed," replied Tadpole, still rubbing away. + +"But you must come directly," cried I. "Come along--quick!" + +"Festina lente, good boy--that's Latin for hat and boots. Tom, are my +boots clean?" + +"Ye'es, sir," replied a carroty-haired boy, whom I knew well. + +The doctor laid down his pestle, and taking his seat on a chair, began +very leisurely to pull on his boots, while I stamped with impatience. + +"Now do be quick, doctor, my mother will be dead." + +"Jack," said the doctor, grinning, as he pulled on his second boot, +"people don't die so quick before the doctor comes--it's always +afterward; however, I'm glad to see you are so fond of your mother. Tom, +is my hat brushed?" + +"Ye'es, sir," replied Tom, bringing the doctor's hat. + +"Now then, Jack, I'm all ready. Tom, mind the shop, and don't eat the +stick-liquorice--d'ye hear?" + +"Ye'es, sir," said Tom, with a grin from ear to ear. + +The doctor followed me very quick, for he thought from my impatience +that something serious must be the matter. He walked up to my mother's +room, and I hastened to open the door; when, to my surprise, I found my +mother standing before the glass arranging her hair. + +"Well!" exclaimed my mother, "this is very pretty behavior--forcing your +way into a lady's room." + +The doctor stared, and so did I. At last I exclaimed, "Well! father +thought he'd killed her." + +"Yes," cried my mother, "and he's gone away with it on his conscience, +that's some comfort. He won't come back in a hurry; he thinks he has +committed murder, the unfeeling brute! Well, I've had my revenge." + +And as she twisted up her hair, my mother burst out screaming: + + "Little Bopeep, she lost her sheep. + And couldn't tell where to find him; + She found him, indeed, but it made her heart bleed, + For he left his tail behind him." + +"Why, then, doctor, it was all sham," exclaimed I. + +"Yes; and the doctor's come on a fool's errand-- + + "'Goosey, Goosey Gander, + Whither dost thou wander? + Upstairs and downstairs, + And in a lady's chamber.'" + +The doctor shrugged up his shoulders so that his head disappeared +between them. At last he said, "Your mother don't want me, Jack, that's +very clear. Good-morning, Mrs. Saunders." + +"A very good-morning to you, Dr. Tadpole," replied my mother with a +profound courtesy; "you'll oblige me by quitting this room and shutting +the door after you, if you please." As the doctor and I went down, my +mother continued the song-- + + "And then I met a little man, + Couldn't say his prayers, + I took him by the left leg + And sent him downstairs." + +As soon as we were in the parlor, I acquainted the doctor with what had +happened. "I'm sure I thought she was dead," said I, when I had finished +the story. + +"Jack, when I asked you where your mother was bad, external or +internal, you replied both, and a great deal more besides. So she +is--internally, externally, and infernally bad," said the doctor, +laughing. "And so she amputated your father's pigtail, did she, the +Delilah? Pity one could not amputate her head, it would make a good +woman of her. Good-by, Jack; I must go and look after Tom, he's +swallowed a whole yard of stick-liquorice by this time." + +Soon afterward Ben the Whaler came in to inquire after my father, and I +told him what had occurred. He was very indignant at my mother's +conduct, and, as soon as the affair was known, so were all the tenants +of Fisher's Alley. When my mother went out, or had words with any of her +neighbors, the retort was invariably, "Who sent the press-gang after her +own husband?" or "Who cut off the tail from her husband's back? Wasn't +that a _genteel_ trick?" All this worried my mother, and she became very +morose and ill-tempered. I believe she would have left the alley if she +had not taken a long lease of the house. She had now imbibed a decided +hatred for me, which she never failed to show upon every occasion, for +she knew that it was I who had roused my father, and prevented her +escape from his wrath. The consequence was that I was seldom at home, +except to sleep. I sauntered to the beach, ran into the water, sometimes +rowed in the wherries, at others hauling them in and holding them steady +for the passengers to land. I was beginning to be useful to the +watermen, and was very often rewarded with a piece of bread and cheese, +or a drink of beer out of their pots. The first year after my father's +visit I was seldom given a meal, and continually beaten--indeed, +sometimes cruelly so--but as I grew stronger, I rebelled and fought, and +with such success that, although I was hated more, I was punished less. + +One scene between my mother and me may serve as a specimen for all. I +would come home with my trousers tucked up, and my _high-lows_ unlaced +and full of water, sucking every time that I lifted up my leg, and +marking the white sanded floor of the front room, as I proceeded through +it to the back kitchen. My mother would come downstairs, and perceiving +the marks I had left, would get angry, and as usual commence singing-- + + "'A frog he would a-wooing go, + Heigho, says Rowly.' + +"I see here's that little wretch been here-- + + "'Whether his mother would let him or no, + Heigho, says Rowly.' + +"I'll rowly him with the rolling-pin when I get hold of him. He's worse +than that beastly water-spaniel of Sir Hercules', who used to shake +himself over my best cambric muslin. Well, we'll see. He'll be wanting +his dinner; I only wish he may get it. + + "'Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, + Eating his Christmas pie; + He put in his thumb and pull'd out a plum, + And cried, What a good boy am I!' + +"'Good boy am I!' good-for-nothing brat, just like his father. Oh, +dear!--if I could but get rid of him! + + "'There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, + She'd so many children she didn't know what to do; + She gave them some broth without any bread, + She whipped them all round, and sent them to bed.' + +"And if I don't whip him, it's my fault, that's all. Virginia, my love, +don't spit--that's not genteel. It's only sailors and Yankees who spit. +Nasty little brute! Oh! here you are, are you?" cried my mother, as I +entered. "Do you see what a dirty mess you have made, you little +ungrateful animal? Take that, and that, and that," continued she, +running the wet bristles of the long broom into my face, with sufficient +force to make my nose bleed. I stood the first push, and the second; but +the third roused my indignation--and I caught hold of the end of the +broom toward me, and tried to force it out of her hands. It was push +against push, for I was very strong--she, screaming as loud as she +could, as she tried to wrest the broom from my clutches--I, shoving at +her with all my force--like Punch and the devil at the two ends of the +stick. At last, after she had held me in a corner for half a minute, I +made a rush upon her, drove her right to the opposite corner, so that +the end of the handle gave her a severe poke in the body, which made her +give up the contest, and exclaim as soon as she recovered her +breath--"Oh! you nasty, ungrateful, ungenteel brute! You little viper! +Is that the way you treat your mother--and nearly kill her? Oh, dear +me!" + +"Why don't you leave me alone, then? you never beats Jenny." + +"Who's Jenny, you wicked good-for-nothing boy? you mean your sister +Virginia. Well, you'll have no dinner, I can tell you." + +I put my hand in my pocket, took out a sixpence which I had received, +and held it up between my thumb and finger. "Won't I?" + +"You oudacious boy! that's the way you're spoiled by foolish people +giving you money." + +"Good-by, mother." So saying, I leaped over the board fixed up at the +door, and was again down at the beach. Indeed, I was now what is termed +a regular _Mud-larker_, picking up halfpence by running into the water, +offering my ragged arm to people getting out of the wherries, always +saluting them with, "You haven't got never a halfpenny for poor Jack, +your honor?" and sometimes I did get a halfpenny, sometimes a shove, +according to the temper of those whom I addressed. When I was not on the +beach, I was usually in company with Ben the Whaler, who, after my +father's visit, was more kind to me than ever; and there were several +other pensioners who were great friends of mine; and I used to listen to +their long yarns, which were now becoming a source of great delight to +me; at other times I would be with the watermen, assisting them to clean +out their wherries, or pay the seams. In fact, I was here, there, and +everywhere except at home--always active, always employed, and, I may +add, almost always wet. My mother used to scold whenever I came in; but +that I did not mind; her greatest punishment was refusing me a clean +shirt on a Sunday. At last I picked up halfpence enough to pay, not only +for my food, such as it was, but for my own washing, and every day I +became more independent and more happy. + +There were other ways by which money was to be obtained during the +summer season, which were from the company who used to come down to the +whitebait parties at the Ship and other taverns. There were many other +boys who frequented the beach besides me, and we used to stand under the +windows, and attract attention by every means in our power, so as to +induce the company to throw us halfpence to scramble for. This they +would do to while away their time until their dinner was ready, or to +amuse themselves and the ladies by seeing us roll and tumble one over +the other. Sometimes they would throw a sixpence into the river, where +the water was about two feet deep, to make us wet ourselves through in +groping for it. Indeed, they were very generous when they wished to be +amused; and every kind of offer was made to them which we thought suited +to their tastes, or likely to extract money from their pockets. + +"Dip my head in the mud for sixpence, sir!" would one of us cry out; and +then he would be outbid by another. + +"Roll myself all over and over, in the mud, face and all, sir--only give +me sixpence!" + +Sometimes I would perceive a lovely countenance, beaming with pity and +compassion at our rags and apparent wretchedness, and then the money +thrown to me gave me much more pleasure; but the major portion of those +who threw us silver for their own amusement would not have given us a +farthing if we had asked charity for the love of God. + +It must not, however, be supposed that I gained the enviable situation +of _Poor Jack_ until I had been some time on the beach. There are +competitors for every place, even the most humble; and there was no want +of competitors for this office among the many idle boys who frequented +the beach. When I first plied there, I was often pushed away by those +who were older and stronger than myself, with a "Go along with you! He's +not poor Jack--I'm poor Jack, your honor." This, at first, I submitted +to; taking my chance for a stray halfpenny, which was occasionally +thrown to me, trusting to my activity in being the first down to the +boat, or to my quickness in a scramble. I never quarreled with the other +boys, for I was remarkable for my good temper. The first idea I had of +resistance was from oppression. One of the boys, who was older and +taller than myself, attempted to take away a sixpence which I had gained +in a scramble. Before that, I had not resented being pushed away, or +even when they threw water or mud at me; but this was an act of violence +which I could not put up with: the consequence was a fight; in which, to +my surprise (for I was not aware of my strength), as well as to the +surprise of the bystanders, I proved victorious, beating my opponent +until he reeled into the water, following him up until he tumbled, and +then holding his head down in the mud until he was almost stifled. I +then allowed him to get up, and he went home crying to his mother. For +this feat I was rewarded with the plaudits of the old pensioners and +others who were looking on, and with a shilling which was thrown to me +from the window of the inn. Ben the Whaler, who had witnessed the fray, +told me, the next day, that I handled my fists remarkably well, and that +I had but to keep a higher guard and I should fight well. He was an old +pugilist himself, and he gave me a few directions which I did not +forget. I soon had occasion to put them into practice; for, two days +afterward, another boy, bigger than myself, as I was plying as "Poor +Jack," pushed me back so hard that I fell off the steps into the deep +water, and there was a general laugh against me. I did not care for the +ducking, but the laugh I could not bear: as soon as I gained the steps +again, I rushed upon him and threw him off, and he fell into the wherry, +and, as it afterward appeared, he strained his back very much; +nevertheless he came out to thrash me; and this time it was a regular +fight, as the pensioners and watermen interfered, taking us both up on +the higher ground, and seeing that it was fair play. Ben the Whaler +acted as my second, and we set to. The boy was too powerful for me, had +it not been for the hurt he had received and the instructions I obtained +from Ben every time that I sat on his knee between each round. Still it +was a very hard fight, and I was terribly beaten; but I could not give +up, for so many betted upon my winning, and Ben told me, at the end of +every round, that if I only stood up one more, I should be certain to +beat him, and that then I should be _Poor Jack forever!_ The last +inducement stimulated me to immense exertion. We closed and wrestled, +and my antagonist was thrown; and, in consequence of the strain he had +before received, he could not stand up anymore. Poor fellow! he was in +great pain; he was taken home, and obliged to have a doctor, and an +abscess formed in his side. He was a long while getting well, and, when +he came out of doors again, he was so pale. I was very sorry for him, +and we were always the best friends afterward, and I gave him many a +halfpenny, until I had an opportunity of serving him. + +I mention these two fights because they obtained for me a greater +reputation than I deserved: this reputation perhaps saved me a great +deal more fighting, and obtained me the mastery over the other boys on +the beach. Indeed, I became such a favorite with the watermen that they +would send the other boys away; and thus did I become, at last, the +acknowledged, true, lawful, and legitimate "Poor Jack of Greenwich." + + + + +CHAPTER NINE + + In which I take a Cruise contrary to the received Rules of + Navigation--On my Return from a cold Expedition, I meet with a cold + Reception. + + +As soon as I was fairly in possession of my office, I gained sufficient +money to render me almost entirely independent of my mother. +Occasionally I procured an old jacket or trousers, or a pair of shoes, +at the store of an old woman who dealt in everything that could be +imagined; and, if ever I picked up oakum or drifting pieces of wood, I +used to sell them to old Nanny--for that was the only name she was known +by. My mother, having lost her lodgers by her ill temper and continual +quarreling with her neighbors, had resorted to washing and getting up of +fine linen, at which she was very expert, and earned a good deal of +money. To do her justice, she was a very industrious woman, and, in some +things, very clever. She was a very good dressmaker, and used to make up +the gowns and bonnets for the lower classes of people, to whom she gave +great satisfaction. She worked very hard for herself and my sister, +about whose dress and appearance she was more particular than ever; +indeed, she showed as much affection for her as she did ill-will toward +me. To look at me, with my old trousers tucked up above my knees, my +ragged jacket, and weatherbeaten cap; and then to see Virginia, so +neatly and even expensively dressed, no one could have believed that we +were brother and sister. My mother would always try to prevent Virginia +from noticing me, if we ever met when she was walking out with her. But +my sister appeared to love me more and more; and, in spite of my mother, +as soon as she saw me, would run up to me, patting my dirty jacket with +her pretty little hand; and, when she did so, I felt so proud of her. +She grew up handsomer every day, and so sweet in disposition that my +mother could not spoil her. + +It was in the autumn that I gained undisputed possession of the office +of "Poor Jack"; and that winter I had an adventure which nearly +occasioned my making a vacancy for somebody else, and which, the reader +will agree with me, was anything but pleasant. + +It was in the month of January--the river was filled with floating ice, +for it had frozen hard for several days; and, of course, there were but +few people who trusted themselves in wherries--so that I had little +employment, and less profit. One morning, as I was standing on the +landing-steps, the breath coming out of my mouth like the steam of a +tea-kettle--rubbing my nose, which was red from the sharpness of the +frost--and looking at the sun, which was just mounting above a bank of +clouds, a waterman called to me, and asked me whether I would go down +the river with him, as he was engaged to take a mate down to join his +ship, which was several miles below Greenwich; and, if so, he would give +me sixpence and a breakfast. I had earned little for many days, and, +hating to be obliged to my mother, I consented. + +In an hour we started: there was no wind--the water was smooth, and the +sun's rays glittered on the floating patches of ice, which grated +against the sides of the wherry as we cut through them with our sharp +prow. Although we had the tide with us, it was three hours before we +gained the ship. The mate paid the fare, and gave us something to drink; +and we passed an hour or more warming ourselves at the caboose and +talking with the seamen. At last a breeze sprung up, and the captain +ordered the men to get the ship under way. We shoved off, the tide +having flowed some time, expecting to be back to Greenwich before dark. + +But it clouded over, and a heavy snowstorm came on, so that we could not +see in what direction we were pulling; the wind blew very fresh, and it +was piercing cold; however, we pulled as hard as we could, not only to +get back again, but to keep ourselves from freezing. Unfortunately, we +had lost too much time on board of the vessel; and, what with that, and +the delay arising from the snowstorm preventing us pulling straight +back, the ebb-tide made again before we had gained more than two-thirds +of our way. We were now nearly worn out with the severe cold and +fatigue, but we pulled hard, keeping as close inshore as we could. It +was necessary, at the end of one reach, to cross over to the other side +of the river; and, in so doing, we were driven by the tide against a +large buoy, when the wherry filled and upset in an instant. We both +contrived to cling on to her, as she was turned bottom up; and away we +were swept down among the drifting ice, the snowstorm still continuing +to beat down on our heads. I was nearly frozen before I could climb on +the bottom of the wherry; which I at last contrived to do, but the +waterman could only hold on. There we both were, shivering and shaking; +the wind piercing through our wet clothes--the snow beating down on us, +and our feet freezing among the drifting ice--borne away with the tide +toward the mouth of the river--not able to see two yards before us, or +likely to be seen by any one, so as to be assisted. We were too cold to +speak, but remained in silence, looking at each other, and with no +pleasant forebodings as to our fate. The ice now formed in large masses; +the icicles hung from our clothes and all sense was lost in our +extremities. It was now dark as pitch; and so feeble were we that it was +with difficulty we could keep in our positions. At last the storm +abated, the sky cleared up, and the bright full moon shone in the +heavens; but our case appeared hopeless--we felt that before morning we +must perish. I tried to say what prayers I had learned by hearing my +sister say them; but my teeth chattered, and I could only think them. At +last I perceived a vessel at anchor: the tide was sweeping us past--we +were close to her, and I contrived to cry out; but there was no reply. +Again I screamed, but it was in vain. They were all in their warm beds, +while we floated past, freezing to death. My hopes, which had been +raised, and which had occasioned my heart to resume its beating, now +sank down again, and I gave myself up in despair. I burst into tears; +and, before the tears had rolled half-way down my cheeks, they had +frozen hard. "I am indeed 'Poor Jack,' now," thought I; "I shall never +see my father or Virginia any more." As I thought so, I saw another +vessel ahead of us. I summoned all my strength, and called out long +before we floated past her. The light wind bore my voice down; there was +a man on deck, and he heard it; he walked forward, and I perceived him +looking over the bows. I hallooed again, to direct his attention to +where we were; for our wherry was so encrusted with ice that she might +have been taken for a larger piece floating by. I saw him turn away, and +heard him thump with a handspike on the deck. How my heart bounded! I +almost felt warm. As we were passing the vessel, I cried out again and +again, and the man answered me-- + +"Ay, ay, hold on for a minute or two, and I'll send for you." + +[Illustration: I SUMMONED ALL MY STRENGTH, AND CALLED OUT LONG BEFORE WE +FLOATED PAST HER.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 73.] + +"We are saved," I cried to the waterman; but he was quite insensible, +apparently frozen stiff where he was clinging. In a few minutes I heard +the sound of oars, and then they stopped; the boat came quietly +alongside, that they might not by the shock throw us off into the water; +they dragged us both in, and took us on board, poured a glass of brandy +down our throats, stripped off our frozen clothes, chafed our limbs, and +put us between the hot blankets which they had just left. As soon as I +was in bed the mate made me drink a tumbler of hot grog, and left me. I +soon fell into a deep sleep, long before they had ceased their attempts +to restore vitality to my companion, which at last they did. When I +awoke the next morning I was quite well, and the waterman was also +recovering, although not able to leave his hammock. The mate who had had +the watch and had saved us, told me that the wherry was safe on board, +and, as the ship was bound up the river, that we had better remain where +we were. I narrated our accident; and my clothes having been dried at +the caboose, I dressed myself and went on deck. My companion, the +waterman, did not escape so well; his foot was frostbitten, and he lost +four of his toes before he recovered. It was singular that he, who was a +man grown up, should suffer so much more than I did. I cannot account +for it, except that my habit of always being in the water had hardened +me more to the cold. We remained on board two days, during which we were +treated with great kindness. + +It was a fine bright morning, when, as the ship was passing the +hospital, we shoved the wherry off, and landed at the steps; and when we +jumped out we were greeted by all who were standing there. We had very +naturally been given up for lost. They supposed that we had perished in +the snowstorm. Old Ben was among those who were standing at the steps, +and he walked up with me toward my mother's house. + +"I did go to the old woman and break the matter to her in a becoming +way, Jack," said Ben; "but I can't say that she appeared to take it much +to heart, and that's the truth. Had it been little Jenny, she'd have +cried her eyes out." + +I arrived at Fisher's Alley, and the neighbors looked out; and as I +nodded to them they cried, "Why, here's Jack come back again. Where have +you been to, Jack?" This passing from mouth to mouth at last reached my +mother's ears; she looked out and saw me and old Ben close to the door. + +"Here be your son, missus," said Ben; "so you may thank God for His +mercy." + +But my mother did not appear to be very thankful. She turned round and +went in. I followed her, while Ben was standing at the door in amazement +at her not flying to me and kissing me. On the contrary she must have +been angry at my return, for she commenced singing: + + "Jack and Gill went up the hill + To fetch a pail of water; + Jack fell down and broke his crown, + And Gill came tumbling after." + +And then she broke out: "And where have you been, you good-for-nothing +boy, all this time? putting me to all this useless expense that you +have; all my money thrown away for nothing." I looked at the table and +perceived that she had been making a black dress and bonnet, to put +little Virginia into mourning; for she never let slip an opportunity to +dress out my sister. + +"Fifteen good shillings thrown away and lost, all by your coming back. +Your sister would have looked so beautiful and interesting in it. Poor +child! and now she will be disappointed. Never mind, my darling, you may +have to wear them soon yet, if he goes on this way." + +Virginia did not seem to mind it at all; she was kissing and patting me, +and was delighted to see me again. But my mother took her by the hand, +and catching up the half-made dress and bonnet in her other, walked away +upstairs to her room, singing: + + "There was an old man who lived under a hill, + And if he's not dead, he lives there still." + +"So much for motherly love! Dang it, what's her heart made of?" said a +voice. I turned round; it was old Ben, who had been an unobserved +spectator of the scene. + + + + +CHAPTER TEN + + In which I narrate what I consider the most fortunate Incident in + my Life; and Ben the Whaler confides to me a very strange History + + +Among the pensioners there was one with whom I must make the reader +acquainted, as he will be an important person in this narrative. His +name was Peter Anderson, a north countryman, I believe, from Greenock; +he had been gunner's mate in the service for many years, and, having +been severely wounded in an action, he had been sent to Greenwich. He +was a boatswain in Greenwich Hospital; that is, he had charge of a ward +of twenty-five men, and Ben the Whaler had lately been appointed one of +the boatswain's mates under him. He was a very good scholar, and had +read a great deal. You could hardly put any question to him, but you +would get from him a satisfactory sort of an answer; and he was +generally referred to in all points of dispute, especially in matters +connected with the service, which he had at his fingers' ends; and, +moreover, he was a very religious good man. I never heard him swear, but +correct all those who did so in his presence. He had saved some money in +the service, the interest of which, with his allowances as boatswain, +enabled him to obtain many little comforts, and to be generous to +others. Before Ben was shifted over to Anderson's ward, which he was +when he was appointed boatswain's mate under him, they had not been well +acquainted; but, since that time, they were almost always together; so +that now I knew Anderson, which I did not before, except by sight. He +was a very venerable looking old man, with gray locks curling down on +his shoulders, but very stout and hearty; and, as Ben had told him all +about me, he took notice of me, and appeared also to take an interest. +When I came back, after the providential escape I have mentioned in the +last chapter, Ben had narrated to him the conduct of my mother; and a +day or two afterward, when the frost had broken up, and they were both +sitting down, basking in the sun, which was shining bright, I went up to +them. + +"Well, Jack," said old Ben, "are you ready for another trip down the +river?" + +"I hope I shall earn my sixpence at an easier rate, if I do go," replied +I. + +"It was wonderful that you were saved, boy," said Peter Anderson, "and +you ought to very thankful to the Omniscient." + +I stared; for I had never heard that term applied to the Diety. + +"You mean God, don't you?" said I, at last; for I thought he couldn't +mean any other. + +"Yes, boy; has not your mother taught you that name?" + +"She never would teach me anything. All the prayers I know I have stolen +from my sister." + +"And what do you know, Jack?" + +"I know 'Our Father,' and 'Now I lay down to sleep,' and I believe that +is all." + +"How old are you now, Jack?" + +"I am three years older than Virginia; she, I heard my mother say, was +six the other day--then I suppose I'm nine." + +"Do you know your letters?" + +"Yes, some of them; I learned them on the boats." + +"But you cannot read?" + +"No, not a word." + +"Has your mother ever told you of the Bible?" + +"Not me; but I've heard her tell Virginia about it." + +"Don't you ever go to church?" + +"No, never. Mother takes little Virginia; but she says I'm too ragged +and ungenteel." + +"Why does your mother neglect you? I suppose you are a bad boy?" + +"That he's not," interrupted Ben; "that's not the reason. But we must +not talk about that now; only I must take Jack's part. Go on, Peter." + +"Would you like to learn to read, Jack?" said Anderson; "and would you +like to hear me read the Bible to you, until you can read it yourself?" + +"Indeed I would," replied I. "There's many of the boys on the beach, +smaller than me, who can both read and write." + +Peter Anderson then told me that he would teach me, provided I behaved +myself well. He desired that I would come to his cabin every afternoon +at six o'clock, a time which interfered little with my avocation of +"Poor Jack," and that he would give me a lesson. Before he had finished +talking, one of the lieutenants of the hospital sent for him; and Ben +remained behind, to point out to me how valuable my knowing how to read +and write might one day prove to me. + +"I've no larning myself, Jack," said he; "and I know the loss of it. Had +I known how to read and write, I might have been something better than +a poor Greenwich pensioner; but nevertheless I'm thankful that I'm no +worse. Ever since I've been a man grown I've only regretted it once--and +that's been all my life. Why, Jack, I'd give this right arm of mine--to +be sure, it's no great things now, but once it could send a harpoon in, +up to the hilt--but still a right arm is a right arm to the end of your +days!--and I'd give it with pleasure, if I only knew how to read and +write. Nay, I wouldn't care about the writing; but, if I could only read +print, Jack, I'd give it; for then I could read the Bible, as Peter +Anderson does. Why, Jack, when we do go to chapel on Sunday, there's not +one in ten of us who can follow the parson with his book; all we can do +is to listen; and when he has done speaking, we are done also, and must +wait till he preaches again. Don't I feel ashamed, then, Jack, at not +being able to read? and ought not they to feel proud who can--no, not +proud, but thankful[2]? We don't think of the Bible much in our younger +days, boy; but, when we are tripping our anchor for the other world, we +long to read away our doubts and misgivings; and it's the only chart you +can navigate by safely. I think a parent has much to answer for that +don't teach its child to read; but I must not blame my father or mother, +for I never knew them." + +[Footnote 2: Ben's observations were true at the time he spoke; but this +is no longer the case. So much more general has education become, that +now, in a ship's company, at least five out of seven can read.] + +"Never knew them?" + +"No, boy, no. My father and mother left me when I was one year old: he +was drowned, and my mother--she died too, poor soul!" + +"How did your mother die, Ben?" + +"It's a sad, sad story, Jack, and I cannot bear to think of it; it was +told me long afterward, by one who little thought to whom he was +speaking." + +"Do tell me, Ben." + +"You're too young, boy, for such a tale; it's too shocking." + +"Was it worse than being froze to death, as I nearly was the other day?" + +"Yes, my lad, worse than that; although, for one so young as you are, +that was quite bad enough." + +"Well, Ben, I won't ask you to tell me if it pains you to tell it. But +you did not do wrong?" + +"How could a baby of two years old do wrong, and five thousand miles off +at the time, you little fool? Well, I don't know if I won't tell you, +Jack, after all, because you will then find out that there's a comfort +in reading the Bible; but you must promise me never to speak about it. +I'm a foolish old fellow to tell it to you, Jack, I do believe; but I'm +fond of you, boy, and I don't like to say 'no' to you. Now come to an +anchor close to me. The bells are ringing for dinner--I shall lose my +meal, but you will not lose your story, and there will be no fear of +interruption. + +"My father was brought up to the sea, Jack, and was a smart young man +till he was about thirty, when a fall from the mainyard disabled him +from hard duty and going aft; but still he had been brought up to sea, +and was fit for nothing on shore. So, as he was a clean, likely fellow, +he obtained the situation of purser's steward in an Indiaman. After that +he was captain's steward on board of several ships. He sailed originally +from Yarmouth, and going home after a voyage to see his relations, he +fell in with my mother, and they were spliced. He was very fond of his +wife, and I believe she was a very true and good woman, equally fond of +him. He went to sea again, and I was born. He made another voyage to +India, and when he came back I was two years old. I do not recollect him +or my mother. My father had agreed to sail to the West Indies as +captain's steward, and the captain, with whom he had sailed before, +consented that he should take his wife with him, to attend upon the lady +passengers; so I was left at Yarmouth, and put out to nurse till they +came back. But they never came back, Jack; and, as soon as I can +recollect, I found myself in the workhouse, and, when old enough, was +sent to sea. I had been told that my father and mother had been lost at +sea, but no one could tell me how, and I thought little more about it, +for I had never known them, and those we don't know we do not love or +care for, be they father or mother. + +"Well, I had sailed four or five voyages to the north in the whalers, +and was then about twenty-five years old, when I thought I would go back +to Yarmouth and show myself, for I was 'harpooner and steersman' at that +early age, and not a little proud. I thought I would go and look at the +old workhouse, for it was the only thing I could recollect, and see if +the master and mistress were still alive, for they were kind to me when +I was living with them. I went to Yarmouth, as I said. There was the +workhouse, and the master and mistress both alive; and I made myself +known to them, and the old people looked at me through their spectacles, +and could not believe that I could possibly be the little Ben who used +to run to the pump for water. I had money in my pocket, and I liked the +old people, who offered me all they could give without hopes of +receiving any thing in return, and, as I knew nobody else, I used to +live much with them, and pay them handsomely. I gave the old man some +curiosities and the old woman a teapot, and so on, and I remained with +them till it was time for me to sail again. Now, you see, Jack, among +the old folk in the workhouse was a man who had been at sea; and I often +had long talks with him, and gave him tobacco, which he couldn't afford +to buy--for they don't allow it in a workhouse, which is a great +hardship, and I have often thought that I should not like to go into a +workhouse because I never could have a bit of tobacco. This man's hair +was as white as snow, much too white for his age, for he was more +decrepit and worn out than, perhaps, he was old. He had come home to his +parish, and, being unable to gain his living, they had sent him to the +workhouse. I can't understand why a place should be called a workhouse +where they do nothing at all. Well, Charley, as they called him, got +very ill, and they thought he would not last long; and, when the old +people were busy, I used to talk a great deal with him. He was generally +very quiet and composed, and said he was comfortable, but that he knew +he was going fast. + +"'But,' says he, 'here's my comfort;' and he pointed to a Bible that he +had on his knees. 'If it had not been for this book,' said he, 'I do +think, at times, I should have made away with myself.' + +"'Why,' says I, 'what have you done? Have you been very wicked?' + +"'We are all very wicked,' said he; 'but that's not exactly it. I have +been _haunted_ for so many years that I have been almost driven mad.' + +"'Why,' said I, 'what can you have done that you should have been +haunted? You haven't committed murder, have you?' + +"'Well, I don't know what to say,' replied he; 'if a man looks on and +don't prevent murder, is it not the same? I haven't long to live, and I +feel as if I should be happier if I made a clean breast of it; for I +have kept the secret a long while, and I think that you, as a sailor, +and knowing what sailors suffer, may have a fellow-feeling; and perhaps +you will tell me (for I'm somewhat uneasy about it) whether you think +that I am so very much to blame in the business? I've suffered enough +for it these many years, and I trust that it will not be forgotten that +I have so, when I'm called up to be judged--as we all shall, if this +book is true, as I fully believe it to be.' + +"Here he appeared to be a good deal upset; but he took a drink of water, +and then he told me as follows: + +"'About twenty-three years ago I was a seaman on board of the "William +and Caroline," West Indiaman, bound to Jamaica. We had two or three +passengers on board, and the steward's wife attended upon them. She was +a handsome, tall young woman; and when she and her husband came on +board, they told me they had one child, which they had left at home. Now +Yarmouth, you see, is my native place, and, although I did not know her +husband, I knew her family very well. So we were very intimate, and used +to talk about the people we knew, and so on. I mention this in +consequence of what occurred afterward. We arrived very safe at Jamaica, +and remained, as usual, some time at the island before the drogers +brought round our cargo, and then we again sailed for England. + +"'Well, we got clear of the islands, and were getting well north, when +there came on a terrible gale of wind which dismasted us; and for three +weeks we were rolling about gunnel under, for we were very heavily +laden, and we lost our reckoning. At last we found out that we had been +blown down among the reefs to the southward of the Bahama Isles. We had +at one time rigged jury-masts, but unfortunately the gale had blown up +again, and carried them also over the side; and we had no means of doing +anything, for we had no more small spars or sails, and all our hopes +were of falling in with some vessel which might assist us. + +"'But we had no such good fortune; and one morning, when a heavy sea was +running, we discovered that it was bearing us down upon a reef of rocks, +from which there was no chance of escape. We had no resource but to get +the boats out, and take our chance in them. The captain was very cool +and collected; he ordered everything in which might be requisite; called +up the men, and explained to them his intentions. All the water and +provisions were put into the launch, for the sea ran so high that the +small boats could not carry them; and it was intended that all the boats +should keep company till it moderated, and then each boat should have +its own supply. When all was ready, we were _told off_ to our respective +boats. The steward and his wife were to be in the same boat with me, and +I had put her carefully in the sternsheets, for I was her great friend. +Now the steward was called out by the captain to go for something which +had been forgotten; and while he was away the ship was struck by a heavy +sea, which occasioned such a breach over her that all was in confusion, +and, to prevent the small boats from swamping, they were pushed off. The +launch still held on for the captain, who hastened in with the mate and +the steward, for they were the only three left on board; and away we all +went. I mention this as the cause why the steward was separated (only +for a time, as we supposed) from his wife. We had not been clear of the +ship more than five minutes before we found that we, in our boat, could +hardly make head 'gainst the wind and swell, which bore down on the reef +close to us; the launch, which was a heavy-pulling boat and deeply +laden, could not; and in a quarter of an hour we had the misery to see +her in the breakers, swallowed up with all hands, together with all the +provisions and water for our sustenance. I will not attempt to describe +the agony of the steward's wife, who saw her husband perish before her +eyes. She fainted; and it was a long time before she came to again; for +no one could leave his oar for a minute to assist her, as we pulled for +our lives. At last she did come to. Poor thing! I felt for her. Toward +night the wind lulled, and we had every appearance of fine weather +coming on; but we had nothing to eat, and only a barrico of water in the +boat, and we were quite exhausted with fatigue. + +"'We knew that we must pull to the northward, and try and fetch the +Bahama Isles, or, perhaps, some of the small quays to the southward of +them, where we might procure turtle, and, perhaps, water; and when the +sea had gone down, which it did very fast, we put the head of our boat +in that direction, pulling all night. At daybreak the other boat was not +to be seen; it was a dead clam, but there was still a long heavy swell. +We shared out some water and rested till the evening, and then we took +to our oars again. + +"'We rowed hard till the morning, but when the sun rose it scorched us +up. It was impossible for us to keep to our oars without drinking, and, +there being no one to take the command, our water was all gone, and we +had not gained fifty miles to the northward. On the third morning we +laid down exhausted at the bottom of the boat--we were dying not only +with thirst, but with hunger; we had agreed that when night came on we +would take to the oars again; but some would and some would not; so +that, at last, those who had taken to their oars would pull no longer. + +"'The steward's wife at times sang psalms, and at times wept. She had a +very sweet voice, but her lips were soon glued together for want of +water, and she could sing no longer. + +"'When the sun rose on the fourth day there was no vessel to be seen. +Some were raving for water, and others sat crouched under the boat's +thwarts in silent despair. But, toward evening, the sky clouded over, +and there fell a heavy rain, which refreshed us. We took the gown from +off the steward's wife, and spread it, and caught the water; and we all +drank until our thirst was quenched--even our wet clothes were a comfort +to us; still we were gnawed with hunger. That night we slept; but the +next morning every man's eyes flashed, and we all looked as if we would +eat each other; and there were whisperings and noddings going on in the +bow of the boat; and a negro who was with us took out his knife, and +sharpened it on the boat's gunnel. No one asked him why. We spoke not, +but we all had our own thoughts. It was dreadful to look at our hollow +cheeks--our eyes sunken deep, but glaring like red-hot coals--our long +beards and haggard faces--every one ready to raise his hand against the +other. The poor woman never complained or said a word after she left off +singing; her thoughts appeared elsewhere. She sat for hours motionless, +with her eyes fixed on the still blue water, as if she would pierce its +depth. + +"'At last the negro came aft; and we were each upon our guard as he +passed us, for we had seen him sharpen his knife. He went to the +sternsheets, where the poor woman sat, and we all knew what he intended +to do, for he only acted our own thoughts. She was still hanging over +the gunnel, with her eyes fixed downward, and she heeded not his +approach. He caught her by the hair, and dragged her head toward him. +She then held out her arms toward me, faintly calling me by name; but +I--shame on me!--remained sitting on the afterthwart. The negro thrust +his knife into her neck, below the ear; and, as soon as he had divided +the artery, he glued his thick lips to the gash and sucked her blood. + +"'When the deed was done, others rose up and would have shared; but the +negro kept his white eyes directed toward them--one arm thrust out, with +his knife pointed at them, as he slaked his thirst, while, with his +other round her waist, he supported her dying frame. The attitude was +that of fondness, while the deed was--murder. He appeared as if he were +caressing her, while her life's blood poured into his throat. At last we +all drew our knives; and the negro knew that he must resign his prey or +his life. He dropped the woman, and she fell, with her face forward, at +my feet. She was quite dead. And then--our hunger was relieved. + +"'Three days passed away, and again we were mad for want of water--when +we saw a vessel. We shouted, and shook hands, and threw out the oars, +and pulled as if we had never suffered. It was still calm, and, as we +approached the vessel, we threw what remained of the poor woman into the +sea; and the sharks finished what we had left. We agreed to say nothing +about her, for we were ashamed of ourselves. + +"'Now I did _not_ murder, but I did _not_ prevent it; and I have ever +since been haunted by this poor woman. I see her and the negro +constantly before me, and then I think of what passed, and I turn sick. +I feel that I ought to have saved her--she is always holding out her +arms to me, and I hear her faintly call "Charles"--then I read my +Bible--and she disappears, and I feel as if I were forgiven. Tell me, +what do you think, messmate?' + +"'Why,' replied I, 'sarcumstances will make us do what we otherwise +would never think possible. I never was in such a predicament, and +therefore can't tell what people may be brought to do. But tell me, +messmate, what was the name of the poor woman?' + +[Illustration: ANDERSON READING THE BIBLE TO JACK.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. +89.] + +"'The husband's name was Ben Rivers.' + +"'_Rivers_, did you say?' replied I, struck all of a heap. + +"'Yes,' replied he; 'that was her name; she was of this town. But never +mind the name--tell me what you think, messmate?' + +"'Well,' says I (for I was quite bewildered), 'I'll tell you what, old +fellow--as far as I'm consarned, you have my forgiveness, and now I must +wish you good-by--and I pray to God that we may never meet again.' + +"'Stop a little,' said he; 'don't leave me this way. Ah! I see how it +is--you think I'm a murderer.' + +"'No, I don't,' replied I; 'not exactly--still, there'll be no harm in +your reading your Bible.' + +"And so I got up, and walked out of the room--for you see, Jack, +although he mayn't have been so much to blame, still I didn't like to be +in company with a man who had eaten up _my own mother!_" + +Here Ben paused, and sighed deeply. I was so much shocked with the +narrative that I could not say a word. At last Ben continued: + +"I couldn't stay in the room--I couldn't stay in the workhouse. I +couldn't even stay in the town. Before the day closed I was out of it, +and I have never been there since. Now, Jack, I must go in--remember +what I have said to you, and larn to read your Bible." + +I promised that I would, and that very evening I had my first lesson +from Peter Anderson, and I continued to receive them until I could read +well. He then taught me to write and cipher; but before I could do the +latter, many events occurred, which must be made known to the reader. + + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN + + In which the Doctor lets out some very novel Modes of Medical + Treatment, which are attended with the greatest Success. + + +Such a change has taken place since I can first recollect Greenwich that +it will be somewhat difficult for me to make the reader aware of my +localities. Narrow streets have been pulled down, handsome buildings +erected--new hotels in lieu of small inns--gay shops have now usurped +those which were furnished only with articles necessary for the outfit +of the seamen. Formerly, long stages, with a basket to hold six behind, +and dillies which plied at the Elephant and Castle, were the usual land +conveyances--now they have made place for railroads and omnibuses. +Formerly, the wherry conveyed the mariner and his wife, with his +sea-chest, down to the landing-place--now steamboats pour out their +hundreds at a trip. Even the view from Greenwich is much changed, here +and there broken in upon by the high towers for shot and other +manufactories, or some large building which rises boldly in the +distance; while the "Dreadnaught's" splendid frame fills up half the +river, and she that was used to deal out death and destruction with her +terrible rows of teeth, is now dedicated by humanity to succor and +relieve. + +I mention this because the house in which Dr. Tadpole formerly lived no +longer exists; and I wish particularly to describe it to the reader. + +When I left Greenwich in 1817 or 1818, it was still standing, although +certainly in a very dilapidated state. I will, however, give a slight +sketch of it, as it is deeply impressed on my memory. + +It was a tall, narrow building of dark red brick, much ornamented, and +probably built in the time of Queen Elizabeth. It had two benches on +each side the door; for, previous to Tadpole's taking possession of it, +it had been an alehouse, and much frequented by seamen. The doctor had +not removed these benches, as they were convenient, when the weather was +fine, for those who waited for medicine or advice; and moreover, being a +jocular, sociable man, he liked people to sit down there, and would +often converse with them. Indeed, this assisted much to bring him into +notice, and made him so well known among the humbler classes that none +of them, if they required medicine or advice, ever thought of going to +any one but Dr. Tadpole. He was very liberal and kind, and I believe +there was hardly a poor person in the town who was not in his debt, for +he never troubled them much about payment. He had some little property +of his own, or he never could have carried on such a losing concern as +his business really must have been to him. In early life he had been a +surgeon in the navy, and was said, and I believe with justice, to be +very clever in his profession. In defending himself against some act of +oppression on the part of his captain--for in those times the service +was very different to what it is now--he had incurred the displeasure of +the Navy Board, and had left the service. His enemies (for even the +doctor had his enemies) asserted that he was turned out of the service; +his friends, that he left the service in disgust; after all, a matter of +little consequence. The doctor is now gone, and has left behind him in +the town of Greenwich a character for charity and generosity of which no +one can deprive him. He was buried in Greenwich churchyard; and never +was there, perhaps, such a numerous procession as voluntarily followed +his remains to the grave. The poor fully paid him the debt of gratitude, +if they did not pay him their other debts; and when his will was opened, +it was found that he had released them all from the latter. Peace be to +him, and honor to his worth! + +The shop of Dr. Tadpole was fitted up in a very curious manner, and +excited a great deal of admiration. During his service afloat he had +collected various objects of natural history, which he had set up or +prepared himself: the lower rows of bottles in the windows were full of +snakes, lizards, and other reptiles; the second tier of bottles in the +window were the same as are now generally seen--large globes containing +blue and yellow mixtures, with gold hieroglyphics outside of them; but +between each of these bottles was a stuffed animal of some kind, +generally a small monkey, or of that description. The third row of +bottles was the most incomprehensible: no one could tell what was in +them; and the doctor, when asked, would laugh and shake his head: this +made the women very curious. I believe they were chiefly preparations of +the stomach, and other portions of the interior of the animal frame; but +the doctor always said that it was his row of "secrets," and used to +amuse himself with evading the questions of the other sex. There were +some larger specimens of natural history suspended from the ceiling, +chiefly skulls and bones of animals; and on the shelves inside a great +variety of stones and pebbles and fragments of marble figures, which +the doctor had picked up, I believe, in the Mediterranean: altogether +the shop was a strange medley, and made people stare very much when they +came into it. The doctor kept an old woman to cook and clean the house, +and his boy Tom, whom I have already mentioned. Tom was a good-natured +lad, and, as his master said, very fond of liquorice; but the doctor +used to laugh at that (when Tom was not by), saying, "It's very true +that Tom cribs my _liquorice_; but I will say this for him, he is very +honest about _jalap_ and _rhubarb_, and I have never missed a grain." + +Next door to the doctor lived another person, who kept a small +tobacconist's shop, which was a favorite resort of the pensioners and +other poor people. She was an Irishwoman, with a strong accent of her +country--a widow by her own account. Who her husband had been was not +satisfactorily known: if the question was put, she always evaded it as +much as possible. All she said was that his name was St. Felix, and that +he had been of no profession. She was about twenty-two or twenty-three, +very handsome, and very pleasing in her manners, which was perhaps one +cause of the surmises and scandal which were continually afloat. Some +said that her husband was still alive; others that he had been +transported for seven years; and many (and among them my mother) +declared that she could not produce her "marriage lines." Indeed, there +was no end to ill-natured reports, as always will be the case when men +are so unfortunate as to have a reputation, or women so unfortunate as +to be pretty. But the widow appeared to be indifferent to what people +said: she was always lively and cheerful, and a great favorite with the +men, whatever she may have been with the women. Dr. Tadpole had courted +her ever since she had settled at Greenwich: they were the best of +friends, but the doctor's suit did not appear to advance. Nevertheless, +the doctor seldom passed a day without paying her a visit, and she was +very gracious to him. Although she sold every variety of tobacco, she +would not permit people to smoke, and had no seats either in the shop or +at the door--but to this rule an exception was made in favor of the +doctor. He seldom failed to be there every evening; and, although she +would not allow him a chair, she permitted him to remain standing at the +counter and smoke his cigar while they conversed. It was this indulgence +which occasioned people to think that she would marry the doctor; but at +last they got tired of waiting, and it became a sort of proverb in +Fisher's Alley and its precincts, when things were put off to an +indefinite period, to say, "Yes, that will be done when the widow +marries the doctor." + +One evening, Ben had sent me to fill his tobacco-box at Mrs. St. +Felix's, and when I went in, I found the doctor in her shop. + +"Well, Master Tom Saunders or Mr. Poor Jack," said the widow, "what may +your pleasure be?" + +"Pigtail," said I, putting down the penny. + +"Is it for your father, Jack, for report tells me that he's in want of +it?" + +"No," replied I, "it's for old Ben--father's a long way from this, I +expect." + +"And do you intend to follow him, Jack? It's my opinion you'll be the +very revarse of a good sailor if you cruise bottom up as you did on your +first voyage." + +"It's not the pleasantest way of sailing, is it, Jack?" observed the +doctor. + +"Not in the winter-time," replied I. + +The widow measured the length of the pigtail, as milliners do tape, +from the tip of the finger to the knuckle, and cut it off. + +"And now will you oblige me with a cigar?" said the doctor. "I think +this is the sixth, is it not, Mrs. St. Felix? so here's my shilling." + +"Really, doctor, if it were not that the wry faces I make at physic +would spoil my beauty, I'm almost in honor bound to send for something +to take out of your shop, just by the way of return for your patronage." + +"I trust you will never require it, Mrs. St. Felix. I've no objection to +your sending for anything you please, but don't take physic." + +"Well, my girl Jane shall have a dose, I declare, she is getting so fat +and lumpy. Only don't let it be laudanum, doctor, she's so sleepy-headed +already. I told her this morning that she was looking pale, just by way +of preparing her." + +"Mrs. St. Felix, you must excuse me, but you've no right to interfere +with my practice. I prescribe physic when I think it necessary, and Jane +is perfectly well at present, and shall not have any." + +"And you've no right to interfere with my household, doctor. If I +choose, I'll physic Jane, and the dog, and the cat, and the kitten, +which I reckon to be the whole of my establishment, all four of them on +the same day. Tell me, doctor, how much ipecacuanha will make a kitten +sick?" + +"Mrs. St. Felix, I am not a veterinary surgeon, and therefore cannot +answer." + +"Veterinary! Well, I thought they only doctored horses." + +"I beg your pardon, their practice extends further, as I can prove to +you. I was once at the establishment of one in London, and I observed in +a large room about a dozen little lap-dogs all tied up with strings. The +poor little unwieldy waddling things were sent to him because they were +asthmatic, and I don't know what all; and how do you think he cured +them?" + +"It's for me to ask that question, doctor." + +"Well, then, he told me his secret. He tied them all up, and gave them +nothing to eat, only water to drink; and in three weeks they were +returned in as beautiful condition, and as frisky as young kids. Nothing +but diet, Mrs. St. Felix." + +"I should rather think it was _no_ diet, doctor. Well, I do declare, +I'll tie up Jane for three weeks, and see if nothing but water will cure +her complaints. Well, Mr. Jack, why don't you take the tobacco to Ben?" + +"Oh! he's in at supper now; there's no hurry," replied I; "and I like to +hear you talk." + +"Well, there'll be less scandal in your remaining to hear us than there +would be if we sent you away, anyhow. How's little Miss Virginia, sister +to Poor Jack." + +"She's quite well, and wants to come and see you, only mother won't let +her." + +"Many thanks to your sister for her compliment; and not forgetting your +mother for hers, also. So your mother has given up 'making _lay_ on +reasonable terms'?" + +"'Cause people wouldn't come." + +"And that is a sufficient reason, even if she had not another; which is, +that she's never out of hot water without boiling more. Doctor, you're +as mute as a fish. You told me how to cure Jane and the dogs, now tell +me what's the dose for a cat and a kitten?" + +"A ha'p'orth of liver, cut into small pieces." + +"There'll be no difficulty in getting that down their throats, anyhow." + +"Talking about liver, Mrs. St. Felix, I once knew a friend of mine who +cured some geese of a liver complaint." + +"Had they been long in the East Indies, poor creatures?" + +"No, but they had been in a very hot climate. You see, he was over in +France during the last peace, and he went to the baths at Montpellier +for the benefit of his health. He lodged with an old Frenchman. Now, you +see, Mrs. St. Felix, in the south of France they have a custom of making +certain pies, which are much esteemed, and are called pates de foie +gras--that means livers of geese, in French." + +"It don't sound much like livers in English, doctor; but never mind +that, go on with your story." + +"Here's a customer, Mrs. St. Felix; serve him first, and then I will go +on with my story." + +An old pensioner came in, and laying the coppers on the counter, asked +for a ha'p'orth of returns and a farthing of snuff. + +"That's a large ready money order, doctor," said the widow, as the man +left the shop. "Ain't I making my fortune? Now go on; I'm as eager about +the liver as my own cat." + +"Well, the great object is to increase the size of the geese's livers, +that is, to bring on a regular liver complaint; and, to effect this, +they put the poor animals in a hot closet next the kitchen fire, cram +the food into their mouths through a funnel, and give them plenty of +water to drink. This produces the disease; and the livers of the geese, +when they are killed, very often weigh three or four pounds, while the +animals themselves are mere skeletons." + +"And the French eat those liver complaints?" interrupted the widow, +making a face. + +"Yes, they do, and are as fond of it as my boy Tom is of liquorice. +Well, this doctor, who is a friend of mine, quarreled with his host, who +boasted of his geese having the largest livers in Montpellier, and was +very proud of it. My friend knew that he could not annoy him more than +by preventing his success; so, having a large quantity of Cheltenham +salts with him, he used every morning to put a quantity of them in the +water which the geese were given to drink. This had the same effect upon +them as it has upon men and women; and instead of becoming more diseased +every day, the geese recovered their health and spirits. The Frenchman +crammed and crammed, made his closet still hotter, and sacre bleu'd, and +actually tore his hair, because his geese would be well and hearty; but, +the more he tried to make them ill, the more salts were given to them by +the doctor, who gained his point and his revenge." + +"Well, that's a funny story, doctor; and since you know how to cure it, +the first time I meet with a sick goose I'll send him to you." + +"Many thanks; but, as it is, there's plenty of geese to send for the +doctor." + +"That's true enough. And now, Master Jack, you've had quite enough for +your penny, and I won't allow Ben to be kept waiting any longer." + +"You are not going to tell any more stories, doctor?" said I. + +"Why, you mud-larking vagabond, you don't mean to say that I've told +stories? Be off with you! And, I say, as you pass round the corner, just +tell Tom that I'm coming home directly." + +"Won't that be a story, doctor?" said I, as I went out of the door. I +heard them both laugh, but I did not hear what they said. + + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE + + I prefer a Suit to Old Nanny, and procure a new Suit of + Clothes--The advantage of being well dressed: you may walk out with + the Ladies + + +The reader must not give me too much credit when I tell him that, ever +since I had been under the tuition of Peter Anderson, I had quite a +craving to go to church. Although what I had gained from his precepts +and explanations had increased my desire, still I must acknowledge that +the strongest reason for my being so anxious was that my mother would +not take me, and did take Virginia. Further, my curiosity was excited by +my absolute ignorance of what the church service consisted; I had heard +the bells toll, and, as I sauntered by, would stop and listen to the +organ and the singing. I would sometimes wait, and see the people coming +out; and then I could not help comparing my ragged dress with their +clean and gay attire. + +This wish continually worried me; but the more I reflected, the more +impossible it appeared to be that I should be able to gratify it. How +could I possibly go to church in my tattered and dirty clothes--and what +chance had I of getting others? I certainly gained, at an average, +eighteenpence per week, but I saved nothing. Would my mother give me +clothes? No, that I was sure she would not, for she grudged me even the +little victuals which I did apply for. I thought this matter over and +over as I lay in bed. Ben had no money. Anderson I could not ask for it. +I thought that I would apply to Dr. Tadpole, but I was afraid. At last +it came into my head that I had better first ascertain how much money I +should require before I took further measures. The next morning I went +to a fitting-out shop, and asked the lad who attended how much money I +should have to pay for a pair of blue trousers, waistcoat, and jacket. +The lad told me that I might have a very nice suit for twenty-two +shillings. Twenty-two shillings! What an enormous sum it appeared to me +then; and then there was a straw hat to buy, and a pair of shoes and +stockings. I inquired the price of these last articles, and found that +my dross could not be made complete under thirty-three shillings. I was +quite in despair, for the sum appeared to be a fortune. I sat down to +calculate how long it would take me to save up so much money, at +sixpence a week, which was all that I could afford; but, at that time, +never having learned anything of figures, all I could make of it was +that it was so long a time as to be beyond my calculation. + +It was Saturday evening. I sat down on the steps of the landing-place, +very melancholy, thinking that to-morrow was Sunday, and abandoning all +hopes of ever going to church, when a Thames fisherman, of the name of +Freeman, who lived at Greenwich, and with whom I was acquainted--for I +used to assist him on the Saturday night to moor his coble off the +landing-place, and hang up his nets to dry--called out to me to come and +help him. I did so; we furled the sails, hauled on board his little boat +for keeping the fish alive, hoisted the nets up to the mast, and made +all secure; and I was thinking to myself that he would go to church +to-morrow, and I could not, when he asked me why I was so sad. I told +him. + +"Why, Jack," said he, "I can't help you, for it is bad times with me +just now; indeed, I could help you but little if times were ever so +good--I've too many children of my own; but look ye, here's a good long +piece of four-inch, which I picked up, and it's well worth a shilling. +I'll give it you (for I do owe you something), and do you take it to old +Nanny. She's a queer body; but suppose you try whether she'll let you +have the money. She can if she chooses, and, as you have dealt with her +so long, perhaps she will, if you promise to lay some by every week, and +repay her." + +This idea had never occurred to me, for I knew old Nanny was very close, +and drove very hard bargains with me; however, I thanked Freeman for his +piece of rope and piece of advice, and when we landed I determined, at +all events, I would try. + +I have before mentioned old Nanny, who kept a marine store, and to whom +I used to sell whatever I picked up on the beach. She was a strange old +woman, and appeared to know everything that was going on. How she gained +her information I cannot tell. She was very miserly in general; but it +was said she had done kind things in one or two instances. Nobody knew +her history: all that anybody knew was that she was Old Nanny. She had +no kith or kin that she ever mentioned; some people said she was rich, +if the truth were known; but how are we to get at the truth in this +world? + +I was soon at old Nanny's store, with the piece of rope coiled over my +arm. + +"Well, Jack, what have you got here? a piece of good junk? no, it is +not, for it is quite rotten. Why do you bring me such things? What can I +do with them?" + +"Why, mother," says I, "it's new rope; not been used hardly; it's the +very best of junk." + +"Boy, boy! do you pretend to teach me? Well, what do you want for it?" + +"I want a shilling," replied I. + +"A shilling!" cried she, "where am I to find a shilling? And if I could +find one, why should I throw it away upon a thing not worth twopence, +and which will only lumber my store till I die? The boy's demented!" + +"Mother," says I, "it's worth a shilling, and you know it; so give it to +me, or I go elsewhere." + +"And where will you go to, good-for-nothing that you are? where will you +go to?" + +"Oh! the fishermen will give me more." + +"The fishermen will give you a couple of stale flat-fish, to take home +to your mother." + +"Well, I'll try that," said I, going. + +"Not so fast, Jack, not so fast; if I make a penny by you one day, I +suppose, to keep your custom, I must lose something by you the next. +Now, I'll give you sixpence; and how I'm to get my money back I don't +know." + +"No, Nanny," said I, "I must have a shilling." + +"A shilling, you little cheat! I can't give it; but what do you want? +don't you want a key to your chest, or something of that sort?" + +"I've no chest, mother, and therefore don't want a key." + +"But you want something out of all the pretty things in my shop; boys +always fancy something." + +I laughed at the idea of "pretty things" in her shop, for it contained +nothing but old iron, empty bottles, dirty rags and phials; so I told +her there was nothing that I wanted. + +"Well," says she, "sit down a little, and look about you; there's no +hurry. So Mrs. East has got another boy, worse luck for the parish, with +six children already!--Look about you, and take your time.--Did you hear +of Peter James giving his wife a black eye last night because she wanted +to get him out of the alehouse?--I wonder who that letter was from that +Susan Davis had from the post-office. I think I could guess; poor girl! +she has looked rather peaking for some weeks.--Don't be in a hurry, +Jack; look about; there's plenty of pretty things in my shop.--So Davis +the butcher has been pulled up for bad meat; I thought it would come to +that, and I'm glad of it.--There's a capital lock and key, Jack, to put +to your chest, when you get one; suppose you take that.--What's the +doctor about? They say he is always sitting with the widow.--Does your +mother make plenty of money by clear-starching? I know your sister had a +spotted muslin frock on last Sunday, and that must have cost +something.--There's a spade, Jack; very useful to dig on the beach; you +may find something--money, perhaps--who knows? Take the spade, Jack, and +then you'll owe me sixpence.--So Bill Freeman pawned his wife's best +gown last Saturday night. I thought it would be so. He may say it's +because he's caught no fish this bad weather. But I know more than +people think.--Here's a nice glass bottle, Jack, wouldn't you like to +give it to your mother, to put pickles in? it's white glass, you see. +Look about, Jack; there's plenty of pretty things, you see.--So the +Governor's daughter's going to be married; at least I suppose so, for I +met her riding with a young gentleman; and nowadays the quality always +make love on horseback.--Well, Jack, have you found anything?" + +"No, mother, I haven't; and I must have my shilling or go. Unless, +indeed, you're inclined to help me to what I want, and then I'll give +you the rope for nothing." + +"Give me the rope for nothing!" replied old Nanny. "Sit down, Jack, and +let me know what it is you want." + +I thought it was of little use to make the application, but I determined +to try; so I explained my wishes. + +"Humph!" said she, after a minute's thought, "so you want thirty-three +shillings to buy clothes--to go to church in. Your mother dresses your +sister in spotted muslin and leaves you in rags; suppose you wait till +your father comes home again?" + +"That may not be for years." + +"Why, Jack, I don't go to church--I am too old--too poor to dress myself +to go to church, even if I could go so far--why should you go?" + +"Well, mother," said I, rising up, "if you will not do it, I'm very +sorry; I would have paid you honestly, and have given you good bargains, +so good-by." + +"Not so fast, Jack--sit down, sit down, boy--look about the shop and see +if you can find something that will suit you." Here Nanny communed with +herself aloud: "Thirty-three shillings! that's a great deal of +money--pay me honestly--and good bargains! His mother called me an old +cat the other day--I think they could be got cheaper, they always cheat +boys--she'd be vexed to see him dressed clean at church--honest boy, I +do believe--a boy that wants to go to church must be a good boy. Oh, +dear me, it is so much money!" + +"I'll work day and night to pay you, Nanny." + +"And mind, Jack, I'm to have good bargains, and this piece of rope for +nothing; something paid every week." + +"If I can earn it, mother, as sure as I sit here." + +"Well, the old cat will do more for you, Jack, than your mother would. +You shall have the money; but, Jack, I must bargain for the things." + +"Thank you, Nanny, thank you!" replied I, jumping off my seat with +delight. + +"Well, we can do nothing to-night, Jack. Come to me on Monday, and if I +don't change my mind--" + +"Change your mind!" said I, sorrowfully. "I thought you had promised!" + +"Well, so I did--and--and I'll keep my promise, Jack. Come on Monday; +and as you can't go to church to-morrow, see if you can't pick up a +little money." + +I did not neglect her injunctions, and was fortunate enough to be able +to bring her sixpence on the Monday morning. Nanny went with me to the +clothing-shop, haggled and fought until she reduced the articles to +twenty-eight shillings, and then they were ordered to be made and sent +to her house. I earned but little money that week, and more than once +Nanny appeared to be very unhappy, and repent of her kind offices; but +when Sunday came she was very cheerful; she washed me herself very +carefully, and then put on my clothes. I cannot express the delight I +felt at that moment; when Nanny said to me, as she placed the hat on my +head: + +"Well, Jack, I wouldn't have thought that you were such a handsome boy +as you are. Why, you may walk with your sister Virginia, and she will +have nothing to be ashamed of, pretty as she is. There, go and show +yourself; and, Jack, don't forget your promise to pay me back soon and +give me good bargains!" + +I repeated my promise and hastened to the hospital to find Peter +Anderson. He did not know me when I came up to him. I told him how and +why I had got the clothes; he patted my head, said I was a good lad, and +that he would take me to the chapel at the hospital, where I could sit +with the school-children; he could manage that. Then I met Ben and +others, and they were all so surprised. I went to the chapel, and +although I could not hear well what was said, for I was a long way off +from the parson, and the old pensioners coughed so much, I was very much +pleased, although a little tired before it was over. When the service +was finished, I was proceeding to my mother's, when I met her and little +Virginia coming home from the town church. + +"There's a nice little boy, Virginia," said my mother; "wouldn't you +like to walk with him?" + +My mother did not know me, but Virginia did immediately; she burst away +from her mother and ran into my arms, laughing and crying as she clung +to me, and then she cried out, "Mother, yes, mother, I will walk with +him!" and she hastened me away with her, much to my mother's annoyance, +who would have run after us to stop her, but she didn't think it genteel +to go so fast; so Virginia and I went off together, leaving my mother +very angry indeed. We walked along toward the hospital, Virginia crying +out to every one she knew, her large hazel eyes beaming with delight, +"Look, this is brother Jack!" and I went with her to Peter Anderson and +old Ben. I was so proud to have my sister with me; and Peter Anderson +said: + +"This is as it should have been a long while ago." And then he +continued, "Jack, you may happen not to earn any money in the week, and +if so, come to me, for old Nanny must not be disappointed; but, +recollect, you must pay for your own clothes out of your own earnings." + +When it was dinner-time Virginia and I went home together. As we came +to Fisher's Alley I said to her, "Mother will be angry with you." + +"I can't help it, Jack," replied she; "you are my own brother, and we +are not doing wrong." + +When we went in my mother looked hard at me; but, to my surprise, said +nothing. She was sulky, but whether it was with Virginia or with me, or +with my new clothes, or whether her conscience smote her for her neglect +of me, I do not know. She put the dinner on the table in silence, and +after it was over she went upstairs. Virginia and I did not neglect this +opportunity. She put on her bonnet, we slipped out, and walked about +together till tea-time. When we came back my mother seized my sister by +the arm and carried her up to bed. Little Virginia made no resistance, +but turned her head and smiled at me as she was led away. I never felt +so happy in my life as I did when I went to bed and thought over the +events of the day. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN + + I am so Unfashionable as to pay my Debts--Ben's Opinion as to my + Father's Return--The Chances exemplified in the List of killed and + wounded--The "L'Orient" blowing up and the "Royal George" going + down. + + +Time passed, and three years of it certainly were not unprofitably +spent. Anderson had instructed me well. I could read, write, and cipher, +and, what the reader will consider of more consequence, I was well +acquainted with the Bible, and duly admonished by my preceptor of my +duty toward God and man. Nor was my sister Virginia neglected. My +mother, as soon as she was seven years old, sent her as a day scholar to +a young ladies' seminary, where she was well taught, although the style +of the school was much above my sister's situation in life; but my +mother would not allow her to go anywhere else, although there were +several schools more appropriate. She declared that Virginia should not +mix with the vulgar, ungenteel girls of the place, and that, if _she_ +had demeaned herself by marrying below her rank, at all events _her_ +daughter should be brought up as she ought to be. The neighbors laughed +at her, but my mother did not care. She worked hard, and always was +ready to pay the quarter's bill for schooling whenever it was due. + +To me Sunday was a day of rejoicing; I was so glad to throw off my +ragged apparel of "Poor Jack" and put on my best clothes, that I might +walk with my sister, for my mother gradually softened down her asperity +(perhaps out of prudence), as she could raise no objection to Virginia +walking with her brother when he was clean and well dressed, and +Virginia was very firm in supporting me when I requested permission. +Indeed, latterly my requests were more like demanding a right than a +favor, and my mother appeared to wish to avoid a contest with me. She +knew that I was a good scholar, very independent of her, and very much +liked. The favorable opinion of others induced her to treat me with more +consideration; but we had no regard for each other, only preserving a +sort of armed neutrality. + +There are grades in all classes of life; and the young ladies' seminary, +to which Virginia went as a day scholar, had its distinctions of rank. +The first in consequence among the young ladies were the two daughters +of Mr. Tippet, the haberdasher; then came the hatter's daughter, Miss +Beaver. The grades appeared to be as follows: manufactures held the +first rank; then dry goods, as the tea-dealers, grocers, etc.; the third +class consisted of the daughters of the substantial butchers and +pastrycooks. The squabbles between the young ladies about rank and +precedence were continual: what then must have been the position of poor +little Virginia, whose mother was a clear-starcher and getter-up of fine +linen? At first they called her the washerwoman's daughter, and would +not associate with her, which made her very uncomfortable; and she used +to tell me on the Sundays when we walked out how she had been treated +during the week. But it was all for her advantage, and tended to correct +the false pride and upstart ideas which in time must have been +engendered by my mother's folly. Neither, after a few weeks, was my +sister unhappy. She was too meek in disposition to reply, so that she +disarmed those who would assail her; and being, as she was, of the +lowest rank in the school, there could be no contest with the others as +to precedence. Her mildness, humility, and sweetness of temper soon won +upon both the schoolmistress and the scholars; eventually the Misses +Tippet took Virginia under their protection, and this magnanimity on +their part silenced all opposition. My mother had desired my sister to +take lessons in dancing. At first the girls would not stand up with her; +but, when the elder Miss Tippet took her as a partner, my sister became +quite the fashion, and, what was better, a great favorite and pet with +everybody; and they all patronized her as "little Virginia." + +I very soon paid off my debt to old Nanny, without having to apply to +Peter Anderson. I had assistance (but without asking for it) as follows: +The second Sunday after I had obtained my clothes I called, with +Virginia, upon the widow of St. Felix. She was in the back parlor, and +the doctor, as usual, sitting with her. She received us very kindly, +spoke a deal to Virginia, and told me that I looked very handsome for +"Poor Jack." + +"You'll be quite the fashion," continued she; "and I presume, like most +fashionable gentlemen, your clothes are not paid for." + +I replied, laughing, that they were not; but that they should be, if I +lived and could work. + +"I've heard the whole story from old Ben," replied she. "Come in +to-morrow, Jack; I want to speak with you." + +I did so in the forenoon, when she put a five-shilling piece in my hand, +and said, "That's from me, to help you to pay your debt to old Nanny. +But that's not all, Jack; I've coaxed the doctor (not that he required +much coaxing, to do him justice), and here's two half-crowns from him, +which, I believe, will go about as far as my five shillings. Now, Jack, +you look very happy; so, just out of gratitude, run as fast as you can, +and make poor old Nanny happy, for she moans over her generous fit, and +wonders all day long whether you will ever pay her again." + +I had listened all this while to Mrs. St. Felix, but I was so moved by +her kindness and generosity that I could not speak. I had received money +for services performed, and I had obtained it from Nanny as a loan, to +be repaid with interest; but so much money, as a gift, had never entered +into my imagination. I could not restrain my feelings. I dropped my face +on the counter to conceal the tears which escaped. + +"I can't say 'thank you,' as I wish, indeed I can't," said I, as I +looked up at her. + +"Why, you foolish boy, you have said thank you," replied the widow; "and +now run away, for I must leave the shop a minute." + +This assistance made me redouble my exertions, and in three months I had +repaid the whole. The last portion which was due I received from +Virginia. She knew how much I paid off every week; and when on Sunday I +told her that I had only one and sixpence owing, she ran upstairs, and, +when she came down again, put the sum into my hand. She had been saving +up all she could coax out of my mother ever since I had first obtained +the clothes; and great indeed was her delight when she gave me the +money--she kissed me, and began to dance, although it was Sunday, and +then she proposed that we should walk together to old Nanny's, and close +the account. We found the old woman sitting on her steps; the door was +open, but the shop shutters were up. On the Saturday night I had paid +her two shillings, so that she did not expect to see me. Virginia put +the one and sixpence in her hand, saying, "Now brother has paid you +all." + +"Yes, darling, he has," replied old Nanny; "but then he promised--" + +"I know I did," interrupted I; "and I will keep my promise. I promised +you good bargains." + +"You're an honest boy, Jack, and what's more strange, your sister isn't +a spoiled girl; but that's not her mother's fault. My dear, if it was +not Sunday you would be able to see all the pretty things in my shop, +and perhaps you might like something. You must come another day." + +I thanked old Nanny once more for having trusted me, and then we left +her, I did keep my word with, her, and gave her good bargains for a long +while afterward. + +I often thought of my father, who had been absent now for nearly four +years, and, as the time advanced, I became more anxious to hear of him. +I seldom met old Ben the Whaler without talking about my father, and +asking Ben what chance he thought there was of his return. + +"Why, you see, Jack," said Ben, "in these times it's hard to say whether +a man be alive or not. Every day we hear of some naval action or +another, and therefore every day some must lose the number of their +mess; and then you see, Jack, a man may be supposed to be dead for +years, and after all turn up in some French prison or another; and then +ships change their stations, and ships' companies their ships; and then +ships are sometimes wrecked, with all hands, or take fire, and are blown +up. Many a good seaman loses his life by falling overboard in a +gale--and who knows or cares? Whether your father be alive or be dead, +Jack, it is impossible for me to say; but, howsomever, I hope he be." + +This was not a satisfactory, although a cautious reply, and I never +could get Ben to give any other. I began to think that one of the +mischances enumerated in Ben's catalogue might have occurred, and that I +never should see my father again, when one morning, as I was standing at +the landing-place, Ben came up to me and said, "Now, Jack, perhaps we +may hear something of your father. Here's been a famous action fought, +and a matter of a thousand men killed and wounded. I've only just heard +about it. Nelson has licked the French on the coast of Egypt" (Ben here +referred to the battle of the Nile), "and the 'Oudacious,' the ship on +board of which your father was boatswain's mate, was in the action. Now, +you see, the names of the killed will be sent into the office here, that +their relations may receive the pay and prize-money due to them. So now, +Jack, perhaps you'll hear something about your father." + +"But I shall only hear of his being killed, by your account. I don't +want to hear that." + +"No, boy, of course you don't; but if you do, you'll hear the worst of +it, and that's some comfort, and if he aren't killed, why, perhaps he's +wounded, and perhaps he aren't; all perhapses in this world. Howsomever, +come with me. I saw Anderson, with a paper in his hand, walking up to +his retreat, as he calls it; so let's make all sail after him, and we +shall overhaul him before he begins to read it." + +[Illustration: ANDERSON READING THE NEWS OF THE BATTLE OF THE +NILE.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 115.] + +There is a small hill just inside of the Greenwich Park gates, +commanding a beautiful view of the river and the hospital. Here Anderson +was accustomed to repair when the weather was fine, that, as he told me, +he might commune with himself. In this instance he had retired there to +avoid the excitement and confusion which prevailed; he had, however, +been accompanied by three other pensioners, whom we found on the hill +when we arrived, and, before we had been there a minute, the pensioners +had followed up so fast that there was quite a crowd. We were just in +time to hear him commence reading the newspaper account. The wind was +very high; old Anderson had taken off his hat (out of respect, I +presume, for the service), and his long gray locks were swept by the +wind, which, indeed, carried away his voice, so that it was with +difficulty that I could hear what he said. "_Second Edition_. Glorious +news! We have the felicity to inform our readers that, by dispatches +received at the Admiralty this day, a splendid naval victory has been +gained over the French fleet lying in Aboukir Bay, by Rear-Admiral Sir +Horatio Nelson, and the gallant seamen under his command. We refer our +readers to the dispatch of Sir Horatio Nelson for the details. We have +only to say, in few words, that the French fleet of thirteen sail of the +line and four frigates were, on the 1st of August last, when lying at +anchor in Aboukir Bay, attacked by the English fleet of twelve sail of +the line and one fifty-gun ship, and after a severe action, eleven sail +of the line and two frigates belonging to the French were taken or +burned. The loss on our side amounts to two hundred and eighteen killed, +and six hundred and seventy-seven wounded." + +"Hurrah! three cheers, my lads!" cried Anderson, dropping the hand which +held the newspaper, and raising the other with his hat in it above his +head. The three hearty cheers were given by the crowd which had now +assembled; and then Ben said to me: + +"You see, Jack, there's a lot of killed and wounded; so now, perhaps, +you will hear something about your father." + +By this time I had been pushed back, first by one, and then by another, +until I was a long way off from where Anderson stood. + +"I can't hear a word that Peter says," replied I to Ben. + +"No, because the wind's so high, and I myself am a little hard of +hearing out of doors. Suppose we go now, and by-and-by you shall get the +paper from Anderson, and read it all over to me." + +"Come away, Ben," replied I, impatiently, "I've got a shilling, and I'll +buy one." + +We left the hill and went down into the town, directing our course to +where we heard the horns blowing. I had not, however, to go to such an +extraordinary expense, as "a full and particular account" had been +struck off for twopence; one of these I purchased, and then Ben and I +sat down on the bench outside of a public-house, and I commenced +reading. + +"How good that porter looks!" observed Ben, after a pause, as he eyed a +man near to him who was blowing off the froth from the top of the pot he +held in his hand. + +"Well, Ben, as I have bought the account of the battle for twopence, +suppose I spend the rest of the money I intended to pay for it in a pot +of porter, to drink the health of Nelson?" + +"Ay, my boy, and of those who fought with him," replied Ben; "your own +father, Jack, whether he be dead or alive." + +I sighed at the idea of my father being dead, for I had a great regard +for him, although I had not seen much of him. The porter was brought, +and after we had both drunk I recommenced reading. Having concluded +Admiral Nelson's dispatch and the list of the ships taken, we then came +to the loss in killed and wounded on board of the respective English +ships. + +"'Vanguard'--thirty killed, seventy-five wounded; total, a hundred and +five." + +"Yes, Jack, that was Nelson's own ship; and he is always to be found +where the shot fly thickest." + +"'Bellerophon'--forty-nine killed, a hundred and forty-eight wounded; +total, a hundred and ninety-seven." + +"Well, she was in the thick of it, anyhow!" observed Ben. + +"'Majestic'--fifty killed, a hundred and forty-three wounded; total, a +hundred and ninety-three." + +"Why, she and the 'Bellyruffron' seem to have pretty well shared and +shared alike. You see, Jack, they led into the action, and had all the +cream of the fire." + +I went on reading and Ben remarking, until I came to the "Audacious." + +"'Audacious'"--one killed, and thirty-five wounded; total, thirty-six." + +"Well now, Jack, that's all in favor of your father being alive; 'cause +why should he be the one killed, more than any one else? I'd bet two +pots of beer that he's among the wounded--but it's impossible to say; +for you see, Jack, although they give us the names of the officers +killed and wounded, they always _lump_ the petty officers and common +seamen. Well, here's to your father's health, Jack, anyhow; we shall +soon hear something about him." + +"I hope so," replied I, folding up the paper. + +"And now, Jack," continued Ben, handing me the pot, "don't you feel how +proud a thing it is to know how to read? Here I am, you see, old enough +almost to be your grandfather, and don't I look like a helpless babby +beside you? you can inform me of what is going on, but I cannot help +myself. Don't I feel it, as I sit here, as if you were the man and I +were the boy? indeed I do, Jack, and no mistake; but, arter all, there +was no one to blame in my case; that's some comfort." + +I certainly did acknowledge to myself how much I had gained by the +tuition of Peter Anderson, and what advantage it was to me that I had +been instructed; and I could not help for a moment feeling that I had +the advantage over my good friend Ben. + +According to the usual custom on the occasion of a great victory, the +pensioners had, on the following day, what was called a holiday, that +is, a day of rejoicing, on which they were supplied with an extra +quantity of beer, to make merry with. On these occasions the rules of +the hospital, with respect to sobriety, are, of course, not strictly +observed. Most of those who prefer smoking collect in what is called the +smoking-room, where they sit and enjoy themselves; but very often, as +there is so much noise on these occasions, those who belong to the same +ward collect together, club for some spirits to add to their extra +allowance, and sit by the fire, which is in the corridor of the ward. +The fireplace is generally a very large one, and surrounded by benches +with high backs, to serve as screens against the cold and wind; and, as +there are tables inside, you are very snug and comfortable. On this +occasion many of the Warriors' Ward, of which Anderson was boatswain, +and Ben one of the boatswain's mates, had repaired to their own fire, +for it was now October, and very chilly after the sun went down. + +Ben, I suppose, in return for the pot of porter which I had given him, +invited me to be of the party; they drank the health of Nelson, and +talked about the different ships which were in the action. Some drank +very fast, and then reeled off to their beds, which were close at hand; +others were taken to bed by Peter Anderson and Ben; and at last there +were but four or five left. One of these was the other boatswain's mate +of the ward. I knew very little of him at that time, except that his +name was James Turner. He was a very quiet well-behaved man, and seemed +to be more fond of sitting or walking alone than of being in company; +never was known to drink too much; and, indeed, as boatswain's mate, was +more relied upon by Anderson than even Ben was--although, perhaps, Ben +was his more constant companion. The conversation relative to the +particulars of the battle of the Nile was resumed, and Anderson +observed-- + + "What an awful sight it must have been to behold the blowing up of + the 'L'Orient' French three-decker, with upward of a thousand men + on board! Merciful Heaven! so many poor fellows launched into + eternity in one moment! They say there were but seventy-three + saved." + + "There were nearly as many souls lost when the 'Royal George' went + down at Spithead, with all the fleet at anchor round about her," + replied Ben; "were there not, Turner, for you were on board of + her?" + + "Yes, I should think there were," replied Turner; "but it is + impossible to say how many people were on board at the time." + + "Messmate," said Anderson, "as all the noisy ones are gone, and we + shall be able to hear you, suppose that you let us know all about + it? I have heard a good deal, but, I suspect, not the rights of + it." + + "With all my heart," replied Turner. "It was a sad affair, and was + all owing to the pride of an officer, who was not much of a sailor, + at all events." + +I drew nearer, that I might not lose a word of what Turner said; and +then he narrated, in the following words, + +THE LOSS OF THE "ROYAL GEORGE" + +"Well, messmates, the 'Royal George' was a hundred-gun ship; and what we +don't often see now, when I first belonged to her her guns were all +brass. We had brass twenty-four-pounders on our quarter-deck, +forecastle, poop, and main deck, brass thirty-twos on our middle deck, +and brass forty-two-pounders on our lower deck. In the spring of '82, +when we were at Plymouth (about six months before she sunk), it was +considered that the brass forty-twos on the lower deck were too heavy +for her, so they were put on shore, and we had iron thirty-twos instead. +I don't think, myself, it made much difference in the weight of metal, +and we were sorry to part with them. We were a flagship, you know--old +Kempenfelt carrying his blue at the mizzen--and our poop lanterns were +so large that the men used to get inside them to clean them. She was +rather a top-heavy sort of ship, in my opinion, her upper works were so +high--why, we measured sixty-six feet from the keelson up to the +taffrail; but still, with proper attention, there was nothing to fear on +that score. + +"Well, it was on the twenty-ninth of August, '82--that's just fourteen +years and about six weeks ago--that we were lying at Spithead, in +company with Lord Howe's fleet of between twenty and thirty sail of the +line: there was the 'Victory,' 'Barfleur,' 'Ocean,' and 'Union,' all +three-deckers, I recollect, close to us. We were in good repair, not at +all leaky, and were to have sailed in two days to join the fleet in the +Mediterranean. We had been paid, in consequence of our being about to +sail foreign; and we had been paid in golden guineas. I think that, +could all the money be collected together, from the pockets of the +seamen, the women, and the Jews, who went down in the ship, it would be +a very pretty fortune even for a duke's daughter." + +Here Ben shoved the ale to Turner, who drank a little and proceeded, +while Ben took a swig and passed it round. + +"Well, you see, messmates, the first lieutenant had been washing the +decks on the morning before, and the carpenter had been ordered to let +the water in, when it was found that the water-cock, which was about +three feet below the water-line, was out of order, and it was necessary +that it should be repaired. The foreman came off from the dockyard, and +stated that it was necessary that the ship should be careened over to +port sufficiently to raise the mouth of the pipe--which went through the +ship's timbers below--clean out of the water, that they might work at +it; so, between seven and eight o'clock on that morning, the whole of +the larboard guns were run out as far as they could be, and of course +the larboard lower deck ports were open; the starboard guns were also +run in amidships, and secured by the tackles; the shifting over of this +great weight of metal brought the larboard lower deck port-cills just +level with the water; the men were then able to get at the mouth of the +pipe to the water-cock on the starboard side, as it was clean out of +water, and for about an hour they were working away hard at it. + +"It was about nine o'clock, we had just finished our breakfasts, and the +hands had been turned up, when the last lighter, with the rum on board, +came alongside. She was a sloop of fifty tons, called the 'Lark,' and +belonged to three brothers, whose names I forget. She was secured to the +larboard side of the ship; and the hands were piped 'clear lighter.' +Some of our men were in the lighter slinging the casks, others at the +yard tackle and stay-falls hoisting in, some in the spirit-room stowing +away. I was in the waist, bearing the casks over, down the hatchway; +none of us thinking that we should never mix our grog out of that +liquor." + +"No, I suppose not," observed Anderson; "but we little know what the day +may bring forth." + +"That's true as Gospel," said Ben. + +"That's a very old saying, that every little helps. I did not think of +it at the time; but, you see, as we were clearing the lighter, almost +all the men were on the larboard side, and that must have brought the +ship down still more to port. Then, again, the water was not so smooth +as it was when we first careened her, and it began to wash into the +lower deck ports, and of course had no escape, so that there was very +soon a good weight of water in the lower deck. There were mice in the +ship, and they were disturbed by the water entering into their quarters, +and the men were catching them, and laughing as they swam about, little +thinking that it was to be a general swim so shortly afterward. But the +carpenter was the first that perceived that there was danger; for again, +you see, the casks of rum, hoisted in, and lying on the decks on the +larboard side, before it could be lowered into the hold, made also a +difference; and so the carpenter went on deck to the lieutenant, who was +officer of the watch, requesting that he would be pleased to order the +ship to be righted somewhat, as she could not bear it; but the +lieutenant gave a very short answer to the carpenter, who then went down +below." + +"Who was the lieutenant on deck?" inquired Anderson. + +"I don't recollect his right name--he was, I think, the third +lieutenant--he went by the name of 'Jib and Foresail Jack,' for, +whenever he had the watch, he did nothing but up jip and down jib, up +foresail, down foresail, every five minutes, always worrying the men for +nothing. He was not considered as a good officer, but a very troublesome +one. He had a knack of twisting and moving his fingers about as he +walked the deck, and the men were wont to say that 'he must have been a +forty piany teacher.'" + +"And where were the captain and first lieutenant?" said Anderson. + +"The first lieutenant was at the time busy in the wing, I believe; and +as for the captain, I don't know where he was--but, you know, a captain +seldom interferes in harbor." + +"Where was the admiral?" inquired Ben. + +"The admiral was in his cabin. I saw the barber, who had been in to +shave him, come out just before she went down." + +"What sort of a man was the admiral?" said Anderson. + +"He was a thin tall man, upward of seventy years of age, and he stooped +a good deal in his walk." + +"Wet your whistle, Jim," said Ben, "for this is a long yarn." + +"Well," continued Turner, as soon as he had put down his pot, "the +carpenter came up a second time on the quarter-deck to the lieutenant, +and said to him-- + +"'If you please, sir, to right the ship, it's my duty to tell you she +will not bear it any longer.' He spoke in a very positive way, as was +his duty; but the lieutenant answered, with an oath-- + +"'If you think, sir, that you can manage the ship better than I can, you +had better take the command.' I was in the waist at the time, with a +good many more men, and we heard what the carpenter said, and what +answer the lieutenant gave. Indeed, we were all aware of the danger, and +felt very uncomfortable; there were plenty of good seamen on board, who +knew what they were about almost as well as the officers, and certainly +better than the one who had the watch. + +"A few minutes afterward (whether it was that he had remained that time +doing nothing, merely because he would not be dictated to by the +carpenter, I know not) the lieutenant ordered the drummer to be called +to beat to quarters, that the guns might be run into their places and +the ship righted. The drummer's name was passed along quick enough, for +we were all alarmed at our situation, for the ship just then heeled over +still more. I jumped down off the gangway as soon as the drummer was +called, and hastened down to my quarters. The drum was not beat, for the +man had not time to get his drum. All hands were now tumbling down the +hatchways as fast as they could to their quarters, that they might run +their guns into their places, and so right the ship. The gun I was +stationed at was the third gun from forward on the starboard side of the +lower gundeck. I said to Carroll, the second captain of the gun, 'I say, +let us try to get our gun out without waiting for the drum, as the +sooner we right the better.' We boused out our gun, which had been run +in amidships; but the ship heeled over so much that, do all we could, it +ran in again upon us, and at the same time the water made a heavy rush +into the larboard lower deck ports. 'The ship is sinking, Carroll!' +cried I. 'Lay hold of the ring-bolt and jump out; we shall all be +drowned!' He made for the ring-bolt, caught it, climbed out of the port, +and jumped into the sea. I presume he was drowned, for I never saw him +afterward. I followed him as fast as I could out of the same port, which +was the one belonging to our gun (the third from forward on the +starboard side), and when I was outside I perceived that all the other +port-holes were crowded as full as they could be with the heads of the +men, all trying to escape, and jamming one another so that they could +scarcely move either one way or the other. I caught hold of the sheet +anchor, which was just above me, to prevent falling back inboard; and +perceiving a woman struggling at the port, I caught hold of her, dragged +her out, and threw her from me. The ship was now lying down so +completely on her larboard broadside that the heads of the men in the +ports disappeared all at once; they all dropped back into the ship, for +the port-holes were now upright, and it was just as if men were trying +to get out of the tops of so many chimneys, with nothing for their feet +to purchase upon. Just after the men fell inboard, there came a rush of +air through the ports, so violent as to blow my hat off. It was the air +from the hold and lower deck, which, having no other vent, escaped as +the water which poured in took up its space. The ship then sunk in a +moment, righting as she went down. I was a good swimmer and diver, and +when she was sinking I attempted to keep above water, but it was +impossible; I was drawn down with the ship until she reached the bottom. +As soon as she grounded, the water boiled and bubbled a great deal, and +then I found that I could swim, and began to rise to the surface. A man +tried to grapple me as I went up; his forefinger caught in my shoe, +between the shoe and my foot. I succeeded in kicking off my shoe, and +thus got rid of him, and then I rose to the surface of the water." + +"Take breath after that, Jim," said Ben, handing him the ale. + +"I can tell you that I could hardly take breath when I came to the +surface, for my head came up through a quantity of tar, which floated +like fat on a boiler, and it nearly smothered me; for, you see, there +had been one or two casks of tar on the decks, which had stove when the +ship was going down, and the tar got up to the top of the water before I +did. It prevented me from seeing at first, but I heard the guns firing +as signals of distress." Here Turner drank some ale. + +"Well," said he, after a short pause, "I may as well finish my story. As +soon as I could clear the tar from my eyes, I saw the main topsail +halyard-block about level with the water's edge about eight or ten yards +from me; so I swam to it and rode on it, holding on by the halyards, and +then I looked about me. The fore, main, and mizzentops were all above +water, as was a part of the bowsprit, and also part of the ensign-staff, +with the flag hoisted--for, you see, messmates, we went down in only +thirteen and a half fathom water, that is, about eighty feet; and, as I +said before, she measured sixty-six feet from the keelson up to the +taffrail; and she grounded as nearly upright as a vessel could; for the +lighter, which was fast to leeward when she went down, caught the main +yard, which helped to right her as she sank--but the lighter went down +with her. Well, as I looked round, I saw the admiral's baker in the +mizzen shrouds, and there was the body of the woman I had dragged out of +the port rolling about close to him. The baker was an Irishman, of the +name of Claridge; and I called out to him, 'Bob, reach out your hand and +catch hold of that woman, I daresay she is not dead.' + +"He said, 'She's dead enough; it's no use to lay hold of her.' + +"I answered, 'She is not dead.' He caught hold of the woman and hung her +head over one of the rattlings of the mizzen shrouds, and there she +swung by her chin till a wash came and lifted her off, and then she +rolled about again. Just then one of the captains of the frigates came +up in his boat. I waved my hand toward the woman--he stopped pulling, +the men dragged her into the boat, and laid her in the sternsheets. + +"'My man,' said the captain, 'I must pick up those who are in more +danger than you.' + +"'All right, sir,' said I; 'I'm safe moored here.' + +"There was one of our men hanging on the mainstay, and roaring like a +bull, as he tried to climb by it out of the water. Had he only remained +quiet, he would have done well enough. The boat took him off first, and +the others of the people who were clinging about the masts and rigging, +including the baker and myself. It then pulled on board the 'Victory' +with us; and I once more found a good dry plank between me and the salt +water." + +"Was the captain and admiral saved?" + +"Captain Waghorn was. He could not swim; but one of the seamen held him +up. The admiral was drowned in his cabin. Captain Waghorn tried to +acquaint him that the ship was sinking; but the heeling over of the ship +had so jammed the doors of the cabin that they could not be opened." + +"What became of the lieutenant of the watch and the carpenter?" + +"The lieutenant of the watch was drowned--and so indeed was the +carpenter. His body was taken up, I believe, by the same boat which +picked up Lieutenant Durham[3]. When I went on board of the 'Victory,' I +saw the carpenter's body before the galley fire--some women were +attempting to recover him, but he was quite dead. There was a strong +westerly breeze, although the day was fine; and the wind made the water +so rough that there was great danger of the boats getting entangled in +the rigging and spars, when they came to take the men off, or more would +have been saved." + +[Footnote 3: Afterward Admiral Sir Philip Durham.] + +"How many do you think were lost altogether?" inquired Anderson. + +"We had our whole complement on board, eight hundred and sixty-five men; +and there were more than three hundred women on board, besides a great +many Jews with slops and watches; as there always are, you know, when a +ship is paid and the men have any money to be swindled out of. I don't +exactly know how many men were saved, but there was only one woman, +which was the one I dragged out of the port. There was a great fat old +bumboat woman, whom the sailors used to call the 'Royal George'--she was +picked up floating, for she was too fat to sink; but she had been +floating the wrong way uppermost, and she was dead. There was a poor +little child saved rather strangely. He was picked up by a gentleman who +was in a wherry, holding on to the wool of a sheep which had escaped and +was swimming. His father and mother were drowned, and the boy did not +know their names; all that he knew was that his own name was Jack; so +they christened him John _Lamb_, and the gentleman took care of him." + +"Have you no idea how many men were saved, Turner?" + +"I only know this--that the Admiralty ordered five pounds a man to be +given to the seamen who were saved, as a recompense for the loss of +their clothes, and I heard that only seventy-five claimed it; but how +many marines were saved, or other people who were on board, I do not +know; but perhaps, altogether, there might be two hundred or more--for +you see the seamen had the worst chance of being saved, as they were +almost all down in the hold, or on the lower and main decks at their +guns. A few days after the ship went down the bodies would come up, +eight or ten almost the same time--rising to the top of the water so +suddenly as to frighten people who were passing near. The watermen made +a good thing of it; for, as the bodies rose, they took from them their +shoe-buckles, money, and watches, and then towed them on shore to be +buried." + +"That lieutenant had much to answer for," observed Ben. "His false pride +was the cause of it all." + +"It would seem so--but God only knows," replied Anderson. "Come, my +lads, the beer is out, and it's two bells in the middle watch. I think +we had better turn in. Jack, what's to become of you?" + +"Oh, I'll find a plank," said I. + +"So you shall, boy, and a bed upon it," replied Ben. "Come and turn in +with me, and don't you dream that the larboard lower deck ports are +open." + + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN + + My Father makes his Appearance, having left his Leg, but not his + Tail, behind him--My Father is pensioned off by my Mother as well + as by his Country. + + +About six weeks after the intelligence of the battle of the Nile, as I +was sweeping away from the steps the mud which had been left by the +tide, a King's tender, that I had been watching as she came up the +river, dropped her anchor in the stream, abreast of the hospital. + +Shortly afterward the lieutenant who commanded her pulled on shore in +his boat, and, landing at the steps, proceeded to the governor's house. +The men having orders not to leave the boat, requested me to procure +them some porter, which I did; and on my return with it, they informed +me that they had come round from Portsmouth with sixty-three men, who +had lost their limbs, or had been otherwise so severely wounded in the +late action as to have been recommended for Greenwich. + +I felt very anxious for the men to land, as it was possible that my +father might be one of them. The lieutenant soon returned, jumped into +the boat, and shoved off. I perceived that the disabled men were getting +ready to land, hauling their chests and kits on deck. In about +half-an-hour a boat full of them came to the steps. I ran down to +assist; and as I held on to the gunnel of the boat, while they threw out +their gang-board, the first person who stumped out was my father, minus +his left leg. + +"Father!" cried I, half sorry and half pleased. + +"Who calls me father?" replied he, looking at me. "Why, you don't mean +to say that you're my boy Tom?" + +"Yes, indeed!" said I. + +"Ah! yes--I recollect your smile now. Why, what a big fellow you've +grown!" + +"It's four years since you left, father." + +"Well! I suppose it is, since you say so," replied he, taking me by the +arm, and stumping a little to one side, when he said in a low tone, "I +say, Jack, what became of the old woman? Did I settle her?" + +"Oh, no," replied I, laughing, "she was only shamming." + +"Shamming was she? Well! it's all the better--for she has been a little +on my conscience, that's truth. Shamming? Heh! She won't sham next time, +if I fall foul of her. How does she get on?" + +"Oh, very well indeed." + +"And how's your little sister? What's her name--Jenny lengthened at both +ends? I never could recollect it, though I've often thought of her sweet +little face." + +"She's quite well, and as pretty and as good as ever." + +"Well, Tom, my boy, you stood by your father when he was in trouble, and +now he'll stand by you. How does your mother treat you?" + +"We get on pretty well--not over-fond of each other." + +[Illustration: JACK'S FATHER LANDING AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE +NILE.--Marryat, Vol X., p. 133.] + +"Well, Tom, I've only one pin left; but I say," continued my father, +with a wink of his eye, "I haven't left my tail behind me, 'cause it may +be useful, you know. Now we must all go up to the governor of the +hospital for inspection, and I suppose we shall be kept for some time; +so you may run home and tell your mother that I've come back in a +perfect good-humor, and that it will be her fault if she puts me +out--that's all." + +"I will, father; and then I'll come to you at the hospital." + +I ran home to communicate the important intelligence to my mother and to +Virginia, who had as usual come from school for her dinner. + +"Mother," says I, out of breath, "who do you think has come back?" + +"Comeback?" said she. "_Back?_ Not your father?" + +"Yes," says I, "my father. I just left him." + +My mother turned deadly pale, and dropped the hot iron from her hand, so +as to spoil a frilled nightcap belonging to one of her lady customers. +She staggered to a chair, and trembled all over. I really believe that +had she been aware of his being about to return, she would have quitted +Greenwich before his arrival; but now it was too late. Virginia had run +for the salts as soon as she perceived that her mother was unwell, and +as she smelled them she gradually recovered. At last she inquired how my +father looked and what he said. + +I told her that he had lost his leg, and had been sent as a pensioner to +the hospital; that he had looked very well, and that he had told me to +say that "he was in a perfect good humor, and it would be her fault if +she put him out of it; and that if she did--" + +"Well, what then?" inquired my mother. + +"Oh, the _tail_--that's all." + +At the mention of the tail my mother very nearly went off in a +swoon--her head fell back, and I heard her mutter, "So vulgar! so +ungenteel!" However, she recovered herself, and appeared to be for some +time in deep thought. At last she rose up, ordered me to fetch something +extra for supper, and recommenced her ironing. + +As soon as I had executed her commission I went to the hospital, where I +found my father, who, with the other men, had just been dismissed. He +accompanied me to my mother, shook hands with her very good-humoredly, +kissed Virginia, whom he took on his knee, praised the supper, drank +only one pot of porter, and then returned to the hospital, to sleep in +the cabin which had been allotted to him in the Warriors' Ward, of which +Anderson was the boatswain. My mother, although not very gracious, was +much subdued, and for a few days everything went on very comfortably; +but my mother's temper could not be long restrained. Displeased at +something which she considered as very vulgar, she ventured to assail my +father as before, concluding her tirade as usual, with "There--now +you're vexed!" + +My father looked at her very sternly.--At last he said, "You're just +right--I am vexed; and whenever you tell me so in future I'll prove that +it's no lie." He then rose, stumped upstairs to my room, in which he had +deposited his sea-chest, and soon made his appearance with the +formidable and never-to-be-forgotten tail in his hand. "Mistress," said +he, as my mother retreated, "you said, 'Now you're vexed' to me just +now. I ask you again, am I vexed, or am I not?" and my father flourished +the tail over his head. + +My mother looked at the strange weapon: the remembrance of the past was +too painful; she was conquered by her fear. + +"Oh, no," cried she, falling on her knees. "You're not vexed--indeed you +are not." + +"You're quite sure of that?" responded my father authoritatively, as he +advanced toward her. + +"Oh! yes, yes," cried my mother, trembling; "indeed you're not." + +"Ain't I in a very good humor?" continued my father. + +"Yes, you are in the best of humors, and always are so, unless--I +aggravate you," replied my mother, whimpering. + +"Well," replied my father, lowering his tail, "I expect we've come to a +right understanding at last. So now get up and wipe your eyes; but +recollect, that whenever you dare to tell me that I'm vexed, I won't be +so ungenteel as to contradict you." + +Thus was the mastery gained by my father, and never lost. It is true +that sometimes my mother would forget herself, and would get on as far +as "There now, you're--," but she would stop there, and correct herself, +saying, "No, you're not," and allow her temper to evaporate by singing +one of her usual ditties, as "Hush-a-by, baby, on the tree-top;" but my +father never took notice of her singing; and being really a very +good-tempered man, my mother's temper gradually became improved. + +The return of my father made some alteration in our mode of life. He +might, if he had pleased, have lived as an out-pensioner with my mother; +but this he would not do. He used to come in almost every evening to see +her, and she used to provide for him a pot of porter, which he seldom +exceeded. If he had friends with him, they paid for what they drank. +This pot of porter per diem was the only demand made upon my mother for +permission to remain separate, and she did not grumble at it. His +tobacco he found himself out of the tobacco money allowed at the +hospital. He had received some pay, which, contrary to his former +custom, he had laid by in the charge of one of the lieutenants of the +hospital, for at that time there were no savings banks. + +As a married man my father had the liberty to introduce his wife and +children into the hospital at meal-times, to share his allowance with +them. This my mother would not listen to, as regarded herself and my +sister; but my father messed in what is called the married men's room, +on my account, and instead of buying my own dinner, or applying to my +mother for it, I now always took it with my father in the hospital. In +consequence of my father's admittance as a pensioner, both I and my +sister might have been instructed at the hospital school; but my mother +would not premit Virginia to go there, and I found it much more +convenient to go to Peter Anderson in the evening, when I had nothing to +do. On the whole, we all went on much more comfortably than we did +before my father's return. + +One evening I was, as usual, with Anderson in his cabin; my father +having been drafted into his ward, I could not help asking Anderson how +he liked him. His reply was, "I like your father, Jack, for he is a +straightforward, honest, good-tempered man, and, moreover, has a good +natural judgment. I think it a great pity that such a man as he is +should be so early in life lost, as it were, to the country. He is a +first-rate seaman; and although there are many like him, still there are +none to spare. However, if his country loses, he may himself gain, by +being so soon called away from a service of great temptation. The sailor +who has fought for his country, Jack, has much to be thankful for when +he takes in moorings at Greenwich Hospital. He is well fed, well +clothed, tended in sickness, and buried with respect; but all these are +nothing compared with the greatest boon. When I reflect what lives +sailors live, how reckless they are, how often they have been on the +brink of eternity, and wonderfully preserved, without even a feeling of +gratitude to Him who has watched over them, or taking their escapes as +warnings; when I consider how they pass their whole lives in excess, +intemperance, and, too often, blasphemy, it is indeed a mercy that they +are allowed to repose here after such a venturous and careless career; +that they have time to reflect upon what has passed, to listen to the +words of the Gospel, to hate their former life, and trusting in God's +mercy to secure their salvation. This is the greatest charity of this +institution, and long may it flourish, a blessing to the country which +has endowed it, and to the seamen, who are not only provided for in this +world, but are prepared in it for the next." + +Such were continually the style of admonitions given me by this good old +man, and I need not point out to the reader how fortunate it was for me +that I had secured such a preceptor. + + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN + + In which is proved the Truth of the Proverb, "When your own House + is made of Glass, you never should be the first to throw Stones" + + +One evening, when I went to the shop of the widow St. Felix to purchase +some tobacco for my father, she said, "Why don't your father come +himself, Jack? I want to make his acquaintance, and see how he looks +without his pigtail." + +"Why, you never saw him when he had it on," replied I. + +"No, that's the truth; but still I wish to have a sight of him: the fact +is, I want to laugh at him." + +"Very well, I'll bring him here; but, recollect, it's a very sore +subject with him," replied I, "and that you may have a sharp answer." + +"That I'll take my chance of, Jack," replied the widow, laughing. + +In consequence of this intimation, one evening when my father was +walking in the hospital, I persuaded him to call at the shop. + +"This is my father, Mrs. St. Felix," said I. + +"Most happy to see him. What shall I have the pleasure of assisting you +to, Mr. Saunders?" said the widow. + +"My sarvice to you, marm--if you please, to two penn'orth of pigtail and +a paper of shorts." + +"Much obliged to you, Mr. Saunders," replied she. "Sure we're much +indebted to Admiral Lord Nelson for sending us such fine-looking +pensioners. I shouldn't wonder if I were to choose a husband out of the +hospital yet." + +"I'm afeard we're all too mauled, marm, to suit a pretty young woman +like you," replied my father, very gallantly. + +"Thank you for that, Mr. Saunders; but you're mistaken entirely. I don't +consider the loss of a leg, for instance, as anything; I never look at +men's legs, and therefore care little whether they are made of wood or +not, provided they don't tread on my corns." + +"Well, marm, I'm glad that you don't consider a timber toe as any +obstacle to matrimony; but, I fear, having a wife already may be +considered by you a sort of objection." + +"Why, sure, I must have the whole of my husband; I couldn't afford to +share him, especially when one limb is gone already. That puts me in +mind of my want of manners. I hope Mrs. Saunders is quite well. I hear +from Jack that you have a separate maintenance--that's very genteel." + +"Why, yes, marm," replied my father; "the King maintains me, and my wife +maintains herself; so, as you say, we have a separate maintenance." + +"Well, that's the best way when married people don't agree. What are you +laughing at, Mr. Jack? did I hint that your father and mother ever had +any little matrimonial differences? I certainly did hear that there was +a trifling dispute when they last parted; but when they bring me such +tales I always _cut them short_. Here's your _pigtail_, Mr. Saunders," +continued the widow, laughing, as she put the tobacco on the counter. + +I looked at my father, who did not seem to relish the hint, but he +answered very frankly, "If you cut them as short as my wife cut mine, +why, then you won't be troubled with them any more. I see, marm, you +know all about it, and you may have your laugh if it pleases you; but I +can tell you that my tail has done me better sarvice since it was off +than when it hung down my back." + +"Become useful, instead of ornamental, I presume, Mr. Saunders." + +"Just made this difference--when it was on it made my wife's tongue to +go; now it is off, it has stopped it." + +"An extraordinary powerful instrument, to stop a woman's tongue!" + +"Well, you've only to ax Mistress Saunders, she'll tell you all its +virtues." + +"Well, Mr. Saunders, I don't know whether you have any idea of taking +another wife some future day. If so, say nothing about it, or you'll +never get one." + +"Well, marm--I don't know whether you ever think of taking another +husband; but if so, I think it would be kind on my part to lend it to +him. Can you tell me why widows' tongues run so much faster than other +women's?" + +"Mercy! what put that idea in your head, Mr. Saunders?" + +"You, and half a dozen more that I happen to know. May I make so bold as +to ask you, marm, how long you may have been a widow?" continued my +father. + +"Bless me! so long that I quite forget all about it," replied Mrs. St. +Felix, turning away from the counter to the jars behind. + +I gave my father a wink to let him know that it was his turn now: he +understood me, hitched up his waistband and nodded. + +"How did you lose your first husband, marm? What did he die of?" + +The widow colored, and my father perceiving it, followed up his +question. + +"Did he die of a fever, marm?" + +"I'm not exactly sure," replied she, hurriedly. + +"May I ask how long it is since he died?" continued my father. + +"Oh! Mr. Saunders," replied the widow, confusedly, "I really don't +recollect just now. It's very painful to answer such questions." + +"Not if you've been a widow so long that you forget all about it; that's +all sham and nonsense. So you ain't sure _what_ he died of, nor _when_ +it was that he died? Are you quite sure, marm, that your husband _is_ +dead?" + +Mrs. St. Felix started, turned very red, and then very pale. + +"My sarvice to you for the present, marm," said my father, after a +pause, taking off his hat. "I suspect that I've found a way to stop your +tongue as well as my wife's. Broadside for broadside, that's fair play." + +So saying, my father stumped away out of the shop door. Mrs. St. Felix +put her apron up to her eyes, with her elbows resting on the counter. I +waited a little, and then I said, "What is the matter, Mrs. St. Felix?" + +She started at my voice. + +"You here, Jack? I thought you had gone out with your father. Well," +continued she, wiping her eyes, "it serves me right. I forgot that in +amusing myself I annoyed him. Jack, don't you mention anything about +this. Do you think your father will?" + +"I don't think he will, for he cannot do so without talking about having +his pigtail cut off, and I know he cannot bear to think of it." + +"Well, then, pray don't you, that's a good boy." + +"I never will, I promise you." + +"Then, good-night, Jack; you must leave me now, I don't feel quite +well." + +I wished the widow good-night, and went back to my mother's house. My +father was there, but he never hinted at the conversation which had +taken place, neither at that time nor afterward. + + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN + + Showing how Old Nanny fell Sick and got Well again. + + +Before I fell asleep that night I thought a great deal of what had +passed between the widow St. Felix and my father. Why should she have +shown such emotion, and why should she request of me not to mention what +had passed? I had heard reports about her, as I have before mentioned; I +had heard them from old Nanny, but I did not put any confidence in what +she said. Thinking of old Nanny reminded me that I had not called upon +her for some time, and I resolved that I would visit her the next day. + +It was not until late in the evening that I could spare time to call +upon her, and, what was not usual, I went empty-handed. I found to my +surprise that the door was shut to, and the shutters of the shop not +taken down. I tried the latch, the door opened, and I went in. + +"Who's there?" screamed old Nanny from the inner room. "What do you +want?" + +"It's only Poor Jack, mother," replied I, "come to see how you are." + +"Come in," replied she; "I'm very bad. Oh! oh! I thought it was some +thief or another come to steal all the things in my shop." + +I entered the room and found old Nanny in bed; she looked very ill and +miserable, and everything was very dirty. + +"Are you not well, mother?" said I. + +"Well, boy? No, very ill, very ill indeed, haven't left my bed these +three days. Reach me a little water, Jack, there's a good boy. I've been +dying for water." + +I handed her a broken jug which had some water in it. She drank +greedily, so as to spill nearly half of it on the coverlid. + +"Oh, how good it is!" exclaimed the old woman, as soon as she recovered +her breath. "I'm better now. I could not reach it myself. I've the +rheumatiz so bad! I've been in such a fright because I could not lock +the door; it kept me awake all night long. Oh, my poor back!" + +"But why did you not send for the doctor, mother?" + +"Doctor! Eh? who's to pay him? I've got no money, Jack." + +"Well, but Dr. Tadpole's very kind." + +"Yes, yes, kind to the widow; but not to old women like me, without any +money." + +"But why not have some one to sit up with you, and help you?" + +"Sit up with me! Who'd sit up with me? Yes, if I paid them. But I've no +money, Jack; and then, I don't know them. They might rob me--there's a +great many pretty things in my shop." + +"But you might die, mother, lying here without any one to help you." + +"Die! Well, and who would care if a poor old woman like me died, Jack?" + +"I should care, for one, mother; and so would my sister Virginia, and +many others besides." + +"You might care, Jack, for you're a good boy, and so might your little +sister, for she has a kind heart; but nobody else, Jack--no, not one!" + +I could not reply to this remark, as I really did not know anybody who +would have cared; so I said, "You must see the doctor, mother. I will go +for him." + +"No, Jack, I can't afford it, it's no use; besides, I'm better now." + +"Well, if you can't afford it, you shall not pay him; and, if he will +not come for nothing, I'll pay him myself." + +"Will you pay him, Jack? that's a good boy. You promised me bargains, +you know; that shall be one of them." + +"Well, mother, I'll make the bargain that I'll pay him, if you'll see +him--so good-by now. Do you want anything before I go?" + +"No, Jack, no; I don't want anything, only just lock the door and take +the key with you when you go out, and then no one can rob me, Jack, +while you're gone." + +I complied with her request, and ran for Dr. Tadpole, whom I found +smoking his cigar in the widow's shop. + +"Doctor," said I, "old Nanny has been ill in bed these three days, and I +want you to go and see her." + +"Does she send you to me, or do you ask it yourself?" said the doctor, +"for I think she would die rather than pay the doctor." + +"As for that, Mr. Tadpole," said the widow, "there are many of your +patients who send for the doctor without ever intending to pay him. +Perhaps old Nanny may go on the same plan." + +"Certainly; that alters the case. Well, Jack, what's the matter with +her?" + +"Rheumatism, and, I believe, fever; for her hand is hot, and her tongue +very white. She was lying in bed with no one to help her, and had not +strength to reach a drop of water, until I gave it to her." + +"Poor old soul!" said the widow. "And yet they say that she has money?" + +"I don't think that she has much," replied I; "for when she lent me the +twenty-eight shillings, she had not ten shillings more in the bag. But, +doctor, I'll pay you; I will, indeed. How much will it be?" + +"Now, doctor, just put on your hat, and set off as soon as you please; +for if Poor Jack says he'll pay you, you know that your money is as safe +as mine was in the bank--before it failed." + +"Well, I'll just finish my cigar." + +"Of course you will--as you walk along, Mr. Tadpole," replied the widow; +"it's very pleasant to smoke in the air, and just as unpleasant to +others your smoking in the house. So, doctor, just be off and see the +poor old wretch directly, or--I'll be affronted." + +Hereupon the doctor took up his hat, and without reply walked off with +me. When we arrived, I unlocked the door and we went in. + +"Well, old Nanny, what's the matter now?" said Dr. Tadpole. + +"Nothing, doctor, nothing; you've come on a useless message; I didn't +send for you, recollect that; it was Jack who would go; I did not send, +recollect that, doctor; I can't afford it; I've no money." + +"Very well, I shan't look to you for money. Put out your tongue," +replied the doctor, as he felt her pulse. + +"Recollect, doctor, I did not send for you. Jack, you are witness--I've +no money," repeated old Nanny. + +"Put out your tongue," repeated the doctor. + +"No, I won't, till it's all clearly settled." + +"It is, you old fool," said the doctor, impatiently; "put out your +tongue." + +"Jack, you're witness it's all by force," said Nanny, who at last put +out her tongue; "and now, doctor, I'll tell you." + +Whereupon Nanny commenced with a narrative of her ills; and by her own +account there was not a portion of her body from top to toe which had +not some ailment. + +"You've a very bad complaint," said the doctor; "what d'ye think it is? +It's old age. I hardly know whether I can cure it." + +"Can your draw the pain out of my old bones?" said Nanny, groaning. + +"Why, I'll try, at all events. I must send you something to take +inwardly." + +"Who's to pay for it?" said old Nanny. + +"I will, mother," said I. + +"You're witness, doctor--Jack says he'll pay for it. You're a good boy, +Jack." + +"Well, that's settled--but now, we must have some one to sit up with +you." + +"Sit up with me? nobody will sit up with an old thing like me." + +"Yes, I will, mother," said I, "and I'll look in upon you in the +daytime, and see if you want to drink." + +"No, no, Jack! then you'll make no money." + +"Yes I will--never mind that." + +"Well, at all events," replied the doctor, "Jack will sit up with you +this night; and we'll see how you are to-morrow. Now, Jack, come back +with me, and I'll give you something for her. Good-night, Nanny," said +the doctor, leaving the room. + +"Good-night," grumbled old Nanny; and as we were going through the shop +I heard her continue: "It's very easy saying 'good-night,' but how can a +poor wretch like me, with every bone aching as if it would split, expect +to have a 'good night'?" + +As the doctor walked home, he appeared not to be in his usual talkative +mood. He went to the shop, made up the medicines, and gave me the +directions. + +"Here, Jack, take these; and it will be a kindness to sit up with her +to-night. I will see her to-morrow; and as I can't allow you to be the +only good Samaritan in the place, understand, Jack, that I attend the +poor old woman and find medicine for nothing." + +I thanked him and hastened back. Old Nanny took her draught, and then +turned round on her side. I suppose there was opium in it, for she soon +fell fast asleep; not, however, until she had said, "Jack, have you +locked the door?" + +"Yes, mother, I have." + +"Well, now, don't you think you could watch without burning a candle? +You ain't afraid?" + +"No, mother, I'm not afraid; but if I do, I shall fall asleep; and, +besides, if you wake and want anything, I shall not be able to find it. +I should break the jug and other things, and they would cost more than a +candle." + +"Very true, Jack. I feel sleepy already"--and old Nanny was soon in a +loud snore. + +I had stopped at my mother's to say that I intended to stay with old +Nanny, so that they might not sit up for me; and now all that I had to +do was to keep myself awake. I had forgotten to bring a book with me, so +I looked about the room for something to read; but I could find +nothing. At last I ventured to open a drawer--it creaked, and old Nanny +was roused. "Who's that?" cried she, but she did not wake up, the opiate +was too powerful. I went to her; she was in a perspiration, which I knew +was what the doctor wished. I put the clothes close up to her head, and +left her. I then took the candle and looked into the drawer, and found a +book lying in a corner with one side of the cover off. It was very dirty +and stained. I took it out, and went again to my chair and opened it. It +was Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," and full of plates. I had never heard +of the book, and did not know what the title meant. I first looked at +all the plates, and then I turned to the opening of the book. On the +blank leaf at the commencement, in very neat and lawyer-like +handwriting, was "Anna James, on her marriage, from her dear friend Mary +Farquhar, Tynemouth, June the 19th, 1738." By this I discovered, as I +thought, the married but not the maiden name of old Nanny; and very +probably, also, that Tynemouth was her native place. She was married, +too, in 1738, that was more than sixty years back--and her age was, +therefore, in all likelihood, nearly eighty years. I pondered over this +for some time, and then I commenced reading; and so interested was I +with the contents that I did not raise my head until the candle had +burned to the socket: as I was about to light another, I perceived +daylight through the chinks of the window shutter. So I laid down the +book, and walking softly out of the room, unlocked the shop door to get +a little fresh air; for the room that old Nanny was sleeping in was, +from dirt and neglect, very close. I could not, however, unlock the door +without waking up Nanny who screamed out "Thieves!--murder! thieves!" +until she was wide awake. + +[Illustration: JACK IN NANNY'S ROOM.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 151.] + +"Oh! it is you, Jack?" said she at last. "I dreamed there were thieves +breaking in." + +"Nothing but day breaking in, mother," said I. "How do you feel this +morning?" + +"Better, Jack, better; I've not so much pain, but I'm very thirsty; give +me some water." + +"No, mother; the doctor said you must not drink cold water. If you'll +wait a little, I'll run and fetch you something warm. I won't be gone +long, so try to go to sleep again." + +Old Nanny made no reply, but turned her face away from the light, as if +in obedience to my orders. I locked the outer door and hastened home. + +I found my mother and Virginia sitting in the nice clean room, the fire +blazing cheerfully and the breakfast on the table, and I could not help +making the contrast in my own mind between it and the dirty abode I had +just left. I ran into the back kitchen to wash my face and hands, and +then returned, kissed Virginia, and wished my mother "Good-morning." + +Why, I do not know, but she was in one of her worst of humors. + +"Don't come near me, or near your sister Virginia," said she sharply; +"who knows what vermin you may have brought from where you have been +staying all night?" + +I did feel that what she said might be true. + +"Well, mother," said I, "I won't come near you if you don't like, but I +want some tea for poor old Nanny." + +"I can't find tea for old Nannies," replied she. + +"I'll give her mine, Jack," cried Virginia. + +"Indeed, miss, you'll do no such thing," said my mother; "and sit up +properly to table, instead of hanging your head down in that way; and +don't pour your tea in your saucer--that's vulgar!" + +"The tea's so hot, mamma!" said Virginia. + +"Then wait till it's cool, miss. Leave the teapot alone, sir!" + +"I'll thank you for some tea, mother," replied I. "I shall give my +breakfast to old Nanny." + +"You'll take no breakfast out of this house," was the reply. + +"Why, mother?--for a poor sick old woman." + +"Let her go to the parish." + +I now became angry myself. I took up the teapot and walked away into the +back kitchen. My mother rose and followed me, insisting upon my putting +the teapot down; but I would not, and I poured out the tea into a little +milk-can. I did not answer her, but I felt that I was right and would +not give in, and she was afraid to attempt force. My mother then ran +back to the table, caught up the sugar-basin and carried it upstairs, +singing as she went, at the highest pitch of her voice: + + "What are little girls made of, made of + Sugar and spice, and all that's nice; + And that's what girls are made of!" + +While my mother was away, little Virginia poured her cup of tea, which +was already sweetened, into the can. I seized some bread and butter, and +before my mother came down I was clear of the house. Old Nanny made a +good breakfast; the doctor came, and said that she was much better and +would soon be well. The doctor had not left long before Peter Anderson +came and told me to go and mind my business, and that he would sit by +old Nanny. Old Ben, who had heard of it, also called in, and he sat up +with her the next night. + +"Did I not tell you that there were others who cared for you, Nanny?" +said I, a few days afterward. + +"Yes, you did, Jack, but I did not believe you; the world is better than +I thought it was. But how will you pay the doctor, Jack?" + +"The doctor 'tended you for nothing; he told me so the first night." + +"Well, and that widow, too; it's kind of her to send me tea and sugar, +and such nice things to eat." + +"Yes, mother, it is." + +"And your father, to bring your little dear sister, so nice and clean, +to come and see an old wretch like me in such a dirty hole. Ah, Jack! +now I'm getting well again I like the world better than I did." + +In a few days old Nanny had again opened her shop, sitting at the door +as usual, and, as the spring was now well advanced, she gradually +recovered her strength. When I gave up my office of nurse she did not, +however, forget to tell me to bring her good bargains, as I had promised +that I would. + + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN + + A Morning Concert, in which the Opposition is as great as Black to + White. + + +Among my father's associates there was a man of about forty years of +age, Dick Harness by name. He had received a wound in the hip from a +grape-shot, and his leg having in consequence contracted, it occasioned +him to limp very much; but he was as strong and hearty in all other +respects as a man could be. He was a very merry fellow, full of jokes, +and if any one told a story which was at all verging on the marvelous, +he was sure to tell another which would be still more incredible. He +played the fiddle and sang to his own accompaniments, which were very +droll, as he extracted very strange noises from his instrument. +Sometimes his bow would be on the wrong side of the bridge, sometimes +down at the keys; besides which he produced sounds by thumping the +fiddle as well as by touching its strings as a guitar; indeed, he could +imitate in a certain way almost every instrument and most of the noises +made by animals. He had one fault, for which he used to be occasionally +punished, which was, he was too fond of the bottle; but he was a great +favorite, and therefore screened by the men, and as much as possible +overlooked by the officers. The punishment for a pensioner getting drunk +was, at that time, being made to wear a yellow instead of a blue coat, +which made a man look very conspicuous. + +I recollect one day he had the yellow coat on, when a party of ladies +and gentlemen came to see the hospital. Perceiving that he was dressed +so differently from the other pensioners, one of the ladies' curiosity +was excited, and at last she called him to her and said, "Pray, my good +man, why do you wear a yellow coat when the other pensioners have blue +ones?" + +"Bless your handsome face, ma'am!" replied Dick, "don't you really +know?" + +"No, indeed," replied she. + +"Well, then, ma'am, perhaps you may have heard of the glorious battle of +the Nile, in which Nelson gave the French such a drubbing?" + +"Oh, yes," cried all the ladies and gentlemen, who had now crowded about +him. + +"Well, ladies and gentlemen, I had the good fortune to be in that great +victory, and all we _Nilers_, as we are called, are permitted to wear a +yellow coat as a mark of distinction, while the common pensioners wear +nothing but blue." + +"Dear me!" said the lady, "and do I really speak to one of those brave +fellows who fought at the battle of the Nile?" and she put her hand into +her pocket and pulled out five shillings. "There," said she, "I hope +you'll not be affronted, but accept this from me." + +"Not at all, ma'am," replied Dick, pocketing the money. + +Then the whole party made a subscription for him, and Dick went off with +a handful of silver. + +There was, however, another man who contributed much to the fun created +by Dick Harness. He was an American black, who had served as cook in the +"Majestic," and had been wounded in the battle of the Nile, He had +received a bullet in the knee, which had occasioned a stiff joint; and, +as his leg was bent, he wore a short wooden stump. He also could play +his fiddle and sing his songs, but in neither case so well as Dick +Harness, although he thought otherwise himself. We used to call him +Opposition Bill, but his name was Bill White; at least that was the +purser's name that he went by when on board of a man-of-war. His +pleasure was to follow Dick Harness everywhere; and if Dick sung he +would sing, if Dick played he would play also--not at the same time, but +if Dick stopped Bill would strike up. Dick used to call him his black +shadow; and sometimes he would execute a flourish on his fiddle which +would be quite a puzzler to Opposition Bill, who would attempt something +of the kind, which invariably set every one laughing. At last Dick +Harness's performances were not considered to be complete if Opposition +Bill was not in his company; and, as they were both very good-tempered, +funny fellows, they were a great amusement, especially in the fine +weather, when they would sit on the benches upon the terrace about six +or eight yards apart, for they seldom came nearer, and play and sing +alternately. The songs sung by Dick Harness were chiefly old sea songs; +those of Opposition Bill were picked up from every part of the world, +principally, however, those sung by the negroes who worked on the +plantations in Virginia and Carolina. + +Peter Anderson, my father, Ben, and many others were sitting on the +benches, basking in the morning's sun, when Dick Harness made his +appearance, limping along with his fiddle under his arm. + +"Come along, Dick," said Ben the Whaler, "we'll stow close, and make +room for you here." + +"You must make elbow-room, too, my hearty, or I shan't be able to +fiddle. Come, what will you have this fine morning?" said Harness, +tuning his instrument. As soon as it was in tune he flourished a prelude +from the top of the scale to the bottom, ending with an "Eh-haw! +eh-haw!" in imitation of the braying of a donkey. + +"Give us the Spanish Ladies, Dick," said my father. As this song was +very popular at that time among the seamen, and is now almost forgotten, +I shall by inserting it here for a short time rescue it from oblivion. + + "Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies, + Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain; + For we have received orders + For to sail to old England, + But we hope in a short time to see you again." + +"Stop a moment, lads. I must screw him up a little more." + +Dick regulated his first string, and then continued. + + "We'll rant and we'll roar, like true British sailors, + We'll rant and we'll roar across the salt seas; + Until we strike soundings + In the Channel of old England + (From Ushant to Scilly 'tis thirty-five leagues). + + "Then we hove our ship to, with the wind at sou'west, + my boys, + Then we hove our ship to, for to strike soundings clear; + Then we filled the maintopsail + And bore right away, my boys, + And straight up the Channel of old England did steer. + + "So the first land we made, it is called the Deadman, + Next Ram Head, off Plymouth, Start, Portland, and + the Wight; + We sail-ed by Beachy, + By Fairly and Dungeness, + And then bore away for the South Foreland light. + + "Now the signal it was made for the grand fleet to + anchor, + All in the Downs that night for to meet; + Then stand by your stoppers, + See clear your shank painters, + Haul all your clew garnets, stick out tacks and sheets." + +Here Dick was interrupted by another fiddle, which went "turn, +turn--scrape--turn, turn." + +"There's Opposition Bill, Dick," said my father; "I thought you would +bring him out." + +"All's right," replied Dick; "hope he aren't affronted; but he looks +very black this morning." + + "Now let every man lake off his full bumper, + Let every man take off his full bowl; + For we will be jolly + And drown melancholy, + With a health to each jovial and true-hearted soul." + +"Now, then, Billy, fire away." + +"You tink I 'bey your order, you Dick? No, sar, suppose I fire away, I +go off. I not go off, I stay here." + +"Well, but if you play, you'll get in trouble, Billy." + +"How I get in trouble?" + +"Why, you'll get in a scrape, won't you?" + +"Ho! you just got out of one, anyhow." + +Dick Harness then said to those who sat by him, "I'll make him sing the +Negro General." + +"Well, if you will howl, Mr. Billy," cried out Harness, "at all events +don't give us that abominable Nigger General. It always gives me the +toothache." + +"Now I tink dat very fine song; so you may have whole jaw-ache for all I +care. I sing dat, Mr. Dick; you jealous of dat song, I know." + +Opposition Billy flourished a little, and then commenced-- + + "Listen, my boys, and I will tell you + Tell you a leetle 'bout Gin'ral Gabriel. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "Dey advertise de Nigger Gin'ral, + A dousand pounds dey advertise him. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "And who betrayed de Nigger Gin'ral? + A leetle boy betrayed de Gin'ral. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "A leetle boy by de name of Daniel, + Betrayed him down at Norfolk Landing. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "He says, how do, my uncle Gabriel? + But dis is not your uncle Gabriel. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "Yes, it is my uncle Gabriel; + For I do know you, uncle Gabriel. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "De man belonged to Major Prosser, + So cum and hang de Nigger Gin'ral. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "For he's ruined old Virginny! + _Hard times_ in old Virginny. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "Dey wrote a letter to de tailor, + To cut out de Gin'ral's ruffles. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "Dey cut de ruffles out o' _iron_! + So they handcuff and chained him. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "Dey went and called a troop of light horse + To come and guard de Nigger Gin'ral! + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "To guard him all to de city of Richmond, + To guard him up unto de justice. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "De justice _tuk_ him to de gobnor-- + (Monroe he set up for gobnor). + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "Command him to de Penetenshy; + On Thursday week come on his trial. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "Dey went and called all de country + For to come and see de Nigger Gin'ral. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "Some dey call him Archy Mullen--'My + right name is John Decullen.' + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "I'm here to-day and gone to-morrow; + I did not come for to stay for eber.' + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "So den dey tuk him to de gallows, + Drive him down dere in a wagon. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "Dey drive him down unto de gallows, + Dey drive him down with four gray horses. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "(Price's Ben, he drive de wagon) + Very sad loss to Major Prosser. + Oh, my boys, I'm most done! + + "Dey drove him right beneath de gallows, + And den dey hang him and dey swing him. + Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh! + + "And dat de fate of de Nigger Gin'ral, + Who almost ruined old Virginny! + Now, my boys, I'm quite done!" + +"You've quite done, have you, Billy?" said Harness; "take my advice and +never begin again." + +"Eh, Mister Dick, you no ab song like dat in your budget, and I neber +give you de tune." + +"I hope you won't; but now I'll play you a tune which will beat you +hollow." Hereupon Dick Harness imitated the squeaking of pigs and +caterwauling of cats upon his fiddle, so as to set everybody laughing, +except Opposition Bill, who pretended to be very sulky. + +"Come, Dick, it's your turn now. Give us a regular forecastle song," +said Ben the Whaler. + +"Well, then, here's one that's been sung ever since the days of old +Queen Anne: + + "It was one November--the second day-- + The admiral he bore away, + Intending for his native shore. + The wind at sou'sou'west did roar; + There was likewise a terrible sky, + Which made the sea to run mountains high. + + "The tide of ebb it was not done, + But fiercely to the west did run; + Which put us all in terrible fear, + Because there was not room for to veer. + The wind and weather increased sore, + And drove ten sail of us on shore. + + "Ashore went the 'Northumberland,' + The 'Harwich,' and the 'Cumberland,' + The 'Lion' and the 'Warwick' too; + But the 'Elizabeth' had the most to rue-- + She came stem on--her fore-foot broke, + And she sunk the 'Gloucester' at one stroke. + + "But now remains what is worse to tell, + The greatest ships had the greatest knell; + The brave 'C'ronation' and all her men + Was lost and drowned every one, + Except the mate and eighteen more + What in the longboat com'd ashore. + + "And thus they lost their precious lives; + But the greatest loss was to their wives, + Who, with their children left on shore, + Their husbands' watery death deplore, + And wept their loss with many tears-- + (But grief endureth not for years). + + "Now you who've a mind to go to sea, + Pray take a useful hint from me, + And live at home, and be content + With what kind Providence has sent; + For they were punish'd for their misdeeds, + In grumbling when they had no needs. + + "Now God preserve our noble Queen, + Likewise her Ministers serene; + And may they ever steer a course + To make things better 'stead of worse, + And England's flag triumphant fly, + The dread of hevery he-ne-my." + +"You call dat singing! Stop now! I sing a song you nebber hear in all +your life," cried Opposition Bill, tuning his fiddle. + +"And never wish to hear again, most likely," replied Dick. "Out with it, +Bill; your face shines beautifully this morning." + +"I take de shine out of you, Massa Dick; now you listen: + + "Now your fader is asleep, maid, listen unto me; + Will you follow in my trail to Ken-tuck-y? + For cross de Alleghany to-morrow I must go, + To chase de bounding deer on'de O-hi-o. + + "And will you lub me truly, and kind to me will be, + If I quit my fader's roof for Ken-tuck-y? + And will you nebber leave me, if I consent to go + To your shanty by de stream of de O-hi-o? + + "Her fader's not asleep, and he will not agree, + Dat you take away his dater to Ken-tuck-y. + So alone by yourself, good hunter, you must go, + Where the Ingin's rifle cracks on de O-hi-o. + + "Your moder, too, is near, aldough you did not see, + And wid her leave you nebber go to Ken-tuck-y. + He hab a wife already, as I do surely know, + Who weeps for his return to de O-hi-o. + + "Man, I have dis purse of gold, half of it for ye; + Woman, I hab ne'er a wife in Ken-tuck-y; + Your dater is my only lub, so pridee let us go + To where my corn is ripening on de O-hi-o. + + "De fader weighed de purse, he took his half wid glee, + De moder said her child might go to Ken-tuck-y. + So de hunter and de maid, arm-in-arm dey go, + Across de Alleghany to de O-hi-o." + +"Bravo, Billy, that's not so bad," said some of the pensioners. + +"I tell you, Dick, I take de shine out of you. You nebber believe till I +make you fall in my wake, and den you soon be where de little boat +was--long way astarn." + +"I'll tell you what, Billy," said Dick Harness, "you do improve, and +we'll allow you to sing that song once more before you die, just by way +of encouragement." + +Dick then played several flourishes on his fiddle. Opposition Bill tried +to imitate him, but made sad work of it. It was near dinner-time, and +the pensioners rose and proceeded to the Painted Hall, for at that time +they dined there, and not below in the crypts as they do now. + + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN + + I get into very doubtful Company--I am tempted, and, like a true + Son of Adam, I fall. + + +The reader must have observed that, under the tuition of Anderson, I +promised to follow the right path, and, provided his good offices were +not interfered with, there appeared little doubt but that such would be +the case. But I was little aware, nor was he, that the humble profession +which I had chosen for myself was beset with danger, and that the +majority of those with whom I was associating were the most likely of +all others to lead me into evil. Why I had not hitherto been tempted can +only be ascribed to my tender years. In fact, I had not been considered +strong enough, or of an age to be useful to them, but now that I was +more than thirteen years old--being, moreover, very tall and strong for +my age--the hour of temptation arrived; and fortunate was it for me +that, previous to this epoch, I had been taken under the protection of +Peter Anderson. + +I have said in a former chapter that I was a regular _mudlarker_. So I +was, as far as the ostensible occupation of those who are so denominated +went; to wit, "picking up pieces of old rope, wood, etc." But the +mudlarkers, properly speaking, at that time composed a very extensive +body on the river, and were a more humble portion of the numerous river +depredators, of which I may hereafter speak. A mudlarker was a man who +had an old boat, generally sold by some merchant vessel, furnished with +an iron bar full of hooks, which was lowered down by a rope to catch +pieces of cordage, oakum, canvas or other articles, which might fall +overboard from the numerous vessels in the river; these were sold to the +marine stores, such as were kept by old Nanny. But, as I observed, this +was the _ostensible_ mode of livelihood; they had other resources, to +which I shall presently refer. An old man of the name of Jones, who +resided at Greenwich, was one of these mudlarkers by profession. He was +a surly old fellow, his sharp nose and chin nearly meeting, and he +usually went by the name of Old Grumble. I had occasionally assisted him +with his boat, but without receiving money, or indeed thanks, for my +pains, but for this I cared little. He was a very old man, and when he +came on shore and went up to old Nanny with the few things he had +collected during the day, I almost wondered how he could manage to +subsist, and thought myself infinitely better off than he was. + +One evening he said to me, "Jack, I'm going up the river, I wish you'd +come in the boat and help me, and if I make anything I will give you +something for your trouble, but if I don't you can't expect it." + +As he was very infirm I went with him, more out of charity than with any +hopes of profit. We pulled with the tide till we arrived a little above +Deptford, where several ships were lying, and he went close to one and +lowered down his grapnels. He dragged for a short time. + +"Just you make a little further off, old fellow," cried the mate of the +vessel. + +"Won't allow a poor old man to earn a few pence, I suppose," replied Old +Grumble, hauling up his grapnel and directing me to pull under the +bows, where he dropped it down again. I now perceived, as I thought, +some signs passing between him and one of the men in the head; but if +so, they were soon over, and Old Grumble continued his avocation till +the sun set. + +"How long do you intend to remain here?" inquired I. + +"Oh, not much longer, but I must wait a bit." + +At last it was quite dark, and then Grumble pulled up his grapnel and +dropped down nearer to the cutwater of the vessel. I soon distinguished +a tinkling, as it were, of metal; and Old Grumble, holding up his hands, +received some sheets of copper, which were lowered down by a rope-yarn. +As soon as they were quietly landed in the stern of the boat, down came +a bag, which he cast off and laid beside the copper. I was all +astonishment, but still more so when a large bag of something weighing +very heavy was lowered down by a rope after the small bag. A low whistle +was then given, and the words "Monday night" pronounced in a whisper. +Grumble whistled in return, and then, hauling up the grapnel, he told me +to put out the oars and pull, while he took his grapnel on board. We +then pulled down the river again, for the tide had turned, and as soon +as we were clear of the shipping I began to interrogate him. + +"Who gave you all these things?" + +"Who? Why, that man." + +"But what did he give them you for?" + +"Why, out of charity, to be sure! But I can't talk now, I've no breath +to spare. Let's pull ashore, and then I'll talk to you." + +As we pulled down I observed that a lighter had broken adrift from her +moorings, and was sweeping down the river with the ebb tide. + +"There's a lighter adrift," said I. + +"Yes," replied Grumble. "I'm too old for that work now; time was. +There'll be pretty pickings as soon as she gets down a little lower. The +Light Horsemen have cut her adrift." + +"Light Horsemen! Who are they?" + +"Bah! you know nothing. I tell ye again, I haven't no breath to spare; I +can't pull and talk too." + +I was convinced in my own mind that Old Grumble had not obtained the +articles in the boat by fair means, and, annoyed that I should have been +made a participator in any dishonest dealings, I was resolved to +question him closely as soon as we landed. There was no one at the +steps, and when we beached the boat I asked him whether he was going to +take the things up to old Nanny's. + +"Old Nanny! no. She's no fence now; she used to be a good one, but she +was overhauled once or twice, and nearly sent on the other side of the +water, and, since that, she's satisfied with little articles, sure +profit and no risk." + +"What do you mean by a fence?" inquired I. + +"Why, don't you know that yet, boy? Well, a _fence_ is one who receives +things that are brought for sale, and never asks no questions." + +"Well, but if these things were given you out of charity, as you say, +why should you want to take them up to a fence, as you call it?" + +"I tell you what, Jack, I can't be answering all these questions here, +where there may be twenty pair of ears a-listening." + +"Well, and if they do listen, what is the harm, if we are doing what is +right?" + +"It won't do to argufy here, I tell you. In my opinion, a poor man who +works hard to get some victuals to keep body and soul together is doing +what is right." + +"Yes, if he works at an honest livelihood." + +"Don't talk so loud about _honesty_; the very word is enough to make +people suspect something not right. I'll tell you all when you come up +to my house; for you see, Jack, you must help me to carry these things +up. D'ye think you can manage this bag of pease? Let's try." Between us +we contrived to get the bag, which weighed about half a hundredweight, +on my back, and I walked off with it, Grumble following me with the +copper and the other small bag, which I afterward found contained copper +nails. When we arrived at his dwelling, which was as dilapidated and +miserable as old Nanny's, he took out his key and fumbled a long while +at the lock; at last he opened it. "You had better stay till I get a +light," said he. In a minute he came with one to the door, and told me +to follow him. I went in, put down the bag, and, some grains falling +out, I took them up. + +"Why, this is coffee, Grumble!" + +"Well, _pease_ is our name for coffee, _sand_ for sugar, and _vinegar_ +for rum, when we get any." + +"Well, but, Grumble, I wish to know how you came by these things?" + +"I'll tell you, Jack, if you ask everybody how they come by things, you +will have enough to do; but the fact is, the man wants me to sell them +for him." + +"Why, you said he gave them to you out of charity!" + +"Oh, that was only because I couldn't spare breath to tell you all about +it." + +"But why should he lower them down in the dark, if they are his own +property?" + +"Jack, I don't ask whose property it is; all I know is that I come by +it honestly. I don't steal it, and I can't prove that the man does. Why, +Jack, if one is to be so nice as that, you can't go into a grocer's shop +to buy sugar, or coffee, or pepper, or indeed into almost any shop, if +you first want to know whether the people have come by the goods +honestly before you buy of them." + +"Still, it is so plain that the man must have stolen them." + +"Suppose it is; how are so many poor people to find their livelihood and +support their families, if they refuse to get a shilling or two when it +is offered? If we were only to live upon what we get honestly, why, we +should starve; the rich take good care of that by grinding us down so +close. Why, Jack, how many thousands get their living on this river! and +do you think they could all get their living honestly, as you call it? +No; we all plunder one another in this world[4]. You asked me who were +Light Horsemen?--that's a name for one set of people who live by +plunder. That lighter will have a good slice of her cargo out to-night; +for those who cut her adrift know what's on board of her. Then we have +the Heavy Horsemen--they do their work in the daytime, when they go on +board as lumpers to clear the ships. And then we've the Coopers and +Bumboat men, and the Ratcatchers and the Scuffle Hunters, and the River +Pirates; and, last of all, we have the Mudlarkers: all different +professions, Jack; never interfering with each other, and all living by +their wits. I'm too old now; I was a flash pirate once, but I'm now +nearly eighty, and am only fit for a mudlarker." + +[Footnote 4: These remarks of Grumble were, at the time, perfectly +correct; it was before the Wet Docks or the River Police was +established. Previously to the West India, London, St. Katharine's, and +other docks having been made, all ships unloaded in the river, and the +depredations were so enormous that Mr. Colquhoun, in his work, has +estimated them at half a million sterling _annually_. At present the +river may be said to be comparatively honest; the police is strict, and +the temptations are removed.] + +"But," exclaimed I, with astonishment, "are they not discovered and +punished?" + +"That's very seldom, Jack; for you see we have receivers all down the +river; some of them great men, and dining with the mayor and common +council; others in a small way--all sorts, Jack: and then we have what +we call Jew Carts, always ready to take goods inland, where they will +not be looked after. Old Nanny was a receiver and fence in a large way +once." + +"Then the only honest people on the river are the watermen." + +Here old Grumble chuckled. "Why, Jack, they be the worst of all, for +they be both receivers and thieves. Do you think the watermen live by +their fares? If you do, just wait on the steps one night, and you'll +find that their night work is worth more than the day work is. We all +must live, Jack; and now I've shown you a way by which you can earn more +money in a night than you can in a fortnight by asking for halfpence. +Here's five shillings for you, my boy; and when I want you again I'll +let you know." + +Alas! the five shillings, so easily and so unexpectedly earned, did, for +the time, satisfy all my scruples: so easily are we bribed into what is +wrong. I wished Old Grumble a good-night and left him. As I returned +home, I thought of what he had said about night work, and, instead of +making my way to Fisher's Alley, I returned to the landing-steps, +resolving to watch for a time and see what occurred. + +I thought of what had passed. I was not satisfied with myself. I thought +of what Anderson would say, and I felt that I had done wrong. And then I +attempted to exculpate myself. I could not prove that the things were +stolen. I did not go with any intent to help in such a business. Old +Grumble had only paid me for my work; but then, why did he pay me so +much money? My conscience told me that it was because the dealings were +unfair. I could not persuade myself that I was right. I looked up at the +heavens--for it was a clear night, and there was a very bright star just +above me; and as I looked at it it appeared as if it were an eye beaming +down upon me, and piercing into my breast. I turned away from it, and +then looked at it again--still it had the same appearance. I thought it +was the eye of God--I trembled, and I resolved to reveal the whole to +Anderson the next day, when I heard the sound of oars. I looked in the +direction, and perceived a wherry with two men pulling in. I was down on +the steps, under the shadow of the wall, and they did not see me. They +landed, and handed out of the wherry three large and full canvas bags. +"It's more than we can carry," said the voice of a waterman I well knew; +"we must leave one in the boat; and be quick, for they are on our scent. +Hollo! who's that? what are you doing here? Poor Jack, I declare." + +"Well, mayn't I have a little night work as well as you?" + +"Oh! you've come to that, have you?" replied he. "Well, as you're +waiting for something else, I suppose you could not help us with one of +these bags?" + +"Yes, I can," replied I, forgetting all my resolutions; "put it on my +back, if it's not too heavy." + +"No, no; you're stout enough to carry it. I say, Jack, can you tell us, +does old Nanny fence again, or has she given it up?" + +"I believe she does not," replied I. + +"Well," said he, "just put the question to her to-morrow morning, for +she used to be a good 'un; now follow us." + +I walked after them with my load until we came to a by-street; at the +shutters of a shop they rapped three times on the iron bar outside which +fixed them up; the door was opened, and we put the bags down in the +passage, walked out again without a word, and the door was immediately +closed. + +"Well, Jack," said the waterman, "I suppose we must tip handsome for the +first time: here's ten shillings for you, and we'll let you know when we +want you to be on the lookout for us." + +Ten shillings! and five before--fifteen shillings! I felt as I were a +rich man; all scruples of conscience were, for the time, driven away. I +hurried home rattling the silver in my pocket, and opening the door +softly, I crept to bed. Did I say my prayers that night? No!! + + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN + + I am tempted again--My Pride is roused, and my Course of Life is + changed in consequence. + + +I passed a dreaming restless night, and woke early. I recalled all that +had passed, and I felt very much dissatisfied with myself; the fifteen +shillings, with the added prospect of receiving more, did not yield me +the satisfaction I had anticipated. From what the men had said about old +Nanny I thought that I would go and see her; and why? because I wished +support against my own convictions. If I had not been actuated by such a +feeling I should, as usual, have gone to old Anderson. When I went down +to breakfast I felt confused, and I hardly dared to meet the clear +bright eye of my little sister, and I wished the fifteen shillings out +of my pocket. That I might appear to her and my mother as if I were not +guilty, I swaggered; my sister was surprised, and my mother justifiably +angry. As soon as breakfast was over, I hastened to old Nanny's. + +"Well, Jack," said she, "what brings you here so early?" + +"Why, mother, I was desired to ask you a question last night--between +ourselves." + +"Well, why don't you ask it, since it's between ourselves?" replied she, +with surprise. + +"Some of the people want to know if you _fence_ now?" + +"Jack," said old Nanny, harshly, "who asked you that question, and how +did you fall into their company? Tell me directly; I will know." + +"Why, mother, is there any harm in it?" replied I, confused and holding +down my head. + +"Harm in it! Ask your own conscience, Jack, whether there's harm in it. +Why do you not look me in the face like an honest boy? Would they have +dared to put that question to you, if you had not been a party to their +evil deeds, Jack?" continued she, shaking her head. "I thought better of +you; now you have filled me full of sorrow." + +I was smitten to the heart at this rebuke from a quarter whence I did +not expect it; but my heart was still rebellious, and I would not +acknowledge what I felt. I thought to turn the tables, and replied, +"Why, mother, at all events they say that _once_ you were a real good +one." + +"Is it indeed gone so far?" replied she. "Poor boy! poor boy! Yes, Jack, +to my shame be it spoken, I once did receive things and buy them when +they were not honestly come by, and now I'm rebuked by a child. But, +Jack, I was almost mad then; I had that which would have turned any +one's brain--I was reckless, wretched; but I don't do so any more. Even +now I am a poor sinful wretch--I know it; but I'm not so crazy as I was +then. I have done so, Jack, more's the shame for me, and I wish I could +recall it; but, Jack, we can't recall the past. Oh, that we could!" + +Here old Nanny pressed her hands to her temples, and for some time was +silent. At last she continued, "Why did I love you, Jack?--Because you +were honest. Why did I lend you money--I, an old miserly wretch, who +have been made to dote on money; I, who have never spent a shilling for +my own comfort for these ten years?--But because you were honest. Why +have I longed the whole day to see you, and have cared only for +you?--Because I thought you honest, Jack. I don't care how soon I die +now. I thought the world too bad to live in; you made me think better of +it. Oh! Jack, Jack, how has this come to pass? How long have you known +these bad people?" + +"Why, mother," replied I, much affected, "only last night." + +"Only last night? Tell me all about it; tell the truth, dear boy, do." + +I could hold out no longer, and I told her everything that had passed. + +"Jack," said she, "I'm not fit to talk to you; I'm a bad old woman, and +you may say I don't practice what I preach; but, Jack, if you love me, +go to Peter Anderson and tell him everything. Don't be afraid; only be +afraid of doing what is wrong. Now, Jack, you must go." + +"I will, I will," replied I, bursting into tears. + +"Do, do, dear Jack! God bless your heart, I wish I could cry that way." + +I walked away quite humiliated; at last I ran, I was so eager to go to +Anderson and confess everything. I found him in his cabin--I attempted +to speak, but I could not--I pulled out the money, put it on the table, +and then I knelt down and sobbed on his knee. + +"What is all this, Jack?" said Anderson, calmly; but I did not reply. "I +think I know, Jack," said he, after a pause. "You have been doing +wrong." + +"Yes, yes," replied I, sobbing. + +"Well, my dear boy, wait till you can speak, and then tell me all about +it." + +As soon as I could I did. Anderson heard me without interruption. + +"Jack," said he, when I had done speaking, "the temptation" (pointing to +the money) "has been very great; you did not resist at the moment, but +you have, fortunately, seen your error in good time, for the money is +still here. I have little to say to you, for your own feelings convince +me that it is needless. Do you think that you can read a little? Then +read this." Anderson turned to the parable of the Prodigal Son, which I +read to him. "And now," said he, turning over the leaves, "here is one +verse more." I read it: "There is more joy over one sinner that +repenteth, than over ninety and nine that need no repentance." "Be +careful, therefore, my dear boy, let this be a warning to you; think +well of it, for you have escaped a great danger. The money shall be +returned. Go now, my child, to your employment; and if you do receive +only halfpence, you will have the satisfaction of feeling that they are +honestly obtained." + +I can assure the reader that this was a lesson which I never forgot; it +was, however, succeeded by another variety of temptation, which might +have proved more dangerous to a young and ardent spirit, had it not +ended as it did, in changing the course of my destiny and throwing me +into a new path of action. To this I shall now refer. + +Hardly a month passed but we received additional pensioners into the +hospital. Among others, a man was sent to the hospital who went by the +name of Sam Spicer. I say went by the name, as it was not the custom for +the seamen to give their real names when they were entered or pressed +into the service, and of course they were discharged into the hospital +by the same name which they bore on the ship's books. Spicer was upward +of six feet in height, very large boned, and must, when he was in his +prime, have been a man of prodigious strength. When he was admitted to +the hospital he was nearly sixty years of age; his hair was black and +gray mixed, his complexion very dark, and his countenance fierce and +unprepossessing. He went by the name of Black Sam, on account of his +appearance. He had lost his right hand in a frigate action, and to the +stump he had fixed a sort of socket, into which he screwed his knife and +the various articles which he wished to make use of--sometimes a file, +sometimes a saw--having had every article made to fit into the socket, +for he had been an armorer on board ship, and was very handy at such +work. He was, generally speaking, very morose and savage to everybody, +seldom entered into conversation, but sat apart, as if thinking, with a +frown upon his countenance, and his eyes, surmounted with bushy +eyebrows, fixed upon the ground. The pensioners who belonged to the same +ward said that he talked in his sleep, and from what they could collect +at those times he must have been a pirate; but no one dared to speak to +him on the subject, for more than once he had been punished for striking +those who had offended him; indeed, he nearly killed one old man who was +jesting with him when he was at work, having made a stab at him with his +knife screwed in his socket, but his foot slipped and the blow missed. +Spicer was brought up before the council for this offense, and would +have been discharged had he not declared that he had done it only by way +of a joke to frighten the man; and, as no one else was present, it could +not be proved to the contrary. For some reason or another, which I could +not comprehend, Spicer appeared to have taken a liking to me; he would +call me to him, and tell me stories about the West Indies and the +Spanish Main, which I listened to very eagerly, for they were to me +very interesting. But he seldom, if ever, spoke to me inside of the +hospital; it was always when I was at the steps minding my vocation, +where he would come down and lean over the rail at the top of the wharf. +He made and gave me a boat-hook, which I found very convenient. He had a +great deal of information, and as the ships came up the river he would +point out the flags of the different nations, tell me where they traded +from, and what their cargoes probably consisted of. If they had no +ensign he would tell by their build and the cut of their sails what +nation they belonged to, pointing out to me the differences, which I +soon began to perceive. He had been in every part of the world, and +scarcely a day passed in which I did not gain from him some amusing or +useful information. Indeed, I became so fond of his company that Peter +Anderson spoke to me on the subject, and asked me what Spicer talked +about. I told him, and he replied: + +"Well, Jack, I daresay that he is a very pleasant companion to one who, +like you, is so anxious for information, and I have nothing to say +against him, for we have no right to listen to foolish reports which may +probably have been raised from his savage appearance. Still, I confess I +do not like the man, as he is decidedly of a violent temper. As long as +he talks to you about what you say he does, there is no harm done; but +when once he says anything which you think is wrong, promise me to let +me know; and even now, if you will take my advice, you will not be so +intimate with him." + +A little while afterward my father and Ben the Whaler both spoke to me +on the same subject, but with much less reservation. + +My father said, "Jack, I don't like to see you always in company with +that old pirate, no good can come of it; so haul off a little further +for the future." + +And Ben told me, "That a man who couldn't sleep o' nights without +talking of killing people must have a bad conscience, and something +lying heavy on his soul. There's an old saying, Jack, 'Tell me whose +company you keeps, and I'll tell you what sort of a chap you be.' You've +the character of a good honest boy; steer clear of Sam Spicer, or you'll +lose it." + +Admonitions from all those whom I loved were not without their effect, +and I made a resolution to be less intimate with Spicer. But it was +difficult to do so, as I was obliged to be at the landing-steps, and +could not prevent his coming there. + +I acknowledge that it was a severe privation to me to follow the +injunctions given to me, for I would listen for hours to the thrilling +narratives, the strange and almost incredible accounts of battles, +incidents, and wild adventures, which this man Spicer would relate to +me; and when I thought over them I felt that the desire to rove was +becoming more strong within me every day. One morning I said to him that +"I had a great mind to go on board of a man-of-war." + +"On board of a man-of-war?" replied Spicer; "you'd soon be sick enough +of that. Why, who would be at the beck and nod of others, ordered here, +called there, by boy midshipmen; bullied by lieutenants, flogged by +captains; have all the work and little of the pay, all the fighting and +less of the prize-money; and, after having worn out your life in hard +service, be sent here as a great favor, to wear a cocked hat and get a +shilling a week for your 'baccy? Pshaw, boy! that's not life." + +"Then, what is life?' inquired I. + +"What is life? Why, to sail in a clipper with a jolly crew and a roving +commission; take your prizes, share and share alike, of gold-dust and +doubloons." + +"But what sort of vessel must that be, Spicer?" + +"What sort? why--a letter of marque--a privateer--a cruise on the +Spanish Main--that's life. Many's the jolly day I've seen in those +latitudes, where men-of-war do not bring vessels to and press the best +men out of them. There the sun's warm, and the sky and the sea are deep +blue, and the corals grow like forests underneath, and there are sandy +coves and cool caves for retreat--and where you may hide your gold till +you want it--ay, and your sweethearts too, if you have any." + +"I thought privateers always sent their prizes into port, to be +condemned?" + +"Yes, in the Channel and these seas they do, but not down there--it's +too far off. We condemn the vessels ourselves, and share the money on +the capstan-head." + +"But is that lawful?" + +"Lawful! to be sure it is. Could we spare men to send prizes home to +England, and put them into the hands of a rascally agent, who would rob +us of three-fourths at least? No, no; that would never do. If I could +have escaped from the man-of-war which picked up me and four others who +were adrift in an open boat, I would now have been on the Coast. But +when I lost my fin, I knew that all was over with me, so I came to the +hospital; but I often think of old times, and the life of a rover. Now, +if you have any thoughts of going to sea, look out for some vessel bound +to the Gold Coast, and then you'll soon get in the right way." + +"The Gold Coast! Is not that to where the slavers go?" + +"Yes, slavers and other vessels besides. Some traffic for ivory and +gold-dust; however, that's as may happen. You'd soon find yourself in +good company, and wouldn't that be better than begging here for +halfpence? I would be above _that_, at all events." + +This remark, the first of the kind ever made to me, stung me to the +quick. Strange, I had never before considered myself in the light of a +beggar; and yet, was I not so, just as much as a sweeper of a crossing?" + +"A beggar?" replied I. + +"Yes, a beggar. Don't you beg for halfpence, and say, 'Thank your honor; +a copper for poor Jack, your honor'?" rejoined Spicer, mimicking me. +"When I see that pretty sister of yours, that looks so like a real lady, +I often thinks to myself, 'Fine and smart as you are, miss, your +brother's only a beggar.' Now, would you not like to return from a +cruise with a bag of doubloons to throw into her lap, proving that you +were a gentleman, and above coppers thrown to you out of charity? Well, +old as I am, and maimed, I'd sooner starve where I now stand.--But I +must be off, so good-by, Jack; look sharp after the halfpence." + +As Spicer walked away my young blood boiled. A beggar! It was but too +true; and yet I had never thought it a disgrace before. I sat down on +the steps, and was soon in deep thought. Boat after boat came to the +stairs, and yet I stirred not. Not one halfpenny did I take during the +remainder of that day, for I could not, would not, ask for one. My +pride, hitherto latent, was roused, and before I rose from where I had +been seated I made a resolution that I would earn my livelihood in some +other way. What hurt me most was his observations about Virginia and her +beggar brother. I was so proud of Virginia, I felt that her brother +ought not to be a beggar. Such was the effect produced in so short a +time by the insidious discourse of this man. Had he still remained at +the steps, I do believe that I should have asked, probably have +followed, his advice. Fortunately he had left, and, after a little +reflection, I had the wisdom to go and seek Peter Anderson, and consult +him as to what I could do, for to change my mode of obtaining my +livelihood I was determined upon. + +I found Anderson, as usual, seated under the colonnade, reading, and I +went up to him. + +"Well, Jack, my-boy, you are home early," said he. + +"Yes," replied I gravely, and then I was silent. + +After a pause of about a minute, Peter Anderson said, "Jack, I see +there's something the matter. Now, tell me what it is. Can I help you?" + +"I did wish to speak to you," replied I. "I've been thinking--about +going to sea." + +"And how long have you thought of that, Jack?" + +"I've thought more of it lately," replied I. + +"Yes, since Spicer has been talking to you. Now, is that not the case?" + +"Yes, it is." + +"I knew that, Jack. I'm at your service for as long as you please; now +sit down and tell me all he has said to you that you can remember. I +shan't interrupt you." + +I did so; and before I had half finished, Anderson replied, "That is +quite enough, Jack. One thing is evident to me--that Spicer has led a +bad and lawless life, and would even now continue it, old as he is, only +that he is prevented by being crippled. Jack, he has talked to you about +privateers! God forgive me if I wrong him; but I think, had he said +pirates, he would have told the truth. But say nothing about that +observation of mine; I wish from my heart that you had never known him. +But here comes your father. He has a right to know what we are talking +about, for you owe duty to him as his son, and nothing can be done +without his permission." + +When my father came up to us, Anderson begged him to sit down, and he +told him what we had been discoursing about. I had already stated my +objections to enter on board of a man-of-war. + +"Well," said my father, "I may come athwart hawse of that old piccaroon +yet, if he don't look out. Not that I mind your going to sea, Jack, as +your father did before you; but what he says about the sarvice is a +confounded lie. Let a man do his duty, and the sarvice is a good one; +and a man who is provided for as he is, ought to be ashamed of himself +to speak as he has done, the old rascal. Still, I do not care for your +entering the sarvice so young. It would be better that you were first +apprentice and learned your duty; and as soon as your time is out, you +will be pressed, of course, and then you would sarve the King. I see no +objection to all that." + +"But why do you want so particularly to go to sea, Jack?" observed +Anderson. + +"I don't like being a beggar--begging for halfpence!" replied I. + +"And Spicer told you that you were a beggar?" said Peter. + +"He did." + +"Jack, if that is the case, we are all beggars; for we all work, and +receive what money we can get for our work. There is no shame in that." + +"I can't bear to think of it," replied I, as the tears came into my +eyes. + +"Well, well! I see how it is," replied Anderson; "it's a pity you ever +fell in with that man." + +"That's true as gospel," observed my father; "but still, if he had said +nothing worse than that, I should not have minded. I do think that Jack +is now old enough to do something better; and I must say, I do not +dislike his wishing so to do--for it is begging for halfpence, arter +all." + +"Well, boy," said Peter Anderson, "suppose you leave your father and me +to talk over the matter; and to-morrow, by this time, we will tell you +what we think will be best." + +"Anything--anything," replied I, "but being a beggar." + +"Go along, you are a foolish boy," said Anderson. + +"I like his spirit, though," said my father, as I walked away. + +On the next day the important question was to be decided. I did not go +to the stairs to follow up my vocation. I had talked the matter over +with Virginia, who, although she did not like that I should go away, had +agreed with me that she objected to my begging for money. I waited very +impatiently for the time that Anderson had appointed, and, at last, he +and my father came together, when the former said: + +"Well, Jack, it appears that you do not like to be a waterman, and that +you have no great fancy for a man-of-war, although you have a hankering +for the sea. Now, as you cannot cruise with your friend Spicer on the +Spanish Main, nor yet be safe from impressment in a privateer or +merchantman, we have been thinking that, perhaps, you would have no +objection to be a channel and river pilot; and if so, I have an old +friend in that service who, I think, may help you. What do you say?" + +"I should like it very much." + +"Yes, it is a good service, and a man is usefully employed. You may be +the means, as soon as you are out of your time, and have passed your +examination, of saving many a vessel and more lives. You have had a +pretty fair education, indeed quite sufficient; and, as you will often +be coming up the river, you will have opportunities of seeing your +father and your friends. If you decide, I will write at once." + +"It is the very thing that I should like," replied I; "and many thanks +to you, Anderson." + +"And it's exactly what I should wish also," replied my father. "So that +job's jobbed, as the saying is." + +After this arrangement, I walked away as proud as if I had been an +emancipated slave. That very evening I announced my intention of +resigning my office of "Poor Jack," and named as my successor the boy +with whom I had fought so desperately to obtain it, when the prospect +was held out to me, by old Ben, of my becoming Poor Jack--forever. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY + + Much ado about Nothing; or, a Specimen of modern Patronage. + + +I communicated to my mother and Virginia my father's intentions relative +to my future employ, and was not surprised to find my mother very much +pleased with the intelligence, for she had always considered my +situation of "Poor Jack" as disgracing her family--declaring it the +"most ungenteelest" of all occupations. Perhaps she was not only glad of +my giving up the situation, but also of my quitting her house. My father +desired me to wear my Sunday clothes during the week, and ordered me a +new suit for my best, which he paid for out of the money which he had +placed in the hands of the lieutenant of the hospital; and I was very +much surprised to perceive my mother cutting out half-a-dozen new shirts +for me, which she and Virginia were employed making up during the +evenings. Not that my mother told me who the shirts were for--she said +nothing; but Virginia whispered it to me: my mother could not be even +gracious to me. Nevertheless, the shirts and several other necessaries, +such as stockings and pocket-handkerchiefs, were placed for my use on my +father's sea-chest, in my room, without any comment on her part, +although she had paid for them out of her own purse. During the time +that elapsed from my giving up the situation of "Poor Jack" to my +quitting Greenwich, I remained very quietly in my mother's house, doing +everything that I could for her, and employing myself chiefly in reading +books, which I borrowed anywhere that I could. I was very anxious to get +rid of my sobriquet of "Poor Jack," and when so called would tell +everybody that my name was now "Thomas Saunders." + +One Sunday, about three weeks after I had given up my berth, I was +walking with my father and Virginia on the terrace of the hospital, when +we perceived a large party of ladies and gentlemen coming toward us. My +father was very proud of us. I had this very day put on the new suit of +clothes which he had ordered for me, and which had been cut out in the +true man-of-war fashion; and Virginia was, as usual, very nicely +dressed. We were walking toward the party who were advancing, when all +of a sudden my father started, and exclaimed: + +"Well, shiver my timbers! if it ain't _she_--and _he_--by all that's +blue!" + +Who _she_ or _he_ might be neither Virginia nor I could imagine; but I +looked at the party, who were now close to us, and perceived, in advance +of the rest, an enormous lady, dressed in a puce-colored pelisse and a +white satin bonnet. Her features were good, and, had they been on a +smaller scale, would have been considered handsome. She towered above +the rest of the company, and there was but one man who could at all +compete with her in height and size, and he was by her side. + +My father stopped, took off his cocked hat, and scraped the gravel with +his timber toe, as he bowed a little forward. + +"Sarvant, your honor's ladyship. Sarvant, your honor Sir Hercules." + +"Ah! who have we here?" replied Sir Hercules, putting his hand up as a +screen above his eyes. "Who are you, my man?" continued he. + +"Tom Saunders, your honor's coxswain, as was in the 'Druid,'" replied my +father, with another scrape of the gravel, "taken in moorings at last, +your honor. Hope to see your honor and your honorable ladyship quite +well." + +"I recollect you now, my man," replied Sir Hercules, very stiffly. "And +where did you lose your leg?" + +"Battle o' the Nile, your honor; Majesty's ship Oudacious.'" + +"How interesting!" observed one of the ladies; "one of Sir Hercules' old +men." + +"Yes, madam, and one of my best men. Lady Hercules, you must recollect +him," said Sir Hercules. + +"I should think so, Sir Hercules," replied the lady; "did I not give him +my own lady's maid in marriage?" + +"Dear me, how _excessively_ interesting!" said another of the party. + +Now, this was a little event in which Sir Hercules and Lady Hercules +stood prominent; it added to their importance for the moment, and +therefore they were both pleased. Lady Hercules then said, "And pray, my +good man, how is your wife?" + +"Quite well and hearty, at your ladyship's sarvice," replied my father; +"and, please your ladyship, these two be our children." + +"Bless me, how interesting!" exclaimed another lady. + +"And remarkably well-bred 'uns," remarked a short gentleman in a +fox-hunting coat, examining Virginia through his eye-glass; "coxswain, +filly--dam, lady's maid." + +"What is your name, child?" said Lady Hercules to Virginia. + +"Virginia, ma'am," replied my sister, with a courtesy. + +"You must say 'Lady Hercules,' my dear," said my father, stooping down. + +"My name is Virginia, Lady Hercules," replied my sister, courtesying +again. + +"Indeed; then I suppose you are named after me?" + +"Yes, your ladyship; hope no offense--but we did take the liberty," +replied my father. + +"And what is yours, boy?" + +"Thomas, Lady Hercules," replied I, with a bow and scrape, after my +father's receipt for politeness. + +"And where is your mother?" said Sir Hercules. + +"Mother's at home, Lady Hercules," replied I, with another scrape. + +"How _very_ interesting!" exclaimed one of the party. "Quite an event!" +said another. "A delightful rencontre!" cried a third. "How kind of you, +Lady Hercules, to give up your own maid! and such handsome children," +etc., etc. "It's really quite charming." + +Lady Hercules was evidently much pleased, and she assumed the patroness. + +"Well, little girl, since you have been named after me, out of gratitude +I must see what can be done for you. Tell your mother to come up to me +to-morrow at three o'clock, and bring you with her." + +"Yes, Lady Hercules," replied Virginia, with a courtesy. + +"And, Saunders, you may as well come up at the same time, and bring your +lad with you," added Sir Hercules. + +"Yes, your honor," replied my father, both he and I simultaneously +scraping the gravel. + +"Wish your honor Sir Hercules, and your honorable lady, and all the +honorable company, a very good-morning," continued my father, taking +Virginia and me by the hand to lead us away. + +Sir Hercules touched his hat in return, and walked away as stiff as +usual. The pensioners who had witnessed the interview between him and my +father, concluding that Sir Hercules was a naval officer, now rose and +touched their hats to him as he walked with her ladyship in advance of +the party. We joined Anderson, who was sitting down at the other end of +the walk, when my father communicated to him what had passed. + +As my father conducted Virginia home, she said to him, "Why do you call +him _sir_ and her _lady_?" + +"Because they are quality people, child. He is a barrownight, and she is +Lady Hercules." + +"Are all barrownights and ladies so much bigger than other people are in +general?" + +"No, child, they don't go by size. I've seen many a lord who was a very +little man." + +My mother was very much pleased when we narrated what had happened, as +she considered that Lady Hercules might prove a valuable patron to +Virginia, whom she did not fail to have ready at the time appointed; +and, dressed in our very best, we all walked together to the Sun, at +which Sir Hercules and his lady had taken up their quarters. Let it not +be supposed that my mother had forgotten the unceremonious manner in +which she had been dismissed from the service of Lady Hercules--it was +still fresh in the memory of a person so revengeful in her disposition; +but she considered that as Lady Hercules had forgotten it, it was her +interest to do the same; so, when we were ushered into the room where +sat Sir Hercules and her ladyship, my mother was all smiles and +courtesies, and gratitude for past favors. + +There was an old gentleman, with a bald powdered head, dressed in black, +standing with his back to the fire when we entered. He was the only +other person in the room besides Sir Hercules and his lady. Lady +Hercules first obtained from my mother a short history of what had +happened since they had parted; and really, to hear my mother's +explanation, it would have been supposed that she and my father had +always been the most loving couple in the world. + +"Well," said Sir Hercules, "and what do you intend to do with your boy, +Saunders?" + +"May it please your honor, I've been thinking of bringing him up as a +channel pilot," replied my father. + +"Very good," replied Sir Hercules; "I can see to that; and with my +interest at the Trinity Board, the _thing is done_, sir;" and Sir +Hercules walked pompously about the room. "Saunders," said Sir Hercules, +stopping, after he had taken three or four turns up and down, and +joining his fingers behind his back, "I thought I perceived some +difference in you when you first addressed me. What has become of your +tail, sir?" + +"My tail, your honor?" replied my father, looking as much a delinquent +as if he was still on board a man-of-war, and had been guilty of some +misdemeanor, "why, please your honor Sir Hercules--" + +"I cut it off for him with my scissors," interrupted my mother, with a +courtesy. "Saunders was very savage when he came for to know it; but he +had a stupefaction of the brain, and was quite insensible at the time; +and so, Sir Hercules and my lady" (here a courtesy), "I thought it was +better--" + +"Ah! I see--a brain fever," observed Sir Hercules. "Well, under these +circumstances you may have saved his life; but 'twas a pity, was it not, +my lady?--quite altered the man. You recollect his tail, my lady?" + +"What a question, Sir Hercules!" replied her ladyship with great +dignity, turning round toward my mother. + +My father appeared to be quite relieved from his dilemma by his wife's +presence of mind, and really thankful to her for coming to his +assistance; she had saved him from the mortification of telling the +truth. How true it is that married people, however much they may +quarrel, like to conceal their squabbles from the world! + +"And what are you thinking of doing with your little girl?" said Lady +Hercules--"bringing her up to service, I presume. Leave that to me. As +soon as she is old enough, _the thing is done_, you need say no more +about it." Here her ladyship fell back in the large easy-chair on which +she was seated, with a self-satisfied air of patronage, and looking even +more dignified than her husband. + +But my mother had no such intentions, and having first thanked her +ladyship for her great kindness, stated very humbly that she did not +much like the idea of her daughter going out to service, that she was +far from strong, and that her health would not allow her to undertake +hard work. + +"Well, but I presume she may do the work of a lady's maid?" replied her +ladyship haughtily; "and it was that service which I intended for her." + +"Indeed, Lady Hercules, you are very kind; but there is an objection," +replied my mother, to gain time. + +"Please your ladyship," said my father, who, to my great surprise, came +to my mother's support, "I do not wish that my little girl should be a +lady's maid." + +"And why not, pray?" said her ladyship, rather angrily. + +"Why, you see, your ladyship, my daughter is, after all, only the +daughter of a poor Greenwich pensioner; and, although she has been so +far pretty well educated, yet I wishes her not to forget her low +situation in life, and ladies' maids do get so confounded proud +('specially those who have the fortune to be ladies' ladies' maids), +that I don't wish that she should take a situation which would make her +forget herself and her poor old pensioner of a father; and, begging your +honor's pardon, that is the real state of the case, my lady." + +What my mother felt at this slap at her I do not know, but certain it is +that she was satisfied with my father taking the responsibility of +refusal on his own shoulders, and she therefore continued: "I often have +told Mr. Saunders how happy I was when under your ladyship's protection, +and what a fortunate person I considered myself; but my husband has +always had such an objection to my girl being brought up to it that I +have (of course, my lady, as it is my duty to him to do so) given up my +own wishes from the first; indeed, my lady, had I not known that my +little girl was not to go to service, I never should have ventured to +have called her Virginia, my lady." + +"What, then, do you intend her for?" said Sir Hercules to my father. +"You don't mean to bring her up as a lady, do you?" + +"No, your honor, she's but a pensioner's daughter, and I wishes her to +be humble, as she ought to be; so I've been thinking that something in +the millinery line, or perhaps--" + +"As a governess, my lady," interrupted my mother, with a courtesy. + +"That will make her humble enough, at all events," observed the bald +gentleman in black, with a smile. + +"I admit," replied Lady Hercules, "that your having given my name to +your little girl is a strong reason for her not going into service; but +there are many expenses attending the education necessary for a young +person as governess." + +Here my mother entered into an explanation of how Virginia had been +educated--an education which she should not have dreamed of giving, only +that her child bore her ladyship's name, etc. My mother employed her +usual flattery and humility, so as to reconcile her ladyship to the +idea; who was the more inclined when she discovered that she was not +likely to be put to any expense in her patronage of my sister. It was +finally agreed that Virginia should be educated for the office of +governess, and that when she was old enough Lady Hercules would take her +under her august protection; but her ladyship did do her some service. +Finding that Virginia was at a respectable school, she called there with +a party of ladies, and informed the schoolmistress that the little girl +was under her protection, and that she trusted that justice would be +done to her education. In a school where the Misses Tippet were +considered the aristocracy the appearance of so great a woman as Lady +Hercules was an event, and I do not know whether my little sister did +not after that take precedence in the school. At all events, she was +much more carefully instructed and looked after than she had been +before. Sir Hercules was also pleased to find, upon inquiry, that there +was every prospect of my entering the pilot service, without any trouble +on his part. Both Sir Hercules and his lady informed their friends of +what their intentions were to their young proteges, and were inundated +with praises and commendations for their kindness, the full extent of +which the reader will appreciate. But, as my mother pointed out as we +walked home, if we did not require their assistance at present, there +was no saying but that we eventually might; and if so, that Sir +Hercules and Lady Hawkingtrefylyan could not well refuse to perform +their promises. I must say that this was the first instance in my +recollection in which my parents appeared to draw amicably together; and +I believe that nothing except regard for their children could have +produced the effect. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE + + A most important Present is made to me; and, as it will eventually + appear, the Generosity of the Giver is rewarded. + + +Sir Hercules and Lady Hawkingtrefylyan quitted Greenwich the day after +the interview narrated in the preceding chapter; and by that day's post +Anderson received a letter, in reply to the one he had written, from his +friend Philip Bramble, channel and river pilot, who had, as he said in +his letter, put on shore at Deal, where he resided, but the day before, +after knocking about in the Channel for three weeks. Bramble stated his +willingness to receive and take charge of me, desiring that I would hold +myself in readiness to be picked up at a minute's warning, and he would +call for me the first time that he took a vessel up the river. A letter +communicating this intelligence was forthwith dispatched by my mother to +Sir Hercules, who sent a short reply, stating that if I conducted myself +properly he would not lose sight of me. This letter, however, very much +increased the family consequence in Fisher's Alley, for my mother did +not fail to show it to everybody, and everybody was anxious to see the +handwriting of a real baronet. + +About a week afterward I went to the shop of the widow St. Felix to +purchase some tobacco for my father, when she said to me, "So, Jack--or +Tom--as I hear you request to be called now--you are going to leave us?" + +"Yes," replied I, "and I shall be sorry to leave you, you have been so +kind to me." + +"A little kindness goes a great way with some people, Tom, and that's +the case with you, for you've a grateful heart. You're to be a pilot, I +hear; well, Tom, I've a present to make you, which you will find very +useful in your profession, and which will make you think of me +sometimes. Stop a moment till I come down again." + +The widow went upstairs, and when she came down held in her hand a +telescope, or spy-glass, as sailors generally call them. It was about +two feet long, covered with white leather, and apparently had been well +preserved. + +"Now, Tom, this is what a pilot ought not to be without, and if what was +said by the person to whom it belonged is true, it is an excellent +spy-glass; so now accept it from your loving friend, and long may you +live to peep through it." + +"Thank you, thank you," replied I, delighted, as Mrs. St. Felix put it +into my hands. I surveyed it all over, pulled out the tube, and then +said to her, "Who did it belong to?" + +"Tom," replied the widow, "that's a sad trick you have of asking +questions; it's quite sufficient that it is mine, and that I give it to +you--is it not?" + +"Yes," replied I, "but you're the only person who says that I ask too +many questions. Why, here's a name, F.I." + +The widow stretched herself over the counter with a sudden spring, and +snatched the telescope out of my hand. When I looked at her she stood +pale and trembling. + +"Why, what is the matter?" inquired I. + +She put her hand to her side, as if in great pain, and for some seconds +could not speak. + +"Tom, I never knew that there was a name on the telescope; the name must +not be known, that's the truth; you shall have it this evening, but you +must go away now--do, that's a dear good boy." + +The widow turned to walk into the back parlor, with the telescope in her +hand, and I obeyed her injunctions in silence and wondering. That there +was a mystery about her was certain, and I felt very sorrowful, not that +I did not know the secret, but that I could not be of service to her. +That evening the telescope was brought to my mother's house by fat Jane. +I percieved that the portion of the brass rim upon which the name had +been cut with a knife, for it had not been engraved, as I thought, had +been carefully filed down, so that not a vestige of the letters +appeared. + +The next morning I was down at the steps long before breakfast, that I +might try my new present. Bill Freeman was there, and he showed me how +to adjust the focus. I amused myself looking at the vessels which were +working up and down the Reach, and so much was I delighted that I quite +forgot how time passed, and lost my breakfast. Every one asked to have a +peep through the telescope, and every one declared that it was an +excellent glass; at last Spicer came up to where I stood. + +"Well, Jack," said he, "what have you there--a spy-glass? Let's have a +look; I'm a good judge of one, I can tell you." + +I handed the telescope over to him; he looked through it for some time. + +"A first-rate glass, Jack" (I was oftener called Jack than Tom at that +time); "I never knew but one equal to it. Where did you get it?" + +I don't exactly know why, but perhaps the mystery evident in the widow, +and the cautions I had received against Spicer, combined together, +induced me not to answer the question. + +"It's odd," observed Spicer, who was now examining the outside of the +telescope; "I could almost swear to it." He then looked at the small +brass rim where the name had been, and perceived that it had been +erased. "Now I'm positive! Jack, where did you get this glass?" + +"It was made a present to me," replied I. + +"Come here," said Spicer, leading me apart from the others standing by. +"Now tell me directly," and Spicer spoke in an authoritative tone, "who +gave you this glass?" + +I really was somewhat afraid of Spicer, who had gained much power over +me. I dared not say that I would not tell him, and I did not like to +tell a lie. I thought that if I told the truth I might somehow or +another injure Mrs. St. Felix, and I therefore answered evasively, "It +was sent to me as a present by a lady." + +"Oh!" replied Spicer, who had heard of Sir Hercules and his lady, "so +the _lady_ sent it to you? It's very odd," continued he; "I could take +my oath that I've had that glass in my hand a hundred times." + +"Indeed!" replied I. "Where?" + +But Spicer did not answer me; he had fallen into one of his dark moods, +and appeared as if recalling former events to his mind. He still kept +possession of the glass, and I was afraid that he would not return it, +for I tried to take it softly out of his hand, and he would not let go. +He remained in this way about a minute, when I perceived my father and +Ben the Whaler coming up, at which I was delighted. + +"Father," said I, as they came near, "come and try my new spy-glass." + +Spicer started, and released the telescope, when I laid hold of it and +put it into my father's hands. As neither my father nor Ben would ever +speak to him, Spicer, with a lowering brow, walked away. After my father +had examined the glass and praised it, he very naturally asked me where +I obtained it. After what had passed with Spicer I was so fearful of his +discovering, by other people, by whom the glass had been given to me, +that I replied again, in the hearing of everybody, "A lady, father; you +may easily guess who." + +"Well," replied my father, "I never thought that her ladyship could have +been so generous. I take it very kindly of her." + +I was delighted at my father falling so easily into the mistake. As for +my mother and Virginia, they were neither of them present when Jane +brought the telescope to me, or I certainly should have stated, without +reservation, to whom I had been indebted. I hardly could decide whether +I would go to the widow and tell her what had occurred; but, upon some +reflection, as she had accused me of asking too many questions, and +might suppose that I wished to obtain her secrets, I determined upon +saying nothing about it. + +For a week I occupied myself wholly with my telescope, and I became +perfectly master of it, or rather quite used to it, which is of some +importance. I avoided Spicer, always leaving the steps when I perceived +him approaching, although once or twice he beckoned to me. At the +expiration of the week a message was brought by a waterman from Philip +Bramble, stating that he should pass Greenwich in a day or two, being +about to take down a West Indiaman then lying below London Bridge. My +clothes were therefore then packed up in readiness, and I went to bid +farewell to my limited acquaintance. + +I called upon old Nanny, who was now quite strong again. I had before +acquainted her with my future prospects. + +"Well, Jack," says she, "and so you're going away? I don't think you +were quite right to give up a situation where you gained so many +halfpence every day, and only for touching your cap; however, you know +best. I shall have no more bargains after you are gone, that's certain. +But, Jack, you'll be on board of vessels coming from the East and West +Indies, and all other parts of the world, and they have plenty of pretty +things on board, such as shells, and empty bottles, and hard biscuit, +and bags of oakum; and, Jack, they will give them to you for nothing, +for sailors don't care what they give away when they come from a long +voyage; and so mind you beg for me as much as you can, that's a good +boy; but don't take live monkeys or those things, they eat so much. You +may bring me a parrot, I think I could sell one, and that don't cost +much to feed. Do you understand, Jack? Will you do this for me?" + +"I don't know whether I can do all you wish, but depend upon it, mother, +I won't forget you." + +"That's enough, Jack, you'll keep your word; and now, is there any nice +thing that I can give you out of my shop, as a keepsake, Jack?" + +"Why, no, mother, I thank you--nothing." + +"Think of something, Jack," replied old Nanny; "you must have +something." + +"Well, then, mother, you know I like reading; will you give me the old +book that I was reading when I sat up with you one night?" + +"Yes, Jack, and welcome; what book is it? I don't know--I can't see to +read large print without spectacles, and I broke mine many years ago." + +"Why do you not buy another pair?" + +"Another pair, Jack? Spectacles cost money. I've no money; and as I +never read, I don't want spectacles. Go in and fetch the book; it's +yours and welcome." + +I went in and brought out the Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" which I +before mentioned. "This is it, mother." + +"Yes, yes, I recollect now, it's a very pretty book. What's it about, +Jack? I can't see myself: never mind, take it, Jack, and don't forget +your promise." + +I wished old Nanny good-by, and took the book home, which I gave into +Virginia's care, as I wished her to read it. The next morning, at +daybreak, I was summoned; the ship was dropping down the river. I bade +farewell to my little sister, who wept on my shoulder; to my mother, who +hardly condescended to answer me. My father helped me down with my +luggage, which was not very heavy; and Anderson and old Ben accompanied +us to the landing-steps; and having bid them all farewell, besides many +others of my friends who were there, I stepped into the boat sent for +me, and quitted Greenwich for my new avocation on the 6th of October, +1799, being then, as Anderson had calculated, precisely thirteen years +and seven months old. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO + + In which a Story is begun, and not finished, which I think the + Reader will regret as much as, at the time, I did. + + +The boat was soon alongside of the West Indiaman, which had been tiding +it down Limehouse Reach under her topsails, there being but little wind, +and that contrary; but now that she had arrived to Greenwich Reach she +had braced up, with her head the right way. My box was handed up the +side, and I made my appearance on the deck soon afterward, with my +telescope in my hand. + +"Are you the lad for whom the pilot sent the boat?" inquired a man, whom +I afterward found to be the second mate. + +"Yes," replied I. + +"Well, there he is abaft, in a P-jacket," said he, walking to the +gangway, and directing the men to drop the boat astern. + +I looked aft, and perceived my future master talking with the captain of +the vessel. Philip Bramble was a spare man, about five feet seven inches +high, he had on his head a low-crowned tarpaulin hat, a short P-jacket +(so called from the abbreviation of _pilot's_ jacket) reached down to +just above his knees. His features were regular, and, indeed, although +weatherbeaten, they might be termed handsome. His nose was perfectly +straight, his lips thin, his eyes gray and very keen; he had little or +no whiskers, and, from his appearance and the intermixture of gray with +his brown hair, I supposed him to be about fifty years of age. In one +hand he held a short clay pipe, into which he was inserting the +forefinger of the other, as he talked with the captain. At the time that +he was pointed out to me by the second mate he was looking up aloft; I +had, therefore, time to make the above observations before he cast his +eyes down and perceived me, when I immediately went aft to him. + +"I suppose you are Tom Saunders?" said he, surveying me from head to +foot. + +I replied in the affirmative. + +"Well, Anderson has given you a good character, mind you don't lose it. +D'ye think you'll like to be a pilot?" + +"Yes," replied I. + +"Have you sharp eyes, a good memory, and plenty of nerve?" + +"I believe I've got the two first, I don't know about the other." + +"I suppose not, it hasn't been tried yet. How far can you see through a +fog?" + +"According how thick it is." + +"I see you've a glass there: tell me what you make of that vessel just +opening from Blackwall Reach." + +"What, that ship?" + +"Oh, you can make it out to be a ship, can you, with the naked eye? +Well, then, you have good eyes." + +I fixed my glass upon the vessel, and, after a time, not having +forgotten the lessons so repeatedly given me by Spicer, I said, "She has +no colors up, but she's an Embden vessel by her build." + +"Oh," said he, "hand me the glass. The boy's right; and a good glass, +too. Come, I see you do know something--and good knowledge, too, for a +pilot. It often saves us a deal of trouble when we know a vessel by her +build; them foreigners sail too close to take pilots. Can you stand +cold? Have you got a P-jacket?" + +"Yes, father bought me one." + +"Well, you'll want it this winter, for the wild geese tell us that it +will be a sharp one. Steady, starboard!" + +"Starboard it is." + +"D'ye know the compass?" + +"No." + +"Well, stop till we get down to Deal. Now, stand by me, and keep your +eyes wide open; for, d'ye see, you've plenty to larn, and you can't +begin too soon. We must square the mainyard, captain, if you please," +continued he, as we entered Blackwall Reach. "What could make the river +so perverse as to take these two bends in Limehouse and Blackwall +Reaches, unless to give pilots trouble, I can't say." + +The wind being now contrary from the sharp turn in the river, we were +again tiding it down; that is, hove-to and allowing the tide to drift us +through the Reach; but as soon as we were clear of Blackwall Reach, we +could lay our course down the river. As we passed Gravesend, Bramble +asked me whether I was ever so low down. + +"Yes," replied I, "I have been down as far as Sea Reach;" which I had +been when I was upset in the wherry, and I told him the story. + +"Well, Tom, that's called the river now; but do you know that, many +years ago, where we now are used to be considered as the mouth of the +river, and that fort there" (pointing to Tilbury Fort) "was built to +defend it? for they say the French fleet used to come and anchor down +below." + +[Illustration: JACK AND BRAMBLE ABOARD THE INDIAMAN.--Marryat, Vol. X., +p. 207.] + +"Yes," replied I; "and they say, in the History of England, that the +Danes used to come up much higher, even up to Greenwich; but that's a +very long while ago." + +"Well, you beat me, Tom! I never heard that; and I think, if ever they +did do so, they won't do it again in a hurry. What water have you got, +my man? Port there!" + +"Port it is." + +"Steady--so." + +"Shall we get down to the Nore to-night, pilot?" said the captain. + +"Why, sir, I'm in hopes we shall. We have still nearly three hours' +daylight; and now that we are clear of the Hope, we shall lay fairly +down Sea Reach; and if the wind will only freshen a little (and it looks +very like it), we shall be able to stem the _first_ of the flood, at all +events." + +I ought to observe that Bramble, as soon as he had passed any shoal or +danger, pointed it out to me. He said, "I tell it to you, because you +can't be told too often. You won't recollect much that I tell you, I +dare say. I don't expect it; but you may recollect a little, and every +little helps." + +The tide had flowed more than an hour when we passed the Nore Light and +came to an anchor. + +"What lights are those?" inquired I. + +"That's Sheerness," replied Bramble. "We were talking of the French and +Danes coming up the river. Why, Tom, it is not much more than one +hundred and fifty years ago when the Dutch fleet came up to Sheerness, +destroyed the batteries, and landed troops there. Howsomever, as I said +of the French and the other chaps, they won't do so again in a hurry." + +As soon as they had veered out sufficient cable, Bramble accepted the +invitation of the captain to go down in the cabin, when I went and +joined the men, who were getting their supper forward. I was soon on +good terms with them; and, after supper, as it was cold, they went down +to the fore-peak, got out some beer and grog, and we sat round in a +circle, with the bottles and mugs and a farthing candle in the center. +Being right in the _eyes_ of her, as it is termed, we could plainly hear +the water slapping against the bends outside of her, as it was divided +by the keelson, and borne away by the strong flood tide. It was a +melancholy sound. I had never heard it before; and during a pause, as I +listened to it, one of the men observed, "Queer sound, boy, ain't it? +You'd think that the water was lapping in right among us. But noises +aboard ship don't sound as they do on shore; I don't know why." No more +did I at that time; the fact is that nothing conveys sound better than +wood, and every slight noise is magnified, in consequence, on board of a +vessel. + +"I recollect when I was on a Mediterranean voyage how we were frightened +with noises, sure enough," observed one of the men. + +"Come, that's right, Dick, give us a yarn," said the others. + +"Yes," replied Dick, "and it's a true yarn, too, and all about a ghost." + +"Well, stop a moment," said one of the men, "and let us top this glim a +bit before you begin, for it seemed to get dimmer the moment you talked +about a ghost." + +Dick waited till a little more light was obtained, and then commenced. +"I had shipped on board of a vessel bound to Smyrna, now about seven +years ago. We had gone down to Portsmouth, where we waited for one of +the partners of the house by which we had been freighted, and who was +going out as passenger. We were a man short, and the captain went on +shore to get one from the crimps, whom he knew very well, and the +fellows promised to send one on board the next morning. Well, sure +enough a wherry came off with him just before break of day, and he and +his traps were taken on board; but it was not perceived at the time what +he had in his arms under his grego, and what do you think it proved to +be at daylight? Why, a large black tom cat." + +"What, a black one?" + +"Yes, as black as the enemy himself. The fellow came down forward with +it, and so says I, 'Why, messmate, you're not going to take that animal +to sea with us?' + +"'Yes, I am,' said he, very surlily; 'it's an old friend of mine, and I +never parts with him.' + +"'Well,' says I, 'you'll find the difference when the captain hears on +it, I can tell you, and, for the matter of that, I won't promise you +that it will be very safe if it comes near me when I've a handspike in +my hand.' + +"'I tell you what,' says he, 'it ain't the taking of a cat on board what +brings mischief, but it's turning one out of a ship what occasions ill +luck. No cat ever sunk a ship till the animal was hove overboard and +sunk first itself, and then it does drag the ship down after it.' + +"Well, one of the boys who did not care about such things, for he was +young and ignorant, put his hand to the cat's head to stroke it, and the +cat bit him right through the fingers, at which the boy gave a loud cry. + +"'Now, that will teach you to leave my cat alone,' said the man. 'He +won't come near nobody but me, and he bites everybody else, so I give +you fair warning.' + +[Illustration: THE FORE-PEAK YARN.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 211.] + +"And sure enough the brute, which was about as big as two common cats, +was just as savage as a tiger. When the first mate called the man on +deck, the fellow left his cat behind him in the fore-peak, just as if it +were now here, and it got into a dark corner, growling and humping its +back, with its eyes flashing fire at every one of us as we came anigh +it. 'Oh!' says we, 'this here won't never do; wait till the captain +comes on board, that's all.' Well, the hatches were off, and we were +busy, re-stowing the upper tier of the cargo, which we had thrown in +very carelessly in our hurry to get down the river; just putting the +bales in order (it wasn't breaking bulk, you see), and we were at it all +day. At last, toward evening, the captain comes on board with the +gentleman passenger, a mighty timorsome sort of young chap he appeared +for to be, and had never before set his foot upon the plank of a vessel. +So as soon as the captain was on deck we all broke off our work, and +went to him to tell him about this cat, and the captain he gets into a +great rage as soon as he hears on it, and orders the man to send the cat +on shore, or else he'd throw it overboard. Well, the man, who was a +sulky, saucy sort of chap, and no seaman, I've a notion, gives cheek, +and says he won't send his cat on shore for no man, whereupon the +captain orders the cat to be caught, that he might send it in the boat; +but nobody dared to catch it, for it was so fierce to everybody but its +master. The second mate tried, and he got a devil of a bite, and came up +from the fore-peak without the cat, looking very blue indeed. And then +the first mate went down, and he tried; but the cat flew at him, and he +came up as white as a sheet. And then the cat became so savage that it +stood at the foot of the ladder, all ready to attack whoever should come +down, and the man laughed heartily, and told us to fetch the cat. +'Well,' says the first mate, 'I can't touch the cat, but I can you, you +beggar, and I will too, if it costs me twenty pounds;' so he ups with a +handspike and knocks the fellow down senseless on the deck, and there he +laid. And it sarved him right. + +"Well, then the captain thought to shoot the cat, for it was for all the +world like a wild beast, and one proposed one thing and one another. At +last Jim, the cabin-boy, comes forward with some brimstone matches in a +pan, and he lights them and lowers them down into the fore-peak by a +rope-yarn to smother it out. And so it did sure enough, for all of a +sudden the cat made a spring up to the deck, and then we all chased it +here and there, until at last it got out to the end of the flying +jib-boom, and then Jim, the cabin-boy, followed it out with a handspike, +and poked at it as hard as he could, until at last it lost its hold, and +down it went into the water, and Jim and the handspike went along with +it, for Jim, in his last poke at the cat, lost his balance, so away they +went together. Well, there was a great hurry in manning the boat, and +picking up poor Jim and the handspike; but the cat we saw no more, for +it was just dark at the time. Well, when it was all over, we began to +think what we had done, and as soon as we had put on the hatches and +secured the hold we went down below into the fore-peak, where the smell +of brimstone did not make us feel more comfortable, I can tell you, and +we began to talk over the matter, for you see the cat should not have +been thrown overboard but put on shore. But we were called away to man +the boat again, for the fellow had come to his senses, and swore that he +would not stay in the ship, but go on shore and take the law of the +first mate; and the first mate and captain thought the sooner he was out +of the ship the better, for we were to sail before daylight, and there +might not be a wherry for him to get into. So the fellow took his kit, +and we pulled him on shore and landed him on Southsea beach, he swearing +vengeance the whole way; and as he stepped out on the beach he turned +round to us and said, as he shook his fist, 'You've thrown overboard a +_black tom cat_, recollect that! and now you'll see the consequence; a +pleasant voyage to you. I wouldn't sail in that vessel if you were to +offer her to me as a present as soon as she got to Smyrna; because why, +you've thrown overboard a _black tom cat_, and you'll never get +there--_never!_' cried he again, and off he ran with his bundle. + +"Well, we didn't much like it, and if the second mate hadn't been in the +boat, I'm not sure that we shouldn't all have gone on shore rather than +sail in the vessel; but there was no help for it. The next morning +before daylight we started, for the captain wouldn't wait to get another +hand, and we were soon out of soundings, and well into the Bay of +Biscay. + +"We had just passed Cape Finisterre, when Jim, the cabin-boy, says one +morning, 'I'm blessed if I didn't hear that cat last night, or the ghost +on it!' So we laughed at him; for, you see, he slept abaft, just outside +the cabin door, close to the pantry, and not forward with the rest of +us. + +"'Well,' says he, 'I heard her miaw, and when I awoke I think I seed two +eyes looking at me.' + +"'Well, Jim,' said I, for we had got over our fears, 'it was you who +knocked her overboard, so it's all right that she should haunt you and +nobody else.' Jim, however, could not laugh, but looked very grave and +unhappy. A few days afterward the captain and passenger complained that +they could not sleep for the noise and racket that was kept up all night +between the timbers and in the run aft. They said it was if a whole +legion of devils were broken loose and scampering about; and the captain +was very grave; and as for the passenger, he was frightened out of his +wits. Still we laughed, because we had heard nothing ourselves, and +thought that it must only be fancy on their parts, particularly as the +captain used to _bowse his jib_ up pretty taut every night. Well, all +went on very well; we arrived at the Rock, got our fresh provisions and +vegetables, and then made sail again. The captain complained of no more +noises, and Jim of no more eyes, and the whole matter was almost +forgotten." + +Here the narrator was interrupted by the thumping of a handspike on the +deck above. "Halloo! what's the matter now?" + +"Come, tumble up, my lads, and pump the ship out," said the mate from +above; "we had almost forgotten that. Be smart, now; it's but a ten +minutes' job." + +Thus broke off the story, much to my annoyance; but it could not be +helped--ships must be pumped out--so the men went on deck, and I +followed them. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE + + "Recollect," says the Fellow, "you have thrown overboard a black + Tom Cat!" + + +In a quarter of an hour the pump sucked, and we all hastened down below +to our grog and the completion of our yarn. As soon as we were all +comfortably seated as before, Dick recommenced. + +"Well, we were abreast of Malta, when the weather, which had hitherto on +the voyage been very fine, changed. The clouds hung down very heavy, and +there was every symptom of a fierce gale; and sure enough a worse gale I +never was in than came on that night--and such a sea!--the ship rolled +gunnel under, for the gale was fair, but the sea ran so high and so fast +that we expected to be pooped every minute. It was about midnight when +the rain came on in torrents, and the wind blew fiercer than ever. I was +on deck, and so was the first mate and another man at the helm, for we +were flying right before it, and she was hard to steer. + +"We shall have it worse yet," said the captain. + +"'_Miaw_!' was the reply, so clear, so loud, we could not tell where it +came from. I thought it came from the maintop. + +"'Mercy on us! what was that?' said the first mate, the light from the +binnacle showing his face as pale as a sheet. + +"'_Miaw!_' was the reply from somewhere. + +"'The black cat, by all that's blue!' cried the captain. + +"'The Lord have mercy upon us, we're all gone!' said the mate, clasping +his hands in terror. To clasp his hands, of course he let go the wheel; +and the other man, who was equally frightened, had not strength to hold +it. Away he went, right over the wheel, knocking down the mate on the +other side; and the ship taking a heavy lurch, they both went into the +scuppers together. The ship broached-to, and our mainmast and mizzenmast +went over the side." + +"Do top that glim, Bill," said one of the men, in a tremulous voice. + +Dick paused while the snuff was taken off the candle: and the water went +tap, tap, tap against the bends, with a most melancholy sound. I really +did feel rather queer myself. + +Dick continued. "Well, all hands were on deck immediately, and it was +good two hours before we could clear the wreck, for the men were +disheartened. They had heard the loud _miaw_ when in the fore-peak, and +declared that it was close to them; and the passenger and Jim came out, +frightened out of their wits. They had heard the _miaw_, and said that +it was from under the cabin table. At last we were clear of the wreck, +and the wind roared louder than ever. + +"The captain was a stout-hearted fellow, and as the men were collected +together under the bulwark, he said, 'Well, this breeze will shorten our +distance, at any rate, and if it holds we shall soon be at Smyrna,' + +"'We shall never see Smyrna!' replied the second mate, his teeth +chattering. + +"'No, never!' cried the seamen. + +"The captain sent Jim down for his rum-bottle, and gave every man a +stiff glass of liquor, and that made them feel more comfortable for a +time; when there was a sort of lull, and again the loud _miaw_ was +repeated. + +"'There it is!' cried the men; but they hardly had time to say so when +the ship was pooped with a tremendous sea washing away the stern and +quarter-boats, and sending all the men swimming forward. So loaded was +the ship with water that she stopped, and appeared as if she was +settling down. At last she rolled heavy to port and discharged it, and +away we went before the wind, faster than ever. Well, there was some +talk among the seamen of throwing poor Jim overboard to appease the +ghost of the cat, for it was he who had thrown the cat overboard. But +the captain heard what the men were saying, and he swore that he would +knock the brains out of the first man who laid hold of the boy; and he +sent Jim below out of harm's way. Poor Jim! how bitterly he cried, poor +boy, when he heard what was going on. + +"Well, it's a long lane that has no turning, and no gale lasts forever. +The next day it moderated, and the day after the weather was quite fine, +and the sea had gone down. We recovered our spirits, the more so as we +heard no more of the cat; and having jury-rigged her aft, we steered our +course with a light breeze. We were now but a short distance from +Smyrna, and hoped to be there by the next day; but the second mate shook +his head. He said, 'The cat has not done with us, for it was a _black +tom_ cat.' + +"The fourth day the captain came on deck, and said, 'I heard a great +washing of water in the run last night, as I thought; have you sounded +the well lately?' + +"'No,' replied the first mate, 'I left that to the carpenter.' + +"'Well, then, ask him.' Well, the carpenter had not sounded the well, as +it appeared; and so he sounded it immediately, and found that we had +_six feet water in the hold_. + +"'I knowed we were doomed,' said the second mate; 'we'll never get at +port'; and so thought the men: but the captain said: + +"'Why, the fact is, my lads, we must have sprung a leak in the gale, and +no wonder, beating against the wreck so as we did when the masts went +over the side. Come, rig the pumps, and we shall soon clear her. The tom +cat has nothing to do with this, at all events.' + +"Now, you see, our bottom cargo consisted of two or three tier of crates +of crockery, which would not spoil by being wet; but the upper part of +the cargo was bales of dry goods and linen; so the captain was very +anxious that they should work the pumps before the water got higher: the +weather was very fine, the sea smooth, and the wind, although fair, was +light. Well, the seamen were terrified, and thought they were lost; they +asked for liquor, and refused to work at the pumps; they said it was no +use, the ship was doomed. Well, the captain he got very angry; he went +down into the cabin, loaded his double-barreled gun, and swore that he +would shoot the first man through the head who refused to work at the +pumps. The men knew that he was in earnest, for he was a violent sort of +fellow, and so they set to. We didn't gain much upon her; I thought we +did a little, but the men said no. The captain declared that we did gain +considerably, but it was supposed that he only said so to encourage the +people. Well, the captain ordered the mate to take up the hatches that +they might see the state of the cargo. This was done; the dry goods, as +far as we could make out, were not injured, and the men pumped spell and +spell until the evening, when the captain gave them a good allowance of +grog, and an hour to rest themselves. It was a beautiful moonlight +night: the sails were just asleep and no more; but the vessel was heavy, +from the water in her, and we dragged slowly along. The captain, who had +gone down below with the first mate, came up from the cabin, and said to +the men, 'Now, my lads, we'll set to again'; when suddenly there was a +loud, melancholy _miaw!_ which terrified us all. We looked from whence +the sound appeared to come, and there, on the launch turned over +amidship, we beheld the ghost of the black tom cat, so large, so black, +with the broad moonlight shining on it; and so thin, it was the skeleton +of the cat, only it looked as black as ever; its back was humped up and +its tail curved; and, as it stood out in the broad moonlight, it did +look twice as big as the original cat, which was the biggest I ever saw. +Well, the men actually screamed; they ran aft, upsetting the captain and +mate, and roiling over them and hiding their faces, with 'Lord, have +mercy on us!' and 'God, forgive our sins!' and 'Oh! we're lost, we're +lost!' and every sort of crying and groaning that could be thought of. +At last the captain gets up from under them in a great rage and looks +forward to see what was the matter, and there he sees the ghost of the +tom cat standing just in the same place; and it gave another miserable +_miaw!_ 'Why,' cried the captain (who had his grog on board, and was as +brave as brass), 'it is the cussed cat himself. Stop a moment.' Down he +goes to the cabin, reels up the hatchway again with his double-barreled +gun, and lets fly at it"--(here Dick lowered his voice to almost a +whisper)--"the cat gave a shriek--and then--" + +Here, during the pause, Bill put out his finger and thumb to snuff the +candle, but his hand shook--he snuffed it out, and we were all left in +darkness. I can hardly describe the feeling which appeared to pervade +the whole of our party. Every one was shuffling and crowding with their +shoulders, but still no one moved from his place. + +"Well," said Dick, the narrator, in a quiet subdued voice, "why don't +one of you go and fetch a light? Come, jump up, Bill, you topped it +out." + +"Ay, ay," replied Bill, evidently shaking; "where's the candle?" + +"Here," said one of the boys, handing it to him. + +"Well, then, jump up yourself, you young whelp, you're younger than me." + +"I didn't put it out," replied the boy, whining. + +"Up immediately, or I'll break every rib in your body," replied Bill. + +The boy, who was terribly frightened, got up at this threat, and began +to ascend the ladder; he was about three steps up, when we heard from +the deck a horrible _miaw!_ The boy gave a scream of terror, and fell +down on his back among us all, smashing the glass and flattening the tin +cans against the men's legs, who halloed with pain. At last there was a +dead silence again, and I could plainly hear the loud throbbing of more +than one heart. + +"Come," said Dick again, "what was the fool frightened about? Look for +the candle, some of you." + +At last Bill found it in his breast, broke in two and half melted away, +and was proceeding for a light when the carpenter stepped to the hatch +with his lantern, and said, "Why, you're all in the dark there, +shipmates! Here, take my lantern." + +I may as well here observe that the carpenter had been listening to the +story as he sat by the hatchway on deck, and it was he who had favored +us with the _miaw_ which had so frightened the boy. As soon as the +lantern had been received and the candle relighted, Dick recommenced. + +"Well, my lads, I said that the captain went down below, brought up his +gun, and let fly at the cat, and then--well, and then--the cat gave a +loud shriek, and falls down upon the deck. The captain walks forward to +it, takes it up by the tail, brings it aft, and shies it among the men. + +"'There, you fools,' said he, 'it is the cat himself; will you believe +your own eyes?' + +"And sure enough, so it was; for, you see, when Jim tumbled overboard, +it being then dark, and we so busy with Jim, we did not look after the +cat, and so it must have crawled up the cable and run down into the hold +while the hatches were off; and all that noise heard aft must have been +the brute chasing the rats, I suppose. Jim may have heard, but he could +not have seen, the cat; that was all fancy and fright. You know how long +a cat will live without much food, and so the animal was pretty quiet +after it had killed all the rats. Then when the gale came on, and the +upper part of the cargo fetched way a little, for it was loosely stowed, +we suppose that it got jammed now and then with the rolling, and that +made it miaw; and then, when we took off the hatches to look at the +cargo, after we had sprung the leak, the cat, o' course, came out, and a +pretty skeleton it was, as you may suppose. Now do you understand the +whole of it?" + +"Yes, that's all clear," replied Bill; "and it was no ghost, after all? +But still the cat did do mischief, for if the mate had not been +frightened by it, he wouldn't have let go the wheel, and the masts would +not have gone by the lee." + +"That's true enough, and he might have done more mischief still if the +captain had not shot him, for the men would never have gone to the pumps +again; but when they found out that it was nothing but the cat himself, +then they set to, and before the next evening the vessel was clear, and +only required pumping out every two hours, for the leak wasn't great, +after all. So there's a ghost story for you, and I believe that all +others will be found, like mine, to end in moonshine. Now, suppose we +turn in, for we shall weigh at three o'clock in the morning." + +We all tumbled into the standing berths in the fore-peak. I dreamed of +black tom cats all night. The next morning we weighed with a fair wind; +as before, I stood beside Bramble, who pointed out to me everything +worth notice or memory as we passed, but at last the motion affected me +so much that I could pay little attention, and I remained by his side as +pale as a sheet. We rounded the North Foreland, and long before dark +anchored in the Downs. Bramble went no further with the vessel, the +captain himself being a good pilot for the Channel. A Deal boat came +alongside, we got into it, they landed us on the shingle beach, and I +followed Bramble up to his abode. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR + + Bramble's Method of Education proves very effective--He also points + out a Position in which you may prefer your Enemies to your + Friends! + + +The house of Philip Bramble was situated on the further side of a road +which ran along the shore, just above the shingle beach. It was a large +cottage on one floor, the street door entering at once into its only +sitting-room. It was furnished as such tenements usually are, with a +small dresser and shelves for crockery, and a table and chairs of cherry +wood; on the broad mantelpiece, for the fireplace was large, were +several brass candlesticks, very bright, ranged with foreign +curiosities, and a few shells; half a dozen prints in frames ornamented +the walls; and on large nails drove into the panels, wherever a space +could be found, were hung coats, P-jackets, and other articles of dress, +all ready for the pilot to change whenever he came on shore wet to the +skin. Everything was neat and clean: the planks of the floor were white +as snow, yet the floor itself was sanded with white sand, and there were +one or two square wooden boxes, also filled with sand, for the use of +those who smoked. When I add that, opposite to the fireplace, there was +a set of drawers of walnut wood, with an escritoire at the top, upon +the flat part of which were a few books neatly arranged, and over it an +old-fashioned looking-glass, divided at the sides near to the frame into +sections, I believe that I have given a catalogue of the whole +furniture. When I followed Bramble into the room, a little girl of about +nine or ten years old ran into his arms, as he stooped down to receive +her. She was a pretty child, with a very fair skin and rosy cheeks, her +hair and eyes of a very dark brown, almost approaching to black; but she +was not, in my opinion, near so pretty as my sister Virginia. As Bramble +kissed her, she exclaimed, "Oh, father, I am so glad you are come home! +Mrs. Maddox has been in bed ever since you left; her leg is very bad +indeed." + +"Whew!" whistled Bramble, "I'm sorry to hear that of the old lady; and +how have you got on without her assistance?" + +"Why, don't you think I'm very tidy, father?" said she, looking round +the room. + +"Yes, Bessy, you are very tidy; and it's a pleasure to come home to a +tidy clean house. Here is a companion for you. I told you he was coming, +and you know his name." + +"It's Tom Saunders, isn't it, father?" + +"Yes, that's his name, for want of a better--so I leave you to make +friends, while I go up and see the poor old lady." + +"You look cold and pale, are you not well?" was the first question of +little Bessy. + +"I'm cold, and not very well," replied I; "I have not been used to +knocking about on board ship." + +"Very true; I forgot you had never been at sea before. Come to the fire, +then, and sit in father's big chair." + +"I never knew that your father had been married. I thought Peter +Anderson said that he was a bachelor." + +"And so he is," replied Bessy. "I'm not his daughter, although I call +him father." + +"Indeed! then whose daughter are you? and who is the old lady upstairs?" + +"The old lady upstairs is the widow of the pilot with whom father served +his time. Her husband was lost at sea, and she keeps father's house. +Father picked me up at sea, and has taken care of me ever since." + +"Then you don't remember your own parents?" + +"No, I recollect nothing till I found myself in this house. Father says +I'm a Dutchman, because it was a Dutch ship or a Dutch boat which I was +taken out of." + +"And how long was that ago?" + +"Nine years ago. I am now, I believe, about ten years old." + +Bessy then catechised me relative to my own family, and I had not +answered all her questions when Bramble came downstairs. + +"Bessy, dear, we must have the doctor to look at that leg again. I'm +afeard that it will never get well. Missus is too old to shake it off." + +"Shall I go now, father?" + +"Yes, child, go now, for she's in great pain with it; and Tom, you go +with Bessy and take care of her. But, before you go, give me some 'baccy +and the odds and ends." + +As soon as Bessy had put the tobacco-pipes, some spirits, a rummer and +water on the table, and the spittoon at his feet, she put on her bonnet, +and off we set to the doctor's house, about half a mile distant. I was +soon on intimate terms with Bessy: there was something so frank and +winning about her, such perfect honesty of character, that it was +impossible not to like her. We delivered our message, returned home, +and, being very tired, I was glad to go to bed. Bessy showed me my room, +which was very comfortable, and as soon as I laid my head on the pillow +I was fast asleep. + +I was awakened the next morning by a knocking at the door by little +Bessy; it was broad daylight, and I dressed myself and went downstairs, +where I found her very busy putting everything in order. + +"It was I knocked," said little Bessy; "I thought you would like to come +and help me." + +"And so I will," replied I; "what shall I do?" + +"Oh, there's plenty to do now that Mrs. Maddox is ill, and you and +father are come back--almost too much for a little girl like me. Will +you go to the pump and fetch the pails full of water, for they are too +heavy for me?" + +I did as she wished. "Anything else, Bessy?" said I. + +"Oh, yes, plenty. You're very good-natured, Tom, and I'm so glad you're +come." + +Bessy and I were fully employed for nearly an hour in the front room and +kitchen, clearing up and cleaning and preparing for breakfast. All was +ready before Bramble came down and took a seat in his big chair, close +to the breakfast-table. + +"All ready, father," said little Bessy, going up to Bramble to be +kissed. "Tom has been helping me." + +"All's right," said Bramble; "bring the book, dear." Bessy brought a +large Bible, and read a chapter aloud, then closed it and put it away. + +"We can't always do this, Tom," observed Bramble, "when we're knocking +about in the Channel; all we can do is to read it when we can. Come now +to breakfast." + +When we had finished I assisted Bessy to put everything away, and then +Bramble said to me, "Anderson tells me you're a good scholar, Tom; but +you must now learn what will be of use to me as well as to you. The +first thing you must learn, and which you can do on shore, are the +points of the compass, to know them at sight and tell them quickly; for +you see it's of great importance to a pilot to know exactly how a ship's +head is; and the men at the helm, although good seamen and steering +well, are not so ready at answering as a pilot wishes, and very often +stammer at it--sometimes make mistakes. Now, you see, when I'm piloting +a vessel, if you stand at the binnacle, watch the compass, and answer me +quickly how the ship's head is, you'll be of use to me in a very short +time. Go up into my room, and under the bed you will find a compass; +bring it down carefully, and I'll give you a lesson at once." I brought +the compass to him, and Bramble made me write down the whole thirty-two +points at full length upon a piece of paper. When I had done so, he told +me I must learn them by heart as fast as I could. + +I studied them the whole of that day; and in the evening, finding myself +perfect, I went up to Bramble and repeated them without one mistake. + +"All's right," said Bramble. "Now, Tom, give me the paper; if you know +them to-night you ought to know them to-morrow morning. I'll hear if you +do, after breakfast." + +I went to bed, was tapped up as before by Bessy, assisted her to clean +everything, taking off her hands all the heaviest of the work; indeed, +what I have narrated of the first day may be taken as a sample of my +life on shore at Deal. After breakfast I repeated the points of the +compass correctly. + +"Well, Tom, you have a good memory, that's certain; all the better for +you, for pilots carry everything in their heads, as you will find out. +Now, then, look here." Bramble took the glass off the top of the +compass-box, lifted up the card, and then showed me the needle below, +which pointed to the north. He then showed me the north point above, and +then the other points, making me repeat them as he put his finger on +them. As soon as I understood them, he would put the stem of his pipe to +one and ask me which it was. When I was perfect with the points, he +explained the half points and quarter points. In two days I had gained +them all by heart. + +"And now," says he, "we must try you. This iron skewer is the ship's +head, recollect, and I shall stick it into the table. When I do so, you +must tell me what point of the compass stands to it, and then that will +be the direction of the ship's head. Do you understand? Practice makes +perfect, and you must work at this all the time that you are ashore. +When you know the compass well then I'll teach you something else. Now, +then, how's her head, Tom?" + +"North-half-west," said I, after a little time. + +"Yes, very true; but you see, Tom, that wouldn't do aboard ship. That's +just the way most of the seamen would puzzle at it. I must have the +answer in a moment, and that's why you must practice." + +In the evening, when Bramble was smoking his pipe, I was seated by him, +and every minute he would change the place of the iron skewer, with +"How's her head, Tom?" + +"We must get your 'prentice papers signed before we go afloat again," +said Bramble, "for they pick up boys as well as men for the King's +service, and you're a stout boy for your age." + +"Were you ever pressed yourself?" inquired I. + +"No, but I had a narrow chance once, and had not our captain been a +smart fellow I and many more would have been serving the King at this +present moment." + +"Tell me how that was," said I. + +"Well, as soon as Bessy has done rattling with the cups and saucers, I +will." + +"I've done now, father," said Bessy, taking her seat on a stool close to +Bramble's feet. + +"Well, then, before I passed for pilot, just after the breaking out of +the war, I took it into my head to try my chance at privateering. There +was plenty to pick up at that time, and some of the Deal men had been +very fortunate, so I went on board of a twelve-gun lugger, commanded by +Captain Shank, fitted out in the river, with a crew of sixty men. The +press was very hot at that time, and our men were kept at the crimps' +houses until all was ready, when we started, and got off clear into the +Channel without being overhauled. + +"We had been out a fortnight, keeping well on the French coast, and had +picked up two good prizes, when one morning, as the fog was cleared up +with a sharp northerly wind, we found ourselves right under the lee of +an English frigate, not a mile from us. There was a bubble of a sea, for +the wind had been against the tide previous to its changing, and we were +then about six or seven miles from the French coast, just between +Boulogne and Cape Grisnez, lying to for the fog to clear away. As soon +as we saw the frigate we knew that she would board us, and we were all +in a terrible fright." Here Bramble shifted the skewer and said, "How's +her head, Tom?" + +[Illustration: "HOW'S HER HEAD, TOM?"--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 281.] + +I replied, and he proceeded: + +"The frigate hoisted her colors, and of course we did the same. She then +fired a gun as a signal for us to remain, hove to, and we perceived her +boats lowering down. 'Now, my lads,' said our captain, 'if you don't +mind a shot or two, I think I will save you from impressment this time.' +We all declared that we would stand a hundred rather than be taken on +board of a man-of-war. 'Very well,' says he, 'starboard a little, and +keep her a little away, so as to let her go through the water; but keep +the foresheet to windward, so that we may appear only to have fallen +off.' By this plan we gradually increased our distance from the frigate, +and got more on her bow. All this while the boat was pulling toward us, +rising and tossing on the sea, but still nearing us fast. As she came +nearer to us we let the lugger come up in the wind again for a short +time, that we might not appear to be dodging away, and then, when the +bowman was almost ready to lay in his oar, away we let her go through +the water, so that she was left astern again. They could not well +perceive this on board of the frigate, although the officer in the boat +was very savage, for at one time he had his bow oar in and his boat-hook +out. At last the frigate, perceiving that we were apparently slipping +away, put her helm up, and fired a shot across our bows. 'Now's your +time, my boys,' said the captain; 'let draw the sheets, the breeze is +strong. She must wait to pick up her boat, and that will give us a mile +at least.' Up went the helm, and we made all sail right for the French +coast. How's her head, Tom?" + +I replied, and Bramble resumed: + +"The frigate ran down to her boat, and then rounded-to, to hoist it up. +The sea was heavy, and she was delayed a minute or two, although, to do +them justice, they were very smart on board of her. As soon as the boat +was up she made all sail, and came foaming after us, as if she were in +as great a rage as the captain and those on board of her. Every now and +then she yawed to throw a shot at us from her bow-chasers; but that we +didn't mind, as the yawing checked her way, and it's not very easy to +hit a low vessel like a lugger in a toppling sea. Well, very soon we +were not four miles from the French coast, so we hauled down our English +colors and hoisted French. The frigate gained on us very fast, but we +continued to steer on, and she in pursuit, until we were within gun-shot +of the batteries, What the Frenchmen thought we did not know, at all +events they did not fire, and we steered right on as if we were chased, +and the frigate followed after us, until we were within a mile and a +half of the batteries, when the frigate thought proper to haul her wind. +Then the battery opened upon her, and we could see that she was hulled +more than once, and, as she kept her wind along the shore, the other +batteries opened upon her, and she got a good mauling. We saw her shift +her foretopsail yard as soon as she went about again, and we afterward +heard that she had several men hurt, which was a pity." + +"And did not the batteries fire upon _you?_" + +"No, for we kept the French colors up, and hove to within a mile of the +coast. It was a lee shore, and there was too much surf and sea for them +to send off a boat and ascertain whether we were a French privateer or +not; so there we lay till dusk, and then made sail again, and, being so +close into the French shore, we picked up a good prize that very night. +When the cruise was over, I was satisfied. I got my prize-money, and +then, as I knew our own coast well, I passed for pilot, and have served +as one ever since. How's her head, Tom?" + +"S.W. almost." + +"S.W. _almost_ won't do, Tom. It's not quite S.W., quarter-south; so you +must say S.W. southerly. D'ye understand?" + +When Bessy knocked at my door the next morning, she cried out, laughing, +"How's her head, Tom?" and those words made me jump up like lightning. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE + + In which Bramble points out to me that singing is part of the + Profession of a Pilot. + + +In about a fortnight from the time that Bramble commenced his tuition I +was quite perfect with the compass; his method certainly was very good, +for by such reiterated catechising what you had to learn was graven on +your memory. All day long the same system was pursued. Even if dinner +was on the table, the compass was on a chair close by, and as I was +putting my fork to my mouth, much to Bessy's amusement, out would come +the question, "How's her head, Tom?" Bramble soon gained his point; I +could answer like lightning. But whether I was by the fire indoors, or +on the shingle beach, his system was ever the same. Every time that +Bramble opened his lips I gained some information; he was never +wearying, and often very amusing. + +One morning we were out on the beach--we had been conversing with the +other pilots, and examining the vessels in the offing with my +glass--when he pointed out to me, it being low neap tide, that the +Goodwin Sands were partially dry. "Tom," continued he, "of all the +dangers, not only of the Channel, but in the wide ocean, there is none +to be compared with those sands--the lives that have been lost on them, +the vessels that have been wrecked, and the property that has been +sucked into them, would be a dozen kings' ransoms; for, you see, Tom, +they are quicksands, and the vessel which goes on shore does not remain +to be broken up, but in two tides she disappears, sinking down into the +sands, which never give her or her cargo up again. There must be a +mighty deal of wealth buried there, that is certain. They say that once +they were a flourishing fertile island, belonging to an Earl Godwin, +whose name they now bear; it may be so--the sea retreats from one place +while it advances at another. Look at Romney Marshes, where so many +thousands of sheep are now fed. They run up many miles inland; and yet +formerly those very marshes were an arm of the sea, which vessels rode +in deep water, and sea-fights, I am told, took place. Howsomever, when +the sea took the Godwin island to itself it made the best trap for +vessels that old Neptune now possesses, and he may consider it as the +most productive spot in his dominions. Lord help us! what a deal of gold +and merchandise must there be buried below yon yellow patch!" + +"Do you never save anything when vessels are run on shore there?" + +"When they only tail on, we occasionally get them off again; but when +once fixed, there's an end of it. Yes, we save life occasionally, but at +great risk of our own. I saved little Bessy from a vessel ashore on +these sands." + +"Indeed! Pray tell me how it was." + +"Why, you see, Tom, it was just at the breaking out of the war. It was +in this very month of October, '93, that I was out in a galley with some +others, looking for vessels. I had just then left off privateering, and +got my warrant as pilot (for you know I did serve my 'prenticeship, +before I went a-privateering, as I told you the other night). Well, it +was a blowing night, and we were running in for the Downs, intending to +beach the galley and sleep on shore, for we had been out five days, and +only put a pilot on board of one vessel. We were just to windward of the +Sands, out there, where I am now pointing. The sea was very rough, but +the night was clear, and the moon shone bright, when we saw a brig +running down before the wind, under foresail and close-reefed topsails. +'Why, Bill, as she steers she'll be right between the Callipers,' said I +to the man sitting by me. 'There's no mistake about that,' replied he; +'let's haul the foresheet to windward, and lay to, to hail him; he's +coming right down upon us.' Well, we did so, and we hailed some time +without any answer. At last a man looked over the gunnel, just as she +was flying past us, and told us in Dutch to go to the devil. 'I think +you'll go there if you don't look sharp,' replied Bill. 'Come, my lads, +we may as well follow her, and see if we cannot prevent mischief.' So we +bore up after her, and hailed her several times, for we sailed very +fast, and there was a scuffling on deck. I think that the captain was +drunk. All this passed in less than five minutes; and then, as I knew +would be the case, she struck on the sands, and with such force that all +her masts went over the side immediately. Now, the sea rolls awfully +over the shallow water of those sands, Tom. We had kept with her as far +as we dared, and then hove-to about two cables' lengths to windward of +her, when she struck, for the ebb was still running strong under our +lee, which only made the sea more cross and heavy. The waves made a +clean breach over her, and we knew that she would go to pieces in less +than half-an-hour; but we did not like to leave so many to perish +without a trial to save them. So we kept away, so as to get abreast of +them, and then lowered our sails and got out our oars. We pulled close +to them, but it was impossible to board. We should have been stove to +pieces and swamped immediately. The moon still shone bright, and we saw +them as plain as we could wish, and we made every attempt to save them, +for they were all crowded together forward. Once the sea drove the boat +so close that we touched her sides, and then a woman pressed before the +men, and reached over the gunnel, extending her arms which held the +child, while several others attempted to get in; but the return of the +wave carried us back so quick from the vessel that, as they attempted to +jump in, they all went to the water, and never appeared again; but I had +caught hold of the child, and laid it down in the sternsheets. We made a +second and third attempt, but in vain. At last the vessel broke up, as +it were, all at once--there was one loud cry, and all was still, except +the roaring and breaking waves which buried them. It wasn't a scene to +make us very lively, Tom; we hoisted the sail, and ran on to the beach +in silence. I took the child in my arms--it had been snatched out of its +warm bed, poor thing, and had nothing on but a calico nightgown. I took +it up to the cottage, which was then Maddox's (I bought it afterward of +the widow with the money I made a-privateering), and I gave it in charge +to Mrs. Maddox. I did intend to have sent it to the workhouse, or +something of that sort; but Mrs. Maddox took a fancy to it, and so did +I, and so I thought I would take care of it, and I christened it by the +name of Betsy Godwin." + +[Illustration: BRAMBLE SAVING BESSY.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 237.] + +"You have no idea who she may be?" + +"Not a half one. Her cotton gown and cap told nothing; the vessel was +Dutch, that's all I know. She may be the child of the Stadtholder or +the child of the ship's cook. What's the matter?" + +"But did you notice any marks upon her person by which she might be +reclaimed?" + +"Not I. I only axed Mrs. Maddox whether it were a boy or a girl." + +"How old was she then?" + +"Well, how can I tell? that's not in my way; but the knowing ones in +these matters said that she must be about eighteen months old, so we +have taken that for a _departure_ as to her age. I love her now as if +she were my own child, and so will you, Tom, like a sister, when you +know her. She calls me her father, and you may do the same, Tom, if you +like, for I will be as good as a father to you, if you are as good a boy +as you now seem to be, I like to be called father, somehow or +another--it sounds pleasant to my ears. But come in now, I think you +have compassed the compass, so you must learn something else. + +"There is another way, Tom," said Bramble, as he seated himself in his +large chair, "in which a smart 'prentice may be useful to his master, +and it is of quite as much importance as the compass, which is in +heaving the lead. You see, Tom, the exact soundings being known will +often enable a pilot to run over the tail of a bank and save a tide; +that is, when he knows that he can trust the man in the chains. Some +seamen are very particular in giving exact soundings, but all are not. +They care more for the song than they do for anything else, and though +the song is very musical, yet it won't get a ship off when she's on +shore. Now, two-thirds of the seamen who are sent in the chains will not +give the soundings within half a fathom, and, moreover, they do not give +them quick enough for the pilot in many cases. If, therefore, you learn +to heave the lead well, be correct in your soundings and quick in giving +them, you will become of great use to me. You understand, don't you?" + +"Yes," replied I. + +"Well, go up into my room, and hanging on the nail behind the door you +will see a lead-line--bring it me down here." + +I did so, and then Bramble explained to me how the fathoms were marked +on the line, and how the soundings were given out. + +"You see," said he, "wherever there is a mark with a piece of leather or +bunting, whether it be white or red, it is called a mark; and if you +have five fathoms of water you would cry out by the _mark_ five; but at +the other depths there are no marks, but so many knots tied as there are +fathoms, as here at nine; and then you would say by the _deep_ nine. Now +run the line through your hand, and see if you can repeat the marks and +deeps as they pass." + +I did so. + +"Very well. Now for the song, for there is a sort of tune to it." +Bramble then again passed the line through his hands, giving the song to +each fathom, half-fathom, and quarter-fathom, and making me sing them +after him, after which I had to repeat them by myself. The next day he +took out the marks and knots from the whole line, and, giving me a +two-foot rule to re-measure it, made me put them all in again. This I +had to repeat three or four times. By this plan they were fully +impressed on my memory; and as for the song, he made me sing it almost +every half-hour for three or four days, Bessy generally repeating, in +her clear voice, from the back kitchen or upstairs, "and a quarter +seven--by the deep line." + +On the fourth day Bramble said, "Well, Tom, I think both you and Bessy +may leave off singing now. You have yet to learn the most important +part, which is to _heave_ the lead; but we must wait till we get on +board of a vessel for that. Observe, Tom, it's all very well singing +when you've plenty of water, and I like it, for it sounds musical and +pleasant to the ear; but in shallow water the pilot's answer must be +much shorter and quicker, as you will find out by-and-by." + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX + + In which I go Afloat, and obtain some Knowledge of the English + Channel. + + +It may be as well here to remark that the system of pilotage is +different now from what it used to be at the period of which I am +writing. The Cinque Port pilots now carry vessels from the Downs to the +river, and from the river to the Downs. Their pilotage extends no +further. Vessels seldom require pilots for the Channel, and do not take +them unless they are bound to some port in the Channel with which they +are unacquainted, and those pilots who ply in the Channel are termed +Hoblers; but at the time I refer to the regular pilots used to go out in +their galleys to the chaps of the Channel and take charge of vessels all +the way up, which, by the new regulations, they do not do. The +arrangements for pilotage have been much improved of late years, and +those employed are better qualified. + +I had remained at Deal about three weeks when an outward-bound Indiaman +anchored in the Downs. Her pilot came on shore, and she made the signal +for another. It was Bramble's turn, a galley was launched, and we went +on board. + +The ship was bound to Plymouth, from whence she was to sail with convoy +to a certain latitude. The weather was now fine and frosty, and we made +sail when the tide served. As soon as we were fairly out in the Channel +Bramble went with me into the main-chains, and showed me how to heave +the lead. After several attempts, in which I sometimes would hit the +spare topsail-yard upon which I stood, sometimes would nearly break my +own head, and once contrived to throw the lead over the hammock-rails +inboard, I succeeded in getting it round over my head; and when I had +once gained that point I made fewer mistakes. In two days we arrived at +Plymouth; and as Bramble kept me at it till my arms ached, nearly half +the day, I could by that time heave the lead pretty fairly, that is to +say, without danger to myself or other people. The day after we arrived +at Plymouth we got into a pilot boat and went out in search of +employment, which we soon found, and we continued chiefly taking vessels +up to Portsmouth and down to Plymouth, or clear of soundings, for some +time. During this time my practice at the lead was incessant, and I +became very perfect. When I was not at the lead Bramble would make me +stand at the binnacle and watch the compass, so that, by the time we +arrived at Deal again, I was pretty competent in those two branches of +my art, except that, having practiced the lead mostly in deep water, I +had not acquired accuracy and expedition in giving the soundings. But I +learned a great deal more of my profession; Bramble explaining to me the +sails, rigging, and names and uses of the ropes, and the various +maneuvers practiced, all of which he would catechise me in afterward, to +ascertain if I was perfect, and had remembered what he told me. I was, +therefore, under excellent tuition. Whatever port we entered Bramble +would point out the landmarks to me, state the distances from point to +point, and the dangers to be avoided. These I could not so well retain +perfectly, and required occasional reminding, but altogether I gave him +satisfaction. It was on New Year's Day, 1800, that we boarded a large +homeward-bound Indiaman, which had just struck soundings. She was a +thousand-ton ship, with a rich cargo of tea on board, and full of +passengers, besides more than one hundred invalids from the regiments +out there, who had been sent home under the charge of two officers. + +What a difference there appeared to me to be between the Indiaman going +out and this one coming home! the first so neat and clean in her decks, +and this so crowded and so weatherworn by her long voyage. What with +troops in old jackets, which had once been scarlet, Lascars with their +curly black hair, and dark handsome features, yellow men, sickly women, +and half-caste children, with their Hindoo ayahs, tigers, lions, +turtles, cows, sheep, goats, and pigs, on the booms and main deck, the +vessel was in a strange motley of confusion. + +As soon as we were put on board, the captain, officers, and passengers +crowded round to inquire the news. Bramble, according to pilot custom, +had brought off one or two late Plymouth papers (one of which, I +recollect, gave the account of the cutting out of the "Hermione" by +Captain Hamilton); but the people on board were eight months behindhand +at least as regarded what had passed. They had not even heard of Sir +Sydney Smith's defense of Acre against Bonaparte, or anything else which +had subsequently occurred; so that as soon as Bramble had taken charge, +and put the ship's head the right course (for the wind was fair), there +was no end to question and answer, And while Bramble was questioned by +the captain and passengers, I was attacked by the midshipmen or +guinea-pigs, as they are called. Having a fair wind, we ran right for +the Downs, where we arrived on the morning of the second day. Here the +purser of the ship went on shore with his dispatches, and the ship +anchored to await orders, by the next post, to go up the river. + +[Illustration: JACK HEAVING THE LEAD.--Marryat, Vol X., p. 245.] + +"Tom," said Bramble, as the vessel anchored, "I cannot quit the ship, +but you may, so just get on shore in one of the boats, and see how +little Bessy is, and poor old Mrs. Maddox's leg; and, Tom, take our +dirty linen on shore and bring off clean." + +I was glad enough to obey his orders, for I was very anxious to see dear +little Bessy again; so I dropped into a boat that was going on shore for +fresh beef, taking with me two or three little presents for Bessy, out +of the many which I had received when on board, for the officers and men +were very kind to me, and had given me many things which they did not +value, but which I did very much, as they were quite new to me. + +The custom officers at Deal were not very particular at that time. I was +not searched, and arrived at the cottage, where I found Bessy sitting at +her needle. She threw down her work and ran to me, and as I kissed her +the tears ran down her cheeks. + +"Where is father, Tom? I'm so glad to see you; but where is father? I've +been so frightened, the winter has been so rough." + +"He's on board of the Indiaman, but being in charge he cannot come on +shore, so he sent me." + +"Oh! I'm so glad. You have been away so long, and we have had nothing +but gales of wind; and do you know that Williams and Steers are both +drowned?" + +"No, indeed, we know nothing; but father will be sorry to hear of it, +for they were friends of his." + +"Well, Tom, it's not fair to leave a little girl like me alone here, for +Mrs. Maddox has kept her bed ever since you left. Her leg is better, but +she has pains in her limbs, and groans so all night, and here I am left +by myself, to hear her groan and the wind roar." + +Here Bessy began to cry, and I to console her as well as I could, +although I did feel that it was hard that such a child should be left so +lonely. The presents I brought her made her wipe away her tears, and she +was very soon as lively and joyous as ever. + +"I heard father say, Bessy" (I always called Bramble my father, as he +had said I might), "that he had picked up something this winter, for he +has had none but heavy vessels, and you know pilotage is paid by the +draught of water." + +"Well, he may have made money, but I'm sure we haven't spent any to +matter, for I have hardly been once a week to Mrs. Maddox for money +since you have gone. She eats hardly anything, and I can't eat my meals +when I'm alone down here. Will father come home after he has been up the +river?" + +"Yes, Bessy, he said that we should take a spell on shore." + +"Tom, don't you think I might go on board and see him for half an hour?" + +"Yes, I don't see why not; speak to Mrs. Maddox." + +Bessy ran upstairs, and came down with the required permission, provided +a neighbor's girl would remain in the house, and that she went under my +escort. Her bonnet was soon on, and we obtained a passage in one of the +Indiaman's boats which was shoving off, for the water was quite smooth, +and the ship's boats could lie on the shingle without difficulty. The +officer took Bessy under his boat cloak, and we were soon on board. +Bramble was not on deck at the time, and when I went down to look for +him, Bessy remained on the quarter-deck in admiration of all she saw. +But Bramble was not below as I supposed--he had gone into the cuddy with +the captain; and when he came out, his first knowledge of Bessy's being +on board was being embraced by the waist with her little arms. + +"Why, Bessy, my child," said Bramble, just as I returned on deck. "This +is Master Tom's doing," continued he, kissing her; "so you have come to +see your father?" + +"Why, you would not come on shore to see me, father," said Bessy, as +Bramble took her up and kissed her again. + +"Well, Tom, have you brought the clean things?" + +"No, I must go on shore again with Bessy, father." + +"Very true, so you must." + +Bessy was taken much notice of by the captain and all on board. No +wonder: her fair skin and clear transparent red and white were in such +contrast with the bilious-looking passengers that she appeared as if she +was not of the same race. She was much admired, and received many little +presents; and when she left the ship, after staying on board an hour, +she was much delighted with her trip, and still more so with the promise +of Bramble that he would stay ashore for some time as soon as he came +back from the river. I remained with her on shore till dusk, and then, +having collected the clean linen, as we were expected to sail early the +next morning, I returned on board the Indiaman. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN + + Showing the Importance, on board Ship, of a Rope's End well + applied. + + +The next morning, as we expected, the orders came down for the Indiaman +to go round to the river. The wind was fair, but light; we hove up and +made sail, stemming the last of the ebb. When the flood made, the wind +died away, so that we made but little progress, much to the annoyance of +those on board, who were naturally impatient to land after so tedious a +voyage. Toward the evening it fell calm, and a fog-bank rose on the +horizon to the eastward. There were still two hours of daylight, when, +as I was sweeping the horizon with my glass, I discovered the three +masts of a vessel with no sails set on them. As she was a long way off I +went half-way up the main rigging to have a better view of her, and made +her out to be a large lugger. I went down to the poop, where Bramble +stood smoking a cheroot with some of the officers of the ship. "Father," +says I, "there's a large lugger on our beam, with her sails lowered +down. I caught her masts with the glass just now." + +"Then she's a French privateer, you may depend upon it," replied +Bramble, "and she means to try to take us by surprise to-night." + +The officers went down and reported it to the captain: the glasses were +fixed upon her, and there was little doubt as to what she was. + +"Lucky you discovered her, boy, for we might have been surprised, that's +a fact," said the captain; "however, now she shall catch a Tartar." + +"She's waiting for the fog, captain," said Bramble, "which will come +rolling down with the shift of wind in about an hour or two, I expect; +and then we must allow her another hour to get alongside of us. Depend +upon it she has plenty of men, and intends to try to board us in the +fog." + +Everybody was now on the _qui vive_; the women were, as usual, +frightened; the men passengers looked grave, the Lascars rather +unsteady; but we had forty English seamen and a hundred invalid soldiers +on board, who could all be depended upon. The guns were loaded and +shotted, and the invalid soldiers were mustered; muskets and ammunition +handed up; the bayonets fixed, unfixed again; and then they were ordered +to remain on the booms with their accouterments on and their muskets by +their sides. The officers still kept their glasses on the lugger, until +at last the fog came down and we could see her no more. + +The officers who commanded the invalids, after a consultation with the +captain at which Bramble assisted, told off their men into two parties, +one of them being appointed to assist the seamen with their bayonets in +repelling the boarders (should the attempt be made), and the other to +fire upon them and into the deck of the vessel when she came alongside. +The Lascars were stationed at the guns, in case they might be required; +but no great dependence was placed upon their services. + +By the time that these arrangements had been made, the fog had reached +the Indiaman, and we were at the same time taken aback with the easterly +breeze which brought it down to us; being near to the land, we put the +ship's head off shore. The wind continued light and the water smooth, +but the fog thickened every minute: at last we could hardly see as far +as the foremast of the vessel. + +"He'll be puzzled to find us, I think," said the captain. + +"He'll find us, never fear," replied Bramble. "He has calculated the +time of the fog reaching us, and he knows that we must lay our head +off-shore--to be sure, we might give him the go-by if we bore up and ran +back again to the Downs." + +"I think I see myself bearing up and running away from a rascally French +privateer," said the captain. "Keep a sharp lookout there forward." + +"Ay, ay, sir," replied the chief officer. + +Half an hour more passed, and by our calculation the privateer should +have been on board of us, but we could see nothing of her, although the +fog had cleared up a little. The soldiers were now ordered to load their +muskets. I was on the poop with Bramble, when, happening to turn and +look aft (the very opposite direction from which the privateer was to be +expected), I saw her three lugsails looming in the mist, just on the +quarter, not half a cable's length from us. I jumped down to where the +captain was standing, and said to him, "There she is, sir, close on our +lee quarter." The captain sprang on the poop, saw the vessel, and +ordered the men to come aft in silence. The tramp of the soldiers' feet +was scarcely over when the lugger was alongside of us, her masts banging +against our main and mizzen chains as she rolled with the swell under +our lee. The Frenchmen gave a cheer, which told us how very numerous +they were: they climbed up the side and into the chains like cats, and +in a few seconds all was noise, confusion, and smoke. It was impossible +to know what the result was to be for about a minute, when the cheers +from our own men announced that the assailants had been beaten back. But +hardly had the cheering ceased on our side when another cheer was heard +from the lugger, and the attempt to gain our decks was repeated. This +time the Frenchmen fought more obstinately than before, and it was +nearly five minutes before they were repelled. It was not yet dark +(although the fog was thick), and you could make out their countenances +pretty clear; a more wild reckless set of fellows I never beheld, and +they certainly fought very gallantly, but they were driven back again; +and once more were the cheers from the British seamen and soldiers mixed +up with the execrations and shouts of the still contending, although +retreating, Frenchmen. + +Just at this period of the conflict I was standing on the poop by +Bramble, who had been watching the result, when he said, "Tom, come with +me: do you jump into the main chains with a double part of the topsail +halyards fall, and when the lugger's mast strikes against the chains as +she rolls into us, pass the fall round it underneath the rigging, and +hand the end in to me." + +We both leaped off the poop; he gave me the bight of the halyards. I +crept out of the port into the chains and passed it round the lugger's +mainmast, as he told me, handing in the bight to him, which he belayed +slack to the mainsheet kevel. At the time I perceived a man lying +wounded or dead in the main chains, but I paid no attention to him +until, as I was about to get on board, he attracted my attention by +seizing my leg, and making his teeth meet in the small part of it, above +the ankle. I could not help crying out, I was so taken by surprise with +the pain; however, I kicked him off, and turning to look at him, I found +it was a wounded Frenchman, who, perceiving what I was about, had paid +me that compliment. As soon as I was on board I heard the captain say to +Bramble, "Well, pilot, he has had enough of it." + +"Yes, and he won't escape, captain, for Tom has got him fast by the +masthead, and they dare not climb up to cut themselves adrift. All that +you have to do now it to let the soldiers fire on his decks until they +run below, and then our men can board and take possession of her." + +The captain, perceiving that the vessel was made fast, gave the +necessary orders. The soldiers lined the hammock nettings and chains, +and such a shower of musketry was poured into her decks that the +Frenchmen were soon driven below, and our seamen then slipped down her +rigging, boarded, and took possession of her. The prisoners having been +ordered up and passed into the forehold, the wounded men were then +looked after. We had eleven wounded, but none killed; the Frenchman had +eight killed and seventeen wounded; among others, the captain, who had +headed the second attempt to board. She was called the "Pucelle +d'Orleans," of twelve guns and a hundred and twenty-five men. + +It was two or three hours before we were again all to rights, and a +party sent on board of the prize; and then there was again another kind +of confusion, from the congratulations, drinking healths, the women +coming up on deck, etc.; however, the weather continued light, so it was +of no consequence. That Frenchman bit very hard, and I limped for three +or four days afterward. + +"Well, Tom," said Bramble, "I see you've got nerve, so all's right. You +had better go and lie down now, for you must be tired; I'll call you in +the morning." + +Very glad was I to limp to bed. All night I dreamed of nothing but +volleys of musketry, and boarding and reboarding, and being wounded in +the leg, and then I would awake with the smart of the Frenchman's teeth. + +The next morning when I came on deck, the captain thanked me for my +services, and said that the lugger would have escaped had it not been +for me. I replied that it was Bramble who prevented her escape, as I +should not have thought of making her fast if I had not been told. + +"That's all true enough," replied the captain; "but how many of your +age, having been told to do it, would have done it, Tom? I shall not +forget you." + +I went on the poop to Bramble, who, as usual, had his short pipe in his +hand; and I certainly was pleased when I saw what a beautiful craft we +had helped to capture. She sat like a swan on the water, and sailed +round and round us with the greatest ease. + +In the afternoon we anchored at the Nore, and sent away all the +prisoners to Sheerness. I must not forget to say how very kind and +generous the passengers were to me. They made a great many presents, +some of value, as I afterward found out; and I was glad to receive them +that I might give them to Virginia and those who had been friendly to +me. + +The next morning we arrived off Greenwich, and Bramble told me to go on +shore and remain with my father and mother until he came down, which he +would do in a few days, and pay a visit to his old friend Anderson. I +landed with all my contraband articles in the boat, but no one thought +of stopping or searching the former "Poor Jack." My insignificance was +my protection; and I arrived safely at Fisher's Alley with all my +curiosities and prohibited effects. When I entered the house, I +perceived that there was a third person sitting in company with my +mother and Virginia; but Virginia sprang to me, and I threw down my +bundles with which I was loaded, and pressed her in my arms. Although I +had been absent but four months, she appeared to be very much grown, and +in every way improved. As soon as I had released her, I offered my hand +to my mother, who took it very coldly, and then observed, "Tom, you will +be _so_ ungenteel; don't you see there is a gentleman here?" + +"I beg his pardon, mother," replied I; "but I could only see my sister +just then." + +"And I admire your feeling, Tom," replied the party. "Mrs. Saunders, you +must not scold him for that. How do you do, Tom, and how do you like +your profession?" continued he, holding out his hand. + +I took his hand, and looking at him I recognized him. "Oh, sir! you are +the gentleman who was sitting in the room when we called upon Sir +Hercules and her ladyship." + +"I am so, Tom, and I promised Sir Hercules that I would have an eye to +you all, and be of any use to you that I could. My name is Wilson, and +I'm what the sailors call a shark, that is, I'm a lawyer." + +"Well, you don't appear as if you would bite, sir," replied I, as I +looked at his venerable and kind face. + +"No, no, we never frighten people by our looks. We don't carry our teeth +with us; but I have several rows of them, all upon shelves in my +chambers, called the 'Statute at Large,' and by other names." + +He then entered into conversation with me, and I told him most of what +had passed, of course not forgetting that the Indiaman we had brought up +the river had captured a privateer. He sat about an hour, and then went +away, desiring me to call upon him. I was not sorry when he went, as I +wished to show my presents to Virginia, and give her those which she +liked best. When Virginia had selected for herself, or rather I had +forced upon her all she most admired, I gave a cut ivory card-case, a +filigree needle-case, and a small red scarf to my mother, who, for the +first time in her life, appeared pleased with me, and said that they +were very _genteel_, and she was much obliged to me. The remainder I put +away in my room upstairs, intending to keep some for Bessy, and give the +others to Mrs. St. Felix, the doctor, and old Nanny. + +I then went to the hospital and found out my father, old Anderson and +Ben. I narrated to them much more circumstantially than I did to the old +lawyer the particulars of the capture of the privateer. Anderson put a +great many inquiries to me, as to my liking my profession, and also +concerning little Bessy, whose history I communicated to him. After my +father and Ben had left, he gave me a great deal of advice, all of which +I trust that I treasured up. + +"I hear," said he, "that Spicer has been talking a good deal about you, +and inquiring very often when you were expected to return. Were you very +intimate with that man?" + +I replied in the negative, and then narrated the whole history of the +spy-glass, the erasure of the name by Mrs. St, Felix, and the +recognition of it by Spicer. + +"You did right to leave him in his error relative to where you received +the glass from," said Peter Anderson; "there is some mystery there which +time may unravel, but do not say a word of it to any one, Tom. I am glad +that you have told me, as, in case you are away, and anything should +occur, I shall know how to act." + +I must acknowledge that I now walked proudly through the streets of +Greenwich. I was no longer Poor Jack, but I was earning my livelihood +in my profession. I had reason to be still prouder when, two days +afterward, Mr. Wilson came to my mother's with the newspaper in his hand +in which there was a long account of the capture of the privateer, and +the conduct of Bramble and of me spoken of in the highest terms. This he +read aloud to my mother and Virginia. I watched my sister. The tears +filled her eyes as she listened, and when Mr. Wilson had done her arms +were round my neck, and her smiles were mixed with her tears, and +sometimes she would laugh as she cried. Oh! how I loved her then, for I +felt how dearly she loved me; even my mother appeared gratified, +although she said nothing, but continued to repair the lace veil upon +which she had been employed. That evening I went with Virginia to call +upon Mrs, St. Felix, taking with me the presents I had laid aside for +her. She welcomed me as usual, and accepted what I brought for her +without hesitation and with many thanks. + +"Well, Mr. Tom," said she, "I'll just put away all your nice little +remembrances, and then I'll tell you that I've heard all about your +behavior in the fight with the privateer, and I've no doubt but that, if +you continue to go on as you have begun, you will one day have a leg the +less, as your father has before you." + +"I hope not," replied I; "two legs are better than one." + +"Yes, when you want to run away, that's true. I see now why you're so +anxious to save your legs." + +"But, Mrs. St. Felix, if it had not been for that good spy-glass you +gave me, I never should have discovered the privateer, and we should not +have been prepared for her." + +"Well, that's fortunate; it didn't prove a glass too much, anyhow, or +you'd have seen double. I suppose, then, all these pretty things are my +share of the prize-money." + +"No, they are no value, except to prove to you that Poor Jack has not +forgotten your kindness, and never will." + +"That I believe; and, believing that, I suppose you have not forgotten +old Nanny." + +"No; but I have not seen her yet. I intend to go to-morrow; but I have +something for the doctor. He is not at home; will you give it to him?" + +"Certainly; you know I am as good as a mother to him." + +"I think the doctor would rather you'd be a wife to him." + +"That's a foolish idea that's in many people's heads, Tom, which I'll +thank you to contradict. I never intend to change my name." + +"Don't make too sure," replied I; and I added at a venture (why, I know +not, but I had formed the idea in my mind that St. Felix was not her +proper name), "you may change it yet for your real name." + +"Tom, Tom," cried the widow, "what do you mean?" "Nothing," replied I, +"I was only joking." "Well, then, don't talk such nonsense, or I shall +send you out of the shop." + +I had, however, it appeared, struck upon a chord which jarred, and all +the spirits of Mrs. St. Felix vanished at once. So Virginia and I wished +her a good-evening and returned home. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT + + Some little Difference in the Proceeds of this Chapter, and my + former "Copper for Poor Jack, your Honor". + + +On our arrival at my mother's, I found a letter from Bramble, stating +that he would be at Greenwich in two days, and, further, informing me +that the honorable company had been pleased, in consequence of the +report made of our good behavior, to award to him the sum of two hundred +pounds, and to me the sum of one hundred pounds, as a remuneration for +our assistance in the capture of the privateer. + +This was news indeed. One hundred pounds! I never thought that I should +possess such a sum in my life. One hundred pounds! what should I do with +it? My mother was astonished, and then fell into a very grave mood. +Virginia was pleased, but appeared to care less about it than I thought +she would have done. My father came in as usual with Ben the Whaler, and +I read the letter. + +"Why, Tom, that's about as much prize-money as I have made in all my +sarvice," said my father, "and you've been afloat only four months. +Come, missis, send for some beer, and let us drink Tom's health and +success to him. God bless you, my boy! the papers say you deserved it, +and that's better than your getting it. I'm proud of you; I am, indeed, +my boy. Your father's proud of you, Tom"--and here my father showed more +emotion than ever I witnessed in him before; however, he put his lips to +the porter-pot, and when he had drained it nearly to the bottom, he had +quite recovered himself. + +"Well, Tom," said Ben, after he had finished the small modicum of beer +left him by my father, "and what do you mean to do with all that money?" + +"I'm sure I don't know--I have no want of it--I have everything I wish +for." + +"Come, missis," said my father, "we must have another pot, for I drank +deep, and Ben has been shared out." My mother very graciously sent for +another pot of porter, which, with the newspaper, occupied Ben and my +father till it was time for us to break up and go to bed. + +The next morning when I went down I found Virginia alone, my mother +having returned to her room. + +"Tom," said she, "what do you think my mother said to me when we were +going to bed last night?" + +"Tell me." + +"She said, 'Tom says he don't know what to do with his money. I only +wish I had it; I would turn it into three times the sum in three years, +and have a better home for you, my dear.'" + +"Did she say how?" + +"Yes, I asked her how; she said that she should take a new house with a +shop up the town, and set up as a milliner, with apprentices; that, as +soon as she was fairly employed, she should give up getting up fine +linen, and only take in laces to wash and mend, which was a very +profitable business." + +"Well," says I, "Virginia, my mother is a hard-working woman, and a +clever woman, and I dare say she would do very well, and, as she says +she would have a better home for you, I think I shall let her have the +money; but I won't say so yet. I must talk about it to Peter Anderson, +and if he don't say no, she shall have it with pleasure." + +"That will be very kind of you, Tom; and I hope mother will feel it, for +you don't owe her much." + +"Never mind that; after breakfast I'll see Peter Anderson. Don't say a +word about it till I come back." + +At breakfast-time my mother still appeared to be very thoughtful. The +fact was, that the idea of what advantage the money would be had taken +possession of her mind; and perhaps she thought that there was no chance +of obtaining it. Perhaps she felt that, had she treated me better, she +would have had it without difficulty--it was impossible to say exactly. + +After breakfast I walked with Virginia to her school, and then set off +to Anderson, to whom I immediately imparted what had taken place. His +answer was decided: + +"I think, Jack, you can't do better; but, at the same time, let us go to +your father and hear his opinion." + +My father coincided with Anderson and me; and he added, "I tell you +what, your mother is not parfect exactly--though I say it, as shouldn't +say it--but still she does work hard, and she will work hard; she has +paid my little girl's schooling out of her own arnings, and, moreover, +she has found me one pot of porter at least every night, which has made +me very comfortable. Now, I've still a matter of forty pounds in the +lieutenant's hands. I'll add it to Tom's hundred pounds, and then she +will have a fair start. What d'ye think, Peter?" + +"I think you are both right; and, Tom, you are doing your duty." + +I knew what Anderson meant. I thanked him for his advice, and my father +and I went to my mother's house. I requested my father to stand +spokesman, which he did, ending by telling my mother that my hundred +pounds and his forty pounds were very much at her sarvice, and good luck +to her. Virginia's eyes glistened as she took me by the hand. My mother +replied, "Very well, if we pleased, she would do her best for us all." + +The answer was hardly gracious, but I watched her countenance and saw +she was moved. Her thin lips quivered as she turned away and went +upstairs, which she did immediately after her reply. In about +half-an-hour, during which I was laughing with Virginia, my mother came +downstairs in her shawl and bonnet. + +"Tom," said she, in a kind manner, "will you walk with Virginia to +school this afternoon, as I am going to have some conversation with Mr. +Wilson?" + +The alteration in her tone of voice to me was immediately perceived by +Virginia. + +"You are a dear good Tom," said she, kissing me, as soon as my mother +had left the house. + +As soon as I had left Virginia at school, I went to call upon old Nanny, +whom I found quite brisk and lively, sorting old keys and rusty hinges. + +"Well, Jack," said she, "so you are come at last! I thought you would +have been here yesterday, but nobody cares about an old woman like me. I +heard all about you, and how you took the privateer, and how the Company +have given you a hundred pounds; and when I heard that I said, Jack +(Poor Jack that was, who came begging to old Nanny to lend him money) +will not come to see me, he'll be too proud. Besides,' I said, 'his +family is getting up in the world: there's a baronet and his lady who +have taken them under their protection, and there's lawyer Wilson calls +at the house. Oh, dear me! it's the way of us all.'" + +"And so you said all that to yourself, did you?" replied I. + +"Yes, and a great deal more, too." + +"Then, mother, you did me injustice. I could not well come before; I had +to see my father and mother and my sister, and I had business to +transact." + +"Mercy on us! business to transact! Poor Jack had business to transact! +Here's a change from the time that his whole business was to touch his +hat for coppers and dip his head in the mud for a penny." + +"Nevertheless, what I say is true, and you are very unjust to accuse me +as you have done. I have always thought of you, and have now with me +several things that I have collected for you." + +"Yes, you promised me. Jack, you do keep your promises; I will say that +for you. Well, what have you got?" + +I opened my handkerchief and pulled out several little articles, such as +fine worked baskets, shells, etc., and, among the rest, a pound of tea +in a leaden canister. + +"There, mother, I have brought you them as a present, and I hope you +will take them." + +Old Nanny turned them over one by one, rather contemptuously, as I +thought, until she came to the tea. "That may do," said she. "Why, Jack, +those are all very pretty things, but they are too pretty for my shop. +Why didn't you bring me some empty ginger beer bottles? I could have +sold them this very morning." + +"Why, mother, I really did not like to ask for such things." + +"No, there it is; you've grown so fine all of a sudden. These are no +use, for nobody will come to my shop to buy them." + +"I thought you would like to keep them yourself, mother." + +"Keep them? Oh, they are keepsakes, are they? Look you, Jack, if they +are to be kept you had better take them away at once, and give them to +the young girls. Girls like keepsakes, old women like money." + +"Well, mother, sell them if you please; they are your own." + +"Sell them? let me see--yes, I think I know where there is a sort of +curiosity-shop, in Church Street; but it's a long way to walk, Jack, and +that--let me see," continued she, counting the different articles, "one, +two, three--seven times, Jack." + +"But why not take them all at once?" + +"All at once, you stupid boy! I should get no more for two than for one. +No, no; one at a time, and I may make a few shillings. Well, Jack, it's +very kind of you, after all, so don't mind my being a little cross. It +was not on account of the things, but because you did not come to see +me, and I've been looking out for you." + +"If I had thought that, I would have come sooner, mother, although it +would not have been convenient." + +"I believe you, Jack, I believe you; but you young people can't feel as +an old woman like I do. There is but one thing I love in the world, +Jack, now, and that's you; and when I get weary of waiting for that one +thing, and it don't come, Jack, it does make a poor old woman like me a +little cross for the time." + +I was touched with this last speech of old Nanny's, who had never shown +me any such a decided mark of kindness before. "Mother," said I, "depend +upon it, whenever I return to Greenwich, you shall be the first person +that I come to see after I have been to my mother's." + +"That's kind, Jack, and you keep your promise always. Now sit down; you +don't want to go away already, do you?" + +"No, mother, I came to spend the whole morning with you." + +"Well, then, sit down--take care, Jack, you'll knock down that bottle. +Now tell me, what do you intend to do with your hundred pounds?" + +"I have settled that already, mother. I have given it away." + +"Already! Why, the boy has one hundred pounds given him on the morning, +and he gives it away before night, Mercy on us! who would ever think of +leaving you any money?" + +"No one, mother; and I never expect any except what I earn." + +"Why, Jack, do you know how much one hundred pounds is?" + +"I think so." + +"Now, Jack, tell me the truth, who did you give it to, your father, or +your little sister, or who? for I can't understand how a person could +give away one hundred pounds in any way or to anybody." + +"Well, then, I gave it to my mother." + +"Your mother! your mother, who has hated you, wished you dead, +half-starved you! Jack, is that possible?" + +"My mother has not been fond of me, but she has worked hard for my +sister. This hundred pounds will enable her to do much better than she +does now, and it's of no use to me. Mother may love me yet, Nanny." + +"She ought to," replied old Nanny, gravely; and then she covered her +face up with her hands. "Oh, what a difference!" ejaculated she at last. + +"Difference, mother, difference? in what?" + +"Oh, Jack, between you and--somebody else. Don't talk about it any more, +Jack," said Nanny, casting her eyes down to the presents I had brought +her. "I recollect the time," continued she, evidently talking to +herself, "that I had plenty of presents; ay, and when it was thought a +great favor. I would accept them. That was when I was young and +beautiful; yes, people would laugh if they heard me--young and very +beautiful, or men's smiles and women's hate were thrown away-- + + "'Why so pale and wan, fond lover; + Prithee, why so pale?' + +"Yes, yes, bygones are bygones." + +I was much surprised to hear old Nanny attempt to sing, and could hardly +help laughing; but I restrained myself. She didn't speak again, but +continued bent over one of the baskets, as if thinking about former +days. I broke the silence by saying: + +"What part of the country did you live in when you were young, mother?" + +"In the north part. But never ask questions." + +"Yes, but, mother, I wish to ask questions. I wish you to tell me your +whole history. I will not tell it again to any one, I promise you." + +"But why should you wish to know the history of a poor old thing like +me?" + +"Because, mother, I am sure you must have seen better days." + +"And if I have, Jack, is it kind to ask me to bring up to memory the +days when I was fair and rich, when the world smiled upon me, and I was +fool enough to think that it would always smile? Is it kind to recall +what was to an old, miserable, deserted wretch like me, struggling to +keep out of the workhouse? Look at me now, Jack, and see what I now am. +Is it not cruel to bring to my mind what I once was? Go to, Jack, you're +a selfish boy, and I don't love you." + +"Indeed, mother, if I thought it would have given you pain, I never +would have asked you; but you cannot wonder at me. Recollect that you +have ever been my best friend; you trusted me when nobody else would; +and can you be surprised at my feeling an interest about you? Why, +mother, I don't even know your name." + +"Well, Jack, you have put things in a better light. I do believe that +you care for me, and who else does? But, Jack, my name you never shall +know, even if I am to tell you all the rest." + +"Were you ever married, mother?" + +"Yes, child, I was married. Now, what's the next question?" continued +she, impatiently. + +"Had you any children?" + +"Yes, boy, I had one--one that was a source of misery and shame to his +doting mother." Old Nanny pressed her eyeballs with her knuckles as if +in agony. + +"I won't ask you any more questions," said I mournfully. + +"Not now, Jack, that's a good boy; some other day, perhaps, I'll tell +you all. There's a lesson in every life, and a warning in too many. +You'll come again, Jack--yes, I know you'll come to hear my story, so I +shall see you once more before you leave. Go now." Old Nanny rose and +went indoors, taking her stool in her hand, and leaving the presents +where they lay, outside--a proof that she was in great agitation. I put +them inside the threshold, and then went homeward. + +I could not help remarking, as I walked home, that old Nanny's language +and manner appeared very superior when she broke out in these +reminiscences of the past, and I felt more interest in her than I ever +had before. On my return, I found Bramble, who had come down sooner than +he was expected, sitting in the parlor with Peter Anderson and my +father, all smoking, with porter on the table. + +"Well, Tom," said Bramble, "here I am two days before my time, but +that's better than being two days after it, and, what's more, I've got +the money, both yours and mine. They told me I should not get it for +three months at least; but I sent up my name to the Board, and explained +to them that a pilot could not wait like a purser while they were +passing accounts, so the gentlemen laughed, and gave me an order for it; +and I've got all my pilotage, too, so I'm a rich man just now. Come, +I'll give you yours at once, and I hope it may not be the last hundred +pounds that you'll pick up." + +Bramble pulled his leathern case out of his pilot jacket, and counted +out ten ten-pound notes. "There, Jack, you ought to give me a receipt, +for I signed for you at the India House." + +"Oh, you've plenty of witnesses," replied I, as I collected the notes, +and, giving them to Virginia, told her to take them to my mother, who +was upstairs in her room. + +"To tell you the truth, Jack, this two hundred pounds, which I earned so +easily, has just come in the right time, and with it and my pilotage I +shall now be able to do what I have long wished." + +"And what's that?" inquired I. "Something for Bessy, I suppose." + +"Exactly, Tom, it is something for Bessy; that is, it will be by-and-by. +I've a good matter of money, which I've laid by year after year, and +worked hard for it, too, and I never have known what to do with it. I +can't understand the Funds and those sort of things, so I have kept some +here and some there. Now, you know the grass land at the back of the +cottage: it forms part of a tidy little farm, which is rented for +seventy pounds a year, by a good man, and it has been for sale these +three years; but I never could manage the price till now. When we go +back to Deal, I shall try if I can buy that farm; for, you see, money +may slip through a man's fingers in many ways, but land can't run away; +and, as you say, it will be Bessy's one of these days--and more, too, if +I can scrape it up." + +"You are right, Bramble," said Peter Anderson, "and I am glad to hear +that you can afford to buy the land." + +"Why, there's money to be picked up by pilotage if you work hard, and +aren't afraid of heavy ships," replied Bramble. + +"Well, I never had a piece of land, and never shall have, I suppose," +said my father. "I wonder how a man must feel who can stand on a piece +of ground and say, 'This is my own!'" + +"Who knows, father? it's not impossible but you may." + +"Impossible! No, nothing's impossible, as they say on board of a +man-of-war. It's not impossible to get an apology out of a midshipman, +but it's the next thing to it." + +"Why do they say that, father?" + +"Because midshipmen are so saucy--why, I don't know. They haven't no +rank as officers, nor so much pay as a petty officer, and yet they give +themselves more airs than a lieutenant." + +"I'll tell you why," replied Anderson. "A lieutenant takes care what he +is about. He is an officer, and has something to lose; but a midshipman +has nothing to lose, and therefore he cares about nothing. You can't +break a midshipman, as the saying is, unless you break his neck. And +they have necks which aren't easily broken, that's sartain." + +"They do seem to me to have more lives than a cat," observed my father, +who, after a pause, continued: "Well, I was saying how hard it was to +get an apology out of a midshipman. I'll just tell you what took place +on board of one ship I served in. There was a young midshipman on board +who was mighty free with his tongue; he didn't care what he said to +anybody, from the captain downward. He'd have his joke, come what would, +and he'd set everybody a-laughing; punish him as much as you please, it +was all the same. One day, when we were off Halifax Harbor, the master, +who was a good-tempered fellow enough, but not overbright, was angry +with this young chap for something that he had not done, and called him +a 'confounded young bear,' upon which the youngster runs to the +Jacob-ladder of the main rigging, climbs up, and as soon as he had +gained the main rattlings he cries out, 'Well, if I'm a bear, you aren't +fit to carry guts to a bear.' 'What, sir?' cried the master. 'Mutiny, by +heavens! Up to the masthead, sir, directly.' 'Don't you see that I was +going of my own accord?' replied the midshipman; for, you see, he knew +that he would be sent there, so he went up the rigging on purpose. Well, +this was rather a serious affair, and so the master reports it to the +first lieutenant, who reports it to the captain, who sends for the +youngster on the quarter-deck, at the time that the ship's company were +at quarters. 'Mr. ----' (I forget his name), said the captain (drawing +himself up to his full height, and perhaps an inch or two above it, as +they say), 'you have been guilty of disrespect to your superior officer, +in telling him that he was not fit to carry guts to a bear' (the captain +could hardly help laughing). 'Now, sir,' continued he, recovering +himself, 'I give you your choice: either you will make an apology to Mr. +Owen on this quarter-deck, or you must quit my ship immediately.' 'Sir,' +replied the midshipman, 'I don't think it quite fair that the master +should first punish me himself and then complain to you afterward. He +has taken the law into his own hands already by mastheading me for eight +hours, and now he makes a complaint to you; but I am always ready to do +as you wish, and, to please you, I will make an apology.' 'There is some +truth in your observation,' replied the captain, 'and I have pointed the +same out to the master; but still, this is a breach of discipline which +cannot be passed over, and requires a public retraction before the whole +ship's company. I therefore insist upon your retracting what you have +said.' 'Certainly, sir,' replied the youngster. 'Mr. Owen,' continued +he, turning to the master, 'I said that you were _not_ fit to carry guts +to a bear. I was in the wrong, and I retract with pleasure, for I am +perfectly satisfied that you _are fit_ to carry them.' 'Sir!' cried the +captain. 'Oh, Captain G----!' interrupted the master, who did not take +the joke, 'I'm perfectly satisfied. The young gentleman sees his error, +and has retracted; I ask no more.' 'If you are satisfied, sir,' replied +the captain, biting his lips, 'of course I have nothing more to say. +Youngster, you may go to your duty, and recollect that you never again +use such expressions to your superior officer,' and, said he in a low +tone, 'I may add, never venture in my presence to make such an apology +as that again.'" + +I never saw old Anderson laugh so much as he did at this story of my +father's. They continued to talk and smoke their pipes till about nine +o'clock, when my father and he went to the hospital, and Bramble took +possession of a bed which had been prepared for him in my mother's +house. + + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE + + In which I learn the History of Old Nanny. + + +The next day, as soon as I had finished a letter to Bessy, in which I +gave her a detail of what had passed, I went to old Nanny's to persuade +her, if possible, to tell me her history. She was not at home, the door +of her house was locked and the shutters of the shop fastened. I was +about to return to Fisher's Alley, when I perceived her hobbling down +the street. I thought it better to make it appear as if I met her by +accident; so I crossed over the way and walked toward her. "Well, +mother," said I, "are you out so early?" + +"Ah, Jack, is it you? Yes, it is through you that I have had to take so +long a walk." + +"Through me?" + +"Yes, those presents you brought me. I'm almost dead. Why do you bring +such things? But I did not do badly, that's the truth." + +I knew from this admission that old Nanny had sold them for more than +she expected; indeed, she proved it by saying, as she arrived at her +house, "Well, Jack, it's very troublesome to have to walk so far; but as +you cannot get me bottles or those kind of things, you must bring me +what you can, and I must make the best of them. I don't mind trouble +for your sake, Jack. Now take the key, unlock the door, and then take +down the shutters; and mind how you walk about, Jack, or you'll break +half the things in my shop." I did as she requested, and then we sat +down together at the door as usual. + +"I think I shall go away to-morrow, or early the next morning, mother," +said I, "for Bramble is here, and he never stays long from his work" + +"That's all right, he sets a good example; and, Jack, if you do go, see +if you can't beg a few more shells for me. I like shells." + +"Yes, mother, I will not forget; but, as this is the last day I shall +see you for some time, will you not keep your promise to me, and tell me +your history?" + +"Jack, Jack, you are the most persevering creature I ever did see. I'm +sure I shall be worried out of my life until I tell you, and so I may as +well tell you at once, and there'll be an end of it; but I wish you had +not asked me. Jack, I do indeed. I thought of it last night when I was +in bed, and at one time I made up my mind that I would not tell you, and +then I thought again that I would; for, Jack, as I said yesterday, +there's a lesson in every life, and a warning in too many, and maybe +mine will prove a warning to you, so far as to make you prevent a mother +from being so foolish as I have been. + +[Illustration: NANNY RELATING HER STORY.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 275.] + +"Now, Jack, listen to me: mine is an old story, but in most cases the +consequences have not been so fatal. I shall not tell you my name; it +was once a fair one, but now tarnished. I was the only daughter of a +merchant and ship-owner, a rich man, and the first person in consequence +in the seaport town where I was born and brought up. I never knew my +mother, who died a year after I was born. I was brought up as most girls +are who have no mother or brothers; in short, I was much indulged by my +father and flattered by other people. I was well educated, as you may +suppose; and, moreover, what you may not credit quite so easily, I was +very handsome. In short, I was a beauty and a fortune, at the head of +the society of the place, caressed, indulged, and flattered by all. +This, if it did not spoil me, at least made me willful. I had many +offers, and many intended offers, which I nipped in the bud, and I was +twenty-three before I saw any one who pleased me. At last a vessel came +in consigned to the house, and the captain was invited to dinner. He was +a handsome careless young man, constantly talking about the qualities of +his ship, and, to my surprise, paying me little or none of that +attention which I now considered as my due. This piqued me, and in the +end I set my affections on him; either he did not or would not perceive +it, and he sailed without showing me any preference. In six months he +returned, and whether it was that he was told of by others, or at last +perceived, my feelings toward him, he joined the crowd of suitors, made +a proposal in his offhand manner, as if he was indifferent as to my +reply, and was accepted. My father, to whom he communicated the +intelligence as carelessly as if he were talking about freight, did not +approve of the match. 'Very well,' replied he, 'I shall say no more; as +long as a man has a ship he does not want a wife.' He returned and +stated what had passed, and my father also spoke to me. I was +self-willed and determined, and my father yielded. We were married, and +I certainly had no reason to complain of my husband, who was very kind +to me. But I was jealous of--what do you think? Of his ship! For he +cared more for it than he did for me; and three months after our +marriage, notwithstanding all my tears and entreaties, and the +expostulations of my father, he would sail again. He offered to take me +with him, and I would gladly have gone, but my father would not listen +to it. He sailed, and I never saw him again; his vessel, with all hands, +foundered, with many others, in a heavy gale. The news did not arrive +until many months afterward, and I had not been a mother more than six +weeks when I found that I was a widow. I have passed all this over +quickly, Jack, because it is of less moment--my trials had not +commenced. + +"The loss of my husband, as may be supposed, only endeared my child the +more to me, and I wept over him as he smiled upon me in his cradle. My +father had reverses in his business, but those I cared little for. He +did, however: he had been the richest man in the town, he was now +comparatively poor; his pride was crushed, it broke his heart, and he +died; the whole of his assets at the winding up of his affairs not +exceeding ten thousand pounds. This was, however, quite enough, and more +than enough, for me. I thought but of one object--it was my darling boy; +he represented to me all I had lost; in him I saw my husband, father, +and everything. I lived but for him. He was my idolatry, Jack. I +worshiped the creature instead of the Creator. + +"As he grew up I indulged him in everything; he never was checked; I +worried myself day and night to please him, and yet he never was +pleased. He was so spoiled that he did not know what he wanted. He was a +misery to himself and all about him, except to me, who was so blinded by +my love. As he advanced to manhood his temper showed itself to be +violent and uncontrollable; he was the terror of others, and prudent +people would shake their heads and prophesy. He would not submit to any +profession; the only wish that he had was to go to sea, and that was my +terror. I implored him on my knees not to think of it, but in vain; at +first he used to threaten when he wanted money for his extravagances, +and it was a sure way to obtain it; but one day I discovered that he had +quitted the port without saying farewell, and that he had sailed in a +vessel bound to the coast of Africa. A short letter and a heavy bill was +received from Portsmouth, and I did not hear of him for two years. I was +heartbroken, but not weaned from him; I counted the days for his return. +At last he came--browned by the climate, full of oaths, savage in his +bearing, and occasionally referring to scenes which made me shudder; but +he was my son, my only son, and I loved him as much as ever. He was now +but seldom at home, for he lived almost at the gaming-tables; if he came +to me, it was to extort money, and he never failed. I sold out my +property to support his extravagance, and by degrees it was rapidly +diminishing. I begged him, I entreated him, to be more prudent, but he +laughed, and promised to return me all the first lucky hit he should +make; but that lucky hit never came, and at last I had but two thousand +pounds left. This I positively refused to part with: the interest of it +was barely sufficient for my wants; I asked no more, but I expostulated +and I reasoned with him in vain. He only begged me for five hundred +pounds; if I sold the money out, he would tell me where I might have as +good interest for the fifteen hundred pounds as I now received for the +two thousand pounds. He begged and entreated me, he kissed, and he even +wept. I could not withstand his importunities: I sold out the money, and +gave him the sum he wanted; the fifteen hundred pounds I put by in my +desk, to invest as he had pointed out. That very night he forced the +lock, took out the money, and left me without a sixpence in the world." + +"What a villain!" exclaimed I. + +"Yes, you may so. Jack; but who made him such a villain but his foolish +doting mother? Had I done him justice, had I checked him when young, had +I brought him up as I ought to have done, he might now have been a +happiness and a blessing to his mother. I was the person to blame, not +he; and many years of anguish have I lamented my folly and my +wretchedness." + +"You loved him too much, mother, but it was a fault on the right side." + +"No, Jack, that is an error of yours; it was a fault on the wrong side. +There is no credit to a mother in loving her children, for she cannot +help it. It is a natural instinct implanted in the mother's heart by the +Almighty, and in following this instinct we do no more than the beasts +of the field. The duty of a mother is to check that feeling as far as it +interferes with the happiness and well-doing of her children, and it is +her duty to do so, and to punish herself in correcting her children. +Jack, it is a selfish feeling which induces mothers to spoil their +children." + +"At all events my mother has never spoiled me," replied I. + +"No, Jack, she has not; but observe the consequence. You said just now +that excessive tenderness was a fault on the right side; now, how +completely have you proved the contrary! I do not intend to defend your +mother's conduct toward you; she has been unkind to you in your +childhood, and has never shown the affection that a mother ought; but is +not her fault a fault on the right side? Jack, you recollect my saying +'what a difference,' when you told me what you had done for your mother; +I then referred to my son and to you. I indulged him in everything, +sacrificed everything, and he robbed me and left me a beggar. Your +mother has been severe upon you, and yet the first time you have the +means of showing your duty you give her all the money you have in the +world. You mother may not be right, Jack, but I was dreadfully wrong, +and the result has proved it." + +"Well, mother, go on, pray." + +"My story is now soon told. I struggled on how I could for more than two +years by selling my furniture and a few ornaments, then the blow came. +When I heard it I would not remain in the town; I left for London, +picked up my living how I could and where I could, till at last I came +down here. Time was as a dream; reflection was too painful. I felt that +it was all my fault, all my own doing. My heart became hardened, and +continued so till I loved you, Jack; and now I have better feelings, at +least I think so." + +"But, mother, what was the blow? Is he dead?" + +"Yes, Jack, dead--dead on the gibbet. He was hanged for piracy at Port +Royal, Jamaica. Jack," said Nanny, seizing my hand, and pressing it in +her long fingers, "this is a secret; recollect, a secret deep as the +grave; promise me, as you hope for heaven!" + +"I do, mother, as I hope for heaven." + +"Now, Jack, leave me. Good-by. You will come and see me when you return, +and never bring this subject up again. Bless you, my child! bless you!" + +I left poor old Nanny with her face buried in her apron; and it was in a +very melancholy mood that I returned home. I could not help thinking of +the picture in the spelling-book, where the young man at the gallows is +biting off the ear of his mother, who, by her indulgence, had brought +him to that disgrace. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY + + Strong symptoms of Mutiny, which is fortunately Quelled by granting + a Supply. + + +It was a beautiful sunshiny warm morning when I arose, and, as Bramble +intended that we should leave Greenwich the next day, I thought I might +as well call at the house of Dr. Tadpole, and try if I could see him +before I went. When I arrived there he was not at home, but my namesake +Tom was, as usual, in the shop. Tom was two or three years older than +me, being between seventeen and eighteen, and he had now grown a great +tall fellow. We always were very good friends, when we occasionally met, +and he generally appeared to be as good tempered and grinning as ever; +but when I now entered the shop I found him very grave and dejected, so +much so that I could not help asking him what was the matter. + +"Matter enough, I think," said Tom, who was pounding something in the +mortar. "I'll not stay here, that's flat. I'll break my indentures, as +sure as my name's Tom Cob, and I'll set up an opposition, and I'll join +the Friends of the People Society, and the Anti-Bible Society, and every +other opposition Anti in the country." + +"Why, what has happened, Tom?" + +"I'll make speeches against Church and against State, and against the +Aristocracy, and Habeas Corpus, and against Physic, and against Standing +Armies, and Magna Charta, and every other rascally tyranny and +oppression to which we are subjected, that I will!" Here Tom gave such a +thump with the pestle that I thought he would have split the mortar. + +"But what is it, Tom?" inquired I, as I sat down. "What has the doctor +done?" + +"Why, I'll tell you, the liquorice is all gone, and he won't order any +more." + +"Well, that is because you have eaten it all." + +"No, I haven't; I haven't eaten a bit for these five weeks: it's all +been used in pharmacopey, honestly used, and he can't deny it." + +"Who used it?" + +"Why, I did: he said he wouldn't stand my eating liquorice, and I told +him that I shouldn't eat any more. No more I have, but I ain't well, and +I prescribes for myself. Haven't I a right to do that? Mayn't I physic +myself? I am a doctor as well as he is. Who makes up all the medicine, I +should like to know? who ties up the bottles and writes directions? +Well, my insides are out of order, and I prescribes for myself--black +draughts 'omnes duas horas sumendum'; and now he says that, as the +ingredients are all gone, I shan't take any more." + +"And pray what were the ingredients, Tom?" + +"Why, laxative and alterative, as suits my complaint--Extract. +liquor.--aqua pura--haustus." + +"And what is that?" + +"_Liquorice and water_, to be sure; there's nothing else I can take. +I've tasted everything in the shop, from plate powder to aqua fortis, +and everything goes against my stomach." + +"Well, Tom, it's a hard case; but perhaps the doctor will think better +of it" + +"He'd better, or I'll set up for myself, for I won't stand it any +longer; it ain't only for myself but for others that I care. Why, I've a +hankering for Anny Whistle (you know her, don't you?), a pretty little +girl with red lips--lives in Church Street. Well, as long as I could +bring her a bit of liquorice when I went to see her all was smooth +enough, and I got many a kiss when no one was nigh; but now that I can't +fork out a bit as big as a marble, she's getting quite shy of me, and is +always walking with Bill, the butcher's boy. I know he gives her bull's +eyes--I seed him one day buying a ha'p'orth. Now, ain't that hard?" + +"Why, certainly, the affair becomes serious; but, still, how you are to +set up for yourself I don't know. You are not qualified." + +"Oh! ain't I? Just as much as most doctors are. There must be a +beginning, and if I gives wrong medicine at first, then I'll try +another, and so on, until I come to what will cure them. Soon learn, +Tom." + +"Well, but how will you do about surgery?" + +"Surgery? Oh, I'll do very well; don't know much about it just now--soon +learn." + +"Why, would you venture to take off a man's leg, Tom? Do you know how to +take up the arteries?" + +"Would I take off a man's leg? To be sure I would, as quick as the +doctor could. As for the arteries, why, I might puzzle a little about +them; but by the time I had taken off three or four legs I should know +something about them. Practice makes perfect--soon learn, Tom." + +"But all your first patients would die." + +"I don't know that. At all events I should do my best, and no man can do +more, and if they did die, why, it would be by the visitation of God, +wouldn't it?" + +"Not altogether, I'm afraid. It won't do, Tom." + +"It has done from the beginning of the world, and will do. I say there's +no learning without practice. People spoil at first in every trade, and +make afterward, and a man ain't born a doctor any more than he is a +carpenter." + +"No, but if I recollect right, to be a surgeon you ought to walk the +hospital, as they term it." + +"Well, and haven't I for these last four years? When I carries out my +basket of physic I walks the _hospital_ right through, twice at least +every day in the week." + +"That's Greenwich Hospital." + +"Well, so it is, and plenty of surgical cases in it. However, the doctor +and I must come to a proper understanding. I didn't clean his boots this +morning. I wish, if you see him, Tom, you'd reason with him a little." + +"I'll see what I can do, but don't be rash. Good-by, Tom; mind you tell +the doctor that I called." + +"Well, I will; but that's not in my indentures." + +I called in at the widow's after I left the doctor's shop, and +communicated the intended rebellion on the part of Tom. + +"Well," said Mrs. St. Felix, "I shall not forget to make the Spanish +claim, and prevent Tom from walking Spanish. The doctor is very +inconsiderate; he forgets that Tom's regard for liquorice is quite as +strong as his own liking for a cigar. Now, if the doctor don't promise +me to have a fresh supply for Tom, I won't let him have a cigar for +himself." + +The doctor was compelled to surrender at discretion. The next wagon +brought down one hundred weight of liquorice, and Tom recovered his +health and the smiles of Anny Whistle. + +When I left the widow's I proceeded to the hospital to find Anderson and +my father. As I walked along I perceived Dick Harness on a bench, who +hailed me. + +"Well, Tom, I haven't seen anything of you for I don't know how long, +since you've taken to a seafaring life. This is a beautiful day, is it +not? It makes one feel so happy and cheerful such a day as this. +Everybody and everything looks gay, the birds seem so merry, and the +little clouds seem to scud away as if their hearts were as light as +themselves. Come, sit down a minute; here's a song for you you've never +heard, one I don't often sing, because they say it's all about myself." + +"Well, then, I should like to hear that." + +"Here goes, then. + + "Sam Swipes, he was a seaman true, + As brave and bold a tar + As e'er was dressed in navy blue + On board a man-of-war. + + "One fault he had--on sea or land + He was a thirsty dog; + For Sammy never could withstand + A glass or so of grog. + + "He always liked to be at sea, + For e'en on shore, the rover, + If not as drunk as he could be + Was always 'half seas over.' + + "The gunner, who was apt to scoff, + With jokes most aptly timed, + Said Sam might any day go off, + 'Cause he was always 'primed,' + + "Sam didn't want a feeling heart, + Though never seen to cry; + Yet tears were always on the start, + 'The drop was in his eye.' + + "At fighting Sam was never shy, + A most undoubted merit; + His courage never failed, and why? + He was so full of 'spirit.' + + "In action he had lost an eye, + But that gave him no trouble; + Quoth Sam, I have no cause to sigh, + I'm always 'seeing double.' + + "A shot from an unlucky gun + Put Sam on timber pegs; + It didn't signify to one + Who ne'er could 'keep his legs.' + + "One night he filled a pail with grog, + Determined he would suck it; + He drained it dry, the thirsty dog! + Hiccupped, and 'kicked the bucket.'" + +"There's Bill's fiddle, Dick," said I, getting up; "I thought you would +bring him out." + +"Yes, I was sure of that. I'll sing another verse or two, and then be +off to the park, and leave him in the lurch." + +"I can't wait any more, Dick; I must go to my father," said I. + +"Well, off with you, then, and I'm off, too. Sing tura la, tura la, tura +lura la. Bill's coming down. How savage the nigger will be!" + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE + + In which my Father proves he can give good Advice as well as Peter + Anderson. + + +I found my father under the colonnade, and inquired of him if Anderson +was there. + +"No, he's not," replied my father; "he has been sent for by the +officers; so stop, Tom--that is, if you can spare a minute for your own +father." + +"Of course I can," replied I, taking my seat by him. + +"Why, you see, boy," said my father, "I have but very little of your +company, and I feel it, Tom, I do indeed. I'm not jealous, and I know +that Peter Anderson has done more for you than ever I could, for I've no +larning to signify; but still, Tom, I am your father, and I don't think +Peter, although he may be proud of your turning out so well, can feel +exactly for you what a father does. I'm proud enough of you, Heaven +knows, and it does hurt me a little when I find that, whenever you come +here, it is for Peter Anderson, and it makes me wish sometimes that I +had been Peter Anderson instead of your father." + +"Indeed, father," replied I, "I hope you don't think that I like +Anderson better than I do you; but you recollect that I have been +accustomed all my life to take his advice." + +"I know it, boy, I know it. I was serving my country and doing my duty +on board of a King's ship, and you were left here, and therefore lucky +it was that you fell in with old Peter; but, Tom, I could not be in two +places at the same time, and if I did not do my duty as a father toward +you, at all events I was doing my duty to my country." + +"To be sure you were, and it was of more importance than looking after a +brat like me," replied I, soothingly, for I really never had the idea +that my father could have showed so much feeling. + +"Why, Tom, I can't say that I thought so, for the fact is I didn't think +about it; indeed, I thought about nothing. Sailors afloat have little +time to think; they can't think when it's their watch on deck, for they +are too busy; nor at their watch below, for they're too tired; nor at +meal-times, for they must look after their share of the victuals; +indeed, there is not any time to think on board ship, and that's a fact. +But, Tom, since I've been laid up here I have thought a good deal. All +is calm and quiet, and one day passes just like the other, and no fear +of interruption when one don't wish it--and I have thought a good deal. +At first I thought it a hard case to be shoved on the shelf at my age, +but I don't think so now--I'm quite satisfied." + +"I'm glad to hear you say so, father." + +"Yes, Tom. And then, you see, when I was afloat, I didn't think any good +of your mother, and I was glad to keep out of her way; and then I didn't +care about my children, for I didn't know them; but now I've other +thoughts, Tom. I don't think your mother so bad, after all; to be sure, +she looks down upon me 'cause I'm not genteel; but I suppose I aren't, +and she has been used to the company of gentlefolk; besides she works +hard, and now that I don't annoy her by getting tipsy, as I used to +do, at all events she's civil; and then I never knew what it was to have +children until I came here, and found Virginia and you; and I'm proud of +you both, and love you both better than anything on earth; and, although +I may not be so well brought up or so well taught as you both are, +still, Tom, I'm your father, and all I can say is, I wish for your sakes +I was better than I am." + +[Illustration: JACK AND HIS FATHER UNDER THE COLONNADE.--Marryat, Vol +X., p. 289.] + +"Don't say so, father. You know that Virginia and I are both as fond of +you as you are of us." + +"Well, mayhap you are; I don't say no. You are both good children, and +at all events would try to like me; but still I do feel that you can't +look up to me exactly; but that's my misfortune, Tom, more than my +fault. I haven't larning like Anderson, or gentility like your mother. +I've only a true heart to offer to you. You see, Tom, I've said all this +because you are always after Anderson; not but that I like Anderson, for +he's a good man, and has been of sarvice to me, and I don't think he +would ever say anything to you that would make you think less of me." + +"No, indeed, father; on the contrary, I once asked him his opinion about +you, and he spoke most highly of you; and whenever I go to him for +advice, he always sends me to you to approve of what he has said." + +"Well, he is a good man, and I'm very sorry to have any feeling of envy +in me, that's the truth; but still a father must have a father's +feelings. Don't let us say anything more about it, Tom; only try next +time, when you want advice, whether I can't give it. You can always go +to Peter afterward, and see whether I'm right or wrong." + +"I will indeed, my dear father, now I know that you wish it." + +I never felt so warm toward my father as after this conversation; there +was so much affection toward me, and yet so much humility shown by him, +as respected himself, that I was quite touched with it, and I began to +think that he really had had occasion to complain, and that I had not +treated him with that respect which he deserved. + +"Now, Tom, I've something to say to you. When Anderson, Bramble, and I +were taking a pipe together last night, Bramble said that he had a +letter from the captain of the Indiaman, offering you a berth on board +as guinea-pig, or midshipman. He said that he had not shown it to you as +yet, because it was of no use, as he was sure you would not accept it. +Well, Anderson and I said that at least you ought to know it, and have +the refusal; and your mother pricked up her ears and said that it was +much more genteel than being a pilot; so I now put the question to you.' + +"Thank you, father; but Bramble was right. I shall not accept of it, +although I am much obliged to the captain." + +Here my father stopped me. "First, Tom," said he, "we must overhaul the +pros and cons, as people call them. Old Anderson weighed them very +closely, and now you shall hear them." Here my father commenced a long +story, with which I shall not tire the reader, as to the prospects on +either side; but as soon as he had finished I replied: + +"That all he said was very true; but that I had made up my mind that, if +ever I were regularly to serve, it should be in a man-of-war, not in a +merchant vessel; that it was certainly possible that I might, after +serving many years, become a captain of an Indiaman, which was a high +position, but I preferred being a pilot, and more my own master; that if +there were no other objections, that of being absent for three years at +a time from him and Virginia would be more than sufficient, and that I +was very happy where I was, as Bramble and little Bessy were almost +equal to another father and another sister. A rolling stone gathers no +moss, they say, father. I have entered into the pilot service, and in +that I hope to remain." + +"Well, you're right, Tom; Bramble said you would decide so. There's +nothing like being contented with what we are and what we have got." + +"I might probably become a richer man if I were to be a captain of an +Indiaman," observed I; "but I'm sure if ever I'm able to buy a little +farm, as Bramble is now able to do, I shall think myself quite rich +enough." + +"You see, Tom, it all depends upon what people's ideas are. One man +thinks himself rich with what another would think that he was a beggar. +Now I dare say old Nanny thinks that shop of old iron and rubbish that +she has got together the finest shop in all Greenwich." + +"I believe she does, and the prettiest," replied I, laughing. + +"Well now, Tom, an odd thing happened the other day while you were away, +just to prove how true that is. You may recollect a little old man in +our ward, Phil Nobbs they called him, who walked with his chin half a +yard before him. Well, he took to the sick ward and died, since you have +been gone. I went to see him, of course, and he was always talking about +his property; and none of us knew where it was, but we supposed that he +had it somewhere. One day, as I was sitting by his bed, he says, +'Saunders, the doctor's coming round, just tell him I want to make my +will, for I feel as if I were slipping my wind.' Well, the doctor and +the chaplain both came to his bedside with the paper, and Nobbs raised +himself on his elbow, and said, 'Are you ready, sir? Well, then, I'll +make short work of it. This is my last will and testament: first, I +wish a white pall over me, when I'm buried, and that expense must be +deducted, after which I bequeath to my nephews and nieces, James Strong, +Walter Strong, Ellen Strong, Mary Williams, the one married, Peter +Strong, all of Rotherhithe, and to Thomas Day, Henry Day, and Nicholas +Day, of Eltham, the whole of my money and personal effects, _share and +share alike_, equally divided among them all. There, sir, that will do. +I can't write, but I'll put my cross to it.' Well, the old fellow died +that night, and notice of his will was sent to his nephews and nieces, +who all came on the day of his burial dressed in their best, for they +were all mechanics and laborers, poor people, to whom, I suppose, a +legacy was a great object. The chaplain had asked Nobbs where his money +was, and he replied that it was in the hands of Lieutenant ----, who +knew all about his affairs. After the funeral they all went in a body to +the lieutenant, who stated that he had ten shillings belonging to Nobbs, +out of which seven shillings were to be deducted for the white pall; and +that as for his other effects, they must be in his cabin, as he never +heard of his having anything but what was there. So we went to his +cabin, and there we found five or six penny prints against the wall, two +pair of old canvas trousers, and an old hat, six cups and saucers, +cracked and mended; and this was all his property, altogether not worth +(with the three shillings) more than seven or eight at the outside, if +so much. You may guess the disappointment of his nephews and nieces, who +had lost a good day's work and come so far for nothing; and I must say +they were not very dutiful in their remarks upon their old uncle as they +walked off. Now you see, Tom, this old fellow had been in the hospital +for more than twenty years, and had been able to save no more than what +he had out of his shilling per week, and in his eyes this small +property was very large, for it was the saving of twenty years. He +thought so, poor fellow, because he probably had never saved so many +shillings in his life. There was no joking about it, I can assure you." + +"Well, father, I hope I may be able to save more than seven shillings +before I die; but no one knows. I have made my decision as I think for +the best, and we must leave the rest to Providence. We never know +whether we do right or wrong." + +"Never, Jack; things which promise well turn out bad, and things which +look very bad often turn out just as well. I recollect an instance which +was told me, which I'll give you as a proof that we never know what is +best for us in this world. A man may plan, and scheme, and think in his +blindness that he has arranged everything so nicely that nothing can +fail, and down he lies on his bed and goes to sleep quite satisfied that +affairs must turn out well as he has ordered them, forgetting that +Providence disposes as it thinks fit. There was a gentleman by birth, of +the name of Seton, who lived at Greenock; he was very poor, and although +he had high friends and relations well-to-do, he was too proud to ask +for assistance. His wife was equally proud; and at last one day he died, +leaving her with hardly a penny, and two fine boys of the names of +Archibald and Andrew. Well, the widow struggled on, how she lived no one +knew, but she fed the boys and herself, and was just as stately as ever. +Her relations did offer to educate the boys and send them to sea, but +she refused all assistance. There was a foundation or chartered school +at Greenock, to which she was entitled to send her children to be +educated without expense, and to that school they went. I don't know +why, but they say the master had had a quarrel with their father when he +was alive, and the master had not forgotten it now he was dead, and in +consequence he was very severe upon these two boys, and used to beat +them without mercy; at all events it did them good, for they learned +faster than any of the others who were at all favored, and they soon +proved the best boys in the school. Well, time ran on till Archibald was +thirteen and Andrew twelve years old, and, being very tired of school, +they asked their mother what profession they were to be of, and she +answered, 'Anything except going to sea, for there you will never get +on.' But times became harder with the widow; she had not enough to give +the boys to eat, and they complained bitterly; but it was of no use, so +they got on how they could, until one day Archy says to Andrew, 'Why, +brother, we have nothing but ferrule for breakfast, dinner, and supper, +and I see little chance of our getting anything more. Mother, poor soul! +has not enough for herself to eat, and she very often gives us her +dinner and goes without. I can't stand it any longer; what shall we do? +shall we seek our fortunes?' + +"'Yes,' says Andrew, 'and when we are gone mother will have enough for +herself.' + +"'Well, they say anything is better than going to sea, but I don't know +how we can do anything else.' + +"'Well, Archy, going to sea may be the worst of all, but it's better +than taking the victuals out of poor mother's mouth.' + +"'That's very true, so we'll be off, Andrew.' + +"They walked down to the pier, and then they fell in with the captain of +a vessel going foreign, and they asked him whether he wanted any boys on +board. + +"'Why,' says he, 'I wouldn't care, but you've never been to sea +before.' + +"'No,' said Archy; 'but there must be a beginning to everything.' + +"'Well,' said the captain, 'I suppose you've run away from your friends, +and, as I can't get apprentices now, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll +take you on board, and as soon as we get round to another port in the +Channel, I'll bind you as apprentices for three years. Will you agree to +that?' + +"The boys said 'yes,' and the captain told them that he should sail the +next morning about daylight, and that they must be down at the pier by +that time; so they went back again to their mother, and said nothing +about what had passed. There was no supper that night, which confirmed +them in their resolution. They kissed their mother, and went up to bed, +packed up all their clothes, and before she was downstairs the next +morning they were on board of the vessel. + +"Well, they were duly apprenticed when the ship arrived at Weymouth, and +then off they went. The other men on board were, as usual, very much +afraid of being pressed, and every plan was hit upon for stowing away +when they were boarded by a man-of-war. Well, time passed, and after +many voyages they had both nearly served their time. They were tall, +stout young men, and looked older than they really were. At last, one +day, when off the Western Isles, they were boarded by a frigate, and the +officer who came in the boat asked Archy what he was, and he replied he +was an apprentice. + +"'You an apprentice!' cried he; 'that won't do.' + +"'But here are the indentures.' + +"'All forged,' cried the officer; 'just get into the boat, my lad.' (You +see that's a very common trick of officers; if a boy's grown up and fit +for service, they don't care about indentures.) Well, Archy found it was +of no use, so he gets his kit and steps into the boat, shaking hands +with Andrew, who was shedding tears at the thoughts of parting with his +brother. + +[Illustration: A SURPRISE.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 297.] + +"'It's no use crying, Andrew,' says he; 'I might have been second mate +in three months, as the captain promised me when my time was up, and +then I should have been protected, and might have risen from mate to +captain; but now it's all over with me. May you have better luck, and I +hope the captain will give you the berth instead of me.' Well, away went +Archy on board of the man-of-war, looking very gloomy, as you may +suppose. When he went aft on the quarter-deck the captain asked him his +name and where he came from. + +"'Ah,' said the captain, 'and who are your friends? So Archy told him +that he had only his mother left. The captain asked him a good many more +questions as to whether he had been educated or not, and what he knew, +and then rated him A.B., and put him into the maintop. Well, Archie +remained there for about six months, and found that a man-of-war was not +so bad a place after all; and he was well treated by the captain and +officers, the more so as he was a good scholar. After the cruise was +over the frigate ran into the Channel, and anchored in Portland Roads, +where there were a great many vessels wind-bound. As usual, they sent +round to press the men. Now Archy was one of those sent in the boats, +and by this time, being a man-of-war's man all over, he was just as +eager to get the men as the others were. They boarded several vessels, +and got some men; about dark they boarded one which laid well in the +offing. The captain was not on board, and the men were turned up, but +they were very few, and all protected. Now Archy, who was up to the +hiding-places on board a merchant vessel, goes down with his cutlass, +and crawls about in the dark, until at last he gets hold of a man by the +heels. 'Come out, you thief,' cries he, 'come out directly, or I'll give +you an inch of my cutlass;' so the man, finding that he could not help +himself, backs out, stern foremost. Archy collars him and takes him on +deck, when who should it prove to be but his own brother Andrew! + +"'Oh, Archy, Archy, I didn't think this of you!' + +"'Well, Andrew, I didn't know it was you, but there's no help for it; +you must come and serve in the maintop along with me, and give up all +chance of being a mate or captain of a merchant vessel. We're in bad +luck, that's clear, but it can't be helped.' There was a good laugh on +board of the man-of-war at Archy pressing his own brother, and the +captain was very much amused. 'I'm very sorry for it,' said Archy. + +"Now the captain was short of midshipmen, and, being obliged to sail +immediately, he determined to put Archy on the quarter-deck, and so he +did, while Andrew served in the maintop. But this did not last long. The +captain, who liked Andrew quite as well, and who knew their family and +connections, put Andrew also on the quarter-deck; and what was the +consequence? Why, they are now both post-captains, commanding fine +frigates. So you see, going on board of a man-of-war, which they +conceived as their ruin, was the means of their rising to rank and +riches, for they have been very lucky in the service. I heard Captain +Archibald tell the story himself one day as I helped at dinner in the +cabin when I was coxswain with Sir Hercules." + +"Well, father, that's a good story to the point, but I do not see that I +ever have any chance of being a post-captain." + +"Don't seem much like it, certainly; but you've a good chance of being a +pilot." + +"Yes, that I certainly have; and a pilot is always respected, go on +board what ship he may." + +"To be sure he is, because he is supposed to have more knowledge than +any one on board." + +"Then I am contented, father, with the prospect of being respectable; so +there's an end of that business, except that I must write and thank the +captain for his kindness." + +"Just so, Tom. Do you dine with me?" + +"No, father. I promised to meet Bramble at the 'Jolly Sailors.' We are +going up to Mr. Wilson's." + +"Ay, about the farm he wants to buy. Well, the clock is striking, so +good-by till this evening." + +I must explain to the reader that Mr. Wilson, having heard of Bramble's +intention to purchase the farm, very kindly interfered. He had a son who +was a solicitor at Dover, and he recommended Bramble not to appear +personally, but let his son manage the affair for him, which he promised +should be done without expense. The next morning Bramble and I took our +leave and quitted Greenwich, taking the coach to Dover; for Bramble, +having a good deal of money in his pocket, thought it better to do so +than to wait till he could take a ship down the river. On our arrival at +Dover we called upon Mr. Wilson's son, who had already made inquiries, +and eventually obtained the farm for Bramble for two hundred pounds less +than he expected to give for it, and, very handsomely, only charged him +for the stamps of the conveyance. When we arrived at Deal we found Mrs. +Maddox quite recovered, and sitting with little Bessy in the parlor +below. + +After Mrs. Maddox and Bessy went upstairs to bed, Bramble said to me, as +he knocked the ashes out of his pipe, "Tom, I've got this farm for Bessy +for two hundred pounds less than I expected to give for it. Now, I've +been thinking about this two hundred pounds, which I consider in a +manner as her property, and what d'ye think I mean to do with it? I'll +tell you. I'll give her education as well as money. This sum will keep +her at a good school for a matter of four years, and I've made up my +mind that she shall go. I don't like to part with her, that's certain; +but it's for her good, so all's right. Don't you think so?" + +"I do, indeed, father," replied I. "I shall miss her as much as you do; +but, as you say, it's all right, and I'm very glad that you have so +decided." + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO + + In which there is a Hop, Skip, and a Jump. + + +Life has often, and with great truth, been compared to a river. In +infancy a little rill, gradually increasing to the pure and limpid +brook, which winds through flowery meads, "giving a gentle kiss to every +ridge it overtaketh in its pilgrimage." Next it increases in its volume +and its power, now rushing rapidly, now moving along in deep and +tranquil water, until it swells into a bold stream, coursing its way +over the shallows, dashing through the impeding rocks, descending in +rapids swift as thought, or pouring its boiling water over the cataract. +And thus does it vary its velocity, its appearance, and its course, +until it swells into a broad expanse, gradually checking its career as +it approaches, and at last mingles with the ocean of Eternity. I have +been led into this somewhat trite metaphor, to account to the reader for +the contents of this chapter. As in the river, after many miles of +checkered and boisterous career, you will find that its waters will for +some time flow in a smooth and tranquil course as almost to render you +unconscious of the never-ceasing stream; so in the life of man, after an +eventful and adventurous career, it will be found that for a time he is +permitted to glide gently and quietly along, as if a respite were given +to his feelings preparatory to fresh scenes of excitement. Such was the +case with me for some time. I had now been under Bramble's tuition for +more than a year and a half, and was consequently between fifteen and +sixteen years old. The years from 1800 to the end of 1804 were of this +description in my stream of life, unmarked by any peculiar or stirring +events worthy of occupying the attention of my readers. It is therefore +my intention, in this chapter, to play the part of the chorus in the old +plays, and sum up the events in few words, so as not to break the chain +of history, at the same time that I shall prepare my readers for what +subsequently took place. + +I will first speak of myself. Up to the age of nineteen I continued my +career under the care of Bramble; we seldom remained long on shore, for +neither Bramble nor I found home so agreeable since little Bessy had +been sent to school, and Mrs. Maddox, assisted by a little girl, had +charge of the house; indeed, Bramble appeared resolved to make all the +money he could, that he might the sooner be able to give up his +profession. Mrs. Maddox I have spoken little of, because I had seen but +little of her; now that she was downstairs, I will not say I saw, but I +certainly heard too much of her, for she never ceased talking; not that +she talked loud or screamed out--on the contrary, she was of a mild +amiable temper, but could not hold her tongue. If she could not find any +_one_ to talk to she would talk to any _thing_; if she was making the +fire she would apostrophize the sticks for not burning properly. I +watched her one morning as she was kneeling down before the grate: + +"Now, stick, you must go in," said she; "it's no use your resisting, and +what's more, you must burn, and burn quickly too--d'ye hear? or the +kettle won't boil in time for breakfast. Be quick, you little +fellow--burn away and light the others, there's a good boy." Here she +knocked down the tongs. "Tongs, be quiet; how dare you make that noise?" +Then, as she replaced them, "Stand up, sir, in your place until you are +wanted. Now, poker, your turn's coming, we must have a stir directly. +Bless me, smoke, what's the matter with you now? can't you go up the +chimney? You can't pretend to say the wind blows you down this fine +morning, so none of your vagaries. Now, fender, it's your turn--stand +still till I give you a bit of a rub. There, now you're all right. +Table, you want your face washed--your master has spilled his grog last +night--there now, you look as handsome as ever. Well, old chair, how are +you this morning? You're older than I am, I reckon, and yet you're +stouter on your legs. Why, candle, are you burning all this while? Why +didn't you tell me? I would have put you out long ago. Come, now, don't +be making a smell here--send it up the chimney." + +Thus would she talk to everything. We only had two animals in the +house--a cat and a canary bird: of course they were not neglected, but +somehow or another the cat appeared to get tired of it, for it would +rise and very gently walk into the back kitchen; and as for the canary +bird, like all other canary birds, as soon as he was talked to be would +begin to sing, and that so loud that Mrs. Maddox was beaten out of the +field. Bramble bore with her very well, but at the same time he did not +like it: he once said to me, "Well, if Bessy were at Deal, I think I +would take a short spell now; but as for that poor good old soul, whose +tongue is hung on the middle and works at both ends, she does tire one, +and that's the truth." But she really was a good-natured, kind creature, +ready to oblige in everything; and I believe that she thought that she +was amusing you when she talked on in this way. Unfortunately she had no +anecdote, for she had a very bad memory, and therefore there was nothing +to be gained from her. By way of amusing me, she used to say, "Now, Tom, +sit down here, and I'll tell you all about my bad leg." And then she +would commence with the first symptoms, the degrees of pain, the various +plasters, bandages, and poultices which had been applied, and what the +doctor had said this day and that day. I bore this very patiently for +four or five times; but at last, after several days of increasing +impatience (somewhere about the fifteenth time, I believe), I could +stand it no more, so I jumped off my chair and ran away just as she +commenced the interesting detail. + +"Mrs. Maddox," said I, "I cannot bear to hear of your sufferings; pray +never mention them again." + +"What a kind-hearted creature you are!" said she. "Well, I won't, then. +It's not many who have such pity in them. Cotton, where have you got +to--always running away? One would think you don't like to be knitted. +Now, cotton, don't be foolish; where have you hid yourself? You make +others as bad as yourself. Scissors have got away now--there now, sit on +my lap and be quiet." + +However, if Mrs. Maddox got back cotton and scissors, she did not get me +back, for I bolted out of the front door, and joined the men who were +lolling against the gunnel of a galley hauled up on the shingle. + +During the period of which I am speaking, I continued every day to add +to my knowledge of my profession, and eventually I was competent to pass +my examination at the Trinity House. When I went on board a vessel with +Bramble, he would often give me charge of her, never interfering with me +(although he watched me carefully) unless he considered that it was +absolutely necessary, which I believe took place but twice. He used to +tell the masters of the vessels that I was quite as good a pilot as he +was, which certainly was not quite correct; however, it was of great +consequence to me, as it gave me that confidence so necessary in my +profession, and in due time I passed for a river pilot at the Trinity +House. Some alteration occurred at the hospital during this interval. +Anderson had been promoted from boatswain of the ward to inspecting +boatswain, a place of trust, with very comfortable emoluments, his +weekly allowance being increased to five shillings; and on his promotion +my father was made a boatswain's mate of the Warriors' Ward. This was at +first satisfactory to my mother, who was pleased that my father should +wear lace upon his pensioner's coat; but, as she advanced in the world, +she did not like the idea of my father being in the hospital, nor did +she want him to be at her house--in fact, she could have done better +without him; but as that could not be she made the best of it. It must +be acknowledged that my father's boisterous and rude manner had been +softening down ever since he had been in the hospital, and that he had +become a very well-behaved, quiet, and sober person, and was very +respectable in his appearance; but I shall say more about him when I +talk of my mother again. Old Nanny went on much as usual, but on the +whole she improved. I used to pick up for her anything I could, and put +it in a large bag which I occasionally brought to Greenwich, and this +bag, with its multifarious contents, would give her more pleasure than +if I had brought her any single object more valuable. Old Anderson used +to call upon her occasionally, but he did not do her much good. She +appeared to think of hardly anything but getting money. She was always +glad to see me, and I believe thought more of me than anybody else in +the world, and I seldom failed to pay her a visit on the first day of my +arrival. + +Dr. Tadpole and his apprentice Tom went on pretty well together until +the hundredweight of liquorice was expended, and then there was a fresh +rising on the part of the injured and oppressed representative of the +lower orders, which continued till a fresh supply from London appeased +his radical feelings which had been called forth, and then the liquorice +made everything go on smoothly as before; but two years afterward Tom +was out of his time, and then the doctor retained him as his assistant, +with a salary added to his board, which enabled Tom to be independent of +the shop, as far as liquorice was concerned, and to cut a very smart +figure among the young men about Greenwich; for on Tom's promotion +another boy was appointed to the carrying out of the medicine as well as +the drudgery, and Tom took good care that this lad should clean his +boots as well as the doctor's, and not make quite so free with the +liquorice as he had done himself. I found out also that he had cut Anny +Whistle. + +Mrs. St. Felix continued to vend her tobacco, and I never failed seeing +her on my visits to Greenwich. She appeared to look just as young as she +did when I first knew her, and every one said that there was no apparent +alteration. She was as kind and as cheerful as ever; and I may as well +here remark that during this period a great intimacy had grown up +between her and my sister Virginia, very much to the annoyance of my +mother, who still retained her feelings of ill-will against Mrs. St. +Felix--why, I do not know, except that she was so good-looking a person, +and such a favorite with everybody. But my father, who, when he chose, +would not be contradicted, insisted upon Virginia's being on good terms +with Mrs. St. Felix, and used to take her there himself; and Virginia, +who had never forgotten the widow's kindness to me, was extremely +partial to her, and was much more in her company than my mother had any +idea of, for Virginia would not vex my mother unnecessarily by telling +her she had been with the widow unless she was directly asked. + +It was about four months after my father and I had given our money to my +mother that I returned to Greenwich. A letter from Virginia had +acquainted me with the street and the number of the house which my +mother had taken, and I therefore walked from the beach right to it; and +I must say that when I came to the new abode I was very much surprised +at its neat and even handsome appearance. The ground-floor was fitted up +as a shop with large panes of glass, and inside upon stands were +arranged a variety of bonnets and caps, set off with looking-glass and +silk curtains, in the arrangement of which no little taste was +displayed. Behind the show goods was a curtain hanging on a brass rod, +drawn so as to conceal the workpeople who were within. There was a +private door as well as a shop door, and I hardly knew which I was to go +in at; however, as the shop door required no knocking, I went into that, +and found myself in the company of eight young damsels, very busy at +their needles, sitting on each side of a long table covered with +half-made dresses. I inquired of them whether my mother was at home, and +was answered by one, who was apparently the eldest, that she was down +below getting the breakfast ready. + +"I suppose," continued she, "you are Mr. Tom Saunders, the pilot?" + +"I suppose I am," replied I; "and pray who are you?" + +"I am Miss Amelia Gozlin, apprentice to Mrs. Saunders, milliner--at your +service, sir; and, in consequence of my being so very quiet and sedate, +I have charge of all these young ladies you see with me." + +Here the others burst into a laugh. + +"They are in very good hands, Miss Amelia," replied I, "and under your +care, and with your example, I have no doubt but they will turn out very +useful members of society." + +"Thank you, sir; but allow me to say that I cannot permit young men, +especially such enchanting young men as Mr. Tom Saunders, to remain +here; as, if I do, your amiable mother would give me what is genteelly +termed a wigging; so if you will be pleased, sir, just to remove +yourself from our presence," continued she, with a mock courtesy, "and +not make your appearance here again until you are certain your mother is +gone out, you will oblige us very much." + +I obeyed the wishes of Miss Amelia Gozlin, who certainly was a very +handsome girl, with fine black eyes, apparently about fifteen years old. +I walked into the passage, and found my way down into the kitchen, where +my mother and Virginia were employed as they had told me above. My +mother received me kindly, but said little, for she appeared to be fully +occupied; and Virginia had no time to dedicate to me until the breakfast +was ready, when she called the apprentices, and we all sat down +together, Miss Amelia and her companions looking so demure, that, if I +had not seen them before, I should have thought that they could not +speak. + +After breakfast was over Virginia showed me the house. The first floor +was to let furnished, the second was occupied by my mother and Virginia, +and the attics were appropriated to the apprentices. Everything appeared +clean, neat, and well arranged, and I could not imagine how my mother +had contrived to do so much with so little money; but Virginia told me +that she thought Mr. Wilson had assisted her. + +When I returned, which might have been in six months, I found a great +improvement, and every appearance of my mother succeeding well in her +speculations. She had now a maid-servant, and her apprentices were +increased to twelve, and there was every appearance of brisk and full +employment. + +In 1803 I found that Virginia, who was then fourteen years old, had left +school. She had told my mother that, during the last half-year, she had +only repeated over again what she had learned the half-year before, and +that she thought she could employ her time better at home in assisting +her. My mother was of the same opinion, and Virginia now superintended +the cutting-out department, and was very useful. She said that the +increase of business had been very great, and that my mother could +hardly execute the orders which she received. There were now two +servants in the house, and additional workwomen. My mother also had very +much altered in appearance: before, she was usually clean and neat, now +she was well if not elegantly dressed, and appeared much younger and +better looking. I must do her the justice to say that prosperity had not +spoiled but improved her: she was more kind and more cheerful every time +that I went to see her; and I may add that, with the exception of a +little necessary castigation to Miss Amelia and her companions, she +never scolded, and was kind to her servants. The last year she had been +even more successful, and was now considered the first milliner in the +town. I believed that she deserved her reputation, for she had a great +deal of taste in dress; and when she had gone upstairs to decorate +previous to the hour of arrival of her customers, and came down in a +handsome silk dress and an elegant morning cap, I would often look at +her with surprise, and say to myself, "Who would think that this was my +mother, who used to shove the broom at me in the little parlor at +Fisher's Alley?" + +The reader may inquire how my father and mother got on after such an +alteration in her circumstances. I can only reply that they got on +better than they did before; for my mother, who did not wish my father's +company in the house, pointed out to him that, with so many young people +living with her, it would be very inconvenient if he came there in the +evenings to smoke his pipe, and that it would be better if he could +smoke and drink his beer anywhere else. My father perceived the +propriety of this, and assented with a good grace: my mother was very +liberal to him, and he was now enabled, when he chose, to ask a +companion or two to join him, so that it suited both parties. My father, +therefore, never came to the house, except after the hospital supper, +when he remained a few minutes to see Virginia, and then departed. On +Sundays he spent the whole day there, and was kindly welcomed, but he +always left in the evening to smoke his pipe elsewhere. As for me, when +I did come I was always kindly received, and slept in a spare bed on the +same floor with my mother and Virginia. Before my time was out I was too +well supplied by Bramble ever to want anything, and afterward I made +plenty of money, and seldom came home without bringing a present both to +my mother and Virginia. + +Having thus given a general outline of affairs, I shall in the next +chapter enter more minutely into some particulars, without which the +detail of events will not be complete. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE + + In which the _sine qua non_ of all Novels is, for the first time, + introduced. + + +In the last chapter I have said in few words that Bessy Godwin had been +sent to school, and had since returned home. She had been home nearly a +year before the period to which I brought up my history, but now she no +longer was employed in any menial service, the girl who had been hired +during her absence being still retained. Bessy now superintended the +household, but did nothing more; and there was a greater degree of +comfort and expenditure than had formerly been the case. Whether this +was on Bessy's account, or from Bessy's imbibed ideas, I cannot pretend +to say; but certainly there was a great change in our style of living, +which Bramble appeared to sanction. Mrs. Maddox remained as a mere +pensioner, sitting by the fire, and perhaps finishing a pair of +stockings about every five or six weeks, talking as usual at and to +everybody and with everything. In another point, also, there was a +change in Bramble's house: it was much oftener filled with company; this +was, I presume, to be ascribed to Bessy's personal charms, which +certainly were very great. She was of a peculiar and much admired style +of beauty, a description which strikes some people at first sight, and +not others--those not perceiving it at first eventually admiring it even +more than the others. She was taller than the middle height, her person +finely developed, yet not so much so as to take away from its grace: her +complexion was pale and clear, her eyes and hair very dark; there was a +coldness about her beauty when in repose, like statuary marble; but if +the least excited or animated, the color would mantle in her cheek; her +eyes would beam, till they appeared as if, like bright planets, they +could almost cast a shadow; and dimples, before concealed, would show +themselves when she indulged in her silvery laugh. Although her form was +commanding, still she was very feminine: there was great attraction in +her face, even when in repose--she was cold, but not chilling. + +I had seen little of her for three years, during which she had sprung up +to womanhood, for she was now seventeen, and appeared to be at least +eighteen years old. Before, when we were living together, we kissed as +brother and sister: since we had again become inmates of the same house, +we had been friends, but nothing more. Bessy certainly showed as great a +preference to me as our relative situations would admit; but still it +appeared as if the extreme intimacy of childhood had been broken off, +and that it was necessary that a renewed intimacy under another aspect +should take place, to restore us to our former relations. Here it was +for me to make the first overtures; not for her, as maidenly reserve +would not permit it. Bramble seemed to be most anxious that such should +be the case--indeed, considered it as a matter of course: perhaps Bessy +thought so too in her own bosom; and the continual raillery of Bramble +did more harm than good, as it appeared to warrant her thinking that it +ought to be so. Why it was not I will now explain to the reader. + +I have already made mention of Mr. Wilson, the lawyer, whose +acquaintance we procured through Sir Hercules and his lady. This +intimacy had very much increased; and a Miss Janet Wilson had come home +from a finishing seminary near town. Between this young lady and my +sister Virginia a certain degree of intimacy had been formed, and of +course I had seen a great deal of her at the times when I was at +Greenwich. She was a very pretty and very diminutive girl, but +beautifully proportioned, although so very small; indeed, she was +considered quite a model in figure, at least my mother used to say so, +and I never heard any one disagree with her. Janet had, moreover, large +eyes, penciled eyebrows, and a dimpled chin. Now, as Bessy was away at +the time when I first made her acquaintance, if all these perfections +were not enough for me to fall in love with, I must have been difficult +to please at the age of eighteen, when one is not so very difficult; and +the consequence was, I was her most devoted slave. Mr. Wilson laughed at +us, and seemed either to think that it would end in nothing, or that if +it did end in something he had no objection. Thus was I fixed; and with +Virginia for a confidante, what was to prevent the course of true love +running smooth? Janet received all my sighs, all my protestations, all +my oaths, and all my presents--and many were the latter, although +perhaps not equal to the former three. It was, therefore, not surprising +that Bessy, who had been out of the way, had been forestalled by this +diamond edition of Nature's handiwork. Such was the state of my heart at +the commencement of the year 1805. + +I have mentioned that my mother had taken a house in the principal +street; but I must now add that in the year 1804 she found it necessary +to remove into one much larger, and had therefore shifted more to the +upper part of the town. Instead of being in a row, this house was +detached, with a small garden in front and a good piece of ground at the +back, which looked down toward the river. The situation not being so +central did no harm to my mother, as she was so well known; on the +contrary, it made her even more fashionable. She now kept no shop, but a +show room; and had not only accommodation for more workpeople, but very +handsome apartments to let. In another point it was advantageous, which +was on account of my father. At the end of the garden there was an +octangular summer-house, looking upon the river: it was a good-sized +room, boarded floor, and, moreover, it had a fireplace in it, and when +shut up was very warm and comfortable. My mother made this house over to +my father as his own, to smoke and drink beer in; and my father +preferred a place in which he could sit alone with his friends, to a +public house, especially as the garden had a gate at the end of it by +which he could admit himself whenever he pleased. Here my father, Ben +the Whaler, Anderson, and others would sit, having a commanding view of +the Thames and the vessels passing and repassing--in the summer-time, +with all the windows open, and enjoying the fresh air and the fresh +smoke from their pipes--in winter-time surrounding the fire and telling +their yarns. It was an admirable arrangement, and Virginia and I always +knew where to find him. + +I have said but little of my sister Virginia. I may be considered +partial to her--perhaps I was; but to me she was, if not the handsomest, +certainly one of the most captivating persons I ever saw: to prove that +I thought so, I can only say that, deeply as I was smitten with Miss +Janet Wilson, I often thought that I wished she was a facsimile of my +sister. Virginia was now seventeen years old, slender and very +graceful: she reminded me more of an antelope in her figure than +anything I can compare her to; her head was so beautifully placed on her +shoulders that it was the first thing which attracted your notice when +you saw her. Her eyes were of a deep hazel, fringed by long black +eyelashes, and her arching and delicate eyebrows nearly met; her nose +was perfectly straight, but rather small; and her face ended in a sharp +oval, which added to the brilliancy and animation of her countenance; +her mouth was small and beautifully formed, and her little teeth like +seed pearl. Every one declared that she was the handsomest creature that +ever they had seen; and what every one says must be true. She was so; +but she was not always lively--she was only so at times: she appeared to +be of a serious, reflective turn of mind, and she read a great deal; but +at times she was mirth personified. To my mother she was always dutiful +and attentive, and was very useful to her. + +I could not at first imagine what made my mother so anxious to have +lodgers in the house, as they must have proved a great nuisance to her, +and her circumstances were above such an infliction. It was not long +before I discovered the cause of this: it was no other but to make up +some good match for my sister, whose beauty she considered would effect +her purpose. Many were the applications for her lodgings, made by highly +respectable gentlemen; but when she discovered, either that they were +married, or that in other points they did not suit, she invariably +refused, and for months her apartments continued vacant; but if anybody +at all aristocratical, who was single, wished to inspect them, my mother +was all smiles and eagerness. It may be supposed that she was not likely +to meet with such people as she solicited at such a town as Greenwich, +but such was not the case: before steamboats made Greenwich so +come-at-able there were many families of distinction who resided there +and in its environs--especially in the autumn of the year, when the +river offered much amusement. It was just at that period that the +whitebait parties became so much in vogue, and Greenwich was considered +a pleasant retreat for a few months by many of the fashionable world. + +Although Virginia never mentioned her surmises directly, I perceived, by +her occasional remarks, that she had latterly become aware of what were +my mother's views; indeed, how could she do otherwise, when my mother +would refuse her lodgings one day to a gentleman because he was married, +and let them the next time merely because he was a single man? And that +she was disgusted with my mother's conduct I was convinced; at the same +time, she certainly kept her thoughts to herself, merely telling me how +very uncomfortable it was to have lodgers, and to be obliged to go into +their rooms with messages from my mother. There was an Honorable Mr. +----, I really forget his name--indeed, I should not have mentioned him, +except that he was the introduction of another personage who was several +months in my mother's house, a harmless old bachelor. How old he was I +cannot say, as he wore a very youthful wig and also false whiskers, but +I should think about sixty. He was a great admirer of the fine arts, and +a still greater admirer of his own performances in painting. He took +lessons twice a day from two different masters, who came from London, +and he was at it from morning to night. He came down to Greenwich, as he +said, to study _tints_, and get up his coloring. I cannot say I thought +his performances very good, but perhaps I was not a judge. My mother, +who would, I believe, have sacrificed my sister to an ourang outang, +provided he was an Honorable, took every opportunity of sending Virginia +in to him, that he might study the delicate tints on her cheeks; but it +would not do, even if Virginia had been a party to it. He looked at his +palette instead of her pretty mouth, and his camelhair pencils attracted +his attention more than her penciled eyebrows. He was wrapped up in his +art, and overlooked the prettiest piece of nature in the world; and +Virginia, seeing this to be the case, had no longer any objection to go +into his room. But this gentleman had a nephew, a very different sort of +a personage, a young heir to a marquisate, who used to pay attention to +his bachelor uncle by paying him visits, at first because he was ordered +so to do, and after once or twice because he had seen Virginia, and was +struck with her appearance. He was a good-looking young man, about +nineteen, but not very bright--indeed, I ought to say very silly, +although at the same time not at all bashful. He made an acquaintance +with my mother, who was delighted with his condescension, and declared +that he was one of the most pleasant young men she had ever met with; +and he would have been very intimate with Virginia had she not repulsed +him. As soon as the leaves dropped off the trees the old bachelor +declared that there were no more tints worth remaining for, and he took +his departure. About a month afterward his nephew came down, accompanied +by a young man who was his tutor, and hired the apartments, much to the +joy of my mother, who now had hopes, and much to the annoyance of my +sister, who had fears of being persecuted. + +And now, having in this chapter brought up my history to the +commencement of the year 1805, I shall again enter into a more detailed +narrative. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR + + More Cry than Wool--Bramble would dig a Pit for another, and + tumbles in along with him. + + +It was in the month of March, 1805, when the easterly winds prevailed, +and vessels were detained in the Chops of the Channel, that I agreed +with Bramble that we would return together and halve the pilotage. About +eight leagues from the Lizard Point we boarded a small ship which had +hoisted the signal, the weather at that time being fine and the wind +variable. When we went on board it was but just daylight, and the +captain was not yet on deck, but the mate received us. We were surprised +to find that she mounted twelve brass guns, remarkably well fitted, and +that everything was apparently ready for action, rammers and sponges, +shot and wadding being all up and at hand. + +"A prime morning, shipmate," said Bramble; then casting his eye over the +deck, "A letter of marque, I presume?" + +"Yes," replied the mate, "we have the papers, but still she has never +run without convoy since I have been in her; we lost our convoy three +days back, and the captain has been rather uneasy ever since." + +"Uneasy! why, I should think that you could beat off a good stout +privateer with these guns of yours?" + +"Well, I don't know but what we might, but our cargo is valuable, and we +might be overpowered." + +"Very true, and the captain must be anxious. Where are you from?" + +"Smyrna." + +"What's your cargo?" + +"Why, we have raw silk and drysalters' goods chiefly. D'ye think we +shall have a fair wind? I don't care how soon, for we've at least twenty +passengers on board, and our provisions and water are running rather +short. Here's the skipper." + +The captain, who now made his appearance, was a tall good-looking young +man about thirty, dressed rather fantastically, as I thought, having a +laced cap on his head and a party-colored silk sash round his waist, +such as they wear in the Mediterranean. + +"Well, pilot, what do you think of the wind?" + +"Well, sir, I expect we'll have a slant which will enable us to fetch +well to windward of the Lizard, at all events, and then, when the tide +turns inshore, we must stand out again." + +"Mr. Stubbs, turn the hands up to make sail." + +"Ay, ay, sir," replied the mate. + +The men came on deck, but the captain roared out for the idlers; these +were the passengers who had agreed to work during the passage: at last +they came up, a queer-looking set, and the captain sending down for his +speaking-trumpet, sail was made on the ship. + +"Why, captain," said Bramble, "you do it in man-of-war fashion." + +"Well, I've not served the King for seven years for nothing," replied +he, "and I hope, sir, not heard the bullets whistling about my head like +hail in a hailstorm without knowing how to take care of my ship. I like +everything man-of-war fashion, and then one's always prepared. Where's +the boatswain? Pipe to breakfast." + +"You've plenty of hands on board, mate," said Bramble. + +"Yes, plenty of them, such as they are; we've twenty of the ship's +company, and twenty-five passengers from Malta." + +After breakfast the captain ordered up the small-arm men; five seamen +and fifteen of the passengers made their appearance with their muskets, +which were examined, and they were dismissed. At eleven o'clock, as we +neared the land, the men were ordered to quarters, the guns cast loose, +and they were exercised as on board of a man-of-war, the captain giving +his orders with his speaking-trumpet. "Double-shot your guns! Run out! +Point your guns! Fire! Repel boarders on the bow! Repel boarders on the +quarter!" etc. This continued for more than two hours, when the guns +were again secured. + +"Well, pilot," said the captain to Bramble, "what do you think? do you +fancy a privateer could take us in a hurry?" + +"Why, captain, if the men fight, I should say not; but, you see, these +guns, handsome as they are, won't fight of themselves." + +"I'll answer for the men fighting; they'll have but their choice--fight, +or the contents of my pistol through the first man's head who quits his +gun. I'll nail the colors to the mast, and see who will be the man who +will haul them down. Why, pilot, this vessel is insured at thirty +thousand pounds." + +"Then she'll be a famous prize, if they should contrive to take her, +that's all," said Bramble. "Halloo! what vessel's that coming down? Tom, +hand your glass here." + +"I haven't got it with me." + +"Well, give me that one on the skylight. I can't make her out, but I +don't much like the looks of her." + +"Heh! what's that?" said the captain. "Let me look--oh, she's a +square-rigged vessel, ain't she?" + +"Can't tell," said Bramble. + +The mate, who had fetched his glass from below, looked at her, and said +it was a coasting schooner. + +"Are you sure of that?" said the captain. "Let me see. Well, I don't +know what to say--she does look rakish. I'll go forward and make her +out." + +"Why, it's a coaster, Bramble," said I, as the captain walked forward. + +"I know that," replied Bramble, with a wink. + +The captain returned, probably satisfied that it was only a coaster, but +he did not choose to say so, "Well, I don't know what to make of her, +but at all events there's nothing like being ready. She's coming down +fast upon us; Mr. Stubbs, we'll beat to quarters." + +Again the people were called up and the guns cast loose; the powder was +handed up, and all was preparation. I did not think, however, that the +passengers appeared at all zealous; but that I was not surprised at: the +captain harangued them, calling them Britons, etc., and, hoping that +they would show what stuff they were made of; talked about the honor of +Old England, and a great deal more, and then examined the vessel again +with his glass. "We'll give her the starboard broadside, and then wear +round his stern and give her the other. Hoist the colors!" + +As soon as we hoisted the colors, the schooner hoisted English colors +also. + +"English colors, sir!" said the mate, grinning. + +"English colors, heh? Very well; but that may be a feint--keep to your +guns, my lads." + +The vessel now ran by us; she was deeply laden, and as broad as she was +long. + +"No privateer this time, captain," said Bramble, laughing. + +"No, all's right; secure the guns, my lads. We'd have given her a nice +peppering if she'd been a French privateer." + +The captain then went down below to put away his sword and pistols, +which the cabin-boy had brought on deck. + +"It's my opinion, Tom," said Bramble, "that this skipper ain't quite so +fond of fighting as he pretends to be. I'll see if I can't frighten him +a little." + +As soon as the captain came on deck again, Bramble said, "We'll go +about, if you please." + +"What! about already? why, we're good three leagues from the shore." + +"Yes, sir, but the tide has made, and we must now make a long +stretch-out toward the French coast. We won't tack again till about +dark." + +"Not tack till dark, pilot? Surely we will do better keeping on the +English coast." + +"No, no, sir; if we were not so well manned and so well armed I should +do it; but, as we are a match for any privateer, why, we may as well +make a long leg--we shall be up Channel sooner." + +"Well, I don't know what to say. I've a heavy responsibility with such a +valuable cargo." + +"Well, tack if you please, sir," said Bramble, shortly. + +"Oh, certainly. Hands, about ship." + +The vessel's head was put off-shore, and with a smart breeze we walked +away fast from the land. At twelve o'clock the captain proposed +standing inshore again, but Bramble refused. At three o'clock he became +very uneasy, and expostulated with Bramble, who replied, "Well, sir, I'm +doing all for the best, but if you are afraid--" + +"Afraid?" cried the captain; "afraid of what, I should like to know? No, +I'm not afraid, but it appears to me that we ought to make the land +again before night." + +"I'll answer for knowing where we are, sir, if that is your reason; at +all events, I wish to stand out till six o'clock." + +"Well, do so, then, if you choose--I'm sure I don't care if you stand to +within gunshot of the French coast;" and the captain, evidently very +much annoyed, went down into the cabin. + +About half-past four o'clock the mate came aft and took up the glass, +saying that there was an awkward-looking craft on the weather bow. He +came aft again, and said, "Pilot, I wish you would take a squint at that +craft, for I don't much like the look of her." + +Bramble went forward, and I followed him. "I say, Tom, that's a French +privateer, as sure as we stand here," said he. "Look at her. Well, now +we shall see what these guns are made of." + +"Don't put too much trust in them," said the mate. "I know what sort of +people we have here. Had we only ten good men I wouldn't care for a +privateer, but I'm afraid that we have not many we can trust to. +However, we'll do our best, and we can do no more. I'll go down and tell +the captain." + +"It is a Frenchman," replied I, "and no mistake--every rope and every +sail on her are French;" for the vessel, which was a lugger, was not +more than four miles from us. + +"Well," replied Bramble, "it would be odd if we were to be taken into a +French port after all, wouldn't it? not very pleasant, though." + +"We've men enough to beat her off, or two of her, if that's all," +replied I. + +"Yes, Tom, but I doubt the captain, and without example men don't fight +well. However, we'll do our best, and if he flinches we won't." + +The captain now came forward as red as a turkey-cock; he said nothing, +looked at the vessel, and then turned as white as a sheet. + +"She's more than our match, if she's an enemy," said he. + +"I should rather think not, sir," replied Bramble. "All you have to do +is to make your men fight, and nail your colors to the mast." + +"That's very true when there's a fair chance of success, but it's +useless sacrificing the men against so very superior a force," replied +the captain. + +"But it ain't superior, nor in guns is she your equal, if I know +anything about a vessel. At all events, I suppose you'll have a trial +for it. Won't you beat to quarters, captain?" + +"Oh, to be sure. Mr. Stubbs, beat to quarters. I think it would not be a +bad thing to fire off our broadsides now, and let them see that we are +well armed." + +The men were summoned up to quarters, and very unwillingly did they +obey. Some said that they did not come on board to fight, others that +they had agreed to work the passage home, but not to stand to be shot +at; and some were actually going down below again, when Bramble and the +mate spoke to them and persuaded them to remain on deck. Still there was +no willingness shown; and although Bramble told them how many privateers +had been beaten off, and mentioned particularly the Leith smack having +the other day fought with one an hour and a half, and knocked her all to +pieces, they still appeared uneasy and wavering. + +In the meantime the privateer was within a mile of us, and had hoisted +French colors. + +"We'll keep away and give her the first broadside," cried the captain. + +"You'd better hoist your colors first," observed Bramble, quietly. + +"Hoist the colors, Mr. Stubbs! Port the helm! Look out, my men! Point +the guns to the object! Fire!" + +Off went all the guns, not only on the starboard side, in the direction +of the privateer, but all those on the larboard side as well; and this +circumstance probably gave the people on board of the privateer some +idea of the state of confusion we were in. She now rounded to, and gave +us her broadside of three guns: they were well directed, and did us some +damage in the upper works and rigging; but still more in frightening the +people, who were now running down below, notwithstanding the exertions +of the mate, Bramble, one or two of the seamen, and myself; but our fate +was soon decided by the captain, who cried out, "It's useless contending +against such a superior force." With this observation he ran aft and +hauled down the colors. As soon as the men perceived this they all left +the guns; at another broadside from the privateer they all scampered +down below, and at the same time the captain went down into his cabin. +There was none but the mate, the boatswain, Bramble, and myself left on +deck. + +"Pleasant," said Bramble. "I thought as much. Well, Tom, here we are, in +for it. Come with me to the helm, for these French fellows will board, +and they make very free with their cutlasses, even after colors are +hauled down. Well," said he, as he walked aft, "I did not think to see +the English flag so disgraced. Poor Bessy, too! Well, never mind. I say, +mate, just let go the weather main-braces and bow-lines, and square the +yards, for it's better to be as humble as possible, now that we can't +help ourselves; and do you and the boatswain go down below, for they cut +right and left, these fellows. They do pay a little more civility to +pilots, as they aren't belonging to the ship." + +This advice of Bramble's, which was very good, was followed by the mate +and boatswain. + +"Shall I run down and look after our kits?" said I to Bramble. + +"No, Tom, don't have anything in your hand, or they will take it from +you, and most likely give you a rap on the head with a cutlass at the +same time; for privateer-men of all nations are little better than +pirates, and don't how to behave in victory. Just keep where you +are--look as if you had nothing to do with the ship except the steering +of her. Here they come!" + +As he spoke the lugger touched our weather side, at the same time +lowering down her foresail and mainsail with no little noise and +confusion; in a second or two there were thirty of their men on our +decks, flourishing their cutlasses, and looking round with their pistols +ready cocked in their left hands for somebody to let fly at. At last +they came aft. "Pilot!" cried Bramble, taking off his hat. I did the +same. With reiterated _sacres_ and _diables_ of every description some +now rushed down into the cabin, while others went down the +fore-hatchway, while more of the men from the lugger poured upon our +decks; but none of them molested Bramble or me, as we continued standing +at the wheel. In about ten minutes order was to a certain degree +restored by the captain of the privateer, who had come on board. I +perceived him express his surprise to his officers who were with him at +the armament of the ship, and he appeared very much pleased: it was not +necessary to understand French for that. He then came up to Bramble, and +spoke to him in French; but Bramble only pointed to me and then to +himself, and said "Pilot." The captain called for a young Frenchman who +could speak English, and then asked Bramble what was the cargo. + +Bramble, to please him, replied that it was silk and other goods to the +value of thirty thousand pounds English. + +"How many men?" + +"Forty-five men." + +The French captain rubbed his hands with ecstasy, as well he might. Just +at this moment the English captain came upon deck, followed by two of +the privateer's men, one of whom had taken possession of his laced cap, +and the other of his silk sash. He brought his sword in his hand, and +presented it to the captain of the privateer, saying, "It is no disgrace +for one brave man to deliver up his sword to another." + +"Que dit il?" said the captain of the privateer to the young man who +interpreted. The young man translated this fine speech, upon which the +French captain called the English one by a very contemptuous title, and +turned away. The privateer's men now made their appearance from below, +having helped themselves to everything they could find; the orders were +then given for the prisoners to be brought upon deck; they were driven +up, many of them bleeding from wounds received in attempts to rescue +their personal property, and were handed over to the lugger. A +prize-master with twenty men was put on board; the lugger was hauled +off, the only Englishmen allowed to remain in the captured vessel being +Bramble and myself. As soon as the vessels were clear they made sail, +running about two points free for the French coast. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE + + We have great Hopes of not seeing the Inside of a French Prison, + but we are disappointed. + + +"Well, Tom, this is a bad job," said Bramble to me, taking his seat upon +the hencoop aft. "By to-morrow noon, unless we fall in with a +cruiser--and I see little chance of that--we shall be locked up in a +French prison; ay, and Heaven knows how long we may stay there! What's +to become of poor little Bessy? I'm sure I don't know. I must contrive +to write over to lawyer Wilson, and put him in charge of everything. But +I'm sorry for you, my poor lad; it's hard for you to be locked up, +perhaps for years, when you might have been making money for yourself." + +"Well, it can't be helped, father; we must make the best of it," replied +I, with a deep sigh, for I was anything but happy at the prospect. + +"If it had not been for that swaggering coward this might not have +happened," replied Bramble. "It's somewhat my own fault. I was so +anxious to frighten him about nothing that at last I run us into real +danger, and I might have known that he never would have fought, although +I certainly had no idea of falling in with a privateer. Well, Tom, we +must not lose a chance." + +[Illustration: BRAMBLE AND JACK CARRIED INTO A FRENCH PORT.--Marryat, +Vol X. p. 331.] + +"How do you mean?" + +"I mean that if there is any possibility of getting away, I shall; and +you, of course, will not stay behind. I don't know where they are going +to, but you see, Tom, our only chance of getting off is while we are on +the coast; if once we are marched into the interior, why, then it will +be almost hopeless. What we must try for is to get away at the port +where we land. We shall see." + +"I am afraid that there's very little chance for us," replied I; "but +I'm ready to attempt anything." + +"We shall see, Tom--where there's a will there's a way. However, it's no +use talking about it just now." Here Bramble filled his pipe, took out +his flint and steel, and lighted it. + +After smoking for ten minutes, during which I stood by him, he said, "I +wonder where they will take us to--St. Malo's or Morlaix; for the course +they are steering will fetch, I should think, thereabout. One thing is +certain--they've got a good prize, and they mean to keep it if they can; +and, my eyes! if they won't make a fuss about it! A ship with twelve +guns taken by a lugger with only six! They'll make the ship mount +eighteen or twenty guns, and have a hundred and fifty men on board, and +they'll swear they fought us for three hours. They have something to +boast of, that's certain; and I suspect that French captain is a brave +sort of chap, from the sneer he gave when our cowardly English lubber +gave him so fine a speech. Well, it's our disgrace!" + +Here Bramble was silent for some time, when I said to him, "You were +stating to the men how a Leith smack beat off a privateer the other day. +I never heard of it." + +"Yes, I heard it when I was up above Greenwich. I met an old friend who +was on board of her, for he took his passage in her from London. + +"'Why,' says he to me, 'Bramble, I thought we never should have got away +from the river, for the old captain, who was as big round as a puncheon, +and not unlike one, declared that he would not sail until the powder +came up from Woolwich; for the "Queen Charlotte" (that was the name of +the smack) carried six eighteen-pound carronades. We waited nearly a +week for the powder, and many a laugh we all had about it, thinking old +Nesbitt was not much of a fighter, from his making so much fuss. Well, +at last we boomed her off from the wharf, and about seven that night got +clear of the Thames; it was a fair breeze all night, and we ran through +the Swin by the lead, which is what every one won't attempt. Next +morning we were off Yarmouth Roads, with the water as yellow as pea +soup: never saw it otherwise, and I'm an old collier; reason why, the +swells of the ocean thrashes up the sands off there--ay, and shifts them +too occasionally, which is of more consequence. Well, Bramble,' says he, +'well, on we went; hauled in through Harborough Gut; then the sun had so +much power--for it was in the Dog Days--that it eat up the wind, and we +were obliged to content ourselves with getting four knots out of her. +Just as we made the Dudgeon Lightboat, old Nesbitt's son comes aft to +his father, who was steering the craft, and says, "Father, do you see +that 'ere brig crowding all sail after us? I think it be the New Custom +House brig trying his rate of sailing with us." + +"'"Never you mind what she is, boy," says the captain, "but away up and +furl the gaff-topsail." + +"'Meanwhile the brig overhauled us fast, and old Nesbitt kept a-looking +round at her every two or three minutes. At last he says to the mate, +"Take the wheel a bit," and he goes first and looks over the quarter. +"I see," says he; "I say, you sergeant and corporal" (for we had a +recruiting party on board), "suppose now you just help us to load our +guns and work them a little, for I expect this here craft will give us +plenty to do." + +"'Well, Bramble, as I stand here, if six of them lobsters didn't say +nothing, but just walk down below; but the sergeant was a trump of a +fellow, and so was his wife. He threw off his coat and cap covered with +ribbons, tied a handkerchief round his head, and set to work with a +will; and his wife backed him to the last, handing the powder and +everything else. Well, we had with us ten men who all stood to guns; but +the passengers went down below with the soldiers. Well, on comes the +brig upon our starboard quarter as if to board; all her fore rigging, +and forechains, and forecastle being full of men as bees in a swarm. + +"Are you all ready, my men?" said the captain. + +"Yes, all ready, sir." + +"Yes, and I be ready too, massa!" cried the black cook, bringing out +from the caboose the red-hot poker. + +"Well, then, up on the wind with her, and fire when the guns bear." + +"'The men kept their eyes on the guns; and when they cried "Fire!" the +cook set them all off, one after another, with the hot poker, and no +small mischief did these three guns do. His forecastle was cleared of +men in no time; down came his gaff and foretopsail, and being now right +on our beam, he put his helm up to lay us on board; but we were too +quick for him--we wore round too, and gave him the three other guns, +which did him no good. + +[Illustration: THE LEITH SMACK AND THE PRIVATEER.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. +335.] + +"'Well, he came after us on the other tack, and pelted us with musketry +in a cruel way. The mate was hit in the head, and taken down below; +and poor old Nesbitt, who was at the wheel, steering the craft +beautifully, had a bullet right into his bow-window, as they call it. +"Well," the old fellow says, "here's a shot between wind and water, I +reckon--we must have a plug;" so he puts his flippers into his +waistband, and stuffs his flannel jacket into the hole. Then we throws +her up in the wind again, and rakes him with our three guns well into +him, and carries away more of his gear, and stops his sailing--and so we +goes on for a whole hour and thirty-five minutes; and, to make a long +story short, we beat him off, and he turned tail and ran for it with +both pumps going.' + +"Now you see, Tom, that's the account of the affair given to me by a man +who I can trust; and there you see what can be done if men are resolute +and determined to fight. Some little difference between that affair and +this one, Tom." + +"Did old Nesbitt die or recover?" + +"I asked that question. He was doing well when my friend left. Somehow +or another no vital part was injured, and he has had many presents made +him for his gallant conduct, and the sergeant was well rewarded also. +Well, my pipe's out, and it's not far from midnight; I should think we +may just as well try for a little sleep, Tom, for perhaps we may not get +any for some time to come." + +Bramble coiled himself up under the bulwark, I did the same; and in a +few minutes we both had forgotten whether we were in our beds at our +house at Deal or prisoners bound for the French coast. + +At daylight the next morning Bramble roused me up. + +"Here we are now, Tom! here's the French coast not four leagues from us; +but it's hazy, and I cannot make it out very clear; however, the sun +will soon drive all this away, and we shall have a fine day; but the +wind has gone down, and I think we shall have still less of it." + +And so it proved; for, as the sun rose, the wind became very light, so +that we did not go through the water more than three knots. We were +looking at the coast, when the report of a gun saluted our ears. It was +from the privateer. We turned to that quarter, and found that there was +a cutter about two miles from the privateer, crowding all sail toward +us. + +"Tom!" cried Bramble, "there's a chance for us yet--that's an English +privateer, and she will try to retake us for the sake of the salvage. +But here's a boat coming from the Frenchman--what can that be for?" + +The boat rowed alongside of us, and out jumped the captain of the French +privateer with twenty of his best men, and the boat was then dropped +astern. + +The Frenchman immediately cast loose the guns, went down for the powder, +and prepared for action. + +"I see, Tom," said Bramble, "he's a clever fellow, this skipper. He +knows that this ship and cargo is worth a dozen of his little privateer, +and his object is to get her in--so he's come with all his best men on +board of us, leaving his first officer to make the best fight with the +privateer that he can. Well, he's right; and if it wasn't that I don't +like to go to prison, I wish he may succeed, for he has got sense as +well as courage, I think." + +The ship was now kept away two points more, that she might go through +the water as fast as she could; and in the meantime the action commenced +between the English cutter and the French privateer, the latter +evidently attempting to cripple the masts and rigging of the former. The +cutter, however, steered right for us, and evidently came up fast; the +French privateer, weak-handed as she must have been, behaved very well, +throwing herself across the cutter's bows, and doing everything she +could to prevent her coming up with us. Both vessels were very much cut +up before the cutter came within three cables' lengths of us, when the +French captain ordered French colors to be hoisted, and, rounding to, +poured in a well-directed broadside, which quite astonished the English +privateer, who imagined that we were an unarmed merchantman. The action +now became very warm; we standing on, and every now and then rounding to +and raking the cutter, while the French privateer engaged her broadside +to broadside. The French captain was abaft, giving his orders with the +greatest coolness and ability, when a shot from the cutter came in on +deck, and a large splinter which it tore off knocked him down on his +back. Bramble and I both ran to him and helped him up--we could not help +it, although he was an enemy. He was not hurt, and as soon as he was on +his legs he laughed, and thanked us in French. The cutter still +continued the fight until we were within three miles of the coast, when, +all her spars and sails being cut to pieces, she hauled to the wind and +stood out to the offing. + +"Well, Tom, there's all our hopes ended," said Bramble; "so now I'll +light my pipe. Well, I say it's been a good fight on both sides." + +Here the captain came up to us and said, "Bien oblige--tank you." + +The cutter did not, however, stand out for more than a few minutes, when +she hove to and repaired damages, evidently intending to renew the +action. I pointed this out to Bramble. "I see, I see," replied he; "she +intends to try and cut us off from Morlaix, which is to windward, and +oblige us to fight or run for St. Malo's, which is a long way to +leeward. In either case she will be able to attack us again, as she +out-sails us. Perhaps the fight is not over yet." + +But the Frenchman also understood what he was about, and he now steered +a course. When we were about two miles from the land, and about the same +distance from the cutter, the latter kept away so as to oblige the ship +to come to action again before she reached Morlaix; but, before she +closed with us, we discovered that we were entering a small French port, +which had not been visible to us, called (I think) Lanion, situated +between Isle Bichat and Morlaix. When within half a mile of the land, +French over English was hoisted at our peak, and a French pennant over +an English pennant at our main. + +"I told you so," said Bramble; "they have made a man-of-war out of us, +and now there'll be no end to the lies that they will tell; for though +these French fellows do not fight quite so well as we do, at lying +they'll beat us hollow, any day of the week. Never mind, Tom, we must +keep a sharp lookout, and there's no saying--keep your eyes open as we +go into the harbor--I never was here before, but I suspect it's nothing +better than a poor fishing town." + +In a quarter of an hour the ship and privateer were both made fast to an +old stone pier which ran out from the town; but there were no other +vessels in the harbor except two small coasting chasses marees, and +about a dozen fishing-boats. + +The harbor was formed by the mouth of a small river, which ran down +through a very narrow alluvial flat, backed by precipitous rocks. On the +right side of the river on entering, and on the level ground above +mentioned, which extended back perhaps two hundred yards, until it was +met by the rocky cliffs, was situated the village which, centuries back, +must have been the town of Lanion. It consisted of perhaps one hundred +to one hundred and twenty houses, few of them of any size, the major +portion with walls built of mud and whitewashed over. The only remains +of the former town were a stone-built market-place, the portion of the +Hotel de Ville in which the mayor resided, and the old church, which, +although perfect in its walls, was sadly dilapidated in the roof. It had +long been deserted, and a small chapel had been built in lieu of it, in +which the only cure of the place performed the service. The massive +stones of which the now neglected pier had once been built proved that +at one time considerable expense had been incurred in the formation of +this small harbor. + +A battery mounting two guns at the end of the pier protected the mouth +of the harbor; and there was a guard of a sergeant and twelve invalids, +who were stationed there to man the guns upon the approach of an enemy. + +It would be difficult to describe the confusion which took place as soon +as the two vessels were fairly alongside the wharf, and made fast with +hawsers to the massive iron rings which had for centuries been fixed in +the ponderous stones of which the pier was composed. There was the mayor +with his cocked hat on, but his leather apron still tied in front, for +he had been working at his calling; there was the sergeant of the +invalids, who, perhaps, was a greater man than the mayor, all beard and +mustachios, but so thin in his person that he looked as if a stout +breeze would have blown him away; and there were the soldiers leaning on +their muskets. These were the most important personages, but they were +backed by the whole population of the town, amounting to about three +hundred men, women, and children, all talking, jabbering, and screaming. +Add to them the captain of the privateer, so important that he could +not attend to even the mayor or the sergeant; and the privateer's men, +dressed in every fashion, armed to the teeth, all explaining, or pushing +away, or running here and there obeying orders; then the wounded +men--for they had several men killed and others hurt in the conflict +with the cutter--handed up one by one, bandaged here and there, and +exciting the compassion and even screams of the women; the prisoners, +who had been ordered to come on deck, half dressed and chapfallen; the +sails of the vessels only clewed up, and still fluttering; ensigns and +pennants hoisted upon every mast, and waving over the heads of the crowd +assembled at the pier--and you may have some idea of the confused and +bustling scene. + +[Illustration: THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRIVATEER AT LANION.--Marryat, Vol. +X., p. 841.] + +At last, as there appeared no chance of anything being arranged while +the people crowded round, the captain of the privateer ordered his men +to draw their weapons and drive back the crowd, which was soon effected, +notwithstanding many oaths, and more screaming on the part of the fairer +sex; and when the crowd had been thus driven the men were stationed so +as to keep them back. At first this gave offense to all parties--to the +crowd, because they didn't like to be driven away--to the mayor, who +remained with the sergeant and invalids in the area which had been +cleared by the privateer's people, because he thought that they had +interfered with his civil authority--and to the sergeant of invalids, +because he thought that the marine force had interfered with his +military authority; but the captain of the privateer having taken off +his hat and bowed, first to the mayor and then to the sergeant, and +saying how much he was obliged to them for their assistance, both +parties were satisfied; and now a consultation was held between them how +to proceed, while the privateer's men, who kept back the crowd, amused +them by giving a detail of the two desperate actions which had been +fought--no two accounts agreeing, certainly, but that was of no +consequence. + +The first question to be canvassed was, what was to be done with the +prisoners? Morlaix was the nearest town in which they would be under +safe keeping, but that was twenty miles distant, and it would be +necessary to send over an express, so that a sufficient force might be +dispatched to Lanion to escort the prisoners there. This Mr. Mayor +undertook to do immediately; a boy was summoned to take over the +communication, and the mayor went up to write his letter to the +authorities, while the wounded men were carried away, and by the +direction of the cure, who had just arrived and joined the consultation, +billeted upon different houses in the town. The express having been +dispatched, and the wounded safely housed and under the care of the +village AEsculapius, who never had such a job in his whole life, the next +point of consultation was how to dispose of the prisoners until the +force should arrive from Morlaix. Here the sergeant became the principal +person, being military commandant; forty-seven prisoners were a heavy +charge for twelve invalids; and as for the privateer's men, there was no +dependence upon them, for, as the captain said, they had had enough to +do to take them, and it was the business of the authorities to look +after them now, while the privateer's men made merry. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX + + With those powerful agents, Fire and Water, we contrive to Escape + from a French Prison. + + +After more than an hour of confusion and loud talking it was at last +proposed and agreed to, _nem. con._, that the prisoners should be +confined in the old church; the twelve invalids to be divided into two +parties, who were to be sentinels over them, relieving each other every +four hours. The mayor immediately went forward with the village +blacksmith to examine the state of the church doors, and ascertain how +they might be secured; while the prisoners, having been summoned out of +the privateer, were escorted up between two files of the privateer's men +with their swords drawn, and followed by the whole population. As soon +as we arrived at the church door the name of every prisoner was taken +down by the mayor, attended by a notary, and then he was passed into the +church. Bramble and I of course were marched up with the others, the +captain of the privateer talking with us the whole way, through the +young man who interpreted, informing us that an express had been sent +over to Morlaix, to which town we should be escorted the next day, and +then have better accommodation. As we stood at the huge doors of the +church, which were opened for our reception, we perceived that the +altar and all the decorations had been removed, and that, with the +exception of the large wooden screen of carved oak near the altar, the +church was completely bare. Bramble spoke to the interpreter, and said +that he hoped the captain would request the mayor to allow the prisoners +to have straw to lie down upon, as the pavement would be very cold. +Although the mayor at first demurred at this demand, yet the captain of +the privateer, probably out of goodwill to Bramble, insisted, and the +straw was ordered to be sent in. At last the mayor became impatient, we +could delay no longer, and the doors were closed. + +[Illustration: THE PRISON.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 345.] + +I had surveyed the church as we were escorted up to it. It was very +large, capable, I should think, of holding more than two thousand +people. The walls of the church were very massive, and the windows had +but very few panes of glass remaining in them, but they were so very +high as to prevent our climbing out of them, even if there had not been +six sentinels guarding us outside. At one corner, to the right of the +end of the church where the altar-piece had been, was a narrow stone +tower, apparently an addition made to the Lady's Chapel long after the +church had been originally built. When we were shut up we were enabled +to survey the interior at our leisure. The whole was completely bare to +the pavement until you came to the chancel part, near to which the altar +had been, where the wooden screens and seats still remained, in a sad +dilapidated state; but they must have once been very handsome, for the +carving, where it was perfect, was very beautiful. A small, thick wooden +door, loaded with ironwork, communicated with the narrow tower, which +had a flight of stone steps running up to the top, and narrow loopholes +to give light as you ascended. While the majority of the prisoners were +sitting down here and there on the pavement, few of them entering into +conversation, Bramble had, with me, taken a full survey of our locality. + +"I tell you what, Tom; if we once get to Morlaix, all chance is over," +said he. "We must either get out of this church this very night, or we +must make up our minds to remain in prison Heaven knows how long." + +"Have we any chance?" + +"I'll tell you more about that in a little while." + +The door of the church now opened, and the people brought in the straw +for the beds, which they threw all in a heap in the center of the +church, and the doors were again closed. + +"I see daylight now," said Bramble. "Tom, find the mate and boatswain, +and bring them here to me quickly." + +I did so, and Bramble asked them whether they were inclined to make an +attempt to get clear. + +They replied that they would join us in anything--they did not care what +it was, and against any odds. + +"Well, then," said Bramble, "my idea is this. You see there are but +twelve old soldiers to guard us; for you may be certain that, before +long, all the privateer's men will be as drunk as owls--that's but +natural; not that I think of coming to any fight with them, but I make +the observation because, if we get out, we shall have little to fear +afterward. Now, you see, I asked for the straw because the idea came in +my head that it might be useful. You see, what I propose is, as there is +plenty of wood in this part of the church, that we should wait till +about three hours after dark--that is, until ten or eleven o'clock--and +then set fire to the church. They must come and let us out, you know; at +least I take it for granted that they will before the roof comes down. +If they don't, we must force the doors ourselves--I've looked at +them--and until we do there is no fear of suffocating, for there are no +panes to the windows. So, after all, it will only be a bonfire, without +danger to anybody." + +"Well, but what shall we gain by it?" said the mate. "We shall be walked +out with the other prisoners, and how shall we then escape?" + +"There it is: we will not be walked out with the other prisoners; and, +in the confusion and hurry of taking them away to one place or another, +they will not be likely to miss us. We will all go up this narrow tower, +where we may remain, till the church falls in, with perfect safety; and +then, when all is quiet again, and the people have left the spot, we +will make for the pier, get one of the fishing boats and be off. How do +you like the idea?" + +We all agreed that the plan was very feasible, and would attempt it. + +"Well, then, we must remain quiet for the present; all you have to do is +to fetch as much straw this way as you can by degrees: I expect they +will bring us something to eat before long." + +We removed a large portion of the straw to the chancel; in half an hour +afterward the doors were opened and rations of bread were brought in. +What still more assisted our plans was, that the captain of the +privateer at the same time, very good-naturedly, brought a demijohn of +brandy, which he gave to Bramble. + +Bramble thanked him through the interpreter, and told him that he would +get well drunk that night. + +"Yes, drive away care, captain says," replied the interpreter. + +Once more the doors were closed, and we had no chance of further +interruption. + +[Illustration: JACK A PRISONER.--Marryat, Vol X., p. 349.] + +By Bramble's direction, the mate, assisted by me and the boatswain, +cast loose the remaining bundles of straw and shook them down as beds +for the prisoners at the end of the church nearest to the door; and as +soon as they had eaten their bread, Bramble gave them all a portion of +the brandy, advising them to turn in soon, as we were to march very +early the next morning. We remained with them at first, having taken our +seats on the straw as if we also intended to repose. At last it became +dusk, and then dark; the prisoners settled themselves to sleep; we left +them and joined Bramble. Having arranged our straw so as to secure +ignition, and leaving the mate and boatswain down below, Bramble and I, +now that there was no chance of our being seen by the sentinels, +ascended the tower. It commanded a view of the town and harbor. We +looked down upon the main street--all was mirth and revelry; fiddling +and dancing and singing were to be heard from more than one house; women +in the street laughing, and now and then running and screaming when +pursued by the men. + +"This is all right," observed Bramble; "in an hour or two you'll see how +quiet everything will be; but I shall not let them all go to bed before +I set fire, for there may be some difficulty in waking them. I don't see +that there's any lights down at the pier, where the vessels lie." + +We stayed up there till about eleven o'clock, Bramble watching the +lights and sounds; and when he considered that they had sufficiently +decreased, he said, "Now we'll try it, Tom, and may success attend us!" + +We descended and found the mate and boatswain anxiously waiting for us. +Bramble struck a light with his flint, and we carried it to the screen +where we had piled the straw under the seats and against the panels. + +"Now then, messmates," said Bramble, "as long as the others sleep the +better; but if they waken in the confusion, bring here all the straw you +can collect, for we must not fail for want of fuel." + +But of this there was no chance, for the wood of the screen and benches +was so dry that it was alight immediately. For ten minutes the other +prisoners and the guard outside did not appear to be aware of what was +going on; but at last the church was so filled with smoke that they were +roused up. Still the principal smoke was in that portion of the church +where we were; at the other end they were not much inconvenienced, as it +found vent by the windows. What the invalids were about outside I do not +know, but they did not perceive it; probably they had left their guard +to go and carouse. At all events the flames had climbed up from the +screen and had caught a portion of the roof before the Frenchmen knew +that the church was on fire; the smoke was now exchanged for a bright +clear flame, which had already found its way through the slating, and +the prisoners were halloaing and screaming as loud as they could. We +went to the part of the church where the others were, and joined the +outcry. The voices of the people outside were now to be heard, for men +and women had been summoned by the cry of the church being on fire: +still there was no danger until the roof fell in, and that would not be +the case for perhaps an hour, although it was now burning furiously, and +the sparks and cinders were borne away to leeward by the breeze. The +screams of the prisoners now became dreadful: frightened out of their +wits, they fully expected to be burned alive; still the door was not +opened, although we heard a loud consultation of many voices without. + +"Well," said Bramble, "I hope they really don't mean to let us burn +here; at all events, if they do, I can save the poor devils, for +there's room enough on the stairs of the tower for twice as many. At all +events we must hold on till the last moment." + +As he said this we heard them outside put the key in the door, and +immediately Bramble, the boatswain, mate, and I retreated from the crowd +and gained the other portion of the church, which was most in flames. As +the door opened we hastened to the tower door, and closing it after us, +gained the staircase near the top, where we remained quiet; there was no +want of smoke there, but still we could breathe pretty freely, as the +fire from the roof was borne down by the wind from us and toward the +people, who were at the front of the church. How they disposed of the +other prisoners we do not know, as we dared not show ourselves; but in +about half an hour the whole of the roof fell down upon the pavement, +and nothing but the bare walls of the church were left standing. + +After the roof fell in the light from the flames was so small that we +ventured to the top of the tower to look out. There were still many +people standing about, but the major part of them were gone. As the fire +sank down so did the people go away; at last there was no one to be +seen: we remained more than half an hour watching; light after light +disappeared, and all was quiet as death. + +"Now's our time," said Bramble, "but still we must be cautious; let us +follow one another at about ten yards apart: if we meet with any one, +pretend to be reeling as if drunk, and they may think we are +privateer's-men not yet gone to bed." + +[Illustration: THE ESCAPE.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 353.] + +We followed him down the stairs, gained the church, and trod over the +still burning embers; as soon as we were clear of the walls we turned to +the right in our way down to the harbor, keeping in the gloom as much as +possible. We arrived safely at the pier, for there was not a soul +stirring; all our fear was that we should find some one keeping watch on +board of the vessels, which we must pass after we had possession of one +of the fishing-boats, as they laid inside of them. But fortune favored +us every way: the boat we selected had her sails bent, and was not +fastened with a chain; we were, therefore, in the stream in a moment; +the tide was also running out strong, and we passed the vessels without +having occasion to use our oars. The battery at the entrance of the +harbor was also without its usual sentry, for the men had been called up +to guard the prisoners. In half an hour we were clear of the harbor, and +steering with a fine breeze for the English coast; and when daylight +broke the French land was but just perceptible. + +"Well," said Bramble, "praised be Heaven for all things. I expected to +have lost my precious liberty for years, and I have only lost two +shirts, one pair of trousers, and three pair of worsted stockings." + +We had nothing to eat or drink, but that we cared little for, as the +wind was fair. About ten o'clock that night we landed at Cawsand Bay +near Plymouth, where we sat down to a hearty supper; and when we went to +bed, I did not forget to thank Providence for my unexpected escape. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN + + Another Escape, more fortunate than the one recorded in the + preceding Chapter. + + +From the time that I had passed my examination, and worked as a pilot on +my own account, until the period of our escape, which I have narrated in +the preceding chapter, I had continued to live in the cottage with +Bramble, without contributing any share to the expenses. I had at first +proposed it, but Bramble would not listen to any such arrangement; he +considered me, he said, as his son, and who knew, he added, but that the +cottage would be mine after he was gone. The fact was that Bramble +ardently wished that Bessy and I should be united. He continually hinted +at it, joked with Bessy about me; and I believe that, in consequence, +Bessy's feelings toward me had taken the same bent. She was prepared for +the issue; the regard naturally felt for me from her long intimacy, now +that the indulgence of it was so openly sanctioned by him whom she +considered as her father, was not checked on her part; indeed, there was +no doubt but that it had ripened into love. She showed it in every +little way that her maiden modesty did not interfere with, and old +Bramble would at times throw out such strong hints of our eventual union +as to make me feel very uncomfortable. They neither of them had any idea +of my heart having been pre-engaged, and the strangeness of my manner +was ascribed by Bramble to my feelings toward Bessy. Bessy, however, was +not so easily deceived; my conduct toward her appeared, to say the best +of it, very inconsistent. So often had I had opportunities, especially +when I was at home and Bramble was away, of speaking on the subject, and +so often had these opportunities been neglected, that it filled her mind +with doubt and anxiety. After having accepted my addresses at first, +Janet had once or twice written to me; lately, however, she had not +written herself--all her messages were through Virginia's letters, or, +perhaps, she would add a little postscript. Had letters arrived for me +in any other handwriting than that of Virginia, Bessy, after her +suspicions were roused, might have easily guessed the truth; but it was +the absence of any clew to guide her as to the state of my feelings +which so much puzzled her. She was fully convinced that my heart was not +hers, but she had no reason to suppose that it was in the possession of +another. Thus did my passion for Janet Wilson in every way prove to me a +source of anxiety. I knew that it was my duty to undeceive Bramble and +Bessy, yet the task was too painful, and I could not make up my mind to +make them unhappy. I felt that I had no right to remain under Bramble's +roof and live at his expense, and, at the same time, I could not find an +opportunity of telling him what my feelings and wishes were, the very +mention of which would at once explain to him that the desire of his old +age would never be accomplished. I often accused myself of ingratitude, +and felt as if it were my duty to make every sacrifice to one who had +been so kind a protector; but I was bound by vows to Janet Wilson, and +how was it possible that I could retract? + +Virginia's letters were not satisfactory: at first she told me how much +she had been annoyed by the attentions of the young nobleman, and how +very indelicate my mother had been in her conduct; eventually she +informed me that she had been insulted by him, and that, upon +complaining to my mother, the latter had, much to her surprise and +indignation, not only laughed at his extreme forwardness, but pointed +out to Virginia a line of conduct by which he might be entrapped into +marriage; that her refusal to accede to such unworthy devices had +created a serious breach between her mother and herself. She stated the +young man to be extremely silly and weak, and that my mother had gained +great influence over him; and were it not that the presence of the +tutor, who seldom quitted the house, had proved a check, that there was +little doubt but, as far as the young man was concerned, the +disproportionate match would be readily acceded to; that the only person +she had ventured to consult was her dear friend Mrs. St. Felix, who had +promised her, if the persecution did not cease, that she would make Mr. +Sommerville the tutor aware of what was going on. Virginia described the +latter as an amiable modest young man, who did all in his power to +instruct his pupil, but who was treated with anything but deference in +return. + +Relative to Janet she said little, except that she generally called +there every day to make inquiries after me: once or twice she did say +that it was a pity that I was not able to come oftener to Greenwich, as +Janet was not very steady; indeed, considering how young she was, +without a mother, and so little controlled by her father, it was not to +be wondered at. + +Such was the state of affairs when I made up my mind that I would speak +to Bramble about my paying my share of the expenses, which I thought +would open his eyes to the real state of my feeling toward Bessy. I did +so; I pointed out to him that I was now earning money fast, and that I +considered it but fair that I should support myself, and not put him to +further expense; that perhaps it would be better that I should take a +house for myself, as I must give a great deal of trouble to Bessy and +Mrs. Maddox. + +"Well, Tom," said Bramble, "you've been at me about this before, and I +believe it's a proper feeling, after all. It certainly does seem to me +to be a matter of little consequence, as things stand; however, I can't +consent to your leaving us. You have been with me ever since you were a +lad, and I should feel like a fish out of water if I were to be without +you or Bessy; so pay just what you please--I'll take it since you wish +it--and there's an end of the matter." + +This was not the end to which I was driving; but Bramble's eyes would +not be opened, and I could not help it. He had never directly spoken to +me about a union with Bessy, and therefore it was impossible for me to +say any more. Bramble, however, did not fail to communicate what I had +said to her; and one evening when we were standing on the shingle beach, +she said to me, "So Emerson has been convicted for smuggling, and +sentenced beyond the seas." + +"I am sorry for it," replied I. + +"His house is to be let now, Tom; would it not suit you? for my father +told me that you wished to leave us." + +"Why should I live upon you when I am able to support myself?" + +"Certainly not. If it were not that I could not bear to see father +miserable, I think it would be better if you did take Emerson's house; +but it would vex him, poor good man." + +"But not you, Bessy; is it that you mean?" + +"Perhaps it is. Tell me yourself, Tom, would it not be better?" + +I made no reply. + +"Well," replied Bessy, "think of me as you please; I will speak now, +Tom. I am not considering you, Tom, nor am I thinking of myself; I am +only induced so to do on account of my father. We have been brought up +together as children, Tom, and, as children, we were great friends, and, +I believe, sincerely attached to each other. I believe it to be very +true that those who are brought up together as brothers and sisters do +not change that affection for any other more serious in after life. It +is therefore not our faults if we cannot feel as, you must know, Tom, my +father wishes we should. Am I not right?" + +"You are, I believe, Bessy," replied I. + +"My father, therefore, is deceiving himself with the hopes of what never +can take place, but I know him even better than you do, Tom; it is the +object of his daily thoughts--his only wish before he sinks into his +grave. I cannot bear to undeceive him; no more can you, if I have truly +judged your feelings." + +"You have judged right, Bessy." + +"The very circumstance of our knowing his wishes, the hints which he +throws out, his joking on the subject, have been a source of annoyance +to both of us; and not only a source of annoyance, Tom, it has estranged +us--we no longer feel that affection which we should feel for each +other, that kindness as between brother and sister which might exist; on +the contrary, not being exactly aware of each other's feelings, we +avoid each other, and fearful that the least kindness might be +misconstrued, we do not really treat each as we otherwise would; in +fact, it has destroyed our mutual confidence. Is it not so?" + +"It is, I acknowledge, but too true, Bessy, and I thank you for having +entered into this explanation--" + +"Which, as I said before," continued Bessy, "I should not have done +except for the sake of my father; but now that I have done so" (and here +Bessy's voice became tremulous), "let us consult at once how we shall +act so as to secure his happiness, and that in future we may return to +the former confidence and regard which should exist between us as +brother and sister." + +"Point out how this is to be done, Bessy, and I will cheerfully enter +into your wishes." + +"We must laugh when he laughs, Tom, even if not inclined; we must gain +time--that is very easy. I may refuse as long as he lives--you may put +it off; and then, Tom, circumstances may help us--who knows what even a +day may bring forth?" + +"Very true," replied I, "there's only one thing--" + +"What is that?" + +"Suppose I was to marry?" + +"Then," replied Bessy, in a voice half choked, as she turned away, "my +father would be very unhappy." + +I looked round to reply, but she had gone into the cottage. This +conversation gave me great satisfaction. I felt convinced that if I had +at one time formed the idea that Bessy was attached to me, I had been +mistaken, and I was as indifferent to her as she was to me. I was just +as anxious as she was not to vex Bramble, and equally glad that +confidence was restored between us. Alas! I must have been very blind +not to have perceived what was the true state of her feelings, but I +did not, and after some reflection I determined that I would make her a +confidante of my passion for Janet Wilson; and then I walked to the +post-office to see if there were any letters from Virginia. There was a +letter for me--a double one. As soon as I had paid the money, I opened +it; it was very closely written, and evidently Virginia had much to +communicate to me. I forgot for the moment Bessy and Bramble, thought +only of Janet, and put the letter to my lips as I walked away, that I +might go home and read it. I hurried past Bessy, who was in the parlor, +and went up the stairs into my bedroom, where I took my letter out of my +pocket and commenced it. + + "15th April. + +"MY DEAR TOM--I shall begin a letter to you now, and fill it up as a +sort of a diary; as it is the best plan, I think, to narrate +circumstances as they actually take place. It is unpleasant to say +anything against my mother, the more so as I believe that she thinks she +has been doing right, and has my interest sincerely at heart: she +appears to consider that an alliance with people of rank cannot be +purchased too dear, and that every attempt is justifiable to secure for +me such an advantage. Little does she know me. If she forgets, I never +shall, that I am the daughter of a Greenwich pensioner, and never would +ally myself with those whose relations would look upon me as a disgrace +to their family. No, Tom; even if I were so heedless as to allow my +affections to be enthralled, I would at any sacrifice refuse to enter +into a family much beyond my condition. I have thought of this often, +and I confess that I am sometimes unhappy. I have been brought up and +educated above my situation in life, and I do not think I ever could +marry a person who was not more refined and educated than those who are +really and truly my equals, But as, at the same time, I never will enter +into a family who might look down upon my parentage, I presume your +little Virginia must remain unmarried. If so, I am content--I have no +wish to alter my present condition. I am happy and respected; and with +the exception of the trifling annoyances which we all must expect and +must submit to, I have no reason to be dissatisfied; on the contrary, I +have to be grateful for many blessings, and I trust that I am so. My +poor mother is the cause of all my present vexations. She tells me that +my beauty, as she is partially pleased to call it, is sufficient for my +aspiring to the hand of a duke, and that it will be my own fault if I do +not make a high connection. Every night she has been overwhelming me +with alternate reproaches and entreaties to permit the attentions of the +gay gentleman who is now lodging at our house, stating that it was on my +account only that he took the apartments, and that, if I play my cards +well, he will be caught in his own trap, which, I presume, is as much as +to say that he came here with different intentions, and finding that he +cannot succeed, will secure his intended prize or victim by marriage +rather than not obtain her at all. Very flattering, truly! and this is +the man to whom my mother would induce me to confide my future +happiness--a man who, independent of his want of probity, is a fool into +the bargain. But the persecution on his part and on that of my mother +now becomes so annoying that I have requested Mrs. St. Felix to speak to +Mr. Sommerville the tutor, who, if he does his duty--and I have every +reason to believe that he will do so--will take some measures to remove +his pupil from our house. + +"17th. Mrs. St. Felix and Mr. Sommerville have had a meeting. He +generally walks out every afternoon in the park; and Mrs. St. Felix and +he have already been introduced. She therefore went out and met him, and +after exchanging a few words she introduced the subject, stating that +she did so at my request. Mr. Sommerville, although he had not been +blind, had had no idea that things had proceeded so far; and he promised +Mrs. St. Felix that he would soon put an end to the persecution, or +remove him from our house. Janet has been here to-day, and I told her +what had passed; she very much approved of the steps which I had taken. +I must, however, say that latterly she has not appeared to take that +interest about you that she used to do, and I fear that your continual +absence is injurious to your prospects. She is very young and very +giddy, Tom. I wish she had been older, as, even when she is your wife, +she will require much looking after, and a firm hand to settle her down +into what a married woman in my opinion ought to be. Mr. Sommerville has +requested me to favor him with a few minutes' conversation; and as I +cannot do it in our house, for my mother never leaves me a minute to +myself, I told him that I should be at Mrs. St. Felix's this afternoon, +and he could speak to me then. He knows that I have no secrets from Mrs. +St. Felix; and although it is not pleasant to resort to such means, +still there can be no impropriety in my hearing what he has to tell me +in her presence. + +"I have seen Mr. Sommerville--he thanked me very much for having +communicated, through Mrs. St. Felix, my mother's plot against his +protege, and paid me many compliments upon my behavior, which were quite +unnecessary. He told me that he had spoken to his pupil, who had most +positively denied his having any such intention, and stated that he was +merely amusing himself, and he had pledged himself not to take the least +notice of me for the future. 'I am well aware,' said he, 'that what he +has stated is not correct; he has not deceived me by his assertions; and +were it not that I feel confidence in you, Miss Virginia,' continued he, +'I would write to his father that he might be immediately removed. I +hardly need say that should anything of this kind take place, I should +be most severely blamed. It is not the first time that I have been +compelled to interfere, for my pupil is of a very susceptible +disposition, and has fancied himself in love with at least five young +people since he has been under my charge. In this instance,' continued +he, making me a bow, 'he has some extenuation to offer. Will you oblige +me by informing me if he adheres to his promise? or do you wish that I +should speak to your mother?' + +"Mrs. St. Felix replied that it would be unnecessary; indeed, that if +Lord ---- left the house I should only be subject to fresh persecution. +Mr. Sommerville, at her request, stayed to drink tea, and is certainly a +very pleasant, well-informed, amiable young man. + +"23d. I have received no molestation since the explanation with Mr. +Sommerville, except from my mother, who accuses me of having affronted +Lord ----; and although I deny it, she asserts that he never could have +so changed his conduct toward both of us if I had not so done. I have +not seen Janet this week--I cannot imagine what has become of her. + +"24th. You may imagine my joy, my dear Tom. Mr. Sommerville has received +a letter, stating that his lordship is to go down to his father's seat +in the country, as he will be of age in a month, and he is to make +acquaintance with the tenants; there are to be great rejoicings there +upon his coming of age. I am sure no one can rejoice more than I shall +when he leaves, which is to be next Saturday. I am also very glad to say +that the Marquess has presented Mr. Sommerville with a valuable living, +now that he gives up his tutorship. I really think he will do justice to +his profession, for I have seen more of him lately, and esteem him very +much. + +"27th. They are gone, much to my mother's mortification and to my +delight; and now, as I have written so much about myself, I shall leave +this letter open till I see Janet, that I may tell you something about +her, otherwise I know my letter will not be interesting to you. + +"31st. My dear Tom, you must prepare yourself for painful intelligence. + +"Janet has disappeared. She left her father's house last night after the +family had retired, but no one knows where. She left a few lines on her +table, stating that they would hear from her soon. Poor Mr. Wilson was +here to-day--he is half distracted--and the whole town is full of the +scandal. Mrs. St. Felix told me this morning that she has discovered +that within the last week she has been seen walking on the London Road +with Lord ----. Is it possible? + +"May 2d. It is all true--Mrs. St. Felix has a letter from Mr. +Sommerville, stating that Janet was brought up to town and married to +Lord ---- two days ago. It appears that from the time that I repulsed +his attentions he fixed them upon Janet; that she encouraged him, and +used to meet him every night, as Mrs. St. Felix was informed. Mr. +Sommerville has seen his father, and fully exculpated himself; but the +Marquess declares, as his son is a minor, that the marriage shall not be +binding. How it will end Heaven only knows; but she is much to be +pitied. This will account for her not coming to me as usual. Now, Tom, I +do not suppose you will pay attention to me at present, but from what I +knew of Janet, and which her conduct has fully proved, she was not +worthy to be your wife, and could not have contributed to your +happiness. I pity you from my heart, as I know what you will feel; but +still I congratulate you, and eventually you will congratulate yourself +at your fortunate escape. + +"I will say no more at present, except that I am, and ever will be, + +"Your truly attached sister, + +"VIRGINIA." + +I had courage to finish the letter, and then it dropped from my hands. I +was bewildered, stupefied, maddened. As my sister said, I did indeed +feel. Was it possible? Janet, who had--mercy on me! I threw myself on +the bed, and there I remained till the next morning in a state most +pitiable. + +It is only those who have been deceived in their first attachment who +can appreciate my agony of feeling. For the first few hours I hated the +whole world, and, had then the means been at hand, should in all +probability have hastened into another; but gradually my excitement +abated; I found relief in tears of sorrow and indignation. I arose at +daylight the next morning, worn out with contending feelings, heavy and +prostrated in mind. I went out--stood on the beach, the keen breeze +cooled my fevered cheek. For hours I leaned motionless upon an anchor, +all hope of future happiness abandoned forever. + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT + + Which is all about Love--Bramble confides to me all his + Acquaintance with the tender Passion. + + +To conceal from Bramble or Bessy the state of mind to which I was +reduced was impossible. I was in a condition of prostration against +which I could not rally; and I believe that there never was a person who +had been disappointed in his first love who did not feel as I did--that +is, if he really loved with a sincere, pure, and holy feeling; for I do +not refer to the fancied attachments of youth, which may be said to be +like the mere flaws of wind which precede the steady gale. I could not, +for several days, trust myself to speak; I sat silent and brooding over +the words, the looks, the smiles, the scenes which had promised me a +store of future happiness--such as would probably have been the case, as +far as we can be happy in this world, had I fixed my affections upon a +true and honest, instead of a fickle and vain, woman; had I built my +house upon a rock, instead of one upon the sand--which, as pointed out +by the Scriptures, had been washed away, and had disappeared forever! +Bramble and Bessy in vain attempted to gain from me the cause of my +dejection; I believe that they had many conversations upon it when I was +absent, but whatever may have been their surmises, they treated me with +every kindness and consideration. About a week after I had received the +letter, Bramble said to me, "Come, Tom, we have had an easterly wind for +ten days now, they are going off in a galley to-morrow--suppose we go +too; it's no use staying here moping and doing nothing. You've been out +of sorts lately, and it will do you good." I thought so too, and +consented; but the other pilots were not ready, and our departure was +deferred till the day after. Bramble had acquainted me in the morning +with this delay; I was annoyed at it, for I was restless and wished for +change. My bundle had been prepared; I had passed the best part of the +night in writing to Virginia, and was, as people very often are when +under such oppressed feelings, in anything but a good humor at being +obliged to remain another day at Deal. I had walked out to the beach +after we had breakfasted, and had remained there some time. Bramble had +gone out in the direction of the post-office, and I asked him to inquire +if there was a letter for me, for I thought it very likely that Virginia +might have written to me again. I had remained for an hour on the beach, +when I recollected that my knife required to be sharpened, and I walked +round the cottage to the back yard, where there was a small grindstone. +I had not put my knife to it when I heard Bramble come in and say to +Bessy: + +"Well, girl, I've found it all out; for, you see, I thought old Anderson +might know something about it, or, if he did not, he could inquire--and +I've got the whole story. Here's Anderson's letter. I thought there must +be something of that sort." + +Here there was a pause, as if Bessy was reading the letter. + +"Only to think--she's run away with a young lord," said Bramble. + +"So it seems," replied Bessy. "I'm sorry for poor Tom, for he feels it +severely." + +"I'm not sorry," rejoined Bramble; "she wasn't deserving of him; and, +Bessy, I'm glad for your sake." + +"Don't say that, father; Tom will never think of me, nor do I care about +him." + +"I don't exactly believe that, Bessy, for all you say so. It's my wish, +and you know it, Bessy, to see you and Tom spliced before I die; and I +thank Heaven that this false girl is out of the way--I've more hopes +now." + +"Marriages are made in heaven, father," replied Bessy; "so, pray don't +say any thing more about it. It will be time enough for me to think of +Tom when Tom appears to think of me. I shall always love him as a +brother." + +"Well, God's will be done! We must now try and console him, poor fellow; +and I'm very glad that we're off to-morrow. Salt water cures love, they +say, sooner than anything else." + +"It may, perhaps," replied Bessy; "but I feel that if I were once really +in love the whole ocean itself could not wash my love out. However, +women are not men." + +"That's true. You hug your love as you do your babies, all day long, and +never tire. Now, you see, a man gets tired of nursing in no time. I +never was in love but once." + +"Oh, father, I've heard that story so often." + +"Well, then, you shan't hear it again. Now, I'll go out and see where +Tom may be. I suppose he's looking at the wind, and thinking how it +changes like a woman. But I'll light my pipe first." + +"Do, father; and while Tom looks at the wind and thinks of women, do you +just watch the smoke out of your pipe, and think of men and their +constancy." + +"Well, I will, if it pleases you. Put the letter by, Bessy, for I +shouldn't like Tom to see it. What have you got for dinner?" + +"I left that to Mrs. Maddox, so I can't tell. But there's cold pudding +in the larder; I'll put it out for Tom." + +"Nay, Bessy, you must not jest with him." + +"Am I likely, think you, father?" replied Bessy. "Can't I feel for him?" + +"Come, come, dearest, I didn't mean to make you cry." + +"I'm not crying, but I'm very sorry for Tom, and that's the truth. Now +go away with your pipe and leave me alone." + +It was impossible for me to have returned without being perceived, and I +therefore remained during the whole of this conversation. I was annoyed +to discover that they knew my secret; and still more vexed at the +remainder of this colloquy, by which I discovered that Bramble had so +completely set his heart upon a union between me and Bessy, which I +considered as impossible. I felt, as all do at the time, as if I never +could love again. I walked away, and did not return home till +dinner-time. Bramble and Bessy were very kind, although they did not +talk much; and when I went away the next day I was moved with the +affectionate farewell of the latter. + +It was a beautiful night, and we were running before the east wind, the +Portland Light upon our starboard beam; the other men in the boat had +lain down in their gregos and pilot jackets, and were fast asleep, while +Bramble was at the helm steering; and I, who was too restless in my mind +to feel any inclination to repose, was sitting on the sternsheets beside +him. + +"Do you see the line of the _Race_" said Bramble; "it seems strong +to-night." + +Bramble referred to what is called by the mariners the Race of Portland, +where the uneven ground over which the water runs creates a very heavy +sea even in a calm. Small smuggling vessels and boats, forced into it in +bad weather, have often foundered. The tide, however, runs so rapidly +over it that you are generally swept through it in a few minutes, and +then find yourself again in comparatively smooth water. + +"Yes," replied I; "it is very strong to-night, from the long continuance +of the easterly wind." + +"Exactly so, Tom," continued Bramble. "I've often thought that getting +into that Race is just like failing in love." + +"Why so?" replied I, rather pettishly, for I was not pleased at his +referring to the subject. + +"I'll tell you why, Tom," said Bramble; "because, you see, when we get +into the Race it's all boiling and bubbling and tossing about--rudder +and sails are of no use; and you are carried along by a fierce tide, +which there's no resisting, with no small damage to the upper works, +until you are fairly out again, and find breath to thank God for it. +Now, aren't that like love?" + +"I suppose it is as you say so; you know best." + +"Well, I think I do know best; because, you see, I have long been clear +of it. I never was in love but once, Tom; did I ever tell you about it?" + +"Never," replied I. + +"Well, then, as 'twill pass time away, I'll just give you the long and +the short of it, as the saying is. When I was just about twenty, and a +smart lad in my own opinion, I was on board of a transport, and we had +gone round to Portsmouth with a load of timber for the dockyard. It was +not my first trip there, for, you see, the transport was employed +wholly on that service; and during my cruising on shore I had taken up +my quarters at the Chequer Board, a house a little way from the common +Hard, in the street facing the dockyard wall; for, you see, Tom, it was +handy to us, as our ship laid at the wharf, off the mast pond, it being +just outside the dockyard gates. The old fellow who kept the house was +as round as a ball, for he never started out by any chance from one +year's end to another; his wife was dead; and he had an only daughter, +who served at the bar, in a white cap with blue streamers; and when her +hair was out of papers, and she put on clean shoes and stockings, which +she did every day after dinner, she was a very smart neat built little +heifer; and, being an only daughter, she was considered as a great catch +to any one who could get hold of her. She had quite the upper hand of +her father, who dared not say a word; and with others she would give +herself no few airs. At one time she would be as sweet as sugar, and the +next, without any cause, she'd 'wonder at your imperance.' It was +difficult to know how to take her. It's a bad thing for a girl to have a +great fortune; they get so much flattery that it turns their heads. +Well, Tom, I wasn't looking after the money, as you'll believe when I +tell you so; but as she was very chatty with me, and allowed me to come +inside the bar, which was considered as a great favor, to help rinse the +glasses, and so on, and as the other men used to joke with me, and tell +me that I should carry off the prize, I began to think that she was fond +of me, and so very naturally I became fond of her; and we met and we +parted (and she would allow me to kiss her when we parted), until I was +quite gone altogether, and did nothing but think of her all day and +dream of her all night. Well, the last time that I was in the transport +to Portsmouth, I had made up my mind to clinch the business, and as soon +as the sails were furled, I dressed myself in my best toggery and made +all sail for the old house. When I came in I found Peggy in the bar, and +a very fancy sort of young chap alongside of her. I did not think so +much of that, and I was going inside the bar to shake hands as usual, +when says she, 'Well, I should not wonder,' pulling to the half-door, as +if she were surprised at my attempting to come in. + +"'Oh, ho!' says I, 'are you on that tack? what next?' and then I looked +more at the chap, and he was a very nice young man, as the saying is. As +I afterward found out, he was in the smuggling line between Cherbourg +and our coast, and he had Frenchified manners, and he talked little bits +of French, and he had French gloves for presents, and had earrings in +his ears, and lots of rings on his fingers. So I took my seat at the +wooden benches near the fire, just as sulky as a bear with a sore head, +watching their maneuvers. At last he walked out, kissing his hand as she +smiles. As the coast was clear I went up to the bar. + +"'Well,' says I, 'Peggy, so the wind's shifted, is it?' + +"'What do you mean?' says she. 'I suppose I may be civil to another +person as well as to you.' + +"'Yes, I see no objection,' says I; 'but why was he to be inside the +bar, and I put out?' + +"'Oh,' replied she, 'one at a time, you know, Mr. Philip. I haven't made +any promises to you that I know of.' + +"'That's very true,' replied I, 'but--' + +"'Oh, you mustn't fret here,' interrupted she. 'I'm my own mistress, I +suppose. However, I'll tell you this much, that I don't care a bit about +him, and that's the truth of it--but I did not like your coming inside +the bar so quietly, as if you had a right there, for I don't want people +to make remarks.' + +"Well, the end of it was that she pacified me, and we were as great +friends almost as ever. I say almost, for I had my eyes upon her and +that chap, and did not much like it. A week after my arrival there was +to be a fair over at Ryde, in the Isle of Wight, and I asked Peggy +whether she would go with me; but she refused, saying that she was +obliged to go to her aunt's out at Limberhook, who was very old, and had +sent for her, so I thought nothing more about the matter. Well, the day +before the fair, as we were busy in the fore noon getting the timber out +of the vessel, one of my shipmates, who went to the same house, says to +me, 'I say, Tom, when I was at the Chequers last night, I overheard +Peggy promise to go to the Ryde Fair with that Frenchified smuggling +chap.' + +"'Did you?' said I. + +"'Yes,' replied he, 'and they agreed to start at twelve o'clock, just +after the dockyard bell rang. I thought at the time it was just to give +you the slip before you left the ship, and that she is turning you +over.' + +"Well, when I heard this, did not my blood boil? for the hussy had told +me a lie in saying that she was going to her aunt's; and it was evident +that she had done so that she might go with this other fellow to the +fair. I thought the matter over and over again, for, to tell you the +truth, all I wanted then was revenge. I felt nothing but scorn for a +woman who could act in so base a manner; at the same time I wished to +punish both her and him by spoiling their day's sport; so at last I +determined that I would start right away for the fair myself, and not +only put her to shame, but give her fancy man a good drubbing, which I +was well able to do. So I walks down to Point and gets into a wherry, +keeping a sharp lookout for their coming down from the Hard. At last I +spied them, and then I made the waterman pull away, so as to keep about +three cables' lengths ahead of them, and thus I continued watching their +billing and cooing, and grinding my teeth with rage, until we had come +over to the other side. Now, you see, Tom, at that time there was no +wooden pier at Ryde as there is now, and when the tide was out there was +such a long flat of mud that there was no landing; so the way it was +managed was, the wherries came in as far as they could, and were met by +a horse and cart, which took out the passengers and carried them through +the mud and water to the hard ground. Well, when I pulled in, the man +was there with his horse and cart, and I paid my fare, and stepped out +of the wherry, expecting the man to drive off and put me on shore; but +he, seeing that there was another wherry close at hand, says he must +wait for her passengers, and make one trip of it. I did not care how +soon we met, and waited very patiently until they pulled up to us. They +were not a little surprised to see me, and not a little annoyed either. +As for Peggy, she colored to her elbows, and then tried to put up an +impudent face on the matter. He looked both foolish and angry. They were +both very smart. She had on a white gown with a yellow handkerchief on +her shoulders, a green silk bonnet and blue feathers, and he was figged +out as fine as fivepence, with white jean trousers, and rings and +chains, and Lord knows what. + +"'Well,' says Peggy, as bold as brass, 'who'd have thought to have seen +you here?' + +"'I did not say that I was going to see my aunt,' replied I; 'but as you +did, who would have expected to see you here?' + +"'Don't talk to me, young man,' said she, as red as fire, and turning +away to her beau. + +"Just as she said this, the cart drove off, the horse floundering +through the mud, which was about three feet deep, with a matter of six +inches of water above it. As she turned away aft, I turned forward, +thinking what I should do next, and then I cast my eyes down, and +observed that it was a tilting cart as they use for carrying out manure, +and that if I took the two pegs out it would fall right back. I thought +this a capital trick. The carman was sitting on his horse, and it +couldn't matter to him, so I stepped out on the front of the cart, and +standing on the shafts, I first pulled out one peg and then another, +while they were busy talking to each other, with their heads so close +that his face was under her bonnet. As soon as the second peg was out, I +helped up the front of the cart a little, and back it went, shooting +them out right headforemost in the mud. You never saw such a scramble, +for they had caught hold of each other in their fright, and they rolled +and floundered, and were half smothered before they could recover their +feet; and then a pretty pickle they were in, wet to the skin, and +covered with mud from one end to the other; they could not see out of +their eyes. Peggy did nothing but scream and flounder--she was +frightened out of her wits--while the carman and I laughed ready to +split. I gave him half a crown to drive on shore without them, which he +did, and we left them to make their way out how they could; and a pretty +pickle they did come out at last. Thus was their day's pleasure, as well +as their clothes, all spoiled; and instead of dancing at the fair and +seeing all the sights, they were shivering in their wet clothes, and the +laughingstocks to all that saw them. + +"Depend upon it, I did not leave them after they had crawled out to the +beach. The fellow was, as you may suppose, as savage as a bull, and very +saucy, so I took off my jacket that I might not dirty myself, and gave +him a couple of black eyes and a bloody nose for his trouble; and as for +Peggy, I pretended to be so sorry for her, and condoled with her so +much, that at last she flew at me like a tigress--and as I knew that +there was no honor, and plenty of mud, to be gained by the conflict, I +took to my heels and ran off to the fair, where I met some of my friends +and told them what had happened, and then we had a very merry day of it, +and I felt quite cured of my love; for, you see, Peggy looked so ugly +and miserable when she was in the state I left her, that I had only to +think of her as when I last saw her, and all my love was gone." + +"Did you ever meet her again?" + +"I met her that very night; for, you see, she had gone to a cottage and +taken off her clothes, having insisted upon her fancy man going back to +Portsmouth to fetch her others to go home in. He dared not refuse, so +off he went in the pickle that he was. But he didn't come back again, +for, you see, there was a warrant out against him for an affray at Bear +Haven, in which a King's officer was killed; and after he had changed +his own clothes, and was proceeding to get some for her from the +Chequers, he was met by the constable who had the warrant, and carried +off handcuffed to jail, and afterward he was transported--so she never +saw him again. Well, Peggy, poor creature, had been waiting for him for +hours, expecting his return; and it was past ten o'clock when I was +coming down with some others, and saw her at the door of the cottage +weeping. + +"'Good-night, Peggy,' says I. + +"'Oh, Philip, do be kind, do come to me; I'm frightened out of my life. +I shall have to stay here all night.' + +"So, you see, I did feel some little pity for her, and I went up to +her, and she told me how she had sent him, and he had never come back +again. + +"'The fact is,' says I, 'Peggy, you aren't smart enough for such a +Frenchified chap as he is. He don't like to be seen in your company. +Come, get up, and I will see you home, at all events;' so I took charge +of her, and saw her safe to her father's door. + +"'Won't you come in?' said she. + +"'No, thank you,' says I. + +"'Won't you forgive me, Philip?' said she. + +"'Yes," says I, 'I'll forgive you, for old acquaintance' sake, and for +one more reason.' + +"'What's that?' says Peggy. + +"'Why,' says I, 'for the lesson which you've learned me. I've been made +a fool of once, and it's your fault; but if ever a woman makes a fool of +me again, why, then it's mine. And so, Peggy, good-by forever.' + +"So I turned away on my heel, and as I left the transport the next trip, +I never saw her again." + +"Well, Bramble," replied I, "I agree with you; and if ever a woman makes +a fool of me _again_, it will be my fault. You know what's happened, so +I don't mind saying so." + +"Why, Tom, in your present humor, you think so; but all do not keep to +the same way of thinking as I did till it was too late to think about +marrying; but still I do not think that I should have been happy as a +single man, if it had not been for my falling in with Bessy. I should +have been very lonely, I expect, for I began to feel so. When you come +to your own door, Tom, home looks cheerless if there is no bright eye to +welcome you, and the older a man gets the more he feels that he was not +intended to live single. My yearning after something to love and to love +me, which is in our nature, was satisfied, first by having Bessy, and +then by having you--and I'm thankful." + +"You might have married, and have been very unhappy." + +"I might, and I might have been very happy, had I chosen a wife as a man +should do." + +"And how is that, pray, Bramble?" + +"Why, Tom, I've often thought upon it. In the first place look out for +good temper: if you find that you may be happy, even if your wife is a +silly woman; assure yourself first of her temper, and then you must +judge her by the way in which she does those duties which have fallen to +her lot; for if a girl is a dutiful and affectionate daughter there is +little fear but that she will prove a loving and obedient wife. But I +think we have had our spell here, Tom, and it's rather cold: rouse up +one of those chaps, and tell him to come to the helm. I'll coil myself +up and have a snooze till the morning, and do you do the same." + + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE + + In which I receive a very severe Blow from a Party or Parties + unknown. + + +The day after this conversation we fell in with several vessels +windbound at the entrance of the Channel. I took charge of one, and the +wind shifting to the S.W., and blowing strong, I carried her up to the +Pool. As soon as I could leave her I took a boat to go down to +Greenwich, as I was most anxious to have a long conversation with +Virginia. It was a dark squally night, with rain at intervals between +the gusts of wind, and I was wet through long before I landed at the +stairs, which was not until past eleven o'clock. I paid the waterman, +and hastened up to my mother's house, being aware that they would either +be all in bed or about to retire. It so happened that I did not go the +usual way, but passed by the house of old Nanny; and as I walked by with +a quick step, and was thinking of her and her misfortunes, I fell over +something which, in the dark, I did not perceive, and which proved to be +some iron railings, which the workmen who were fixing them up had +carelessly left on the ground, previous to their returning to their work +on the ensuing morning. Fortunately the spikes at the ends of them were +from me, and I received no injury, except a severe blow on the shin; and +as I stopped a moment to rub it, I thought that I heard a cry from the +direction of old Nanny's house; but the wind was very high, and I was +not certain. I stopped and listened, and it was repeated. I gained the +door. It was so dark that I groped for the latch. The door was open, and +when I went in I heard a gurgling kind of noise and a rustling in her +chamber. "Who's there?--What's this?" cried I; for I had a foreboding +that something was wrong. I tumbled over some old iron, knocked down the +range of keys, and made a terrible din, when, of a sudden, just as I had +recovered my legs, I was thrown down again by somebody who rushed by me +and darted out of the door. As the person rushed by me I attempted to +seize his arm, but I received a severe blow on the mouth, which cut my +lip through, and at first I thought I had lost all my front teeth. + +I rose up. I heard a heavy groaning; so, instead of pursuing the robber, +I felt my way into Nanny's chamber. "Nanny," said I, "mother, what's the +matter?" but there was no reply, except another groan. I knew where she +kept her tinderbox and matches; I found them, and struck a light; and by +the light of the match I perceived the candle and candlestick lying on +the floor. I picked it up, lighted it, and then turned to the bed; the +flock mattress was above all, and the groans proceeded from beneath. I +threw it off, and found old Nanny still breathing, but in a state of +exhaustion and quite insensible. By throwing water on her face, after +some little while I brought her to her senses. The flaring of the candle +reminded me that the shop door was open. I went and made it fast, and +then spoke to her. It was a long while before I could obtain any +rational answer. She continued to groan and cry at intervals, "Don't +leave me, Jack, don't leave me." At last she fell into a sort of slumber +from exhaustion, and in this state she remained for more than an hour. +One thing was evident to me, which was, that the party, whoever it might +be, had attempted to smother the poor old woman, and that in a few +seconds more he would have perpetrated the deed. + +At last old Nanny roused up, and turning to me, said, "It's Jack, is it +not? I thought so. Oh, my poor head! What has happened?" + +"That's what I want to know from you, mother," replied I; "but first I +will tell you what I know of the business." Which I did, to give her +time to collect her thoughts. + +"Yes," said she, "so it was. I was just in bed, and my candle was not +out, when I heard a noise at the door, as if they were turning a key in +it, and then a man entered; but he had something over his face, I +thought, or he had blacked it. 'What do you want?' cried I. 'I come for +a light, old woman,' said he. I cried 'Thieves! murder!' as loud as I +could, and he ran up to me just as I was getting out of bed, and tried +to smother me. I don't recollect anything more till I heard your voice. +Thank you, Jack, and God bless you; if you hadn't come to the assistance +of a poor old wretch like me, I should have been dead by this time." + +I felt that what she said was true, and I then asked her many questions, +so as to lead to the discovery of the party. + +"How was he dressed?" inquired I. + +"I can't exactly say. But, do you know, Jack, I fancied that he had a +pensioner's coat on; indeed, I am almost sure of it. I think I tore off +one of his buttons, I recollect its giving way; I may be wrong--my head +wanders." + +But I thought that most likely Nanny was right, so I looked down on the +floor with the candle, and there I picked up a pensioner's button. + +"You're right, Nanny; here is the button." + +"Well, now, Jack, I can't talk anymore; you won't leave me to-night, I'm +sure." + +"No, no, mother, that I will not. Try to go to sleep." + +Hardly had Nanny laid her head down again, when it came across my mind +like a flash of lightning that it must have been Spicer who had +attempted the deed; and my reason for so thinking was that the blow I +had received on the mouth was not like that from the hand of a man, but +from the wooden socket fixed to the stump of his right arm. The more I +reflected upon it the more I was convinced. He was a clever armorer, and +had picked the lock; and I now recalled to mind what had never struck me +before, that he had often asked me questions about old Nanny, and +whether I thought the report that she had money was correct. + +It was daylight before old Nanny woke up, and then she appeared to be +quite recovered. I told her my suspicions, and my intentions to +ascertain the truth of them as far as I possibly could. + +"Well, and what then?" said old Nanny. + +"Why, then, if we bring it home to him, he will be hanged, as he +deserves." + +"Now, Jack, hear me," said old Nanny. "You won't do anything I don't +wish, I'm sure; and now I'll tell you that I never would give evidence +against him, or any other man, to have him hanged. So, if you find out +that it is him, do not say a word about it. Promise me, Jack." + +"Why, mother, I can't exactly say that I will; but I will talk to Peter +Anderson about it." + +"It's no use talking to him; and, if you do, it must be under promise of +secrecy, or I will not consent to it. Jack, Jack, recollect that my poor +boy was hanged from my fault. Do you think I will hang another? Oh, no. +Perhaps this very man had a foolish wicked mother, like me, and has, +like my boy, been led into guilt. Jack, you must do as I wish--you +shall, Jack." + +"Well, mother, I have no animosity against the man himself; and, if you +forgive him, I do not see why I should do anything." + +"I don't forgive him, Jack; but I think of my own poor boy." + +"Well, mother, since you wish it, it shall be so; and if I do prove that +the man I suspect is the party, I will say nothing, and make Anderson +promise the same, as I think he will. But how is it that people come to +rob a poor old woman like you? How is it, mother, that there is a report +going about that you have money?" + +"Is there such a report, Jack?" + +"Yes, mother, every one says so; why, I do not know; and as long as it +is supposed, you will always be subject to attacks like this, unless, +indeed, if you have money, you were to put it away safely, and let +everybody know that you have done so. Tell me truly, mother, have you +any money?" + +"Jack, what a boy you are to ask questions. Well, perhaps I have a +little--a very little; but no one will ever find out where I have hidden +it." + +"But they will try, mother, as this man has done, and you will always be +in peril of your life. Why not place it in the hands of some safe +person?" + +"Safe person! Who's safe nowadays?" + +"Why, for instance, there's Mr. Wilson." + +"Wilson! what do you know about him, Jack, except that he has a smooth +face and a bald head? You're young, Jack, and don't know the world. The +money's safe where it is, and no one will ever find it." + +"If so, who is to find it after--" I stopped, for I did not like to say, +after she was dead. + +"I know what you would have said, Jack; who's to find it after my death? +That's very true. I never thought of that, and I must will it away. I +never thought of that, Jack, it's very true, and I'm glad that you have +mentioned it. But who dare I tell? who can I trust?--Can I trust you, +Jack?--can I?--I ought, for it's all for you, Jack, when I die." + +"Mother, whoever it may be for, you may, I hope, trust me." + +"Well, I think I can. I'll tell you where it is, Jack, and that will +prove that it is for you, for nobody else will know where to find it. +But, Jack, dear, dear Jack, don't you rob me, as my son did; don't rob +me, and leave me penniless, as he did; promise me?" + +"I never will, mother; you need not be afraid." + +"Yes; so you say, and so he said; he swore and he cried too, Jack, and +then he took it all, and left his mother without a farthing." + +"Well, mother, then don't tell me; I'd rather not know. You will only be +uncomfortable, and so let the money go." + +"No, Jack, that won't do either; I will tell you, for I can trust you. +But first, Jack, go out and look behind the house, that there is no one +listening at the window; for if any one should hear--go, look round +carefully, and then come back." + +I did as she wished, and then Nanny bid me hold my head closer to her, +while she whispered, "You must take the back out of the fireplace, and +then pull out three bricks, and then put your hand into the hole, and +you will find a small box; and there you will find a little money--a +very little, Jack, hardly worth having, but still it may be of some +use; and it's all yours when I die. Jack--I give it to you." + +"Mother, I'm thankful for your kindness, but I cannot touch it if you do +die without you leave it to me by your will." + +"Ah! that's true, Jack. Well, tell Anderson to come here, and I'll tell +him I'll leave the money to you; but I won't tell him where it is, I'll +only say that I leave you everything I have. They'll suppose that it's +the shop and all the pretty things." Here she chuckled for some time. + +It was now broad daylight, and Nanny told me that she would like to get +up, and see about a padlock being put to her door before night; so I +wished her good-by, and left her. + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY + + Showing the great Advantages to be derived from Patronage. + + +I left old Nanny, and arrived at my mother's house in time for +breakfast. I did not, however, find her in a very good humor; something +had evidently ruffled her. Virginia also, who welcomed me most +cordially, was taciturn and grave. My mother made but one observation +during our repast. + +"Well, Tom," said she, "you've found out what it is to wish to marry for +love. I only wish it may be a lesson to others." + +To this evident attack upon Virginia, at the expense of my feelings, I +made no reply, and soon afterward my mother went to superintend her +establishment, leaving me and my sister alone. + +"Tom," said she, "I hope by this time you are no longer suffering from +your late cruel disappointment. I have felt for you, I assure you, and, +assuring you of that, will not again revert to the subject. Let her be +blotted from your memory as soon as possible." + +"Be it so, my dear Virginia; but you are grave, and my mother is +evidently out of humor. You must explain this." + +"That is easily done. I have made a sad mistake. I was so much annoyed +at my mother's system toward me that I ventured, without her knowledge, +to write to Lady Hercules, requesting her protection and influence to +procure me some situation as a companion to a lady, amanuensis, or +reader. It appears that her ladyship was not very sincere in her +professions when we had an interview with her; at all events, her reply +was anything but satisfactory, and, unfortunately, it was addressed to +my mother and not to me. You can have no idea of my mother's indignation +upon the receipt of it, and she has not been sparing in her reproaches +to me for having written without her knowledge, and having, by so doing, +subjected her to such a mortification. I certainly am sorry to have done +so. As for her ladyship's answer, it would have been to me more a +subject of mirth than any other feeling. It has, however, proved the +cause of much annoyance from my mother's continually harping upon it." + +"Have you the letter of Lady Hercules?" + +"I have a copy of it, which I took, intending to have sent it to you the +next time that I wrote. I will bring it down if you will wait a minute." + +When Virginia returned she put the following epistle into my hand: + + MRS. SAUNDERS--I have received a letter from your daughter, which, + I presume, was forwarded as a specimen of her penmanship; otherwise + it was your duty to have addressed me yourself. I said to you, when + I met you at Greenwich, that you were educating your daughter above + her condition in life, and I now repeat it. My patronage is + extended only to those who are not above their situations, which, I + am sorry to observe, most people are now. Nevertheless, as I did + say that I would exert my influence in your daughter's behalf, in + consequence of your having been a decent, well-behaved menial to + me, I have made inquiry among my acquaintances, and find that I may + be, _possibly_, able to place her with my friend, Lady Towser, as a + 'boudoir-assistant.' I have said _possibly_, as I am by no means + sure that she will be equal to the situation, and the number of + applicants are very numerous. The inclosed paper from Lady Towser + will give you an idea of what will be requisite: + + "Morning, up at 6, and nicely dressed; come in in list shoes, and + wait at bedside, in case Lady Towser should be troubled with her + morning cough, to hand the emulsion, etc. At 9, to call and assist + to dress Lady Towser's head tirewoman; follow her to Lady T.'s + chamber, and obey orders. Breakfast in housekeeper's room. After + breakfast assist housemaid to dust ornaments, and on Saturdays and + Wednesdays, _wash_, comb, and examine dogs; other days comb and + examine them only; clean and feed macaw, cockatoo, and parrot, also + canary and other birds; bring up dogs' dinners, and prevent them + fighting at meals. After dogs' dinners read to Lady T., if + required; if not, get up collars and flounces, laces, etc., for + Lady T. and Lady T.'s tirewoman. After your own dinner assist + housekeeper as required in the still-room; fine needlework; repair + clothes before they go to wash; dress and brush Lady T.'s perukes; + walk out with dogs if weather is fine, and be careful to prevent + their making any acquaintances whatever. + + "Evening--Read to Lady T., write notes, look over bills, and keep + general accounts; if not wanted, to make herself useful in + housekeeper's room, and obey all orders received from her or head + tirewoman. At night see that the hot water is ready for Lady T.'s + feet, and wait for her retiring to bed; wash Lady T.'s feet, and + cut corns, as required; read Lady T. to sleep, or, if not required + to read, wait till she is certain that Lady T. is so. + + "Now the only points in which I think your daughter may fail is in + properly washing, combing, and examining the dogs, and cutting her + ladyship's corns; but surely she can practice a little of both, as + she will not be wanted for a month. There can be no difficulty + about the first; and as for the latter, as all people in your rank + of life have corns, she may practice upon yours or her father's. At + all events, there can be no want of corns in Greenwich Hospital + among the pensioners. I am desired to say that Lady T. gives no + wages the first year; and you will be expected to send your + daughter neatly fitted out, that she may be able to remain in the + room when there is company. If this offer will not suit, I can do + nothing more; the difficulty of patronage increases every day. You + will send an answer. + + "VIRGINIA HAWKINGTREFYLYAN. + +"I was just closing my letter when Lady Scrimmage came in; she tells me +that Lady Towser is suited, and that you have no hopes of this +situation. I have done my best. Lady Scrimmage has, however, informed me +that she thinks she can, upon my recommendation, do something for you in +Greenwich, as she deals largely with a highly respectable and +fashionable milliner of the same name as your own, and with whom it +would be of the greatest advantage to your daughter to be placed as an +apprentice, or something of that sort. This is an opportunity not to be +lost, and I therefore have requested Lady S. to write immediately, and I +trust by _my patronage_, she will gain a _most enviable situation_." + +"That postscript is admirable," observed I, "and ought to have put my +mother in a good humor. Is she not called by Lady Hercules 'highly +respectable and fashionable'?" + +"Very true," replied Virginia; "but my mother cannot get over the first +part of the letter, in which she is mentioned as 'a decent and +well-behaved menial.' She has since received a note from Lady Scrimmage, +requesting her to take me in some capacity or another, adding, by way of +postscript, 'You know you need not keep her if you do not like--it is +very easy to send her away for idleness or impertinence; but I wish to +oblige Lady Hercules, and so, pray, at all events, write and say that +you will try her." + +"And what has my mother said in reply?" + +"She did not show me the answer; but, from what I have collected from +her conversation, she has written a most haughty, and, I presume it will +be said, a most impertinent letter to both the ladies; the one to Lady +Scrimmage accompanied with her bill, which has not been paid these three +years. I am sorry that my mother has been annoyed. My father, to whom I +related what had taken place, told me that my mother was very ill +treated by Lady Hercules, and that she had smothered her resentment with +the hopes of benefiting her children by her patronage; but that was at a +time when she little expected to be so prosperous as she is now." + +"It is all true, my dear girl; I recollect my father telling me the +whole story. However, I presume my mother, now that she can venture upon +defiance, has not failed to resort to it." + +"That I am convinced of. I only hope that she will carry her indignation +against great people so far as not to court them as she has done, and +abandon all her ridiculous ideas of making a match for me. After all, +she has my welfare sincerely at heart, and, although mistaken in the +means of securing it, I cannot but feel that she is actuated solely by +her love for me." + +We then changed the conversation to Janet, about whom I could now speak +calmly; after which I narrated to her what had occurred during the +night, and my intention to consult with my father and Anderson upon the +subject. + +Virginia then left me that she might assist her mother, and I hastened +to my father's ward, where I found him, and, after our first greeting, +requested that he would accompany me to Anderson's office, as I had +something to communicate to them both. As I walked along with my father +I perceived Spicer at a corner with his foot on a stone step and his +hand to his knee, as if in pain. At last he turned round and saw us. I +walked up to him, and he appeared a little confused as he said, "Ah! +Tom, is that you? I did not know you were at Greenwich." + +"I came here last night," replied I; "and I must be off again soon. Are +you lame?" + +"Lame! No; what should make me lame?" replied he, walking by the side of +us as if he were not so. + +I looked at his coat, and perceived that the third button on the right +side was missing. + +"You've lost a button, Spicer," observed I. + +"So I have," replied he; and, as we had now arrived at Anderson's door, +my father and I turned from him to walk in and wished him good-by. + +Anderson was in his office, and as soon as the door was closed I +communicated to them what had occurred during the night, expressing my +conviction that Spicer was the party who had attempted the murder. In +corroboration I reminded my father of the loss of the button from +Spicer's coat, and produced the one which Nanny had torn off. + +"This is something more than suspicion," observed Anderson; "but if, as +you say, old Nanny will not give evidence against him, I know not what +can be done. Did you say that the old woman wanted to speak with me?" + +"Yes, and I really wish that you would call there oftener." + +"Well," replied Anderson, "I'll go, Tom; but, to be plain with you, I do +not think that I can be of much use there. I have been several times. +She will gossip as long as you please; but if you would talk seriously, +she turns a deaf ear. You see, Tom, there's little to be gained when you +have to contend with such a besetting sin as avarice. It is so powerful, +especially in old age, that it absorbs all other feelings. Still it is +my duty, and it is also my sincere wish, to call her to a proper sense +of her condition. The poor old creature is, like myself, not very far +from the grave; and, when once in it, it will be too late. I will go, +Tom, and most thankful shall I be if, with God's help, I may prove of +service to her." + +We then left old Anderson to his duties, and my father went home with +me. We had a long conversation relative to my sister, as well as about +my own affairs. I had intended to have remained some days at Greenwich, +but this was the first time that I had been there since Janet's +desertion, and the sight of everything so reminded me of her, and made +everything so hateful to me, that I became very melancholy. My mother +was, moreover, very cross, and my sister anything but comfortable; and, +on the third day, having received a letter from Bramble, stating that he +had arrived at Deal, and that the easterly winds having again set in, +they talked, of setting out again in the galley, I made this an excuse +for leaving; and for the first time did I quit Greenwich without regret. + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-ONE + + In which it is proved that Sailors have very correct Ideas as to + Metempsychosis. + + +The day after my return to Deal I again embarked with Bramble and three +others, to follow up our vocation. The second day we were abreast of the +Ram Head, when the men in another pilot boat, which had come out of +Plymouth and was close to us, waved their hats and kept away to speak to +us. We hove-to for them. + +"Have you heard the news?" cried one of the men. + +"No." + +"Lord Nelson has beat the French and Spanish fleet." + +"Glad to hear it--huzza!" + +"Lord Nelson's killed." + +"Lord Nelson's killed!" The intelligence was repeated from mouth to +mouth, and then every voice was hushed; the other boat hauled her wind +without further communication, nor did we at the time think of asking +for any more. The shock which was given to the whole country was equally +felt by those who were seeking their bread in a small boat, and for some +little while we steered our course in silence. + +"What d'ye say, my lads?" said Bramble, who first broke silence; "shall +we haul up for Cawsand, and get a paper? I shan't be content till I know +the whole history." + +This was consented to unanimously; no one thought of piloting vessels +for the moment and earning food for their families. When the country +awarded a public funeral to our naval hero, it did not pay him a more +sincere tribute than was done in this instance by five pilots in a +galley. At Cawsand we obtained the newspaper, and after a few pots of +beer we again made sail for the mouth of the Channel. It hardly need be +observed that the account of this winding-up, as it proved, of our naval +triumphs, with the death of Nelson, was the subject of conversation for +more than one day. On the third we were all separated, having fallen in +with many windbound vessels who required our services. The one I took +charge of was a West Indiaman, deeply laden with rum and sugar, one of a +convoy which were beating about in the Chops of the Channel. As we were +standing out from the English coast the captain and one of the +passengers were at the taffrail close to me. + +"What do you think of the weather, pilot?" said the captain. + +"I think we shall have a change of wind, and dirty weather before twelve +hours are over our heads," replied I. + +"Well," said he, "that's my opinion. There is a cloud rising in the +southwest; and, look, there are some Mother Carey's chickens dipping in +the water astern." + +"Where?" said the passenger, a curly-headed Creole, about twenty years +old. + +"Those small birds," replied the captain, walking forward. + +The passenger went down below, and soon returned with his +double-barreled fowling-piece. + +"I have long wished to shoot one of those birds," said he; "and now they +are so near, I think I may get a shot." + +He raised his piece several times without firing, when the captain came +aft, and, perceiving his intention, caught his arm as he was about to +level again. + +"I beg your pardon, Mr. Higgins, but I really must request that you will +not fire at those birds." + +"Why not?" + +"Because I cannot permit it." + +"But what's to hinder me?" replied the young man, coloring up; "they are +not in your manifest, I presume." + +"No, sir, they are not; but I tell you frankly that I would not kill one +for a hundred pounds. Nay, I would as soon murder one of my +fellow-creatures." + +"Well, that may be your feeling, but it's not mine." + +"Nevertheless, sir, as it is, to say the least of it, very unlucky, you +will oblige me by yielding to my request." + +"Nonsense!--just to humor your superstitious feeling." + +"We are not in port yet, Mr. Higgins; and I must insist upon it you do +not fire. You have taken my gunpowder, and I cannot allow it to be used +in that way." + +During this altercation I observed that many of the sailors had come +aft, and, although they said nothing, were evidently of the same opinion +as the captain. I was aware that there was a superstitious feeling among +the seamen relative to these birds, but I had never seen it so strongly +exemplified before. + +The mate gave a wink to the captain, behind the passenger's back, and +made a motion to him to go forward, which the captain did. The passenger +again raised his gun, when it was seized by two of the seamen. + +"You must not fire at these birds, sir!" said one of them. + +"Why, you scoundrel?--I'll give you the contents of both barrels if you +don't leave my gun alone." + +"No, you won't--you're not among niggers now, master," replied the +seaman; "and as you have threatened to shoot me, I must take the gun +from you." + +A scuffle ensued, during which both barrels were discharged in the air, +and the gun taken from Mr. Higgins, who was boiling with rage. The gun +was handed forward, and I saw it no more. Mr. Higgins, in a state of +great excitement, went down into the cabin. + +The captain then came aft to me, when I observed that I had no idea that +seamen were so very particular on that point; and I thought that they +had gone too far. + +"You may think so, pilot," replied he, "but when I tell you that I fully +believe that these birds are as good as ourselves, you will not be +surprised--" + +"How do you mean, as good as ourselves?" + +"I believe that they _were_ every one sailors like ourselves in former +times. They are now the sailors' friends, come to warn us of the +approaching storm, and I can tell you a circumstance which occurred in +the West Indies, which fully proves to me that they are not wantonly +killed without a judgment upon those who do so. I never believed it +myself till then; but old Mason, who is now on board, was one of the +seamen of the vessel in which the circumstance happened." + +"Indeed!" replied I, "I should like to hear it." + +"I can't tell you now," said he; "I must go down and satisfy that puppy +Creole, whose sugars are on board. He will otherwise make such a row +between me and the owners that I may lose the command of the vessel. And +yet, would you imagine it? although he will not credit what I tell him +about Mother Carey's chickens, the foolish young man firmly believes in +the Obi." + +I did not think one superstition more ridiculous than the other, but +still as I always found that it was useless to argue such points, I said +nothing, and the captain went down into the cabin to pacify Mr. Higgins. + +It was late in the first watch, and when the passengers had retired to +bed, that the captain came on deck. "Well," said he, "I told Mr. Higgins +my story, and as there was a bit of Obi nonsense in it, he believed it, +and he has not only made friends, but thanked me for not having allowed +him to shoot the birds; and now I'll tell you the real story: + +"A schooner was coming down from the Virgin Isles with sugar and +passengers to Antigua, where I was lying with my ship. She had a fine +young fellow of the name of Shedden on board; and, besides other +passengers, there was an old black woman, who, where she resided, had +always been considered as an Obi woman. I saw her afterward; and you +never beheld such a complication of wrinkles as she was, from her +forehead to her feet, and her woolly head was as white as snow. They +were becalmed as soon as they were clear of the islands; and, as it +happened, some Mother Carey's chickens were flying about the stern. +Shedden must needs get at his gun to shoot them. The old black woman sat +near the taffrail; she saw him with his gun, but she said nothing. At +last he fired, and killed three of them. + +"'There are three down!' cried out some of the other passengers. + +"'How many?' said the old woman, raising her head; '_three!_ Then count +the sharks which are coming up.' + +"'Count the sharks, mother! why count them? There's plenty of them,' +replied Shedden, laughing. + +"'I tell you that there will be but three sent,' replied the old woman, +who then sunk down her head and said no more. + +"Well, the negroes who were passengers on board, most of them Mr. +Shedden's slaves, looked very blank, for they knew that old Etau never +spoke without reason. In about ten minutes afterward, three large sharks +swam up to the vessel, with their fins above water. + +"'There's the three sharks, sure enough!' said the passengers. + +"'Are they come?' said Etau, raising her head. + +"'Yes, moder, dere dey be--very large shark,' replied one of the +negroes. + +"'Then three are doomed,' said the old woman, 'and here we stay, and the +waves shall not run, nor the wind blow, till the three sharks have their +food. I say three are doomed!' + +"The passengers were more or less alarmed with this prophecy of old +Etau's, according as they put faith in her. However, they all went to +bed quite well, and the next morning they got up the same. Still there +was not a breath of wind, the whole sea was as smooth as glass, and the +vessel laid where she was the night before, in about six fathoms of +water, about a mile from the reef, and you could see the coral rocks +beneath her bottom as plain as if they were high and dry; and what +alarmed them the next morning was that the three large sharks were still +slowly swimming round and round the schooner. All that day it remained a +dead calm, and the heat was dreadful, although the awnings were spread. +Night came on, and the people, becoming more frightened, questioned old +Etau, but all the answer she gave was, '_Three_ are doomed!' + +"The passengers and crew were now terrified out of their wits, and they +all went to bed with very melancholy forebodings, for the elements +appeared as if they were arrested till the penalty was paid. For, you +observe, pilot, there is always a light breeze as regular as the sun +rises and goes down; but now the breezes only appeared to skirt the +land, and when they came from the offing invariably stopped two or three +miles from the schooner. It was about midnight that there was a stir in +the cabin, and it appeared that Mr. Shedden had the yellow fever, and +shortly afterward another white man, a sailor belonging to the schooner, +then one of Mr. Shedden's slaves. Well, there the fever stopped--no one +else was taken ill--the usual remedies were applied, but before morning +they were all three delirious. At sunrise it was still calm, and +continued so till sunset; and all the day the passengers were annoyed by +the back fins of the three sharks, which continued to swim about. Again +they went to bed, and just before one o'clock in the morning Mr. +Shedden, in his delirium, got out of his bed, and, rushing on the deck, +jumped overboard before any one could prevent him; and old Etau, who +never left where she sat, was heard to say, '_One_!' and the bell was +struck _one_ by the seaman forward, who did not know what had happened. +Morning came on again and there were but two sharks to be seen. About +noon the other white man died and he was thrown overboard; and as one +shark seized his body and swam away, old Etau cried out, '_Two!_' An +hour afterward the negro died, and was thrown overboard and carried away +by the third shark, and old Etau cried out, '_Three!_ the price is +paid!' + +"Well, every one crowded around the old woman to hear what she would +say, and they asked her if all was over, and whether they should have +any wind? and her reply was, 'When the three birds come from the sea to +replace those which were killed.' For you see, pilot, if one of these +birds is killed, it is certain that some one of the crew must die and +be thrown overboard to become a Mother Carey chicken, and replace the +one that has been destroyed. Well, after a time, although we never saw +them rise, three Mother Carey's chickens were seen dipping and flying +about astern of the schooner; and they told old Etau, who said, 'You'll +have wind and plenty--and plenty of waves to make up for the calm;' and +so they had sure enough, for it came on almost a hurricane, and the +schooner scudded before it under bare poles until she arrived at +Antigua, with her bulwarks washed away, and a complete wreck. I was +there at the time, and old Mason, who was on board, told me the story, +and asked me to take him, as he would not remain on board of the +schooner. And now I leave you to judge, after knowing this to be a fact, +whether I was not right in preventing Mr. Higgins from shooting the +Mother Carey chickens?" + +"Why, yes," replied I, "with such a _fact_ before my eyes, I should have +done the same." + +Mr. Higgins not venturing to kill any of these receptacles for the souls +of departed seamen, we arrived safely at the Downs, where I gave up +charge to a river pilot, for the other vessels which Bramble and our +companions had taken charge of were all bound to the Downs, and arrived +at nearly the same time that I did, and we had agreed to embark again in +the galley, and run out in quest of the remainder of the convoy. + +This we did on the following day, much to the vexation of Bessy, who +declared we only came on shore to be off again. + +I ought to observe that Bessy and I had become much more intimate since +the explanation which had taken place; and although it never entered my +head that I should ever feel toward her more than as a brother to a +sister, I was pleased and soothed with the touching proofs of kindness +and commiseration which she took every opportunity of showing toward me. + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-TWO + + A heavy Gale, a Wreck, and a Rescue. + + +We had run out in our galley as far as the Start, when the appearance of +the weather became very threatening. It was just about the time of the +equinoctial gales, and there was a consultation among us whether we +should run into Torquay or return to Deal. + +Bramble observed, that as the gale coming on would, in all probability, +blow for three days, he thought it was no use remaining all that time at +Torquay, where we should be put to extra expense, and that we should be +better on shore at our own homes. This remark decided the point, and +about dusk we put the boat's head along shore for up Channel. The wind +was at that time about S.S.W., but occasionally shifting a point or two. +The sky had become covered over with one black mass of clouds, which +hung down so low that they appeared almost to rest on the water; and +there was that peculiar fitful moaning which is ever the precursor of a +violent gale of wind. At nightfall we reefed our lug-sails; and, while +one sat at the helm, the rest of us lounged against the gunnel, buttoned +up in our pilot jackets; some shutting their eyes, as if to invite +sleep, others watching the waves, which now rose fast, and danced and +lapped at the weather broadside as if they would fain have entered into +the boat. But of that we had little fear; our galley was one of the +finest boats that ever swam, and we felt as secure as if we were on +board of a three-decked ship. As the night advanced, so did the wind +increase and the sea rise; lightning darted through the dense clouds, +and for a moment we could scan the horizon. Everything was threatening; +yet our boat, with the wind about two points free, rushed gallantly +along, rising on the waves like a sea-bird, and sinking into the hollow +of the waters as if she had no fear of any attempt on their part to +overwhelm her. Thus did we continue to run on during the night, every +hour the gale increasing, the billows mounting up until they broke in +awful and majestic crests, and often so near to us that we presented our +backs in a close file against the weather bulwarks to prevent any body +of water from pouring in. + +"We shall have light soon," observed one of the men. + +"And we shall want it to beach the boat in such weather as this," +replied another. "We shall have it harder yet before day." + +"Depend upon it this will be a mischievous gale," observed Bramble, "and +our coast will be strewed with wrecks. Any ships under canvas now, +between the Channel shores, will stand but a poor chance against this +heavy sea, which bears down with such force. I'd rather be in this boat +now than in any vessel in mid-Channel." + +"And I had rather be on shore than in either," rejoined I. + +"Well, Tom," said one of the pilots, "I do really believe you this +time." + +When it was broad daylight, the coast to leeward presented a wild and +terrific scene, lashed as it was by the furious surf, which dashed its +spray half-way up the towering white cliffs, for it was within two hours +of high water. The waves were now really mountains high, and their broad +surfaces were pitted into little waves by the force of the wind, which +covered the whole expanse of waters with one continued foam. On our +weather bow a vessel with her foremast gone was pitching heavily, and at +times nearly buried beneath the wild tumult. Her fate was sealed; to +leeward were the cliffs of the South Foreland, and on our lee-bow lay +the shelving beach of Deal. + +"This will be awkward landing, shipmates," said Bramble; "and yet we +must try it. I'll fill my pipe--hope it won't be the last." + +Although not said in a serious manner, there were few of us whose hearts +did not flutter responsively to this surmise, for the danger became +every minute more imminent, and we knew what a terrific surf there must +be then running on the shingle beach. But we now rapidly approached the +shore; we were near to the floating light, and in the roadstead not a +vessel remained; all had weighed and preferred being under what canvas +they could bear. At last we were within two cables' lengths of the +beach, and even at this distance from it we were surrounded with the +breakers; the surf broke many feet high, and roared as it rushed up with +a velocity that was appalling, dashing the foam right to the door of +Bramble's cottage, which was forty or fifty yards higher than it +generally gained to even in very bad weather. We now lowered our sails, +stowed them in the boat, and got our oars to pass, backing against the +surf to prevent it from forcing us on the beach until the proper time. + +It may not, perhaps, be known to many of my readers that there is a sort +of regularity even in the wild waves; that is, occasionally a master +wave, as it is termed, from being of larger dimensions than its +predecessors, pours its whole volume on the beach; after which, by +watching your time, you will find that two waves will run into one +another, and, as it were, neutralize each other, so that, for a few +seconds, you have what they call a smooth; the safest plan of landing +then is to watch these two chances, either to run in on the master wave, +or to wait till the arrival of the smooth. + +The latter is generally preferred, and with good reason, as unless a +boat can be forced in as fast as the master wave runs in, you are worse +off than if you had landed at any other time. + +The helm had been resigned to Bramble, who ordered me to go forward with +the boat's painter, a long coil of rope, and stand ready either to leap +out with it or throw it to those on shore, as might be most advisable; +the other men were sitting on the thwarts, their long oars in the +rowlocks, backing out as desired, and all ready to strain every nerve +when the order was given by Bramble to pull in. + +The danger which we were about to incur was fully evident to the crowds +which were assembled on the beach; not only the pilots, who stood there +ready to assist us--some with ropes with iron hooks at the end of +them--others all ready to dart into the surf to hold on the boat, or, if +required, to link their arms together, so as to form a living chain +which the undertow could not drag away with it; higher up, women and +children, their clothes driven by the furious gale, with one hand +holding on their caps, and with the other supporting themselves by the +gunnels of the boats hauled up, the capstans, or perhaps an anchor with +its fluke buried in the shingle, were looking on with dismay and with +beating hearts, awaiting the result of the venturous attempt, and I +soon discovered the form of Bessy, who was in advance of all the +others. + +[Illustration: WRECK OF THE GALLEY.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 407.] + +After a careful watching for perhaps two minutes on the part of Bramble, +he gave the word, and on dashed the galley toward the strand, keeping +pace with the wild surges, and although buried in the foam, not shipping +one drop of water. + +"Now, my men, give way--for your lives, give way," cried Bramble, as a +cresting wave came towering on, as if in angry pursuit of us. The men +obeyed, but, in their exertions, the stroke oar snapped in two, the man +fell back, and prevented the one behind him from pulling. Our fate was +sealed; the surge poured over, and throwing us broadside to the beach, +we were rolled over and over in the boiling surf. A cry was heard--a cry +of terror and despair--on the part of the women. I heard it as I was +swept away by the undertow, and the next wave poured over me; but all +was activity and energy on the part of the men who were on the beach: +the next wave that run in, they recovered me and two more by linking +their arms and allowing the surf to break over them. We were so much +bruised that we could not stand; they dragged us up, and left us to the +women. Bramble and four others were still struggling for life; again two +were saved--but the men on the beach were exhausted by their strenuous +exertions. + +[Illustration: WE FOUND BOTH BRAMBLE AND BESSY CLINGING TO THE +ROPE.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 409.] + +I had just recovered myself so as to sit up, when I perceived that they +were not acting in concert as before; indeed, in the last attempt, +several of them had narrowly escaped with their own lives. Bessy was now +down among them wildly gesticulating; Bramble still floated on the +boiling surf, but no chain was again formed; the wave poured in bearing +him on its crest; it broke, and he was swept away again by the +undertow, which dragged him back with a confused heap of singles +clattering one over the other as they descended. I saw him again, just +as another wave several feet in height was breaking over him--I felt +that he was lost; when Bessy, with a hook rope in her hand, darted +toward him right under the wave as it turned over, and as she clasped +his body, they both disappeared under the mountain surge. Another shriek +was raised by the women, while the men stood as if paralyzed. In my +excitement I had gained my legs, and I hastened to seize the part of the +rope which remained on the beach. Others then came and helped; we hauled +upon it, and found that there was weight at the end. Another sea poured +in; we hastily gathered in the slack of the rope, and when the water +retreated, we found both Bramble and Bessy clinging to the rope. In a +moment the men rushed down and hauled up the bodies. Bramble had hold of +the rope by both hands--it was the clutch of death; Bessy had her arms +round her father's neck; both were senseless. The boatmen carried them +up to the cottage, and the usual methods of recovery were resorted to +with success. Still we had to lament the death of two of our best +pilots, whose loss their wives and children were loudly wailing, and +whose bodies were not found for many days afterward. Alas! they were not +the only ones who were lamented. Upward of three hundred vessels were +lost during that dreadful gale, and hardly a seaport or fishing town but +bewailed its many dead. + +Whether it was that the women who attended Bessy were more active than +the men, or that she was younger, and her circulation of blood was more +rapid, or because she was a female, certain it is that Bessy first +recovered her speech, and her first question was, "Where was her +father?" Bramble did not speak, but fell into a sleep immediately after +he was brought to life. I had changed my clothes, and was watching by +him for an hour or more when he woke up. + +[Illustration: BRAMBLE HAD KNELT BY THE BEDSIDE, AND WAS EVIDENTLY IN +PRAYER--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 411] + +"Ah! Tom, is that you? Where's Bessy?" + +"She is in bed, but quite recovered." + +"Quite recovered--I recollect. I say, Tom, ain't she a fine creature? +God bless her. Well, she owes me nothing now, at all events. I think I +should like to get up, Tom. I wonder whether I smashed my old pipe on +the shingle? Just look into my wet jacket. I say, Tom, were they all +saved?" + +"No," I replied; "Fisher and Harrison were both drowned." + +"Poor fellows! I wish they had been spared. Fisher has seven +children--and Harrison, he has a wife, I think." + +"Yes, and two children, father." + +"Poor woman! God's will be done! He giveth and He taketh away! Tom, I +must get up and see Bessy." + +I assisted Bramble to dress, and as soon as he had put on his clothes he +went to Bessy's room. I stayed at the door. "You may come in, Tom; she's +muffled up in her blankets, and fast asleep." + +"Quite fast," said Mrs. Maddox; "she has slept more than an hour. Dear +heart, it will do her good." + +Bramble kissed Bessy's pale forehead, but it did not waken her. "Look, +Tom," said Bramble, "look at that smooth, clear skin--those pretty +features. Look at the delicate creature! and would you have thought that +she would have dared what no man dared to do--that she would have defied +those elements raging in their might, and have snatched their prey from +their very grasp? Did I ever imagine, when I brought her as a helpless +baby on shore, that she would ever have repaid the debt with such +interest, or that such a weak instrument should have been chosen by the +Lord to save one who otherwise must have perished? But His ways are not +our ways, and He works as He thinks fit. Bless you, bless you, my +Bessy--and may your fond heart never be again put to such trial! Is she +not beautiful, Tom? just like a piece of cold marble. Thank Heaven, she +is not dead, but sleepeth!" + +I certainly never did look upon Bessy with so much interest; there was +something so beautifully calm in her countenance as she lay there like +an effigy on a tomb, hardly appearing to breathe; and when I thought of +the courage and devotion shown but a few hours before by the present +almost inanimate form, I bent over her with admiration, and felt as if I +could kneel before the beautiful shrine which contained such an +energetic and noble spirit. While this was passing through my mind, +Bramble had knelt by the bedside, and was evidently in prayer. When he +rose up he said, "Come away, Tom: she is a maiden, and may feel ashamed +if she awaken and find us men standing by her bedside. Let me know when +she wakes up, Mrs. Maddox, and tell her I have been in to see her; and +now, Tom, let's go down. I never felt the want of a pipe so much as I do +now." + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-THREE + + A Scene in the Hospital, and a strange Discovery. + + +In a very few days Bramble and Bessy were sufficiently recovered to +resume their usual avocations; but the former expressed no willingness +to embark again, and Bessy's persuasions assisted to retain him at the +cottage. With me it was different. I was still restless, and anxious for +change; my feelings toward Bessy were those of admiration and esteem, +but not yet of love. Yet I could not help recalling to mind the words of +Bramble, "Observe how she performs those duties which fall to her lot; +if she is a good daughter she will make a good wife." I felt that she +would make a good wife, and I wished that I could have torn from my +bosom the remembrance of Janet, and have substituted the form of Bessy +in her place. We had been at the cottage nearly a week, when I received +a letter from Anderson; he informed me that he had visited old Nanny, +who had made her will in due form, and confided to him, and that he +thought she was more inclined to listen to him than she had before been; +that my father and mother and sister were well, and that Spicer had been +obliged to go into the hospital with an abscess in his knee, occasioned +by running something into it, and that it was reported that he was very +ill, and, in all probability, amputation must take place. I felt +convinced that Spicer must have, in his hasty retreat, fallen over the +iron railings which lay on the ground, and which had, as I mentioned, +tripped me up; but with this difference, that, as the spikes of the +railing were from me, and consequently I met with little injury, they +must have been toward him, and had penetrated his knee, and thus it was +that he had received the injury. Anderson also stated that they were +very busy at the hospital, receiving the men who had been maimed in the +glorious battle of Trafalgar. Altogether, I made up my mind that I would +take the first ship that was offered for pilotage up the river, that I +might know more of what was going on; and, as we sat down to supper, I +mentioned my intentions to Bramble. + +"All's right. Tom, you're young, and ought to be moving; but just now I +intend to take a spell on shore. I have promised Bessy, and how can I +refuse her anything, dear girl? I don't mean to say that I shall never +pilot a vessel again, but I do feel that I am not so young as I was, and +this last affair has shaken me not a little, that's the truth of it. +There's a time for all things, and when a man has enough he ought to be +content, and not venture more. Besides, I can't bear to make Bessy +unhappy; so, you see, I've half promised--only half, Bessy, you know." + +"I think you would have done right if you had promised altogether," +replied I; "you have plenty to live upon, and are now getting a little +in years. Why should you not stay on shore, and leave them to work who +want the money?" + +Bessy's eyes beamed gratefully toward me, as I thus assisted her wishes. +"You hear, father," said she, fondling him, "Tom agrees with me." + +"Ah!" replied Bramble, with a sigh, "if--but we cannot have all we wish +in this world." + +Bessy and I both felt what he would have referred to, and we were +silent. She cast down her eyes, and appeared busy with her fork, +although she was eating nothing. I no longer felt the repugnance that I +had a short time before, and I was in deep reverie, watching the changes +of her beautiful countenance, when she looked up. Our eyes met: she must +have read my thoughts in mine, for from that moment each hour increased +our intimacy and confidence. We were no longer afraid of each other. + +A day or two after this conversation an opportunity was given to me of +going up the river, which I did not neglect; and having delivered up +charge of the ship, I hastened down to Greenwich. I found everything in +_statu quo_ at my mother's house, and Virginia much pleased at there +being no lodgers. Anderson I met walking with Ben the Whaler and my +father. He told me that Spicer had refused to have his leg amputated, +when the surgeon had pointed out the necessity of the operation; and +that it was now said that it was too late to have the operation +performed, and that there was little or no chance of his recovery. They +asked me many questions relative to the narrow escape of Bramble, and +the behavior of Bessy. + +As soon as I could get away, I set off to the hospital to see Spicer; +for, as the reader must be aware, I had many reasons for having +communication with him--not that I expected that at first he would +acknowledge anything. I knew that his heart was hardened, and that he +had no idea of his danger; but I had his secret--he was indeed in my +power, and I hoped by terrifying him to obtain the information which I +wished. + +I found him in bed, in the corner of the hospital ward, to the left. He +was looking very pale, and apparently was in great pain. + +"Spicer," said I, "I have come to see you; I am sorry to hear of your +accident. How is your leg? is it better?" + +"No, not much," replied he, writhing, "I am in great pain; another man +would scream out with agony, but I'm like the wolf--I'll die without +complaint." + +"But you don't think that you're going to die, Spicer?" + +"No, Jack, I don't think that; I never have thought that, when I have +been worse than now. I'll never believe that I'm dead until I find +myself so. It must come some time or another, but I'm hale and hearty in +constitution as yet, and my time is not yet come." + +"It was the iron railings which you fell over, was it not? I fell over +them myself the same night when I landed, on the Monday, going up to old +Nanny's." + +"Who told you it was those cursed spikes? Well, well, so it was; but not +on the Monday, Jack, it was on the Wednesday." + +"Nay, that cannot be; for on the Tuesday, as I went down to the beach, I +saw them all fixed up in the stonework, and soldered in. It must have +been on the Monday--the night on which old Nanny was nearly smothered by +some one who went in to rob her. I came there just in time to save her +life; indeed, if you recollect, you were lame the next day, when I met +you in the hospital." + +"Well, Jack, you may think what you please; but I tell you it was on the +Wednesday." + +"Then you must have fallen over something else." + +"Perhaps I did." + +"Well, it's of no consequence. I'm glad to find that you're so much +better, for I was told that the doctor had said--" + +"What did the doctor say?" interrupted Spicer. + +"Why, it's better to tell the truth; he said it was impossible for you +to get over it; that the inflammation was too great to allow of +amputation now, and that it must end in mortification." + +"He said that!" said Spicer, wildly, raising himself on his elbow. + +"Yes, he did; and it's known all over the hospital." + +"Well," replied Spicer, "he may have said so; but I think I ought to +know best how I feel. He'll be here in half an hour or so, and then I'll +put the question to him. I'm a little tired, Jack, so don't speak to me +any more just now." + +"Shall I go away, Spicer?" + +"No, no, stay here. There's a book or two; read them till I feel a +little stronger." + +That my communication had had an effect upon Spicer was evident. He was +startled at the idea of the near approach of death, which he had not +contemplated. Alas! who is not? He shut his eyes, and I watched him; the +perspiration trickled down his forehead. I took up the book he had +pointed out to me; it was the History of the Buccaneers, with plates, +and I thought then that it was a parallel of Spicer's own career. I +looked at the plates, for I was not much inclined to read. In a few +minutes Spicer opened his eyes. "I am better now, Jack; the faintness +has passed away. What book is that? Oh, the Buccaneers. That and +Dampier's Voyages were the only two books of my father's library that I +ever thought worth reading. Have you ever read it?" + +"No," replied I, "I never have. Will you lend it to me?" + +"Yes; I'll give it to you, Jack, if you like." + +"Thank you. Was your father a sailor, Spicer, as well as you?" + +"Yes, Jack; a sailor, every inch of him." + +"Did you ever sail with him?" + +"No, he died about the time that I was born." Here the doctor, who was +going round the wards, came up to Spicer and asked him how he felt. +"Pretty well, doctor," said he. + +"Come, we must look at your leg, my man; it will require dressing. Is it +very painful?" + +"Why, yes, sir; it has been very painful indeed all night." + +The hospital mates unbandaged Spicer's leg, and took off the poultices, +and I was horrified when I saw the state which his leg was in: one mass +of ulceration from the middle of the thigh down to half-way below his +knee, and his ankle and foot swelled twice their size, a similar +inflammation extending up to his hip. The doctor compressed his lips and +looked very grave. He removed some pieces of flesh, it was then cleaned +and fresh poultices put on. + +"Doctor," said Spicer, who had watched his countenance, "they say in the +hospital that you have stated that I cannot live. Now, I should wish to +know your opinion myself on this subject, as I believe I am the most +interested party." + +"Why, my man," said the doctor, "you certainly are in great danger, and +if you have any affairs to settle, perhaps it will be prudent so to do." + +"That's a quiet way of saying there is no hope for me; is it not, +doctor?" replied Spicer. + +"I fear, my good man, there is very little." + +"Tell me plainly, sir, if you please," replied Spicer; "is there _any_?" + +"I am afraid that there is not, my good man; it's unpleasant to say so, +but perhaps it is kindness to tell the truth." + +"Well, sir, that is honest. May I ask you how long I may expect to +live?" + +"That will depend upon when the mortification takes place, about three +days; after that, my poor fellow, you will probably be no more. Would +you like the chaplain to come and see you?" + +"Thank you, sir; when I do, I'll send for him." + +The doctor and the attendants went away to the other patients. I was +silent. At last Spicer spoke. + +"Well, Jack, you were right; so it is all over with me. Somehow or +another, although I bore up against it, I had an inkling of it myself, +the pain has been so dreadful. Well, we can die but once, and I shall +die game." + +"Spicer," said I, "that you will die without fear I know very well; but +still, you know that you should not die without feeling sorry for the +sins you have committed, and praying for pardon. We have all of us, the +very best of us, to make our peace with Heaven; so, had I not better +tell the chaplain to come and talk with you?" + +"No, Jack, no; I want no parsons praying by my side. What's done is +done, and can't be undone. Go now, Jack, I wish to get a little sleep." + +"Shall I come and see you to-morrow, Spicer?" + +"Yes, come when you will; I like to have some one to talk to; it keeps +me from thinking." + +I wished him good day, and went away with the book in my hand. Before I +went home I sought out old Anderson and told him what had passed. "He +will not see the chaplain, Anderson, but perhaps he will see you; and, +by degrees, you can bring him to the subject. It is dreadful that a man +should die in that way." + +"Alas for the pride of us wretched worms!" ejaculated Anderson; "he +talks of dying game--that is to say, he defies his Maker. Yes, Jack, I +will go and see him; and happy I am that he has a few days to live. I +will see him to-night, but will not say much to him, or he might refuse +my coming again." + +I went home. I was not in a very gay humor, for the sight of Spicer's +leg, and the announcement of his situation, had made a deep impression +upon me. I sat down to read the book which Spicer had made me a present +of. I was interrupted by my mother requesting me to go a message for +her, and during my absence Virginia had taken up the book. + +"Who lent you this book, Tom?" said she, when I returned. + +"Spicer, the man whom they call Black Sam, who is now dying in the +hospital." + +"Well, that's not the name on the title-page--it is Walter James, +Tynemouth." + +"Walter James, did you say, dear? Let me look! Even so." + +"Why, what's the matter, Tom?" said my sister; "you look as if you were +puzzled." + +And indeed I do not doubt but I did, for it at once recalled to my mind +that old Nanny's married name was _James_, and that Spicer had said that +his father was a sailor, and that he had died at the time that he was +born, which agreed with the narrative of old Nanny. The conclusions +which I came to in a moment made me shudder. + +"Well, my dear, I was surprised, if not frightened; but you don't know +why, nor can I tell you, for it's not my secret. Let me look at the book +again." + +Here my father came in, and the conversation took a different turn, +which I was not sorry for. I wished, however, to be left to my own +reflections; so I soon afterward took up my candle and retired to my +room. + +I turned the subject over in my mind in a hundred ways, but could not +come to any conclusion as to the best method of proceeding. At last I +thought I would see Peter Anderson the next day, and take his advice. I +was out immediately after breakfast; but I could not find Anderson, so I +walked to the hospital to see Spicer. I found Anderson sitting by his +bedside, but they were not then conversing. After a short time Anderson +rose, and giving a slight shake of the head, as if to inform me that he +had had no success, he walked away. + +"He has been trying to convert me," said Spicer, with a grim smile. + +"He has been trying, Spicer, to bring you to a sense of your condition; +and is he not kind? he can have no interest but your own good. Do you +think that no one knows the sins you have committed except +yourself?--there is one eye which sees all." + +"Come, Jack, no preaching." + +"Spicer, you are here under a false name, and you think no one knows +anything about you; but everything has been discovered by me; and I +cannot help thinking that it has been made known providentially, and for +your good." + +"Ah!" replied Spicer, "and pray what do you know? Perhaps you can tell +me all the sins I have committed." + +"No, Spicer, but perhaps I can tell you of sins which you yourself are +not aware of. But first answer me--you know that you cannot live long, +Spicer; will you acknowledge that what I state is correct, should it +really be so?" + +"I give you my word that if you tell me anything about me which is +true, I will freely acknowledge it; so now, Mr. Fortuneteller, here's my +hand--it may be useful, you know, in helping your discovery." + +"I do not want your hand, Spicer--now hear me. Is not your name +James?--and were you not born at Tynemouth?" + +Spicer started. "How did you find that out? Well, Tom, it is so, and +what then?" + +"As you told me yourself, although I knew it before, your father was +lost at sea about the time that you were born. Spicer, I know how you +left your mother, and how you returned from _you know where_--how you +robbed her of every farthing, and left her again destitute and in +misery. Is there nothing to repent of in that, Spicer?" + +"Who the devil--" + +"Nay, Spicer, the devil has had nothing to do with the discovery." + +"Strange, strange indeed," muttered Spicer; "but still, it is true." + +"Spicer, you know best how your life was passed from that time until you +came into the hospital; but it was to be hoped that when laid up to rest +in this haven, after such a stormy life, you would have amended your +life; but what have you done?" + +"And what have I done?" + +"What would have brought you to the gallows if I had not held my tongue. +You attempted to murder the old woman to obtain her money, and, in +escaping, you received the wound which soon will bring you to your +grave." + +"What proofs?" + +"Every proof: your stump struck me in the face when you rushed out--the +button was off your coat the next morning when I met you--I had every +proof, and, had I chosen, would have sworn on the Bible to your having +been the party." + +"Well, I'll not deny it--why should I, when I cannot be taken out of +this bed to be tried, even if you wished? Have you more to say?" + +"Yes, more." + +"I doubt it." + +"Then hear me. The poor woman whom you would have murdered, whom I found +at her last gasp, and with difficulty restored to consciousness, that +poor woman, Spicer, is _your own mother!_" + +"God of heaven!" exclaimed he, covering his face. + +"Yes, Spicer, your fond, indulgent mother, who thinks that you suffered +the penalty of the law many years ago, and whose energies have been +crushed by the supposed unhappy fate of her still loved and lamented +son. Spicer, this is all true, and have you now nothing to repent of?" + +"I thought her dead, long dead. God, I thank Thee that I did not the +deed; and, Jack, I am really grateful to you for having prevented it. +Poor old woman!--yes, she did love me, and how cruelly I treated +her!--and she is then still alive, and thinks that I was hanged--yes, I +recollect now, she must think so. Oh! my brain, my brain!" + +"Spicer, I must leave you now." + +"Don't leave me, Jack--yes, do--come to-morrow morning." + +"Spicer, will you do me a favor?" + +"Yes." + +"Will you see Anderson, and talk with him?" + +"Yes, if you wish it; but not now. This evening I will, if he'll come." + +I left Spicer, well satisfied with what had passed, and hastened to +Anderson, to communicate it to him. + +"A strange and providential discovery, Tom, indeed," said he, "and good +use it appears to me you have made of it. His heart is softened, that is +evident. I will certainly go to him this evening." + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR + + Spicer discloses strange Matters. + + +The next day, when I called to see Spicer, I found him in great pain. +Anderson had been with him, but he had been in such agony that he found +it almost impossible to converse with him. Spicer did not like that I +should leave him, although he could not talk, and I therefore remained +by his bedside, occasionally assisting him to move from one position to +another, or to take the drink that was by his bedside. Toward the +evening he became more easy, and went to sleep. I left him, therefore, +till the next day. As I supposed, the mortification had commenced, for +the doctor told him so the next morning, when he visited him, and the +chaplain pointed out to him that all hopes of living were now over. +Spicer heard the communication unmoved. He asked the doctor how long he +might live, and his reply was, it was possible four or five days, and +that he would feel no more pain. He was now able to listen to Anderson, +and he did so. I shall not trouble the reader with repeating what +Anderson imparted to me, as I can give him an idea of Spicer's feelings +by what passed between us. + +"Tom," said he, "I have led a very wicked life, so wicked that I hate +to think of it, and I hate myself. I believe all that Anderson and the +chaplain tell me, and I find that I may hope and do hope for mercy; but +I can't cry, or wail, or tear my hair. The fact is, Tom, I can't feel +afraid. If I am pardoned, and I do scarcely expect it, I shall be all +gratitude, as well I may. Should I be condemned, I shall acknowledge my +punishment just, and not complain, for I have deserved all; but I cannot +feel fear. I believe I ought; but it is not in my nature, I suppose." + +"But you do not feel anything like defiance, Spicer?" + +"No, God forbid! no, nothing like that, but my spirit cannot quail." + +He was very anxious for the chaplain the last two days of his life, and +I really believe was _sincere_ in his repentance; but before I wind up +his history, I will narrate to the reader those portions of his life +which are unknown, and which are necessary to the explanation of other +matters. + +He told me that when he first went to sea he had joined a vessel +employed in the slave trade, that he had left it at Gambia, and shipped +on board of a vessel which was about to cruise on the Spanish Main. He +was some time in her, and had been appointed second officer, when he +resolved to fit out a vessel and cruise for himself. He had therefore +quitted the vessel at Surinam, and worked his passage home in a sugar +ship. + +It was on his return home this time that, as old Nanny had told me, he +had taken to gaming, and eventually had robbed his mother. With the two +thousand pounds in his pocket, he had repaired to Liverpool, where he +fell in with Fitzgerald, a young man who had served as first mate in the +vessel in which they had cruised on the Spanish Main, and to him he had +proposed to join him as first officer in the vessel which he was about +to fit out. It appeared that this young man had but a few days returned +from Ireland, where he had married a young woman, to whom he had been +some time attached, and that his disinclination to leave his young wife +made him at first refuse the offer made by Spicer. Spicer, however, who +was aware of his value, would not lose sight of him, and contrived, when +Fitzgerald had taken too much wine, to win of him, by unfair means, +about one thousand five hundred pounds. Spicer then offered Fitzgerald a +release from the debt, provided he would sail with him; and he exacted +as a further condition that he should not return and take a farewell of +his wife. To these harsh terms Fitzgerald, being without means of +liquidating the debt, consented, and they sailed accordingly. + +"And now, Jack, I will tell you why I was so curious about that +spy-glass. I knew the moment that I saw it in your hands that it was one +that belonged to Fitzgerald when we were on our first cruise together. +It was the best glass I ever met with. When we left Liverpool this time, +I asked him for the spy-glass, and he told me that, expecting to return +to his wife before he sailed, he had left it at home. How it came into +the lady's hands I can't tell." + +"I never said that Lady Hercules gave it to me," replied I; "although I +did not undeceive you when you thought so. The fact is, it was given me +by a very pretty young Irish widow." + +"Then, Jack, I should not wonder if she was the wife of Fitzgerald, whom +I have been talking about; but that I leave to you. Let me finish my +story. When we arrived on the Spanish coast I had as fine a crew with me +as ever were on board of a vessel; but I had long made up my mind that I +would hoist the black flag. Yes, Jack, it is but too true. But when I +proposed it, Fitzgerald declared that the first act of piracy that was +committed he would leave the vessel. I tried all I could to persuade +him, but in vain. However, we did take an English vessel, and plundered +her. Upon this Fitzgerald protested, and half the crew, at least, joined +him. I threatened the men to shoot them through the head; but they were +resolute; and, being rather the stronger party, I dared not make any +attempt. They insisted upon leaving the vessel; and I, not being able to +help it, landed them all in the Bay of Honduras, where I thought it very +possible they would be taken by the Spaniards and imprisoned, if not +hanged. They were imprisoned; but, after some time, they were released. +The desertion of Fitzgerald and the other men left me with my vessel +half manned; and I vowed vengeance against him if ever I had an +opportunity. I now cruised as a pirate, and was very successful, and my +name was a terror to those seas. A high reward was offered for me, dead +or alive, which pleased me much, and I became more murderous than ever. +Jack, all this rises up in judgment against me now; and I recollect +every single life taken away by me, or by my orders, as well as if I had +noted them down in a book. May God forgive me!" continued Spicer, +covering his eyes up for a time. + +After a pause he continued: "I had ordered a vessel with a valuable +cargo to be taken on to a rendezvous we had in the Caicos; but it was +recaptured and taken into Port Royal, Jamaica. As the proofs of the +piracy were well established, the men on board were thrown into prison +to take their trial. I heard of this, for I was often on shore in +disguise in one island or another, and a scheme entered my head which I +thought would benefit myself and wreak my vengeance upon Fitzgerald. But +I must leave off now. Here comes the chaplain; he promised to talk with +me this evening, and you see that I have changed my opinion on that +point, praised be God for it. Good-night, Jack; come to-morrow." + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE + + Spicer's Death. + + +When I saw Spicer again he continued his narrative: + +"I told you that I was anxious to wreak my vengeance upon Fitzgerald, +and the plan which I hit upon was as follows: I contrived to get to Port +Royal, and to speak to the two men whom I had been on the best of terms +with. I told them that the only chance of escape would be for them to +give their names as those of _James_, which was mine, and of +_Fitzgerald_, the first officer; and I explained to them why; because +Fitzgerald and I had saved the life of the daughter of one of the chief +planters, who, in gratitude, had promised that he would assist us if we +were ever in difficulty. I told them that they must adhere to what they +said, as they would be condemned with the others, but that a reprieve +would be given when they were on the scaffold." + +"But why should you have done this?" inquired I. + +"First, because I wished people to believe that I was dead, that there +might not be so great a hue and cry after me, and the temptation of so +high a reward; next, because I knew that Fitzgerald was still in prison, +and that his wife would read the account of his execution in the +newspapers, which I hoped would break her heart, and so make him +miserable." + +"Oh, Spicer, that was too cruel." + +"It was, but my plan succeeded. The men gave our names, went to the +scaffold expecting a reprieve, and were hanged." + +"And thus it is that your poor mother thinks even now that you were +hanged," said I. + +"Even so, Jack, even so. Well, after a time I quitted my vessel and +returned to England; for I was actually tired of bloodshed, and I had +collected a great deal of money. On my arrival I inquired after +Fitzgerald. It appeared that his wife had heard the account of his +execution; and, as her bonnet was found by the side of the mill-dam, it +was supposed that she had destroyed herself. Fitzgerald returned home, +and was distracted at the intelligence. I have always thought that she +was dead; but, by what you say, Jack, I now doubt it." + +"And Fitzgerald, Spicer, what became of him?" + +"I really cannot tell. I heard that he had entered on board of a King's +ship, but not under his own name. How far that was true or not I cannot +say; but I have every reason to believe that such was the case." + +"And how came you on board of a man-of-war?" + +"Why, that's soon told, I spent my money, or lost it all in gambling, +went out again, obtained command of a vessel, and did well for some +time; but I was more tyrannical and absolute than ever. I had shot five +or six of my own men, when the crew mutinied, and put me and two others +who had always supported me in an open boat, and left us to our fate. We +were picked up by a frigate going to the East Indies when we were in the +last extremity. And now, Jack, I believe you have my whole history. I am +tired now, and must go to sleep; but, Jack, I wish you to come to-morrow +morning, for I have something to say to you of great importance. +Good-by, Jack; don't forget." + +I promised Spicer that I would not fail, and quitted the hospital. When +I called again upon him, I found him very low and weak; he could not +raise himself from his pillow. "I feel that I am going now, Jack," said +he--"going very fast--I have not many hours to live; but, I thank +Heaven, I am not in any pain. A man who dies in agony cannot examine +himself--cannot survey the past with calmness or feel convinced of the +greatness of his offenses. I thank God for that; but, Jack, although I +have committed many a foul and execrable murder, for which I am full of +remorse--although I feel how detestable has been my life--I tell you +candidly that, although those crimes may appear to others more heavy +than the simple one of theft, to me the one that lies most heavy on my +soul is the robbing of my poor mother, and my whole treatment of her. +Jack, will you do one favor to a dying man?--and it must be done soon, +or it will be too late. Will you go to my poor mother, acquaint her with +my being here, still alive, and that my hours are numbered, and beg for +me forgiveness? Obtain that for me, Jack--bring that to me, and so may +you receive forgiveness yourself!" + +"I will, Spicer," replied I, "I will go directly; and I have little fear +but that I shall succeed." + +"Go then, Jack; don't tarry, for my time is nearly come." + +I left the hospital immediately, and hastened to old Nanny's. I found +her very busy sorting a lot of old bottles which she had just purchased. + +"Well, Jack," said she, "you are just come in time to help me. I was +just a-saying if Jack was to call now he'd be of some use, for I can't +well reach so high as the shelf where I put the bottles on, and when I +get on a stool my old head swims." + +"Mother," said I, "suppose you put down the bottles for a little while, +as I have that to say to you which must not be delayed." + +"Why, what's the matter, boy? And how pale you look! What has happened? +You don't want money, do you?" + +"No, mother, I want no money; I only want you to listen to matters +important, which I must disclose to you." + +"Well, well, what is it? about the fellow who tried to rob me, I +suppose. I told you before, Jack, I won't hurt him, for my poor boy's +sake." + +"It is about your poor boy I would speak, mother," replied I, hardly +knowing how to begin. "Now, mother, did you not tell me that he was +hanged at Port Royal?" + +"Yes, yes; but why come and talk about it again?" + +"Because, mother, you seem to feel the disgrace of his being hanged so +much." + +"Well, to be sure I do--then why do you remind me of it, you bad boy? +It's cruel of you, Jack; I thought you kinder." + +"Mother, it is because you do feel it so much that I have come to tell +you that you have been deceived. Your son was not hanged." + +"Not hanged! Why, Jack, are you sure?" + +"Yes, mother, quite sure." + +"Not hanged, quite sure--" + +Here old Nanny burst out into a wild laugh, which ended in sobbing and +tears. I was obliged to wait some minutes before she was composed enough +to listen to me; at last I said, "Mother, I have more to say, and there +is no time to be lost." + +"Why no time to be lost, my dear boy?" said she. "Oh! now that you have +told me this, I could dwell for hours--ay, days--more. I shall dwell my +whole life upon this kind news." + +"But listen to me, mother, for I must tell you how I discovered this." + +"Yes, yes, Jack--do, that's a good boy. I am quite calm now," said +Nanny, wiping her eyes with her apron. + +I then acquainted her with what Spicer had told me relative to his +inducing the man to take his name, and continued the history of Spicer's +life until I left him on board of a man-of-war. + +"But where is he now? And who told you all this?" + +"He told me so himself," replied I. "He has been in the hospital some +time, and living here close to you, without either of you being aware of +it. But, mother, he is now ill--very ill in the hospital; he would not +have confessed all this if he had not felt how ill he was." + +"Deary, deary me!" replied old Nanny, wringing her hands; "I must go see +him." + +"Nay, mother, I fear you cannot. The fact is that he is dying, and he +has sent me to ask your forgiveness for his conduct to you." + +"Deary, deary me!" continued old Nanny, seemingly half out of her wits; +"in the hospital, so near to his poor mother--and dying. Dear Jemmy!" + +Then the old woman covered up her face with her apron and was silent. I +waited a minute or two, and then I again spoke to her. + +"Will you not answer my question, mother? Your son has but an hour +perhaps to live, and he dies penitent not only for his conduct to you, +but for his lawless and wicked life; but he feels his treatment of you +to be worse than all his other crimes, and he has sent me to beg that +you will forgive him before he dies. Answer me, mother." + +"Jack," said Nanny, removing the apron from her face, "I feel as if it +was I who ought to ask his pardon, and not he who should ask mine. Who +made him bad?--his foolish mother. Who made him unable to control his +passions?--his foolish mother. Who was the cause of his plunging into +vice--of his intemperance, of his gaming, of his wild and desperate +career--which might have ended, as I supposed it had done, on the +gallows--but a foolish, weak, selfish mother, who did not do her duty to +him in his childhood? It is I who was his great enemy--I who assisted +the devil to lead him to destruction--I who, had he been hanged, had +been, and have felt for years that I was, his executioner. Can I forgive +him! Can _he_ forgive _me_?" + +"Mother, his time is short--I will come to you again, and tell you much +more. But if you knew how earnest he is to have your forgiveness before +he dies, you would at once send me away to him." + +"Then go, my child--go, and may you often be sent on such kind missions! +Go, and tell my poor James that his mother forgives him--begs to be +forgiven--still dotes upon him--and God knows with how much pleasure +would die for him! Go quick, child--the sands of the glass run +fast--quick, child--the dying cannot wait--quick--quick!" + +Nanny had risen from her stool and taken me by the arm; when we were +clear of the threshold she loosed me, and sank down to the earth, +whether overcome by her feelings, or in a state of insensibility, I did +not wait to ascertain--I fled to execute my mission before it was too +late. + +In a few minutes I was at the hospital--breathless, it was true. I went +in, and found Spicer still alive, for his eyes turned to me. I went up +to him; the nurse, who was standing by him, told me he was speechless, +and would soon be gone. I told her I would remain with him, and she went +to the other patients. I gave him his mother's message, and he was +satisfied; he squeezed my hand, and a smile, which appeared to illumine +like a rainbow his usual dark and moody countenance, intimated hope and +joy; in a few seconds he was no more, but the smile continued on his +features after death. + +I then returned to old Nanny, who, I found, had been put into bed by +some neighbors, and at her bedside was Mrs. St. Felix, who had been +passing by and had observed her situation. She was now recovered and +quiet. As soon as they had left her I entered into a more full detail of +how I became acquainted with the circumstances which led to the +discovery. I did not conceal from her that it was her own son who had +attempted the robbery; and I wound up by stating that he had died, I +really believed, not only penitent, but happy from having received her +forgiveness. + +"Jack--Jack--you have been as good as an angel to me, indeed you have. +It was you also who prevented my poor James from killing his mother--it +is you that have been the means of his making his peace with Heaven. +Bless you, Jack, bless you!" + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-SIX + + In which Mrs. St. Felix refuses a splendid Offer, which I am duly + empowered to make to her. + + +I left old Nanny as soon as she was more composed, for I was so anxious +to have some conversation with old Anderson. I did not call on my +father, as it was not a case on which he was likely to offer any +opinion, and I thought it better that the secret which I possessed +should be known but to one other person. I refer to the knowledge which +I had obtained relative to the husband of Mrs. St. Felix, who, it +appeared, was not hanged, as supposed by her. The information received +from Spicer accounted for Mrs. St. Felix's conduct when any reference +was made to her husband, and I was now aware how much pain she must have +suffered when his name was mentioned. I found Anderson alone in his +office, and I immediately made him acquainted with what I had learned, +and asked him his opinion as to the propriety of communicating it to +Mrs. St. Felix. Anderson rested his head upon his hand for some time in +silence; at last he looked up at me. + +"Why, Tom, that she suffers much from the supposed ignominious fate of +her husband is certain, but it is only occasionally; her spirits are +good, and she is cheerful, except when reminded of it by any casual +observation. That it would prove a great consolation to her to know that +her husband did not forfeit his life on the scaffold is true; but what +then? he is said to have entered the King's service under another name, +and, of course, there is every probability of his being alive and well +at this moment. Now she is comparatively tranquil and composed; but +consider what anxiety, what suspense, what doubts, must ever fill her +mind, must oppress her waking hours, must haunt her in her dreams, after +she is made acquainted with his possible existence. Hope deferred maketh +the heart sick; and her existence would be one of continued tumult, of +constant anticipation, and I may say of misery. He may be dead, and then +will her new-born hopes be crushed when she has ascertained the fact; he +may never appear again, and she may linger out a life of continual +fretting. I think, Tom, that were she my daughter, and I in possession +of similar facts, I would not tell her--at least, not at present. We may +be able to make inquiries without her knowledge. We know his name; an +advertisement might come to his eyes or ears; and, moreover, you have +the telescope, which may be of use if it is constantly seen in your +hands. Let us at present do all we can without her knowledge, and leave +the result in the hands of Providence, who, if it thinks fit, will work +by its own means. Are you of my opinion, Tom?" + +"When I came to ask your advice, Anderson, it was with the intention of +being guided by it, even if it had not coincided with my own opinion, +which, now that I have heard your reasons, it certainly does. By the +bye, I have not yet called upon Mrs. St. Felix, and I will go now. You +will see old Nanny again?" + +"I will, my boy, this evening. Good-by! I'm very busy now, for the +officers will inspect to-morrow morning." + +I quitted the hospital, and had arrived in Church Street, when, passing +the doctor's house on my way to Mrs. St. Felix, Mr. Thomas Cobb, who had +become a great dandy, and, in his own opinion at least, a great doctor, +called to me, "Saunders, my dear fellow, just come in, I wish to speak +with you particularly." I complied with his wishes. Mr. Cobb was +remarkable in his dress. Having sprung up to the height of at least six +feet in his stockings, he had become remarkably thin and spare, and the +first idea that struck you when you saw him was that he was all +pantaloons; for he wore blue cotton net tight pantaloons, and his +Hessian boots were so low, and his waistcoat so short, that there was at +least four feet, out of the sum total of six, composed of blue cotton +net, which fitted very close to a very spare figure. He wore no cravat, +but a turn-down collar with a black ribbon, his hair very long, with a +very puny pair of mustachios on his upper lip, and something like a tuft +on his chin. Altogether, he was a strange-looking being, especially when +he had substituted for his long coat a short nankeen jacket, which was +the case at the time I am speaking of. + +"Well, Mr. Cobb, what maybe your pleasure with me? You must not detain +me long, as I was about to call on Mrs, St. Felix." + +"So I presumed, my dear sir," replied he; "and for that very reason I +requested you to walk in. Take a chair. Friendship, Tom, is a great +blessing; it is one of the charms of life. We have known each other +long, and it is to tax your friendship that I have requested you to come +in." + +"Well, be as quick as you can, that's all," replied I. + +"_Festina lent_, as Dr. Tadpole often says, adding that it is Latin for +hat and boots. I am surprised at his ignorance of the classics; any +schoolboy ought to know that _caput_ is the Latin for hat, and _Booetes_ +for boots. But lately I have abandoned the classics, and have given up +my soul to poetry." + +"Indeed!" + +"Yes; 'Friendship and Love' is my toast, whenever I am called upon at +the club. What does Campbell say?" + +"I'm sure I don't know." + +"I'll tell you, Tom-- + +"'Without the smile from heav'nly beauty won, Oh, what were man? A world +without a sun.'" + +"Well, I daresay it's all true," replied I; "for if a woman does not +smile upon a man he's not very likely to marry her, and therefore has no +chance of having a _son_." + +"Tom, you have no soul for poetry." + +"Perhaps not; I have been too busy to read any." + +"But you should; youth is the age of poetry." + +"Well, I thought it was the time to work; moreover, I don't understand +how youth can be age. But pray tell me what is it you want of me, for I +want to see Mrs. St. Felix before dinner-time." + +"Well, then, Tom, I am in love--deeply, desperately, irrevocably, and +everlastingly in love." + +"I wish you well out of it," replied I, with some bitterness. "And pray +with whom may you be so dreadfully in love--Anny Whistle?" + +"Anny Whistle!--to the winds have I whistled her long ago. No, that was +a juvenile fancy. Hear me. I am in love with the charming widow." + +"What, Mrs. St. Felix?" + +"Yes. Felix means happy in Latin, and my happiness depends upon her. I +must either succeed, or--Tom, do you see that bottle?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, it's laudanum; that's all." + +"But, Tom, you forget; you certainly would not supplant your patron, +your master, I may say your benefactor--the doctor?" + +"Why not? he has tried, and failed. He has been trying to make an +impression upon her these ten years, but it's _no go_. Ain't I a doctor, +as good as he? Ay, better, for I'm a young doctor, and he is an old one! +All the ladies are for me now. I'm a very rising young man." + +"Well, don't rise much higher, or your head will reach up to the shop +ceiling. Have you anything more to say to me?" + +"Why, I have hardly begun. You see, Tom, the widow looks upon me with a +favorable eye, and more than once I have thought of popping the question +over the counter; but I never could muster up courage, my love is so +intense. As the poet says-- + +"'Silence in love betrays more woe Than words, howe'er so witty; The +beggar that is dumb, you know, Deserves our double pity.' + +"Now, Tom, I wish to tax your friendship. I wish you to speak for me." + +"What, speak to Mrs. St. Felix?" + +"Yes, be my embassador. I have attempted to write some verses; but +somehow or another I never could find rhymes. The poetic feeling is in +me, nevertheless. Tell me, Tom, will you do what I ask?" + +"But what makes you think that the widow is favorably inclined?" + +"What? why, her behavior, to be sure. I never pass her but she laughs or +smiles. And then the doctor is evidently jealous; accuses me of making +wrong mixtures; of paying too much attention to dress; of reading too +much; always finding fault. However, the time may come--I repeat my +request; Tom, will you oblige me? You ought to have a fellow-feeling." + +This last remark annoyed me. I felt convinced that Mrs. St. Felix was +really laughing at him, so I replied, "I shall not refuse you, but +recollect that he who has been so unsuccessful himself is not likely to +succeed for others. You shall have your answer very soon." + +"Thanks, Tom, thanks. My toast, as I said before, when called upon, is +'Friendship and Love.'" + +I quitted the shop, and went into that of Mrs. St. Felix, who, I +thought, looked handsomer than ever. + +"Come at last, Tom!" said the widow, extending her hand. "I thought you +would have called yesterday. Your sister was here." + +"I have been less pleasantly engaged. You know that Spicer is dead." + +"One of the pensioners--I never saw him that I know of, but I heard old +Ben mention his death this morning, and that you were with him. Was he a +friend of yours?" + +"No, indeed, I thought you knew something of him, or I should not have +mentioned his name." I then changed the conversation, telling her what +had passed at Deal, and listening to her remarks upon old Nanny, my +mother, and our mutual acquaintances. + +"And the doctor--how is he?" + +"As busy as ever. I'm sorry, however, that he complains very much of Tom +Cobb, and says that he must dismiss him. He has made some very serious +mistakes in mixing the medicines, and nearly killed five or six people." + +"Had he killed them outright, their deaths must have been laid at your +door," replied I, very seriously. + +"Good Heavens! what do you mean, Tom?" + +"I mean this, that your bright eyes have fascinated him; and that, to +use his own expression, he is deeply, desperately, irrevocably, and +everlastingly in love with _you_." + +Here Mrs. St. Felix burst out in a laugh so violent that I thought that +it would end in hysterics. As soon as she had recovered herself, I +continued: + +"It is all true, and independent of the five or six people half killed, +you will have to answer for a _whole_ death besides, for Tom has +intimated to me that if he fails in his suit he will have recourse to +the big bottle of laudanum. You must further know that he has taxed my +friendship to make known to you his deplorable condition, being unequal +to the task himself." + +"He must be mad," observed Mrs. St. Felix, quietly. + +"He flatters himself that you have given him encouragement. I asked in +what way; he says you always laugh at him." + +"True as the Bible--I can't help laughing at such a droll figure as he +makes of himself. Mercy on me! what are men made of? Well, Tom, I'm sure +I ought to be flattered, for (let it be a secret between us, Tom) this +is the second offer I have received within these twenty-four hours." + +"The doctor, I presume; Tom says that he is jealous." + +"I mention no names. This is all very foolish." + +"But you have not yet rejected both. Tom awaits his answer." + +"Tell him anything that you please. By the bye, you may just as well add +that, instead of taking the laudanum, he had better resort to his old +remedy--of liquorice and water. It will look just as killing in the +phial, and not be quite so fatal in its results." + +"I shall certainly execute your commission in as delicate a way as I +possibly can." + +"Do, Tom, and pray let me hear no more of this nonsense, for, ridiculous +as it may appear, it is to me very painful. Leave now--I am nervous and +low-spirited. Good-by. Come this evening with your sister, I shall be +better then." + +Mrs. St. Felix went into the back parlor, and I left the shop. I had +turned the wrong way, almost forgetting to give Tom his answer, when I +recollected myself, and returned to the doctor's house. + +"Well?" said Tom, eagerly. + +"Why," replied I, hardly having made my mind up what to say, yet not +wishing to hurt his feelings, "the fact is, Tom, that the widow has a +very good opinion of you." + +"I knew that," interrupted Tom. + +"And if she were ever to marry again--why, you would have quite as good +a chance as the doctor." + +"I was sure of that," said he. + +"But at present, the widow--for reasons which she cannot explain to +anybody--cannot think of entering into any new engagement." + +"I see--no regular engagement." + +"Exactly so; but as soon as she feels herself at liberty--" + +"Yes," said Tom, breathless. + +"Why, then she'll send, I presume, and let you know." + +"I see, then, I may hope." + +"Why, not exactly--but there will be no occasion to take laudanum." + +"Not a drop, my dear fellow, depend upon it." + +"There is no saying what may come to pass, you see, Tom: two, or three, +or four years may--" + +"Four years--that's a very long time." + +"Nothing to a man sincerely in love." + +"No, nothing--that's very true." + +"So all you have to do is to follow up your profession quietly and +steadily, and wait and see what time may bring forth." + +"So I will--I'll wait twenty years, if that's all." + +I wished Tom good-by, thinking that it was probable that he would wait a +great deal longer; but at all events, he was pacified and contented for +the time, and there would be no great harm done, even if he did continue +to make the widow the object of his passion for a year or two longer. It +would keep him out of mischief, and away from Anny Whistle. + +On my return home I met with a severe shock, in consequence of +information which my mother did not scruple to communicate to me. +Perhaps it was all for the best, as it broke the last link of an unhappy +attachment. She informed me very abruptly that the shutters of Mr. +Wilson's house were closed in consequence of his having received +intelligence of the death of Lady ----. Poor Janet had expired in her +first confinement, and the mother and child were to be consigned to the +same tomb. This intelligence drove me to my chamber, and I may be +considered weak, but I shed many tears for her untimely end. I did not +go with my sister to Mrs. St. Felix, but remained alone till the next +day, when Virginia came, and persuaded me to walk with her to the +hospital, as she had a message for my father. + +After we had seen my father we walked down to the hospital terrace, by +the riverside. We had been there but a few minutes when we heard Bill +Harness strike up with his fiddle: + +Oh, cruel was my parents as tore my love from me, And cruel was the +press-gang as took him off to sea; And cruel was the little boat as +row'd him from the strand, But crueler the big ship as sail'd him from +the land. Sing tura-la, tura-la, tura-lara ley. + +Oh, cruel was the water as bore my love from Mary, And cruel was the +fair wind as wouldn't blow contrary; And cruel was the captain, his +boatswain, and his men, As didn't care a farding if we never meet again. +Sing tura-la, tura-la, tura-lara ley. + +Oh, cruel was th' engagement in which my true love fought, And cruel was +the cannon-ball as knock'd his right eye out; He used to ogle me with +peepers full of fun, But now he looks askew at me, because he's only +one. Sing tura-la, etc., etc. + +"Eh! wid your turla-la. You call dat singing?" cried Opposition Bill, +stumping up, with his fiddle in his hand. "Stop a little. How you do, +Mr. Tom? how you do, pretty lady? Now I sing you a song, and show dat +fellow how to make music. Stop a little, Miss Virginny." + +"Well," said Bill Harness, "I'll just let you sing, that Miss Saunders +may judge between us." + +Virginia felt half inclined to go away; but as the pensioners always +treated her with as much respect as any of the ladies of the officers of +the hospital, I pressed her arm that she might stay. Opposition Bill +then struck up as follows, saying, "Now I give you a new 'Getting +upstairs.'" + +On board of a man-of-war dey hauled me one day, And pitch me up de side +just like one truss of hay. Such a getting upstairs I nebber did see, +Such a getting upstairs. + +Dey show me de masthead, and tell me I must go, I tumble on de rattling, +and break my lilly toe. Such a getting upstairs I nebber did see, etc. + +Dey pipe de hands up anchor, and Massa Boatswain's cane Come rattle on +our backs, for all de world like rain. Such a getting upstairs, etc. + +And den dey man de rigging, the topsails for to reef, And up we scull +together, just like a flock of sheep. Such a getting upstairs, etc. + +Dey send de boats away, a Frenchman for to board, We climb de side with +one hand, de oder hold de sword. Such a getting upstairs, etc. + +Now here I sent to Greenwich because I lost a leg, And ab to climb up to +de ward upon my wooden peg. Such a getting upstairs, etc. + +"Dere, now; I ask you, Mister Tom, and de young lady, which sing best, +dat fellow, or your humble servant Bill--dat's me?" + +"You sing very well, Bill," said Virginia, laughing, "but I'm not able +to decide such a difficult point." + +"Nor more can I; it is impossible to say which I like best," continued +I. "We must go home now, so good-by." + +"Thanky you, Mister Tom; thanky you, Missy. I see you wish to spare him +feelings; but I know what you tink in your heart." + +Virginia and I now left the hospital. There was one subject which was +often discussed between my sister and me, which was, my situation with +regard to Bramble and Bessy. I had no secrets from her, and she +earnestly advised me to try if I could not make up my mind to a union +with a person of whom I could not possibly speak but with the highest +encomiums. + +"Depend upon it, my dear Tom," said she, "she will make you a good wife; +and with her as a companion you will soon forget the unhappy attachment +which has made you so miserable. I am not qualified from experience to +advise you on this point, but I have a conviction in my own mind that +Bessy is really just the sort of partner for life who will make you +happy. And then, you owe much to Bramble, and you are aware how happy it +would make him; and as her partiality for you is already proved, I do +wish that you would think seriously upon what I now say. I long to see +and make her acquaintance, but I really long much more to embrace her as +a sister." + +I could not help acknowledging that Bessy was as perfect as I could +expect any one to be, where none are perfect. I admitted the truth and +good sense of my sister's reasoning, and the death of Janet contributed +not a little to assist her arguments; but she was not the only one who +appeared to take an interest in this point: my father would hint at it +jocosely, and Mrs. St. Felix did once compliment me on my good fortune +in having the chance of success with a person whom every one admired and +praised. The party, however, who had most weight with me was old +Anderson, who spoke to me unreservedly and seriously. + +"Tom," said he, "you must be aware that Bramble and I are great friends, +and have been so for many years. He has no secrets from me, and I have +no hesitation in telling you that his regards and affections are so +equally bestowed between you and his adopted child that it is difficult +for himself to say to which he is the most attached; further, as he has +told me, his fervent and his dearest wish--the one thing which will make +him happy, and the only one without which he will not be happy, although +he may be resigned--is that a union should take place between you and +Bessy. I am not one of those who would persuade you to marry her out of +gratitude to Bramble. Gratitude may be carried too far; but she is, by +all accounts, amiable and beautiful, devoted to excess, and capable of +any exertion and any sacrifice for those she loves; and, Tom, she loves +you. With her I consider that you have every prospect of being happy in +the most important step in life. You may say that you do not love her, +although you respect, and admire, and esteem her: granted, but on such +feelings toward a woman is the firmest love based, and must eventually +grow. Depend upon it, Tom, that that hasty and violent attachment which +is usually termed love, and which so blinds both parties that they +cannot before marriage perceive each other's faults, those matches which +are called love matches, seldom or ever turn out happily. I do not mean +to say but that they sometimes do; but, like a lottery, there are many +blanks for one prize. Believe me, Tom, there is no one who has your +interest and welfare at heart more than I have. I have known you since +you were a child, and have watched you with as much solicitude as any +parent. Do you think, then, that I would persuade you to what I thought +would not contribute to your happiness? Do, my dear boy, make Bramble, +Bessy, yourself, and all of us happy, by weaning yourself from the +memory of one who was undeserving of you, and fixing your affections +upon her who will be as steadfast and as true to you as the other was +false and capricious." + +I promised Anderson that I would think seriously of what he said; and I +kept my word, using all my endeavors to drive the image of Janet from my +memory, and substitute that of Bessy. I often recalled the latter to my +mind as she lay, beautiful and motionless, after having rescued her +father from the waves, and at last dwelt upon the image with something +more than interest. The great point when you wish to bring yourself to +do anything is to make up your mind to it. I did so, and soon found that +Bessy was rapidly gaining possession of my heart. + +I remained several days at Greenwich. My mother was still as busy as +ever, attempting to obtain lodgers in her house who were people of +family; and this unwearied system was a source of great vexation to my +sister. "Oh, Tom," she would sometimes say, "I almost wish sometimes, +selfish as it is, that you were married to Bessy, for then I should be +able to live with you, and escape from this persecution." + +"Better marry yourself, dear," replied I. + +"There is but little chance of that, Tom," replied Virginia, shaking her +head. + +On my return to Deal I found that Bramble had remained at the cottage +ever since my departure. Our greeting was warm, and when I went over to +Bessy, for the first time since she had returned from school, I kissed +her. She colored up, poor girl, burst into tears, and hastened to her +own room. + +"I hope that was in earnest, Tom," said Bramble, fixing his eye upon me +inquiringly, "otherwise it was cruel." + +"It was indeed, father," replied I, taking him by the hand. + +"Then all's right, and God bless you, my dear good boy. You don't know +how happy you have made me--yes, and now I will say it--poor Bessy +also." + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN + +In which a new Character appears upon the Stage, and I play the part of +a Pilot on Shore. + + +"A frigate has anchored in the Downs, Tom, and makes the signal for a +pilot," said Bramble, coming into the cottage, with my telescope in his +hand. "There is but you and I here--what do you say?--will you venture +to take her up to the Medway?" + +"To be sure I will, father; I would not refuse a line-of-battle ship. +Why should I? the tides are the same, and the sands have not shifted. +Would you not trust me?" + +"Ay, that I would, Tom, and perhaps better that myself; for my eyes are +not so good as they were. Well, then, you had better be off." + +I got my bundle ready, and was about to start, when I perceived my +telescope lying down where Bramble had placed it on the table. "They are +not very fond of letting pilots have their glasses on board of a King's +ship," said I, "so I will take mine this time." + +"You're right, Tom; you can't take the spy-glass out of the captain's +hand, as you do in a merchant vessel." + +"Well good-by, father; I shall come down again as soon as I can--there's +another gun, the captain of the frigate is in a hurry." + +"They always are on board of a man-of-war, if no attention is paid to +their orders or their signals. Come, start away." I went down to the +beach, the men launched the galley, and I was soon on board. As I gained +the quarter-deck I was met by the captain and first lieutenant, who were +standing there. + +"Well," said the captain, "where's the pilot?" + +"I am, sir," replied I, taking off my hat. + +"Where's your warrant?" + +"There, sir," replied I, offering him the tin case in which I carried +it. + +"Well, all is right, my good fellow; but you seem but a young hand." + +"Not so young as to lose so fine a vessel as this, I trust, sir," +replied I. + +"I hope not, too; and I dare say you are as good as many with gray +hairs. At all events, your warrant is sufficient for me, and the frigate +is now under your charge. Will you weigh directly?" + +"If you please; the wind will probably fail as the sun goes down, and, +if so, we may just as well lie off the Foreland to-night." + +[Illustration: I WENT DOWN TO THE BEACH.... AND I WAS SOON ON +BOARD.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 453.] + +The frigate was soon under way; she was evidently well manned, and as +well commanded. The wind fell, as I expected, and after dark we barely +stemmed the ebb tide. Of course I was up all night, as was my duty, and +occasionally entered into conversation with the officer of the watch and +midshipmen. From them I learned that the frigate, which was called the +"Euphrosyne," had just returned from the West India station; that they +had been out four years, during which they had two single-handed +encounters, and captured two French frigates, besides assisting at many +combined expeditions; that they were commanded by Sir James O'Connor, +who had distinguished himself very much, and was considered one of the +best officers in the service; that the frigate had suffered so from the +conflicts in which they had been engaged that she had been sent home to +be surveyed; it was found that she must be docked, and undergo a +thorough repair, and consequently they had been ordered to Sheerness, +where the ship would be paid off. At daylight there was a leading wind +up the river, and we made sail, carrying with us three-fourths of the +flood. The discipline and order of the ship's company were so great that +I felt much more confidence in piloting this vessel, notwithstanding her +greater draught of water, than I did a merchant vessel, in which you had +to wait so long before the people could execute what you required: +_here_, it was but to speak and it was done, well done, and done +immediately; the vessel appeared to obey the will of the pilot as if +endued with sense and volition, and the men at the lead gave quick and +correct soundings; the consequence was that I had every confidence, and +while the captain and officers sometimes appeared anxious at the +decrease of the depth of water, I was indifferent, and I daresay +appeared to them careless, but such was not the case. + +"Quarter less five." + +"Quarter less five. Pilot, do you know what water we draw?" + +"Yes, Sir James, I do; we shall have _half four_ directly, and after +that the water will deepen." + +As it proved exactly as I stated, the captain had after that more +confidence in me. At all events, the frigate was brought safely to an +anchor in the river Medway, and Sir James O'Connor went down to his +cabin, leaving the first lieutenant to moor her, for such were the port +orders. As I had nothing more to do, I thought I might as well go on +shore, and get a cast down by one of the night coaches to Dover. I +therefore begged the first lieutenant to order my certificate of +pilotage to be made out, and to inquire if I could take anything down to +Deal for the captain. A few minutes afterward I was summoned down to the +captain. I found him sitting at his table with wine before him. My +certificates, which the clerk had before made out, were signed, but my +name was not inserted. + +"I must have your name, pilot, to fill in here." + +"Thomas Saunders, Sir James," replied I. + +"Well, my lad, you're young for a pilot; but you appear to know your +business well, and you have brought this ship up in good style. Here are +your certificates," said he, as he filled in my name. + +I had my spy-glass in my hand, and, to take up the certificates and fold +them to fit them into my tin case, I laid my glass down on the table +close to him. Sir James looked at it as if surprised, took it up in his +hand, turned it round, and appeared quite taken aback. He then looked at +the brass rim where the name had been erased, and perceived where it had +been filed away. + +"Mr. Saunders," said he at last, "if not taking a liberty, may I ask +where you procured this spy-glass?" + +"Yes, Sir James, it was given me by a person who has been very kind to +me ever since I was a boy." + +"Mr. Saunders, I beg your pardon--I do not ask this question out of mere +curiosity--I have seen this glass before; it once belonged to a very +dear friend of mine. Can you give me any further information? You said +it was given you by--" + +"A very amiable woman, Sir James." + +"Did she ever tell you how it came into her hands?" + +"She never did, sir." + +"Mr. Saunders, oblige me by sitting down; and if you can give me any +information on this point, you will confer on me a very great favor. Can +you tell me what sort of a person this lady is--where she lives--and +what countrywoman she is?" + +"Yes, Sir James; I will first state that she is Irish, and that she +lives at present at Greenwich." I then described her person. + +"This is strange, very strange," said Sir James, with his hand up to his +forehead as he leaned his elbow on the table. + +After a pause, "Mr. Saunders, will you answer me one question candidly? +I feel I am not speaking to a mere Thames pilot--I do not wish to +compliment, and if I did not feel as I state, I should not put these +questions. Do you not know more about this person than you appear +willing to divulge? There is something in your manner which tells me +so." + +"That I know more than I have divulged is true, Sir James; but that I +know more than I am willing to divulge is not the case, provided I find +that the party who asks the question is sufficiently interested to +warrant my so doing." + +"There can be no one more interested than I am," replied Sir James, +mournfully. "You tell me she is Irish--you describe a person such as I +expected would be described, and my curiosity is naturally excited. May +I ask what is her name?" + +"The name that she goes by at present is St. Felix." + +[Illustration: "MR. SAUNDERS.... MAY I ASK WHERE YOU PROCURED THIS +SPYGLASS?"--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 457.] + +"She had distant relations of that name; it may be one of them--yet +how could they have obtained--? Yes, they might, sure enough!" + +"That is not her real name, Sir James." + +"Not her real name! Do you then know what is her real name?" + +"I believe I do, but I obtained it without her knowledge, from another +party, who is since dead." + +"Ah! may I ask that name?" + +"A man who died in the hospital, who went by the name of Spicer, but +whose real name was Walter James; he saw the glass in my hand, +recognized it, and on his deathbed revealed all connected with it; but +he never knew that the party was still alive when he did so." + +"If Walter James confessed all to you on his deathbed, Mr. Saunders, it +is certain that you can answer me one question. Was not her real name +Fitzgerald?" + +"It was, Sir James, as I have understood." + +Sir James O'Connor fell back in his chair and was silent for some time. +He then poured out a tumbler of wine, and drank it off. + +"Mr. Saunders, do others know of this as well as you?" + +"I have never told any one, except to one old and dearest friend, in +case of accident to myself. Mrs. St. Felix is ignorant of my knowledge, +as well as others." + +"Mr. Saunders, that I am most deeply interested in that person I pledge +you my honor as an officer and a gentleman. Will you now do me the favor +to detail all you do know on this subject, and what were the confessions +made you by that man Walter James?" + +"I have already, sir, told you more than I intended. I will be candid +with you; so much do I respect and value the person in question that I +will do nothing without I have your assurance that it will not tend to +her unhappiness." + +"Then, on my honor, if it turns out as I expect, it will, I think, make +her the happiest woman under the sun." + +"You said that the spy-glass belonged to a dear friend?" + +"I did, Mr. Saunders; and if I find, from what you can tell me, that +Mrs. St. Felix is the real Mrs. Fitzgerald, I will produce that friend +and her husband. Now are you satisfied?" + +"I am," replied I, "and I will now tell you everything." I then entered +into a detail from the time that Mrs. St. Felix gave me the spy-glass, +and erased the name, until the death of Spicer. "I have now done, sir," +replied I, "and you must draw your own conclusions." + +"I thank you, sir," replied he; "allow me now to ask you one or two +other questions. How does Mrs. St. Felix gain her livelihood, and what +character does she bear?" + +I replied to the former by stating that she kept a tobacconist's shop; +and to the latter by saying that she was a person of most unimpeachable +character, and highly respected. + +Sir James O'Connor filled a tumbler of wine for me, and then his own. As +soon as he had drunk his own off, he said, "Mr. Saunders, you don't know +how you have obliged me. I am excessively anxious about this matter, and +I wish, if you are not obliged to go back to Deal immediately, that you +would undertake for me a commission to Greenwich. Any trouble or +expense--" + +"I will do anything for Mrs. St. Felix, Sir James; and I shall not +consider trouble or expense," replied I. + +"Will you then oblige me by taking a letter to Greenwich immediately? I +cannot leave my ship at present--it is impossible." + +"Certainly I will, Sir James." + +"And will you bring her down here?" + +"If she will come. The letter I presume will explain everything, and +prevent any too sudden shock." + +"You are right, Mr. Saunders; and indeed I am wrong not to confide in +you more. You have kept her secret so well that, trusting to your honor, +you shall now have mine." + +"I pledge my honor, Sir James." + +"Then, Mr. Saunders, I spoke of a dear friend, but the truth is, _I_ am +the owner of that spy-glass. When I returned to Ireland, and found that +she had, as I supposed, made away with herself, as soon as my grief had +a little subsided, I did perceive that, although her apparel remained, +all her other articles of any value had disappeared; but I concluded +that they had been pillaged by her relations, or other people. I then +entered on board of a man-of-war, under the name of O'Connor, was put on +the quarter-deck, and by great good fortune have risen to the station in +which I now am. That is my secret--not that I care about its being +divulged, now that I have found my wife. I did nothing to disgrace +myself before I entered on board of a man-of-war, but having changed my +name, I do not wish it to be known that I ever had another until I can +change it again on a fitting opportunity. Now, Mr. Saunders, will you +execute my message?" + +"Most joyfully, Sir James; and I now can do it with proper caution; by +to-morrow morning I will be down here with Mrs. St. Felix." + +"You must post the whole way, as hard as you can, there and back, Mr. +Saunders. Here is some money," said he, thrusting a bundle of notes in +my hand, "you can return me what is left. Good-by, and many, many +thanks." + +"But where shall I meet you, sir?" + +"Very true; I will be at the King's Arms Hotel, Chatham." + +I lost no time. As soon as the boat put me on shore, I hired a chaise, +and posted to Greenwich, where I arrived about half-past nine o'clock. I +dismissed the chaise at the upper end of the town, and walked down to +Mrs. St. Felix's. I found her at home, as I expected, and to my great +delight the doctor was not there. + +"Why, Mr. Pilot, when did you come back?" said she. + +"But this minute--I come from Chatham." + +"And have you been home?" + +"No, not yet; I thought I would come and spend the evening with you." + +"With me! Why, that's something new; I don't suppose you intend to court +me, do you, as the doctor does?" + +"No, but I wish that you would give me some tea in your little back +parlor, and let Jane mind the shop in the meantime." + +"Jane's very busy, Mr. Tom, so I'm afraid that I can't oblige you." + +"But you must, Mrs. St. Felix. I'm determined I will not leave this +house till you give me some tea; I want to have a long talk with you." + +"Why, what's in the wind now?" + +"I'm not in the wind, at all events, for you see I'm perfectly sober; +indeed, Mrs. St. Felix, I ask it as a particular favor. You have done me +many kindnesses, now do oblige me this time; the fact is, something has +happened to me of the greatest importance, and I must have your advice +how to act; and, in this instance, I prefer yours to that of any other +person." + +"Well, Tom, if it really is serious, and you wish to consult me, for +such a compliment the least I can do is to give you a cup of tea." Mrs. +St. Felix ordered Jane to take the tea things into the back parlor, and +then to attend in the shop. + +"And pray say that you are not at home, even to the doctor." + +"Well, really the affair looks serious," replied she, "but it shall be +so if you wish it." + +We took our tea before I opened the business, for I was thinking how I +should commence: at last I put down my cup, and said, "Mrs. St. Felix, I +must first acquaint you with what is known to no one here but myself." I +then told her the history of old Nanny; then I went on to Spicer's +recognition of the spy-glass--his attempt to murder his mother, the +consequences, and the disclosure on his deathbed. + +Mrs. St. Felix was much moved. + +"But why tell me all this?" said she, at last; "it proves, certainly, +that my husband was not hanged, which is some consolation, but now I +shall be ever restless until I know what has become of him--perhaps he +still lives." + +"Mrs. St. Felix, you ask me why do I tell you all this? I beg you to +reply to my question: having known this so long, why have I not told you +before?" + +"I cannot tell." + +"Then I will tell you: because I did feel that such knowledge as I had +then would only make you, as you truly say, unhappy and restless. Nor +would I have told you now, had it not been that I have gained further +intelligence on board of a frigate which I this afternoon took into the +Medway." + +Mrs. St. Felix gasped for breath. "And what is that?" said she, faintly. + +"The spy-glass was recognized by a person on board, who told me that +your husband still lives." + +I ran out for a glass of water, for Mrs. St. Felix fell back in her +chair as pale as death. + +I gave her the water, and threw some in her face: she recovered, and put +her handkerchief up to her eyes. At first she was silent, then sobbed +bitterly; after a while she sank from the chair down on her knees, and +remained there some time. When she rose and resumed her seat, she took +my hand and said, "You may tell me all now." + +As she was quite calm and composed, I did so; I repeated all that had +passed between Sir James O'Connor and me, and ended with his wish that I +should accompany her at once to Chatham. + +"And now, Mrs. St. Felix, you had better go to bed. I told Sir James +that I would be down to-morrow morning. I will come here at seven +o'clock, and then we will go to the upper part of the town and hire a +chaise. Will you be ready?" + +"Yes," replied she, smiling. "Heaven bless you, Tom! and now +good-night." + +I did not go to my mother's, but to an inn in the town, where I asked +for a bed. In the morning I went down. As soon as Mrs. St. Felix saw me +she came out, and followed me at a little distance. We went up to where +the chaises were to be obtained, and in less than three hours were at +the King's Arms, Chatham. I asked to be shown into a room, into which I +led Mrs. St. Felix, trembling like an aspen leaf. I seated her on the +sofa, and then asked to be shown in to Sir James O'Connor. + +"She is here, sir," said I. + +"Where?" + +"Follow me, Sir James." + +I opened the door of the room, and closed it upon them. + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT + + My Sister Virginia is at last placed in a Situation which is + satisfactory to my Mother as well as to herself. + + +I remained very quietly in the coffee-room of the hotel, in case I +should be sent for; which I presumed I should be before the day was +over. In the afternoon a waiter came to say that Sir James O'Connor +wished to speak to me, and I was ushered into his room, where I found +Mrs. St. Felix on the sofa. + +As soon as the door was closed, Sir James took me by the hand, and led +me up, saying, "Allow me to introduce your old friend as Lady O'Connor." + +"My dear Tom," said she, taking me by the hand, "I am and ever shall be +Mrs. St. Felix with you. Come, now, and sit down. You will again have to +take charge of me, for I am to return to Greenwich, and leave it in a +respectable manner. I daresay they have already reported that I have run +away from my creditors. Sir James thinks I must go back as if nothing +had happened, give out that I had some property left me by a relation, +and then settle everything, and sell the goodwill of my shop. It +certainly will be better than to give grounds for the surmises and +reports which may take place at my sudden disappearance--not that I am +very likely to fall in with my old acquaintances at Greenwich." + +"Don't you think so, Tom?--for Tom I must call you, in earnest of our +future friendship," said Sir James. + +"I do think it will be the best plan, sir." + +"Well, then, you must convey her ladyship to Greenwich again this +evening, and to-morrow the report must be spread, and the next day you +will be able to re-escort her here. I hope you feel the compliment that +I pay you in trusting you with my new-found treasure. Now let us sit +down to dinner. Pray don't look at your dress, Tom; at all events, it's +quite as respectable as her ladyship's." + +After dinner a chaise was ordered, and Lady O'Connor and I returned to +Greenwich, arriving there after dark. "We walked down to her house. I +then left her and hastened to my mother's. + +"Well, mother," said I, after the first salutations were over, "have you +heard the news about Mrs. St. Felix?" + +"No, what has she done now?" + +"Oh, she has done nothing, but a relation in Ireland has left her a lot +of money, and she is going over there immediately. Whether she will come +back again nobody knows." + +"Well, we can do without her," replied my mother, with pique. "I'm very +glad that she's going, for I have always protested at Virginia's being +so intimate with her--a tobacco shop is not a place for a young lady." + +"Mother," replied Virginia, "when we lived in Fisher's Alley Mrs. St. +Felix was above us in situation." + +"I have desired you very often, Virginia, not to refer to Fisher's +Alley; you know I do not like it--the very best families have had their +reverses." + +"I cannot help thinking that such has been the case with Mrs. St. +Felix," replied Virginia. + +"If you please, Miss Saunders, we'll drop the subject," replied my +mother, haughtily. + +The news soon spread; indeed, I walked to several places where I knew it +would be circulated, and before morning all Greenwich knew that Mrs. St. +Felix had been left a fortune: some said ten thousand pounds, others had +magnified it to ten thousand a year. When I called upon her the next +day, I found that she had made arrangements for carrying on her business +during her absence, not having stated that she quitted forever, but that +she would write and let them know as soon as she arrived in Ireland what +her decision would be, as she was not aware what might be the property +left her. The doctor, who had undertaken to conduct her affairs during +her absence, looked very woebegone indeed, and I pitied him; he had +become so used to her company that he felt miserable at the idea of her +departure, although all hopes of ever marrying her had long been +dismissed from his mind. Mrs. St. Felix told me that she would be ready +that evening, and I returned home and found Virginia in tears; her +mother had again assailed her on account of her feelings toward Mrs. St. +Felix; and Virginia told me that she was crying at the idea of Mrs. St. +Felix going away much more than at what her mother had said; and she +requested me to walk with her to Mrs. St. Felix that she might wish her +farewell. + +When we arrived Mrs. St. Felix embraced Virginia warmly, and took her +into the little back parlor. Virginia burst into tears. "You are the +only friend in the town that I dearly love," said she, "and now you are +going." + +"My dear girl, I am more sorry to part with you and Tom than I can well +express--our pain is mutual, but we shall meet again." + +"I see no chance of that," said Virginia, mournfully. + +[Illustration: SIR J. O'CONNOR AND MRS. ST. FELIX.--Marryat, Vol. X., +p. 467.] + +"But I do; and what is more, I have thought about it since I have had +the news. Tom, your sister, of course, only knows the common report?" + +"Of course she knows no more than anybody else." + +"Well, you do, at all events; and I give you leave, as I know she is to +be trusted, to confide my secret to her. And, Virginia dear, when I tell +you that I shall want you to come and stay with me, and shall arrange +accordingly, after you have heard what your brother has to tell you you +will understand that we may meet again. Good-by, and God bless you, +dearest; go away now, for I have much to do." + +When I told Virginia what the reader is well acquainted with, her joy +was excessive. "Yes," said she, "I see now. My mother is so anxious that +I should be taken into some grand family as a companion; and when Lady +O'Connor agrees to receive me, she will never have an idea that it is +Mrs. St. Felix. If she had, nothing would induce her to let me go, that +I am sure of; for she has taken an aversion to her for reasons known +only to herself." + +I returned to Mrs. St. Felix's house as soon as I had escorted Virginia +home, leaving her very happy. The doctor was there, mute and melancholy; +and I was thinking that we should have some difficulty in getting rid of +him, when Tom made his appearance. + +"If you please, sir," said he, "Mrs. Fallover wants you immediately; +she's taken very bad." + +"I can't help it." + +"Indeed, but you must help it, doctor," said Mrs. St. Felix; "the poor +woman is, as you know, in her first confinement, and you must not +neglect her, so let's say good-by at once, and a happy return. I asked +Tom to come down that I might call upon his sister and one or two other +people before I go; so you see, doctor, as you can't go with me, you +may just as well go and attend to the poor woman; so good-by, Dr. +Tadpole, I will write to you as soon as I know what I'm to do." + +The doctor took her hand, and after a pause said, "Mrs. St. Felix, Eheu, +me infelix!" and hastened out of the shop. + +"Poor fellow!" said she, "he'll miss me, and that's the truth. Good-by, +Jane; mind you look after everything till I come back, and take care of +the dog and cat. Come, Tom, we'll go now." + +I threw her trunk on my shoulders, and followed her till we came to the +post-house. The chaise was ordered out, and we set off. + +"Tom," said Lady O'Connor, as I again call her, now that she is clear of +Greenwich, "there is one portion of my history which you do not know--a +very trifling part indeed. When I saw in the newspapers that my husband +had, as I supposed, been executed, I am ashamed to say that I first +thought of suicide; but my better feelings prevailed, and I then +resolved to change my name and to let people _suppose_ that I was dead. +It was for that reason that I left my bonnet by the river-side and all +my apparel in the house, only taking away a few trinkets and valuables, +to dispose of for my future subsistence. I obtained a passage in a +transport bound to Woolwich, on the plea of my husband having arrived +from abroad; and, by mere accident, I found the goodwill of the +tobacconist's shop to be sold. It suited me--and there is the whole of +my history which you do not know. + +"And now, as to Virginia, I intend to have her with me very soon. Your +mother is anxious that she should get into a high family, trusting that +her beauty will captivate some of the members--a bad kind of +speculation. I will advertise for a companion, and so arrange that your +mother shall not see me; and when your sister does come to me, it shall +not be as a companion, but as a child of my own. I owe you much, +Tom--indeed, almost everything; and it is the only way in which I can +repay you. I have already spoken to Sir James on the subject. He is +equally ready to pay the debt of gratitude, and therefore in future +Virginia is our adopted child." + +"You are more than repaying me, Lady O'Connor," replied I, "and you are +obliging me in the quarter where I feel the obligation the greatest." + +"That I believe, Tom; so now say no more about it." + +I may as well here inform the reader that I remained a week at Chatham, +and that during that time Lady O'Connor put an advertisement in the +county paper, such as we knew would be a bait to my mother. This paper I +forwarded to Virginia, marking the advertisement. My mother immediately +replied to it, and Sir James O'Connor went up to Greenwich and had an +interview with my mother and Virginia, at apartments he had taken at the +hotel; appeared pleased with my sister, and said that as soon as Lady +O'Connor was sufficiently recovered she would send for her to Chatham. +This took place in two days afterward; my mother escorted Virginia +there. Sir James stated that her ladyship was too unwell to see anybody, +but that she would speak a few words to Virginia and leave Sir James to +settle the rest with my mother. Virginia came down to her mother, +declared that Lady O'Connor was a very ladylike, elegant person, and +that she should wish to take the situation. The terms were handsome, and +my mother, although she regretted not seeing her ladyship, was +satisfied, and Virginia was to come in two days afterward, which she +did. Thus was my sister comfortably settled, and after remaining two +days I took my leave of Sir James and Lady O'Connor, intending to return +to Deal, when I received a letter from Peter Anderson, informing me that +old Nanny had been suddenly taken very ill, and that Dr. Tadpole did not +think it possible that she would survive more than twenty-four hours; +that she was very anxious to see me, and that he hoped I would come up +immediately. + +I showed the letter to Lady O'Connor, who said, "You will go, of course, +Tom." + +"Immediately," replied I, "and the more so as this letter is dated three +days back; how it has been delayed I do not know. Farewell, Lady +O'Connor; and farewell, dearest Virginia. Old Nanny, as you both know, +has many claims upon my gratitude." + + + + +CHAPTER FORTY-NINE + + My Father, much to his surprise, has a bit of Land to put his Foot + upon, and say "This is my own". + + +"You're too late, Tom," said Ben the Whaler, as I jumped down from off +the basket of the coach; "the old woman died last night." + +"I'm sorry for it, Ben," replied I, "as she wished so much to see me; +but I did not receive Anderson's letter till this morning, and I could +not get here sooner." + +This intelligence induced me to direct my course to the hospital, where +I had no doubt that I should find old Anderson, and obtain every +information. I met him as he was walking toward the bench on the terrace +facing the river, where he usually was seated when the weather was fine. +"Well, Tom," said he, "I expected you, and did hope that you would have +been here sooner. Come, sit down here, and I will give you the +information which I know you have most at your heart. The old woman made +a very happy end. I was with her till she died. She left many kind +wishes for you, and I think her only regret was that she did not see you +before she was called away." + +"Poor old Nanny! she had suffered much." + +"Yes, and there are great excuses to be made for her; and as we feel so +here, surely there will be indulgence from above, where the secrets of +all hearts are known. She was not insane, Tom; but from the time that +she supposed that her son had been gibbeted, there was something like +insanity about her: the blow had oppressed her brain--it had stupefied +her, and blunted her moral sense of right and wrong. She told me, after +you had communicated to her that her son was in the hospital, and had +died penitent, that she felt as if a heavy weight had been taken off her +mind; that she had been rid of an oppression which had ever borne down +her faculties--a sort of giddiness and confusion in the brain which had +made her indifferent, if not reckless, to everything; and I do believe +it, from the change which took place in her during the short time which +has since elapsed." + +"What change was that? for you know that I have been too busy during the +short intervals I have been here to call upon her." + +"A change in her appearance and manners. She appeared to recover in part +her former position in life; she was always clean in her person, as far +as she could be in such a shop as hers; and if she had nothing else, she +always had a clean cap and apron." + +"Indeed?" + +"Yes; and on Sundays she dressed very neat and tidy. She did not go to +church, but she purchased a large Bible and a pair of spectacles, and +was often to be seen reading it at the door; and when I talked to her +she was glad to enter upon serious things. I spoke to her about her +fondness for money, and pointed out that it was a sin. She replied that +she did feel very fond of money for a long while, for she always thought +that some one was nigh her snatching at it, and had done so ever since +her son had robbed her; but that since she knew what had become of him +she did not feel fond of it--that is, not so fond of it as before; and I +believe that such was the case. Her love of money arose from her +peculiar state of mind. She had many comforts about her house when she +died which were not in it when I called to see her at the time when she +was first ill; but her purchasing the large Bible on account of the +print was to me a satisfactory proof that she had no longer such +avaricious feelings." + +"I am very glad to hear all this, Anderson, I assure you, for she was +one of my earliest friends, and I loved her." + +"Not more than she loved you, Tom. Her last words almost were calling +down blessings on your head; and, thanks be to God! she died as a +Christian should die, and, I trust, is now happy." + +"Amen!" said I; for I was much moved at Anderson's discourse. + +After a pause Anderson said, "You know, Tom, that she has left you all +that she had. She told me before that such was her intention, although I +said nothing to you about it; but I thought it as well that Mr. Wilson +should make out a paper for her to put her name to, which she did. Ben +and I witnessed it, but as for what she has left you I cannot imagine it +can be much; for we examined and found no money except about seven +pounds, in two small boxes; and then in her will she has left your +sister Virginia ten pounds. Now, when that comes to be paid, I'm sure I +don't know whether the things in the shop will fetch so much money as +will pay your sister's legacy and the expenses of her funeral." + +"It's of no consequence," replied I, smiling; "but we shall see. At all +events all her debts shall be paid, and her funeral shall be decent and +respectable. Good-by now, Anderson, I must go up and see my mother and +sister." + +Old Nanny's remains were consigned to the tomb on the following Monday. +Her funeral was, as I had desired it to be, very respectable, and she +was followed to the grave by Anderson, my father, Ben, and me. As soon +as it was over, I requested Anderson to walk with me to Mr. Wilson's. + +"I'm afraid, Tom," said Mr. Wilson, "you'll find, like a great many +other residuary legatees, that you've not gained much by the +compliment." + +"Nevertheless, will you oblige me by walking down with Anderson and me +to her house?" + +"And take off the seals, I presume, in your presence? But the fact is, +Tom, that not thinking the property quite safe there, even under seal, I +have kept it all in my own pocket." + +"Nevertheless, oblige me by coming down." + +"Oh, with all my heart, since you do not like to take possession unless +in due form." + +As soon as we arrived at the hovel I went into the bedroom and threw +open the window. I then, to their great astonishment, went to the +fire-grate, threw out some rubbish which was put into it, pulled up the +iron back, and removed the bricks. In a short time I produced two small +boxes, one of them very heavy. There was nothing else in the hole. + +"Here," said I, "Mr. Wilson, is a portion of the property which you have +overlooked." + +"No wonder," replied he. "Pray let us see what it is." + +I opened the boxes, and, to their surprise, made up in a variety of +packages, I counted out gold coin to the amount of four hundred and +twenty pounds. + +"Not a bad legacy," said Mr. Wilson. "Then you knew of this?" + +"Of course; I have known it some time--ever since the attempt to rob +her." + +"But what are those papers?" + +On one was written "_Arsenic--Poison_;" on the other, "_Receipt for +Toothache_." + +"Nothing of any value," said I, "by the outside." + +I opened them, and found, to my surprise, bank-notes to the exact amount +of two hundred pounds. + +"Well, I declare," said I, smiling, "I had nearly thrown all this money +away." + +"And now you see what induced the old woman to write those labels on the +outside of it; in case she should be robbed, that the robbers might have +thrown the papers away--as you nearly did, and as very probably they +might have done." + +"Well, Mr. Wilson, I have no further search to make. Will you oblige me +by taking care of this money for me?" + +"Yes; that is, if you'll carry the gold, which is rather heavy, up to my +house, and then I will give you a receipt for the whole." + +Anderson then left us, and I followed Mr. Wilson home. As soon as the +money was all re-counted, and a note made of it, Mr. Wilson asked me +what I wished that he should do with it. I replied, what was the truth, +that I really did not know what to do with it, but still I should like +to lay it out in something tangible. + +"You want to buy a farm, I suppose, and be a landed proprietor, like +Bramble; but I'm afraid there is not enough. But I tell you what, Tom; +we lawyers know many things which do not come to everybody's ears, and I +know that the proprietor of the house in which your mother lives wishes +to sell it; and I think, as he is much pinched for money, that this sum +will about buy it. Now your mother pays fifty-five guineas a year for +it, and if it sells for six hundred pounds, that will give you more than +nine per cent for your money. What do you think?" + +"Well, sir, I think it's the very best thing I can do; if more should be +necessary, I have saved a little besides which Bramble takes care of." + +"Well, then, I'll see about it." + +A few days afterward Mr. Wilson told me that the house was to be had for +five hundred and sixty pounds, and that he had closed the bargain. + +"I thank you, sir," replied I. "Since I have been with you I have been +thinking about it, and I wish now you would make it over to my father +for his life. You see, sir, my father does put my mother to some +expense, and I should like him to be more independent of her. If the +house belongs to him, the rent will more than meet any demands he may +make upon her purse--and it will be pleasant for both parties--and my +mother will pay more respect to my father." + +"I shall do it with pleasure, Tom. You deserve money, for you make a +good use of it--I must say that. Come to me to-morrow." + +The next day I went to my father, and gave him the deed by which he was +owner of my mother's house. "Well, now, Tom," said he, after I had +explained why I did so, "this is the kindest thing that ever was done, +and God bless you, boy, and a thousand thanks. I shan't mind now calling +for two extra pots of porter when I have friends--and I say, Tom, is the +garden mine, too?" + +"Yes, and the summer-house, father, all your own property." + +"Well, then," replied he, chuckling, "I have a bit of land of my own to +stick my timber toe on after all. Well, I never did expect that. I must +go up there, and stand upon it, and feel how I feel." + +I communicated to my mother that my father was in future her landlord, +at which she expressed much surprise, until I told her how I became +possessed of the money. When my father came in, which he did shortly +after, she said rather sharply: + +"Well, Mr. Saunders, I suppose I must pay you my rent now, every +quarter?" + +"Pay me!" exclaimed my father; "come, not so bad as that, neither. +Haven't you found me in beer, without a grumble, for these many years, +and do you think I've forgotten it? No, no! You've been a kind woman to +me, after all, although things did go a little cross at first, and so +here's the paper for you to keep for me; and there's an end of the +matter, only--" + +"Only what?" inquired my mother, looking very kindly at my father. + +"Only let's have a pot of beer now, to drink Tom's health, that's all." + +Having thus satisfactorily settled this point, I returned to Chatham. I +had promised to take a farewell of my sister and the O'Connors, as I +expected they would leave previous to my again coming up the river. + + + + +CHAPTER FIFTY + + An Adventure which at first promised to be the most Unfortunate, + and eventually proved the most Fortunate in my Life. + + +As Sir James O'Connor would have to remain at least a fortnight longer +at Chatham, until his ship was paid off, I made Lady O'Connor promise to +write to me, and then started for Deal. I found Bramble and Bessy as +usual delighted to see me, and Mrs. Maddox was as talkative as ever. I +received a letter from Lady O'Connor, and also one from Dr. Tadpole, +written at the request of my father, informing me that by a letter from +Mrs. St. Felix there was little prospect of her return to Greenwich. I +had not been a week at Deal when a large ship dropped her anchor in the +Downs, and made the signal for a pilot. + +"Well, Tom," said Bramble, "I think I shall take a turn now, for I want +to go up and see old Anderson." + +"I will take her through, if you please, father; and you may go as a +passenger. You don't want money, and I do." + +"All's right, Tom--well, then, I'll go as a passenger, and you shall be +pilot." + +"Why must you go at all, father? Why not go to Greenwich by the stage?" +exclaimed Bessy. "When will you leave off, my dear father? Surely you've +enough now, and might let Tom go without you." + +"Quite enough money, but not quite enough of the salt water yet, Bessy," +replied Bramble; "and when I do travel, I won't go by land, when I can +sail under canvas." + +"Well, you may go this time, father, but this is the last. If you won't +leave off, I will not stay here, that's positive; so when you come on +shore some fine day you may expect to find me absent without leave." + +"Very well; then I'll send Tom to look after you: he'll soon bring you +back again." + +"Tom! he wouldn't take the trouble to look after me." + +"Very true," replied I. "Every woman who requires looking after is not +worth the trouble; but I've no fear but we shall find you when we come +back." + +"Tom, I hate you," replied Bessy. "Why do you not join me in persuading +father to stay on shore?" + +"Well, if you hate me, Bessy, it proves, at all events, that I'm not +indifferent to you," said I, laughing; "but really and truly, Bessy, I +do not consider there is any very great risk in your father going up the +river with me, as he will be in smooth water before dark." + +"Well, but, allowing that, why should father go at all?" + +"I want to see old Anderson, my love," replied Bramble, taking his pipe +out of his mouth. + +"Yes, and if you once begin again, you'll not leave off--I know it well. +You will never come home except to get clean linen, and be off again; +and I shall be in a constant state of alarm and misery. How selfish of +you, father! You had better by far have left me to drown on the Goodwin +Sands--it would have been more kind," replied Bessy, weeping. + +"Bessy," said Bramble, "it's my opinion that you are in love." + +"In love!" cried Bessy, coloring to her throat. + +"Yes, in love, my dear, or you would not talk such nonsense." + +"If loving you as my father is being in love, I am, unfortunately." + +"That's only half of the story; now give us the other," said Bramble, +smiling. + +"What do you mean?" inquired Bessy, turning to him. + +"Why, how do you love Tom?" + +"Not half so much as I love her," said I. + +"Well, if that's the case," replied Bramble, "we may as well publish the +bans; for Bessy's in love right over the ankles." + +"Father, this may be very pleasant mockery; but I think it is not kind +to breed ill-will between those who live under the same roof. Now you +may go away; and if the knowledge that you have made me unhappy will add +to the pleasure of your journey, I can assure you that you have +succeeded." Bessy, having said this, immediately left the room and went +upstairs. + +"Well," said Bramble, after a pause, "I'm glad that I never was in love; +for people so situated do make themselves very silly, that's a fact. +Tom, if you're going, it's time to be off." + +"Why--" replied I, hesitatingly. + +"I know--but I tell you, Tom, no such thing. She'll have a good cry, and +then she'll come down as well as ever. Leave her alone till we come +back." + +Bramble and I then left the cottage, jumped into the galley, and were +soon on board of the ship. + +On our arrival on board we found that the vessel was a Dutch Indiaman, +which had been captured by one of our cruisers on her voyage home from +Java. She was laden very deeply with cinnamon, nutmegs, cloves, and +other spices, besides pepper, and was valued at four hundred thousand +pounds sterling. She had come home from the island of St. Helena, with +convoy, and was now proceeding up the river, to be given in charge of +the prize agents in London. Not only her hold, but even her main deck, +as far aft as the mainmast, was filled up with her cargo; in short, she +was a very valuable prize, and although when I came on board the pepper +made me sneeze for ten minutes, the officer in charge told me very truly +that she was a prize "not to be sneezed at." She was manned by a +lieutenant and eighteen men belonging to the frigate which had captured +her--hardly sufficient for so large a vessel, but no more could be +spared. + +"We'll up anchor as soon as you please, pilot," said the lieutenant, +"for I shall not be sorry to get rid of my charge, I assure you." + +"I don't doubt you, sir," replied Bramble. "Well, you've not much +further to go." + +We weighed with the young flood; the weather was fine, but, as usual at +that time of the year, thick fogs prevailed. We had, however, a leading +wind, and had well rounded the North Foreland, and entered the Queen's +Channel, when it came on very thick. + +"Tom, have you the bearings?" said Bramble; "if not, take them at once, +for the fog will soon be over the land." + +"I have them," replied I, "and we may as well put them down on the +log-board--North Foreland Light N.N.W. 1/4 W. Why, we should see the +Tongue buoy. Now we'll drop the anchor and furl the sails, if you +please, sir--we can do nothing at present." We did so: the fog came on +thicker than before, and with it a drizzling rain and wind from the S. +At dusk there was no change, or prospect of it. The men went down to +supper, and the watch was set. Bramble and I did not turn in: we lay +down on the lockers of the cabin, and every now and then went on deck to +see how the weather was. About eleven o'clock we were awakened by a +noise: we both started up, and went on deck. To our surprise it was full +of men--we had been boarded by a French privateer, and they had gained +possession of the deck without any alarm being given, for the men who +had the watch had sheltered themselves from the rain down the hatchway. +As soon as we came up, we were collared and seized. + +"Pilot," said Bramble. + +"Pilot," said I. + +They then asked us in English how many men were on board. + +As it was no use concealing the fact, we replied: a portion of the +privateer's men then went down, and surprised them all in their beds. In +about five minutes they came up again, leading the lieutenant and his +men, in their shirts. By the directions of the French captain they were +immediately passed over the side into the privateer, and Bramble and I +were the only two Englishmen left on board of the ship. + +The French captain then asked us if we knew where we were, and whether +there was any danger. We replied that we were among the sands, and that +it would be difficult to get her out of them with that wind, and +impossible until the tide turned. + +"When will the tide turn?" said the captain. + +"In an hour or less," replied Bramble, appealing to me. + +I replied in the affirmative. + +"Well, then, you will take this vessel clear of the shoals, my men; and +if you do not, your lives are worth nothing.--Hold pistols to their +heads," continued he to the officer, "and the moment that the ship +touches, blow their brains out." + +Here Bramble, to my astonishment, went on his knees. + +"Spare our lives," said he, "and we will take the vessel safe to the +French coast;" at the same time he gave me a pinch. + +"If you do not you shall not live a minute," said the captain (another +pinch from Bramble). I now understood him, and I also went down on my +knees, and pretended to cry. "We can't take her out if this weather +lasts," said I, whimpering. "It's impossible." + +"No, no! not if this weather lasts," said Bramble, "but as soon as it +changes we will do it." + +"Very well, so long as you do it when you can, that is all I ask. Now," +said he to the officer he had before addressed, "you'll have twenty +men--keep a sharp lookout--and don't lose a moment in getting under way +as soon as you can." + +The captain then returned to the privateer with the rest of the men, +leaving the ship in charge of the prizemaster. The privateer was boomed +off; but whether she dropped her anchor near to us, or remained under +way, I could not tell. The men who had held the pistols to our heads now +went away with the others to plunder, according to the manners and +customs of all privateers' men, of whatever nation they may happen to +be. Bramble and I walked aft. + +"Pinned once more, by all that's blue! Well, it can't be helped--but +we're not in a French prison yet." + +"Why did you go down on your knees to those fellows?" said I, rather +sulkily. + +"Why, because I wished them to think we were chicken-hearted, and that +we should not be watched, and might have a chance--who knows?" + +"Two against twenty are heavy odds," replied I. + +"That depends upon whether you trust to your head or your arms. It must +be headwork this time. You see, Tom, we have so far a chance that we +cannot weigh till it clears up--they know that as well as we do. I'm +pretty sure it will be thick all to-morrow, and perhaps longer; so you +see something may turn up by that time. We are well in, and right in the +Channel, for vessels up or down. I say again we are not in a French +prison yet. They can't take her out of this--we must do it; and we may +run on shore if we like: and I tell you what, Tom, if it wasn't for +Bessy, I'd just as soon that my brains should be blown out as that these +French fellows should take such a rich prize. Now let's go below--we +mustn't be seen talking together too much; but look out sharp, Tom, and +watch my motions." + +The officer who had charge of the vessel now came on deck, and looked +round him: he could speak English sufficient to carry on a conversation. +The weather was very thick, and the rain drove down with the wind: he +saw that it was impossible that the ship could be moved. He told us that +we should have a hundred guineas each and our liberty if we took the +ship safe either to Ostend or any French port. We replied that we should +be very glad to do so, as it would be ten times as much as we should +have received for piloting her up the Thames; and then we went down +below. In the meantime the men were sent for on deck, divided into +watches, and when the watch was set the others went down below again. +After taking a glass or two of wine, for the Frenchmen had soon rummaged +out what there was to be drunk in the cabin, Bramble and I returned on +deck. We found the Frenchmen in charge of the watch diligent: one was +looking out forward, another at the taffrail; the remaining three were +walking the deck. Bramble went to the gangway, and I followed him. + +"Tom, I see the hatchway grating is on deck--I only wish we once had +them all beneath it." + +"I only wish we had all but the watch--I'd have a try for it then," +replied I. + +"No, no, Tom, that wouldn't do; but we must trust to Providence and a +sharp lookout. See where you can put your hand upon a crowbar or +handspike, in case you want it; but don't touch it. Come, there's +nothing to be done in any way just now, so let's go down and take a +snooze for an hour or two; and, Tom, if they ask us to drink, drink with +them, and pretend to be half fuddled." + +We went down again, and found the privateer's men getting very jolly; +but they did not offer us anything to drink, so we laid on some spare +sails outside the cabin, and tried to go to sleep, but I could not, for +I was very unhappy. I could see no chance of our escape, as nothing but +a man-of-war would be likely to interfere and recapture us. I thought of +Virginia and Lady O'Connor, and then I thought of poor Bessy, and having +left her in such an unfriendly way, perhaps to remain in a French prison +for years. Bramble and I were fully aware that the promises of the +prizemaster were only to cajole us, and that once in a French port, had +we claimed the fulfillment of them, a kick would have been all which we +should, in all probability, receive for our pains. + +About one o'clock in the morning I rose and went on deck. The watch had +been relieved, the weather also looked brighter, as if it were going, to +clear up, and I became still more depressed. Bramble soon followed me. + +"It's clearing up," said I, "but I don't think it will last." + +"Never a bit," replied Bramble; "in half an hour it will be thicker than +ever, so now I'll go and call the officer, and tell him he had better +get under way: that will make him have less suspicion of us." + +Bramble did so. The officer came on deck, the men were turned out, and +the windlass was manned; for, although so large a vessel, she had no +capstan. The men hove in the cable in silence, and were short stay +apeak, when, as we had foreseen, it came on thicker than ever. Bramble +pointed it out to the officer, who was perfectly satisfied that nothing +could be done; the cable was veered out again, and the men sent below. + +"We hope you'll think of your promise to us, sir," said Bramble to the +officer, as he was going down. + +"Yes, I will, I swear," replied he, slapping Bramble on the back. + +The morning broke, and the weather continued the same; it was not +possible to see ten yards clear of the ship, and, of course, in such +weather it was not likely that any other vessels would be attempting to +pass through the Channel. At noon it cleared up a little, and the +windlass was again manned; but in a short time the fog became thicker +than ever. The Frenchmen now became very impatient, but there was no +help for it; they walked about the deck, swearing and stamping, and +throwing out invectives against the fog and rain as they looked up at +it. The night closed in; the men were kept on deck until eleven o'clock, +when the flood time made, and then they were sent down again, as nothing +could be done until the ebb. At twelve o'clock the weather became worse, +the wind freshened considerably, and veered more to the southward, the +rain poured down in torrents, and the men of the watch sheltered +themselves down the hatchway. The officer came up on the deck, and +called Bramble, who had been down below. Bramble told him, what was very +true, that the wind would probably shift and the weather clear up in a +few hours, and that we should be able to weigh with the coming down of +the ebb. He asked Bramble whether he thought it would blow hard. Bramble +could not say, but it would be better that the men should not turn in, +as they might be wanted; and that if the fore-topmast staysail was +hoisted, she would lie better at her anchor, and in case of parting, he +would be able to manage her till sail was set. This advice was followed, +and all the men sat up in the cabin drinking, those who had the watch +occasionally coming down to refresh themselves. + +They gave us a glass of grog each that night, a proof that they had +drunk until they were good-natured. Bramble said to me, as we sat down +outside, "It will be clear to-morrow morning, Tom, that's sartain--it +must be to-night or never. I've been thinking of lowering the quarter +boat down, when they are a little more mizzled; they are getting on +pretty fast, for Frenchmen haven't the heads for drinking that +Englishmen have. Now it pours down beautifully, and here they come down +again for shelter." + +For three hours we watched; it was then four o'clock, and the men were +most of them asleep or more than half drunk. Those of the middle watch +came down dripping wet, and called the others to relieve them, but only +two of them answered to the call. They who had come down began to drink +freely, to warm themselves after their ducking, and by half-past four, +except the two men on deck, every Frenchman was either fast asleep or +muddled. + +"Tom," said Bramble, "now's our time. Slip up on deck, go forward if no +one is there, and saw through the cable as quickly as you can; it won't +take long, for it's a coir rope. As soon as you have got through two +strands out of the three, come aft." + +I went on deck, and looked round; I could not see the two men, it was so +dark. I then walked forward, and looking well round to see that they +were not on the forecastle, I sat down before the windlass and commenced +operations. In a couple of minutes I had divided the two strands, and I +went aft, where I found Bramble at the binnacle, in which a light was +burning. + +"I have done it," said I, "and if the wind freshens at all, she will +part."' + +"All's right," said Bramble, "those two fellows are fast asleep under +the taffrail, covered up with the trysail, which lies there. Now, Tom, +for a bold push: go down once more, and see how they are getting on in +the cabin." + +I went down: every man was asleep--some on the locker, some with their +heads on the table. I came on deck: it rained harder than ever. + +"This will be a clearing shower, Tom, depend upon it; and the wind is +freshening up again. Now, have you looked out for a handspike or +crowbar?" + +"Yes, I know where there are two." + +"Then come with me: we must unship the ladder, and pull it up on deck, +and then put on the grating; after that we must take our chance: we may +succeed, and we may not--all depends upon their not waking too soon." + +We went to the hatchway, cut the cleat-lashings, hauled the ladder on +deck, and then put on the grating. + +"That will do, Tom, for the present. Now do you take the helm, with a +crowbar all ready by your side. I will go forward and cut the cable: if +those fellows rouse up while I am forward, you must do your best. I +leave you, Tom, because you are more powerful than I am." + +"I'll manage them both, never fear," whispered I. + +"When she swings, mind you put the helm a-starboard, Tom," said Bramble +in my ear. + +This was the most nervous part of the whole transaction: the men abaft +might wake, and I should have to master them how I could--and even if I +did, the scuffle might awake those below, who were not yet secured; +although, for a time, it would be difficult for them to get on deck. But +fortune favored us: the cable was severed, the ship swung round, and +Bramble returned aft and took the helm. + +"Now is the time to see if I'm a pilot or not, Tom," said he. "I think I +can steer her through by compass, now that it's nearly high +water--luck's all. It was fortunate that we got the staysail hoisted for +us, or we could have made nothing of it." + +"It's clearing up fast," said I, as I kept my eyes upon where the men +were lying abaft; "and there'll be plenty of wind." + +"Yes, and we'll have daylight soon. Tom, I don't want you. I should like +you to step aft, and stand over those two chaps; if they wake, knock +them senseless--don't kill them, as you can easily bind them while they +are stupefied. And, Tom, look about you for some seizings all ready. I +wish they would wake, for we are not safe while they are not secure. Put +a handspike by me, and, if necessary, I will leave the helm for a +minute, and help you: it's better that she should go on shore than they +should master us. We're pretty safe now, at all events. I see the +land--all's right." + +It was now daylight. After this whispering with Bramble, I went aft with +a handspike in my hand; and I had not been there more than two minutes +when one of the privateer's men turned the canvas on one side, and +looked up. The handspike came down upon his head, and he dropped +senseless; but the noise roused up the other, and I dealt him a blow +more severe than the first. I then threw down my weapon, and, perceiving +the deep-sea lead-line coiled up on the reel, I cut off sufficient, and +in a short time had bound them both by the hands and feet. They groaned +heavily, and I was afraid that I had killed them; but there was no help +for it. + +"They are safe," said I, returning to Bramble. + +"I thought I heard you, but I did not look round at the time. Half an +hour more, Tom, and, even with this wind, we shall be safe--and, Tom, +our fortune's made. If they wake below, we must fight hard for it, for +we've a right to salvage, my boy--one-eighth of the whole cargo--that's +worth fighting for. Depend upon it, they'll be stirring soon; so, Tom, +go aft, and drag the trysail here, and put it on the hatchway +grating--its weight will prevent their lifting it up in a hurry. If we +can only hold our own for twenty minutes longer she is ours, and all +right." + +As soon as I had stowed the trysail on the hatchway grating, I looked +about to see what else I could put on the skylight, which they might +also attempt to force up. I could find nothing but the coils of rope, +which I piled on; but, while I was so doing, a pistol was fired at me +from below, and the ball passed through the calf of my leg; it was, +however, not a wound to disable me, and I bound it up with my +handkerchief. + +"They're all alive now, Tom, so you must keep your eyes open. However, +we're pretty safe--the light vessel is not a mile off. Keep away from +the skylight--you had better stand upon the trysail, Tom--you will help +to keep the hatchway down, for they are working at it." + +Another pistol was now fired at Bramble, which missed him. + +"Tom, see if there's no bunting aft, and, if so, just throw some over +this part of the skylight, it will blind them, at all events; otherwise +I'm just a capital mark for them." + +I ran aft, and gathered some flags, which I brought and laid over the +skylight, so as to intercept their view of Bramble; but while I was so +doing another pistol-shot was fired--it passed me, but hit Bramble, +taking off one of his fingers. + +"That's no miss, but we've got through the worst of it, Tom--I don't +think they can see me now--don't put that English ensign on, but hoist +it Union downward. I shall round-to now; there's the men-of-war in the +Medway. Why don't the fools look out, and they will see that they can't +escape?" + +"They've only the stern windows to look out of: the quarter-galleries +are boarded up." + +"Then, Tom, just look if they have not beat them out, for you know they +may climb on deck by them." + +It was fortunate that Bramble mentioned this. I went aft with the +handspike in my hand, and when I was about to look over, I met face to +face a Frenchman, who had climbed out of the starboard quarter-gallery, +and was just gaming the deck. A blow with the handspike sent him +overboard, and he went astern; but another was following him, and I +stood prepared to receive him. It was the officer in command, who spoke +English. He paused at the sight of the other man falling overboard and +my uplifted handspike; and I said to him, "It's of no use--look at the +English men-of-war close to you: if you do not go back to the cabin, and +keep your men quiet, when the men-of-war's men come on board we will +show you no quarter." + +We were now entering the Medway; and the Frenchman perceived that they +could not escape, and would only bring mischief on themselves by any +farther assaults, so he got into the quarter-gallery again, and spoke to +his men. As soon as I perceived that he was entering, I ran over to the +other side to the larboard quarter-gallery, and there again I found a +Frenchman had nearly gained the deck. I levelled the handspike at his +head, but he dodged, and returned to the cabin by the way he came; and +after that there were no more attempts at recovering the vessel. In five +minutes more we were abreast of the Euphrosyne, Sir James O'Connor's +frigate, which was now lying, with only her lower masts in, alongside of +the hulk. I hailed for assistance, and let fly the foretop-mast staysail +sheet, while Bramble rounded the ship to. The boats were sent on board +immediately; and as we had not a cable bent, they made the ship fast to +the hulk astern of them. We stated our case in few words to the officer; +and having ascertained that Sir James O'Connor was on board, requested +that we might be sent to the frigate. + +"Is it you?" said Sir James, as I came on the gangway; "what is it all +about--are you hurt? Come down in the cabin." + +Bramble and I followed him down into the cabin; and I stated the whole +particulars of the capture and re-capture. + +"Excellent--most excellent! I wish you both joy; but first we must have +the surgeon here" Sir James rang the bell; and when the surgeon came he +went on deck to give orders. + +[Illustration: I MET FACE TO FACE A FRENCHMAN.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. +493.] + +The ball had passed through my leg, so that the surgeon had little to +do to me. Bramble's finger was amputated, and in a few minutes we were +all right, and Sir James came down again. + +"I should say, stay on board till you are able to get about again; but +the ship will be paid off to-morrow, so I had better send you up to +Chatham directly. You are entitled to salvage if ever men were, for you +have earned it gloriously; and I will take care that you are done +justice to. I must go now and report the vessel and particulars to the +admiral, and the first lieutenant will send you to Chatham in one of the +cutters. You'll be in good hands, Tom, for you will have two nurses." + +We were taken up to Chatham to the hotel, where we found Lady O'Connor +and Virginia very much surprised, as may be imagined, at our being +brought there wounded. However, we were neither of us ill enough to go +to bed, and had a sitting-room next to theirs. + +This recapture made a great deal of noise. At first the agent for the +prize wrote down a handsome letter to us, complimenting us upon our +behavior and stating that he was authorized to present us each with five +hundred pounds for our conduct. But Sir James O'Connor answered the +letter, informing him that we claimed, and would have, our one-eighth, +as entitled to by law, and that he would see us righted. Mr. Wilson, +whom we employed as our legal adviser, immediately gave the prize agent +notice of an action in the Court of Admiralty, and, finding we were so +powerfully backed, and that he could not help himself, he offered forty +thousand pounds, which was one-eighth, valuing the cargo at three +hundred and twenty thousand pounds. The cargo proved to be worth more +than four hundred thousand pounds, but Mr. Wilson advised us to close +with the offer, as it was better than litigating the question; so we +assented to it, and the money was paid over. + +In a fortnight we were both ready to travel again. Sir James O'Connor +had remained a week longer than he intended to have done at Chatham on +our account. We now took leave of them, and having presented Virginia +with five thousand pounds, which I had directed Mr. Wilson to settle +upon her, we parted, the O'Connors and Virginia for Leamington, and +Bramble and I for Deal. + + + + +CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE + + Being the last Chapter, the Reader may pretty well guess the + Contents of it. + + +"Tom, do you know that I very often find myself looking about me, and +asking myself if all that has happened is true or a dream," said Bramble +to me, as we sat inside of the coach to Dover, for there were no other +inside passengers but ourselves. "I can't help thinking that great good +fortune is as astounding as great calamity. Who would have thought, when +I would, in spite of all Bessy's remonstrances, go round in that ship +with you, that in the first place we should have been taken possession +of by a privateer in the very narrows (he was a bold cruiser, that +Frenchman)? After we were captured I said to myself, Bessy must have had +a forewarning of what was to happen, or she never would have been, as I +thought, so perverse. And since it has turned out so fortunately, I +can't help saying how fortunate it was that we did not allow her to +persuade us; for had we not both gone, nothing could have been done. +Well, I think we may promise Bessy this time when we meet her, that we +will not trust ourselves to salt water again in a hurry. What do you +think, Tom?" + +"No; I think the best thing I can do is to marry, and live on shore," +replied I. + +"Yes, Tom, that's it. Give me your hand, you don't know how happy you +make me; we'll all live together. But where shall we live? for the poor +little cottage that I thought quite big enough for us a month ago will +not do now." + +"We have plenty of time to talk that over, father. I love the cottage +for many reasons; although, as you say, it is not large enough now for +our means or future way of living." + +"And I love it too, boy; I love to look out of the door and see the spot +where my Bessy rescued me from death. God bless her! she is a noble +girl, Tom, though I say it who--but I'm not her father, after all, and +if I were, I would still say it." + +"It is evident, by her letter to you, that she has been most anxious +about us. What will she say when she hears we have both been wounded?" + +"Ay! it wouldn't have done to have told her that, or she would have set +off for Chatham, as sure as we are sitting here." + +Here a pause ensued for some time, and we were busied with our own +thoughts. The silence was at last broken by me. + +"Father," said I, "I should like to ask my father and Peter Anderson to +come down to us; they can easily get leave." + +"Is it to be present at your wedding, Tom?" + +"Exactly--if Bessy will consent." + +"Well, I have no doubt of that, Tom; but she will now require a little +courting, you know why." + +"Why, because all women like it, I suppose." + +"No, Tom; it is because she was in love before you were, d'ye +understand?--and now that things are all smooth, and you follow her, +why, it's natural, I suppose, that she should shy off a little in her +turn. You mustn't mind that, Tom; it's a sort of soothing to the +mortification of having at one time found herself, as it were, +rejected." + +"Well, I shan't mind that; it will only serve me right for being such a +fool as not to have perceived her value before. But how do you +understand women so well, father?" + +"Because, Tom, I've been looking on and not performing all my life: +except in one instance in a long life, I've only been a bystander in the +way of courtship and matrimony. Here we are at last, and now for a +chaise to Deal. Thank God, we can afford to shorten the time, for +Bessy's sake, poor thing!" + +We arrived at the cottage. The sound of the wheels had called out not +only Bessy and Mrs. Maddox, but all the neighbors; for they had heard of +our good fortune. Bessy, as soon as she had satisfied herself that it +was Bramble and me, went into the cottage again. Once more we entered +the humble roof. Bessy flew into her father's arms, and hung weeping on +his shoulder. + +"Haven't you a kind word to say for Tom?" said Bramble kissing her as he +released himself. + +"Does he deserve it, to leave me as he did, laughing at my distress? +_He_ had no right to treat me so." + +"Indeed, Bessy, you do me injustice. I said at the time that I thought +there was no risk, and I certainly did think there was none. Who would +have expected a privateer half-way up the Thames, any more than a vessel +with twenty men on board could be re-captured by two men?" + +"Well, Bessy, you ought to make friends with him, for, without his arm, +your father would not have been back here quite so soon. He beat down +the Frenchmen, one after another, in good style, when they attempted to +recover the vessel--that he did, I can tell you, wounded as he was." + +"Wounded?" cried Bessy, starting, her eyes running over me to find out +where. + +"Yes, with a bullet in his leg; I didn't like to say a word about it in +the letter. But I suppose if he had been killed you would not have +cared?" + +"Oh, father!" cried Bessy, as she turned toward me, and I received her +in my arms. + +Bessy soon recovered her smiles, and thankful for our preservation and +good fortune, and satisfied with our mutual affection, we passed a most +happy evening. Somehow or another Bramble, having sent Mrs. Maddox on a +message, found out that it was very sultry indoors, and that he would +take his pipe on the beach. He left me alone with Bessy; and now, for +the first time, I plainly told her the state of my affections, and asked +her to consent to be my wife. I did not plead in vain, as the reader may +suppose from what he has already been made acquainted with. + +After Bessy had retired, and I was sitting with Bramble, who had his +glass of grog and pipe as usual, I made him acquainted with my success. + +"All right, Tom," said he, "I'm thankful--and God bless you both." + +And had I not reason also to be thankful? When I had retired to my room +that night, I thought over the various passages in my life. What might I +have been if Providence had not watched over me? When neglected in my +youth, in a situation which exposed me to every temptation, had not old +Anderson been sent as a guardian to keep me in the right path, to +instruct me, and to give me that education without which my future +success might have turned out a disadvantage instead of a source of +gratitude? In Bramble, again, I had met with a father, to supply the +place of one who was not in a situation to do his duty to me or forward +me in life. In old Nanny I had met with a kind friend, one who, at the +same time that she would lead me right, was a warning to me from her +sufferings. To Mrs. St. Felix I was equally indebted, and had I not been +permitted to pay the debt of gratitude to both of them? Even my mother's +harshness, which appeared at first to my short-sightedness to have been +so in-defensible, was of great advantage to me, as it had stimulated me +to exertion and industry, and pointed out to me the value of +independence. Was I not also most fortunate in having escaped from the +entanglement of Janet, who, had I married her, would, in all +probability, have proved a useless if not a faithless helpmate; and +still more so, in finding that there was, as it were, especially +reserved for me the affection of such a noble, right-minded creature as +Bessy? My life, commenced in rags and poverty, had, by industry and +exertion, and the kindness of others, step by step progressed to +competence and every prospect of mundane happiness. Had I not, +therefore, reason to be grateful, and to feel that there had been a +little cherub who had watched over the life of Poor Jack? On my bended +knees I acknowledged it fervently and gratefully, and prayed that, +should it please Heaven that I should in after life meet any reverse, I +might bear it without repining, and say, with all humility, "Thy will +and not mine, O Lord, be done!" + +How bright was the next morning, and how cheerful did the dancing waves +appear to me!--and Bessy's eyes were radiant as the day, and her smiles +followed in rapid succession; and Bramble looked so many years +younger--he was almost too happy to smoke--it was really the sunshine of +the heart which illumined our cottage. And thus did the few days pass, +until Anderson and my father made their appearance. They were both +surprised at Bessy's beauty, and told me so. They had heard that she was +handsome, but they were not prepared for her uncommon style; for now +that her countenance was lighted up with joy, she was indeed lovely. + +"Well, Tom," observed my father, "there's only one thing which surprises +me." + +"What is that?" + +"Why, how, with such a fine craft in view, you could ever have sailed in +the wake of such a little privateer as--but I must not mention +her--never mind, don't answer me that--but another question--when are +you going to be spliced?" + +"Very soon, I hope; but I really don't exactly know. All I can say is +the sooner the better." + +"And so say I. Shall I bring up the subject on the plea of my leave +being only for ten days?" + +"Yes, father, I wish you would, as it is really a good reason to allege +for its taking place immediately." + +"Tom, my dear boy," said old Anderson, "from what I can perceive, you +have great reason to be thankful in having obtained this young woman for +your future partner in life. I admire her exceedingly, and I trust in +Heaven that you will be happy." + +"I ought to be," replied I, "and grateful also particularly to you, to +whom, under Providence, I am so much indebted." + +"If the seed is sown upon good ground, it will always yield a good +harvest, Tom. You are a proof of it, so thank Heaven, and not me. I wish +to tell you what your father has mentioned to me. The fact is, Tom, he +is in what may be called a false position at Greenwich. He is a +pensioner, and has now sufficient not to require the charity, and he +thinks that he ought not to avail himself of it, now that you have made +him independent; but if he leaves the hospital and remains at Greenwich, +he and your mother would not agree well together. They are very good +friends at a certain distance, but I do not think, with her high +notions, that they could ever live together in the same house. He says +that he should like to live either with you or near you; and I think +myself, now that he is become so very steady a character, it does +require your consideration whether you ought not to permit him. He will +be a very good companion for Bramble, and they will get on well +together. I do not mean to say that it might not be more agreeable if he +were to remain at Greenwich; but he is your father, Tom, and you should +make some sacrifice for a parent." + +"As far as I am concerned, Anderson, I most gladly consent. Bramble is +to live with us--that is arranged, and if no objections are raised by +others you may be sure of my acceding, and, indeed, if objections should +be raised, of persuading all I can." + +"You can do no more, Tom," replied Anderson; "nor can more be expected." + +This point was very satisfactorily arranged. Bramble and Bessy both gave +their cheerful consent, and it was settled that as soon as we had a +house to receive him, my father should quit Greenwich and live with us. +The arguments of my father, added to the persuasions of Bramble and me, +had their due weight, and on the 13th of September, 1807, Bessy and I +exchanged our vows, and I embraced her as my own. + + + + +FINALE + + +If the reader will refer back to the first part of this narrative, he +will find that I was born in the year 1786; and as I am writing this in +the year 1840, I am now fifty-four years old. I was but little more than +twenty-one when I married; I have, therefore, the experience of +thirty-two years of a married life; but I will not anticipate. I ended +the last chapter with my own happy union; I must now refer to those +events which followed close upon that period. + +Sir James and Lady O'Connor had taken up their residence at Leamington, +then a small village, and not the populous place which it has since +become. After a few months' residence, during which I had repeated +letters from Lady O'Connor and Virginia, they were so pleased with the +locality and neighborhood that Sir James purchased a property of some +hundred acres, and added to a house which was upon it, so as to make it +a comfortable and elegant residence. Lady O'Connor, after the first +year, presented her husband with a son, and has since that been very +assiduous in increasing his family--more so, perhaps, than would have +been convenient to Sir James O'Connor's income at the time that he +purchased the property, had it not been that the increase of its value, +in consequence of a large portion of it having been taken as building +land, has been so great as to place them in most affluent circumstances. +About a year after my marriage I had notice from Lady O'Connor that a +certain gentleman had arrived there who had shown great attention to +Virginia; and she added that he had been very well received by my +sister, being an old acquaintance of the name of Sommerville, a +clergyman with a good living, and a very superior young man. I +immediately recollected him as the preceptor who had behaved with such +propriety when my sister was persecuted by the addresses of the young +nobleman; and I, therefore, felt very easy upon the subject. A few +months afterward I had a letter from Virginia, stating that he had +proposed, and that she had conditionally accepted him. I wrote to her, +congratulating her upon the choice she had made, giving her father's +consent and blessing (of my mother hereafter); and shortly after they +were married; and I am happy to say that her marriage has turned out as +fortunate as my own. + +We had remained in the cottage for some months after my own marriage, +very undecided what we should do. Bramble did not like to quit the +seaside, nor, I believe his old habits and localities. Money was of +little value to him; indeed, on my marriage, he had insisted upon +settling upon Bessy and her children the whole sum he had received for +the salvage of the Dutch Indiaman, reserving for himself his farm near +Deal. It did so happen, however, that about that period, while we were +still in perplexity, I received a letter from Mr. Wilson's son, at +Dover, telling me that the manor-house and three hundred acres of land, +adjoining to Bramble's farm, were to be disposed of. This exactly +suited, so I made the purchase and took possession, and then sent for my +father to join us, which he hastened to do. Bramble did not, however, +give up his cottage on the beach. He left Mrs. Maddox in it, and it was +a favorite retirement for my father and him, who would remain there for +several days together, amusing themselves with watching the shipping, +and gaining intelligence from the various pilots as they landed, as they +smoked their pipes on the shingle beach. It was not more than half a +mile from the great house, so that it was very convenient; and Bessy and +I would often go with the children and indulge in reminiscences of the +former scenes which had there occurred. + +My father and mother parted very good friends. The fact was that she was +pleased with the arrangement, as she did not like my father wearing a +pensioner's coat, and did not want his company at her own house. When he +left the hospital, she insisted upon paying him his rent; and she did so +very punctually until she gave up business. On her marriage, my sister +requested that we would come to Leamington and be present; to which we +all consented, particularly as it was a good opportunity of introducing +Bessy to her and Lady O'Connor. My mother was also to join the party on +the occasion. The only circumstance worth mentioning was the surprise of +my mother on being introduced to Lady O'Connor, and finding that in this +great lady she met with her old acquaintance, Mrs. St. Felix. Whatever +she may have felt, she certainly had tact enough to conceal it, and was +as warm in her congratulations as the best well-wisher. I must say that +I never knew my mother appear to such advantage as she did during this +visit to Leamington. She dressed remarkably well, and would have +persuaded those who did not know her history that she had always been in +good society; but she had been a lady's maid and had learned her +mistress's airs, and as she could dress others so well, it would have +been odd if she did not know how to dress herself. A good copy will +often pass for an original. It was not till about six years after our +marriage that my mother decided upon retiring from business. She had +made a very comfortable provision for herself, as Mr. Wilson informed +me, and took up her abode at Cheltenham, where she lived in a very +genteel way, was considered quite a catch at card-parties, and when she +did ask people to tea she always did the thing in better style than +anybody else. The consequence was she was not only visited by most +people, but in time became rather a person of consideration. As she +never mentioned her husband, it was supposed that she was a widow, and, +in consequence of her well-regulated establishment, she received much +attention from several Irish and foreign bachelors. In short, my mother +obtained almost the pinnacle of her ambition when she was once fairly +settled at Cheltenham. I ought to observe that when she arrived there +she had taken the precaution of prefixing a name to her own to which by +baptismal rite she certainly was not entitled, and called herself Mrs. +Montague Saunders. + +Shortly after Mrs. St. Felix had given notice to the doctor that she +should not return, and that her shop and the goodwill thereof were for +sale, I received a letter from my friend Tom Cobb, the doctor's +assistant, telling me that as he perceived he had now no chance of Mrs. +St. Felix, he had some idea of taking her shop, and setting up as a +tobacconist; his reasons were that physic was a bore, and going out of +nights when called up a still greater. I wrote to Lady O'Connor +inclosing Mr. Tom's letter, and pointed out to her that I thought it +would be a public benefit to prevent Tom from killing so many people, as +he certainly would do if he continued in his present profession, and +eventually set up for himself. She replied that she agreed with me, but +at the same time that she was anxious to benefit fat Jane, who really +was a very good girl; and that, therefore, she empowered me to enter +into a treaty with Mr. Thomas, by which, provided he could obtain the +lady's consent, he was to wed her, and receive the stock in trade, its +contents and fixtures, and goodwill, etc., as her portion. + +As this was an offer which required some consideration before it was +refused, I wrote to Tom pointing out to him the advantages of settling +down with a good business, with a wife to assist him, and a cat and dog +all ready installed, upon such advantageous conditions. Tom agreed with +me, won the love of fat Jane, which was easily done, as he had no rival, +and in a short time was fairly set down as the successor of Mrs. St. +Felix. As for the doctor, he appeared to envy Tom his having possession +of the shop which his fair friend once occupied; he was inconsolable, +and there is no doubt but that he, from the period of her quitting +Greenwich, wasted away until he eventually was buried in the churchyard. +A most excellent man was Dr. Tadpole, and his death was lamented by +hundreds who esteemed his character, and many hundreds more who had +benefited not only by his advice, but by his charitable disposition. +About ten years after my marriage Ben the Whaler was summoned away. His +complaint was in the liver, which is not to be surprised at, considering +how many gallons of liquor he had drunk during his life. + +Peter Anderson--my father, my friend, my preceptor--was for many years +inspecting boatswain of the hospital. At last he became to a certain +degree vacant in mind, and his situation was filled up by another. He +was removed to what they call the helpless ward, where he was well +nursed and attended. It is no uncommon, indeed I may say it is a very +common thing, for the old pensioners, as they gradually decay, to have +their health quite perfect when the faculties are partly gone; and there +is a helpless ward established for that very reason, where those who are +infirm and feeble, without disease, or have lost their faculties while +their bodily energies remain, are sent to, and there they pass a quiet, +easy life, well attended, until they sink into the grave. Such was the +case with Peter Anderson: he was ninety-seven when he died, but long +before that time his mind was quite gone. Still he was treated with +respect, and many were there who attended his funeral. I erected a +handsome tombstone to his memory, the last tribute I could pay to a +worthy, honest, sensible, and highly religious good man. + +Mr. Wilson has been dead some time; he left me a legacy of five hundred +pounds. I believe I have mentioned all my old acquaintances now, except +Bill Harness and Opposition Bill. In living long certainly Opposition +Bill has beat his opponent, for Harness is in the churchyard, while +Opposition Bill still struts about with his hair as white as snow, and +his face shriveled up like an old monkey's. The last time I was at +Greenwich, I heard the pensioners say to one another, "Why, you go ahead +about as fast as Opposition Bill." I requested this enigma to me to be +solved, and it appeared that one Greenwich fair, Opposition Bill had set +off home rather the worse for what he had drank, and so it happened +that, crossing the road next to the hospital, his wooden leg had stuck +in one of the iron plug-holes of the water conduit. Bill did not, in his +situation, perceive that anything particular had occurred, and continued +playing his fiddle and singing, and, as he supposed, walking on the +whole time, instead of which he was continually walking round and round +the one leg in the plug-hole with the other that was free. After about +half an hour's trotting round and round this way, he began to think that +he did not get home quite so fast as he ought, but the continual +circular motion had made him more confused than before. + +"By Gum!" said Bill, "this hospital is a confounded long way off. I'm +sure I walk a mile, and I get no nearer; howsoebber, nebber mind--here +goes." + +Here Billy struck up a tune, and commenced a song along with it, still +walking round and round his wooden leg which was firmly fixed in the +plug-hole, and so he continued till he fell down from giddiness, and he +was picked up by some of the people, who carried him home to the +hospital. + +I have but one more circumstance to relate. I was one day sitting with +Bessy and my children, at the old cottage on the beach, Bramble and my +father were smoking their pipes on a bench which they had set up +outside, when one of the Deal boats landed with passengers. As they +passed by us one old gentleman started, and then stopped short, as he +beheld Bessy. + +"Mine frau!" he cried, "mine frau dat was in heaven!" + +We stared very much, as we did not comprehend him; but he then came up +to me and said, "I beg your pardon, mynheer, but what is dat young +woman?" + +"She is my wife," replied I. + +"I was going to say dat she was my wife, but dat is impossible. Look you +here, sar." + +The old man pulled a miniature out of his breast, and certainly the +resemblance to Bessy was most remarkable. + +"Now, sar, dat was my wife. Where did you get dis young woman?" + +I requested him to walk into the cottage, and then told him the history +of Bessy. + +"Sar, my wife was coming home with her child in a brig, and the brig was +never heard of. It was supposed that she did perish, and every one else +too. Sar, this lady must be my daughter." + +"I'm sorry that we have no proofs to offer you," replied I; "she had +only bedclothes on when she was taken into the boat, and there is +nothing to establish her identity." + +"I am content, sar; she must be my daughter. She was in a brig with her +mother, and she was saved the very same year that her mother come home. +There, sar, look at this picture; it is the same person. I want no more +proof--she is my daughter." + +Although this was what might be called only collateral proof, I did +agree with the old gentleman that it was very strong; at all events, it +was sufficient for him, and he claimed Bessy as his child. Had he +claimed her to take her away, I might have disputed it; but as he loaded +her with presents, and when he died, which he did three years afterward, +and left twenty thousand rix dollars, of course I was perfectly +satisfied with his relationship. + +So much for what has occurred since the time I married; and now, as the +reader may, perhaps, wish to know something about the present condition +of myself and family, I must inform him that my father and Bramble are +still alive, and flourishing under their gray hairs. My sister has four +children, and her husband is now a dean: they do say that, from the +interest of his patron, he will in all probability be a bishop, a +distinction not to be envied in these days, and therefore I do not wish +him success. My mother is, however, of the contrary opinion, having been +told that her daughter as a bishop's lady will take precedence and be +led out before Lady Hercules. Sir James and Lady O'Connor are still +well, and as happy as they well can be. Bessy has blessed me with three +boys and three girls, now all grown up; but the boys came first. The +eldest is a lieutenant in his Majesty's service, the second is a captain +of an Indiaman, and the third commands a free trader. They are all well +to do, and independent of their father. My girls, who are much younger, +have been well educated, and people say that they are very handsome; at +all events, they are modest and good-tempered. I have not attempted to +conceal what I once was, yet Time has called away most of those who knew +me in my profession. I am still considered as having been a seafaring +man, but nevertheless, in consequence of my property, I am generally +addressed by the title of Squire Saunders. By not assuming a station +which does not become me, I find myself treated not only with respect, +but with friendship, by those who are in birth, as well as other +qualifications, my superiors. My daughters are invited out to all the +balls and _fetes_ in the neighborhood, and are great favorites wherever +they go: they all of them are like their mother, not only in appearance, +but in temper and disposition. We have plenty of young men who visit the +house, and I am afraid that we shall soon have to part with two of them, +my eldest, Virginia, being engaged to a ship-builder at Limehouse, and +Elizabeth to a young clergyman in the neighborhood. Jane thinks she +never will marry, and, as I tell her, I suppose she never will till she +is asked. To wind up, I may say that Bessy and I have been very happy, +and promise still to be as happy as most people are who pass through +this pilgrimage. We have competence--the good opinion of the world--a +family who have never caused us one hour's uneasiness (how few can say +that?), and we have, I trust, a due sense of God's mercy and kindness +toward us, and never lie down in our beds without thanking Him for the +many mercies we have received, and acknowledging how unworthy we are to +have been so signally blessed. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POOR JACK*** + + +******* This file should be named 14222.txt or 14222.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/2/2/14222 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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