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diff --git a/21460.txt b/21460.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..634cf6d --- /dev/null +++ b/21460.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3373 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Ferryman of Brill, by William H. G. Kingston + +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: The Ferryman of Brill + and other stories + +Author: William H. G. Kingston + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21460] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FERRYMAN OF BRILL *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Ferryman of Brill, and other stories, by William H G Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +Chapters 1 to 4 constitute "The Ferryman of Brill", while the other +seven chapters are short stories on their own. All these stories had +previously appeared in early volumes of "The Quiver". They were +collected and published by Cassell's, who were not Kingston's usual +publishers, and the book came out in the year of Kingston's death. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE FERRYMAN OF BRILL, AND OTHER STORIES, BY WILLIAM H G KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE PROTESTANT LOVERS--A RIVAL--DIEDRICH FINDS HIS FOOTSTEPS DOGGED-- +FINDS A FRIEND IN THE FERRYMAN--THREATENED WITH THE INQUISITION--FLIES +TO SEA. + +Not far from the broad and slow-flowing river Meuse stands the town of +Brill. Flanders, in which it is found, formed at the period to which we +refer a province of the dominions belonging to Philip of Spain. It was +ruled with no very paternal hand by the Duke of Alva, who resided +chiefly at Brussels. He had been employed for several years in burning, +hanging, drowning, and cutting off the heads of his loving subjects, and +torturing them in a variety of ways, in order to make them dutiful +children of the Church of Rome, and of his master, Philip. Not with +great success, for they still hated, with an unalterable deadly hatred, +both one and the other. Brill at that time was not a populous city, nor +did it possess much commercial importance; but it was well walled and +fortified, however, and had a most commodious port. The inhabitants +were peaceable, well-disposed people, who thought as much of themselves +as the citizens of other cities of similar importance are apt to do. +Among them was a young merchant--Diedrich Meghem. He had made several +voyages of adventure, and was well accustomed to a seafaring life. Now +prosperous, and hoping to become wealthy, he was about to settle down as +a steady citizen on shore, with the expectation of some day, perhaps, +becoming burgomaster of his native city. Diedrich, as young men are apt +to do, looked about for a wife to share his good fortune, and had fixed +his affections on Gretchen Hopper, a fair and very lovely girl, the +daughter of a flourishing merchant. Hopper was supposed to be the +possessor of considerable wealth--a dangerous distinction in those days. +Duke Alva heard of the merchant Hopper's reputed wealth, and had made a +note to take an early opportunity of relieving him of a portion if not +the whole of it. Hopper was known to hold the reformed principles, and +though he was careful not to intrude his opinions in public, the duke's +advisers suggested that there would be no difficulty in bringing up an +accusation of heresy against him. Diedrich was an ardent Protestant. +His eye had long been fixed on William of Orange as the person best able +to lift his country out of the present depressed condition in which she +groaned. + +Gretchen was a quiet, gentle girl, and she also held to the opinions of +her father and her lover, in spite of her gentleness, with a +determination in no way inferior to theirs. Gretchen soon found out +that the honest, generous-hearted Diedrich loved her, and not long after +this discovery she acknowledged to him that he possessed her entire +heart. She had, however, other admirers, from whom she might have +chosen a husband of a nobler family and of greater wealth than Diedrich. +Among other pretenders to her hand was Caspar Gaill, a Fleming of good +family, who, however, held to the Romish faith and supported the +government of Alva. The merchant Hopper had a great regard for +Diedrich, and was well pleased to find that he wished to become his +daughter's husband. He at once accepted him as a son-in-law, and gave +the young couple his blessing. + +"The times are not propitious for marriage, however," he observed. +"Matters may mend; they can scarcely grow worse. Gretchen is young, and +can wait a little. You must have patience, then, my good friend +Diedrich." + +Gretchen and her lover passed many pleasant evenings together, though it +was considered prudent not to make their intended marriage public. One, +however, had watched Diedrich's constant visits to the house, and his +heart burned with jealousy. + +One evening Diedrich was returning to his home, when, looking over his +shoulder on hearing footsteps, he discovered that he was followed. When +he walked faster, the stranger proceeded also at the same rate; when he +stopped, the stranger stopped; when he went at a slow pace, the stranger +slackened his speed. At length, passing a shrine at the corner of a +street, before which a bright lamp was kept burning, Diedrich turned +sharply round, and found himself standing face to face with the person +who had been following him. + +"What object have you in dodging my steps?" asked Diedrich, placing his +hand on his sword ready to draw. + +"As you ask me a question, I will put another to you," said the +stranger, also drawing his sword half out of the scabbard. "For what +purpose do you visit the house where you have been passing the evening?" + +"You put a question to which I positively refuse to reply to any one, +and still less to you, Caspar Gaill, for I know you well," answered +Diedrich, still further drawing out his sword. + +"Then I refuse to answer the question you put to me," said Caspar. "We +understand each other, and you may know me henceforth as your enemy." + +"A matter of very little consequence," answered Diedrich, in a scornful +tone. + +The young men parted, but from that day forward Diedrich was aware that +his footsteps were constantly followed when he went abroad, especially +on the Sabbath, when he was accustomed to attend the meetings of the +Protestants held in the city. Still he was too proud and too fearless +to alter his mode of proceeding on this account. At night often he saw +in the distance a dim figure following him, but which, when he turned +round, invariably disappeared. + +On one occasion he resolved to pursue the spy, and punish him severely +if he could overtake him. Scarcely had he left his home when he +observed a figure as usual like a distant shadow coming after him. He +walked on for some way, as if indifferent to the circumstance, by gentle +degrees slackening his pace, till, as he supposed, his pursuer had +approached nearer than usual. He then suddenly turned round, and, +darting forward, was close up to the man before the latter made any +attempt to escape. + +"Why, Diedrich Meghem, you seem to be in a desperate hurry this +evening," said a voice he thought he recollected. + +"What, Peter Kopplestock, are you my secret pursuer?" he asked, in a +tone of surprise. + +"It may be so, but I may be your guardian angel," answered the person +thus addressed, in a low voice. "I have been wishing to see you without +witnesses for some days past, and now the matter brooks of no delay." + +"Come to my house, then," said Diedrich; "we can speak there without +fear of interruption." + +"That's the very place it will not be wise for me to go to," said Peter; +"if I go there I shall be observed. Do you come to my house. You will +find a porch a little to the right of it. Slip in there and remain +quiet for a few minutes. Should you be followed at the time, your +pursuer will pass by and lose sight of you. Come in an hour hence. It +will be dangerous to put off the visit till to-morrow." + +Diedrich followed the advice of his friend. He had known Peter +Kopplestock from his earliest days. Peter was of no very exalted rank, +but he had numerous friends who, not without reason, put confidence in +him. His chief occupation was that of a ferryman plying across the +river Meuse. He also visited the ships which appeared at the mouth of +the river when unable for want of wind to come up to the town, and took +provisions off to them, and brought messages on shore. Peter +Kopplestock took an especial interest in Diedrich; Diedrich had always +been his generous employer, and was now going to marry his niece. + +The wealthy merchant Hopper had once been a humble clerk, and he then +had married the very beautiful sister of Peter the ferryman. She had +died, and her young daughter had been educated as well as any young lady +in the land. Diedrich was well aware of the relationship, and it +increased the confidence he felt in Peter, who was also of his own way +of thinking--indeed, a more thorough Protestant could not have been +found. + +Diedrich found his way, at the hour appointed, to Peter Kopplestock's +cottage down by the river-side. He saw, when leaving his own house, the +usual figure following him, but he hoped, by hiding himself as Peter had +advised him to do, to escape from his pursuer. The cottage door was +ajar. He pushed it open and entered. Peter welcomed him cordially. + +"I have sad news for you, my friend," said the ferryman. "You have been +denounced to the Inquisition as a heretic, and your enemies have +resolved to take your life. Among them you may reckon Caspar Gaill. He +thinks that by getting rid of you he may win the hand of my fair niece." + +"How do you know that?" asked Diedrich. + +"He told me so himself," said the ferryman. "He is not aware of our +connection, and he takes me to be a Romanist. He confides to me his +love for Gretchen, if such a fellow has a heart to love, and, in case +she should continue to refuse his hand, he engaged me to assist him in +carrying her off. A pretty proceeding that would be. However, I did +not decline his offer, but told him that I was very sure he was +premature in executing his plan; that he must wait patiently, and that +by-and-by, should the young lady continue obdurate, he might put it into +execution." + +"But what do you advise me to do?" asked Diedrich. "I cannot leave +Gretchen--I cannot leave my business to ruin and destruction; I would +rather remain and brave the worst." + +"Tell me, have any of those who have been denounced to the Inquisition +escaped from their fangs?" said Peter. "I trow not; then how do you +hope to escape death if you remain? Take my advice, my friend; fly +while you can, before your wings are clipped. It is a hard thing, I +know, for you to leave the girl you love, and it's cruel to neglect a +flourishing business which is affording you a handsome income. But you +need not lead a life of indolence. You wear a sword, and you have an +arm to wield it. You would be welcomed by those bold rovers of the sea, +the `water beggars.' If you offer your assistance to William de la +Marck, he will gladly accept it. It would be a glorious thing to assist +in liberating your country, and the only aid we can hope for is from the +ocean. On shore we cannot withstand the cruel Spaniards, but at sea we +may compete with them successfully." + +Diedrich sat silent for some time. + +"You cast down my hopes just now, but you have again raised them," he +exclaimed. "I will go and consult Gretchen. If she urges me to go, I +will follow your advice; I am sure that she will remain true to me till +I return." + +"I wish that I could persuade you to go off at once," said Peter; "your +enemies are vigilant, and determined on your destruction, and any moment +you may find yourself in their power." + +Diedrich promised to be cautious, and to keep as much as possible within +the house during the next day, while he would make all the preparation +in his power for his speedy departure, should Gretchen approve of his +intention. + +Peter told him that there was a vessel down the river on the point of +sailing. He was acquainted with the captain, who was a warm partisan of +the Prince of Orange, and would do his utmost to protect him should he +go on board. + +Diedrich Meghem was a brave man, but the Inquisition, he knew too well, +was not an institution to be trifled with. Poor Gretchen was +overwhelmed with grief when she heard of the dangerous position in which +Diedrich was placed. She urged him to fly without delay, promising +again and again to be faithful to him, and to welcome him as a husband +whenever he should return. The merchant Hopper also advised him to +leave the country. Diedrich Meghem had made all the arrangements +possible with his head clerk and manager, and was still writing busily +at his own house, having packed up such articles as he desired to take +with him, when Peter Kopplestock hurried into his room. + +"It's time for you to be off at once, my friend," he exclaimed; "this +very night the Inquisitors' officers will visit your house, and if they +find you, will carry you off to an imprisonment from which, with life, +you will never escape. Here, I have brought this large Spanish cloak; +throw it over your shoulders and follow me. Your portmanteau and bags I +will take care of." + +It was already too dark to distinguish people in the streets. Peter led +the way down to the river, Diedrich following him. They were quickly on +board the ferryboat, but Peter, instead of pulling over to the other +bank of the river, rowed down the stream as fast as his arms could urge +on the boat. Diedrich stepped on board the vessel, where he was +welcomed cordially by the skipper. Peter threw his portmanteau and bag +over the bulwarks, and giving him his blessing, pulled back to the town. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +AN UNWELCOME SUITOR--GRETCHEN REFUSES TO ACCEPT CASPAR GAILL--CASPAR +PLOTS WITH FATHER QUIXADA TO BETRAY THE PROTESTANTS--THE MONK'S +TREACHERY. + +Gretchen was seated in the parlour of her father's house, busily +employed in tapestry work--the constant occupation of young ladies in +those days, as at present. The merchant Hopper came in; care and +thought sat on his brow. His daughter affectionately inquired the cause +of his anxiety. + +"I cannot tell you, my child," he answered. "It is enough to know that +so many of my friends, in various parts of our unhappy land, have been +put to death by fire, and sword, and drowning, through the mandates of +the tyrant Alva, and who knows what may be our fate in this city? +Hitherto we have escaped, but the priests are busy, and are even now +trying to ferret out the Protestants. I am thankful that our friend +Diedrich escaped; he would certainly otherwise have been seized." + +"Oh, Father! I wish you would try and escape too," said Gretchen; "I +will accompany you. We can go to England, that land of liberty. If you +cannot take any of your wealth with you, I will labour for you there. +Surely we shall find friends there, and need not have any fear of +starving." + +Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door, and Caspar +Gaill was announced. Both the merchant and his daughter received him +coldly. He came dressed in gay attire, and seemed to consider himself +in the light of a favoured suitor. Now he spoke to Gretchen, now he +turned to her father. Again he turned to the young lady, and urged her +to promise to be his. + +"You know not the danger to which you are exposed," he observed. "As +the wife of a well-known Catholic you will be safe, and I may be able to +protect your father. At present he is in great peril. I do not +hesitate to tell him so." + +The merchant, thanking Caspar for his offer, assured him that he would +not bias his daughter. + +"My being in peril must not compel her to give her hand where she cannot +also bestow her heart. You will not take amiss what I have said, as it +arises from no personal ill-feeling towards you." + +In vain Caspar pleaded his cause, and at length, with a frown on his +brow, and an angry glance in his eye, although honeyed words were on his +lips, he took his departure. + +Caspar Gaill left the house of the merchant Hopper in no enviable mood. +He took his way through the street till he reached the door of a certain +religious house or monastery, as it was called, and inquired for a +Father Quixada. He was shown into a cell inhabited by a Spanish monk +who acted as his father confessor. + +"How fares your suit with the pretty Gretchen, my son?" asked the +father, who at the same time, however, had observed Caspar's angry look. + +The young man shook his head, and replied briefly that he had been +refused. + +"No hope?" asked the father. + +"None," answered Caspar. + +"You would have a better chance if the merchant was out of the way," +observed the priest. + +"Very likely, but he is cautious. It may be no easy matter to get rid +of him," answered Caspar. + +"Follow my advice, my son, and it can be managed. You have strong +suspicions that he is a Protestant. Pretend that you have given up his +daughter, but that you desire to be instructed in the new faith. In a +short time he will trust you, and if he attends any place of meeting +where the Protestants meet, you can introduce me among them. I can +disguise myself so that they shall not know me, and I may then not only +mark him, but all others who may be present, and inform against them as +may be most convenient." + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +CASPAR PROFESSES THE PROTESTANT FAITH--ATTENDS A MEETING--EFFECT OF THE +GOSPEL ON CASPAR--CASPAR, HOWEVER, KEEPS HIS ENGAGEMENT WITH FATHER +QUIXADA--DOUBTS AND FEARS--THE MONK ATTENDS THE NEXT MEETING, AND NOTES +ALL PRESENT--CASPAR'S REMORSE--THE SPY AGAIN IN THE LITTLE COMPANY-- +CASPAR WARNS THE INTENDED VICTIMS--TOO LATE--FATHER AND DAUGHTER IN THE +HANDS OF THE INQUISITION--CONDEMNED--CASPAR DESPAIRS OF THE RESULT OF +HIS WORK--CONSULTS THE FERRYMAN--BUT NEW PLANS FAIL. + +Caspar did not at first like this plan. It was treacherous and +deceitful, and he must act the part of a spy and a hypocrite to carry it +out; but as it was proposed to him by his father confessor, he came to +the conclusion that he ought not to hesitate about it. + +The merchant Hopper was surprised a few days after this to receive a +visit from Caspar Gaill. The young man told him that he had abandoned +all hopes of winning his daughter's hand; indeed, he thought of quitting +the country. He confessed that he had of late taken every opportunity +of examining the new doctrines, and that he was acquainted enough with +them to make him desire to go to England, where he might study them more +freely, and with greater safety. "I know not what your opinions may be, +Mr Hopper, but I am very sure that you will not mention mine to any one +else." + +The merchant was generally cautious, but the young man's apparent +frankness threw him greatly off his guard. Caspar, urged on by Father +Quixada, persevered, and at length fully persuaded the merchant Hopper +that he was a convert to the Protestant faith. A private meeting of +Protestants was to take place, and Caspar entreated that he might be +allowed to be present. The merchant no longer hesitated. At the +meeting prayers were offered up, hymns sung, and the simple Gospel +plainly put before those present. The young man listened attentively in +spite of himself. He there learned that all men are sinners and justly +condemned; that "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten +Son" to suffer instead of sinful man, and to save him from the result of +that determination. He heard that "the just shall live by faith," not +by any works, not by any good deeds that they can do, not by any forms +and ceremonies to which they may adhere, but simply trusting to the +blood shed for them on Calvary, to the perfect and complete sacrifice +offered up by Christ for them. He there learned that Jesus Christ had +become sinful man's sin-bearer; that He had fulfilled the obedience +which man had neglected to fulfil; that He came to save sinners, to lift +the weary and heart-broken, the wretched and the penitent, out of their +miserable state; that man is saved simply by turning away from his sins, +from his idolatries, from the thoughtless course he may have hitherto +followed, and looking trustfully, believingly, on Jesus crucified for +him. The young man went away from the meeting with new thoughts, but +with an unchanged heart. He had promised to go immediately to Father +Quixada, and he fulfilled his promise, though not without doubt and +hesitation. + +"You have done well," said the father. "Let me once get among these +people, and I will put a stop to their preaching, while you may make +sure of winning pretty Gretchen for your wife, and perchance come in for +a share of the merchant's property, which I may secure for you." + +There was to be another meeting the following night. Caspar passed the +interval in a state of doubt and agitation. He had promised to +introduce the father, who, disguised as a German merchant just arrived +from the South, was eager to be present. Often the young man thought he +would try and persuade the father not to go, then that he would +positively refuse to introduce him. He had, however, already given him +so much information that he would have had no difficulty in finding his +way to the place of meeting by himself. Still, Caspar might acknowledge +his own treacherous intentions and warn the Protestants of the spy who +was about to be in their midst. The cunning priest soon discovered his +perplexity, and used every argument to induce him to be satisfied that +he was doing the right thing. Caspar was over-persuaded, but not +convinced. The evening came, the meeting took place, and the German +merchant was received as a Christian brother by those present. He noted +them all, old men, young men, and women of various ranks. + +Father Quixada heard the same truths which had been listened to by +Caspar Gaill, but they fell on ground of a different character. He went +away utterly regardless of them. He had now, not only the merchant +Hopper, but several other influential and wealthy citizens in his power. +He wished, however, to get more into his net, and hearing that in a day +or two another meeting would take place, at which several other persons +would attend, he laid his plans accordingly. "I shall have a good haul +by that time," he thought to himself. + +Caspar Gaill had in the meantime been seized with remorse. He had +betrayed the man who had trusted him, the father of one whom he wished +to make his bride; still he dared not warn them. The friar, he well +knew, had his eye upon him. He knew too completely the secrets of his +heart, and he felt sure that should he attempt to defeat Father +Quixada's projects, he himself would be the first victim of his +vengeance. + +At the intended meeting, not only the merchant Hopper, but his fair +daughter Gretchen was present. Caspar Gaill came also, but how +different were his thoughts to those he had entertained when first he +entered that hall! + +He kept looking anxiously round, hoping that the German merchant might +not appear. His heart sank, however, when, just before the sermon +began, the seeming merchant appeared, and was, to human eye, the most +devout of all the congregation. No one joined more heartily in the +hymns of Marot; no one seemed to hang more earnestly on the words of the +speaker. Again were the glorious truths of the Gospel put forth in +simple language. Though the merchant's eyes were fixed on the speaker, +and his countenance beamed with intelligence, his thoughts were far +away, occupied in a plan for capturing the whole of those who were +engaged in worship round him. His quick eye, too, was noting all who +were present. He marked the fair Gretchen, and knew her at once from +being with her father. + +"Caspar has not chosen ill, so far as eye is concerned," he said to +himself. "No wonder he raves about the little maiden. He need no +longer have any fears about winning her; she may not love him, but +surely she will rather become his bride than be sent to the stake. Few +girls would prefer burning, or drowning, or hanging, to a young and +gallant husband. Caspar is well-favoured, she will not refuse him; we +will give her the choice." + +The meeting was brought to a conclusion. Father Quixada left the hall +with the rest, and after making several turns and twists so as to escape +observation, he took his way to the house where a newly-arrived bishop +lodged, sent from Brussels to look into the religious condition of +Brill. The bishop and Father Quixada were of kindred spirit. The +former held an important office in the Holy Inquisition, and felt no +compunction, but on the contrary, considerable satisfaction, at sending +a dozen of his fellow-creatures to suffer death by drowning, or burning, +because they might differ from him on a few theological points. Father +Quixada explained the plan he had adopted, and received the warm +approval of his superior. + +It was late at night. The fair Gretchen was about to retire to her +room. The merchant had been engaged at his books and accounts. He had +been collecting such property as he could put into a portable form, and +had made up his mind to leave Brill forthwith for England. He had +communicated his intentions to Peter Kopplestock, who highly approved of +them, and had engaged to put him on board a vessel the following morning +by daybreak. There was a knock at the door. The merchant himself, +attended by Barbara the housekeeper, went with a light to open it. A +figure wrapped in a cloak was standing there. + +"Admit me for a moment," said the stranger. "I come to warn you of +danger." + +He entered, and the light held by Barbara fell on the features of Caspar +Gaill. + +"I come to entreat you to fly immediately. Even now I may be too late. +The officers of the Inquisition are already proceeding through the city, +to capture certain suspected persons. You are among them. I dare not +wait another moment; no mercy would be shown me if I was discovered." + +The unhappy young man spoke in a low, trembling voice. Tears were in +his eyes; he was pale as death. + +Again he hastened forth. He had not dared to confess the whole truth. +The merchant closed the door, and proceeded with yet greater speed with +his preparations. He sent Barbara to Gretchen's room to tell her to +prepare for flight. During the housekeeper's absence there was another +knock at the door. It was repeated with far greater violence when those +without found that it was not opened. After the warning he had +received, the merchant guessed too well who were his visitors. He +hastily concealed the property he was about to carry off, and the other +articles he had prepared for his departure. He then sent Barbara to the +door, who, with unwilling hands, began slowly to withdraw the bolts. + +"What is the matter?" she asked; "what are you in such a hurry for? Why +do you thus disturb quiet citizens from their early rest?" + +So nervous was she, however, that she could scarcely continue her +interrogations. At length the last bolt was withdrawn, and a party in +dark cloaks and masks were seen at the door. + +"Where are your master and his daughter?" asked one of them; "they must +accompany us forthwith." + +"My master and his daughter!" asked Barbara, "what can you want with +them at this hour of the night?" + +"They must come to the Holy Office, to answer certain questions," +answered the speaker. "Lead the way." + +"But if the door is opened the light will be blown out, and you will be +unable to follow me." + +Her great aim was to delay as long as possible, in the hope that by some +means her master and Gretchen might make their escape by the back of the +house. She was greatly in hope that the light would blow out, that she +might thus have an excuse for a longer delay. + +"Come--come! no fooling, mistress!" exclaimed the officer. "Lead on, or +we must find the way by ourselves." + +On this, Barbara proceeded up the broad steps to the floor above. Two +or three men, however, kept watch below. In vain were all her +precautions. In the usual sitting room, quietly seated at a table, were +Gretchen and her father. They rose as the officers of the Inquisition +entered, and the merchant asked them what they wanted. The officer +repeated what he had said to Barbara. + +"We must obey," said the merchant; "we have no power to resist." + +Instantly the father and daughter were surrounded, and carried off +separately. Poor Barbara wrung her hands in terror as she saw them +depart. They were carried along to the prison in which those accused by +the Inquisition were confined. Brill had for some time been free from +such visitations, but the presence of Alva at Brussels had stirred up +the authorities, and victims were sought for throughout every town in +Flanders. + +They were not allowed to languish long in prison before their trial took +place. It was very short, for they did not deny the accusations brought +against them. They refused to acknowledge that the elements of bread +and wine were really the body and blood of Christ. + +"Christ is in heaven," answered the merchant Hopper, "at the right hand +of God; He cannot be on earth at the same time. I don't believe that +sinful man, by a few words, would have the power of changing bread and +wine into flesh and blood. If there was a change, our sense would give +us evidence of that change. The bread remains bread, and the wine, +wine. But more than this, I see no authority in Scripture for this +belief. Christ told us to take bread and wine in remembrance of the +last supper He took with His disciples on earth, or rather, of the great +sacrifice which He was about to offer up, the last, the only one which +God would ever accept, all previous ones being types of this; promising +us the same support to our spiritual nature that the bread and wine +gives to our physical nature. He often speaks of Himself as a door, as +a rock, as a corner-stone of a building. In the same way He speaks of +His flesh and blood. He intends us to understand that we are +spiritually to feed on Him, that is to say, to trust on His sacrifice, +His blood shed for us." + +"This is heresy! You need say no more," said the judge. "And your +daughter there, what does she say to these things?" + +"I agree with my father," answered Gretchen, firmly. "I believe that +the just shall live by faith; that neither our works nor our obedience +to the Church of Rome will help in any way to save us. Christ has +accomplished that great and glorious work, and only requires us to take +hold of it by faith." + +"Enough--enough!" exclaimed the Inquisitor, stamping; "you have +condemned yourself by your own words. We need no other witnesses, +though we can prove that you and others were present at heretical +meetings. That circumstance alone was sufficient to condemn you to +death. We may afford you a few days for consideration and repentance. +If you will recant your errors, you may receive a more merciful +sentence, but if not, you, Andrew Hopper, are condemned to be burned +alive; and you, Gretchen Hopper, to be drowned in a tank at the place of +execution." + +Several other persons were brought up before the Inquisitors, the +greater number of whom were condemned to death. Andrew Hopper's +property was confiscated to the use of the state, or in other words, to +assist Duke Alva in riveting yet more firmly his yoke upon the necks of +their countrymen. Both Andrew Hopper and Gretchen Hopper bore their +fate with firmness and resignation. The chief regret of his daughter +was that she was separated from her father. She longed to be with him +that she might comfort and support him. Her thoughts, too, occasionally +went back to her lover Diedrich. Where was he all the time? Alas! she +would never see him again in this world, but she prayed that he might +remain firm to the truth, and meet her in a more glorious state of +existence. + +When Caspar Gaill found what had taken place, he was in despair. He +felt inclined to throw himself into the Meuse, and there end his life. +He accused himself, very justly, of having caused the destruction of one +he professed to love. + +Might he yet do anything to save Gretchen? She might, perhaps, be got +off, though it was not likely that her father would be allowed to +escape. At first he thought of trying to get Father Quixada to plead +for Gretchen, but he shuddered when he remembered the character of the +man, and felt that even should the priest get her off, her condition +would possibly not be improved. At last he bethought himself of +consulting Peter Kopplestock. He had already told him of his love for +Gretchen, he might possibly induce the ferryman to assist in her +escape--no easy task, however, and one full of perils. Peter had not +before heard of the seizure of the merchant Hopper and his daughter. He +was naturally indignant in the extreme against all concerned. + +"We must be cautious, however," he said at length, recovering his +calmness. "I tell you, however, Caspar Gaill, I believe you have had +something to do with it. You may be sorry now when it is too late. +However, you must now exert yourself. Your father and the Bishop of +Mons are old friends. You must endeavour to get the execution of these +people deferred for a few days. That will give me more time to devise a +scheme for their escape. A little bribery will probably have +considerable effect. You have plenty of wealth, expend it liberally in +this cause; you may thus somewhat repair the harm you have done." + +Caspar promised to follow the advice of Peter, declaring that he would +spend every guilder he possessed to aid his object. Day after day +passed by, the accused refused to recant, and the Inquisitor declared +that he could not "longer delay affording the true Catholics in the +place the pleasure of seeing their Protestant fellow-citizens committed +to the flames." + +Caspar bribed liberally as he promised, but though his money was taken +there was no good result. At length the day arrived when the executions +were to take place. A stage was erected with a gibbet on it and huge +casks of water. Below, on the solid ground, stakes with chains were +driven into the ground; while near the gibbet was a post with a chain in +which those who were to be mercifully strangled before being thrown into +the flames were to be placed. It was a fearful-looking spectacle-- +fearful from its very simplicity. There was no parade nor decoration, +nothing to conceal the naked horror of the work. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +THE BEGGARS OF THE SEA--PETER CHERISHES NEW HOPES--PETER IS SENT AS AN +ENVOY FROM THE ROVERS--THE EXECUTIONS ARE SUSPENDED, AND CASPAR SENT TO +TREAT WITH THE BEGGARS--CASPAR RESIGNS GRETCHEN TO DIEDRICH--THE BEGGARS +OF THE SEA ATTACK BRILL--DIEDRICH VISITS THE INQUISITION--FATHER QUIXADA +ATTEMPTS TO KEEP HIS PRISONERS, BUT IS DEFEATED--BRILL IS CAPTURED BY +THE PROTESTANTS--AND BECOMES THE CRADLE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC. + +Peter Kopplestock was in despair. He had in vain attempted to obtain an +interview with his young niece, or to send her any message. The +prisoners were so strictly watched that he was unable even to send her a +message. Her death and that of her worthy father seemed sealed. Peter +in despair returned to his post; it was time for him to be ready to +ferry passengers across the river. He had taken one party across, and +was returning once more to Brill, when down the river a fleet of several +large vessels was seen standing up towards the town. Peter watched them +with interest. That they were not merchant vessels, he was well aware. +They were not Spanish ships either. He came to the conclusion, +therefore, that they must be the Beggars of the Sea. Concealing his own +feelings, he informed his passengers, who wished to know his opinions. +They were the powerful fleet of those redoubted rovers, and there could +be little doubt that they had come up to attack Brill. By the time he +had fully worked upon the fears of his passengers, they arrived at the +landing-place on the side of the city. Instantly the whole party rushed +up towards the town, spreading the alarming information they had +received. He told them also that for their sakes he would venture down +the river, and try and ascertain more particulars. Some urged him not +to run so great a risk. He laughingly answered that it mattered little, +that they could but hang him if he was caught, and that many an honest +man was every day suffering a worse fate than that, thanks to the Duke +of Alva. + +Peter rowed away down the river as hard as he could urge on his boat. +As he approached the fleet he was more convinced than ever that he was +right. The first vessel he hailed was commanded, he was told, by +William de Blois, Seigneur of Treslong, a noble whose brother had been +executed by the Duke of Alva, and who had himself fought by the side of +Count Louis at Yemmingen, where he was desperately wounded. + +Kopplestock was an old acquaintance of his, and was immediately +recognised. Treslong welcomed him warmly; he was the very man he wished +to meet. Peter, nothing loth, communicated at once the events going +forward in the city, and urged an immediate attack. Here was a means, +he hoped, of saving his friends. + +"Depend upon it we are not anxious to delay, for the honest truth is, we +have scarcely a piece of biscuit or a lump of cheese remaining on board +any of the ships in the fleet. Our fellows are literally starving, and +land we must, somewhere or other, and forage for food. However, come, +my friend, we will go on board the admiral's ship, and hear what he says +to the proposal of an immediate attack." + +Treslong, getting into Peter's boat, proceeded forthwith to the ship of +Admiral De la Marck. The first person Peter caught sight of on board +was Diedrich Megheni. Even Peter thought he had never seen a wilder set +of ruffians than the crew of the flag-ship, but they were all far +surpassed by the admiral himself. His hair was long and shaggy, his +beard hung down over his chest, joined by his whiskers, pendant from his +cheeks, while his huge moustache projected out far on either side. He +was in no ways loth to attack the place. "My jolly Beggars will soon +make themselves masters of the town," he observed; "but as you wish it, +Treslong, we will see what diplomacy will do first. Who will take a +message to the magistrates of the city?" + +"Our worthy friend Peter Kopplestock will do so," observed Treslong. +"Here, take my ring; it will accredit you as our envoy. If the town +will surrender, we promise to treat all the inhabitants with +consideration and tenderness; if not, they must take the consequences." + +Peter, receiving further directions, jumped into his boat, and hurried +back towards the town. + +The hour for the execution of the condemned heretics was approaching. +If he could work upon the fears of the Inquisitor, they might yet be +saved. + +While Peter is rowing with all his might up towards Brill, the sudden +appearance of the ships of the Sea-beggars must be accounted for. The +fleet of De la Marck had been lying for some time in different ports in +the south of England, sallying forth occasionally and making prizes of +Spanish ships. It was the policy of Queen Elizabeth and her Government +at this time to remain at peace; and the Duke of Alva's commissioners +had been urging on her that the continued countenance afforded by the +English to the Beggars of the Sea must inevitably lead to a war with +Spain. Towards the end of March, therefore, De la Marck received a +peremptory order from Elizabeth to quit the shores of England, while her +subjects were forbidden to supply them with meat, bread, beer, or any +other necessaries. The rover fleet set sail, therefore, from Dover, on +one of the last days in March, with scarcely any provisions on board. +They stood over, accordingly, towards the coast of Zealand; and finally +entered, as has been described, the river Meuse. + +Peter quickly reached the town, and pushed through the crowd of +inhabitants, who came round him, asking him all sorts of questions, to +none of which he would reply, except to say that a large force of the +Water-beggars, some thousands, as far as he could tell, were about to +enter the city, and cut all their throats if they were opposed, or if +they found that any of their friends had been injured. + +"Take care what the Inquisitors are about," he added. "If these people +whom they have condemned to death are executed, depend upon it the +Water-beggars will put every man and woman in the place to death. Just +see about that matter." + +Pushing on, he made his appearance in the town-house, where the +magistrates were assembled. He told them that he had been sent by the +fierce Admiral De la Marck, and by Treslong, who was well known to them; +that two commissioners on the part of the city should be sent out to +confer with them. He had to assure them that the deputies would be +courteously treated, and he was ordered to say that the only object of +those who had sent him was to free the land, and to overthrow the +tyranny of the Spaniards. + +"And how many men under him has De la Marck, do you think?" asked the +chief magistrate. + +"It would be difficult for me to count them," answered Peter, +carelessly, "considering I only saw some of their ships; but there are +probably some five thousand in all, more or less; but they are desperate +fellows, and equal to twice the number of ordinary mortals." + +On hearing this, the magistrates made long faces at each other. + +"It is clear that we cannot resist such a force," observed one; "but +what shall we do? Shall we negotiate, or shall we fly?" + +"In my opinion, it would be judicious to do both," observed a sagacious +old burgher. "We should negotiate in order to gain time to run away." + +"But which two men will be found to proceed to the rebel fleet as our +envoys?" asked another. "It is an honourable post, is no one ready to +fill it?" + +There seemed a great likelihood of the negotiations breaking down for +want of envoys to carry them on. At this juncture Caspar Gaill made his +appearance in the court-house. + +"I will go," he said, "on one condition: that the executions which were +to take place this morning are suspended. If we put to death the +fellow-religionists of these people, they are not likely to treat us +with much mercy." + +The justice of Caspar's remark was at once seen; and in spite of the +protestations of the Inquisitor and the other priests, that it would be +impious to take their victims out of the hands of the Church, the +magistracy decided that the criminals should be immediately respited. + +"If we determine on fighting, and put the enemy to flight, you holy +fathers may then execute due punishment on the heretics," observed one +of the magistrates; "but, in the meantime, we prefer not to subject +ourselves to the rage of these desperate freebooters." + +Caspar quickly persuaded another friend to accompany him on board the +fleet, and, rowed by Peter, they proceeded on board the admiral's ship. +It was there the rivals met. Caspar, before entering the admiral's +cabin, had just time to exchange a few words with Diedrich. + +"I resign Gretchen to you," he whispered; "I am not worthy of her. I +acted a vile and treacherous part, and was very nearly the cause of the +destruction of her and her father. They are now, I trust, safe; unless +those vile priests prove treacherous. At all events there is no time to +be lost in hastening on shore, that they may be completely rescued from +their power." + +As soon as the message of the magistrates was received, the sailors +quickly leaped into their boats, and hastened on shore. The rovers were +divided into two parties. One, under Treslong, made an attack upon the +southern gates; while the other, commanded by the admiral, advanced upon +the northern. The governor of the city, it appeared, had not agreed to +the proposals of the magistrates, and had made preparations to resist +their entrance. Hungry men, especially of the character of the +sea-rovers, are not likely to be stopped by trifles. Treslong and his +followers forthwith attacked the gates with great fury. Just at the +moment that they forced an entrance, the governor of the city was +endeavouring to take his departure. He was, however, arrested by the +rovers. Meantime De la Marck and his men, lighting a huge fire at the +northern gate, rigged a battering-ram, formed out of a ship's mast; and +as the fire burned the wood of the gates, they commenced battering away +with might and main. The gates quickly gave way; and, dashing the +embers of the fire aside, the bold sailors, sword in hand, rushed into +the town, and speedily found themselves masters of the place. Among +those who had accompanied Treslong was Diedrich Meghem. Peter +Kopplestock had kept by his side. A choice band of seamen had followed +Diedrich. + +"Follow me, lads," he exclaimed, as soon as they were inside the gates; +"our first work must be to set the prisoners of the Inquisition free." + +He and Peter rushed on, followed by a party of seamen. The Inquisitors +and monks endeavoured to prevent their entrance. The doors were very +soon battered in. Gretchen, who expected every instant to be led forth +to execution, was on her knees in her cell. She heard the noise, little +suspecting the cause. At that moment the door opened, and a monk +appeared. She looked up, and beheld the stern features of Father +Quixada. There was a glance in his eye which made her tremble. + +"Have you come to lead me to death?" she asked. + +"No, I would give you your liberty; follow me." + +"No; I will not," she exclaimed, regarding him with a look of horror. + +He rushed forward, and seized her by the arm, and was dragging her along +the passage, when footsteps were heard approaching; and the ray of +sunlight which streamed along the passage fell on a party of men who +were hurrying through it. Their leader was Diedrich Meghem. With a cry +of joy, Gretchen, tearing herself from the grasp of the monk, darted +forward towards another part of the prison. The patriot seamen soon +discovered the cell in which the merchant Hopper was confined, and he +and all the other prisoners were quickly liberated. A large number of +the citizens had escaped; but several monks and priests who had remained +in the convent were captured, as well as the governor and some other +civil authorities. Admiral De la Marck took possession of the town in +the name of the Prince of Orange. Thus the weary spirit of freedom, so +long a fugitive over earth and sea, at length found a resting-place; and +the foundation of the Dutch Republic was laid in the little city of +Brill. No indignity was offered to the inhabitants of either sex, and +all those who remained were treated with consideration. The captors, +however, took possession of the best houses, and very naturally made +themselves at home. The inclination to plunder the churches, however, +could not long be restrained. The altars and images were destroyed, +while the rich furniture and the gorgeous vestments of the priests were +appropriated by the rovers. Adam van Haren, who commanded one of the +ships, appeared on his vessel's deck attired in a magnificent high-mass +chasuble; while his seamen dressed themselves up in the various other +vestments which the Romish clergy had been wont to wear on their grand +festivals. So great was the hatred of the admiral for everything +connected with the Church of Rome, that thirteen unfortunate monks and +priests, including Father Quixada, who had been taken prisoners, were, +by his orders, a few days after the capture of the city, executed in the +very way that they had intended to put to death the victims of the +Inquisition. Caspar Gaill joined the fleet of De la Marck, and was soon +afterwards killed in an action with some Spanish ships. In spite of +Duke Alva's attempt to retake Brill, the city remained ever afterwards +faithful to the Prince of Orange. Diedrich and Gretchen were the first +persons united according to the Protestant form in Brill, after its +capture, and their descendants have ever been among its most respected +inhabitants. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +FRANK CARLTON--A STORY OF NIAGARA + +NIAGARA--ITS GRANDEUR AND DANGERS--FANNY REJECTS FRANK BECAUSE HE IS NOT +A HERO--SCARCITY OF HEROES--FANNY'S NEPHEWS GET INTO A BOAT--THEY DRIFT +AWAY--NO HOPE--HELP AT THE LAST--A FEARFUL STRUGGLE--FANNY FINDS FRANK +IS A HERO AFTER ALL. + +Niagara, the father of waters! The name is significant of something +grand; words are inadequate to describe the mighty cataract. The waters +which rush down from Lake Superior, passing through Lake Huron and Lake +Saint Clair, and onward across Lake Erie, finally force their course in +a northern direction into Lake Ontario. On first leaving Lake Erie, +they flow in a tranquil current, and divide, leaving an island in the +centre, on which a thousand cattle save one are said to feed. Then the +rapidity of the current increases, till those who voyage on its bosom +see in front of them, raised high in the blue sky, a cloud of vapour. +This is said to be the crown of Niagara, the vapoury particles +collecting from the boiling caldron below. + +Proceeding onward, a roaring sound is heard, the current increases in +rapidity, and ahead appears a line of foaming breakers. Those who once +get within their power must give up all hope of life. No vessel built +with mortal hands can live amidst those furious rapids. In the centre a +rocky island appears, thickly covered with trees, and while one portion +of the stream rushes directly on, and takes a leap downwards of 200 +feet, the other and smaller portion, sweeping round Goat Island, finds +its way into the lower level, over the cliff on the right bank of the +river. The last-mentioned fall is known as the American fall, as the +territory on that side of the river belongs to the United States. + +Onward the waters rush, between lofty cliffs, at a distance of three +miles, when they meet an opposing rock, and, circling round and round, +form a fearful whirlpool. No one falling into that circling eddy has +ever escaped with life. The stoutest boat would soon be dashed to +pieces. + +At length the waters find their way out by a narrow passage, and rush +onward into Lake Ontario. A long fall across the direct current of the +River is known as the Horseshoe Fall. Standing on the British bank of +the stream, it is seen on the right, with the American fall directly +opposite the spectator. In the latter fall many fearful accidents have +occurred. + +The scenery above the Falls is very different to that below. In the +latter the banks are high and precipitous, and the stream flows on 200 +feet below the summit of the cliffs. Above the cataract, on the +contrary, the river presents the appearance rather of a large lake. The +woods, consisting of firs, and birch, and maple, come close down to the +water, their branches overhanging the stream. Here and there are +clearings. Many mills moved by water power, and numerous farms, extend +along the banks on either side. + +It was somewhere above the rapids that a young man, clad in homely +costume but with the appearance and bearing of a gentleman, was walking +by the river's brink. By his side was a fair girl. He was speaking to +her earnestly and gently, but she seemed to be turning an indifferent +ear to his words. + +"I acknowledge your merits, Mr Carlton, but really I cannot see that I +should be expected to give my heart and hand, as you ask me, to one who +has not done anything to show that he is above the ordinary run of +respectable young gentlemen." The girl spoke in a somewhat bantering +tone. + +"But really, Miss Fanny Aveling, you are expecting too much at the +present day. Gentlemen cannot go forth with a lance and fight in +tournaments, as in days of yore, to win the admiration of the ladies of +their love. I offer you an honest heart, and I have every reason to +believe I shall establish a comfortable home; and really I think that is +a more sensible thing than running the risk of getting a knock on the +head for no purpose whatever." + +"How fearfully matter-of-fact you are," answered Fanny. "I tell you I +do not like matter-of-fact people. If you had been a soldier or sailor, +and had fought the battles of your country, and got wounded, and +obtained a number of medals for your gallantry, I might possibly have +felt differently towards you." + +"But I have had no opportunity of doing anything of the sort," urged +Frank Carlton. "I came out here to form an estate, and I have succeeded +in what I undertook, while a number of other persons with similar +opportunities have failed. I do not say this for the sake of boasting, +but simply as a fact which is certainly not discreditable." + +"Humdrum," answered the young lady, half to herself. "Numbers have done +as well." + +"So they have," said Frank Carlton, "and are married and settled, and +have every reason to be thankful that they came to the country." + +"Well, Mr Carlton, there is no use carrying on the conversation +further," exclaimed Fanny: "You ask me to give you my heart and hand; I +frankly confess I have no inclination to do so." + +"But, surely, you have led me to suppose you would," said Frank, in a +tone of reproach. + +"That was when I did not think you in earnest," said Fanny. "If you had +said this before, I should have given you an answer which might then +have satisfied you." + +"Nothing will satisfy me but `yes,'" said Frank, "for I believe that you +have more sense than you pretend to have." + +"That is to say, you think I have sense enough to love you," said Fanny, +still in a tone of banter. "We part as friends, however, and if you +insist on coming to call upon my sister, Mrs Barton, of course I cannot +help it, only do not for a moment suppose that I give you any +encouragement." + +Frank Carlton, having graduated at Oxford, had come out a few years +before to set up as a farmer in Canada. He had enjoyed the advantage of +studying under a Scotch farmer for a year, and this gave him more +knowledge of agricultural affairs than is possessed by many of the young +men who go out to settle. He had also given his mind to the work, and +what was of great importance, had withstood the temptations to idleness +into which so many fall. He was also a man of refined tastes and +habits, which he did not allow the rough life of a settler to make him +abandon. Captain and Mrs Barton were among his nearest neighbours. He +had been for some time a constant visitor at the house, and two little +boys, the children of Mrs Barton, were his especial favourites. + +Fanny Aveling had, the year before, come out from England, and not long +after her arrival Frank Carlton began to reflect that his house would be +in a far better condition than it was at the present, if he could place +a mistress at its head. He had had no reason to suppose that Miss +Aveling was indifferent towards him, until the day on which the +conversation which has been described took place. He was still, it must +be owned, somewhat in doubt about the matter. He did not suppose that +she cared for anybody else; indeed he knew of no visitor at the house +likely to have won her affections. He therefore, as most men would have +done under similar circumstances, lived on in the hope of ultimately +winning her. Still, week after week passed, and though he made frequent +visits to Captain Barton's, Miss Aveling's manner towards him remained +totally unchanged. At length, sanguine as he was, he began to fear that +he had misplaced his affections. He also grew distant in his manner +towards her, and he seldom paid a visit to the house of his former +friends. + +Mrs Barton could not but suspect the cause, for she, it must be owned, +was favourable to Frank Carlton, and thought that her sister could not +make a more desirable match. + +"What more can you require in a man than Frank possesses, Fanny?" she +said one day to her sister. + +"Yes," observed Fanny, "he is honest, and he does not smoke, and he does +not drink, and he does not use bad language, that I know of, and he's +very respectable; in fact, in my opinion, he is made up of negatives." + +"Oh, you foolish girl!" exclaimed Mrs Barton; "you want him to threaten +to leave you for ever, or to jump down the Falls, or to commit some +other outrageous act, and then perhaps your feelings would be worked up, +and you would be ready to entreat him to remain and be yours." + +"No, I tell you I don't care for him, that I know of, and don't know +that I ever shall," answered Fanny, petulantly. "I have made up my +mind, when he next comes, to let him understand that very clearly." + +As it happened, Frank paid another visit the following day to the +Bartons. Fanny certainly did contrive to show him that there were no +hopes of her becoming his wife. + +He would make a tour through the country, visit Toronto, Montreal, and +perhaps go down to Quebec. Or he would make a trip to the Far West, +across Lake Superior to the Red River Settlement, and visit the small +band of his countrymen collected there. At first he thought he would +start at once, and not pay a farewell visit to the Bartons. + +It happened that Mrs Barton, her sister, and her two little boys, +Frank's favourites, Ernest and Harry, were strolling about by the bank +of the river. They had gone somewhere down in the direction of the +rapids, when Fanny exclaimed that the scenery, already tinged by the +bright hue of autumn, was so beautiful that she must stop and make a +sketch. + +The two sisters sat down on the bank, while Fanny, with the hand of an +artist, rapidly sketched the scene. She had to employ the most gorgeous +colours which her colour-box could supply, and even then could scarcely +give sufficient brightness to the landscape. While she was sketching, +the little boys ran along the bank, where, moored to the shore, they +found a boat, and very naturally got into it. Their mother and aunt did +not observe them. They got out the oars, and began to make believe that +they were rowing. Now they pulled on one side and then on the other. +Harry, the youngest, tired of rowing, put in the oar, and began to play +with the "painter." The boat had been carelessly secured, and by some +means or other he let the painter slip. Ernest, in the meantime, who +was still rowing, turned the boat round, and before the boys knew what +was happening, they were drifting from the shore. Already, before they +saw their danger, they were too far off to regain the bank. Often they +had been told of the fearful risk of being carried off by the current. +They screamed with fear. Their cries aroused their mother and aunt. +Several people also had been attracted by them from a neighbouring farm, +but no boat was to be seen at hand in which they could be followed. +Already the boat was moving down the current. It was still some +distance from the rapids: but, unless stopped in its course, it must +eventually reach them. + +Mrs Barton and Fanny cried in vain to the spectators to aid in rescuing +the children. Some of the men ran along the bank up the stream, but +others stood still, and declared they had no power to save the children. + +"Still, if you would but swim in, you might get on board the boat before +it has gone far," exclaimed Mrs Barton. + +"And run a pretty fair chance of losing our own lives," was the reply +made by some of the men. + +Some way down, another boat was at length seen. It was a small, frail +skiff, and moored very near the commencement of the rapids. + +"Will any one try and save my children?" exclaimed Mrs Barton in +despair. + +Again the men shook their heads. + +"Not for a thousand pounds. Before one could reach the boat in that +rotten canoe, she would be among the rapids." + +The fond mother and Fanny became almost frantic with despair. Just at +that moment a figure was seen bounding down from a neighbouring height. +In an instant, with a knife, he cut the painter securing the skiff to +the shore. A pair of paddles were in the skiff. He leaped in and +shoved off from the bank. Mrs Barton knew him, and so did Fanny. + +"It's Frank Carlton!" they exclaimed. "Oh, blessings on him! May God +protect him!" + +Already the boat was approaching the commencement of the rapids. Once +in their power, even his sturdy arms could scarcely stem the current. +Not for one moment did he calculate the difficulty or danger he was to +undergo. With rapid strokes he pursued the floating boat. How eagerly +did the fond mother watch his proceedings! She stood apparently calm on +the bank, only now and then extending her arms, as if she would draw +back the boat which contained her loved ones. + +Still, to those who looked on it seemed scarcely possible that the +children could escape. If they were lost, so also would be Frank +Carlton. Still he pursued. The motion of the boat which contained the +boys showed its near approach to the rapids. In two or three minutes it +would be within their power. It seemed hardly credible that he could +reach it even in that time. Onward he went, every now and then turning +his head round to watch the boat. Already it began to leap and toss. +The water foamed around it. + +"See! he has got alongside!" exclaimed the people from the shore; "but +will he have strength to stem the current on his return?" + +A glance showed him that two oars were in the boat. Leaving his canoe +to its fate, he leaped into the boat, and seized the oars. Now came a +fearful struggle. Should an oar give way, he and his young friends must +inevitably be lost. He nerved himself for the undertaking by offering +up prayer for strength to One who alone can give it. Grasping the oars, +he placed his feet firmly at the bottom of the boat, and rowed manfully. +At first it seemed to those who looked on that he made no way. The +boat's head was up the stream, but still she seemed to be going slowly +and surely downwards. He struggles on. The water foams around the boat +on every side. Yes! he is making way--he has gained an inch, another +and another. Slowly the boat moves onward, out of the power of the +rapids. A foot is gained. Still, by the exertions he is making, his +strength must become exhausted. He rows on and on; the boat makes +headway. Surely the prayers of that fond mother are heard. The gallant +young man renews his exertions. He is resolved, God helping him, to +save the children. He thinks not of himself, or what will be the +consequences to his own frame. The veins seem starting from his +forehead. Those only who have gone through such a contest, can +understand what he had to endure. The people from the neighbouring +farms now eagerly crowd the shores, ready to render him assistance when +he reaches it. Some, however, even now doubt whether he will accomplish +the undertaking. Should his strength fail, even for an instant, the +boat would quickly be carried back, with those on board, to destruction. +With all his strength he continues rowing, looking neither to the right +hand nor the left. His eyes are on the young children who sit crouching +down in terror at the bottom of the boat. With a smile, he endeavours +to encourage them. Again and again he cries to Heaven for strength. +Gradually the boat approaches the shore. Now it has reached an upward +eddy. Still he rows on, and the boat safely reaches the bank. Scarcely +conscious of his success, he is lifted out of the boat, and eager hands +restore the children to their mother. She clasps them to her bosom, and +pours out her gratitude to their deliverer. But there is one kneeling +by his side who entreats those who stand by to bring some water to bathe +his brow. The handkerchief tied round his throat is loosened. He +returns to consciousness, and sees Fanny Aveling bending over him. In a +short time he declares himself sufficiently recovered to walk, and a +joyful party returned to Barton Lodge. + +Our tale is finished. Though he returned home that evening, Frank could +not do otherwise than, the following morning, visit Barton Lodge, to +enquire after the boys. Fanny Aveling no longer received him as had +been her wont. + +"You have done something," she exclaimed. "Yes, I see it is not +necessary for a man to go and fight, and kill his fellow-creatures, to +be a hero. Oh, Frank, what a very silly girl I have been!" + +Frank assured her he was confident she would be a wise woman in future, +and it is scarcely necessary to add that Frank's establishment soon had +a mistress at its head. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +FAITHFUL AND BRAVE + +A BIG SCAMP AND A TRUE MAN--ELLIS VISITED BY HIS SWEETHEART--READS HIS +BIBLE ON BOARD SHIP--TRIALS AND PERSECUTIONS--ELLIS KNOCKS JONES DOWN-- +DANGER--JONES SHIRKS AND ELLIS ENCOUNTERS IT--A CHRISTIAN WOMAN'S TEST-- +A TERRIBLE PREDICAMENT--THE MIDDY SAVED BY ELLIS--AND THE SAILORS +ASCRIBE IT TO THE POWER OF PRAYER. + +I was many years ago, first-lieutenant of the _Rainbow_ frigate. We +were fitting out alongside the old _Topaz_ hulk, in Portsmouth Harbour, +for the North American and West India stations, at that time united +under one command. We were nearly ready for sea, but still were a good +many hands short of our complement. For want of better, we had entered +several men, who would, I was afraid, prove but hard bargains; one +especially, who gave the name of John Jones, was a great, big, hulking +fellow, with an unpleasant expression of countenance, out of whom I +guessed but little work was to be got. The same day he joined, another +man came aboard and volunteered. He was a fine, active, intelligent +fellow. He said that his name was William Ellis, and that he had been +eight years at sea, in the merchant service. If there was little work +in Jones, there was plenty in him I saw, though he was a remarkably +quiet-looking man. He answered the questions put to him, but did not +volunteer a word about himself. + +We had gone out to Spithead, and the Blue Peter was flying aloft, when a +shore boat came alongside. In the boat was a young woman, nicely, +though very plainly dressed, and a lad, who looked like her brother. +She asked leave to come on board, and inquired for William Ellis. Ellis +was aloft. His name had been loudly called along the lower deck, +before, casting his eyes below, having finished his work, they fell on +her. She gave a half-shriek of terror as she saw him, quick as +lightning, gliding down the rigging. He, in another moment, was by her +side. A blush was on his manly cheek, as he took her hand and warmly +pressed it. They talked earnestly for some time. He did not ask her to +move from the spot where they stood. At length, with a sigh, having +shaken hands with the lad, he prepared to help her into the boat. Her +last words, pronounced in a firm, though sweet voice, were, "Oh! +remember." + +I was particularly struck by her quiet, modest manner, and her pleasing, +intelligent expression of countenance. We had despatches for Jamaica +and other West India Islands, which we visited in turn. Ellis +continued, as at first, one of the most quiet, well-behaved men in the +ship. Every moment of his watch below--that is to say, when off duty-- +he was engaged in reading, chiefly, as I afterwards found, the Bible. +In those days, a Bible on the lower deck was a rarity, and religious +books were still less often seen. The _Rainbow_ formed no exception to +the rule, and Ellis got to be looked at with suspicion and dislike by +the greater number of the men. He was equally disliked by some of the +officers. The reason was clear--his life and example was a reproach to +them. + +We had not been long in that treacherous clime before "Yellow Jack," as +sailors call the yellow fever, came on board. Numbers of our crew were +speedily down with it. Several died, and the pestilence increased. The +ship's company, as sometimes occurs, took a panic, and men who would +boldly have faced a visible enemy, trembled with dread at the thoughts +of being struck down by the fever. It was difficult to get men to +attend properly on the sick. Ellis was an exception; he immediately +volunteered for that duty, and was indefatigable in its performance. He +did more, I found; he spoke words of counsel and encouragement to the +sick and dying; he pointed out to them the Saviour, on whom looking with +repentance and faith in His all-sufficient work, they might be assured +of forgiveness. + +Harry Lethbridge, a young midshipman, was among the first attacked. +Ellis carefully watched over the boy. Whenever he had performed his +other duties, he returned to the side of the hammock in which Harry lay, +bathed his face, sponged out his mouth, and gave him cooling drinks, +like the most gentle of nurses. More than once the doctor told me, +however, that he was afraid the young midshipman would slip through his +fingers, and he afterwards said that he considered it was mostly owing +to the very great attention paid to him by Ellis that he had escaped. +Ellis did more; he spoke to Harry, when his strength was returning, in a +way to touch his heart,--he told him how he had been saved from the jaws +of death by a God who loved his soul, and he showed how alone that soul +could be saved, and how freely and fully it would be saved, if he would +but accept the redemption offered him. + +Notwithstanding the way Ellis had behaved during the fever, John Jones, +and men of his stamp, of whom there were many, continued to sneer at him +on account of his religion. "Any old woman, or young girl, could have +done as well as he did,--nursing a few sick men and boys: what was +that!" they said. "It didn't make him a bit more of a man." + +From the West Indies we were sent to North America, to do away with the +effects of the fever. Knowing what a quiet man Ellis was, I was +somewhat surprised when one day, on the passage to Halifax, John Jones +came up to me on deck, fuming with rage, and preferred a formal charge +against him, for having assaulted and thrashed him. I, of course, as in +duty bound, sent for Ellis, and witnesses on both sides, to examine into +the case. Ellis appeared, hat in hand, and at once acknowledged that he +had thrashed Jones, but offered as an excuse that Jones and other men +had systematically annoyed him whenever he sat down to read the Bible, +and that at last Jones, encouraged by his previous forbearance, had +snatched up the book and made off with it, threatening to throw it +overboard. "I could bear it no longer, sir," said Ellis; "so I knocked +him over, that I might get back my Bible, and read it afterwards in +peace. Besides, sir, he said that people who read the Bible are never +worth anything, only just fit to nurse sick people, and that come a gale +of wind, or any danger, they would always be found skulking below." + +"In that respect you, Jones, are wrong, and you had no business to +snatch away Ellis's Bible; but you, Ellis, broke through the rules of +discipline by knocking Jones over. You must reserve your blows for the +enemies of your country. I must therefore punish you. It is your first +offence, but it is too serious a one to be overlooked. Go below." + +I inflicted as light a punishment as I well could on Ellis. After he +had undergone it, he came to me and expressed his regret at having lost +his temper, without in any way attempting to exculpate himself. + +We reached Halifax, remained there a fortnight refitting, and again +sailed to cruise off the coast. Nova Scotia possesses a rocky, +forbidding shore, near which a seaman would dislike to be caught with a +gale blowing on it. One night, on a passage round to Prince Edward's +Island, we had kept closer in shore, in consequence of the fineness of +the weather, than would, under other circumstances, have been prudent. +The captain was ill below. Suddenly the wind shifted, and blew directly +on shore. I was called up, and hurrying on deck, saw at once that we +were to have a rough night of it. + +The first thing to be done was to get a good offing. Accordingly I +hauled to the wind, and as it was not yet blowing very hard, I kept the +canvas on her which had previously been set. Suddenly a squall, its +approach unseen, struck the ship, and before a sheet could be started, +the main-topgallant yard was carried away, and the spar, wildly beating +about in the now furiously-blowing gale, threatened to carry away, not +only the topgallant mast, but the topmast itself. The loss of more of +our spars at such a moment might have been disastrous in the extreme. +To clear away the spar was, therefore of the greatest importance, but it +was an operation which would expose those who attempted it to the most +imminent dangers. + +I sung out for volunteers. At that moment seeing Jones standing near +me, I could not help saying, "Come, my man, there's work for you; you +were boasting of your manhood the other day!" The first to spring +forward to my call was William Ellis. + +"No," I answered; "I have made the offer to Jones. He ought to succeed +if any man can." + +Jones looked aloft, then shook his head. + +"I dare not; the man who attempts it will be sure to lose his life." + +Ellis, as if anticipating the reply Jones would make, had been securing +an axe to his belt; having felt the edge to assure himself that it was +sharp. Scarcely had Jones finished speaking, than, exclaiming, "I'll +go!" he was ascending the main rigging. + +I watched him with intense anxiety as long as I could see him, but he +was soon lost to sight in the gloom of night up aloft there amid the +tightening ropes, the straining mast, and the loosened sail and +shattered spar, which kept driving backwards and forwards and round and +round with terrific violence. I kept my eyes fixed on the spot where I +knew he must be. Now I thought I saw him clinging on to the rigging +with one hand, while with the other, his axe gleaming above his head, he +made stroke after stroke at the ropes by which the topgallant yard still +hung to the mast. Had he been hurled from the rigging, the ocean would +have been his tomb, for, heeling over as the ship was, he would have +fallen far to leeward. I fully expected such would be his fate; it +might be mine too, for I was determined to make the attempt if others +failed. I thought of the young woman who had visited him on board, and +of her sorrowing heart. My eye caught sight of something falling. Was +it Ellis? No! A shout rose from the crew. Down came the shattered +spar and the torn sail clear of everything, and fell into the foaming, +hissing waters, through which the frigate was forcing her way. The +topgallant mast stood uninjured. Ellis the next minute was beside me on +the deck. + +"Thank you, Ellis; you did that work nobly," I said to him. "I think +that no one in future will venture to taunt you for your Bible-reading +propensities." + +I was now able to send the hands aloft to shorten sail, and I fully +believe that our masts, and the ship herself, and our lives, were saved +by that act of courage. I afterwards asked Ellis how he felt when +aloft. + +"That I was in the hands of God, sir," he answered. "I prayed for His +protection, and I never felt my heart more light, or my courage more +firm." [See Note.] + +As may be supposed, no one after this ventured to call Ellis a milksop, +or to speak disparagingly of him in any other way. Jones sunk in public +estimation as Ellis rose, and gained great influence among the ship's +company, which he did not fail to use to their benefit. He still +further increased it by another act, which, however, was not so much a +proof of courage as of presence of mind, only the sailors declared, with +a tinge of superstition, that no other man on board could have done it. +I will mention it presently. + +I frequently spoke to Ellis in a way an officer cannot venture to do, +except to a well-tried man. One day I asked him if he did not wish to +write to his wife, as I had the opportunity of sending letters. + +"I am not married, sir," he answered, calmly. "That young woman you +saw, sir, Mary Summers, has promised to marry me when I get back, if I +can prove to her that I have acted all the time I have been away like a +Christian man. It's a long story too, and I won't trouble you with it +now; only Mary has very strong notions, and very right notions too. I +wasn't once what I now try to be. I was altogether careless about +religion. I fell in love with Mary, and tried my best to appear good, +and so far succeeded that I won her love. When, however, she found out +what I really was she said that nothing would induce her to marry me +unless I was a Christian. She gave me books and I read them, and I read +the Bible as I had never read it before, and she talked to me till I +thought that I was what she wanted me to be; but she said that people +couldn't tell what they really were till they were out in the busy world +and tried, and that I must be tried before she could venture to marry +me. At first I thought her terms very hard; but I do assure you, sir, +when I came to know more of the Gospel I felt that they were wise and +just. It's a very different thing to appear all right and correct, and +to feel very good too, in a quiet village, with a religious, sensible +young woman to watch over one, than to keep straight aboard a man-of-war +among a number of godless associates. In one case a man may almost +forget the necessity of earnest prayer. I do assure you sir, I have +felt aboard here that I could not get on an hour without it." + +Reader, remember these words of Ellis. Consider how you will act when +you are tried and tempted. Satan often lets people alone when he finds +them in an easy position, that they may grow conceited of their own +strength. Never cease praying that you may see his wiles, and that, +through the Holy Spirit, you may be enabled to resist them, but never, +never trust to your own strength, or you will be sure to fall. + +Some two years after this, when Harry Lethbridge had grown into a fine +young man, promising to be as smart an officer as any in the navy, we +were on our passage between the northern and southern portions of our +station, when we were caught in as heavy a gale as I ever experienced--a +complete hurricane. It came down on us so suddenly that it required all +hands to shorten sail as smartly as they could do. Among those who +sprang aloft when the hands were turned up was Harry Lethbridge, whose +station was the foretop. The post of honour among seamen in reefing +sails is the weather earing. [Note. An earing is a rope to haul up the +outer part of a sail.] Thus when the fore-topsail was to be reefed, +Harry eagerly sought, and was the first man out on, the yard-arm. While +reefing the sail, on hauling out the earing, from the strength of the +wind, and from his anxiety to get it done quickly, he did not haul the +first turn sufficiently taut. After taking the second, and getting a +good pull on it, the first earing rendered suddenly, and, losing his +balance, he fell over the yard. Those who saw him as I did thought he +was gone, but no; as he fell he had kept hold of the earing, and there +he hung, suspended by it about nine feet below the yard-arm and full +sixty from the deck, though, of course, far outside it, that is to say, +over the boiling ocean. + +Those on deck looked up, almost paralysed with the terrible spectacle. +His destruction seemed inevitable. His hands were giving way. He +caught the rope in his teeth, and thus he hung suspended, alive and +strong, with the joyous spirits and anticipations of youthful manhood, +and yet with death as it were gaping for him. The man nearest to him on +the yard threw towards him the end of a rope, but it was blown away to +leeward out of his reach. The captain instantly directed that a running +bowline knot should be made round the earing, and thus lowered over his +head; but his voice was drowned by the gale. Cries of horror escaped +from the lips of all who saw him. "A man overboard! a man overboard!" +was shouted out, for every one expected to see him fall into the sea. +William Ellis had never taken his eye off him. I saw him hurry forward. +Poor Harry could hold on no longer. His hands relaxed their gripe of +the rope, his teeth gave way, he fell. As he did so, the ship lurched +heavily to leeward and he came towards the forecastle. Ellis sprang +forward, and as Harry's feet touched the deck, caught him in his arms. +The midshipman's life was preserved, and the only injury he received was +the fracture of one of his ankle-bones. [Note. The whole of this +account is fact, without the slightest alteration.] "He's the only man +who could have done it, though," I afterwards heard some of the seamen +remark. "He prayed that he might do it, and he did it, do ye see." +Even the irreligious often acknowledge the efficacy of the prayers of +Christian men. + +William Ellis persevered in his Christian course till the ship was paid +off, when I saw his Mary, who had come to Portsmouth to welcome him. +They married; he obtained a warrant as a gunner, and some years +afterwards, through the influence of Harry Lethbridge, got a good +appointment on shore. The young midshipman, feeling that his life had, +through God's mercy, been preserved that he might do Him service, became +a thorough Christian, in practice as well as in name, and a first-rate +officer; while Ellis continued as he had begun, aided and encouraged, I +have no doubt, by his excellent wife, to the end of his life. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note. This account was given to the author by the late Admiral +Saumarez, and the words are to the best of his recollection those used +by the man who performed the act recorded. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +THE TWO SAILOR-BOYS, A TRUE TALE + +NED BURTON LOSES HIS MOTHER, AND IS LEFT PENNILESS--WALKS TO PORTSMOUTH, +AND IS DISHEARTENED--IS CHEERED, DIRECTED, AND HELPED BY OLD MOLL--GETS +ON BOARD THE TRAINING SHIP--AND MAKES A FRIEND--BUT IS REJECTED FOR NOT +BEING ABLE TO READ--COMFORTED BY BILL HUDSON--BILL'S SHIPMATES HELP NED +TO FIELD LANE--BILL TAKES HIM THERE--HE IS KINDLY RECEIVED--IS MADE A +SAILOR OF AT LAST. + +On a miserable pallet bedstead, in a small attic of one of the meanest +houses in the lowest portion of a provincial town in the south of +England, a woman lay dying. The curtainless window and window--panes, +stuffed with straw, the scanty patchwork covering to the bed, the single +rickety chair, the unswept floor, the damp, mildewed walls, the door +falling from its hinges, told of pinching poverty. On the opposite +corner to the bedstead there was a heap of straw, to serve as another +bed, and against the wall a much-battered sea-chest and an open basket, +containing even now a few rotting oranges, some damaged tapes, and such +articles as are vended by small hawkers. Standing by the bed-side was a +lad with an intelligent, not ill-favoured, countenance, though sickly, +and expressive of deep grief, as he gazed on the face of one who had +ever been a kind mother to him, and from whom he now knew full well that +he was to be parted for ever. + +"Ned, my boy, I have done my best to keep myself and thee from the +workhouse," said the woman, trying to lift herself up on her arm, that +she might the better see the lad. "It has been a hard struggle, but I +have done it for thy father's sake. He was a sailor, and would never +have thought to see me come to this pass. Thou must be one, too, Ned. +It's a rough life, but better far than starving on shore. I've done +little for thee, lad, but feed thee, and try to teach thee to be honest, +as thy father was. Be honest, Ned, whatever ye do, for thy poor +mother's sake. But for thee, lad, I'd have left the weary world many a +long year ago." + +"Oh, mother, mother, stay now--oh, do!" cried the lad. "Won't the +doctor help you--won't the parson?" + +"No, lad; no doctor, no parson, can keep me here. But I'd like to see +the parson. Maybe he'd tell me about the place I'm going to; for it's +far off, I wot, and little I know of the road." + +"Oh, mother, I'll run and fetch him." + +Just as Ned was going, the dying woman sunk down, exhausted with +talking. "Don't leave me, boy," she faintly murmured; "it's too late +now. May God hear a widow's prayer, and be merciful to you, and forgive +me." + +Her voice sank--the last words were gasped out. Her son bent his head +to hear her: he stood gazing at her face, expecting to hear her speak +again. Gradually he became aware that he was alone in the world. His +grief was too deep for tears. For hours he stood there, watching the +face of the only being who had cared for him in the world; and then Ned +Burton went out and did as she had before bade him, and, with the money +she had hoarded up for the purpose, and that produced by the sale of the +last few articles in the house, save his father's sea-chest, obtained +for her an humble funeral, truly, but not that of a pauper. Then, +leaving the chest with a neighbour till he should return and claim it, +he went forth penniless into the world to seek his fortune. + +Ned Burton's ambition was to be a sailor--not that he knew anything of +the sea, except that his father had spent his life on it. His mother +could not read or write, and, unable to instruct him or to pay for his +instruction, being, indeed, too poor to do without the pittance his +labours brought, she had allowed him to grow up in extreme ignorance-- +though, according to the faint light that was in her, she had taught +him, to the best of her power, to do right. Still, poor Ned knew +nothing of religion. He had never been taught even to pray. Thus, +helpless and forlorn, he went forth to battle with the world. A +neighbour had told him that big ships sailed from Portsmouth, so towards +Portsmouth he bent his steps, inquiring his way as he went. A few of +those who knew him, and had bought his mother's oranges and bobbins, +gave him a few pence, and filled his wallet with crusts of bread, and +scraps of cheese and bacon, so that he had not to beg for food. + +At night he slept under haystacks or hedges, or in empty barns, and thus +in time he reached Portsmouth, sore-footed, weary, and hungry, for +during the last day his wallet had been empty. + +Wandering down the High Street, he passed through a large gateway, and +out on a common, from whence he caught sight of the blue sea, and +several huge ships floating on it, but they were too far out to reach, +and he had no money to pay for a boat; and he would have gained nothing +had he reached them, for a poor ragged boy like him would not have been +received on board. So he went back the way he had come. He asked +several people if they could tell him how he could get on board ship, +but they must have thought that he was silly, for they smiled and passed +on. + +He had begun to think that he should never obtain his wishes, when close +to the Southsea Gate he saw an old apple-woman sitting at her stall. +She brought his mother to mind. She looked kind, too, so he asked her. +Something in his manner touched Old Moll's heart. She asked him several +questions, and then said, "Sure, yes; there's what they call a +training-ship for boys--the old ---, off the Dockyard, at Portsea. +They, maybe, will take you. Here's sixpence to get aboard; and here-- +you look hungry, lad--is some gingerbread and apples--they'll do you +good; and now God speed you! Go straight on--you can't miss the way, +and come and tell me some day how you've fared." + +Ned went on through narrow lanes and dirty streets, till he came near +the shore of the harbour, which was crowded with vessels of all sizes. + +"If one won't have me, surely another will," he said to himself, as he +gazed with wonder at some of the line-of-battle ships. "They must want +a precious number of people to fill those great things." + +He now began to inquire which was the old ---, where boys were received. +He was told that he couldn't see her from there--that she was higher up +the harbour; but none of the boatmen he spoke to seemed disposed to take +him on board. In vain he promised his sixpence. He had gone out to the +end of one of the slips from the Common Hard, when two seamen and a +sailor lad came down, carrying baskets, evidently full of provisions, +and directed one of the boatmen who had just refused him to take them on +board the old ---. As they were stepping into the wherry, the boatman +beckoned to Ned, and told him that he could now go. He took his seat +next to the lad, who, in spite of his own clean white trousers, and blue +shirt with worked collar, and fresh straw hat, seemed in no way to +despise his ragged dress. In a kind tone he asked Ned why he was going +on board. Ned told him. + +"Hope you'll succeed, mate," he observed. "A year ago, I was like you-- +only paler and thinner, and maybe fewer clothes to my back--and trembled +when I went aloft; and now there are not many aboard can reach the +main-truck from the deck before me, or lay out smarter on a yard." + +The tide was against them, so that Ned had time to tell his new +acquaintances a good deal of his history before they reached the ship. +They all seemed to take an interest in him, especially the lad--a fine, +strong ruddy-faced young fellow of sixteen. + +"Well, just do you ask for Bill Hudson--that's me--after you've seen the +first lieutenant and the doctor; and then I'll tell you what to do," +said the latter. "You might lose yourself, do ye see, otherwise, about +there." + +When they arrived alongside the huge ship, and Ned proffered his +sixpence, the men wouldn't let him pay it, but helped him up the side +through the entrance port, when he found himself, for the first time, on +the main-deck of a man-of-war. While Bill Hudson went to find the +proper person to take him to the officers for examination, he was lost +in wonder, looking at the huge guns, with their polished gear, the +countless number, it seemed, of boys and men moving about--all so +cleanly and neatly dressed--and the spotless decks, white as a wooden +platter. + +At length he was summoned. He trembled with agitation, for he felt so +dirty, and poor, and miserable, that he thought the officers, when they +saw him, would quickly turn him out of the ship again. The first +lieutenant, however, important as he looked, seemed pleased with his +appearance and manner; the surgeon pronounced him a healthy, able-bodied +lad, fit for the service; but he had brought no certificates of +parentage or age. Had he his parents' permission to come to sea? he was +asked. They were both dead: he had no friends; but he produced a tin +case which had been his father's. The contents showed that the owner +had been a petty officer in the navy, and had borne an excellent +character. But another question was put; could he read and write? (No +boys could be received at that time unless they possessed those +accomplishments.) Poor Ned had to confess that he was ignorant of both +arts. + +He was finally rejected. There was no help for it; though, as his +father's certificate-case was returned to him, the officers expressed a +hope that he might be some day accepted, if he could learn. + +He went forward, much dejected, to find Bill Hudson; for this was but +small consolation to him. How could he learn to read and write, when +all his strength would be required to obtain food for his subsistence? +So he thought. + +Bill heard his account of what had happened. + +"If you had said that you couldn't read and write, I could have told you +what would happen. But, don't be cast down, Ned. Little more than +three years ago, I couldn't read nor write, and hadn't shoes to my feet, +and scarce a rag on my back. I was a poor outcast boy, without father +or mother--no shelter for my head, and often no food to eat. I picked +up a living as I could, holding horses, running errands, when anybody +would trust me. I didn't steal, but I was often and often very near +doing so, as I passed the butchers', and fruiterers', and bakers' +shops--just to fill my empty stomach. It wasn't so much because I +wouldn't do it, as because I knew that they kept a sharp look-out, and I +should have been caught. At last I thought I would try it on; and I +didn't care if I was sent to prison, for I should have been fed, at all +events: but that very day a gentleman passing, saw me watching a stall, +the owner of which had just left it, as if I was going to take whatever +I could grab; and so I was. And he asked me if I was hungry; and he +gave me a roll from his pocket, and then he asked me where I lived, and +I said `Nowhere;' and then he told me that if I would follow him he +would show me where I could get food and shelter, and, might be, +clothing and instruction, and means, too, of gaining my livelihood. +Though I didn't much credit him, I went; and he took me to the Field +Lane Ragged School, as it is called; and there I found all he told me, +and more. I soon showed them that I didn't want to eat the bread of +idleness, and they got me employment in the day, and in the evening I +used to go regularly to the school, and sleep in the Refuge, till I +earned enough, by working four days, to go to the day-school for two +days; and I soon learned to read and write; and more than that, Ned, I +learned what made me a Christian, which I wasn't before I went there. +For, I tell you, Ned, I was a heathen; I knew no more about God and his +love for man than a block of stone; and I thought that he hated poor +people, and sent them all to hell, and that there was no use being good. +I did not know that it was sin brought the misery I saw around me into +the world, and that God hates sin, but loves sinners; for if he doesn't, +he'd never have sent his only Son into the world to save them. At last +I was asked what trade I would be, and I said, `A sailor;' for I had +been reading about the sea, and thought I should like to live on it. So +they sent me down here, and I do like it, Ned, right well. And now I've +told you all this, because I want to ask you if you'd like to go to +Field Lane. I tell you it is a blessed place; and a blessed moment it +was to me when I entered it. You'd learn to read and write, and be +looked after, and learn to gain your daily bread, and be told about God +and Jesus Christ, and how to be happy; and if you don't know about them, +you can't be happy, that I tell you." + +Ned had been much surprised with all he had seen on board ship, but he +was more surprised at what Bill told him, though in a different way. He +said, certainly that he should like to go there, but how could he? Bill +replied that "where there's a will there's a way." Many of his +shipmates had heard Ned's history, and were interested in him; and he +would speak to the first lieutenant and to some of the officers, who +were kind, Christian men, and see what could be done. + +Bill Hudson did do his best, and very effectual that was. He had acted +as officer's servant, and saved up some money; and he went round the +ship and told Ned's story; and all who heard it subscribed--some more +and some less; and the officers, when they heard his proposal, +subscribed very liberally. Ned was invited down to Bill's mess, and +never had he eaten so hearty a dinner. + +"No wonder the sailors on board here grow stout and strong, if they have +so good a dinner as this every day," he observed. + +"It's the same every day. No banyan days with us, now, in the navy," +was the answer. + +At last Bill Hudson's plan was matured, and the power granted him for +carrying it into execution. Ned was told he must stop on board for tea. +In the evening Bill came to him triumphant. + +"It's all settled," he exclaimed. "You see, Ned, it would never do for +you to go up to big London all by yourself, and to wander about, not +knowing your way; so I've got leave from the first lieutenant to go with +you." + +"You--you go up to London with me; that will be good!" exclaimed Ned, +delighted. + +Ned slept on board, and, from the kind way he was treated, wished more +than ever to go to sea. He was not aware--happily for himself--that he +could have gone to sea, in the merchant service, without being able to +read, and that only at that time, when it was resolved to raise the +character of the men in the navy, that the rule with regard to reading +and writing was enforced. + +The next morning--Ned having been supplied, by the contributions of the +sailors, with a suit of clothes, a pair of shoes, and a hat, and some +shirts and other things in a bundle--the two lads left the ship, and +took the first train to London. Bill would have gladly gone on foot, +for the sake of economising his funds, so as to leave more with his new +friend; but his leave extended only over three days, and he had many +things to do. + +The boys arrived in due time at London, and Bill employed as much time +as he could in showing Ned about town. As evening drew on they repaired +to Field Lane, and knocked for admission at the Refuge. + +"What? William Hudson come back! What has happened to you, lad?" +exclaimed the porter. + +"Yes; it's myself, sure enough. I've come back to ask for a night's +lodging, if there's room, and to bring this boy, who wants one badly. +Can I see the superintendent?" + +"Yes, sure. You know the way, Bill; go on," said the porter, in a kind +tone. + +The superintendent was very much pleased to see Bill Hudson, and more so +to hear the story with which he introduced Ned Burton. He promised, +gladly, to look after Ned, and, if he behaved well, to obtain regular +employment for him in the neighbourhood. + +Bill found, on calculating the amount of his funds, that he might leave +some with the superintendent for Ned's use. + +"I don't distrust you, Ned; but London is an awful wicked place; and if +you kept the money, it might be stolen, and you almost murdered for the +sake of it," he observed. + +The next day the lads went out together, that Bill might introduce Ned +to some of the people who used to employ him. Some had forgotten him; +some had gone away; but a few remembered him kindly, and promised to +help Ned. + +Ned could not help shedding tears when Bill wrung his hand, as he was +about to start back for Portsmouth. Then, if it had not been for the +Refuge, and the superintendent, and the good missionary, and the porter, +he would indeed have felt very miserable and forlorn, in the big city; +but Field Lane was now to him his home, indeed--his refuge from +adversity. + +He remembered, however, that he had to work; so he set about finding +employment in good earnest. His decent dress and manner were in his +favour; and he gained a few pence, though, being a stranger, not so much +as he might have gained had he known the ways of London. At night he +went back to the Refuge with a thankful heart, and commenced his +schooling. He gave his mind to his task, though he found it very hard +work, at first, even learning the letters. The next night it was +easier, and he was soon able, when waiting for a job, to employ himself +by spelling out the names over the shop doors and the words on the +advertising papers. Sometimes he could get nothing to do, especially in +very bad weather; and then he went to the industrial school at the +Refuge, if it was open, or to the day-school; and here he began to +understand the great truths about religion, of which he had before been +entirely ignorant. To one of the missionaries, who was especially kind +to him, he took a great fancy; and to this good man he used to go, +whenever he had an opportunity, and ask him questions, and to listen to +his addresses. He first here heard the glorious tidings that "God is +love;" and as he saw that beautiful principle carried out in every +department of the undertaking, he could not help saying, "Ay, truly, +this is God's work." + +In little more than a year he had learned, by diligent attention, not +only to read well, but to write a fair hand, while he had added greatly +to his religious and secular knowledge; and, above all, he had become a +new creature in Christ Jesus. + +One day he received a letter at the Refuge from Bill Hudson. Bill wrote +that he had just arrived at Portsmouth in the frigate to which he now +belonged, and that if Ned would come down at once, he would see him on +board the old ---, where he was sure that he would be received. Bill, +moreover, enclosed a sovereign to pay for his journey. + +Ned was sorry to leave the Refuge, and yet he rejoiced at the thought of +being now able, as he had so long wished, to go to sea. His parting +from his friends and journey to Portsmouth need not be described. Bill +was at the station to meet him, and at once went with him on board the +old ---. + +He was, without difficulty, accepted. Bill had advised him to show his +father's certificates. The first lieutenant spoke to him very kindly, +when he saw them, and told him that he had known his father, who was a +very good man, and he hoped that Ned would follow his example. + +Ned Burton was no longer only a good-natured, well-meaning lad; he had +now right principles to help him behave well; nor has he in any way +disappointed the hopes of those who have taken an interest in his +welfare. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE GOOD CAPTAIN + +THE MUTINY AT SPITHEAD--AN EXCEPTION--VALUE OF A CHRISTIAN CAPTAIN--THE +MUTINY BREAKS OUT AT SHEERNESS--ANOTHER LOYAL SHIP--THE MUTINY QUELLED. + +In the year 1797 an event occurred connected with the navy of England, +which cannot even now be thought of without sorrow and shame. The crews +of most of the ships of the Channel fleet then anchored at Spithead +deposed their officers, and refused to proceed to sea, unless certain +grievances of which they complained were redressed. + +It must be remembered, however, that the seamen of those days were very +uneducated--too often utterly ignorant of religious truth, and thus +easily imposed upon by designing men. Their pay was scanty, the +provisions served out to them often bad, and deficient in quantity, +while no care was taken of their moral or spiritual welfare. Still no +excuse can be offered for mutiny however much we may pity those who are +induced to commit the crime in the hopes of obtaining redress for +wrongs. The Christian must ever look to his Lord and Master, and be +guided by His conduct under wrong and oppression. However, all the +ships' companies did not mutiny, and among those which remained faithful +to their duty was the crew of the _Saint Fiorenzo_ frigate, Captain Sir +Harry Burrard Neale. How came this about? Was discipline less strict +on board the _Saint Fiorenzo_? Were her crew allowed greater licence +than those of other ships? Certainly not. But on board her the law of +kindness, of mercy, and justice prevailed; on board many others it was +too often neglected. However, an account of the behaviour of her crew +on that trying occasion shall be given in the words of one who was then +a midshipman on board her:-- + +"Our captain was one of the most upright and humane men in the service-- +a perfect officer and a perfect gentleman;" and a true, humble +Christian, from whose mouth an oath never proceeded, whose lips never +uttered a falsehood, might have been added. "He was a great favourite +with George the Third, and the _Saint Fiorenzo_ had consequently been +appointed to attend on His Majesty during his summer sojourn at +Weymouth. The King won the affection of both officers and men by his +urbane and kind manners whenever he came on board. He used to call us +up, and talk to us, lieutenants, midshipmen, and seamen alike, in the +most familiar manner, taking an interest in our private histories, and +all we had to say for ourselves. No wonder, then, that officers and men +were loyal to the back-bone. Our captain, too, from the day he +commissioned the ship, had, by his justice and kindness, done still more +to make the officers and men love him. Few fathers would have been more +thoughtful of the interests of their children than he was of the welfare +of the men under his charge. On the 14th of April, 1797, the _Saint +Fiorenzo_ lay at Spithead, forming one of a large fleet under Lord +Bridport. It was known that certain complaints had been sent up to the +Admiralty by the ships' companies, but little was thought of the matter +by the officers, when some of the petty officers of the _Saint Fiorenzo_ +informed Sir Harry that the men of most of the ships had resolved to +mutiny, if the complaints were not forthwith attended to. It was +supposed that the documents received at the Admiralty were forgeries, or +sent up by a few disaffected men. Sir Harry, however, on +cross-questioning our people, was convinced that the petitions really +did express the opinions of the seamen of the navy, and promising that +he would make the true state of the case known, that very evening sent +up an officer with despatches to London. The next day the mutiny broke +out, and each ship's company was directed to send representatives, +called delegates, on board the _Queen Charlotte_. Sir Harry directed +our ship's company to select two of the most sensible and trustworthy of +our men, Aynsley and Stanley, as their delegates, and they regularly +informed him of all that was taking place. His representations had +great weight at head-quarters; the more reasonable demands of the +mutineers were granted, and the seamen returned to their duty. + +"In the meantime we received orders to fit out at Sheerness, to carry +over the Princess Royal to Cuxhaven, after her marriage with the Duke of +Wurtemburg. That no time might be lost, the guns on both sides, from +the cabin door to the break of the poop, were sent down into the hold, +that the carpenters might begin fitting up the cabins, thus crippling +our powers as a fighting ship. + +"On our arrival at Sheerness, great was our astonishment at finding the +red flag--the signal of mutiny--flying on board the _Sandwich_. It +being supposed that her crew had not been informed of what had taken +place at Spithead, our delegates were sent to explain matters. On +getting on board they were disgusted to find that fresh demands had been +made on the Government by the crews of the North Sea fleet, of a nature +so frivolous that they were not at all likely to be granted. Our men, +it appeared, expressed their views in a very unguarded way, and in no +courteous language. This enraged Parker--the unhappy man who had +assumed the command of the fleet--and the other ringleaders, and our +ship's company became marked as disaffected to the common cause. From +the information our delegates gave on their return, it was suspected +that the mutineers intended removing our officers. In consequence, Sir +Harry resolved immediately to quit the fleet and to run into the harbour +of Sheerness. + +"Near us lay the _Clyde_, an old fellow-cruiser, commanded by Captain +Cunningham, who had, also, by kindness and justice, won the confidence +and affection of his crew. An arrangement was accordingly made between +the two captains and the ship's companies, that they would make the +attempt together, and share each other's fortune. + +"Neither of our pilots, however, through fear or treachery, would take +charge of the ships. At this juncture Captain Cunningham went on board +the _Chatham_ yacht, which lay near, for Mr William Bardo, one of her +mates with whose fitness for the task he was acquainted. Mr Bardo +undertook the task of piloting the _Clyde_, and as she was the inshore +ship, she was to move first. We watched her with intense anxiety. She +cast the right way, and before one of the ships in the power of the +mutineers could make sail after her, she was safe from pursuit. Not +having a pilot we could trust, and the tide now being unfavourable, Sir +Harry decided to wait till the suspicions of the mutineers might be +lulled. Our anxiety was relieved when, soon after dusk, Mr Bardo, sent +by Captain Cunningham, came off to us in a small boat to pilot us in. +Just, however, as we were preparing to move the next morning, a body of +the delegates came on board, and, abusing our men for allowing the +_Clyde_ to escape without firing into her, ordered them to bring the +_Saint Fiorenzo_ in and place her between the _Inflexible_ and +_Director_, to unbend our sails, and to send our gunpowder on board the +_Sandwich_, the flag-ship of the so-called Admiral Parker. So enraged +were our people with these orders, that one of the quarter-masters, John +Aynsley, came aft, and in the name of the ship's company, begged that +they might heave the delegates overboard. + +"Sir Harry, however, to whom all matters were referred, while he sat +quietly in his cabin out of sight, ordered our delegates to express +their readiness to comply with Admiral Parker's orders; and at length +the mutineers, satisfied that we were about to do as directed, left the +ship. + +"As soon as they were gone, we got springs on our cable, so as to cast +inwards, and all was made ready to run, as was at first intended, into +Sheerness. In heaving, however, the spring broke, and we cast outward. +The effect of this was to carry us right among the mutinous fleet. + +"At this critical juncture, Sir Harry, whose presence of mind never +forsook him, directed one of the quartermasters to appear on deck as if +in command, while he and all the officers concealed themselves in +different parts of the ship--he posting himself so that he could, +unseen, issue his orders. In a moment every sail was sheeted home, and +we stood in between the two line-of-battle ships, which, as the +delegates had told us, had all their guns double shotted, while their +crews stood ready, lanyards in hand, to sink us with their broadsides. + +"On we stood, the ship gathering good way, when, as we got in among the +mutinous fleet, Sir Harry gave the order to let fly all the sheets. +This so completely took the mutineers by surprise that they, believing +the ship was coming about, did not fire a shot at us. Sir Harry then +ordered the helm to be put `hard a port,' which caused the ship to shoot +ahead of the _Inflexible_ and clear of her. He immediately sprang on +deck, crying out, `Well done, my lads!' A loud murmur of applause was +heard fore and aft along the deck, but we had no time for cheering. +`Now clear away the bulk-heads, and mount the guns,' he added. Scarcely +were the words out of his mouth, than the whole fleet of thirty-two sail +opened their fire. The shot fell thick as hail around us on every side. +The men stood at their stations without flinching. Of course it would +have been worse than useless to have returned their fire. + +"On we stood. Never ship passed through such a fire so slightly +scathed. Not that we escaped altogether; now a shot struck us, now +another. The _Director_ alone might have sunk us; but, as far as we +could judge, not a shot came from her. Some believed that her crew, +struck with admiration at the heroism displayed by our people, fired +wide, or did not put shot into their guns. Though we were repeatedly +hulled, not a rope was shot away, nor was any one hurt on board. God in +his mercy, working as he thinks fit to work through human agency, +protected us. Everybody was labouring with a will, and in two hours we +had our decks clear, our guns mounted, and were in a perfect state of +preparation to meet a foe. + +"No sooner was this done than the men came aft in a body, and begged Sir +Harry that should any of the mutinous fleet come up with us, they might +be allowed to go down at their guns rather than return to the Nore. The +captain promised them that they should have their wish: at which they +seemed as contented as if some great favour had been done them. + +"As yet, however, there were no signs of our being pursued: though +shortly the determination of our men was to be put to the test. + +"Sir Harry had resolved to return to Portsmouth, and when just off the +mouth of the Thames a fleet of men-of-war hove in sight. They +approached with the red flag at their mast-heads. This was the North +Sea fleet, with the admiral and all the officers under arrest. + +"No sooner were we seen than a frigate bore down on us. That we could +escape her was doubtful; and though we could have beaten her off had we +fired, we should have brought the rest of the fleet down on us. Sir +Harry, therefore, gave the speaking-trumpet to Stanley, and directed him +to answer the questions of the mutineers. His replies seemed +satisfactory, for the frigate, hauling her wind, rejoined the fleet. +Scarcely had we lost sight of the North Sea fleet, than we spoke a brig, +which gave us the astounding information that the mutiny had again +broken out at Spithead. We therefore, just as it was growing dark, +anchored under Dungeness, with springs on our cables, prepared for an +attack. + +"Towards the end of the middle watch, a large ship, as she appeared, was +seen bearing down towards us. The crew, believing her to be a foe, +again came aft, and repeated their request to be allowed to sink, rather +than surrender to the mutineers. The private signals were made: they +were answered; but that was no security, as the mutineers would of +course have possessed themselves of them. The drum beat to quarters. +It was a time of awful suspense. The wind was very light. The stranger +closed slowly. Many asserted that she was a line-of-battle ship. As +the light from our fighting-lanterns beamed forth from every port, it +was easily seen what we were. Our springs were hove on, to keep our +broadside to bear. Our captain hailed; breathless, we waited for a +reply. The answer was, `H.M.S. _Huzzar_, Captain Lord Garlais, from the +West Indies.' Coming from a long voyage, she was high out of the water, +which made her appear, in the gloom, like a line-of-battle ship. When +his people, who had heard nothing of the mutiny, were acquainted with +what had occurred, they were so much struck with the bravery and +determination of our ship's company, that they promised to stick by us, +and share our fate if attacked by the mutineers. Not many days after +this, Parker and his associates were allowed by the seamen they had +misled to be carried on shore by a file of soldiers, without opposition, +and the mutiny was brought to an end." + +The last years of that good captain, who had been the friend and +companion of princes--who had so often in battle met the enemies of his +country, were spent in visiting the cottages of the poor surrounding his +house, telling them of the Saviour's love, carrying them food and +clothing, and other comforts, and never failing to speak kind words of +comfort and advice. + +But we must not pause here. Some important lessons are to be learnt +from this narrative. See how the law of love and kindness, combined +with justice, prevails, where harshness and severity fail. The crews of +the _Saint Fiorenzo_ and _Clyde_ were composed of the same class of men +as those of the ships which mutinied; yet the latter basely struck their +colours, and the former were ready to die for their officers. + +Let us ask ourselves, how do we rule in our families--over those placed +under us? By the rule of our merciful Saviour, or by the rule of the +world, of our own tempers--that is, the flesh--or of the devil? + +See, again, by the way the crew of the _Huzzar_ behaved, what a good +example can effect. If we adhere to the Captain of our Salvation-- +firmly and boldly confess him--we may be assured that we not only shall +gain the respect of our associates, but, which is of far more +consequence, that we shall bring over others to love and confess him +also. + +Then, again, can we, after reading this account, think without sorrow +and confusion of the way we have behaved to our heavenly King and +Captain? We are told that because the king spoke to the officers and +crew of the _Saint Fiorenzo_ in a kind manner, taking an interest in +their private histories, they were loyal to the backbone. Does not our +heavenly King and Father speak to us daily, through the Holy Scriptures, +words full of kindness, love, and mercy? Surely he does, if we will but +diligently read that Book of books. He allows us, too, as no earthly +king can do, to go to him daily--every hour--every moment of our lives. +His ear is ever open to our prayers--he who keeps Israel neither +slumbers nor sleeps--to tell him our private histories--our wants, our +wishes, our hopes; to confess to him all we have done amiss--all our +sins. And, moreover, he promises us that if we repent of them, and +trust to the cleansing blood of Jesus, he will forgive them freely and +fully, and give us what no earthly monarch can give, eternal life, and +raise us to dwell with him in happiness unspeakable, for ever and ever. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +THE SMUGGLER'S FATE + +THE SMUGGLER'S WIFE--HANSON STARTS ON HIS TRIP--HIS WIFE'S ANXIETY--THE +REVENUE OFFICERS APPROACH--THE SMUGGLERS TAKE TO THE WATER--THE FIGHT--A +FEARFUL END. + +"Good-bye, Susan--good-bye, my wife. I'll bring thee over a silk gown, +and such Brussels lace as you've never yet set eyes on. It will make a +lady of you; and you're not far off being one now, to my mind, so don't +fret--don't fret, Susan, dear." + +These words were uttered by Robert Hanson, a fine sailor-like-looking +man. And a bold seaman he was, indeed; but was also unhappily known to +be one of the most daring smugglers on the coast. Having kissed his +wife affectionately, and knelt down by the side of the cradle in which +their infant slept, to bestow another kiss on its smiling lips, he +hurried from the cottage. + +Susan looked after him sorrowfully. She had entreated him, over and +over again--not as earnestly as she might, perhaps--to give up his +dangerous and lawless occupation, and with a laugh he had told her that +each trip should be his last. Did it never occur to him how his promise +might be fulfilled? It did to Susan; and often and often she had +trembled at the thought. She had been brought up by praying parents, +and had been taught from her childhood to pray, but she could not pray +now--she dared not--she felt it would be a mockery. She was wrong, +though. She could not pray that God would protect her husband in his +lawless occupation, but she might have prayed that her merciful Father +in heaven would change his heart--would lead him from the paths of sin, +and put a right spirit within him, even although he might be brought to +poverty, and she might no longer enjoy the luxuries which he allowed +her. She was sure, however, that he could make, by a lawful calling, +enough for all their wants; whereas a large portion of what he now +gained was spent in feasting and treating with open hand his smuggling +companions; so at the end of the year, except for the dresses and other +articles which were utterly useless to Susan, they were very little the +better for all his toil and the many fearful risks he had run. She +stood watching him with tearful eyes and a foreboding heart, as he +descended the cliff on which their cottage stood. + +Bob, as Hanson was called by his companions, looked in at three or four +of the huts which formed the fishing village at the foot of the cliff, +and gave sundry directions to their inmates. The answer he received +from all of them was much the same: "Never fear, captain, we'll be +ready." + +"You understand, Dore," he said, stopping at one of the huts for some +little time, "you'll be on the look-out for us on Tuesday night at +Durlstone Point. Now mind you also tell Green, the landlord of the +`Jolly Tar,' to have the two covered carts there, with his fastest +horses and trusty men to drive--Bill Snow and Tom Thatcher--they are +true men; but not that fellow Dennis--he'll bring the Coast Guard down +on us one of these days, you'll see, if we trust him--and take care that +we've no lack of hands to run the cargo up the cliff." + +Such were some of the directions Hanson gave to his confederates. He +then, with active steps, proceeded to a small harbour at a little +distance along the shore, where a fast-looking cutter of about forty +tons lay at anchor. He hailed her. A preventive man (as the revenue +officers are called), with his spyglass under his arm, passed him. + +"What, Bob, off again?" he said, in a careless tone; "we'll be on the +look-out for you, if you'll tell us when you are coming back." + +"May be next week, or the week after, or a month from this; but thank +you all the same," answered Bob, laughing, as he stepped into the punt +which came for him. As soon as he was on board, the _Saucy Sue_ made +sail for the French shore, and, under a crowd of canvas, was soon out of +sight. + +It was soon known at each preventive station along the coast that Bob +Hanson was away in the _Saucy Sue_, and might ere long be expected back +with a cargo of contraband. A sharp look-out was accordingly kept for +him. Often and often before this, however, he had been expected, but +the goods had been run, notwithstanding, and the _Saucy Sue_ having +appeared in the offing, had come into the harbour without an article of +contraband on board, Bob and his crew looking innocent as lambs. + +Tuesday came. Susan knew that on that night the attempt to run the +cargo was to be made. There was no moon. The sun set red and lowering +over Durlstone Point, and dark clouds were seen chasing each other +rapidly across the sky, rising from a dark bank which rested on the +western horizon, while white-crested seas began to rise up out of the +sombre green ocean, every instant increasing in number. The wind +whistled mournfully among the bushes and the few stunted trees, with +tops bending inland, which fringed the cliffs, and the murmur of the +waves on the beach below changed ere long into a ceaseless roar. + +Susan sat in her cottage, watching the last rays of the setting sun as +her foot rocked her baby's cradle. She knew well the path to Durlstone +Point along the cliffs. No longer able to restrain her anxiety (why +more excited than usual on that evening, she could not have told), she +left her child in charge of her young sister, who had come in to see +her, and hurried out. The clouds came up thicker and thicker from the +south-west, and the darkness rapidly increased. She had good reason to +dread falling over the cliff. Several times she contemplated turning +back; but the thought of her husband's danger urged her on. "If I could +find the spotsman, Ned Dore, I would beseech him to warn the cutter +off," she said to herself; "it can never be done on a night like this." +She went on till she came to a dip, or gulley, when a break in the cliff +occurred. A steep path led down the centre to the beach. She heard the +sound of wheels, with the stamp of horses' feet, as if the animals had +started forward impatiently and been checked, and there was also the +murmur of several voices. Suddenly a light flashed close to her. + +"Oh, Ned Dore, is that you?" she exclaimed. "Don't let them land +to-night; there'll be harm come of it." + +"No fear, Mrs Hanson," said Dore, recognising her voice. "All's +right--the cutter has made her signal, and I have answered it. Couldn't +have a better time. The revenue men are all on the wrong scent, and +we'll have every cask a dozen miles from this before they are back. +Just you go home, good woman, and your husband will be there before +long." + +Susan, however, had no intention of leaving the spot. Again she +entreated Dore, almost with tears, to warn off the cutter, alleging that +there was already too much surf on the beach to allow the boats to land +with safety. Dore almost angrily again refused, declaring that the +cutter had already begun to unload, and that the boats would soon be in. +Seeing that her entreaties were useless, she sat herself down on a rock +jutting out of the cliff, and tried to peer into the darkness. She +waited for some time, when footsteps were heard, and one of the men +posted to watch, came running in with the information that a party of +the revenue were approaching. Dore, coming up to her, pulled her by +force below the rock on which she had been sitting. The other men +concealed themselves under the bushes--among other rocks and in holes in +the cliff--the lights were extinguished, and the carts were heard moving +rapidly away. Not a word was spoken--the men held in their breath as +the revenue officers approached. Poor Susan almost fainted with dread-- +not for herself, but for her husband. Where was he all the time? She +knew too well the smugglers' mode of proceeding not to have good cause +for fear. + +"It was off here, sir, I saw the light flash," Susan heard one of the +men say. "There is a road a little further up, and the cart wheels we +heard must have passed along it." + +"It is a likely spot, and must be watched." + +Susan recognised the voice of the last speaker as that of Mr Belland, +the new lieutenant of the Coast Guard, reputed to be an active officer. + +"Do you, Simpson and Jones, station yourselves on the top of the cliff, +and fire your pistols if you see anything suspicious," he said. "Wait +an hour, and then move back to your beats--there will be sea enough on +by that time to save us further trouble." + +"Ay, ay, sir," was the brief answer. + +The two preventive men took up their stations, one of them directly +above where Susan was crouching down, and the lieutenant and his party +moved on. + +While these events were taking place on shore, the _Saucy Sue_ had +approached the coast. Her usual signal was made and answered in a +satisfactory manner, and preparations for landing the cargo were +forthwith commenced. There were among it silks and other valuable +articles, carefully packed in water-tight casks. The rest consisted of +spirits in casks, two of which a man could carry on his shoulders. The +casks were now secured together by ropes in separate parcels, eighteen +or two dozen in each, and lowered overboard. The cutter's two boats +then took them in tow, and approached the beach. As they drew near, a +small light, shown for an instant, warned them that the preventive men +were on the alert. A weight sufficient to moor each parcel was on this +dropped overboard, and the boats hung on to them. + +"We must try the old dodge," said Hanson, after waiting for some time. +"I'll take three parcels--Tom and Bill, you take the rest; we've never +missed that way." + +Saying this, he threw off his outer clothing, the two men he spoke to +did the same, and all three slipping overboard, took hold of the +tow-lines attached to the casks. The boats returned to the cutter, and +were hoisted on board; after which, letting draw her fore-sheet, she +stood out at sea. Hanson and his daring companions, buoyed up with a +few corks under their arms, and knives in their hands to cut the casks +from the moorings, remained with their heads just above the water, +watching for the signal to tow them in. There they remained, their +eager eyes turned towards the cliff--the dark sky above them, the +foaming waters around. Every instant their position became more +perilous; for as the tide rose, the ledge of rocks to the westward no +longer afforded them the protection it had done at first, and the seas +came rolling in, and the surf broke more and more heavily every instant. + +Could they pray for help? No. They knew well that they were engaged in +unlawful work--that they were breaking the laws of their country-- +refusing to render to Caesar the things that were Caesar's. Such was +the picture the poor wife beheld in her mind's eye, as she gazed down +into the dark waters, where she well knew that her husband then was. + +Slowly the anxious hour passed away. The preventive men, however, still +seemed suspicious that all was not right, and lingered at their posts. +They at last hailed each other, and held a conversation in a low tone. +They were close to where two of the men lay hid. Susan, in addition to +her other cause of alarm, dreaded that an act of violence would be +committed, if they did not move off. The preventive men would fire +their pistols, certainly; but there still might be time for the tubs to +be landed, and the smugglers to make their escape, before the rest of +the Coast Guard could reach the spot. Her alarm increased when she +found that Dore had crept away. + +What she dreaded happened. The two preventive men came down into the +hollow, as if about to descend to the beach. Suddenly they were set +upon by a dozen men. One fired his pistol, the other was knocked down +before he could draw a weapon from his belt. The first fought +desperately, but a blow from a hanger brought him to the ground, where +he lay mortally wounded. The arms of the other were pinioned, his mouth +gagged, and the smugglers rushed down to the beach. + +The signal was now made to Hanson and his companions. The smugglers +waited to allow time for them to come in, every instant dreading the +return of the Coast Guard. At length a cry was heard, "Help, help!" +Several of the most daring rushed into the water. First one of Hanson's +companions was dragged on shore, almost exhausted. The tubs were drawn +in, and rapidly carried up the cliff. The second man was next found; +but he had abandoned his tubs, and was more dead than alive. But where +was Hanson himself? + +Susan had found her way down to the beach. No one noticed her. + +"I'm afraid the captain is gone. It was his plan, but a desperately +dangerous one," she heard one of the men say. She stood speechless with +terror. + +Just then a light flashed from the cliff above. + +"Each man for himself," was the cry, as the smugglers made their escape +up the only path open to them. + +She stood alone on the sand, with the seas roaring up to her feet. She +heard footsteps approaching. "Oh! where--where is my husband?" she +cried out. + +"I don't know, missus; but murder has been committed, and some one has +done it." It was one of the preventive men spoke. + +Daylight at length broke. A tangled mass of tubs and rope, and a human +form attached to them, was seen surging up and down in the foaming +breakers. It was dragged on shore, and the poor young widow sank +senseless on her husband's body. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +THE INDIAN MOTHER, A TALE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS + +THE HALF-BREED TRAPPER LA TOUCHE--HIS WIFE KAMELA--THEIR CHILDREN--THEY +ARE SENT ON AN EXPEDITION--THE ENCAMPMENT--ATTACKED BY BLACKFEET, AND +THE MEN SLAIN--THE YOUNG WIDOW FLIES--ALMOST CAPTURED--BACK TO THE +FORT--THE REFUGE DESTROYED!--WOLVES--FURTHER FLIGHT--REFUGE AT LAST. + +Great Britain possesses the sovereignty over a rich extent of country, +extending from the Atlantic on the east to the Pacific on the west. +Beyond the further shore of Lake Superior is found a region of lakes and +rapid rivers, rocks, hills, and dense wood, extending for about 400 +miles, nearly up to the Red River or Selkirk settlement. To the west of +this, a rich prairie stretches far away up to the foot of the Rocky +Mountains, from which the Saskatchewan descends, and, soon becoming a +broad river, flows rapidly on to Lake Winnepeg. Other streams +descending, find their way into the Polar Sea, or Hudson's Bay. On the +west, the Columbia, the Fraser, and others flow, with very eccentric +courses, into the Pacific. Besides this, there are numerous lakes +divided from each other, in many instances, by lofty mountains and thick +forests. + +Over the whole of this extensive region the Hudson's Bay Company held, +for many years, undivided sway, and kept in its employment large numbers +of men--voyageurs, or canoe-men, and hunters--both whites of European +descent (chiefly French Canadians), and also half-breeds and Red +Indians. The country was inhabited by several nations of Indians, some +known as Wood Indians, others as Prairie Indians and these again were +divided into tribes or clans, frequently at war with each other; and +these wars were cruel in the extreme, often exterminatory, neither age +nor sex being spared. Their dress was skins, embroidered with beads, +feathers, and porcupine quills. They painted their faces and ornamented +their hair in a fantastic manner. Their weapons were the bow and arrow, +spears, and hatchets. Their canoes were of birch-bark; their +habitations, huts, or wigwams, either of a conical shape, or like a +basin reversed, and formed of buffalo-skins and birch-bark. The Indians +of the prairie possessed horses, and hunted the buffalo. Those of the +woods, having few horses, lived chiefly on deer and smaller game, and +cultivated potatoes and Indian corn. They believed in one Great and +Good Spirit, and in the existence of numerous evil spirits, whom they +feared and endeavoured to propitiate. Missionaries, however, went among +them, and many have been brought out of darkness to a knowledge of the +truth. + +Among the most interesting of the tribes in British North America and +the west of the Rocky Mountains are the Cootonais. They are handsome, +above the middle size, and, compared with other tribes, remarkably fair; +in conversation candid, in trade honest, brave in battle, and devotedly +attached to each other and to their country. Polygamy is unknown among +them. The greatest neatness and cleanliness are observable about their +persons and lodges. + +It was among this tribe that Pierre La Touche, a brave young half-breed +trapper, sought for a wife. He had not long to wait before he found a +maiden whose charms captivated his heart; besides which, she was an +accomplished manufacturer of mocassins, snow-shoes, and garments of +every description; she could also ride a horse and paddle or steer a +canoe; she was fearless in danger, and she had, indeed, been greatly +tried; once especially, when a party of Blackfeet, the hereditary +enemies of her tribe, had made their way over the mountains to recover +some horses which her people had captured. The Cootonais claimed the +right of hunting the buffalo to the east of the Rocky Mountains, on the +prairies which the Blackfeet considered belonged exclusively to +themselves. This was naturally a fertile source of dispute. + +Kamela, or the "Young Fawn," the name given to the damsel selected by La +Touche, had been well trained to endure all the hardships and privations +to which a hunter's wife is invariably exposed. + +The usual ceremonies having been gone through, the young Kamela went to +La Touche's tent, and became his most loving and devoted wife. He +treated her, not as the Indians would--as a slave, but as an equal and a +friend, except in the presence of her countrymen, when he assumed the +stern, indifferent manner with which they treat their wives. La Touche +did not long remain idle; but away over the mountains, and down streams +and rapids, across lakes, and through dense forests, he had to travel to +join a band of the fur-trading company to which he belonged. Here four +or five years of his life were spent; and the once-graceful Kamela had +become a mother, with two fine children--Moolak, a boy, and a little +Kamela. + +One day, towards the end of the year, La Touche received orders to join +Mr McDonald, a factor, with several other men, to assist in +establishing a fort on one of the streams which run into the Fraser +River. The spot selected was on a high bluff, with the river flowing at +its base. The fort was of a simple construction. It was surrounded by +a palisade of stout timbers, fixed deeply in the ground, and united by +cross-bars, further strengthened by buttresses, and loop-holed for +musketry, with a few light guns to sweep the fort should the enemy break +in. The interior consisted of log-huts and storehouses. Such is the +style of most of the fur-trading forts. To these forts the Indian +hunters bring their furs at periodical seasons, and receive fire-arms +and ammunition, tobacco, blankets, hatchets, knives, and other articles +in return; and too often, also, the deadly "fire-water." + +The fort being finished, the hunters were sent off in parties in +different directions to search for game--either for food, or for the +furs of the animals. Mr McDonald, sending for La Touche, told him that +he must proceed to a spot at the distance of about five days' journey, +with provisions for six weeks, accompanied by two other men. "We will +take care of your wife and children till you return," he added. + +"No, thank you, sir; I prefer having my wife's society. We have gone +through many hardships and dangers together; and she will be happier +with me, and safer than in the fort," answered the hunter. + +"How so, La Touche?" asked the factor. + +"Why, sir, I mean that we have enemies--that it is possible the fort may +be attacked; and that, if you are not very vigilant, it may be captured +by treachery, if not by force," answered La Touche. + +"You are plain spoken; but you need not be alarmed about our safety. I +have not lived among these Red Skins for eight years or more, without +knowing their habits and tricks," answered Mr McDonald. "However, by +all means, take your wife and children with you: you can have horses to +convey them." + +La Touche, thanking the good-natured factor, set off with his companions +and wife and children. His wife, from habit, marked well the way they +took; indeed, from constantly accompanying her husband, she knew the +country as well as he did. They met on their way natives of two or +three of the neighbouring tribes; but, as they were well mounted and +armed, no one molested them. They had rivers to ford, and hills to +climb, and there were woods through which, occasionally, to save a long +round, they had to hew their way. + +At length the party reached the hunting-ground to which the factor had +directed them. Wigwams were erected--conical shaped, and covered with +birch-bark--in a nook of the dense grove of cedars, where they would be +sheltered from the icy winds of the north; one for La Touche and his +family, the other for their companions. While the men went out hunting, +Kamela remained at home to cook their provisions, and to look after her +children; she also set cunningly-devised traps in the neighbourhood of +the wigwams, over which she could watch. She never failed to have a +good supper prepared for the hunters on their return home in the +evening. She was one evening employed as usual, now lulling her little +girl to sleep as the infant lay in its hammock in the wigwam, now +attending to the simmering caldron, her quick ear ever on the watch for +the footstep of her husband. Suddenly she started. "That is not +Pierre's footstep," she muttered; "it is that of a stranger--no; it is +Michel's. Alas! he is wounded." + +Her fears were not unfounded. In another minute, Michel, one of the +hunters, staggered into her hut, fearfully wounded. No sooner had he +entered, than he sank on the ground gasping for breath. + +"Fly!" he said; "they are both dead--your husband and Thomas. The +Blackfleet have done it. Take the horses--ride direct to McDonald's +fort--tell him--Oh! this pain! water, good Kamela!" + +Before, however, the water reached his lips, the faithful hunter, who +had thus exerted his last remaining strength to save, if possible, the +life of his friend's wife and children, fell back, and died. + +Kamela lost not a moment in giving way to unavailing grief. Michel's +condition too fearfully corroborated his account to allow her to doubt +it. Hurrying out, she caught with much difficulty two of the horses; +putting a pack on one and a saddle on the other, she loaded the first +with her blankets and two buffalo-robes, with some dried salmon and +beaver-flesh and flour, and on the other she mounted with her boy before +her and little Kamela at her back, and set off at a rapid rate in the +direction of McDonald's fort. + +She rode as she had never before ridden, scarcely daring to look behind +lest she should see some of her dreaded enemies in pursuit. Not for +herself did she fear--he that had bound her to earth was gone--but she +feared for her beloved little ones, who might fall into the hands of her +remorseless foes. Night was rapidly drawing on. The ground was covered +with snow. It was bitterly cold; but she was afraid to light a fire, +lest it might betray her to those who she was persuaded would be on the +search for her. With her axe she quickly cut some boughs and stripped +off sufficient bark to form a shelter, and wrapping herself and her +children in the blankets she had brought, and tethering the horses close +to her, she lay down to wait till morning light should enable her to +pursue her journey. Sleep did not visit her eyelids, but anxiously she +listened the livelong night for any sounds which might indicate the +approach of foes. A wandering pack of wolves might have discovered her; +and as she had only a long knife, which she had brought away to defend +herself, her prospect of escape was small indeed. + +Daylight came at last, and at the first grey streak of light in the +eastern sky she was again mounted as before, and on her way towards the +fort. She did not draw rein except when necessary to stop and feed the +horses. If enemies were following her, she began to hope that she had +distanced them. Choosing for her camp at night a sheltered spot in a +deep hollow, she ventured to light a small fire, at which she could warm +her own and her little one's benumbed limbs and dress some food. She +slept, too; but still so heavy was her heart, that she would have +welcomed death but for the little ones at her side. + +Kamela, too, had a hope beyond the grave. Confused as her notions +probably were, she had learned from her husband that the Great Spirit, +who made the world, is a God of love, and holiness and purity; that it +is not His will that any should perish; that it was man's disobedience +brought sin, and suffering, and death into the world, and that God's Own +Son came into the world that He might triumph over both. Kamela could, +therefore, pray intelligently to that Great Spirit through His Son, who +died for the sins of the whole world, for protection and support. Not +often has a person been placed in greater peril than was that young +Indian woman. + +On the evening of the third day, just as she had reached the brow of a +hill, she saw galloping towards her a band of warriors. She knew at a +glance that they were foes. She trusted that she had not been seen. +Rapidly turning her horses round, she galloped down the hill into the +thickest part of the wood. Again she watched. The Indians, instead of +ascending the hill, as she feared they might do, kept along the valley, +and thus did not discover her trail. She emerged from her concealment, +and, as long as light lasted, pushed on towards the fort. Once there, +she trusted that food and shelter would be found for her little ones. +More than once little Moolak asked for his father. Only then did tears +start to her eyes. She replied, "He has gone to be with the Great +Spirit. We shall go to him some day." + +The neighbourhood of the fort was reached; her loved ones would be in +safety. She drew in her rein. Anxiously she looked towards the bluff +on which the fort had been built. "Surely, it rose above yonder clump +of bushes," she said to herself. + +She approached cautiously. With a sinking heart she gazed at the spot +where the fort had stood. It was there no longer, and, in its place, +heaps of charred timber and ashes, the smoke from which still ascended +to the sky. There could be no doubt that the fort had been destroyed; +perhaps even the enemy were yet in the neighbourhood. Still, some of +her friends might have escaped. She turned silently away, resolving to +visit the spot as soon as the shades of night should veil her approach. +At some little distance was a thick cluster of trees. Retreating to it, +she carefully concealed the children and the horses. Then, lying down +with her little ones, she waited, with her ear close to the ground, for +the return of night. + +The hours passed slowly. Not a sound broke the stillness of the +evening, save that made by the horses as they stirred up the snow to get +at the fresh grass and hay and leaves beneath. She fed her children-- +they were too well trained to cry out--and, kissing them, and offering +up a silent prayer that they may be protected, she set out on her +perilous expedition. Her only weapon, besides her axe, was a long +knife. Gathering her garments tightly round, as she neared the spot +where the fort had stood, she crept silently up. The palisades and log +huts were still smouldering, but no human voice could she hear. +Cautiously at first, and then louder and louder, she called out the +names of Mr McDonald and those she had left with him in the fort. +Breathlessly she listened--no one answered to the summons. Again and +again she called. A strange cry reached her ears: she knew it well. A +sudden breeze at that moment fanned up the embers, and by the bright +flames which burst forth she beheld, in the farther-off corner of the +fort, a band of prairie wolves wrangling and fighting over a banquet, +the nature of which she guessed too well. To that part it was evident +her friends had retired, with their faces to the foe, and fought till +brought down by overwhelming numbers. At that sad moment a new fear +seized her--the cry of the prairie wolf reached her from another point: +it came from the wood where she had left her children. She panted with +agitation, with dread. Maternal love gave wings to her feet: she flew +rather than ran back. She sprang over the fallen logs: she dashed aside +the boughs in her way, regardless of the wounds they inflicted. She +caught sight of two large wolves stealing towards her children. Were +they the first, or had others got there before them? She shrieked out-- +she shouted--she dashed forward with her weapon to meet the savage +brutes. In another moment they would have reached her sleeping infants; +but, not waiting her approach, they fled, howling, to join the rest of +the pack at the fort. Her children were safe: she clasped them to her +bosom. They were all, now, that remained to her on earth. For their +sake she resolved to struggle on. But she had a fearful prospect before +her. Hundreds of miles from any civilised beings, or from any tribe of +natives on whose friendship she could rely; without means of procuring +food, starvation stared her in the face. Yet she did not despair. She +had the two horses: they must die. She might, perhaps, trap some +animals; she must also build a habitation to shelter herself and her +little ones. There was work enough before her. + +She revolved these matters in her mind during the night. By early dawn +she mounted her horse, and, leading the other, rode away from the fatal +spot. For two days she travelled on, till she reached a range of hills, +among which she believed that she should be safe from discovery. She +knew too well that, should she encounter any of her husband's foes, +neither her sad history nor her sex could save her from the most cruel +treatment--scarcely, indeed, from death. At last she reached the +locality she sought, and fixed her abode in a deep hollow in the side of +the hill facing the sunny south. She had brought with her some +buffalo-robes and deer-skins: with these and a few cedar-branches, and +some pine and other bark, she constructed a wigwam by the side of a +sparkling stream which burst forth from the mountain-side. + +No game was to be found, and she was compelled to kill the horses, and +smoke-dry their flesh. Their skins added somewhat to the comfort of her +hut. For three weary months the poor widow, with her orphans, dragged +on a sad existence. She saw her stock of food decreasing, and she might +have to travel far on foot before she could reach a place where more +could be obtained. May had arrived, and there was no time to be lost; +so, packing the remainder of her horse-flesh, with as many of her +blankets, and buffalo-robes, and other articles as she could carry, with +her youngest child on her back, while she led the other, she commenced +her weary march across that wild region of mountains, forests, and +streams now known as British Columbia. To no human being had she spoken +since her husband's dying comrade warned her to fly. + +For days she toiled on over the rough ground, often having to carry the +little Moolak, in addition to his sister. She had barely food +sufficient for another day, when several grey wreaths of smoke ascending +from a valley told her that a band of friends or foes were encamped +below. She hesitated to approach them. "They may be foes; and if they +are, will they spare me, wretched though I am?" she said to herself. +She looked at her children. "I have no more food for them; I must +venture on." + +Emerging from a thick wood, she saw close before her a large encampment. +She staggered forward, and stood trembling amid the camp. A chief +stepped forward from his wigwam and listened to her tale, which was soon +told. + +"You shall be a sister to us," he answered. "Your people are our +friends, and, still more, are your husband's people. I will be as a +father to your children. Fear not, sister. Here you shall find rest, +and shelter, and food." + +The chief kept to his word, and the poor widow was treated with the +greatest kindness by him and his people. The summer came, and a brigade +of the company's trading canoes passed down the river. The people +landed, and spoke to her. She was known to several of them, and they +invited her to accompany them. The Indians entreated her to remain with +them. She thanked them and said, "No, I will go with my husband's +people. When I wedded him I became one of them. I wish, also, that his +children should become like them, and be brought up in the faith to +which he held." + +Wishing, therefore, the kind Indians farewell, she accompanied the +voyageurs; and in the far-off settlement to the east, where she +ultimately took up her abode under a Christian missionary, she herself +learned more clearly to comprehend the truths of the Gospel whose +gracious offers she had embraced, while by all around she was respected +and beloved. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +THE TRAWLERS, A TALE OF THE NORTH SEA + +THE NORTH SEA FLEET--SUNDAY AT THE FISHING GROUND--THE MISSIONARY +SERVICE--THE GALE--A MISHAP TO THE SEA-GULL AND HER CAPTAIN--A CRASH-- +THE CAPTAIN'S DEATH--ALL LOST BUT TWO BOYS--DOING ONE'S DUTY--MORNING-- +ALONE WITH A DEAD MAN--BREAKFAST--TO THE PUMPS--SAVED AT LAST. + +A fleet of a hundred vessels or more lay together, dotting the surface +of the German Ocean, or North Sea, as it is more generally called, +upwards of 300 miles from the English shore. They were mostly luggers, +of from sixty to eighty tons; each with a crew of from seven to nine +men. These vessels formed a part of the North Sea fishing fleet, +chiefly belonging to Great Yarmouth and the adjacent ports, engaged in +trawling for turbot, soles, brill, and other flat fish, for the supply +of the London market. + +They had been out there for nearly three weeks, their wants being +supplied, and the fish they had caught being taken away from them by +several large cutters, which came out from Yarmouth laden with ice, in +which the fish were packed, and thus conveyed to the Thames, or to the +nearest railway terminus--thence to be transported to London, and +dispersed by similar means all over the country. It was Sunday: some of +the vessels had their sails set and their trawls down, their crews in +their dirty week-day dresses standing ready to haul them on board. +Other vessels, which had drawn close together, had their sails furled, +their anchors down, and their trawl-nets hung up in the rigging to dry. +A flag was flying at the mainmast-head on board two of them. The device +was a figure with wings, and an open book with golden leaves in its +hand, on a blue ground, and underneath, the words "Missions to Seamen." +These two vessels were somewhat apart, and boats from the others were +pulling towards them. On board one of the other vessels--the +_Sea-gull_--the crew were collected on deck, in their clean clothing, +maybe not so neat and new as they might have worn on shore, however. +The boat was alongside; the captain came on deck. + +"Well, lads, who'll go with me to worship God with our +fellow-Christians?" he asked. + +"What's come over the old man, of late?" growled out one of the +roughest-looking of the crew. "We used to do very well without all this +praying and preaching; and I don't see what good it'll do us." + +One or two laughed: but no one answered. + +"You'll go, father," said a young lad, Robby Starling, addressing +another of the men. "You can't tell what beautiful things are said; and +then there's praying and singing; it does one's heart good to hear them +sing. Come, father; come." + +"It's time to shove off, lads," said the old captain, looking round to +see who would go. + +Robby again pleaded with his father, who at length stepped into the boat +with two other men, his son, another lad, and the captain. + +The weather was calm and fine, so that it allowed of an awning to be +stretched over the deck, under which seats were arranged for the +accommodation of thirty or forty persons. The sailor missionary, who +acted as mate of the missionary fishing-vessel, after appropriate +prayers had been offered up and psalms sung, urged his hearers, in a +loving manner, to accept the gracious offer of salvation while there was +yet time. + +All were impressed with this address; no one more so than Rob Starling's +father and the other men from the _Sea-gull_. Before leaving the vessel +the elder Starling went to the missionary, begged him for his prayers, +told him how heartily sorry he was for all his sins, and yet that he was +sure his loving Saviour would wash them all away. + +Notwithstanding the calmness of the morning, there had been indications +all day of a change of weather; and just as the sun went down, the +admiral (for so the most experienced captain of the fleet elected to +that post is called) hoisted the signal for the vessels to return to +port. As the fleet had a week or more to remain out, he had been +unwilling to make the signal, though it might have been better had he +done so earlier; but even the most experienced are at times mistaken as +to the weather at sea. + +Those who had been trawling all day hauled their trawls on board; and +those which had been brought up, lifted their anchors, and all made sail +together. + +Before midnight a fierce gale was blowing from the westward, shifting +now from the south-west, now from the north-west, and creating a heavy +cross-sea. The fishing-vessels took different directions. Some stood +to the north, some towards the south, endeavouring, as best they could, +to beat up against the gale; but they were quickly dispersed here and +there, so that the seamen on board the _Sea-gull_, with which we have to +do, when they looked out into the gloom around, could not discover a +single sail near them. Dark seas, with white, foaming crests, rose up +on every side, threatening to fall over on the deck of the little +vessel, and send her to the bottom. Now she rose to the summit of one +of them now she sunk down into the deep trough between them; tumbling +and pitching as if the sport of their fury. The lightning flashed +vividly; the wind howled in the rigging; the waves roared, and ever and +anon struck the vessel as if about to batter in her sides, sending the +spray flying over her deck, wetting the crew (who stood holding on to +the bulwarks or rigging) through and through. + +There was a loud crash, followed by a groan: the mizen yard had parted, +and, falling, had struck the old master, Captain Snow, to the deck. His +men raised him up; he could not speak. He was carried below, where his +injuries could be looked to. + +"Robby, my son, do you and Bill Cuffe go below, and look after the old +man; this is not a night for boys like you to be on deck," said the +elder Starling, who now took the command. + +The boys gladly obeyed. Bill Cuffe proposed turning into their berths +to go to sleep; but Robby said, "No! we were told to look after the +captain." + +The men, by a sickly light of a lantern, examined the captain's hurts, +as he lay in his berth, but though they could not discover that any limb +was broken, they soon saw that he was beyond their skill. They had, +too, to hurry on deck to help repair the damage to the rigging. Soon +after, Robby and Bill Cuffe heard the men on deck battening down the +hatches; it was a sign that things were becoming even more serious than +at first. The bulkheads below creaked; the seas thumped and thumped +against the sides, and the _Sea-gull_ tumbled and pitched about in every +conceivable manner. + +"What's going to happen? ain't we all going to the bottom?" asked Bill. +"What shall we do, Robby?" + +"Do our duty, Bill, whatever happens, as the missionary told us this +morning; and pray to God to take care of us all aboard here," answered +Robby. "We've now to try to help the captain; I think I hear him +speaking." + +The boys went to the captain's side. He had returned to consciousness. +"What's happened, boy?" he asked: "I can't move hand or foot." Robby +told him. "God's will be done," he murmured. "Your father'll do his +best--he's a good seaman. He went to service with us this morning. I +wish all had gone." + +While he was speaking, the vessel received a more furious blow; then +there was a rushing noise of water overhead, followed by loud crashes +and a few faint shrieks, and then the vessel seemed to bound upwards, +and no other sound was heard but that of the seas which washed against +the sides. The boys clung to each other in terror; something dreadful +had happened, they had been long enough at sea to know that. They +dreaded to ask each other; yet what could those shrieks mean? There +were no sound of footsteps on deck; the movement of the vessel was +different; she no longer went ahead, but lay tossed about by the sea. + +"Boys, are you prepared to meet your God?" asked the captain, in a deep +tone, making an effort to speak. "Pray with me." The boys went to him +and knelt by his side. He tried in vain to lift up his hands. They +repeated the solemn words he uttered. His speech grew fainter and +fainter, then ceased altogether. A few faint groans followed, then +there was an ominous silence. Robby held the lantern to the old man's +face. The eyes were open, but all expression had gone. + +"Speak, Captain Snow; speak, Mr Snow--oh! do--do!" cried the boy. +"He's gone--the captain's dead, Bill," he said, sadly, after waiting for +some time and getting no answer. "How sorry father and the rest will +be!" + +The boys had not even then realised what had happened on deck. Again +the lugger was wildly tossed about. Another heavy blow was followed by +a rush of water below. It seemed to come in forward. They could stand +the suspense no longer, but rushing up the companion-ladder, with their +united strength they forced back the hatch, and looked out. Better had +it been for them, poor boys, had they remained in ignorance till +daylight of what had happened. + +The masts were gone; the boat was gone; the bulwarks were gone; and not +a human being remained on deck. The sea had swept it clear, with the +exception of the companion-hatch, which was low and unusually strong. +To this they owed their preservation. Had it been carried away, the +vessel must soon have filled; as it was, the fore-hatch had lifted, and +allowed the water to pour down. Should it be carried away, the vessel +would very probably go down. Mechanically drawing over the hatch again, +they returned into the cabin, and sat down, sobbing and wringing their +hands. + +"Perhaps they're gone away in the boat," suggested Bill Cuffe. + +Hobby for an instant checked his tears, but immediately saw the +improbability of this. "Oh, no, no! They're all gone! they're all +gone!" he repeated again and again. "No one but us two and the dead +captain aboard the craft." + +"What shall we do, then?" asked Bill, after a long silence. + +Hobby looked at his companion earnestly before speaking. "Trust in God, +and do our duty," he said, at length. + +"Yes, but what is our duty, Robby?" + +"I don't see that we can do much, as yet," answered Robby, "but trust in +God, and pray to Him. Yes, I've heard say that when people die, their +friends go and shut their eyes: the captain's are open; let's go and do +that for him." + +Together they went back to the body, and while Bill held the lantern, +Robby reverently closed the eyes of the dead man. + +The _Sea-gull_ continued tumbling about as before, now tossed to the top +of one curling wave, now to that of another; while every now and then a +fresh rush of water down the fore-hatch made the two boys dread more +than ever that she would ere long go to the bottom. They dared not go +on deck to see how matters stood, because they knew that if they did +they most probably would be swept off it; so they sat down on the floor +of the little cabin, and held on by the leg of the table, wishing that +daylight would come and the storm cease. + +The night seemed a very long one; so, indeed, it was. Wearied out, they +at length both slept. How long, they could not tell, but a sudden lurch +threw them against the side of the vessel, and they awoke, but with +their senses confused, and neither of them able to recollect clearly +what had occurred. The light in their lantern had burnt out, and they +were in total darkness. + +Suddenly Bill exclaimed, "Oh, Robby, where's the captain?" + +"Dead," said Robby: "you haven't forgotten that, surely." + +"Dead!" exclaimed Bill. "Oh, so he is, and we two here with him alone +in the cabin away out in the open sea. I can't stand it, I tell you. +Where shall we go? what shall we do?" + +Terror caused by thinking of the supernatural is especially infectious. +Robby was but a boy. In spite of his better judgment, he allowed his +feelings to get the better of it, and he began to tremble like his +companion. This was but natural. Brought up as are boys of his class, +who could blame him? There were the two lads, with their dead captain, +rolling about in a leaky craft during that fierce gale out in the North +Sea. They dared not go on deck; they feared to remain in the cabin: +they crept over as far as they could from the side where the dead body +lay. Not till Robby again thought of praying did he regain his +composure. With the hatches battened down and the skylight covered +over, daylight could not penetrate in the little cabin. The boys forgot +this, and sat on, Robby at length again falling asleep, but Bill's fears +kept him awake. After a time it seemed to him that the vessel did not +tumble about so much; he was very hungry also, and he thought that it +must be day, and as he was afraid of moving by himself, he awoke Robby, +and together they groped their way to the companion-hatch, and, +unfastening it, the bright sunlight streamed full on their dazzled eyes. +The sea had gone down somewhat, but still it washed over the deck, +which was wet and slippery, and so they were afraid to venture on it +lest they should be washed off. Hobby looked around, in the faint hope +that some one might be yet clinging to the vessel, but not one of the +seven men they had left there when they went below remained. Then he +scanned the horizon on every side. Foam-crested, dancing waves alone +were to be seen. Not a sail appeared. Bill now cried out for food. +They could venture to leave the companion-hatch off, and by the light +which streamed down it they were able to hunt about for some. They soon +found some cold meat and biscuit, and fortunately also a jar of water, +and, with these things, quickly appeased their hunger. They had no +fear, indeed, of starving, for there were plenty of fish on board, and +an ample supply of provisions of all sorts, but the cooking-place was +forward, and they could not venture along the deck to get to it. After +their meal their spirits improved. Hobby remarked with confidence that, +as the vessel had floated so long through the worst part of the gale, +she might still weather it out altogether. They could hear, however, by +the rushing sound inside as she rolled, that there was a great deal of +water in her. "We must try and pump it out," said Robby. To do that +they must wait till they could get forward, where the brake of the pump +was kept. + +All this time the wind was falling and the sea was going down, and at +last Robby thought that by working their way along the masts they might +reach the forehatch. He led, Bill followed. The hatch was found +partially off. Fortunately, it had not been altogether washed away, +for, as it was, large quantities of water had got down and damaged +everything in the forecastle. Bill, again frightened by the damage the +vessel had sustained, thought that pumping would be of no use. + +"It's our duty to pump this vessel--and do so I will, if I can," said +Robby, firmly. + +The pump, not without difficulty, was rigged, and they set to work +manfully. It was very hard work too, but it was satisfactory to see the +clear water rushing out through the scuppers, and to believe that none +was coming in. They pumped and pumped away till they were weary, and +then went back into the cabin to lie down awhile. + +They had now got more accustomed to the sight of their dead captain, so +that even Bill did not object to passing the night in the cabin. The +next day they again pumped away, and had entirely freed the vessel by +noon. Having nothing more to do, their thoughts turned towards the +possibility of reaching England. They anxiously scanned the horizon in +the hopes of seeing some vessel approaching them. A sail was seen at +length--they thought that she was coming towards them, but she stood +away; then another and another came in sight; but their vessel was not +perceived. Another night came on. As the sun went down, the sky again +became very threatening. Before midnight the gale had returned. There +was no compass below, so the boys did not know from what quarter it +blew. Poor Bill began really to despair, and wanted to get into a berth +and go to sleep till he was drowned. + +"No, don't do that," said Robby. "While there's life there's hope; and, +depend on't, God knows what's best for us." + +The storm raged furiously, but the little vessel, freed from water, and +light as a cask, floated like a cork driven before it. At length the +gale ceased, and the sea went down, and the two boys went on deck. The +coast was in sight--they knew it well--they were off Lowestoft. Boats +came off--the _Sea-gull_ was towed into the Yar. It became known how +Robby and Bill had kept the vessel afloat by pumping her out before the +second gale came on. A subscription was raised for Robby and his +mother; and, though he is very young, he commands a vessel of his own, +still firm in the belief which he endeavours to impress on others, that +"God knows what is best for us." + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Ferryman of Brill, by William H. G. 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