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diff --git a/21473.txt b/21473.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e642f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/21473.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15920 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Paddy Finn, by W. 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: Paddy Finn + +Author: W. H. G. Kingston + +Illustrator: Archibald Webb + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21473] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PADDY FINN *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Paddy Finn, by W H G Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This is one of Kingston's longest adventure stories, but possibly also +one of his best. The eponymous hero is tracked through his time at sea +as a midshipman. Exciting events follow on each other's heels, fast and +furious. Very well written, showing the extraordinary depth of +knowledge that the author possessed. You will definitely enjoy reading +it, if you enjoy this genre at all. You may care to listen to it +instead, in which case it makes an excellent audiobook. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +PADDY FINN, BY W H G KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE HOME OF MY ANCESTORS. + +"The top of the morning to you, Terence," cried the major, looking down +upon me from the window of his bedroom. + +I was standing in front of the castle of Ballinahone--the seat of the +O'Finnahans, my ancestors--on the banks of the beautiful Shannon, +enjoying the fresh air of the early morning. + +"Send Larry up, will you, with a jug of warm water for shaving; and, +while I think of it, tell Biddy to brew me a cup of hot coffee. It will +be some time before breakfast is ready, and my hand isn't as steady as +it once was till I've put something into my inside." + +The old house had not been provided with bells for summoning the +attendants; a loud shout, a clap of the hands, or the clatter of +fire-irons, answering the purpose. + +"Shure, Larry was sent to meet the postboy, uncle, and I'll be after +taking you up the warm water; but Biddy maybe will not have come in from +milking the cows, so if Dan Bourke is awake, and will give me the key of +the cellar, mightn't I be bringing you up a glass of whisky?" I asked, +knowing the taste of most of the guests at the castle. + +"Arrah, boy, don't be tempting me!" cried the major in a half-angry +tone; "that morning nip is the bane of too many of us. Go and do as I +bid you." + +I was about entering the house to perform the duty I had undertaken, +when I caught sight of my foster-brother, Larry Harrigan, galloping up +the avenue, mounted on the bare back of a shaggy little pony, its mane +and tail streaming in the breeze. + +"Hurrah! hurrah! yer honour; I've got it," he cried, as he waved a +letter above his carroty and hatless pate. "I wouldn't have been after +getting it at all, at all, for the spalpeen of a postboy wanted tinpence +before he would give it me, but sorra a copper had I in my pocket, and I +should have had to come away without it, if Mr McCarthy, the bailiff, +hadn't been riding by, and paid the money for me." + +I took the letter; and telling Larry, after he had turned the pony into +the yard, to bring up the warm water and the cup of hot coffee, I +hurried, with the official-looking document in my hand, up to my uncle's +room. He met me at the door, dressed in his trousers and shirt, his +shirt-sleeves tucked up in order to perform his ablutions, exhibiting +his brawny arms, scarred with many a wound,--his grizzled hair uncombed, +his tall figure looking even more gaunt than usual without the military +coat in which I was accustomed to see him. He eagerly took the letter. + +"Come in, my boy, and sit down on the foot of the bed while I see what +my friend Macnamara writes in answer to my request," he said, as he +broke the seal, and with a deliberation which didn't suit my eagerness, +opened a large sheet of foolscap paper, which he held up to the light +that he might read it more easily. + +While he was thus engaged, Larry brought up the warm water and the cup +of steaming coffee, and, with a look at the major's back which betokened +anything but respect, because it was not a glass of whisky, placed the +jug and cup on the table. Larry was, I must own, as odd-looking an +individual as ever played the part of valet. His shock head of hair was +unacquainted with comb or brush; his grey coat reached to his calves; +his breeches were open at the knees; his green waistcoat, too short to +reach the latter garment, was buttoned awry; huge brogues encased his +feet, and a red handkerchief, big enough to serve as the royal of a +frigate, was tied loosely round his neck. He stood waiting for further +orders, when the major, turning round to take a sip of coffee, by a sign +bade him begone, and he vanished. + +Major McMahon, my mother's uncle, was an old officer, who, having seen +much service for the better part of half a century,--his sword being his +only patrimony,--on retiring from the army had come to live with us at +Castle Ballinahone when I was a mere slip of a boy. Knowing the world +well,--having been taught prudence by experience, though he had never +managed to save any of his pay or prize-money, and was as poor as when +he first carried the colours,--he was of the greatest service to my +father, who, like many another Irish gentleman of those days, knew +nothing of the world, and possessed but a small modicum of the quality I +have mentioned. The major, seeing the way matters were going at Castle +Ballinahone, endeavoured to set an example of sobriety to the rest of +the establishment by abstaining altogether from his once favourite +beverage of rum shrub and whisky punch, although he had a head which the +strongest liquor would have failed to affect, and he was therefore well +able to manage everything on the estate with prudence, and as much +economy as the honour of the family would allow. My father was an Irish +gentleman, every inch of him. He delighted to keep up the habits and +customs of the country, which, to say the best of them, were not +calculated to serve his own interests or those of his family. He was +kind-hearted and generous; and if it had not been for the rum shrub, and +whisky-toddy, and the hogsheads of claret which found their way into his +cellar, and thence into his own and his guests' insides, he would have +been happy and prosperous, with few cares to darken his doors. But the +liquor, however good in itself, proved a treacherous friend, as it +served him a scurvy trick in return for the affection he had shown to +it, leaving him a martyr to the gout, which, while it held sway over +him, soured his otherwise joyous and happy spirits. It made him +occasionally seem harsh even to us, though he was in the main one of the +kindest and most indulgent of fathers. He was proud of his family, of +his estate,--or what remained of it,--of his children, and, more than +all, of his wife; and just reason he had to be so of the latter, for she +was as excellent a mother as ever breathed, with all the attractive +qualities of an Irish lady. That means a mighty deal; for I have since +roamed the world over, and never have I found any of their sex to +surpass my fair countrywomen. + +I must describe our family mansion. Enough of the old building remained +to allow it still to be called a castle. A round tower or keep, with +two of the ancient walls surmounted by battlements, stood as they had +done for centuries, when the castle had often defied a hostile force; +but the larger portion had been pulled down and replaced by a plain +structure, more commodious, perhaps, but as ugly as could well be +designed. Round it ran a moat, over which was a drawbridge,--no longer +capable of being drawn up,--while a flight of stone steps led to the +entrance door, ungraced by a porch. The large hall, the walls of which +were merely whitewashed, with a roof of plain oak, had from its size an +imposing appearance. The walls of the hall were decked with firearms,-- +muskets, pistols, arquebuses, blunderbusses,--pikes, and halberts, +symmetrically arranged in stars or other devices; stags' horns, +outstretched eagles' wings, extended skins of kites, owls, and +king-fishers, together with foxes' brushes, powder-flasks, shot-pouches, +fishing-rods, nets, and dogs' collars; while in the corners stood four +figures, clothed in complete suits of armour, with lances in their +hands, or arquebuses on their arms. + +Over the front door were the skin and wings of an enormous eagle, +holding a dagger in its mouth,--the device of our family. A similar +device in red brick-work was to be seen on the wall above the entrance +on the outside. Paint had been sparsely used,--paper not at all,--many +of the rooms being merely whitewashed, though the more important were +wainscotted with brown oak, and others with plain deal on which the +scions of our race had for several generations exercised their artistic +skill, either with knives, hot irons, or chalk. The breakfast and +dining-rooms, which opened from the great hall, were wainscotted, their +chief embellishments being some old pictures in black frames, and a +number of hunting, shooting, and racing prints, with red tape round them +to serve the purpose of frames; while the library so-called was worthy +of being the habitation of an ascetic monk, though two of the walls were +covered with book-shelves which contained but few books, and they served +chiefly to enable countless spiders to form their traps for unwary +flies, while a table covered with green cloth and three wooden chairs +formed its only furniture. + +The bedrooms were numerous enough to accommodate the whole of our large +family, and an almost unlimited number of guests, who, on grand +occasions, were stowed away in them, crop and heels. The less said +about the elegance of the furniture the better; or of the tea and +breakfast services, which might once have been uniform, but, as most of +the various pieces had gone the way of all crockery, others of every +description of size and shape had taken their places, till scarcely two +were alike; but that didn't detract from our happiness or the pleasure +of our guests, who, probably from their own services being in the same +condition, scarcely noticed this. + +I had long had a desire to go to sea, partly from reading Captain +Berkeley's _History of the Navy_, _Robinson Crusoe_, and the _Adventures +of Peter Wilkins_, and partly from taking an occasional cruise on the +Shannon,--that queen of rivers, which ran her course past the walls of +Ballinahone, to mingle with the ocean, through the fair city of +Limerick. + +Often had I stood on the banks, watching the boats gliding down on the +swift current, and listening to the songs of the fishermen, which came +from far away up the stream! + +I had, as most boys would have done, talked to my mother, and pestered +my father and uncle, till the latter agreed to write to an old friend of +his in the navy to consult him as to the best means of enabling me to +gratify my wishes. + +But I have been going ahead to talk of my family, forgetful of my +honoured uncle, the major. He conned the letter, holding it in his two +hands, now in one light, now in another, knitting his thick grey +eyebrows to see the better, and compressing his lips. I watched him all +the time, anxious to learn the contents, and yet knowing full well that +it would not do to interrupt him. At last he came to the bottom of the +page. + +"It's just like him!" he exclaimed. "Terence, my boy, you'll have the +honour of wearing His Majesty's uniform, as I have done for many a long +year, though yours will be blue and mine is red; and you'll bring no +discredit on your cloth, I'll be your surety for it." + +"Thank you, uncle, for your good opinion of me," I said. "And am I +really to become a midshipman, and wear a cockade in my hat, and a dirk +by my side?" + +"Within a few days you may be enjoying that happiness, my boy," answered +the major. "My old friend, Captain Macnamara, writes me word that he'll +receive you on board the _Liffy_ frigate, which, by a combination of +circumstances, is now lying in Cork Harbour,--fortunate for us, but +which might have proved disastrous to her gallant officers and crew, for +she was dismasted in a gale, and was within an ace of being driven on +shore. But a miss is as good as a mile; and when under jury-masts she +scraped clear of the rocks, and got into port in safety. Here my +letter, after wandering about for many a day, found him, and he has lost +no time in replying to it. One of his midshipmen having gone overboard +in the gale, he can give you his berth; but mind you, Terence, don't go +and be doing the same thing." + +"Not if I can help it, uncle," I replied. "And Larry? will he take +Larry? The boy has set his heart upon going to sea, and it would be +after breaking if he were parted from me. He has been talking about it +every day since he knew that I thought of going; and I promised him I +would beg hard that he might go with me." + +"As Captain Macnamara says that the _Liffy_ has had several men killed +in action, I have no doubt that a stout lad like Larry will not be +refused; so you may tell him that when he volunteers, I'll answer for +his being accepted," was the answer. + +"Thank you, uncle; it will make him sing at the top of his voice when he +hears that," I said. "And when are we to be off?" + +"To-morrow, or the day after, at the furthest," answered the major. "I +intend to go with you to introduce you to your captain, and to have a +talk with him over old times." + +"Then may I run and tell my father and mother, and Maurice, and Denis, +and the girls?" + +"To be sure, boy; but you mustn't be surprised if they are not as +delighted to hear of your going, as you are to go," he answered, as I +bolted out of the room. + +I found my brothers turning out of bed, and gave them a full account of +the captain's letter. They took the matter coolly. + +"I wish you joy," said Maurice, who was expecting shortly to get his +commission in our uncle's old regiment. I then went to the girls, who +were by this time dressed. Kathleen and Nora congratulated me warmly. + +"And shure are you going to be a real midshipman?" said Nora. "I wish I +was a boy myself, that I might go to sea, and pull, and haul, and dance +a hornpipe." + +They, at all events, didn't seem so much cast down as my uncle supposed +they would be. My father had just been wheeled out of his chamber into +the breakfast room, for he was suffering from an attack of his sworn +enemy. + +"Keep up the honour of the O'Finnahans, my boy; and you'll only do that +by performing your duty," he said, patting me on the back,--for shaking +hands was a ceremony he was unwilling to venture on with his gouty +fingers. + +My mother was later than usual. I hurried off to her room. As she +listened to my account her eyes were fixed on me till they became filled +with tears. + +"You have chosen a rough life, Terence; but may God protect you," she +said, throwing her arms round my neck, and kissing my brow. "I could +not prevent your going even if I would, as your uncle has accepted +Captain Macnamara's offer; for a profession you must have, and it is a +fine one, I've no doubt. But wherever you go, my dear boy, remember +that the thoughts of those at home will be following you." + +More she said to the same effect. When she at length released me, I +hurried out to tell Larry, Dan Bourke, and the rest of the domestics. +At first Larry looked very downcast; but when he heard that he was to go +too, he gave expression to his joy in a wild shout, which rang through +the kitchen. Biddy, the cook, and the other females were not so heroic +as my sisters, for they began to pipe their eyes in a way I couldn't +stand, so I ran off to the breakfast room; whether it was at the +thoughts of losing Larry or me, I didn't stop to consider. My speedy +departure to become a son of Neptune was the only subject of +conversation during the morning meal. It was agreed that to enable me +to make a respectable appearance on board His Majesty's frigate, I ought +to be provided with a uniform; and a message was despatched to Pat +Cassidy, the family tailor, to appear forthwith, and exercise his skill +in manufacturing the necessary costume. The major, who had frequently +been at sea, believed that he could give directions for shaping the +garments correctly; and as all were agreed that blue was the required +colour, he presented me with a cloth cloak, which, though it had seen +some service, was considered suitable for the purpose. + +Pat Cassidy soon arrived with his shears and tape; and being installed +in a little room, where he was sure of not being interrupted, took my +measure, and set to work, under the major's directions, to cut out and +stitch a coat and breeches in what was considered approved nautical +fashion. The difficulty was the buttons; but my mother fortunately +discovered a moth-eaten coat and waistcoat of a naval lieutenant, a +relative, who had paid a visit to Castle Ballinahone many years before, +and, having been killed in action shortly afterwards, had never returned +to claim his garments. There being fewer buttons than the major +considered necessary, Pat Cassidy proposed eking them out with a few +military ones sewn on in the less conspicuous parts. Meantime, my +mother and sisters and the maids were as busily engaged in preparing the +rest of my kit, carrying off several of my brothers' shirts and +stockings, which they faithfully promised in due time to replace. +"Where there's a will there's a way," and before night, Pat Cassidy, +aided by the busy maids, had performed his task, as had my mother and +sisters theirs; and it was considered that I was fairly fitted out for +my new career, the major promising to get for me at Cork such other +things as I might require. + +With intense satisfaction I put on my uniform, of which, though the gold +lace was somewhat tarnished, and the buttons not over bright, I was +mightily proud. My father presented me with a sword, which had been my +grandfather's. It was of antique make, and, being somewhat rusty, was +evidently unwilling to leave the scabbard. Nora, notwithstanding, +proudly girded it on my side by a broad leathern belt with a huge silver +clasp, which I thought had a very handsome appearance. I little dreamed +that my costume was not altogether according to the rules and +regulations of the naval service. The coat was long in the waist, and +longer in the skirts, which were looped back with gold lace, Pat having +also surrounded the cuffs with a band of the same material. The inside +was lined with white silk, and there were patches of white cloth on the +collar. The waistcoat, which came down to my hips, was of flowered +silk, made out of one of my great-grandmother's petticoats, which had +long been laid by, and was now by unanimous consent devoted to my use. +The breeches were very full, Pat observing that I should be after +growing rapidly on the salt sea, and would require room in them. White +cotton stockings covered the lower part of my legs, and huge silver +buckles adorned my shoes; a cockade, manufactured by my uncle, was stuck +in my hat; while a frilled shirt and red silk handkerchief tied round my +neck completed my elegant costume. Having once donned my uniform,--if +so it could be called,--I was unwilling to take it off again; and, +highly delighted with my appearance, I paced about the hall for some +time. My father watched me, while he laughed till the tears streamed +from his eyes to see me draw my sword and make an onslaught on one of +the mailed warriors in the corner. + +"Hurrah, Terence! Bravo! bravo!" cried Maurice. "But just be after +remembering that a live enemy won't stand so quiet as old Brian Boru +there." + +The toils of the day over, my father, in spite of his gout, was wheeled +into the supper room, when he, in a glass of the strongest whisky-toddy, +and my uncle in one of old claret, drank my health and success in the +naval career I was about to enter, my brothers joining them in other +beverages; and I am very sure that my fond mother more effectually +prayed that I might be protected from the perils and dangers to which I +should be exposed. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +I COMMENCE MY JOURNEY TO CORK. + +It was on a fine spring morning, the birds carolling sweetly in the +trees, that I set forth, accompanied by my uncle and Larry Harrigan, to +commence my career on the stormy ocean. My father had been wheeled to +the hall door, my mother stood by his side with her handkerchief to her +eyes, my sisters grouped round her, my brothers outside tossing up their +hats as they shouted their farewells,--their example being imitated by +the domestics and other retainers of the house. The major rode a strong +horse suitable to his weight. He was dressed in his red long-skirted, +gold-laced coat, boots reaching above his knees, large silver spurs, +three-cornered hat on the top of his wig, with a curl on each side, his +natural hair being plaited into a queue behind. A brace of pistols was +stuck in his leathern belt, while a sword, with the hilt richly +ornamented,--the thing he prized most on earth, it having been presented +to him for his gallantry at the capture of an enemy's fort, when he led +the forlorn hope,--hung by his side. I was mounted on my own horse, my +legs for the journey being encased in boots. A cloak was hung over my +shoulders; I also had a brace of pistols--the gift of my brother +Maurice--in my belt; while in my hand I carried a heavy riding-whip, as +did my uncle, serving both to urge on our steeds, and to defend +ourselves against the sudden attack of an unexpected foe. Larry +followed on a pony, with uncombed mane and tail, its coat as shaggy as a +bear's; his only weapon a shillelah; his dress such as he usually wore +on Sundays and holidays. I need not describe the partings which had +previously taken place. The major gave the word "Forward!" and we +trotted down the avenue at a rapid rate. I could not refrain from +giving a lingering look behind. My sisters waved their handkerchiefs; +my mother had too much use for hers to do so; my brothers cheered again +and again; and I saw Larry half pulled from his pony, as his +fellow-servants gripped him by the hands; and two or three damsels, more +demonstrative than the rest, ran forward to receive his parting salutes. +My chest, I should have said, was to come by the waggon, which would +arrive at Cork long before the ship sailed. The more requisite +articles, such as changes of linen and spare shoes, were packed in +valises strapped to Larry's and my cruppers; while the major carried +such things as he required in his saddle-bags. We soon lost sight of +the Shannon, and the top of the castle tower appearing above the trees. +For some time we rode on in silence, but as neither my respected +relative nor I were accustomed to hold our tongues, we soon let them wag +freely. He talked as we rode on in his usual hearty way, giving me +accounts of his adventures in many lands. Larry kept behind us, not +presuming to come up and join in the conversation. He was of too happy +a spirit to mind riding alone, while he relieved himself by cracking +jokes with the passers-by. I have spoken of his warm affection for me. +He also--notwithstanding his rough outside--possessed a talent for +music, and could not only sing a capital song, but had learned to play +the violin from an old fiddler, Peter McLeary, who had presented him +with an instrument, which he valued like the apple of his eye. He now +carried it in its case, strapped carefully on behind him. We rode on +too fast to allow of his playing it, as I have seen him do on horseback +many a time, when coming from marriages or wakes, where he was +consequently in great request. We made a long day's journey, having +rested a couple of hours to bait our horses; and not reaching the town +of Kilmore till long after sundown. + +The assizes were taking place. The judge and lawyers, soldiers, police, +and witnesses, filled every house in the town. Consequently the only +inn at which we could hope to obtain accommodation was crowded. All the +guests had retired to their rooms; but the landlady, Mrs Mccarthy, who +knew my uncle, undertook to put us up. Larry took the horses round to +the stables, where he would find his sleeping place, and we entered the +common room. Mrs McCarthy was the only person in the establishment who +seemed to have any of her wits about her. The rest of the inmates who +were still on foot had evidently imbibed a larger amount of the potheen +than their heads could stand, she herself being even more genial than +usual. + +"Shure, major dear, there are two gentlemen of the bar up-stairs who +don't know their feet from their heads; and as your honour will be +rising early to continue your journey, we'll just tumble them out on the +floor, and you can take their bed. We'll put them back again before +they wake in the morning; or if we're after forgetting it, they'll only +think they have rolled out of their own accord, and nobody'll be blamed, +or they be the worse for it; and they'll have reason to be thankful, +seeing that if they had really tumbled on the floor, they might have +broken their necks." + +My uncle, who would on no account agree to this hospitable proposal, +insisted on sitting up in an arm-chair, with his legs on another, +assuring Mrs McCarthy that he had passed many a night with worse +accommodation. + +"Shure, then, the young gentleman must go to bed," observed the hostess. +"There's one I've got for him in the kitchen,--a little snug cupboard +by the fireside; and shure he'll there be as warm and comfortable as a +mouse in its hole." + +To this the major agreed, as the bed was not big enough for both of us, +and indeed was too short for him. + +Supper being ended, my uncle composed himself in the position he +intended to occupy, with his cloak wrapped round him, and I accompanied +Mrs McCarthy into the kitchen, which was in a delightful state of +disorder. She here let down, from a little niche in which it was +folded, a small cupboard-bed, on which, though the sheets and blankets +were not very clean, I was not sorry to contemplate a night's rest. The +landlady, wishing me good-night, withdrew to her own quarters. Molly, +the maid-servant, I should have said, long before this, overcome by the +sips she had taken at the invitation of the guests, was stowed away in a +corner somewhere out of sight. + +Pulling off my boots and laced coat and waistcoat, which I stowed for +safe keeping under the pillow, I turned into bed by the light of the +expiring embers of the fire, and in a few seconds afterwards was fast +asleep. I was not conscious of waking for a single moment during the +night; and had I been called, should have said that only a few minutes +had passed since I had closed my eyes, when, to my horror, all at once I +found myself in a state of suffocation, with my head downwards, pressed +closely between the bolster and pillow, and my feet in the air. Every +moment I thought would be my last. I struggled as violently as my +confined position would allow, unable, in my confusion, to conceive +where I was, or what had happened. I in vain tried to shout out; when I +opened my mouth, the feather pillow filled it, and no sound escaped. I +felt much as, I suppose, a person does drowning. Thoughts of all sorts +rushed into my mind, and I believed that I was doomed to an ignominious +exit from this sublunary scene, when suddenly there came a crash, and, +shot out into the middle of the room, I lay sprawling on the floor, +unable to rise or help myself, my head feeling as if all the blood in my +body had rushed into it. The button which had kept the foot of the +shut-up-bed in its place had given way. + +"Murder! murder!" I shouted out, believing that some diabolical attempt +had been made to take my life. + +"Murther! murther!" echoed Molly, who, broom in hand, was engaged at the +further end of the kitchen. "Och, somebody has been kilt entirely." +And, frightened at the spectacle I exhibited, she rushed out of the room +to obtain assistance. + +My cries and hers had aroused Mrs Mccarthy, who rushed in, followed by +the waiting-man and my uncle, who, gazing at me as I lay on the floor, +and seeing that I was almost black in the face, ordered one of the +servants to run off for the apothecary, to bleed me. In the meantime, +Mrs Mccarthy had hurried out for a pitcher of cold water. Having +dashed some over my face, she poured out several glasses, which I +swallowed one after the other, and by the time the apothecary had +arrived had so far recovered as to be able to dispense with his +services. Molly confessed to having got up at daylight, and begun to +set matters to rights in the kitchen; and, not observing me, supposing +that her mistress--who usually occupied the bed--had risen, she had +hoisted it up into its niche, and had turned the button at the top to +keep it in its place. Had not the button given way, my adventures, I +suspect, would have come to an untimely termination. + +Having performed my ablutions, with the assistance of Mrs McCarthy, in +a basin of cold water, I was perfectly ready for breakfast, and very +little the worse for what had happened. Our meal was a hearty one, for +my uncle, like an old soldier, made it a rule to stow away on such +occasions a liberal supply of provisions, which might last him, if needs +be, for the remainder of the day, or far into the next. + +Breakfast over, he ordered round the horses, and we recommenced our +journey. After riding some distance, on turning round, I perceived that +Larry was not following us. + +"He knows the road we're going, and will soon overtake us," said my +uncle. + +We rode on and on, however, and yet Larry didn't appear. I began to +feel uneasy, and at last proposed turning back to ascertain if any +accident had happened to him. He would surely not have remained behind +of his own free will. He had appeared perfectly sober when he brought +me my horse to mount; besides which, I had never known Larry drunk in +his life,--which was saying a great deal in his favour, considering the +example he had had set him by high and low around. + +"We'll ride on slowly, and if he doesn't catch us up we'll turn back to +look for the spalpeen, though the delay will be provoking," observed the +major. + +Still Larry did not heave in sight. + +The country we were now traversing was as wild as any in Ireland. High +hills on one side with tall trees, and more hills on the other, +completely enclosed the road, so that it often appeared as if there was +no outlet ahead. The road itself was rough in the extreme, scarcely +allowing of the passage of a four-wheeled vehicle; indeed, our horses +had in some places to pick their way, and rapid movement was +impossible--unless at the risk of breaking the rider's neck, or his +horse's knees. Those celebrated lines had not been written:-- + + "If you had seen but these roads before they were made, + You'd have lift up your hands and blessed General Wade." + +I had, however, been used to ground of all sorts, and was not to be +stopped by such trifling impediments as rocks, bushes, stone walls, or +streams. + +"Something must have delayed Larry," I said at length. "Let me go back, +uncle, and find him, while you ride slowly on." + +"No, I'll go with you, Terence. We shall have to make a short journey +instead of a long one, if the gossoon has been detained in Kilmore; and +I haven't clapped eyes on him since we left the town." + +We were on the point of turning our horses' heads to go back, when +suddenly, from behind the bushes and rocks on either side of the road, a +score of ruffianly-looking fellows, dressed in the ordinary costume of +Irish peasants, rushed out and sprang towards us, some threatening to +seize our reins, and others pointing muskets, blunderbusses, and pistols +at us. Those not possessing these weapons were armed with shillelahs. +One of the fellows, with long black hair and bushy beard,--a hideous +squint adding to the ferocity of his appearance,--advanced with a +horse-pistol in one hand, the other outstretched as if to seize the +major's rein. At the same time a short but strongly-built ruffian, with +a humpback, sprang towards me, evidently intending to drag me off my +horse, or to haul the animal away, so that I might be separated from my +companion. + +"Keep close to my side, Terence," he said in a low voice. "Out with +your pistol, and cover that villain approaching." + +At the moment, as he spoke, his sword flashed in the sunlight, and with +the back of the blade he struck up the weapon of his assailant, which +exploded in the air. He was about to bring down the sharp edge on the +fellow's head, when a dozen others, with shrieks and shouts, rushed +towards us, some forcing themselves in between our horses, while others, +keeping on the other side of the major, seized his arms at the risk of +being cut down. Several grasped his legs and stirrups. His horse +plunged and reared, but they nimbly avoided the animal's heels. Two of +the gang held the horse's head down by the reins, while an attempt was +made to drag the rider from his seat. They doubtless thought if they +could master him, that I should become an easy prey. Their object, I +concluded, was to make us prisoners, rather than to take our lives, +which they might have done at any moment by shooting us with their +firearms. Still our position was very far from an agreeable one. My +uncle, who had not spoken another word, firmly kept his seat, +notwithstanding the efforts of the ruffian crew to pull him off his +saddle. In the meantime, the hunchback, whose task, it seemed, was to +secure me, came on, fixing his fierce little eyes on my pistol, which I +fancied was pointed at his head. + +"If you come an inch further, I'll fire," I cried out. + +He answered by a derisive laugh, followed by an unearthly shriek, given +apparently to unnerve me; and then, as he saw my finger on the trigger, +he ducked his head, as if about to spring into the water. The pistol +went off, the bullet passing above him. The next instant, rising and +springing forward, he clutched my throat, while another fellow caught +hold of my rein. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +WE MEET WITH FURTHER ADVENTURES. + +In spite of my uncle's skill as a swordsman, and the pistols, on which I +had placed so much reliance, we were overpowered before we could strike +a blow in our own defence, and were completely at the mercy of our +assailants. The major, however, all the time didn't lose his coolness +and self-possession. + +"What are you about to do, boys?" he asked. "You have mistaken us for +others. We are travellers bound to Cork, not wishing to interfere with +you or any one else." + +"We know you well enough, Major McMahon," answered the leader of the +gang. "If you're not the man we want, you'll serve our purpose. But +understand, we'll have no nonsense. If you come peaceably we'll not +harm you; we bear you no grudge. But if you make further resistance, or +attempt to escape, you must take the consequences; we care no more for a +man's life than we do for that of a calf." The ruffian thundered out +the last words at the top of his voice. + +"Who are you, my friend, who talk so boldly?" asked the major. + +"If you want to know, I'm Dan Hoolan himself, and you may have heard of +my doings throughout the country." + +"I have heard of a scoundrel of that name, who has murdered a few +helpless people, and who is the terror of old women; but whether or not +you're the man, is more than I can say," answered the major in a +scornful tone. + +"Blood and 'ounds, is that the way you speak to me?" cried Hoolan, for +there could be no doubt that he was the notorious outlaw. "I'll soon be +after showing you that it's not only women I frighten. Bring these +fine-coated gentlemen along, boys, and we'll set them dangling to a +branch of Saint Bridget's oak, to teach their likes better manners. +Och, boys, it'll be rare fun to see them kick their legs in the air, +till their sowls have gone back to where they came from." + +I fully believed the outlaws were going to treat us as their leader +proposed. + +"You dare do nothing of the sort, boys," said my uncle. + +"You know well enough that if you ill-treat us there will be a hue and +cry after you, and that before many weeks have passed by, one and all of +you will be caught and gibbeted." + +"That's more aisy to say than to do," answered Hoolan. + +"Bring them along, boys; and mind you don't let them escape you." + +"Sorra's the chance of that," cried the men, hanging on tighter to our +legs. We were thus led forward, still being allowed to keep our seats +in our saddles, but without a chance of effecting our escape, though I +observed that my uncle's eye was ranging round to see what could be +done. He looked down on me. I daresay I was paler than usual, though I +did my best to imitate his coolness. + +"Keep up your spirits, Terence," he said. "I don't believe that those +fellows intend to carry out their threats. Though why they have made us +prisoners is beyond my comprehension." + +Some of our captors growled out something, but what it was I could not +understand, though I think it was a hint to the major and me to hold our +tongues. The hunchback kept close to me, having released my throat, and +merely held on to me by one of my legs. Hoolan himself stalked at our +head, with the pistol, which he had reloaded, in his hand. The men +talked among themselves in their native Irish, but didn't address +another word to us. They seemed eager to push on, but the character of +the road prevented our moving out of a foot's pace. On and on we went, +till we saw a group of large trees ahead. Hoolan pointed to them with a +significant gesture. His followers, with loud shouts, hurried us +forward. I now observed that two of them had coils of rope under their +arms. They were of no great strength, but sufficient to bear the weight +of an ordinary man. We quickly reached the trees, when the outlaws made +us dismount under one, which, I remarked, had a wide extending bough, +about fifteen feet from the ground. My uncle now began to look more +serious than before, as if, for the first time, he really believed that +our captors would carry out their threats. + +"Terence, we must try and free ourselves from these ruffians," he said. +"I have no care for myself, but I don't want your young life to be taken +from you. Keep your eyes about you, and if you can manage to spring +into your saddle, don't pull rein until you have put a good distance +between yourself and them." + +"I could not think of going, and leaving you in the hands of the +ruffians, Uncle McMahon," I answered. "I'll beg them to spare your +life, and will promise them any reward they may demand,--a hundred, or +two hundred pounds. Surely they would rather have the money than take +your life." + +"Don't promise them anything of the sort," he said. "If they were to +obtain it, they would be seizing every gentleman they could get hold of. +Their object is not money, or they would have robbed us before this. +Do as I tell you, and be on the watch to escape while they are trying to +hang me. I'll take care to give you a good chance." + +While he was speaking they were throwing the ropes over the bough, and +ostentatiously making nooses at the end of each of them. They were not +very expert, and failed several times in throwing the other end over the +bough. The ends of each of the ropes were grasped by three men, who +looked savagely at us, as if they were especially anxious to see our +necks in the opposite nooses, and apparently only waiting the order from +their chief. + +"If you have prayers to say, you had better say them now," cried the +leader of the outlaws. + +"It's time to speak to you now, Dan Hoolan," said my uncle, as if he had +not heard the last remark. "Whether you really intend to hang us or +not, I can't say; but if you do, vengeance is sure to overtake you. To +kill an old man would be a dastardly deed, but doubly accursed would you +be should you deprive a young lad like this of his life. If you have no +pity on me, have regard to your own soul. There's not a priest in the +land who would give you absolution." + +"Hould there, and don't speak another word," shouted Hoolan. "I have +given you the chance of praying, and you wouldn't take it, so it's +yourselves will have to answer for it. Quick, boys, bring them along." + +Our captors were leading us forward, and, as I had no wish to lose my +life, I was looking out for an opportunity of obeying my uncle's +instructions, when, with a strength which those who held him could not +have supposed he possessed, knocking down one on either side, he threw +himself upon Hoolan, who, not expecting such an attack, was brought to +the ground. At the same moment the major, drawing a knife which the +ruffian had in his belt, held it as if to strike him to the heart. The +hunchback, seeing the danger of his leader, regardless of me, rushed +forward to his assistance; when, finding myself at liberty, I darted +towards my horse, which was held by one only of the men, who, eagerly +watching the strife, did not observe me. Twisting his shillelah from +his hands, and snatching the reins, I was in a moment in the saddle; but +I had no intention of deserting my uncle. Firmly grasping the +shillelah, I laid it about the heads of the men who were on the point of +seizing the major. Hoolan, however, was completely at his mercy; and +had they ventured to touch him, one blow of the knife would have ended +the villain's life, though probably his companions would have revenged +his death by shooting us the moment after. But just then loud shouts +were heard in the distance, and a party of men on horseback, whom no one +had observed, were seen galloping at a tearing rate towards us. + +"Hoora! hoora! Tim Phelan's gained his cause!" shouted a horseman. +"He's proved an alibi, and been set free by the judge." + +Our captors, on hearing the shouts, turned to greet the new-comers, +forgetting for the moment their previous intention and their leader, who +lay on the ground, the major still holding his knife at his throat. +Presently, who should I see riding out from the crowd but Larry Harrigan +himself. + +"Thunder and 'ounds!" he exclaimed. "What were they going to do to you? +Shure I never thought they'd have ventured on that." + +He now came up to Hoolan with my uncle bending over him. + +"Spare his life, major dear," he exclaimed. "He never intended to kill +you; and if you'll let him go I'll tell your honour all about it by and +by." + +"Is this the case, Dan Hoolan?" asked my uncle. "On your soul, man, did +you not intend to put your threat into execution?" + +"No, I didn't, as I'm a living man," said the outlaw, as, released by my +uncle, he rose to his feet. + +"I'll tell your honour. I wanted to see how you and your young nephew +would face the death I threatened; and I intended at the last moment to +release you both if you would promise to take a message to the judge who +was trying Tim Phelan, swearing that he was free of the murder of Mick +Purcell, and knows no more about it than a babe unborn; for there's one +amongst us who did the deed, and they may catch him if they can." + +This announcement completely changed the aspect of affairs. The outlaws +brought us our horses, and with many apologies for the trouble they had +given us, assisted us to mount. + +"I'm not the man to harbour ill-feeling against any one," said the +major, turning to the crowd of apparently humble-looking peasants. +"But, my boys, I'd advise you to follow a better calling without delay. +And now I'll wish you good morning. If we ever meet again, may it be +under pleasanter circumstances." + +Though the greater part of those present didn't understand what he said, +the rest interpreted it in their own fashion: the outlaws and the +new-comers raising a loud cheer, we rode off, followed by Larry, and +continued our journey as if nothing particular had occurred. + +"And what made you keep behind us, Larry?" asked my uncle, who summoned +him up alongside. + +"I'll tell your honour," answered Larry. I was sleeping in the stables +after I'd attended to the horses, when I heard three or four boys +talking together; so I opened my eyes to listen, seeing it was something +curious they were saying. I soon found that they were talking about Tim +Phelan, who was to be tried in the morning. I thin recollected that Tim +was my father's second cousin's nephew, and so of course I felt an +interest in the fate of the boy. + +"Says one to the other, `If the alibi isn't proved, shure we're bound in +honour to try and rescue him.' + +"`There are a hundred at least of us bound to do the same,' answered the +other, `and of course we'll find many more to help if we once begin.' + +"`Thin I'll be one of them,' I cried out, starting up without thinking +that yer honour would be wanting me to continue the journey this +morning. Blood is stronger than water, as yer know, major dear, and +with the thought of rescuing Tim Phelan, I forgot everything else. When +I joined the boys, I found a dozen or more met together, and they made +me swear a mighty big oath that I would stick to them till Tim Phelan +was acquitted or set free if condemned. So when the morning came, I +knew that I could overtake yer honour and Maisther Terence by making my +baste move along after the trial was over. As soon as yer honour had +started, I went back to my friends, and after some time, while talking +to them, I heard that Dan Hoolan was on the road to carry out another +plan of his own, in case Tim should be condemned. What it was I didn't +find out for some time, when one of the boys tauld me that Dan intended +to get hold of one of the lawyers, or a magistrate, or a gintleman of +consequence, and to threaten to hang him if Tim was not set free. I was +almost shrinking in my brogues when I thought that Dan Hoolan might be +after getting hold of yer honour, but my oath prevented me from setting +off till the boys came rushing out of the court saying that Tim was +acquitted. I thin tauld them about all I was afraid of, so they jumped +on the backs of the horses without waiting to cheer Tim or carry him +round the town. It was mighty convanient that we arrived in time; but, +major dear, you will see clearly that if I hadn't stopped behind, there +would have been three of us to be hung by Dan instead of two; so well +pleased I am that I found out that it was Tim, my father's second +cousin's nephew, who was going to be tried." + +"Well, master Larry, it's well for us all that you had your wits about +you, so I'll say nothing more to you for neglecting your orders, which +were to follow close at our heels," observed the major. + +"Thank yer honour; but you'll be after remembering that I didn't suppose +that Dan Hoolan was really going to hang yer honour, or I'd have been in +a much more mighty fright at hearing that he was going to have a hand in +the matter." + +This little incident will afford some idea of the state of my native +country at the time of which I write. + +After Larry had given this explanation for his non-appearance, he +dropped behind, and my uncle and I rode on side by side, talking of +various matters, and whenever the road would permit, putting our horses +into a trot or a canter to make up for lost time. Darkness overtook us +before we reached the town at which my uncle proposed to stop for the +night. I confess that I kept a look-out now on one side, now on the +other, lest any more of Dan Hoolan's gang might be abroad, and have a +fancy to examine our valises and pockets. We rode on for nearly three +hours in the dark, without meeting, however, with any further adventure. +We reached Timahoe, where there being no event of importance taking +place, we found sufficient accommodation and food both for man and +beast, which was promised on the sign outside, though, to be sure, it +could not be seen in the dark, but I observed it the next morning as we +rode away. + +I must pass over the remainder of the journey till we had got over the +greater part of our journey to the fair city of Cork. We had been +riding on like peaceable travellers, as we were, when we reached a +village, through the centre of which, having nothing to detain us there, +we passed on at our usual pace. It appeared quiet enough. The children +were tumbling about with the pigs in the mud, and the women peered out +of the half-open doors, but seeing who we were, drew in their heads +again without addressing us, or replying to any of Larry's most +insinuating greetings. + +"There's something going on, though what it may be is more than I can +tell," remarked my uncle. + +Just as we got outside the village, though not a sound reached our ears, +we caught sight, coming round a corner on the right, of a party of men, +each armed with a shillelah, which he grasped tightly in his right hand, +while he looked keenly ahead, as if expecting some one to appear. They +had started forward apparently at the sound of our horses' feet, and +stopped on seeing who we were. + +"Good evening, boys," said my uncle, as we rode on. They made no reply. + +We had got a little further on when I saw another party on the left +coming across the country at a rapid rate. One of them, running +forward, inquired if we had seen any of the boys of Pothrine, the name, +I concluded, of the village we had just passed through. + +"Not a few of them, who are on the look-out for you, boys, and if you're +not wishing for broken heads, you'll go back the way you came," answered +my uncle. + +"Thank yer honour, we'll chance that," was the answer, and the man +rejoining his party, they advanced towards the village. Scarcely a +minute had passed before loud cries, whacks, and howls struck upon our +ears. + +"They're at it," cried my uncle, and turning back we saw two parties +hotly engaged in the middle of the road; shillelahs flourishing in the +air, descending rapidly to crack crowns or meet opposing weapons. At +the same time Larry was seen galloping in hot haste towards the +combatants. My uncle called him back, but the noise of the strife must +have prevented him from hearing the summons, for he continued his +course. I rode after him, being afraid that he was intending to join in +the scrimmage, but I was too late to stop him, for, throwing his rein +over the stump of a tree which stood convenient at one side of the road, +he jumped off, and in a second was in the midst of the fray. + +I had often seen faction fights on a small scale in our own +neighbourhood, but I had never witnessed such ferocity as was displayed +on the present occasion. + +Conspicuous among the rest were two big fellows, who carried shillelahs +of unusually large proportions. They had singled each other out, being +evidently champions of their respective parties, and it was wonderful to +observe the dexterity with which they assaulted each other, and defended +their heads from blows, which, if delivered as intended, would have +crushed their skulls or broken their arms or legs. In vain I shouted to +Larry to come out of it, and at last I got so excited myself, that had I +possessed a shillelah, I think that, notwithstanding the folly of the +action, I should have jumped off my horse and joined in the battle. At +length one of the champions was struck to the ground, where three or +four others on the same side were already stretched. It was the one, as +far as I could make out, that Larry had espoused, and to which the men +who had spoken to us belonged. Presently I saw Larry spring out from +the crowd, his head bleeding and his coat torn. + +On seeing me he shouted, "Be off with yer, Maisther Terence, for they'll +be coming after us," and running towards his pony, which the tide of +battle was approaching, he took the reins and leaped on its back. + +Knowing how annoyed my uncle would be if we got into any trouble, I +followed Larry's advice, but not a moment too soon, for the defeated +party came scampering along the road, with the victors after them, +shrieking and yelling like a party of madmen let loose. + +"On, on, Master Terence dear!" shouted Larry, and galloping forward, I +soon overtook my uncle, who had turned back on hearing the hubbub, to +ascertain what had become of me. On seeing that I was safe, he again +turned his horse's head, and as he had no wish to get involved in the +quarrel, he rode forward, closely followed by Larry. The howls, and +shouts, and shrieks grew fainter as we advanced. + +"That boy will be brought into proper discipline before long if he gets +on board the frigate," said my uncle when I told him what had occurred, +"and that love of fighting any but his country's enemies knocked out of +him, I've a notion." + +It was growing dusk when the lights of the town where we were to stop +appeared ahead. Suddenly it struck me that I didn't hear the hoofs of +Larry's steed. Turning round to speak to him, he was nowhere visible. + +"Larry, come on, will you?" I shouted, but Larry didn't reply. + +"The boy can't have had the folly to go back with his broken head to run +the chance of another knock down," observed my uncle. "We must go and +see what he has been after." + +We accordingly turned round and rode back, I galloping ahead and +shouting his name. I hadn't gone far when I saw his pony standing by +the side of the road. As I got up to the animal, there was Larry +doubled up on the ground. I called to him, but he made no reply. +Leaping from my horse, I tried to lift him up. Not a sound escaped his +lips. I was horrified at finding that to all appearances he was dead. + +My uncle's first exclamation on reaching me was, "The lad has broken his +neck, I'm afraid; but, in case there may be life left in him, the sooner +we carry him to a doctor the better. Help me to place him on my saddle, +Terence." + +Stooping down, notwithstanding his weight, my uncle drew up his +inanimate body, and placed it before him, whilst I led on his pony. + +Fortunately, the inn was at the entrance of the town. My uncle, bearing +Larry in his arms, entered it with me, and ordering a mattress to be +brought, placed him on it, shouting out-- + +"Be quick, now; fetch a doctor, some of you!" + +My countrymen, though willing enough to crack each others' pates, are +quite as ready to help a fellow-creature in distress; and, as my uncle +spoke, two, if not three, of the bystanders hurried off to obey his +order. + +Meanwhile, the stable-boy having taken our horses, my uncle and I did +our best to resuscitate our unfortunate follower. His countenance was +pale as a sheet, except where the streaks of blood had run down it; his +hair was matted, and an ugly wound was visible on his head. On taking +off his handkerchief, I discovered a black mark on his neck, which +alarmed me more than the wound. I fully believed that my poor +foster-brother was dead. + +Scarcely a minute had elapsed before two persons rushed into the room; +one short and pursy, the other tall and gaunt, both panting as if they +had run a race. + +"I have come at your summons, sir!" exclaimed the tall man. + +"And shure, so have I! and was I not first in the room?" cried the +second. + +"In that, Doctor Murphy, you are mistaken!" exclaimed the tall man, "for +didn't I put my head over your shoulder as we came through the door?" + +"But my body was in before yours, Mr O'Shea; and I consider that you +are bound to give place to a doctor of medicine!" + +"But this appears to me to be a surgical case," said the tall man; "and +as the head, as all will allow, is a more honourable part of the body +than the paunch, I claim to be the first on the field; and, moreover, to +have seen the patient before you could possibly have done so, Doctor +Murphy. Sir," he continued, stalking past his brother practitioner, and +making a bow with a battered hat to the major, "I come, I presume, on +your summons, to attend to the injured boy; and such skill as I +possess--and I flatter myself it's considerable--is at your service. +May I ask what is the matter with him?" + +"Here's a practitioner who doesn't know what his patient is suffering +from by a glance of the eye!" cried the doctor of medicine. "Give +place, Mr O'Shea, to a man of superior knowledge to yourself," +exclaimed Doctor Murphy. "It's easy enough to see with half a glance +that the boy has broken his neck, and by this time, unless he possesses +a couple of spines,--and I never knew a man have more than one, +though,--he must be dead as a door nail!" + +"Dead!" cried Mr O'Shea; "the doctor says his patient's dead without +feeling a pulse or lifting an eyelid." + +"You, at all events, ought to know a corpse from a live man," cried the +fat medico, growing irate, "when it's whispered that you have made as +many dead bodies in the town itself as would serve for a couple of +battles and a few scrimmages to boot." + +"And you, Doctor Murphy, have poisoned one-half of your patients, and +the others only survive because they throw the physic you send them to +the dogs." + +"Come, gentlemen," exclaimed the major, "while you are squabbling, any +spark of life the poor boy may contain will be ebbing away. As I am not +acquainted with the skill you respectively possess, I beg that you, +Doctor Murphy, as holding the higher grade in your profession, will +examine the boy, and express your opinion whether he is dead or alive, +and state, if there's life in him, which you consider the best way to +bring him round, and set him on his feet again." + +Mr O'Shea, on hearing this, stepped back a few paces, and, folding his +arms, looked with supreme contempt on the little doctor, who, stooping +down over Larry with watch in hand, at which he mechanically gazed with +a serious countenance, felt his pulse. + +"His hand is cold and clammy, and there's not a single thump in his +arteries," he said with solemn gravity; and letting fall Larry's hand he +proceeded to examine his neck. "The vertebra broken, cracked, +dislocated," he continued, in the same solemn tone. "D'ye see this +black mark down his throat? it's amply sufficient to account for death. +I hereby certify that this is a corpse before me, and authorise that he +may be sent home to his friends for Christian burial." + +"Och ahone! och ahone!" I cried out, throwing myself by the side of the +mattress. "Is Larry really dead? Oh, doctors dear, can't both of you +put your heads together and try to bring him to life again?" + +"When the breath is out of the body, 'tis more than all the skill of the +most learned practitioners can accomplish," exclaimed Doctor Murphy, +rising from his knees. "I pronounce the boy dead, and no power on earth +can bring him round again." + +"I hold to the contrary opinion," said Mr O'Shea, advancing and drawing +out of his pocket a case of instruments, from which he produced a large +operation knife, and began to strop it on the palm of his hand. "It's +fortunate for the boy that he didn't move, or Doctor Murphy would have +been thrusting one of his big boluses down his throat and drenched him +with black draughts. Stand aside, friends, and you shall see that a +surgeon's skill is superior to a doctor's knowledge. I have your leave, +sir, to proceed as I consider necessary?" he asked, turning to the +major. + +"Certainly," answered my uncle; "if Doctor Murphy considers him dead and +you believe him to be alive, and act accordingly, I have more hopes in +the results of your skill than in that of the other gentleman." + +"You'll remain in town some time, sir, I presume, and as you're a +gentleman, I shall expect a visit from you," exclaimed the fat doctor, +as, nearing the door, he made a bow, and, gold cane in hand, waddled out +of the room. + +Mr O'Shea cast a contemptuous glance at him, and then kneeling down, +applied his knife to the nape of Larry's neck. Warm blood immediately +spouted forth. "I told you so," he exclaimed; "blood doesn't flow like +this from a corpse. Bring hot water and cloths." These he applied to +Larry's neck, and continued to pour the water on them, "to draw out the +blood," as he said, and relieve the patient's head. Then pressing his +knees against Larry's shoulders, he gave a pull at his head which seemed +likely to dislocate his neck, if it hadn't been broken already. + +As he did this, he exclaimed, "There now, I have taken the twists out, +and the boy will be all to rights in the course of an hour." + +A groan and a heavy sigh proclaimed that there was still life in poor +Larry. Presently he opened one eye and then the other, and some +spoonfuls of whisky and water, which Surgeon O'Shea poured down his +throat, contributed still further to revive him. + +In the course of half-an-hour Larry asked in a low voice, "Did yer beat +back the O'Sullivans, yer honour? shure they were coming after us at a +mighty great rate, and I fancy some one of them gave me a whack on the +crown which brought me to the ground." + +"Keep quiet and don't be talking," answered the surgeon, who, proud of +his success, had been carefully watching his patient. "He'll do now, +gentlemen," he added, looking up at my uncle and me. "We'll put him to +bed, and by to-morrow morning he'll be as blithe as a lark, barring a +stiff neck." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +MY FIRST DAY ON BOARD. + +I sat up with Larry for the greater part of the night, after the surgeon +had left him. He groaned sometimes as if in pain, and talked at one +time of the scrimmage with the O'Sullivans, and at another of his +fiddle, which he feared had been broken. I accordingly, to pacify him, +went down and got it, and managed to produce some few notes, which had +the desired effect. The major after some time came in to relieve me, +for we could not trust any of the people at the inn, who would to a +certainty have been dosing our patient with whisky, under the belief +that they were doing him a kindness, but at the risk of producing a +fever. + +In the morning Mr O'Shea came in. + +"I thought you said that the boy would be all to rights by this time," I +observed. + +"Shure that was somewhat hyperbolical," he answered, with a wink. "You +can't expect a man with a broken neck, and a gash as big as my thumb at +the back of it, to come round in a few hours." + +We couldn't complain, for certainly the worthy surgeon had been the +means of saving Larry's life; but the incident detained us three whole +days, before he was fit to mount his pony and accompany us to Cork. +Before leaving my uncle called on Doctor Murphy, who, to his great +amusement, he found had no intention of calling him out, but merely +expected to receive a fee for pronouncing a living man a dead one. +Though my uncle might have declined to pay the amount demanded, he +handed it to the doctor, and wished him good morning. + +I afterwards heard that Doctor Murphy had challenged Mr O'Shea. That +gentleman, however, refused to go out on the plea that should he be +wounded, and become a patient of his brother practitioner, he should +certainly go the way of the rest of those under his medical care. For +many a long day Doctor Murphy and Mr O'Shea carried on a fierce +warfare, till their patients agreed to fight it out and settle the +matter, when the doctor's party being defeated, no inconsiderable number +of broken heads being the result, he left the town to exercise his skill +in some other locality, where, as Mr O'Shea remarked, there was a +superabundant population. + +We were too late on arriving at Cork to go on board the frigate that +evening, and thus Larry got the advantage of another night's rest, and I +had time to brush up my uniform, and, as I conceived, to make myself as +smart as any officer in His Majesty's service. The next morning my +uncle hired a boat to proceed down the fair river of Cork to the harbour +where the frigate lay. As we approached her my heart thrilled with +pleasure as I thought of the honour I was about to enjoy of becoming one +of her officers. + +"There's the _Liffy_, yer honour," said the boatman, pointing her out as +she lay some distance from the shore. Her masts had already been +replaced, and her yards were across, though the sails were not as yet +bent; this, however, I did not observe. + +"I hope I have not detained her, uncle," I said; "I should be sorry to +have done that." + +The major seldom indulged in a laugh, but he did so on this occasion +till the tears rolled down his cheeks. + +"Midshipmen are not of so much account as you suppose, Terence," he +said, still laughing. "If you were to go on shore and not return on +board in time, you would soon discover that the ship would not wait for +you a single moment after the captain had resolved to put to sea." + +As we approached, the sentry hailed to know who we were. In my +eagerness I replied, "Major McMahon and the new midshipman, Mr Terence +O'Finnahan," whereat a laugh came forth from one of the ports at which, +as it appeared, some of my future messmates were standing. + +"You'd have better have held your tongue," said my uncle. "And now, +Terence, remember to salute the flag as you see me do," he added, as he +was about to mount the side of the ship. He went up, I followed, and +next came Larry. On reaching the deck he took off his hat, and I doffed +mine with all the grace I could muster, Larry at the same time making a +profound bow and a scrape of his foot. The master's mate who received +us, when my uncle inquired for Captain Macnamara, pointed to the +after-part of the deck, where my future commander, with several other +well-dressed officers, was standing. My uncle at once moved towards +him, and I and Larry followed in the same direction. The captain, a +fine-looking man, seeing him approach came forward, and they exchanged +cordial greetings. + +"I have come expressly to introduce my nephew Terence to you, +Macnamara," said my uncle. "You were good enough, in a letter I +received from you a few days ago, to say that you would receive him as a +midshipman on board your ship. He's a broth of a boy, and will be an +ornament to the service, I hope." + +"Can't say that he is much of an ornament at present," I heard one of +the officers remark to another. "Looks more like a mummer or +stage-player than a midshipman." + +Looking up, I observed a smile on their countenances, as they eyed me +from head to foot. + +"Wishing to present the boy in a respectable way to you on the +quarter-deck of His Majesty's ship, we had a uniform made for him at +Ballinahone, which is, I fancy, such as your officers are accustomed to +wear on grand occasions," said the major, taking me by the arm as if to +exhibit me to more advantage. + +"I thought rather that it was the fashionable dress worn by young +gentlemen in the west of Ireland at wakes or weddings," remarked the +captain; "but I confess, my dear McMahon, that I do not recognise it as +a naval uniform, except in the matter of the buttons, which I see are +according to the right pattern. The young gentleman will have to dress +differently, except when he has a fancy to go to a masquerade on shore." + +The major stepped back with a look of astonishment; then surveying the +uniform of the officers standing around, and taking another look at my +costume, he exclaimed, laughing, "Faith, I see there is a difference, +but as no regulations or patterns were procurable at Ballinahone, we did +the best we could." + +"Of that I have no doubt about, McMahon; you always did your best, and +very well done it was," said the captain; "but I would advise you to +take your nephew on shore, and get him rigged out in a more proper +costume as soon as possible." + +I was completely taken aback on hearing this, and finding that instead +of making a favourable impression on the captain, my costume had +produced a very contrary effect. In a short time, however, somewhat +regaining my confidence and remembering Larry, I turned to my uncle and +begged that, according to his promise, he would introduce him. + +"To be shure I will," he answered, and then addressing the captain, he +said, "My nephew has a foster-brother, the boy standing there, who has +made up his mind to go to sea. Will you receive him on board your ship? +I own, however, that he will require a good deal of licking into shape +before he becomes a sailor." + +"He appears to be a stout lad, and I have no doubt but that in course of +time we shall succeed in making him one," answered the captain. "Do you +wish to go to sea, boy?" + +Larry, who didn't quite understand, I suspect, what licking into shape +meant, answered notwithstanding, "Shure, yer honour, wherever Maisther +Terence goes, I'm desirous of following, and as he's to become a +midshipman, I'd wish to go wherever I can be with him." + +"That cannot be so exactly," answered the captain, laughing; "but if you +become one of the crew, you'll not be far from him, and I hope I may see +you some day following your leader on board an enemy's ship, and hauling +down her flag." + +"Hurrah! shure that's what I'll be after doing, and anything else your +honour plaises," exclaimed Larry at the top of his voice, flourishing +his hat at the same time above his head. "I'll be after showing yer +honour how the boys in Tipperary fight." + +That matter being settled much to my satisfaction, Larry was taken off +to have his name entered on the ship's books, for in those days a fish +having been once caught in the net, it was not thought advisable to let +him go again. In the meantime, my uncle having gone into the captain's +cabin to take luncheon, I was led by a person whom, though I thought he +was an officer, I supposed, from his appearance, to be one of very +subordinate rank, to be introduced to my new messmates, in the +midshipmen's berth. + +"And so you think we wear silks and satins on board ship, I see, young +gentleman, do you?" he said with a comical grin, eyeing my new coat and +waistcoat. "You'll have to send these back to your grandmother, or the +old woman who made them for you." + +"Arrah, sir, d'ye intend to insult me?" I asked. "Were they not put +together by Pat Cassidy, the family tailor, under the direction of my +uncle, Major McMahon, and he shure knows what a young gentleman should +wear on board ship." + +"No, my lad, I only intended to laugh at you; but do you know who I am?" + +"No, but I'll have you to understand that an O'Finnahan of Castle +Ballinahone, County Tipperary, Ireland, is not to be insulted with +impunity," I answered, trying to look as dignified as I could. + +"Then I'll give you to understand, young sir, that I'm the first +lieutenant of this ship, and that lieutenants don't insult midshipmen, +even if they think fit to send them to the masthead. It will be your +business to obey, and to ask no questions." + +As I knew no more, at the time, of the rank and position of a first +lieutenant on board ship than I did of the man in the moon, this +announcement did not make much impression on my mind. I only thought +that he was some old fellow who was fond of boasting, and had a fancy to +try and make me believe that he was a personage of importance, or +perhaps to frighten me. I soon discovered, however, that though he +generally wore a shabby uniform, he was not a man to be trifled with. I +may as well here say that his name was Saunders, that he was a thorough +tar, who had come in at the hawse-hole, and had worked his way up to his +present position. Old "Rough and Ready" I found he was called. His +hands were continually in the tar-bucket, and he was never so happy as +when, with a marline-spike hung round his neck by a rope-yarn, he was +engaged in gammoning the bowsprit, or setting up the rigging. But that +I found out afterwards. + +"Now come along, youngster, for I don't wish to be hard on you; I'm only +laughing at the ridiculous figure you cut," he said, giving way to a +burst of rough merriment. By the time it was over we reached the door +of the berth, where the midshipmen were assembled for dinner. + +"Young gentlemen," said Mr Saunders with perfect gravity, opening the +door, "I have to tell you that this is Mr Terence O'Finnahan, of Castle +Ballinahone, County Tipperary, Ireland, who is to become your messmate +as soon as he is docked of his fine feathers; and you'll be pleased to +receive him as such." + +Saying this he took his departure, and two of my new messmates seized me +by the fists, which they gripped with a force intended perhaps to show +the ardour of their regard, but which was excessively painful to my +feelings. I restrained them, however, and stood looking round at the +numerous strange faces turned towards me. + +"Make room for Mr Terence O'Finnahan, of Castle Ballinahone, County +Tipperary, Ireland," cried an old master's mate from the further end of +the table; "but let all understand that it's the last time such a +designation is to be applied to him. It's much too long a name for any +practical purpose, and from henceforth he's to be known on board this +ship as Paddy Finn, the Irish midshipman; and so, Paddy Finn, old boy, +I'll drink your health. Gentlemen, fill your glasses; here's to the +health of Paddy Finn." + +Every one in the berth filled up their mugs and cups with rum and water, +in which they pledged me with mock gravity. Having in the meantime +taken my seat, I rose and begged to return my thanks to them for the +honour they had done me, assuring them that I should be happy to be +known by the new name they had given me, or by any other which might +sound as sweet. + +"Only, gentlemen, there's one point I must bargain for," I added; "let +me be called Paddy, whatever other designation you may in your judgment +think fit to bestow on me, for let me tell you that I consider it an +honour to be an Irishman, and I am as proud of my native land as you can +be of yours." + +"Bravo, Paddy!" cried several. "You're a trump," observed the +president. + +"The chief has got pluck in him," said the Scotch assistant surgeon, who +sat opposite to the president, a man whose grizzled hair showed that he +had been long in the service. + +"Where did you get those clothes from?" asked a young gentleman, whom I +afterwards found to be the purser's clerk. + +"He picked them up at a theatrical property shop as he passed through +Cork," remarked another. + +"Haul in the slack of your impudence," cried the president, whose favour +I had won. "If his friends had never seen a naval uniform, how should +they know how to rig him out?" + +"I'm mightily obliged to you, sir," I said, for I was by this time +getting heartily ashamed of my gay feathers; "and as the ship won't be +sailing yet, I hope to get fitted out properly before I return on +board." + +"All right, youngster," said the president. "Now, I will have the +pleasure of helping you to a slice of mutton. Hand the greens and +potatoes up to Paddy Finn." + +The plate was passed round to me, and I was allowed, without being +further bantered, to discuss the viands placed under my nose, which I +did with a good appetite. I was not silent, however, but introducing my +journey to Cork, amused my messmates with an account of the various +incidents which had occurred. When, at length, one of the midshipmen +who had being doing duty on deck appeared at the door to say that Major +McMahon was about to return on shore, and wanted his nephew, my new +friends shook me warmly by the hand, and the president again proposed +three hearty cheers for their new messmate, Paddy Finn. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +I MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF ONE OF MY NEW MESSMATES. + +I was in much better spirits when I rejoined my uncle than when I had +been led below by Mr Saunders. I found him standing with the captain +on the main-deck, they having just come out of the cabin. + +"I should like to take a turn round the ship before we leave her, in +case I should be unable to pay you another visit," said the major. "I +wish to brush up my recollections of what a frigate is like." + +"Come along then," answered the captain, and he led the way along the +deck. + +As we got forward, we heard loud roars of laughter and clapping of +hands. The cause was very evident, for there was Larry in the midst of +a group of seamen, dancing an Irish jig to the tune of one of his most +rollicksome songs. + +"Stop a bit, my boys, and I'll show you what real music is like," he +exclaimed after he had finished the song. "Wait till I get my fiddle +among yer, and I'll make it squeak louder thin a score of peacocks or a +dozen of sucking pigs;" and he then began again singing-- + + "A broth of a boy was young Daniel O'Shane, + As he danced with the maidens of fair Derrynane." + +Then he went on jigging away, to the great delight of his audience,--no +one observing the captain or us. + +It was very evident that Larry had without loss of time made himself at +home among his new shipmates. They treated him much as they would have +treated a young bear, or any other pet animal they might have obtained. +I had expected to find him looking somewhat forlorn and downcast among +so many strangers; but in reality, I ought to have trusted an Irish boy +of his degree to make friends wherever he goes. + +"I think we may leave your follower where he is, as, should you not +require his services, he is much more likely to be kept out of mischief +here than he would be ashore," said the captain to the major. + +To this my uncle agreed. We had got some way along the deck when I felt +a touch on my shoulder, and turning round, saw Larry's countenance +grinning from ear to ear. + +"Shure they're broths of boys these sailor fellows, and I'm mighty +plaised to be among them; but, Maisther Terence dear, I have a favour to +ask you. Would you tell the captain that I'd be mightily obliged to him +if he would let me go back to Cork for my fiddle. I left it at the inn, +and if I had it now I'd set all the boys on board a-jigging, with the +captain and officers into the bargain." + +I told him that as the captain thought it better he should remain on +board, I could not ask leave for him to go on shore; but I promised that +if I had an opportunity, I would send him his violin at once, or if not, +would be careful to bring it myself. + +"You'll not be long then, Maisther Terence; for the boys here are mighty +eager to hear me play." + +Assuring him how glad I was to find that he was happy, I advised him to +go back to his new friends again, promising not to forget his violin. + +We had come on board on the larboard side; we now went to the starboard. +On each side of the gangway stood several officers and midshipmen, +while on the accommodation-ladder were arranged two lines of boys. The +captain's own gig was waiting for us, manned by eight smart seamen, +their oars in the air. The captain himself descended, returning the +salutes of the officers and men. I followed my uncle, who was treated +with a similar mark of respect; but as I thought a portion was intended +for me, and wishing to act in the politest way possible, I took off my +hat altogether, and made several most polite bows. I had a suspicion, +however, from the expression on the countenances of the midshipmen, with +the suppressed titter among them, together with the grin on the faces of +the men and boys, that I was doing something not altogether according to +custom. Perhaps, I thought to myself, I hadn't bowed low enough, so I +turned, now to my right, now to my left, and, not seeing where I was +going to, should have pitched right down the ladder had not one of the +men standing there caught my arm, bidding me as he did so to keep my hat +on my head. + +In my eagerness to get into the boat I made a spring, and should have +leapt right over into the water had not another friendly hand caught me +and forced me down by the side of the major. + +The captain, taking the white yoke-lines, gave the order to shove off; +the boat's head swung away from the side of the frigate; the oars fell +with their blades flat on the water; and we began to glide rapidly up +the harbour, propelled by the sturdy arms of the crew. I felt very +proud as I looked at the captain in his cocked hat and laced coat, and +at the midshipman who accompanied him, in a bran new uniform, though, to +be sure, there wasn't much of him to look at, for he was a mere mite of +a fellow. + +Had I not discovered that my own costume was not according to rule, I +should have considered it a much more elegant one than his. After some +time, the captain observing, I fancy, that I looked rather dull, having +no one to talk to, said something to the midshipman, who immediately +came and sat by me. + +"Well, Paddy, how do you like coming to sea?" he asked in a good-natured +tone. + +"I've not yet formed an opinion," I answered. + +"True, my boy; Cork harbour is not the Atlantic," he remarked. "We may +chance to see the waves running mountains high when we get there, and +all the things tumbling about like shuttlecocks." + +"I'll be content to wait until I see that same to form an opinion," I +answered. "As I've come to sea, I shall be glad to witness whatever +takes place there." + +"You're not to be caught, I perceive," he said. "Well, Paddy, and how +do you like your name?" + +"Faith, I'm grateful to you and my other messmates for giving it," I +answered. "I'm not ashamed of the name, and I hope to have the +opportunity of making it known far and wide some day or other; and now +may I ask you what's your name, for I haven't had the pleasure of +hearing it." + +"Thomas Pim," he answered. + +"Come, that's short enough, anyhow," I observed. + +"Yes; but when I first came aboard, the mess declared it was too long, +so they cut off the `h' and the `as' and `m' and called me Tom Pi; but +even then they were not content, for they further docked it of its fair +proportions, and decided that I was to be named Topi, though generally +I'm called simply Pi." + +"Do you mind it?" I asked. + +"Not a bit," he answered. "It suits my size, I confess; for, to tell +you the truth, I'm older than I look, and have been three years at sea." + +"I thought you had only just joined," I remarked, for my companion was, +as I have just said, a very little fellow, scarcely reaching up to my +shoulder. On examining his countenance more minutely, I observed that +it had a somewhat old look. + +"Though I'm little I'm good, and not ashamed of my size or my name +either," he said. "When bigger men are knocked over, I've a chance of +escaping. I can stow myself away where others can't get in their legs; +and when I go aloft or take a run on shore, I've less weight to carry,-- +so has the steed I ride. When I go with others to hire horses, I +generally manage to get the best from the stable-keeper." + +"Yes, I see that you have many advantages over bigger fellows," I said. + +"I'm perfectly contented with myself now I've found that out, but I +confess that at first I didn't like being laughed at and having remarks +made about my name and my size. I have grown slightly since then, and +no one observes now that I'm an especially little fellow." + +Tom spoke for some time on the same subject. + +"I say, Paddy Finn, I hope you and I will be friends," he continued. +"I've heard that you Irishmen are frequently quarrelsome, but I hope you +won't quarrel with me, or, for your own sake, with any of the rest of +the mess. You'll gain nothing by it, as they would all turn against you +to put you down." + +"No fear of that," I replied, "always provided that they say nothing +insulting of Ireland, or of my family or friends, or of the opinions I +may hold, or take liberties which I don't like, or do anything which I +consider unbecoming gentlemen." + +"You leave a pretty wide door open," remarked Tom; "but, as I said +before, if you don't keep the peace it will be the worse for you." + +We were all this time proceeding at a rapid rate up the stream, between +its wooded and picturesque banks. On arriving at Cork, the captain +wished the major good-bye, saying that I must be on board again within +three days, which would allow me ample time to get a proper uniform +made. + +I asked Tom Pim what he was going to do with himself, and proposed that, +after I had been measured by the tailor, we should take a stroll +together. + +"Do you think the captain brought me up here for my pleasure?" he said. +"I have to stay by the boat while he's on shore, to see that the men +don't run away. Why, if I didn't keep my eye on them, they'd be off +like shots, and drunk as fiddlers by the time the captain came back." + +"I'm sorry you can't come," I said. "By the bye, talking of fiddlers, +will you mind taking a fiddle on board to the boy who came with me,-- +Larry Harrigan? I promised to send it to him, though I didn't expect so +soon to have the opportunity." + +"With the greatest pleasure in the world," said Tom Pim. "Perhaps I may +take a scrape on it myself. When I was a little fellow, I learned to +play it." + +"You must have been a very little fellow," I couldn't help remarking, +though Tom didn't mind it. + +As our inn was not far off, I asked my uncle to let me run on and get +the fiddle, and take it down to the boat. As I carried it along, I +heard people making various remarks, evidently showing that they took me +for a musician or stage-player, which made me more than ever anxious to +get out of a costume which I had once been so proud of wearing. Having +delivered the violin in its case to Tom Pim, who promised to convey it +to Larry, I rejoined my uncle. + +We proceeded at once to the tailor recommended by Captain Macnamara, +who, having a pattern, promised to finish my uniform in time, and to +supply all the other articles I required. We spent the few days we were +in Cork in visiting some old friends of the major's. + +I was very anxious about the non-appearance of my chest, but the night +before I was to go on board, to my great satisfaction, it arrived. + +"It's a good big one, at all events," I thought; "it will hold all the +things I want, and some curiosities I hope to bring back from foreign +parts." + +It was capable of doing so, for although it might have been somewhat +smaller than the one in which the bride who never got out again hid +away, it was of magnificent proportions, solid as oak and iron clamps +could make it; it was big enough to hold half-a-dozen of my smaller +brothers and sisters, who used to stow themselves away in it when +playing hide-and-seek about the house. + +Soon after the chest arrived the tailor brought my uniform. + +It certainly was a contrast to the comical suit I had hitherto been +wearing. I put it on with infinite satisfaction, and girded to my side +a new dirk, which my uncle had given me, instead of my grandfather's old +sword. The latter, however, my uncle recommended me to take on board. + +"You may want it, Terence, maybe on some cutting-out expedition," he +said; "and you'll remember that it belonged to your ancestors, and make +it do its duty." + +As the chest was already full, I had a difficulty in stowing away the +things the tailor had brought. I therefore began to unpack it while he +was waiting, and I observed that he cast a look of supreme contempt on +most of the articles it contained. He even ventured to suggest that he +should be allowed to replace them with others which he could supply. + +"The boy has enough and to spare, and I should like to know how many of +them will find their way back to Cork," said my uncle. + +Some of them I found, on consideration, that I should be as well +without. Among other things were a pair of thick brogues, which Molly +the cook had put in to keep my feet from the wet deck, and a huge cake; +this, though, I guessed would not be sneered at in the mess, and would +travel just as well outside. At length I found room for everything I +required, and the chest was once more locked and corded. + +I don't believe I slept a wink that night with thinking of what I should +do when I got on board the frigate. It was a satisfaction to remember +that the ice had been broken, and that I should not appear as a perfect +stranger amongst my messmates. I already knew Tom Pim, and he had told +me the names of several others, among whom were those of Jack Nettleship +the old mate and caterer of the mess, Dick Sinnet the senior midshipman, +Sims the purser's clerk, and Donald McPherson the assistant-surgeon. +The others I could not remember. The lieutenants, he said, were very +nice fellows, though they had their peculiarities. None of the officers +were Irishmen, consequently I had been dubbed Paddy. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +I COMMENCE MY NAVAL CAREER. + +The morning came. My chest and my other strat things had been carried +down in a cart to the river, where they were shipped on board a +shore-boat. As we walked along following it, my uncle, after being +silent for a minute, as if considering how he should address me, said: +"You have got a new life before you, away from friends, among all sorts +of characters,--some good, it may be, many bad or indifferent, but no +one probably on whom you may rely. You will be placed in difficult, +often in dangerous situations, when you'll have only yourself, or Him +who orders all things, to trust to. Be self-reliant; ever strive to do +your duty; and don't be after troubling yourself about the consequences. +You will be engaged in scenes of warfare and bloodshed. I have taken +part in many such, and I know their horrors. War is a stern necessity. +May you never love it for itself; but when fighting, comport yourself +like a man fearless of danger, while you avoid running your head +needlessly into it. Be courteous and polite, slow to take offence,-- +especially when no offence is intended, as is the case in ninety-nine +cases out of a hundred where quarrels occur. Remember that it always +takes two to make a quarrel, and that the man who never gives offence +will seldom get into one. Never grumble; be cheerful and obliging. +Never insist on your own rights when those rights are not worth +insisting on. Sacrifice your own feelings to those of others, and be +ever ready to help a companion out of a difficulty. You may be +surprised to hear me--an old soldier and an Irishman--talking in this +way; but I give you the advice, because I have seen so many act +differently, and, wrapped up in intense selfishness, become utterly +regardless of others,--reaping the consequences by being disliked and +neglected, and finally deserted by all who were their friends. There's +another point I must speak to you about, and it's a matter which weighs +greatly on my mind. Example, they say, is better than precept. Now +your father has set you a mighty bad example, and so have many others +who have come to the castle. Don't follow it. You see the effect which +his potations of rum shrub and whisky-toddy have produced on him. When +I was on duty, or going on it, I never touched liquor; and no man ever +lost his life from my carelessness, as I have seen the lives of many +poor soldiers thrown away when their officers, being drunk, have led +them into useless danger. So I say, Terence, keep clear of liquor. The +habit of drinking grows on a man, and in my time I have seen it the ruin +of many as fine young fellows as ever smelt powder." + +I thanked my uncle, and promised as far as I could to follow his +excellent advice. + +As we reached the water-side, my uncle stopped, and putting one hand on +my shoulder and taking mine with the other, looked me kindly in the +face. + +"Fare thee well, Terence, my boy," he said; "we may not again meet on +earth, but wherever you go, an old man's warmest affection follows you. +Be afraid of nothing but doing wrong. If your life is spared, you'll +rise in the profession you have chosen, second only in my opinion to +that of the army." + +I stepped into the boat, and the men shoved off. My uncle stood +watching me as we descended the stream. Again and again he waved his +hand, and I returned his salute. He was still standing there when a +bend of the river shut him out from my sight. I was too much engaged +with my thoughts to listen to what the boatmen said, and I suspect they +thought me either too dull or too proud to talk to them. As we pulled +up on the larboard side, thinking that I was now somebody, I shouted to +some men I saw looking through the ports to come down and lift my chest +on board, though how that was to be done was more than I could tell. A +chorus of laughs was the reply. + +Presently I heard a gruff voice say, "Send a whip down there, and have +that big lumber chest, or whatever it is, up on deck." My chest was +quickly hauled up, and as quickly transferred by the orders of the +lieutenant in charge of the watch below, before Mr Saunders' eyes had +fallen on it. I mounted the side in as dignified a way as I could, +saluting the flag on reaching the deck, as my uncle had told me to do. + +I had recognised Tom Pim, who was ready to receive me. "You must go to +the first lieutenant,--he's in the gun-room,--and say, `Come aboard, +sir,' and then when you're dismissed make your way into the berth," he +said. + +"But how am I to be after finding the gun-room; is it where the guns are +kept?" I asked. + +Tom laughed at my simplicity. "No; it's where the gun-room officers, +the lieutenants and master, the doctor, and purser, and lieutenant of +marines, mess. They all mess together, as do the mates, and we the +midshipmen, the second master and master's assistant, the clerks and the +assistant-surgeon." + +"And have you no ensign?" I asked. + +"No; there are none in the marines, and so we have no soldiers in our +berth," he answered; "but let's come along, I'll show you the way, and +then you'll be in time for dinner." We descended to the gun-room door, +where Tom left me, bidding me go in and ask for the first lieutenant. I +didn't see him, but one of the other officers, of whom I made inquiries, +pointed me to the first lieutenant's cabin. + +I knocked at the door. "Come in," answered a gruff voice. I found the +lieutenant with his shirt-sleeves tucked up, he having just completed +his morning ablutions, an old stocking on one fist and a needle and +thread in the other, engaged in darning it. + +"Come on board, sir," I said. + +"Very well, youngster," he answered; "I should scarcely have known you +in your present proper uniform. There's nothing like being particular +as to dress. I'll see about placing you in a watch. You'll understand +that you're to try and do your duty to the best of your abilities." + +"Shure it's what I hope to do, sir," I answered briskly; "and I'm mighty +glad you like my uniform." + +"I didn't say I liked it, youngster,--I said it was proper according to +the regulations. Turn round, let me see. There is room for growing, +which a midshipman's uniform should have. You'll remember always to be +neat and clean, and follow the example I try to set you youngsters." + +"Yes, sir," I answered, my eyes falling on a huge patch which the +lieutenant had on one of the knees of his trousers. + +"Now you may go!" he said. "Understand that you're not to quit the ship +without my leave, and that you must master the rules and regulations of +the service as soon as possible, for I can receive no excuse if you +infringe them." + +Altogether I was pretty well satisfied with my interview with old +Rough-and-Ready, and hurrying out of the gun-room I directed my course +for the young gentlemen's berth, as it was called, which was some way +further forward on the starboard side. I intended, after making my +appearance there, to go in search of Larry, but the mulatto steward and +a boy came hurrying aft along the deck with steaming dishes, which they +placed on the table, and I found that the dinner was about to commence. + +"Glad to see you, Paddy," said Jack Nettleship, who had already taken +his place at the head of the table. "You look less like a play-actor's +apprentice and more like an embryo naval officer than you did when you +first came on board. Now sit down and enjoy the good things of life +while you can get them. Time will come when we shall have to luxuriate +on salt junk as hard as a millstone and weevilly biscuits." + +Plenty of joking took place, and everybody seemed in good humour, so +that I soon found myself fairly at my ease, and all I wanted to be +perfectly so was to know the ways of the ship. I succeeded in producing +several roars of laughter by the stories I told, not attempting to +overcome my brogue, but rather the contrary, as I found it amused my +auditors. When the rum was passed round, of which each person had a +certain quantum, the doctor sang out to the youngsters, including Tom +Pim and me, "Hold fast! it's a vara bad thing for you laddies, and I +shall be having you all on the sick list before long if I allow you to +take it. Pass the pernicious liquor along here." + +Tom obeyed, and so did I, willingly enough, for I had tasted the stuff +and thought it abominably nasty, but two or three of the other +midshipmen hesitated, and some seemed inclined to revolt. + +"I call on you, Nettleship, as president of the mess, to interfere," +exclaimed the doctor. "What do these youngsters suppose I'm sent here +for, but to watch over their morals and their health; and as I find it +difficult in the one case to do my duty with the exactitude I desire, I +shall take care not to neglect it in the other. There's young Chaffey +there, who has stowed away enough duff to kill a bull, and now he's +going to increase the evil by pouring this burning fiery liquid down his +throat. Do you want to be in your grave, Jack? if not, be wise, and let +the grog alone." + +Chaffey, the fattest midshipman among us, looked somewhat alarmed, and +quickly passed up the rum. I observed that the doctor kept it by his +side, and having finished his own quantum, began to sip the portions he +had forbidden the youngsters to drink. It was difficult to suppose that +he was perfectly disinterested in his advice. + +Being in harbour, we sat much longer than usual. At last I asked Tom if +he thought I could venture to go and look out for Larry. + +"Oh, yes; this is Liberty Hall," he answered. + +I was going forward, when I heard my name called, and going to the spot +from whence the voice came, I saw the first lieutenant standing before +my chest, at which he cast a look of mingled indignation and contempt. +By his side was a warrant officer, whom I heard addressed as Mr +Bradawl, with a saw and chisel and hammer in hand. + +"Does this huge chest belong to you?" asked old Rough-and-Ready, as I +came up. + +"Yes, sir," I answered; "I'm rather proud of it." + +"We shall see if you continue so," he exclaimed. "Do you think we have +room to stow away such a lumbering thing as this? Where's the key?" + +I produced it. + +"Now tumble your things out." + +"But please, sir, I haven't room to pack them away. I have got this +bundle, and that case, and those other things are all mine." + +"Tumble them out!" cried the lieutenant, without attending to my +expostulations. + +I obeyed. And the carpenter began sawing away at a line which old +Rough-and-Ready had chalked out not far from the keyhole. Mr Bradawl +had a pretty tough job of it, for the oak was hard. The lieutenant +stood by, watching the proceeding with evident satisfaction. He was +showing me that a first lieutenant was all-powerful on board ship. I +watched this cruel curtailment of my chest with feelings of dismay. + +Having sawn it thus nearly in two, the carpenter knocked off the end of +the part he had severed from the rest, and then hammered it on with +several huge nails. + +"Now, youngster, pick out the most requisite articles, and send the +others ashore, or overboard, or anywhere, so that they're out of the +ship," exclaimed the first lieutenant; saying which he turned away to +attend to some other duty, leaving me wondering how I should stow the +things away. Tom Pim, who had seen what was going forward, came up to +my assistance; and by putting the things in carefully, and stamping them +down, layer after layer, we managed to stow away more than I had +conceived possible. + +"I think I could find room for some of them in my chest, as we have been +to sea for some time, and a good many of my own have been expended; and, +I daresay, the other fellows will be equally ready to oblige you," said +Tom. + +I was delighted at the proposal, and hastened to accept it,--but I +didn't find it quite so easy to get them back again! Tom, however, soon +smelt out the cake. At first he suggested that it would be safe in his +chest, but Chaffey coming by, also discovered it; and though he was most +anxious to take charge of it for me, Tom, knowing very well what would +be its fate, insisted on its being carried into the berth. I need +hardly say that by the end of tea-time it had disappeared. + +I had no difficulty in finding Larry, when I at length set forth in +quest of him. The sound of his fiddle drew me to the spot, where, +surrounded by a party of admiring shipmates, he was scraping away as +happy as a prince. On catching sight of me, he sprang out of the +circle. + +"Och, Misther Terence, I'm mighty glad to see you; but shure I didn't +know you at first in your new clothes. I hope you like coming to sea as +much as myself. Shure it's rare fun we're having in this big ship; and +is his honour the major gone home again?" + +I told him that I concluded such was the case, and how pleased I was to +find that he liked his life on board,--though it didn't occur to me at +the time that not having as yet been put to perform any special duty, he +fancied he was always to lead the idle life he had hitherto been +enjoying. We were both of us doomed ere long to discover that things +don't always run smoothly at sea. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +MASTHEADED. + +The frigate was not yet ready for sea, and I had therefore time to pick +up some scraps of nautical knowledge, to learn the ways of the ship, and +to get a tolerable notion of my duties. I quickly mastered the rules +and regulations of the service, a copy of which Jack Nettleship gave me. + +"Stick by them, my lad, and you can't go wrong; if you do, it's their +fault, not yours," he observed. + +"But suppose I don't understand them?" I asked. + +"Then you can plead in justification that they are not sufficiently +clear for an ordinary comprehension," he answered. "I do when I make a +mistake, and old Rough-and-Ready is always willing to receive my +excuses, as he can't spell them out very easily himself, though they are +his constant study day and night. Indeed, I doubt if he reads anything +else, except Norie's _Navigation_ and the _Nautical Almanack_?" + +Nettleship showed me a copy of the former work, and kindly undertook to +instruct me in the science of navigation. All day long, however, he was +employed in the duties of the ship, and in the evening I was generally +sleepy when it was our watch below, so that I didn't make much progress. +Though I got on very well, I was guilty, I must own, of not a few +blunders. I was continually going aft when I intended to be going +forward, and _vice versa_. + +The day after I came aboard I was skylarking with Tom Pim, Chaffey, and +other midshipmites (as the oldsters called us), when I told them that I +would hide, and that they might find me if they could. I ran up the +after-ladder, when seeing a door open, I was going to bolt through it. +Just then a marine, who was standing there, placed his musket to bar my +way. Not wishing to be stopped, I dodged under it, turning round and +saying-- + +"Arrah, boy! don't be after telling where I'm gone to." + +The sentry, for such he was, not understanding me, seized hold of my +collar. + +"You mustn't be going in there, whoever you are," he said in a gruff +tone. + +"I'm a midshipman of this ship, and have a right to go wherever I like, +I'm after thinking," I said, trying to shake myself clear of his grasp. +"Hush, now; be pleasant, will ye, and do as I order you!" + +"I shouldn't be finding it very pleasant if I was to break through the +rules and regulations of the service," he answered. "Now go forward, +young gentleman, and don't be attempting to playing any of your tricks +on me." + +"I'm your officer, and I order you not to interfere with me, or say +where I'm gone," I exclaimed. + +"I obey no orders except from my own lieutenant or the captain and the +lieutenants of the ship," answered the sturdy marine. "You can't go +into the captain's cabin while I'm standing here as sentry;" and he +proceeded to use more force than was agreeable to my dignity. + +"Shure you're an impudent fellow to behave so to an officer," I +exclaimed; at which the sentry laughed, and said-- + +"Off with you, Master Jackanapes, and consider yourself fortunate that +worse hasn't come of your larking." + +Trying to look dignified I answered-- + +"You're an impudent fellow, and I shall make known your conduct to your +superiors. I know your name, my fine fellow, so you'll not get off." I +had observed his name, as I thought, on his musket. + +Just then Tom Pim popped his head above the hatchway, and I, finding +that I was discovered, made chase after him. He quickly distanced me; +and as I was rushing blindly along, I ran my head right into the stomach +of old Rough-and-Ready, who, as ill-luck would have it, was on his way +round the lower deck. I nearly upset him, and completely upset myself. + +"Shure, sir, I never intended to behave so rudely," I said, as, picking +myself up, I discovered whom I had encountered. + +"Go to the masthead, and stay there till I call you down," thundered the +lieutenant, rubbing the part of his body I had assaulted. + +"Please, sir, I had no intention in the world of running against you," I +said, trying to look humble, but feeling much inclined to laugh at the +comical expression of his countenance. + +"Look to the rules and regulations of the service, where all inferiors +are ordered to pay implicit obedience to their superiors," cried Mr +Saunders. "To the masthead with you." + +"If you please, sir, I should be happy to do that same if I knew the +way; but I haven't been up there yet, as the men have been painting the +rigging with some black stuff, and I should be after spoiling my new +uniform," I answered. + +"Go to the masthead," again shouted the first lieutenant; "and you, Pim, +go and show him the way," he exclaimed, catching sight of Tom Pim, who +was grinning at me from the other side of the deck. + +Tom well knew that it was against the rules and regulations of the +service to expostulate; therefore, saying, "Come along, Paddy," he led +the way on deck. + +"Do as I do," he said, as he began to mount the rigging. "Just hold on +with your hands and feet, and don't let the rest of your body touch the +rattlings or shrouds, and don't be letting go with one hand till you +have got fast hold with the other." + +Up he went, and I followed. He was nimble as a monkey, so I had +difficulty in keeping pace with him. Looking up, I saw him with his +back almost horizontal above me, going along the futtock shrouds to get +into the top. These are the shrouds which run from the side of the mast +to the outer side of the top, and consequently a person going along them +has his face to the sky and his back to the deck. Tom was over them in +a moment, and out of sight. I didn't like the look of things, but did +my best; and though he stood ready to give me a helping hand into the +top, I got round without assistance. We now had to ascend the topmost +rigging to the cross-trees, where we were to stay till called down. +This was a comparatively easy matter, and as I didn't once cast my eyes +below I felt no giddiness. Tom seated himself as if perfectly at home, +and bade me cross my legs on the other side of the mast. + +"It's lucky for you, Paddy, that you are able to gain your experience +while the ship is in harbour and as steady as a church steeple. It +would be a different matter if she were rolling away across the Bay of +Biscay with a strong breeze right aft; so you ought to be duly thankful +to old Saunders for mastheading you without waiting till we get there. +And now I'd advise you to have a look at the rules and regulations of +the service. It will please old Rough-and-Ready if you can tell him you +have employed your time up here studying them, but don't forget you are +up here, and go tumbling down on deck." + +I was very well disposed to follow Tom's advice, and I held tight on +with one hand while I pulled the paper out of my pocket and read a page +or two relating to obedience to superiors. Having thus relieved my +conscience, I took a look round at the beautiful panorama in the midst +of which the ship floated: the wooded banks, the magnificent harbour +dotted over with numerous vessels; ships of war and merchantmen,--the +latter waiting for convoy,--while among the former was the admiral's +flag-ship riding proudly, surrounded by the smaller fry. The pretty +town of Cove, with neat houses and villas on the one side, and the mouth +of the river Lee, running down from Cork, to the westward. + +Sooner than we expected we heard old Rough-and-Ready's voice summoning +us down. He was not an ill-natured man. He knew well that my fault had +been unintentional, and that Tom had certainly not deserved any +punishment at all, for grinning at a brother midshipman in his presence +could scarcely be considered disrespectful. + +"You may go through the lubber's hole," said Tom, when we reached the +top. + +"No, no. If you go round, I'll go to," I answered. For being thus put +on my mettle, I determined to do whatever he did. By holding fast with +my feet and following him, I managed to put them on the rattlings +underneath, and thus, though I didn't like it at all, got down on to the +main rigging. + +"Next time you run along the deck, youngster, you'll look where you're +going," said the first lieutenant, when I reached the deck. + +"Ay, ay, sir," I said, touching my hat. + +"Did you read the rules and regulations?" he asked. + +"Yes, sir," I answered; "though I hadn't time to get through them all." + +He was pleased with the respect I paid him. + +"Well, you'll know them by heart soon; and to ensure that, remember to +take them with you whenever you're mastheaded." + +"Of course, sir, if you wish it," I answered. + +He gave a comical look at me under his bushy eyebrows, and turned on his +heel. + +After this I accompanied Tom into the berth. Old Nettleship was there. +I told him of the way the marine had behaved, and said that for the sake +of keeping up the dignity of the midshipmen, I considered it necessary +to make his conduct known, though I had no ill-feeling towards the man +himself. + +At this remark the old mate burst into a hearty fit of laughter. + +"Midshipmen generally find it necessary to carry their dignity in their +pockets; and I'd advise you, Paddy, to put yours there, though I approve +of your spirit. The man will have been relieved some time ago, and +you'll find it difficult to recognise him among others." + +"Oh! I know his name--it was Tower," I said in a tone of confidence. + +At this there was a general roar of laughter. + +"According to your notion all the jollies are Towers," cried Nettleship, +when he regained his voice. "Why, Paddy, the muskets are all marked +with the name of the Tower of London, where the arms are stored before +they are served out." + +"Shure how should I know anything about the Tower of London?" I asked. +"I'm after thinking it's a poor place compared with Castle Ballinahone." + +This remark produced another roar of laughter from my messmates. + +"What are you after laughing at? I exclaimed. If any of you will +honour us with a visit at Castle Ballinahone, you'll be able to compare +the two places, and my father and mother, and brothers and sisters, will +be mighty plaised to see you." + +The invitation was at once accepted by all hands, though for the present +my family were pretty safe from the chances of an inundation of nautical +heroes. + +"And what sort of girls are your sisters?" asked Sims, who, I had +discovered, was always ready for some impudence. + +"Shure they're Irish young ladies, and that's all I intend to say about +them," I answered, giving him a look which made him hold his tongue. + +Still, in spite of the bantering I received, I got on wonderfully well +with my new messmates; and though I had a fight now and then, I +generally, being older than many of them, and stronger than others who +had been some time at sea, came off victorious; and as I was always +ready to befriend, and never bullied, my weaker messmates, I was on very +good terms with all of them. + +Tom Pim took a liking to me from the first, and though he didn't require +my protection, I felt ready to afford it him on all occasions. He was +sometimes quizzed by Sims and others for his small size. "I don't mind +it," he answered. "Though I'm little, I'm good. If I've a chance, I'll +do something to show what's in me." The chance came sooner than he +expected. There were a good many raw hands lately entered, Larry among +others. From the first he showed no fear of going aloft, looking upon +the business much as he would have done climbing a high tree; but how +the ropes were rove, and what were their uses, he naturally had no +conception. "Is it to the end of them long boughs there I've got to go, +Misther Terence?" he asked the first time he was ordered aloft, looking +up at the yards as he encountered me, I having been sent forward with an +order to the third lieutenant. + +"There's no doubt about it, Larry," I said; "but take care you catch +hold of one rope before you let go of the other," said I, giving him the +same advice which I had myself received. + +"Shure I'll be after doing that same, Misther Terence," he answered, as, +following the example of the other men, he sprang into the rigging. I +watched him going up as long as I could, and he seemed to be getting on +capitally, exactly imitating the movements of the other men. + +A day or two afterwards we were all on deck, the men exercising in +reefing and furling sails. The new hands were ordered to lay out on the +yards, and a few of the older ones to show them what to do. Larry +obeyed with alacrity; no one would have supposed that he had been only a +few times before aloft. I had to return to the quarter-deck, where I +was standing with Tom Pim, and we were remarking the activity displayed +by the men. I saw Larry on the starboard fore-topsail yard-arm, and had +just left Tom, being sent with a message to the gun-room, when, as my +head was flush with the hatchway, I saw an object drop from the yard-arm +into the water. It looked more like a large ball falling than a human +being, and it didn't occur to me that it was the latter until I heard +the cry of "Man overboard!" Hastening up again, I sprang into the +mizzen rigging, from which, just before I got there, Tom Pim had plunged +off into the water. It was ebb tide, and a strong current was running +out of the river Lee past the ship. The man who had fallen had not +sunk, but was fast drifting astern, and seemed unconscious, for he was +not struggling, lying like a log on the water. Tom Pim, with rapid +strokes, was swimming after him. I heard the order given to lower a +boat. Though not a great swimmer, I was about to follow Tom to try and +help him, when a strong arm held me back. + +"Are you a good swimmer, youngster?" asked the first lieutenant, the +person who had seized hold of me. + +"Not very," I answered. + +"Then stay aboard, or we shall be having to pick you up instead of +saving the man who fell overboard. I know Pim well; he'll take care of +himself." + +Saying this, the lieutenant stepped in on deck again, taking me with +him. While he superintended the lowering of the boat, I ran aft, and +watched Tom and the drowning man. Just then I caught sight of the +countenance of the latter, and to my dismay, I saw that he was no other +than Larry Harrigan. The boats usually employed were away, and the one +now lowered was not in general use, and consequently had in her all +sorts of things which should not have been there. It appeared a long +time before she was in the water. I watched my poor foster-brother with +intense anxiety, expecting to see him go down before Tom could reach +him. He was on the point of sinking when my gallant little messmate got +up to him, and throwing himself on his back, placed Larry's head on his +own breast, so as completely to keep it out of the water. My fear was +that Larry might come to himself and begin to struggle or get hold of +Tom, which might be fatal to both. They were drifting farther and +farther away from the ship. Tom had not uttered one cry for help, +evidently being confident that the boat would be sent to pick them up. +Every movement of his showed that he was calm, and knew perfectly what +he was about. At length the boat was got into the water, the first +lieutenant and four hands jumped into her, and away the men pulled as +fast as they could lay their backs to the oars. It was blowing fresh, +and there was a good deal of ripple in the harbour, so that the wavelets +every now and then washed over Tom. Suddenly Larry, coming to himself, +did what I feared; he seized hold of Tom, and in another instant would +have dragged him down had not Tom dexterously got clear and held him up +by the collar of his shirt. The boat was quickly up to them, and they +were, to my intense satisfaction, safely hauled on board. She then +rapidly pulled back to the ship, and both greatly exhausted, Larry being +scarcely conscious, were lifted up on deck. McPherson, the +assistant-surgeon, who had been summoned at once, ordered Tom to be +taken below. + +"Never mind me," said Tom. "I shall be all to rights presently, when +I've changed and had a cup of grog. You'll let me have that, won't you, +McPherson? And now you go and attend to the poor fellow who wants you +more than I do." + +"Vara true; he ought, from the way he fell, to have broken every bone in +his body; and it's wonderful he did not do it. He seems, indeed, not to +be much the worse for his fall, except a slight paralysis," he remarked +when he had finished his examination. "Take him down to the sick bay, +and I'll treat him as he requires." + +I first went below to thank Tom Pim for saving my follower, and to +express my admiration of his courage and resolution. + +"Oh, it's nothing," he answered; "I can swim better than you, or you'd +have done the same." + +I then went forward, where I found Larry--his wet clothes stripped off-- +between the blankets, in a hammock. + +The doctor administered a stimulant, and directed that he should be +rubbed on the side on which he had fallen. + +"Shure that's a brave young gentleman to save me from going to the +bottom, Misther Terence dear; and I'll be mighty grateful to him as long +as I live," he said to me. + +Having spent some time with Larry, who was ordered to remain in his +hammock, I returned to the midshipmen's berth. + +All were loud in their praises of Tom. Tom received them very modestly, +and said that though he felt very glad at being able to save the poor +fellow, he didn't see anything to be especially proud of in what he had +done. + +By the next morning Larry was almost well, only complaining of a little +stiffness in one side of the body. + +"He may thank his stars for being an Irishman," said McPherson; "no +ordinary mortal could have fallen from aloft as he did, into the water, +without breaking his bones, or being stunned." + +Larry could scarcely believe that it was little Tom Pim who had saved +him from drowning. + +"Shure, young gintleman, I'll be after lovin' ye, and fightin' for ye, +and seein' that no harm comes to ye, all the days of my life!" he +exclaimed, the first time he met Tom afterwards on deck. "I'm mighty +grateful to ye, sir, that I am." + +I was very sure that Larry meant what he said, and, should opportunity +offer, would carry out his intentions. + +We were seated talking in the berth after tea, when old Nettleship was +sent for into the cabin. There were many surmises as to what the +captain wanted him for. After some time, to my surprise, I was +summoned. I found it was only Nettleship that wanted to see me on deck. + +"Paddy," he said, "we are to have an expedition on shore, and you are +wanted to take part in it, and so is your countryman, Larry Harrigan. +The captain, Mr Saunders, and I have planned it. We want some more +hands, and we hear that there are a goodish lot hiding away in the town. +They are waiting till the men-of-war put to sea, when they think that +they will be safe. They are in the hands of some cunning fellows, and +it'll be no easy matter to trap them unless we can manage to play them a +trick. I can't say that I like particularly doing what we propose, but +we're bound to sacrifice our own feelings for the good of the service." + +"What is it?" I asked. "Of course I should be proud to be employed in +anything for the good of the service." + +"All right, Paddy; that's the spirit which should animate you. Now +listen. Mr Saunders and I are going on shore with a strong party of +well-armed men, and we want you and the boy Harrigan--or rather, the +captain wants you, for remember he gives the order--to go first and +pretend that you have run away from a man-of-war, and want to be kept in +hiding till she has sailed. You, of course, are to dress up as seamen +in old clothes--the more disreputable and dirty you look the better. We +know the houses where the men are stowed away, in the lowest slums of +Cork, and we can direct you to them. You're to get into the confidence +of the men, and learn what they intend doing; when you've gained that, +you're to tell them that one of the lieutenants of your ship is going on +shore with a small party of men, to try and press anybody he can find, +and that you don't think he knows much about the business, as he is a +stupid Englishman, and advise them to lie snug where they are. Then +either you or Harrigan can offer to creep out and try and ascertain in +what direction the press-gang is going. There are several houses +together, with passages leading from one to the other, so that if we get +into one, the men are sure to bolt off into another; and it must be your +business to see where they go, and Harrigan must shut the door to +prevent their escape, or open it to let us in. I now only describe the +outlines of our plan. I'll give you more particulars as we pull up the +river. We shall remain at Passage till after dark, and you and your +companion in the meanwhile must make your way into the town." + +"But shure won't I be after telling a lie if I say that Larry and I are +runaway ship-boys?" I asked. + +"Hush, that's a strong expression. Remember that it's all for the good +of the service," said Nettleship. + +Still I was not altogether satisfied that the part I was about to play +was altogether an honourable one. + +He, however, argued the point with me, acknowledging that he himself +didn't think so, but that we were bound to put our private feelings into +our pockets when the good of the service required it. He now told me to +go and speak to Larry, but on no account to let any one hear me, lest +the expedition might get wind among the bumboat women, who would be sure +to convey it on shore. + +To my surprise, Larry was perfectly prepared to undertake the duty +imposed on him, feeling flattered at being employed, and taking rather a +pleasure at the thoughts of having to entrap some of our countrymen. + +"They may grumble a little at first, but they'll be a mighty deal better +off on board ship than digging praties, or sailing in one of those +little craft out there," he said, with a look of contempt at the +merchant vessels. + +Mr Saunders took me into his cabin, and made me rig out in a suit of +clothes supplied by the purser. I had to rub my hair about till it was +like a mop; then, with some charcoal and a mixture of some sort, he +daubed my face over in such a way that I didn't know myself when I +looked in his shaving-glass. + +"You'll do, Paddy," said Nettleship when he saw me. "We must be giving +a touch or two to Harrigan. He seems a sharp fellow, and will play his +part well, I have no doubt." + +In a short time the boats were ready. We went with Mr Saunders and +Nettleship in the pinnace. She was accompanied by the jolly-boat, which +it was intended should convey Larry and me into the neighbourhood of the +town. We were, however, not to go on board her until we reached +Passage. The crew gave way, and as the tide was in our favour we got +along rapidly. I found that the expedition we were engaged in was a +hazardous one, especially for Larry and me; for should the men we were +in search of discover who we were, they might treat us as spies, and +either knock our brains out, or stow us away in some place from which we +should not be likely to make our escape. This, however, rather enhanced +the interest I began to feel in it, and recompensed me for its doubtful +character. + +Neither Mr Saunders nor Nettleship looked in the slightest degree like +officers of the Royal Navy. They were dressed in Flushing coats; the +lieutenant in a battered old sou'-wester, with a red woollen comforter +round his throat; Nettleship had on an equally ancient-looking +tarpaulin, and both wore high-boots, long unacquainted with blacking. +They carried stout cudgels in their hands, their hangers and pistols +being concealed under their coats. In about an hour and a half we +reached Passage, when Nettleship and Larry and I got into the +jolly-boat. + +"I'm going with you," said Nettleship, "that I may direct you to the +scene of operations, and am to wait for Mr Saunders at the `Fox and +Goose,'--a small public-house, the master of which knows our object and +can be trusted." + +Nettleship, as we pulled away, minutely described over and over again +what Larry and I were to do, so that I thought there was no chance of +our making any mistake, provided matters went as he expected. It was +dark by the time we reached Cork. The boat pulled into the +landing-place, and Larry and I, with two of the men, went ashore, and +strolled lazily along a short distance, looking about us. This we did +in case we should be observed; but on reaching the corner, Larry and I, +as we had been directed, set off running, when the two men returned to +the boat, which was to go to another landing-place a little way higher +up, whence Nettleship and his party were to proceed to our rendezvous. +When we had got a little distance we pulled up, and to be certain that +we had made no mistake, we inquired the name of the street of a +passer-by. We found that we were all right. We now proceeded +stealthily along to the lane where Mother McCleary's whisky-shop was +situated. I had no difficulty in recognising the old woman, as she had +been well described to me. Her stout slatternly figure, her bleared +eyes, her grog-blossomed nose,--anything but a beauty to look at. Her +proceedings were not beautiful either. Going to the end of the counter +where she was standing, I tipped her a wink. + +"Hist, mither! Can yer be after taking care of two poor boys for a +night or so?" I asked. + +"Where do yer come from?" she inquired, eyeing us. + +"Shure it's from the say," answered Larry, who had undertaken to be +chief spokesman. "We've just run away from a thundering big king's +ship, and don't want to go back again." + +"Why for?" asked the old woman. + +"For fear of a big baste of a cat which may chance to score our backs, +if she doesn't treat us worse than that." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE PRESS-GANG. + +"That's a big thundering lie," I heard Larry whisper. + +"Come in," said the old woman, lifting up the flap of the counter. +"I'll house yer if yer can pay for yer board and lodging." + +"No fear of that, ma'am," I replied, showing some silver which I had +ready in my pocket for the purpose. + +"Come along, my boys," she answered, her eyes twinkling at the thought +of being able to fleece us, as she led us into a small room at the back +of the shop. + +There was no one else in the place at the time, except a boy attending +to the counter, so that there was little chance of our being observed. +Having lit a small lantern, the old woman drew aside a curtain at the +further end of the room, which had served to conceal a strong-looking +door; then taking a big key out of her pocket, she opened it, and told +us to go through. Carefully closing the door behind her, she led the +way along a narrow dark passage. It seemed of considerable length. At +last we reached another door, and emerged into a court or alley, +crossing which she opened a third door, and told us to pass through. We +obeyed, and followed her past a couple of rooms, in one of which several +men were sitting, drinking and smoking. Unlocking another door, she +showed us into a much larger apartment than any we had as yet seen. +Though low, it was spacious enough to be called a hall I took in the +appearance of the place at a glance. On one side was a recess with a +counter before it, at which a couple of damsels were serving out liquors +and various sorts of provisions. At the further end, four large casks +supported some planks which served as a platform, and on this a chair +was placed,--the seat being evidently for a musician. Three doors +besides the one by which we had entered opened from the room, which was +occupied by a dozen or more rough-looking men, mostly sailors. Some +were standing at the counter, others lounging on benches round the +walls, most of them having dhudeens in their mouths. The place was +redolent with the fumes of whisky and tobacco. No one took notice of us +as we entered, but, seeing Mother McCleary, seemed satisfied that all +was right. + +"You'll find a stair through that doorway," she said, pointing to one +near the orchestra, if so it could be called; "it will lead you to the +sleeping-room, where you'll be after finding some beds. You'll remember +that first come first served, and if you don't be tumbling into one it +will be your own fault, and you'll have to prick for the softest plank +in the corner of the room. Now, boys, you'll be after handing me out a +couple of shillings each. I don't give credit, except to those I happen +to know better than I do you." + +I paid the money at once for Larry and myself. The old woman, bidding +us make ourselves at home, returned by the way she had come, locking the +door behind her. I soon found that we were among as ruffianly and +disreputable a set of fellows as I had ever fallen in with, but none of +them interfered with us, and I began to doubt whether we should obtain +the information we were in search of. To try to get into conversation +with some one, we walked up to the counter, took a pork pie apiece, and +called for a glass of whisky, which we prudently mixed with plenty of +water. "Don't be drinking much of it," I said to Larry, "it's as hot as +fire." + +Two seamen then came up, and I asked one of them when the fun was to +begin. Arrah, then it'll be before long, when Tim Curtin, the fiddler, +has come to himself; but he's been drunk all the blessed morning, since +last night, and they're dousing him outside with cold water to bring him +to. My new acquaintance being evidently inclined to be communicative, I +plied him with further questions, and I gained his confidence by calling +for another glass of whisky, with which I insisted on treating him. I, +however, let Larry carry on the chief part of the conversation. + +"If you've run from a man-of-war, you'll have to lie snug as mice in +their holes till she sails, or there's three dozen at least for each of +you, if they don't run you up at the yard-arm, as they did at Portsmouth +the other day to a poor boy, just because he wanted to go home to his +wife and family," said the man. + +This, though a fact as far as the hanging was concerned, I hadn't heard +of before. Larry didn't show that he doubted the truth of the story, +but pretended to be very frightened. + +"Thin what should we be after doing?" he asked. + +"Why, as I tell yer," he said, keep close; "you'll be wise not to show +your noses out of doors for a week or two to come, if you've got money +enough to pay old Mother McCleary, for she doesn't keep us boys for +nothing, you may stake yer davey." + +"What should we be after doing, then, supposing the press-gang were to +come down upon us and find us out?" asked Larry. + +"It will be at the end of a long day before the press-gang get in here; +but see now, there's a room overhead where you can sleep secure, either +in bed or out of it. Then there's that door in the middle of the room, +that leads to a long passage, just like the one you passed through when +you came in here. At the end of it there's a court, and on the opposite +side you'll find a door. Go through that when it opens, which it will +do when you have given three raps quick together, and you'll be in a +house with well-nigh as many rooms and cellars as there's days in the +month. It will be a hard matter if you don't stow yourselves away out +of sight in one of them. I'll be after showing you the way by and by, +when the dancing is over, and we've had a few more glasses of Mother +McCleary's whisky." + +While our friend, whose name we had not as yet learned, was speaking, I +observed several more persons entering the room; and presently others +came in, carrying among them a humpbacked little fellow, with a fiddle +under his arm, who seemed scarcely able to walk by himself. They made +their way to the platform I have described, and speedily lifted him into +the chair. + +"Strike up, Tim," cried several voices. "Give us a tune to set our feet +agoing. Be alive, man, if you know now where you are." + +Tim, though apparently half-asleep, put his fiddle to his chin, and +began scraping away, nodding his head and stamping with his foot in time +to the tune he was eliciting from his instrument. The effect was +magical. The whole party, men and women,--there were not a few of the +latter, not among the most refined of their sex,--began dancing jigs. +Tim next played slower, but his speed increased again as he saw the +dancers warming to their work, till his bow moved so rapidly over the +strings of his fiddle, and his arm and his head gave such eccentric +jerks, that I half expected at any moment to see the one fly off at a +tangent and the other come bounding into the middle of the room. Larry +and I kept on one side, trying to look greatly interested with the +performance, while we managed to have a few words now and then with some +of the men, who were either seated on the benches or standing against +the wall. Among them were several who had not the appearance of seamen, +and who, I surmised, were highwaymen or housebreakers. Two of them were +especially ruffianly looking. As I examined the countenance of one of +these, I felt convinced that I had seen it before, and not long ago +either. I was careful, however, that he should not discover that I was +observing him. I took an opportunity of asking Larry if he knew who the +man was. + +"Shure it's no other than Dan Hoolan himself," he answered. I fancied +that at length his keen eyes were directed on Larry, whom he was more +likely to recognise than me, seeing that I was the most completely +disguised of the two. + +At length, having gained all the information we could, I determined to +try and get out of the place, so that I might make my way to Nettleship, +and show him the best situation for posting his men to capture any who +might attempt to escape. It had been arranged that Nettleship's party +was to enter the grog-shop one by one; then, at a signal, force their +way along the passage through which Mother McCleary had led us. + +"I'm mighty afraid the press-gang will be coming this way, and if this +hullaballoo reaches their ears, they'll be after putting their noses in +to see what the fun is about. If they're from our own ship, bedad, we +shall be worse off than we would have been outside," I said to our new +acquaintance, who, by this time, was not quite steady on his pins. "I'd +just like to slip away, and try and find out if they're near this at +all. My mate here is plaised to stay behind, as he's mighty eager to +dance himself." + +After further pressing the point with all necessary caution, our new +friend, Barney Reillagan, as he called himself, offered to show me the +way out, and to let me in again when I wished to return. + +"You're free of the place, I'm supposing; and shure I am that I may be +after trusting you," he observed as he accompanied me into the passage I +spoke of. + +I hoped that we were unobserved by Hoolan or any of the other men, who +might have suspicions of my true character. Larry followed so +noiselessly, that I do not think Barney was aware he was with us. +Larry's object was to see that no harm came to me; and besides which, he +wanted to learn how to let me in again on my return. Barney himself was +apparently an open-hearted seaman, who preferred serving on board a +peaceable trader to a man-of-war, and I had no fear of his playing me +false. + +We had to grope our way to the end of the passage, which was as long as +he had described. Unbolting a door, Barney led me out into a narrow +court. I could hear even there the strains of the riddle, and the +shouts and screams of the dancers. Barney told me that if I turned to +the left I should come to a narrow archway, which led into the lane, and +that by turning again to the left, I should come to the front of Mother +McCleary's whisky-shop. + +This information was sufficient to enable me to find my way without +difficulty. I was somewhat surprised at the ease with which I had made +my escape. I had little doubt of being able to bring Nettleship and his +men up to the right place. My only anxiety was about Larry, who, if +recognised by Dan Hoolan, might be severely handled, if not killed,--for +so determined a ruffian was not likely to hesitate in committing any +act, however atrocious, should he suspect Larry of treachery. + +I slipped out into the court, and Barney closed the door after me. The +night was very dark; but I could see two or three shadowy forms flitting +by, though no one stopped me. Now and then a ruffian voice, a wild +shriek, or a child's cry, came from the narrow windows looking into the +court. I walked on as fast as I could venture to move, till I found the +narrow archway which Barney had described, and emerged into a lane, +which, however, was not much broader than the court. Here the sounds of +wrangling voices, and shouts, and the drunkards' wild songs, broke the +stillness of night. A few men rolled by, who had come out of Mother +McCleary's whisky-shop, or other similar establishments; but I carefully +kept out of their way till I arrived at the "Fox and Goose," where I +expected to find Nettleship. It hadn't occurred to me, however, that I +might have been followed, and our plan for trapping the seamen +discovered. I at once entered, and found my messmate with his men ready +to set out. + +"You've been longer than I expected, Paddy; but I hope it's all right," +he said. + +"If we are quick about it, I expect we shall catch a good number," I +answered. "Where is Mr Saunders? We shall require a strong party to +overpower the fellows, especially as there are some desperate ruffians +among them;" and I told him how I had discovered the outlaw, Dan Hoolan. + +"Mr Saunders is waiting just outside, round the corner," he said. +"I'll go out and tell him that you have come back, and meanwhile you +remain here." + +In a short time Nettleship returned. + +"You are to accompany Mr Saunders," he said, "and lead his party round +to the court, while I and my men take charge of Mother McCleary, so that +no one may escape on this side." + +Mr Saunders welcomed me in a good-natured voice. + +"You have done well thus far, my lad. I've no doubt that we shall trap +some of them," he said, when I had given a description of the place and +the characters it contained. "I have got hold of a man who knows the +town, and will lead us round by a different way to the court to that by +which you escaped, while Nettleship goes directly up the lane," he +added. "Come along!" + +We set out at a rapid rate; the men being charged to make as little +noise with their feet as possible. We must have gone a considerable way +round, for it seemed a long while before we reached the archway, which I +at once recognised. The lieutenant led, with a pistol in one hand and +his hanger in the other, knowing that he was likely to be treated with +scant ceremony should he encounter any of the residents of that +neighbourhood. + +"Now," he said to me, stopping, "do you creep forward and learn if +Harrigan is at the door ready to open it. If not, wait to get in +yourself, and then take the first opportunity of admitting us. If you +can't get in we must try and force the door open, but it would be a +great matter to get along the passage, so as to rush in upon the fellows +while they are at their revels, and before they expect our approach." + +As he spoke we could hear the sound of Tim Curtin's fiddle, and the hum +of voices coming from the interior of the building. Our fear was that +any of the inmates of the neighbouring dens might be awake, and, +catching sight of us, might give the alarm, and allow the men time to +escape. As far as I had learned, however, the door we were now watching +and Mother McCleary's whisky-shop were the only outlets, though there +might be underground passages and cellars and holes, where, should they +stow themselves away, we might find it difficult to discover them. + +As I crept forward, I felt my heart beating more than it was wont to +do,--not from fear, certainly, but from anxiety to succeed. I didn't +like the business; I considered it a dirty one; but I was acting +according to my orders, and for the good of the service. I had been +told to give three rapid knocks, followed by others at short intervals, +at the opposite door, and I concluded that this would be opened should I +make the same signal. Without loss of a moment I knocked, and presently +I heard a bolt withdrawn, then another and another. + +"Is that yourself?" asked a voice that I knew to be Larry's. + +"Yes, to be shure, and no other," I answered in the same tone. + +The door opened slightly. + +"They're suspecting me," said Larry. Be quick. + +Mr Saunders, who was on the watch, hearing this, dashed forward, +followed by his men. They sprang, led by the lieutenant, one after the +other, into the passage, nearly knocking Larry and me over. There was +not a moment to be lost, we knew, for the door at the further end was +closed with a loud slam before we reached it, but not being as strong as +the one on the outside, it was quickly battered in, when we caught sight +of a dozen or more fellows, some trying to escape up-stairs, others +through the two passages I have mentioned. Three or four of the men, +however, stood their ground in front of the passage leading to the +whisky-shop, with hangers or pistols in their hands, which they +apparently had just taken up from the corner of the room where they had +deposited them. Among these I recognised Dan Hoolan. Bestowing a not +very complimentary epithet on Larry and me, he flourished his hanger and +dared any one to come on and touch him. + +"I and my friends here are not seamen," he exclaimed. "You're after +trying to press some of the poor fellows, I suppose; but if any man +tries to lay hands on me, he'll be wise to say his prayers before he +begins." + +"I intend to lay hands on you, and every fellow I find here," said Mr +Saunders. "Drop your hanger, or you'll have to repent the day you drew +it." + +Hoolan answered with a scornful laugh, and made a blow at the +lieutenant, who, however, parried it. + +At that moment the door behind him was burst open, and in rushed +Nettleship and his party, who threw themselves at once upon Hoolan. The +outlaw fired his pistol at my head, but fortunately his arm was thrown +up, and the ball struck the ceiling. His men, seeing their leader +overpowered, made but little resistance. But we had not yet got the men +whose capture was desired. Mr Saunders, leaving Nettleship to secure +those below, followed Larry and me up the stairs. + +In the meantime the female part of the assemblage, some of whom had +retired to different parts of the room, were saluting us with the most +fearful cries and execrations. The lieutenant, however, took no more +notice of them than if they had been so many lambs bleating, and at once +hurried up the stairs to the room above, where we found well-nigh a +score of men, some trying to make their way out of the window, but +which, having been closed, they had only just then succeeded in opening; +others hiding inside the beds or under them. Three or four got away, +but the remainder were knocked over by our men, or captured without +resistance, scarcely any attempting to defend themselves. Our success +had been as complete as could have been hoped for. Our captives were +quickly dragged down the stairs, when Mr Saunders ordered the women to +clear out of the house forthwith, and proceeded to lash the hands of the +men behind their backs. It was very easy to give the order to the +women, but not so easy to get it obeyed. They shrieked and abused us in +a way in which few of the female sex can beat the lower orders of my +countrywomen. At length, however, finding that their eloquence had no +effect, they retreated through the door that we had left open. It +turned out that the means of escape were not so elaborate as had been +supposed, and, as far as we could learn, all the men in the +neighbourhood had on this occasion collected at Mother McCleary's. Most +of those we had captured behaved quietly enough, but Hoolan and two or +three others made violent efforts to escape, till a prog or two from a +cutlass compelled them to be quiet. + +"And what are you going to do with me, a landsman who never was to sea +in his life?" exclaimed Hoolan. + +"We shall turn you into a sailor before long, my fine fellow," answered +Mr Saunders. "You'll be wiser to walk along, and quietly too, as we've +no time for nonsense." + +Our prisoners were now marshalled, in most cases with a seaman to attend +to each. Hoolan had two to look after him, though one guard sufficed +for some of the more peaceably disposed. Nettleship led the way, and +Mr Saunders and I brought up the rear, Larry being employed in guarding +a fellow twice his size, with orders to cut him down if he made any +resistance. + +"We must be out of this as fast as we can," said Mr Saunders to me, +"for very likely those fellows who made their escape will rouse their +friends, and we may have a mob of all the ruffians in the town upon us +before we can reach the boats." + +What had become of Mother McCleary and her assistants we could not tell. +She probably thought it wise to keep out of the way, lest any of her +late guests might suspect her of betraying them, as she probably had +done. We had not got more than half-way towards the boats, when our +ears were saluted by a chorus of yells and shrieks, and we could +distinguish through the gloom on either side of us a mass of human +beings, apparently intending to attempt the rescue of our prisoners. + +"I warn you, good people, that if you come nearer, I'll give my men +orders to fire on you," shouted my lieutenant. + +A volley of wild yells burst from the mob, sufficient to unnerve many +who had not before heard such cries. Directly afterwards a brickbat +flew past my head, aimed, no doubt, at the more prominent figure of the +lieutenant. Fortunately, it missed us both. + +"Remember, if any of you are killed, you'll have brought the punishment +on yourselves," again shouted the lieutenant. + +Though the people yelled as before, the warning had its effect, and we +could see the dark moving mass retreating to a more respectful distance. +They, apparently, only wanted a leader to make an onslaught. That +leader, however, was not to be found. Had Hoolan been at liberty, I +have no doubt but that we should have fared but ill. As it was, +missiles from a distance came flying by us, though the prisoners +suffered more than we did. Mr Saunders was naturally anxious to avoid +bloodshed. At length the boats were reached. Again Hoolan made a +desperate effort to get free, but he was hauled on board, and thrust +down to the bottom of the pinnace, the rest of the men being disposed +of, some in her, and others in the jolly-boat, of which Nettleship took +charge. As we shoved off the people collected on the quay, saluting us +with renewed yells and execrations, and brickbats, stones, mud, and +filth were hurled at us. We speedily, however, got beyond their reach, +no one receiving any serious damage. + +"We've made a fine haul," observed Mr Saunders as we pulled down the +river. "We shall soon turn these fellows into good seamen, as obedient +and quiet as lambs." + +"I'm thinking, sir, that you'll not find Dan Hoolan as quiet as a lamb," +I observed; and I told him of the encounter my uncle and I had had with +the outlaw and his followers. + +"That'll make no difference," answered Mr Saunders. "When he finds +that he can't escape, if he's got any sense in his brains he'll bend to +circumstances." + +I still, however, doubted whether my lieutenant's opinion would prove +right. + +When the boats arrived alongside the frigate, our captives, being unable +to help themselves, were hoisted up like bales of goods, and made to +stand on the deck in a line. They all looked sulky enough as the +lantern was held up to their faces; but Hoolan's countenance wore a +ferocious aspect, which made me think that it would have been as well to +have left him on shore to be hanged, which in all probability would +ultimately have been his fate. Mr Saunders had changed his rough dress +for his proper uniform, and as he went round to inspect the prisoners +Hoolan recognised him, and so savage did he look that I thought he would +have sprung at his throat. + +"Are you the captain of the ship?" he asked in a fierce tone. + +"No, I'm not the captain, but an officer, who you'll be compelled to +obey," answered Mr Saunders, interrupting him. "Keep down what was +rising to your tongue, or it'll be the worse for you." + +"I'm no seaman, and I don't want to be after going to sea; and I beg you +to tell me for what reason you knocked me down against the law?" + +"You were found among seamen, and if you're not one we'll make you one +before long, my fine fellow," said the lieutenant. + +"Arrah, it'll be a hard matter to do that same," cried Hoolan, but he +spoke in a less savage tone than at first. + +"We shall see to that," said Mr Saunders as he passed on to the other +men, most of whom appeared quiet enough. Even Hoolan's followers didn't +venture to say anything, having a just conception of the stern +discipline on board a man-of-war. The execution of one or more seamen +for frequent desertion, of which I have before spoken, showed them that +they could not venture to play tricks with impunity. + +Having had their names,--or such as they chose to give,--ages, and other +particulars entered, they were sent down to the main-deck under a strong +guard, with a hint that should they exhibit the slightest degree of +insubordination it would be the worse for them. + +The light of a lantern happened to fall on my face while I was passing +Hoolan, who, with the rest, were seated on the deck, where they were to +pass the remainder of the night. He started up, and glaring savagely at +me, with a fierce oath exclaimed, as he stretched out his arm-- + +"There's one of the young traitors who brought us into this trouble. I +wish we had strung you up to Saint Bridget's oak when we had you and +your uncle in our power." + +"Then, as I thought, you are Dan Hoolan," I said. "You have now a +chance of leading an honest life, and I'd advise you to take advantage +of it." + +Hoolan, without replying, sank back on the deck. + +I was glad enough to turn in, and slept soundly till the hammocks were +piped up next morning. + +On coming on deck I saw Blue Peter flying at the masthead of our own +ship, and at those of the two other men-of-war, a frigate and a +corvette, and of all the merchantmen. The admiral fired a signal-gun. +We repeated it, and before the smoke had cleared away the merchantmen +let fall their topsails, we setting them the example; the anchor was +hove up to the merry sound of the fife, and, taking the lead, we stood +out of the Cove of Cork with a fair breeze, the other frigate and +corvette acting as whippers-in. + +The sky was clear and the sea smooth. We hove-to outside to wait for +the vessels we were to convoy. In half an hour or so they were all out +of the harbour. Besides the men-of-war there were fully sixty +merchantmen; and a beautiful sight they presented, dotting the blue +ocean with their white sails. + +We were bound out to Jamaica, where we were to leave the larger number +of vessels, and proceed with the others to their several destinations, +having then to return to Port Royal. Two line-of-battle ships came out +afterwards to convoy the fleet till we were well away from the coast, +that, should we be seen by an enemy, it might be supposed that we were +too strong a force to be attacked. + +I should have said that when we were getting under weigh I saw Hoolan, +and the other pressed men, dressed as man-of-war's men, working away at +the capstan. He evidently didn't like his task, but could not help +himself, as he had to go round with the others pressing against the +capstan bars. He and the other landsmen were set to perform such work +as they were capable of, of course being compelled to pull and haul when +sail was made or shortened. + +"I'm after thinking, Mr Terence, that Dan Hoolan, though he's mighty +quiet just now, will be playing us some prank or other before long, if +he can find a chance," observed Larry to me. + +"Well, then, Larry, just keep an eye on him, and let me know what he's +about. I don't want to make you an eavesdropper, but for the man's own +sake he must not be allowed to attempt any mischief. He'd be sure to +have the worst of it." + +"Arrah now, of course he would, Mr Terence. They're honest boys aboard +here, and they'd soon clap him in limbo," observed Larry as I passed on +along the deck. + +He had already become thoroughly imbued with the right spirit of a +British seaman. + +I gave myself, however, little concern about Hoolan after this. + +For some time we had a favourable breeze; the sea was calm, and +everything went smoothly. We had plenty of work keeping the squadron +together, compelling the fast vessels to shorten sail, and the laggards +to make it. Some ran on with only their topsails set. Others had +studding-sails set on either side. We were all day long sending the +bunting up and down, and firing guns as signals. + +"Why are all those bits of coloured stuff hoisted to the masthead?" +asked Larry. "They tell me that the captain makes the young gentlemen +run them up and down to keep their fingers warm." + +I explained to him that each flag represented a figure or number, and +sometimes a word or a sentence, according to the distinguishing pennant +hoisted over it. For which purpose every vessel was provided with a +book of signals, and we could thus communicate with each other just as +if we were speaking. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A FIGHT AT SEA. + +The ocean continued so calm, that Larry was quite cock-a-hoop, thinking +that he had become a perfect seaman. "I have heard tell, Maisther +Terence, that the say runs mountains high, for all the world like the +hills of Connemara, but I'm after thinking that these are all landsmen's +notions. We have been getting along for all the world like ducks in a +pond." + +The very next day, Larry had a different tale to tell. In the morning +the line-of-battle ships parted from us, and we, the _Amethyst_ frigate, +and the _Piper_ corvette, had to continue our course alone, to protect +our somewhat erratic convoy. Dark clouds were seen coming up from the +north-west. The scud sped across the sky, the spin-drift flying over +the fast-rising seas. In a short time the ship began to pitch into them +as if determined to hammer them down, but they, not inclined to receive +such treatment patiently, sent masses of spray flying over our bows, as +if to show what they were capable of doing, should she persevere in her +attempt. The merchantmen on all sides were bobbing away, and kicking up +their sterns in the same comical fashion; and even the other frigate and +corvette were playing similar pranks. The tacks were got aboard, +however, and on we all went together, now heeling over when a stronger +blast than usual struck us, till the water came hissing in at our +main-deck ports. Sail after sail was taken off the ship. Now she rose +almost on an even keel, and then again heeled over as before. The +convoy followed our example, though not with the same rapidity. The +sheets had been let go, and the sails of some were flying wildly in the +breeze. Three or four lost their loftier masts and lighter spars, but +they were still compelled to keep up by the signals which we or the +_Amethyst_ threw out. At length I had to go aloft. I could not say +that I liked it. It seemed to me that with the eccentric rolls the ship +was making, I might at any moment be jerked off into the seething ocean; +but I recollected Tom Pim's advice, and held on with teeth and eyelids. +I got on, however, very well while I was aloft, and I managed somehow or +other to reach the deck. Then--oh! how truly miserable I began to feel. +Every moment I became worse and worse. As it happened, my watch was +just over, and I descended to the berth. When I got there my head +dropped on the table. I felt as I had never felt before; as utterly +unlike as could be the brave Tipperary boy I fancied myself. + +"Why, Paddy, what's come over you?" exclaimed Nettleship, who had just +then come below. "Why, you look as if you had heard the banshee howl, +or dipped your face into a pot of white paint." + +"Oh! oh!" I exclaimed, my lip curling, and feeling the most miserable +of human beings, so I fancied. I could utter no other articulate sound. + +"Get up, youngster, and dance a hornpipe," cried Nettleship; "or I'll +just send to the galley for a lump of fat pork, and if you'll swallow an +ounce or so, it will do you all the good in the world." + +The very mention of the fat pork finished me off. I bolted out of the +berth, which was to windward, and went staggering away to the opposite +side of the ship, having made a vain attempt to get to the main-deck, +upsetting Tom Pim in my course, and not stopping till I pitched right +against Doctor McCall, our surgeon, much after the manner that I had +treated old Rough-and-Ready. Our good medico, not being so secure as +the lieutenant on his pins, was unfortunately upset, and together we +rolled into his dispensary, out of which he was at that moment coming. +There we lay, amidst a quantity of phials, jars, and gallipots, which, +having been improperly secured, came crashing down upon us. The doctor +kicked and struggled, and endeavoured to rise, but I was too far gone to +make any effort of the sort. Had he been inclined, he might have +pounded me to death before I should have cried out for mercy. I was +unable even to say that I could not help it, though he must have known +that well enough. I need not describe what happened. Fortunately he +had got to his feet before the occurrence to which I wish only +delicately to allude took place. I felt wonderfully better. + +"Why, Paddy, is it you, my boy?" he exclaimed, not a bit angry; for +being a good-natured man, he was ready to make every allowance for the +occurrence. + +"I believe it's myself, sir; though I'm not altogether clear about it," +I answered as I got up and tried to crawl out of the place. + +"Stay, youngster, you shall have something before you go which will set +you to rights," he said in a kind tone. + +As well as he could, with the ship pitching and rolling, he poured out a +mixture, which he handed to me, and bade me drink off. It revived me +considerably, though I still felt very shaky. + +"If I should ever want to have a leg or an arm cut off, I hope, sir, +that you'll do it for me," I said, for I could think of nothing else at +the moment to express my gratitude. + +The doctor laughed. "I wish you better luck than that, my boy," he +observed. "What makes you say that?" + +"Because, sir, you didn't find fault with me for tumbling you over; now, +when I ran against Mr Saunders, he sent me to the masthead for a couple +of hours." + +"You were skylarking then, my lad, and the ship was not pitching and +tumbling about as she now is," he said. "However, go and lie down in +the berth, if you can find room there, and you'll soon be all to +rights." + +I willingly obeyed his injunctions, while he sent to have his dispensary +cleaned, and the phials and gallipots which had escaped fracture picked +up. I believe a good many were saved by tumbling upon us instead of +upon the deck. + +As Nettleship and the other midshipmen were merciful, I managed to have +a good caulk on the locker. When I awoke I felt almost like myself +again. I dreaded, however, having to go on deck to keep watch, and was +much inclined to ask the doctor to put me on the sick list. + +In my sufferings I had not forgotten my follower, Larry. As soon as I +could, I hastened forward to see how he was getting on, as I had +ascertained that it was his watch below. + +As I got forward, a scene of human misery and wretchedness presented +itself, such as I had never before witnessed. Half the marines were +lying about the deck, unable to lift up their heads, while most of the +boys were in the same condition. Among them I found Larry. He gazed at +me with lack-lustre eyes as I approached. + +"Shure, the say's not at all at all the place I thought it was, Mr +Terence," he groaned forth. "I've been turned inside out entirely. I +don't even know whether the inside of me isn't the outside." + +There was a general groan, as the ship at that moment pitched into a +sea, and I had to hold on fast, or I should have been sent in among the +mass of human misery. When she rose again and was steady for an +instant, I was able to speak to Larry. + +"I can't say I feel very comfortable myself," I said; "but rouse up and +try to prevent your feelings from overcoming you." + +"Och, Master Terence, but my faylings are mighty powerful, and for the +life of me I can't master them," he groaned out. + +This was very evident; and what with the smells and the closeness of the +air,--not to speak of the pitching and rolling of the ship,--I was again +almost overpowered, when there came a cry of "All hands save ship!" and +down sprang the boatswain's mates, and began kicking away at the hapless +marines and green hands. Larry in a moment leaped to his feet I heard a +savage growl close to me, and just then caught sight of Dan Hoolan's +countenance. Though he was kicked and cuffed, nothing would make him +get up, and I saw him still lying prostrate when I hurried off to gain +the deck. + +The ship, struck by a heavy squall, was lying over almost on her +beam-ends; the officers were shouting out their orders through their +speaking-trumpets; the men were hurrying here and there as directed, +some going aloft, others letting fly tacks, and sheets clewing up and +hauling down. Suddenly the buoyant frigate righted herself. It seemed +a wonder that none of the men were jerked overboard. The canvas was +further reduced, and on we went, pounding away into the seas. + +Larry was as active as any one. He seemed to have forgotten all about +his sickness. It was the last time, too, that I ever suffered from the +malady, and from that day forward--blow high or blow low--I felt as easy +in my inside as I should on shore. A few spars had been carried away on +board the merchantmen, but, as far as we could see, no other damage had +occurred. + +In a couple of days more the gale had completely worn itself out, and +everything went as smoothly as heretofore. We were then within about a +week's sail of the West Indies. The weather was now warm and +pleasant,--sometimes, during a calm, a little too hot. + +One morning, just at daybreak, the look-out from the masthead announced +that he saw three sail to windward. The second lieutenant went aloft, +and looked at them with his glass. When he came down he pronounced two +of them to be frigates, and the other a smaller vessel. We threw out +signals to the convoy to keep together, while we and the other two +men-of-war, hauling our wind, stood closer to the strangers. At first +it was supposed that they were English, but their manoeuvres made us +doubt this, and at length they were pronounced decidedly French. That +they intended to pick off some of the merchantmen there could be no +doubt; and this it was our object to prevent. + +"Paddy, my boy," said Tom Pim, coming up to me as I stood looking at the +enemy from the quarter-deck, "we shall have some righting before long, +no doubt about that. How do you feel?" + +"Mighty pleased, and very ready for it," I answered. + +"We're fairly matched, I should think," remarked Tom. "If we could +count the guns of the enemy, I suspect there would not be found the +difference of half a dozen between us. All depends on the way our ships +are manoeuvred, and how we fight our guns,--though I've no fear on that +score." + +It was soon evident that Captain Macnamara intended to fight, and the +order was given to clear the ship for action. The drum beat to +quarters. All hands went about their duties with alacrity. I was sent +down into the cockpit with a message. There I found the surgeons making +their preparations; with their tourniquets, saws, knives, and other +instruments, arranged ready for the expected operations; and there were +buckets, and bowls of water, and sponges, and various other things +likely to be required. In the centre was the amputating table, on +which, before long, some poor fellow would probably be stretched, to be +deprived of a leg or an arm; while an odour of vinegar pervaded the +place. + +The powder magazine had been opened. The gunner and his mates were +engaged in serving out the ammunition, which the powder-monkeys were +carrying up on deck in their tubs. Cutlasses were girded on, and +pistols stuck in belts. Boarding pikes were arranged so as to be easily +seized if wanted. The men, hurrying to their respective guns, loaded +and ran them out; and as I passed along the decks I remarked their +countenances all exhibiting their eagerness for the fight. + +Among them I observed Hoolan, who had been stationed at a gun. He was +apparently as ready to fight as any one on board. His features were as +stern and morose as ever, but there was a fire in his eye, which showed +that he contemplated the approaching battle with more pleasure than +fear. Judging from the look of the men captured with him, I couldn't +say the same of them. The crew generally were full of life and spirits, +laughing and joking, as if they had forgotten altogether that in a short +time they would be engaged in a fierce fight. I found Larry at his gun, +looking as pleased as if he were at a wake or a wedding. + +"Shure we'll be after making this fellow bark, Maisther Terence," he +said, slapping the breach. "If the old chap doesn't drill a hole in the +side of one of those ships out there, or knock away one of their masts, +say I'm not a Tipperary boy." + +His remark produced a laugh among the seamen within hearing,--indeed +they evidently thought that whatever Larry said ought to be considered +as a good joke. Larry seemed to have a notion that his especial gun was +to win the battle. As a similar feeling seemed to animate the rest of +the crew, it was likely to contribute to our success. + +We were still some distance from the enemy, when Tom Pim, Chaffey, and I +were summoned to the quarter-deck, to act as the captain's +aides-de-camp, so that I was enabled to see all that was going forward. +The rest of the midshipmen were stationed mostly on the main-deck, each +in command of a certain number of guns. + +The _Liffy_ leading, we were now standing close hauled towards the +enemy, who approached us almost before the wind. + +The _Amethyst_ came next to us, and the corvette followed. We hoped +that within another ten minutes we should get within range of the others +guns, when suddenly the enemy's leading frigate hauled her wind. Her +consorts immediately afterwards followed her example. On seeing this, +our captain ordered every stitch of canvas the _Liffy_ could carry to be +set, when, the breeze freshening, we rapidly came up with the enemy. I +heard some of the officers say that they intended to make off. The men +at the gun near which I was standing swore at their cowardice, and I +began to think that there would be no fight after all. + +Presently the French ships were seen to shorten sail, when our captain +sent the hands again aloft to do the same. They had barely time to come +down and return to their quarters, when a shot, fired by the leading +French frigate, came flying across our deck. No one was hit, but a +hammock and part of the hammock-nettings were knocked away. It showed +what we had to expect. + +I expected that the captain would return the compliment, but he waited +calmly till we got nearer. We were to leeward, it must be understood; +but although that would have been a disadvantage had there been any sea +running, as the ocean was calm it didn't make much difference, while we +were thus better able to protect our convoy, and prevent the enemy from +running among them and committing mischief. + +Again the breeze freshened, and standing on, we passed the corvette, +which fired a few shots at us without doing any damage. We then +received a similar compliment from the second French frigate, several of +her shots striking the _Liffy_. In a few minutes we were up to our +largest antagonist. As our bow gun came abreast of her quarter, our +captain shouted, "Fire!" and gun after gun was discharged in rapid +succession, the enemy blazing away at us in return. + +The _Amethyst_ was meantime engaged with the second frigate, and the +corvette with the French ship of the same size as herself. + +Shot after shot came on board. First one man was struck down, then +another and another, and several were carried below to be placed under +the hands of the surgeons. Some were drawn aside, their fighting days +over. What damage we were producing among the enemy could not at first +be ascertained, for all the ships, from our rapid firing, were enveloped +in clouds of smoke. Looking up, I could see that our sails were pierced +in several places. Crash succeeded crash, as the enemy's shot struck +our sides or bulwarks, and sent the splinters flying about in all +directions. + +It was somewhat trying work for us, who had nothing to do except to keep +our eyes upon the captain, in case he should have any orders to give us. + +We had made sure of capturing one of the French ships, if not all. + +Presently, looking astern, I saw the fore-yard of the _Amethyst_ come +down on deck, and shortly afterwards our fore-top mast was carried away. +Our captain, hitherto so calm, stamped his foot on the deck with +vexation. Our men, to make amends, tossed their guns in and out as if +they had been playthings, firing away with wonderful rapidity; and I +believe the gun at which Larry was stationed fully carried out his +promise of drilling more than one hole in the side of our opponent. Her +masts and spars were entire, as were those of the other frigate, but +their bulwarks were shattered in several places, which was evident by +the white streaks their sides exhibited. + +"Blaze away, my lads," cried the captain. "We'll still have one of +them, at least, for they'll not long stand the pounding you're giving +them." + +Our crew cheered in reply; but just as we had delivered another +broadside, signals having been made on board the leading French frigate, +her crew were seen going aloft, and presently the courses, topgallant +sails, and royals were set, and she stood away close hauled, the other +frigate and corvette doing the same. + +Neither the _Amethyst_ nor we were in a condition to follow, and to our +vexation, we saw the enemy escaping from us. That we had given them a +good pounding was very evident; but whether or not after repairing +damages they would renew the contest was doubtful. + +The little _Piper_, being uninjured aloft, gallantly followed, and kept +blazing away at the enemy, till the captain made a signal to her to +return, fearing that she might be overpowered and cut off before we +could sufficiently repair damages to go to her assistance. She obeyed +the order, and the Frenchmen didn't follow her. She had received less +damage aloft than we had, though, as we afterwards found, she had lost +several men killed and wounded. As she came within hail, she reported +that the largest of the French frigates was pumping hard, and had +evidently received much damage, while the second was not in a much +better condition. + +This accounted for their not wishing to continue the combat, and +standing away, while it seemed doubtful whether they would venture to +renew it. + +We had plenty of work in repairing damages, clearing away the wreck of +the fore-top mast, and getting a new one ready to send aloft. We could +distinguish the convoy hull down to leeward, waiting the result of the +fight. + +I asked Nettleship whether he thought, as soon as we had got to rights, +that we should follow the enemy. + +"If our captain were to act as his feelings prompt him, I should have no +doubt about it," he answered. "Fighting Macnamara, as he is known in +the service, would not let an enemy escape if he could help it; but duty +before all other things, and our duty is to protect the convoy under our +charge. If we were to go in chase of the enemy, we might lose sight of +the merchantmen, and any rascally privateers might pounce down and carry +off the whole lot of them. My belief therefore is, that we shall bear +up and let the Frenchmen go their way. It is not likely, after the +taste they have had of our quality, that they'll again molest us." + +Nettleship was right. The captain ordered the corvette to run down to +the convoy to direct them to stand on under easy sail till we should +join them. The captain and Mr Saunders, and the other officers, were +exerting themselves to the utmost to get the ships to rights. The +former sent me down into the cockpit, to learn from the doctor how the +wounded men were getting on, and how many had been killed. I turned +almost sick as I entered the place. There was anything but a fresh +smell there now. I can't properly describe it,--perhaps it was more +like the odour of a butcher's shop in the dog days, when the +blue-bottles are revelling in the abundance hung up for their +inspection. One poor fellow lay stretched on the table. The doctor was +just then too busy to speak to me. I saw a foot sticking out of a +bucket. It belonged to a leg which had just been taken off the man, who +was in a dead faint. The assistant-surgeon was endeavouring to restore +him to consciousness, while the surgeon was engaged in taking up the +arteries. Another, who had lost an arm, was lying on a locker, waiting +to be carried to the sick bay; and several others sat round with their +heads and shoulders bandaged up. At last the doctor looked up, and I +then delivered my message. "Five killed and nine wounded, and I'm +afraid one or two of the latter may slip through my fingers," he said. +I was thankful when I was able to hurry back on deck with my report. +The captain was not addicted to the sentimental, but I heard him sigh, +or rather groan, after I had delivered it. As soon as any of the men +could be spared, the bodies of the killed were sewn up in canvas, with +shot at their feet. As we had no chaplain on board, the captain read a +portion of the burial service, and the sound of quick successive plunges +told that they had sunk into their ocean grave. We and the _Amethyst_ +then stood away after the convoy. + +"Our first action has not been a very glorious one," I observed, when +most of the mess was once more assembled in the berth. "I made sure we +should have captured one of those frigates." + +"It has been a successful one, Paddy, and we should be content with +that," said Nettleship. "If we had taken one of the enemy, we should be +probably more knocked about than we are, and should have delayed the +merchantmen, or allowed them to run the risk of being captured. Depend +upon it, our captain will get credit for what he has done, and the +credit he gets will be reflected on us." + +The wind fortunately continued fair, the sea smooth, and by the time we +sighted Jamaica we were again all ataunto. Having seen the greater part +of our charge into Port Royal, and sent the wounded ashore to the +hospital, we stood on with the remainder of the merchantmen to Barbadoes +and other islands, where we left them in safety, and then made our way +back to Port Royal. We saluted the forts, and the forts saluted us; +flags were flying, the sea glittering, and everything looked gay and +bright as we entered that magnificent harbour. + +"Shure it's a beautiful place this, Misther Terence," said Larry to me, +as, the anchor being dropped, and the sails furled, we lay floating +calmly on the placid waters. "There's only one place to my mind that +beats this, and that's Cork harbour, though, to be sure, the mountains +there are not so high, or the sky so blue as out here." + +"Or the sun so hot, Larry," I remarked, "or the people so black. Did +you ever see Irishmen like that?" and I pointed to a boat manned by +negroes just coming alongside. Larry had never before seen a +blackamoor, for, as may be supposed, Africans seldom found their way +into Tipperary. + +"Shure, your honour, is them Irishmen?" he asked. + +"Speak to them, and you'll soon find out, and they'll tell you how long +it has taken the sun to blacken their faces." + +"Then, Misther Terence, shall we be after getting our faces painted of +that colour if we stay out here?" he inquired with some trouble in the +tone of his voice. + +"Depend upon it, Larry, we shall if we stay long enough," I answered. I +left Larry to reflect on the matter. I remembered a story I had heard +of an Irishman who had gone out intending to settle in Demerara, where a +large proportion of the white population have come from the Emerald +Isle. As soon as the ship had dropped her anchor a number of blacks +came off to her. The first he spoke to answered in a rich Irish brogue. +The new-comer looked at the negro with astonishment. + +"What's your name, my man?" he asked. "Pat Casey," was the answer. + +"And, Pat, say as you love me, how long have you been out here?" + +"Little better than six years, your honour," was the reply, such being +the time that had elapsed since the negro had been imported, having in +the meantime had an Irish name given him, and learned to speak Irish. + +"Six years, and you have turned from a white-skinned Irishman into a +blackamoor!" exclaimed the new-comer; and not waiting for an answer, he +rushed down into the cabin, which he could not be induced to quit until +the ship sailed again, and he returned home, satisfied that the West +Indies was not a country in which he could wish to take up his abode. + +Not long after the conversation I have mentioned, Larry came up to me. + +"I've been after talking, Misther Terence, with some of those black +gentlemen, and shure if they're from the old country they've forgotten +all about it, which no raal Irishman would ever do, I'll stake my +davey!" he exclaimed. "They've never heard of Limerick, or Cork, or +Waterford, or the Shannon, or Ballinahone, and that proves to me that +they couldn't have been in the old country since they were born. And +now, Misther Terence dear, you were joking shure," he added, giving me +one of his comical looks. + +"Well, Larry," I said, "it's a satisfaction to know that it will take us +a long time to turn into niggers, or to forget old Ireland." + +As no one was near, I asked him how Dan Hoolan and the other pressed men +were behaving. + +"That's just what I wanted to be speaking to you about, Misther +Terence," he answered. "I'm after thinking that they'll not be on board +many days if they get a chance of slipping on shore. I heard them one +day talking about it in Irish, forgetting that I understood what they +were saying; and as we had a hand in the taking of them, says I to +myself, we'll not let you go so aisy, my boys, and I'll be after telling +Misther Terence about it." + +"You have acted rightly, Larry," I answered. "It's the duty of every +seaman to prevent mutiny or desertion, and if you hadn't told me the +fellows might have got off, though, to be sure, the best of them are +king's hard bargains." + +I took an early opportunity of telling Mr Saunders. + +"Thank you, my lad," he answered; "I'll take care that an eye is kept +upon them." + +Soon afterwards, while looking over the side, I saw a dark, triangular +object gliding by at no great distance from the ship. It went about +when it got under the stern, and appeared again on the other side. Mr +Saunders saw it also. + +"Lads," he said, "do you know what that is? You may have heard of Port +Royal Jack. That's him. He's especially fond of seamen's legs, and if +any of you were to go overboard, he'd snap you up in a minute." + +The word was passed along the deck. Half the crew were now in the +rigging, taking a look at their enemy, and among them were Dan Hoolan +and his companions. I observed a flesh-coloured mass floating a short +distance off. Presently the black fin sank; a white object appeared for +a moment close to the surface, and a huge mouth gulped down the mass, +and disappeared with it beneath the water. It was a lesson to any one +who might have attempted taking a swim to the shore. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +A FIGHT ASHORE. + +I have not attempted to describe Port Royal Harbour. It is large enough +to hold 1000 sail. The entrance is on the left side. A strip of sand, +known as the Palisades, runs east and west with the town of Port Royal, +surrounded with heavy batteries at the further end. Here are the +dockyard and naval arsenal, and forts with heavy guns completely +commanding the entrance. + +At the eastern end stands Kingston, the commercial town, before which +the merchantmen bring up, while the men-of-war ride at anchor nearer the +mouth. A lofty range of hills, with valleys between them, rise beyond +the northern shore. Altogether, it is a grand place, and especially +grand it looked just now, filled with a fleet of ships and smaller +men-of-war. + +Our captain, with the second lieutenant, the captain of the _Amethyst_, +and the commander of the corvette, went on shore, and were warmly +welcomed by the merchants, who said that they had rendered them signal +service in so gallantly protecting the convoy. They presented each of +the commanders with a piece of plate and a sum of money, to show their +gratitude. + +"I told you so," said Nettleship when we heard of it; "we did our duty +on that occasion, though it was a hard trial to have to let the enemy +escape," As we were likely to be detained a week to replace our fore-top +mast, to repair other damages, and to get stores and fresh provisions on +board, most of our mess by turns got leave to go on shore, where, down +to Tom Pim, we were all made a great deal of by the planters and +merchants. We were invited to breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, and +dances every night. Most of our fellows lost their hearts to the +dark-eyed Creoles, and Tom Pim confided to me that a lovely little +damsel of fifteen had captured his. + +"I didn't intend to strike to her, but I couldn't help it, for she +blazed away at me with her smiles, and glances of her dark eyes, and her +musical laughter, till I could stand them no longer, and I promised that +when I become a commander I will return and marry her forthwith, if she +will remain faithful to me." + +"And what did she say?" I asked. + +"She laughed more than ever, and inquired how long it was likely to be +before I could get my promotion. When I said that it might be in five +or six, or perhaps eight years, she remarked that that was a terrible +long time to wait, and that though constancy was a very fine thing, it +didn't do to try it too much." + +Irishmen have susceptible hearts, I've heard, but I can't say that I +lost mine to any one in particular. + +We had altogether a very jolly time of it, which we enjoyed all the more +because we knew that it must soon come to an end. + +Tom Pim and I, who were inseparable, were at a party one evening, when a +good-natured looking gentleman came up to us. "I see that you have been +dancing with my little daughter Lucy," he said, addressing Tom. "May I +ask your names, and the ship to which you belong?" We told him. + +"She's not likely, I understand, to sail for some days, and if you can +obtain leave I shall be very happy to see you at my country house, some +few miles away from this," he said. "My name is Talboys, and as I'm +well known to Captain Macnamara I'll write a note, which you can take on +board, asking him or his first lieutenant to give you leave for a couple +or three days,--the longer the better,--and to allow any other +midshipmen who can be spared to accompany you." + +"Thank you very much, sir," I answered; "but we have to return on board +to-morrow morning by daylight, and I'm afraid that Mr Saunders won't be +inclined to let us go ashore again." + +"There's nothing like asking," he observed; "and I think that he'll not +refuse my request, so you had better try." + +Taking us into an ante-room, he wrote the promised note, of which Tom +Pim took charge. He told us, if we could obtain leave, to meet him at +Mammy Custard's boarding-house, an establishment much frequented by +midshipmen and other junior officers of the service. We had hitherto +not slept on shore, but we knew the house well. + +The ball was kept up to a late hour. As soon as it was over we repaired +to the quay, where several boats were waiting to take off those who had +to return to their ships. + +Tom and I agreed that we had very little chance of getting leave, but +that we should not refuse it if we did. The sky was clear as Nora +Creina's eye; every star was reflected on the calm surface of the water +in the harbour. We were all inclined to be jolly--officers and men. +Our tongues went rattling merrily on. Now and then there came a peal of +laughter, now snatches of songs. We had got more than half-way down the +harbour when the officer in command sang out, "Mind your helm. Where +are you coming to?" + +At that instant we ran slap into a shore-boat pulled by negroes, and +stove in her bows. Loud shrieks and cries arose from the black crew, +who began to scramble into our boat,--the wisest thing they could do, +considering that their own was sinking. + +"Oh, we all drown! we all drown!" they cried in loud tones. "Jack shark +catch me!" + +The four blacks had saved themselves, but there were two passengers in +the stern-sheets who appeared to be less in a hurry to get on board. +Presently, however, finding the boat settling down, one of them made a +spring and tumbled on board. + +"Why, Tim Connor, where did you come from?" asked one of our men. At +that moment the other man, instead of trying to save himself, plunged +into the water, and began swimming towards the southern shore. Perhaps +he thought that he might escape in the confusion unperceived, but our +lieutenant caught sight of him. + +"Never mind the boat," he exclaimed. "Out oars. We must get hold of +that fellow, whoever he is." + +We were not long in coming up with the bold swimmer, who, speedily +caught by the hair of his head, was hauled on board, in spite of his +struggles to get free. As he was hauled aft by the orders of the +lieutenant, I recognised Dan Hoolan. + +"Who gave you leave to go on shore, my men?" asked the lieutenant. + +"Plaise yer honour," answered Tim Connor, "we were only going for a +spree, and intended being off again in the mornin'." + +Dan Hoolan sat sulkily, with his hands between his knees, not deigning +to reply. + +"You'll find that you'll have to pay somewhat heavily for your spree," +remarked the lieutenant. + +"Seeing as we've not had it," I heard Tim mutter. + +By the time we had got back to the boat she had almost disappeared, and +we could only pick up a few of the remaining articles she had contained. + +A sharp look-out was kept on the two men, who had evidently intended to +desert. No further words were exchanged with them. Both sat with +downcast looks, probably well aware of the punishment they had brought +on themselves. + +On reaching the ship they were handcuffed, and placed under charge of a +sentry. Tom and I had to keep our watch, and got but little sleep that +night. + +As soon as we could we presented our note to Mr Saunders. + +"Why, you lads are always wanting to go on shore," he observed dryly; +"one would suppose you were born on shore. However, as you conduct +yourselves well, you may have the leave your friend asks for, and may +return by the first boat to Kingston." + +"Thank you, sir," we answered, highly delighted. "And may Sinnet and +Chaffey go too?" I asked. + +"Were they invited?" he inquired. + +"We were desired to bring two more of our mess, and we thought that they +could be best spared, sir." + +"Yes, they may go," said Mr Saunders. + +Without delay we conveyed the pleasant intelligence to them. Before +long we were again pulling up the harbour, and thus escaped seeing the +punishment inflicted on my unfortunate countrymen. I knew that they +deserved it, and therefore didn't trouble my head much about the matter. +We repaired at once to Mammy Custard's, and had not been there long +before Mr Talboys made his appearance. + +"Glad you have got leave, my young friends," he said, shaking us all by +the hands, as we introduced Sinnet and Chaffey. "The carriages will +soon be at the door; but you must take some refreshment before we start, +to fortify the inner man for the fatigues of the journey." + +Having told Mammy Custard to place luncheon on the table, and desired us +to commence operations without waiting for him, he went out, and left us +to discuss the viands and refreshing beverages. + +We had just finished when Mr Talboys returned, with his daughter, in +one buggy, into which he invited me to mount, while he told Tom, Sinnet, +and Chaffey to get into the other, which was driven by a black boy. As +soon as we had taken our seats, the carriages dashed off, and away we +went in a fine style out of Kingston. I'm no hand at describing +scenery, nor can I remember the names of the tropical trees which grew +in rich profusion on both sides of the road, the climbing plants, the +gaily-coloured flowers, and other vegetable wonders. Miss Lucy and I +chatted away right merrily. I couldn't help thinking how jealous Tom +would be, and I would very gladly for his sake have changed places with +him. + +"And what do you think of Jamaica?" asked her papa after we had gone +some distance. + +"It's a wonderfully fine country, sir," I answered. "And if it were not +that I love Ballinahone more than any other place on earth, I shouldn't +be sorry to take up my abode here when I become a post-captain or an +admiral, and wish to settle down for life, should peace be established, +and my country not be requiring my services." + +"We have our little drawbacks, however," observed Mr Talboys. "You +have not been here in the hot season yet. We now and then have an +outbreak of the blacks, for the rascals--strange to say--are not +contented with their lot. Occasionally too, we are attacked by foreign +foes, but we Jamaica men are right loyal, and are prepared to defend our +shores against all comers." + +"I thought that the blacks were merry peaceable fellows, who never think +of rebellion," I observed. + +"Nor would they, if they were not put up to it by designing knaves. But +in different parts of the island we have had half a dozen outbreaks +within my recollection, and not a few before it. Some have been +instigated by the enemies of our country; others by newly imported +slaves, who have been chiefs, or kings, as they call themselves, in +Africa; and on some occasions the Maroons have taken it into their +foolish heads to rebel. They are, as you're doubtless aware, free +blacks, who live an independent vagabond life on the mountains, and are +too ignorant and savage to know that they have no chance of success." + +"But I hope, sir, that they're quiet now, or it can't be very pleasant +for you to live so far away from the city." + +Mr Talboys laughed. "My negroes are quiet and obedient, and I should +get information in good time were anything likely to happen," he +answered. + +"No one would think of attacking our house," put in Miss Lucy. "We are +well prepared, and they would gain nothing by the attempt." + +We drove on through fine and wild romantic scenery, each turn of the +road bringing us to some new point of view. We passed a beautiful +waterfall, the bottom and sides of which appeared as if composed of +glass or porcelain; it consisted of a number of steps rising up the +sides of the hill. These, my friend told me, were incrustations which +had formed themselves over the roots of trees growing on either side. +The water came flowing down over them, transparent as crystal, and as +the rays of sunlight played between the waving branches of the trees, +the water glittered with a thousand variegated tints. We descended from +our carriages to enjoy a more perfect view. Tom and Charley took it +into their heads to attempt walking across some of the steps. Tom ran +lightly over them; but Chaffey, while following in his wake, being twice +as heavy, broke through the incrustation, and in he soused. He quickly +managed, however, to scramble out again, though not until he was wet +through nearly up to his middle. + +"Why, I thought it was all hard stone," he exclaimed as he reached dry +ground. + +We all had a hearty laugh at his expense. In that climate a ducking +doesn't much matter, and he was dry again before we had proceeded much +further on our journey. + +Late in the evening we caught sight of a long low building, with a broad +verandah, surrounded with plantations, and a garden of fruit-trees on +the gentle slope of a hill. As we got near, a shout from the master +brought out several black boys, accompanied by a number of barking dogs, +who welcomed us by leaping round the horses' heads, and yelping and +frisking about with delight. + +Mr Talboys jumped out, and Lucy leapt into his arms, while I descended +on the other side. A stout lady in a sky-blue dress, accompanied by +three small damsels in low white frocks, and a little boy in scanty +clothing, appeared at the top of the steps. Lucy, running up, kissed +them all round, and then Mr Talboys introduced us in due form to his +wife and younger daughters. + +After a little conversation Madam Talboys led us into a handsome hall, +with a table in the centre, on which ample preparations for supper were +spread, the light from a dozen wax candles falling on the cut glass, the +silver forks and glittering steel, and an epergne filled with fragrant +flowers, surrounded by dishes containing salads, fruits of every +description, and other cold viands. + +"The young gentlemen would like to wash their hands before they commence +operations," said Mr Talboys; and he ushered us into a room off the +great hall, in which were four snow-white beds, with muslin curtains +closely drawn round them, and wash-hand basins filled with deliciously +cool water. + +We lost no time in plunging our faces into them, arranging our hair, and +making ourselves neat and comfortable. + +"I say, we have fallen into pleasant quarters," exclaimed Chaffey. "We +owe it all to you, Tom. If you hadn't paid attention to Miss Lucy, we +should not have been here." + +"Belay the slack of that," cried Tom. "Our host might overhear you, and +he wouldn't be pleased; nor would Miss Lucy herself." + +We were quickly ready; and just as we returned to the hall several black +boys entered, each carrying a steaming dish, on which we fell to, when +helped, with keen appetites. Two other gentlemen came in,--an overseer +and a head clerk on the estate. We all laughed and talked at a great +rate. The overseer, Mr Rabbitts, at the request of our host, sang a +good song. The clerk followed with another. Then Miss Lucy got her +guitar, and warbled very sweetly. Altogether we were merry as crickets. + +At length our host remarked that we must be tired, and led us to our +sleeping-room. We soon had our heads upon the pillows, with the +mosquito curtains drawn close around us. + +Though midshipmen are rightly supposed to sleep soundly, I was awakened +by fancying that the doctor was running his lancet into me, and was +about to assure him that he was operating by mistake on me instead of on +some other patient, when I heard a loud whizzing, buzzing sound. I +hadn't been careful enough in closing the curtains, and a big mosquito +had got in, and was revelling in my fresh blood. I tried in vain to +catch the active creature, who was soon joined by others of his +abominable race. The humming concert was increased by countless other +sounds, which came through the open window,--the croaking of frogs and +tree-toads, the chirping and whistling of insects and reptiles, while I +could see a party of fireflies glistening among the curtains of the bed. +Now and then a huge beetle would make its way into the room, and go +buzzing about round and round, till to my infinite relief it darted out +of the window! But the noises and the stings of the mosquitoes drove +sleep from my eyelids. Presently I heard some one talking outside; it +was a nigger's voice, deep and husky. + +"If de picaroons cum, den dey cum soon, and cut all our troats." + +"Garramarcy, you don't say so!" exclaimed another. "Better tell massa; +he know what do." + +"Me tink better run away and hide," said the first speaker. "Massa want +to stop and fight, and den we hab to fight too, and get killed." + +"But if we run away and don't tell massa, he get killed, and Missy Lucy, +and missus, and de piccaninnies. Me tink tell massa fust and den run +away." + +"But if um tell massa, he make um stop and fight. No, no, Cato; you one +fool. Wiser to run away, and not say where um go." + +The arguments of the first speaker appeared to prevail with his +companion. They probably were not aware that any one was sleeping in +the room overhead. + +As far as I could judge, the matter appeared serious. I recollected the +conversation I had had in the morning about the Maroons and the rebel +blacks. + +Without further thought I jumped from my bed, and rushing to the window, +sang out, "Stop, you cowardly rascals. If you move I'll fire at you. +Tell your master what you have heard, and he'll act as he considers +necessary." + +The sound of my voice awakened my companions, who fancied that the house +was attacked by thieves. + +As the blacks, notwithstanding my threats, seemed inclined to be off, I +jumped out of the window, which was of no great height from the ground, +followed by Sinnet and Tom. The niggers fancied, I believe, that we +were spirits of another world, as we appeared in our night-shirts, which +were fluttering in the breeze, and came back trembling and humble +enough. We made them show us the window of Mr Talboys' room, as we +could not get into the house. Shouting loudly, we awoke him, and I then +told him what I had heard. + +"You have acted judiciously, young gentleman, whether there is anything +in it or not; but I'll be dressed directly, and come out to hear what +account the black boys have to give. Take care they don't run off in +the meantime." + +Presently I heard a bolt withdraw; the door opened, and Mr Talboys made +his appearance, a red night-cap on his head and wrapped in a flowered +dressing-gown, a candle in one hand, and a thick whip in the other. + +"I must examine these fellows," he said as he came out. "They're less +liable to prevaricate if they see the whip. Come, now, young gentlemen, +you may wish to put on your garments, and while you do so I'll hear what +my negroes have to say." + +As he was speaking, however, Chaffey came out of our room, bringing our +breeches, having first got into his own, lest, as he said, the ladies +might inconveniently make their appearance. + +"What's this you were talking about, Cato?" asked Mr Talboys, looking +sternly at the blacks, who stood trembling before him. + +"Caesar cum just now, and say dat Cudjoe, with great number ob niggers, +just come down from de mountains, and dey march dis way with muskets, +and bayonets, and big swords, and spears, and swear dey kill all de +whites dey cum across." + +I saw Mr Talboys start. + +"How did you hear this, Caesar?" he asked. + +"Please, massa, I out last night, to help bury Mammy Quacca, who die in +de morning, when my brother Sambo cum in and say he almost caught by +Cudjoe's fellows, and hear dem swear dat dey cum to kill all de white +people, and before long he tink dey cum dis way to Belmont." (That was +the name of Mr Talboys' place.) + +"Cudjoe! Who are you talking about? The fellow has been dead these +thirty years or more," said our host. + +"Dey say him Cudjoe. Perhaps him come to life again," answered Caesar, +as if he fully believed such an event probable. "Or maybe him `Tree +Fingered Jack.'" + +"Three Fingered Jack" was a negro leader who about that time made +himself notorious. + +"Possibly some fellow has assumed the name of the old Maroon leader," I +observed. + +Mr Talboys, after further questioning the blacks, again turned to us, +and remarked, "I'm afraid there's some truth in what these negroes say. +At all events, it would be wise to be prepared." He spoke in a cool +tone, not a bit flustered. + +"I'm very sorry to have brought you into a position which may not prove +to be very agreeable," he continued; "but I know, young gentlemen, that +I can rely on your assistance." + +Of course we could give but one answer. + +"The first thing to be done is to barricade the house, and I'll get you +to do that, with Caesar to assist you," he said. "Keep an eye on the +boy, lest he should run away, while I send off Cato to give notice to my +neighbours, who will probably assemble here, as this house can be more +easily defended than theirs. I will myself summon my overseer and +clerks. I, of course, shall also despatch messengers to Kingston for +assistance, and we may hope to hold out till the troops arrive. The +rebels expect to take us by surprise, and to murder us without +resistance, as they have the whites in other districts. I must, +however, tell my wife and daughters, or they may be alarmed should they +suddenly discover what is going on." + +We heard a good deal of talking in Mrs Talboys' room, and then the +master of the house came out, with a brace of pistols in his belt, and a +sword in his hand. + +"The ladies are quite prepared, and will give you all the help they +can," he said. "They'll show you where the arms and ammunition are +kept." + +Having finished dressing, we set to work, under Caesar's directions, to +put up shutters, and to strengthen the doors with planks and stout +pieces of timber, which we found in a yard, apparently prepared for the +purpose. We were soon joined by Mrs Talboys and Miss Lucy, who both +appeared equal to the emergency. Having shown us where the arms and +ammunition were kept, they assisted to carry planks and to hold the +boards up while we nailed them on. Miss Lucy had a hearty laugh at the +grimaces made by Chaffey when he happened to hit his finger instead of +the nail he was driving in. We worked away as busily as bees, and +before Mr Talboys returned had already secured most of the doors and +the lower windows. They were all loopholed, so that on whatever side +our enemies might assault the house, a warm reception would be given +them. We were still working away when Mr Talboys appeared. + +"Our friends will soon be here," he said. "We shall muster nearly a +dozen muskets, and I hope that with them we may be able to keep the +rebels at bay; though, if they're disposed for mischief, they may ravage +our plantations with impunity." + +The overseer and clerks, each armed to the teeth, soon afterwards came +in, and our preparations for defence went on still more rapidly. It was +now midnight, but as yet none of the neighbours had arrived; and we +formed but a small garrison to defend so small a building from the host +of foes who might attack it. + +"Me go out and see whether niggers come?" said Caesar. + +"No, no; you stay in the house, and help fight," answered his master, +who hadn't forgot the black's purpose of running away and leaving us to +our fate. + +"Cato, you go out towards Silver Springs, and learn, if you can, the +whereabouts of the rebels. Call at Edghill on your way, and tell Mr +Marchant and his family to hurry on here, and that we'll do our best to +protect them." + +"Yes, massa," answered Cato, who, for a black, was a man of few words, +and was evidently a trustworthy fellow. + +Caesar looked somewhat disappointed. I suspect that if he had found the +rebels approaching, we should not have seen his face again. We were +kept fully employed improving the fortifications. Mr Talboys, who was +full of resources, devised three platforms, which were run from the +upper windows above the doorway, with holes in them through which hot +water or stones, or other missiles, could be dropped on the heads of the +assailants. We had also means of access to the roof, so that if it were +set on fire, we might extinguish the flames. + +Still the enemy didn't appear, nor did Cato return to bring us +information. Had we been idle, the suspense might have been more +trying; but as we were actively engaged, we scarcely thought of what +might possibly happen. At last Cato's voice was heard shouting-- + +"Massa Marchant and de piccaninnies come, but de rebels cum too, and dis +nigger not know which get in first." + +"We must go and help our friends then. Who'll accompany me?" asked Mr +Talboys. + +"I will, sir," said I. + +"And I," said Tom Pim. And our other two messmates said the same. + +The overseer seemed inclined to stop and defend the house. We +immediately set out, Mr Talboys leading the way, and we keeping close +to him. The night was dark, and we might easily have missed our road. +After going some distance he stopped for a moment to listen. There came +through the night air the tramp of feet, and the hum of voices, though +apparently a long way off. + +"What can have become of Marchant?" exclaimed Mr Talboys, after we had +gone some way further. + +"Here I am," said a person who stepped out into the middle of the road +with a child in his arms. "My wife was tired, and our children declared +they could go no further without resting, and except our two nurse +girls, all the slaves have run away." + +"They might have rested too long," said Mr Talboys. "Come, Mrs +Marchant, I'll help you; and these young gentlemen will assist the +children." + +We discovered the family group seated on a bank; and each of us taking +charge of one of the children, we followed Mr Talboys back towards +Belmont as fast as our legs could move. He strode along at a great +rate, for the sounds, which before had been indistinct, now grew louder +and louder, and we knew that the enemy could not be far off. That they +were marching towards Belmont there could be no doubt. Mrs Marchant +gave a shriek of alarm every now and then, and the children cried with +terror. We tried to soothe them, but it was no easy matter to do so as +we ran along. + +"Try and keep the children quiet," said Mr Talboys in a suppressed +tone, "or the blacks will hear us. Push on, young gentlemen; I'll bring +up the rear and defend you." + +"I'll stay with you," I said; for it struck me that Chaffey might easily +carry the child I had charge of, and so I handed it to him. + +"And I'll stay also," said Tom, giving his charge to Sinnet, who, with +one of the black girls, was dragging another along. Mr Marchant had +enough to do to support his wife and carry another of their progeny. +The house was already in sight, but we could hear the tramp of the +insurgents' feet coming nearer and nearer, though we could not tell +whether we ourselves were yet seen. Mr Marchant and his family hurried +on, probably sorry that they had not made more speed at first. We had +our pistols ready, a brace each, in our belts, and our swords by our +sides, should we come to a close encounter; but the blacks had, we +concluded, firearms, and might shoot us down, should they see us, at a +distance. I could not but admire the cool gallantry of Mr Talboys, +with so much at stake, yet willing to risk his own life in the defence +of those he had promised to protect. He stood for nearly a minute to +enable his friend's family to get ahead. The ground rose gradually +towards the house, and we could now distinguish a dark mass coming +across the open space in the plain below. + +"Now we'll move on," said Mr Talboys; and we proceeded deliberately +towards the house. + +"They must have got in now," he added shortly afterwards, speaking as +before in a suppressed tone. + +It was time indeed for us to be hurrying on, for as we looked round, a +party of blacks, forming the advance guard, and whom we had not +previously seen, suddenly appeared, not fifty paces off. They saw us at +the same time, and with loud yells came rushing up the slope. + +"On, lads, as fast as your legs can carry you," cried Mr Talboys, and, +facing round, he fired his musket into the middle of them. Whether any +one fell we did not stop to see, but ran towards the house. The blacks +followed, hoping to overtake us, and fortunately not stopping to fire. +Mr Marchant and his family were only just then entering the house. +They had got safe in, and we were about to follow when a shower of +bullets came whistling round our heads and rattling against the walls. +We sprang in, Mr Talboys following. No time was lost in closing the +door and putting up the barricades. We had scarcely finished when a +second volley was fired, showing that the rebels were in earnest, and +meant, if they could do so, to destroy the inmates of the house. Still, +finding that we had escaped them, instead of dashing on, they kept at a +respectful distance, under such cover as the hedges and palings afforded +them. As the bullets pinged against the shutters and walls the children +began to cry, and Mrs Marchant and her black damsels to shriek out. +Mrs Talboys and Lucy remained perfectly quiet, doing their best to calm +the fears of their guests. + +"We have a strong house and brave defenders, and we need not be afraid +of the rebels," said the former in a quiet tone. + +Meantime Mr Talboys, leaving us to defend the lower storey, mounted to +the top of the house, where, keeping under shelter, he could take a +look-out at whatever was going on below. + +Presently we heard him shout, "Who are you, and what is it you want?" + +"We free and independent people," answered a voice from the crowd; "we +want our rights. We no get dem, den we kill all de whites." + +"Much obliged for your kind intentions," answered Mr Talboys. "There +are two sides to that question, and you must look out not to be killed +yourselves, which you will be, I promise you, if you attack us." + +"We see about dat," one of the blacks shouted out. + +Mr Talboys replied, and made what sounded to me so long a speech that I +wondered the insurgents had patience to listen to it, till I discovered +that his object was to prevent them as long as possible from +recommencing hostilities. Like other brave men, being unwilling to shed +blood, he would not allow any of us to fire until it should become +absolutely necessary. He again asked the rebels what they wanted. + +"We want our rights, dat's what we want," they shouted. + +"That's what all your friends in the island wish you to have, but you +won't get them by murdering the few white people in your power," +answered our host. + +"Dat you say is true, Massa Talboys," cried a black from the crowd. + +"Hold your tongue, Quembo; take dat!" and the sound of a crushing blow, +accompanied by a shriek, reached our ears, as if the last speaker had +brained his wiser comrade. + +"We no cum here to talk, we cum to fight," shouted several together. +There was a good deal of jabbering, and once more I saw, through a +loophole out of which I was looking, the sable army approaching. + +"Stand to your arms!" cried Mr Talboys. "We mustn't let these fellows +get too confident. Shade all the lights, but don't fire until I give +the word." + +It was pretty evident, from the bold way the blacks came on, that they +supposed we were badly supplied with firearms, one shot only having been +discharged. Mr Talboys waited till they got within thirty paces, when, +just as two or three of them had hurriedly discharged their pieces, he +gave us the order to fire, and we sent a shower of bullets among the +sable mass. Without stopping to see what effect it had produced we all +reloaded as rapidly as possible. A few bullets rattled against the +house, but before we again fired the greater number of our assailants +were scrambling off, in spite of the efforts of their leader to induce +them to make a stand. As far as I could judge, looking through my +loophole, none were killed, though several must have been wounded. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +A NARROW ESCAPE. + +The overseer proposed dashing out, with a whip in one hand and a sword +in the other. + +"The rascals won't stop running if they see us coming after them," he +said. + +Mr Talboys, however, wisely ordered all of us to remain inside the +walls. + +"There are brave fellows among them, notwithstanding the cowardice of +some, and they are very likely to turn round and cut us to pieces," he +observed. + +This would certainly have been the case, for we heard the blacks +shouting and shrieking at no great distance off, though beyond the range +of our muskets. They had evidently halted. + +"We must be ready for another attack, my friends," cried Mr Talboys. +"Keep at your posts." + +Miss Lucy came up to where Tom and I were standing. + +"We're so much obliged to you," she said. "If those dreadful blacks had +got in, we knew that we should all be killed. You have defended us +bravely, and we're so glad that no one has been hurt." + +"When we think that we have you to defend, we'll fight as long as we +have a charge of powder and a ball remaining, and after that, too, for +we should make good use of our swords, depend on it," answered Tom +gallantly. + +After this the blacks were quiet for some time, but we could not judge +whether they intended again to come on. Mr Talboys assured us that +they were still in the neighbourhood, and that we must be prepared at +any moment for an attack. The time went slowly by. I heard Caesar and +Cato talking; and as the danger appeared to lessen, the courage of the +former increased. + +"Dem niggers, how dey did run when we fired at dem! great cowards! Just +dey cum on again, and see how we pepper der legs," said Caesar. + +"Better dey not cum," observed Cato, like a true philosopher, probably +doubting his companion's resolution. + +As there was no necessity to keep at our posts, I went up and asked Mr +Talboys if he would allow me to take his place, while he joined the +ladies. + +"Thank you," he said; "I was intending to summon you, for I wish to take +a look round our fortifications, to be sure that we have no weak points, +for I strongly suspect we have not done with those fellows yet." + +He was just about to descend, when I caught sight of a bright light away +to the northward. + +"What is that?" I asked, pointing it out to him. + +"It comes from the direction of Marchant's house," he answered. "I very +much fear the rebels have set fire to it. Yes, there is no doubt about +it," he added, as forked flames were observed to burst up round the +first light, and to extend on either side. Presently another light was +seen in the south-east. + +"That must be from Peek's estate. I hope they had warning, and made +their escape in time, or the villains will have murdered them, to a +certainty. Fortunately there are no women or children there." + +We stood watching the progress of the flames. + +"We'll not tell the Marchants of the disaster," he continued. "It might +drive them out of their wits; but they may consider themselves fortunate +in having escaped with their lives." + +Loud shouts rising from the spot where we supposed the blacks to be +showed the pleasure they felt at seeing the houses burning. + +"They would be still more delighted could they destroy Belmont," +observed Mr Talboys. "They will, I fear, soon again attempt to carry +out their design." + +He now begged me to remain where I was, and to give him immediate +information, should I observe anything suspicious, and went down to +carry out his intention of examining every assailable point in the +house. I kept, my eyes turned, first to one side, then to the other, +peering into the darkness, when I observed something moving, away to the +right. It seemed like a black line; and after watching it for a few +seconds, I felt sure that it was formed by a number of negroes creeping +cautiously on to the right of the house, and endeavouring to conceal +themselves. I was afraid that my voice might be heard should I shout +out, so I went down the steps and soon found Mr Talboys. The moment I +told him what I had seen, he sprang up with me, but we could see +nothing, though we watched for some minutes. + +"If they were really blacks you saw, they intend to take us by +surprise," he said. "We must keep a look-out, and be prepared for +them." + +Just as he was speaking, there came a loud crashing sound, and the next +instant cries and shouts rang through the house. Mr Talboys sprang +down the steps, and I followed him. There was no difficulty in +ascertaining in what direction to go. A door had evidently been burst +open in the southern wing of the house. A piercing shriek was heard as +we hurried on. The rest of the party, deserting their posts, had +already gone to drive back our assailants. The overseer and clerk, +Sinnet and Chaffey, were encountering them bravely. Two had already +paid dearly for their temerity, when Mr Talboys, springing forward, +attacked them furiously. I kept with him, and did my best with my +hanger, cutting and slashing at the woolly pates of the fellows, who +evidently were not prepared for so determined a resistance. Those in +front gave way, and others who were about to enter hesitated to advance. +Mrs Talboys was rendering us good service by holding up a lantern, by +which we could see our assailants, while the light, falling on their +eyes, prevented them from seeing us. Though I observed my other two +messmates, I could nowhere see Tom Pim. What could have become of him? +I thought. I was, however, sure that he would not have held back, for +though he was but a little fellow, he knew how to use his hanger as well +as any of us. The fight didn't last long; another black was killed, two +lay wounded on the ground, and the rest bolted out of the door, which, +though shattered, was not off its hinges. + +"Quick! Bring some planks," cried Mr Talboys. + +There were some near at hand, with which we had intended to secure that +particular door. We were not long in putting them up, and placing a +heavy chest of drawers against them. Just as this was done, Mrs +Talboys exclaimed-- + +"Where is Lucy?" + +"And where is Tom Pim?" I cried out. + +Neither of them answered. Before any search could be made, Mr +Marchant, who had been watching at the other side of the house, shouted +out-- + +"The enemy are upon us I the enemy are upon us! Quick! quick!" + +We hurried to our posts, and before many seconds had elapsed, a shower +of bullets came rattling against the walls. + +"Fire away, my friends," cried Mr Talboys. + +We obeyed the order with alacrity. I was thinking all the time, +however, as to what could have become of Tom and Lucy. In vain I +expected my messmate to hasten to his post. Again the blacks were +checked. Had they been a minute sooner, the case would have been very +different. They calculated, of course, on their friends getting in at +the back of the house, and causing a diversion in their favour. For +twenty minutes or more we kept loading and firing as fast as we could. +Mr Talboys was everywhere, now at one window, now at another, while the +clerk and Cato were guarding the back and wings of the house. How the +hours had passed by I could not tell, when at length I saw a faint light +in the eastern sky. It gradually increased in brightness, and in a +wonderfully short time daylight burst upon the world. As the blacks had +failed to get into the house during the night, it was less likely that +they would succeed during the day. They fired a parting volley, and +then, to our great satisfaction, beat a rapid retreat. The search for +Lucy and Tom was now renewed. + +"Oh, my dear husband, what can have become of her?" cried Mrs Talboy in +accents of despair. + +That they were not in the house was very certain. I proposed to sally +forth and search for them. + +"I'll go myself," said Mr Talboys. "The rebels will be on the +look-out, and you very probably will be captured if you go alone." + +He consented, however, to my accompanying him. We went out at the back +door, which Mr Talboys ordered to be closed after us. We had not gone +far when we discovered a ribbon, which I knew Miss Lucy had worn on her +shoulder. + +"She must have been carried off by the blacks when they first burst into +the house," cried Mr Talboys. + +"The wretches cannot have had the barbarity to injure her," I said. + +"I don't know! I don't know!" answered her father in an agonised tone +of voice. + +We followed the track of the blacks, which was distinctly marked by the +plants and canes being trampled down where they had gone across the +garden and plantation, and continued on for some distance. No other +trace of Tom or Lucy could we discover. We had to proceed cautiously, +as at any time we might come suddenly upon a party of them, when we +might find it very difficult to escape. We were, however, both +well-armed, with muskets in our hands, braces of pistols in our belts, +and swords by our sides, so that we hoped, should we fall in with any +enemies, to keep them at bay while we retreated. We looked round on +either side, in the expectation of seeing something else that either +Lucy or Tom might have dropped; but sometimes I could not help fearing +that they might have been killed, and that we should come upon their +dead bodies. Still I tried to put away the thought from me, as it was +too dreadful I suspect the same idea occurred to Mr Talboys, who looked +stern and determined, and seldom spoke, while his eye was ranging round, +far and near. We were going in the direction we fancied the blacks had +taken. Mr Talboys was of opinion that, finding they could not succeed +in destroying Belmont, they had gone off to attack some other house and +ravage the plantations. We were making our way across the country +instead of along the high road, where the blacks might have discovered +us at a distance; but sometimes the foliage was so thick that we could +not see a dozen yards ahead. This had its advantages and its +disadvantages. It was evidently the line which the party of blacks who +had nearly surprised us had followed. Now and then we got close to the +high road, and we were able, while still keeping under shelter +ourselves, to look along it either way. + +"The rebels have not, I suspect, gone off altogether, and we may not be +far from them now," whispered Mr Talboys. "Be very cautious; keep +under cover as much as you can, and avoid making any rustling among the +branches." + +We had moved on scarcely a dozen paces after this, when suddenly a +number of black heads appeared above the bushes close in front of us. +The white eyes of the negroes, as they caught sight of us, showed that +they were more astonished than we were at the sudden encounter. +Exclamations of surprise escaped from their lips. + +"On, lads," shouted Mr Talboys at the top of his voice, as, drawing his +sword, he sprang forward. "Send those rascals to the right about." + +Uttering a shout, I imitated his example. + +The blacks, evidently supposing that a strong body of whites was upon +them, turned, and endeavoured to make their way through the brushwood, +without looking back to see who was pursuing them. As they had no other +encumbrances than their muskets, they soon distanced us. Not one of +them fell, for Mr Talboys refrained from firing, as did I, waiting +until he told me to do so. + +"Now, my young friend, it will be well to beat a retreat before these +rascals discover that we are alone," he said. + +We were about to do as he proposed, when, unfortunately, one of the +blacks, who was nearer to us than the rest, looked round, and seeing no +one besides us, shouted to his companions. Now one stopped, now +another, till the whole party came to a stand-still, turned round, and +faced us. + +"Spring back and try to get under cover," said Mr Talboys in a low +voice. "If the fellows advance, fire; but not till then. I'll speak to +them." He then shouted, "You have carried off two young people from my +house. Give them up at once unhurt, and we will not punish you as you +deserve; but if they're injured, not one of you shall escape hanging." + +"We not got de young white folks here," sang out a voice from among the +negroes. "You talk ob hanging, massa; take care we not hang you. What +we stop here for?" continued the speaker to his companions; "dere not +many dere, or dey cum on." + +From the way the blacks were looking, I guessed that they were trying to +discover how many persons were opposed to them; but as yet they fancied +that there were others behind us. + +"Do you quietly retreat, my young friend," said Mr Talboys in a low +voice. "Make your way back to the house as fast as you can, and tell +them to be on their guard. I can manage these fellows as well alone, +and your life would be needlessly risked by remaining." + +"I will do as you wish, sir; but if there's to be fighting, I should +prefer to stay by you," I answered. + +"I'll try to avoid it, then," said my friend, and once more he spoke to +the blacks. + +"If the young folks are not with you, tell me where they are." + +"We know nothin'," answered the black. "Maybe by dis time dey hang from +de branch ob one tree." + +"I don't believe that any of you would have had the cruelty to kill +them," he cried out. "Do as I wish you," he continued, in a low voice, +to me. + +Still I could not bring myself, for the sake of saving my own life, to +leave him to be taken by the blacks; for it seemed to me that he would +have but a small chance of escaping from them. I was hesitating, when I +heard a shout from beyond where they were standing, and presently a +number more rushed up, who by their furious gestures, as soon as they +saw us, seemed to threaten our immediate destruction. + +"I'll kill the first who comes on," cried Mr Talboys. + +They answered with derisive cries, and several of them levelled their +muskets. Mr Talboys and I kept ours pointed at them, sheltering +ourselves as we could behind the trunks of two trees which stood close +together. + +Our chance of escaping appeared very small. + +While we thus kept the blacks in check, a sound in the rear struck my +ears. It was the tramp of many feet. It became louder and louder. The +blacks, jabbering away as they were to each other, did not apparently +hear it. Mr Talboys did, however, and he knew that it was more +important than ever to refrain from firing. He again shouted to them-- + +"Do any of you who have just come know where my daughter and young +friend are gone to?" + +They didn't reply, but we heard them talking to one another. This +further put off the time. The sound of tramping feet grew louder. + +"You make fool ob us, Massa Talboys," at last said one of the blacks, +who, probably from his understanding English, had been chosen as +spokesman. + +Gesticulating violently, the whole body now gave vent to loud shouts and +cries, and dashed forward, with the intention of overwhelming us. We +both fired, in the hopes of delaying their advance, and then sprang back +to the shelter of some other trees we had noted behind us. The blacks, +as they rushed on, fired, but their bullets passed high above our heads, +stripping off the bark and branches, which came rattling down upon us. + +We had but a small chance of again escaping, should we attempt the same +proceeding; but, as the blacks were within twenty paces of us, a party +of redcoats dashed through the brushwood, one of their leaders being a +small naval officer whom, to my joy, I recognised as Tom Pim. The +blacks saw the soldiers, and, without waiting to encounter the sharp +points of their bayonets, turned, and scampered off as fast as they +could manage to get through the bushes, the speed of most of them being +increased by the bullets poured in on them, while several bit the +ground. + +The soldiers continued the pursuit till the blacks, scattering in all +directions, got out of range of their muskets. Mr Talboys and I +accompanied them; but not till the halt was called had we an opportunity +of speaking to Tom. + +"And where is Lucy, my dear fellow?" asked Mr Talboys, grasping Tom by +the hand. + +"All right, sir," answered Tom. "She's safe in the house. When the +blacks broke in last night, she was close to the door, and a piece of +wood striking her, she fell to the ground. The blacks, rushing in, +seized her before I was able to lift her up, and while I was shouting +out for assistance, and trying to defend her, they got hold of me, and +carried us both off. It was only a short time ago that I knew you were +safe; for I was dreadfully afraid that they had got into the house, and +murdered you all. Fortunately, the blacks allowed Miss Lucy and me to +remain together; so I told her to keep up her spirits, and that I would +try and help her to run away. Most of the blacks who at first had +charge of us hurried back, expecting to pillage the house, and only two +remained. We heard the shots you fired, but I still did not know that +you had driven them out. Meantime our two black guards were so occupied +in trying to find out what was going on, that I took the opportunity of +drawing my hanger, which had not been taken from me, and giving one a +slash across the eyes, and another a blow which nearly cut off his arm. +I seized Miss Lucy's hand, and we ran off as fast as we could. Neither +of our guards were in a condition to follow us, and we ran and ran, +scarcely knowing in what direction we were going. Miss Lucy said that +she thought we were on the high road to Kingston; but she became at last +so tired that she could go no further, and we had to rest. It soon +became daylight; and just as we were going on again, we met with the +soldiers, who were being brought up by Captain Ryan to your assistance." + +"You behaved most bravely, and I am deeply indebted to you, my young +friend," said Mr Talboys, grasping Tom's hand. "Had you not offered so +determined a resistance, I believe that the blacks would have got into +the house, and we should all have been destroyed." + +As the men had had a long and rapid march, their commander was glad to +accept Mr Talboys' invitation to return at once to Belmont, to partake +of the refreshments they so much needed. + +Miss Lucy on our arrival rushed into her father's arms, and was warm in +her praises of the gallant way in which Tom had rescued her. + +Everybody was engaged either in cooking or carrying provisions to the +soldiers, who had assembled under the shade of the trees in front of the +house. Sentries were of course placed, to give due notice should the +blacks rally and attempt another attack, though Mr Talboys considered +it very improbable that such would be made. + +As our leave was to expire the day after these events took place, having +enjoyed a sound sleep, early in the morning we started in the carriages +that had brought us, Cato driving Tom and me. We were glad to think +that our kind friends were well protected, as Captain Ryan said that his +orders were to remain there until reinforcements arrived. + +I won't describe our parting, or what Tom said to Miss Lucy; if not +affecting, it was cordial. + +On our way we met more troops moving towards Belmont. We got back to +Kingston, and thence on board the frigate, within the time Mr Saunders +had given us leave to be absent. + +The account of our adventures created great interest on board. When I +told Larry of our narrow escape with Mr Talboys-- + +"Thin, Maisther Terence dear, don't be after going on shore again +without me," he exclaimed. "If you had been killed I'd never have +lifted up my head, nor shown my face at Ballinahone again; for they +would be saying that I ought to have been by your side, and died with +you if I could not save you." + +I promised Larry not to go anywhere, if I could help it, without him. +We expected soon to have sailed, but we were detained by Sir Peter +Parker, then the admiral at Jamaica. There were also several other +frigates and three line-of-battle ships in the harbour. Tom and I +especially wanted to be off, as we could not expect to obtain leave +again to go on shore, though we determined if the ship was detained to +ask for it. + +"Not much chance of that," observed Nettleship, who had just come from +the shore. "The people are expecting an attack from the French and +Spaniards, who have large fleets out here under the Count De Grasse, and +the Governor has just got a letter, it is said, taken on board a prize, +in which the whole plan for the capture of the island is detailed. The +inhabitants are everywhere up in arms, and vow that they will fight to +the last sooner than yield. More troops are expected, and every +preparation is being made for the defence of the island." + +We had seen the _Triton_ frigate go out that morning, though we were not +aware of her destination. She carried despatches from Sir Peter Parker, +giving Lord Howe the information which had been received, and requesting +that reinforcements might immediately be sent to the island. The people +on shore were actively engaged in strengthening Fort George, Fort +Augusta, and the Apostles' Battery, and throwing up new forts in various +directions. While the blacks were labouring at the fortifications, all +the white men were being drilled to serve in the militia, which was +numerous and enthusiastic; so we hoped that even should the French and +Spaniards land, they would be soundly thrashed. + +Some days passed before we received any news of our friends at Belmont. +No leave was granted, as the captain could not tell at what moment we +should be ordered to sea. Tom and I were therefore unable to go to +Kingston to make inquiries about them. At length a shore-boat came off +with letters, and one, which I knew by the superscription to be from Mr +Talboys, was handed to me. As I opened it, a small delicate note-- +addressed, Tom Pim, Esquire, H.M.S. _Liffy_--fell out. As Tom was +standing close to me at the time, he eagerly snatched it up. I was +right in my surmises with regard to my letter. Mr Talboys having again +expressed his thanks for the services my messmates and I had rendered +him, after saying that his family were all well, went on to inform me +that the outbreak of the blacks had been quickly suppressed, the +ringleaders having been caught and hanged. Mr Marchant's house and +three others had alone been destroyed, and with the exception of an +overseer and two clerks, the remainder of the inhabitants had managed to +escape. "I hope," he added, "that we shall see you and your messmates +again, and I shall be especially pleased to welcome that brave young +fellow who so gallantly rescued my daughter." + +"What does your letter say, Tom?" I asked, when I had finished mine. + +"Well, I shouldn't like to show it to any one else," he said; "but as +you know how I regard Miss Lucy, I will to you. I can't say that I am +quite satisfied with it. It's a little too patronising, as if she +thought herself a great deal older than I am. You shall have it," and +he handed me the note. + + "My dear Tom,"--it began,--"you are such a dear little fellow that I + feel I must write to you to say how grateful I am to you for having + saved me from those dreadful blacks. I should not have supposed that + you would have been able to do it, but I shall never forget your + bravery. I long to come back to Kingston, to see you again, and tell + you so. But papa says that you are not likely to obtain leave, so I + must wait patiently till we have beaten the French and Spaniards who + threaten to invade our island, and peace is restored. I wish I could + promise to do as you ask me, but mamma says I should be very foolish + if I did. Do you know, I think so likewise; because it may be years + and years before you are a commander, or even a lieutenant; but I want + you to understand, notwithstanding, that I like you very much, and am + very grateful, and shall always be so, as long as I live. So, my dear + Tom, believe me, your sincere friend,--Lucy Talboys." + +"It's very clear, Tom, that Miss Lucy will not commit herself, and it's +fortunate for you probably that she is so hardhearted," I observed. +"I'd advise you not to be downcast about the matter, and be content with +the friendship and gratitude of her family." + +Tom, however, looked very melancholy, and some time afterwards Chaffey +observed to me that he was sure something was amiss with Tom, as he was +completely off his feed. + +While we were allowed to go on shore our life was pleasant enough, but +when confined on board it was somewhat dreary work, and we all longed +for a change of some sort. A climate with the thermometer at ninety +doesn't conduce to high spirits. + +We were aroused one evening as most of us were below, by Sinnet rushing +into the berth, and exclaiming-- + +"The _Glasgow_ is on fire, and the boats are ordered away to her +assistance." + +The _Glasgow_ was a frigate, lying at no great distance from us, and was +to have sailed with the land breeze with a company of troops to the +westward. We hurried on deck. Our boats were being lowered, as were +those of the other ships in the harbour. Smoke in dense volumes was +rising from the hatchways of the _Glasgow_, and more was pouring out of +her ports. Her crew were at their stations, hauling up buckets of +water, and labouring like brave men to quench the rising flames; but all +their efforts, as far as I could see, were ineffectual. Nettleship and +some of the older midshipmen went off in the boats. + +"I hope that they'll draw the charges of their guns, or we shall have +some of their shot rattling on board us," said Tom. "There are plenty +of boats, so I don't suppose any of the crew will be lost." + +"I should think not, unless the magazine catches fire," I answered. + +"They'll drown that the first thing, if they can," remarked Tom. "I +wish we could have gone in one of the boats. I don't like to see people +in danger and be unable to try and help them." + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +THE HURRICANE. + +In spite of all the exertions being made on board, with the assistance +of the men from the other ships who had now arrived alongside, the smoke +increased in denseness, and presently burst up above the hatchway, while +we could see the red glare through the ports. The ship having been in +the West Indies for some time, her woodwork was like tinder, and the +flames rapidly gained the mastery. Now forked tongues of fire burst out +from the midship ports, gradually working their way forward and aft. At +length all attempts to save the ship were abandoned. The crew were seen +descending into the boats, some collected forward, others under the +quarter. Down they came by ladders and ropes, the midshipmen and the +boys first, the men following, looking like strings of sausages +surrounding the ship. Rapidly as every one moved, there was no +confusion. As the boats were loaded they pulled off, others taking +their places. So quickly had the fire spread that it seemed as if the +officers had scarcely space left them to stand on before descending. +Shouts were raised when the glitter of the gold lace on their coats was +seen as they came over the quarter. The last man to quit was the brave +captain of the ship. Almost in an instant afterwards she was in a +fierce blaze fore and aft, the flames rushing out of the cabin windows +as well as through the bow ports. We in the meantime had got springs on +our cables, as had all the other ships, in case she should drift from +her moorings. + +"I suspect the shot were withdrawn," I observed to Tom Pim. + +"I hope so," he answered; but just then--crash! there came a couple of +round shot against our side, while more guns were heard going off in the +opposite direction. + +We immediately hauled away on one of our springs, just in time to escape +several more iron missiles, which went bounding across the harbour. +Three or four other ships were struck, but no one on board ours was +hurt. Presently there came a loud roar, the mizen-mast shot up, +followed by the after-part of the deck, and then came hissing down into +the water. The flames surrounding the other masts formed a fiery +pinnacle rising into the dark sky, and immediately afterwards down they +came with loud crashes, the ship looking like a huge roaring and raging +cauldron of flame, while crash succeeded crash as the heated guns fell +into the hold. Several of the people brought on us were severely +scorched, showing the desperate efforts they had made to try and save +their ship. Dr McCall and the assistant-surgeons had work enough in +attending to them. Fortunately the soldiers had not arrived alongside +the _Glasgow_ before she caught fire, and when they came down the +harbour they were put on board our frigate, and we received orders to +carry them to their destination. + +Everything was done as rapidly as possible for their accommodation. The +men were berthed on the main-deck. The captain received the commanding +officer, the lieutenants messed in the gun-room, and we had the pleasure +of entertaining the ensigns. The land breeze began blowing about eight +o'clock, the time the _Glasgow_ was to have sailed. We were detained +some time in getting off provisions from the shore, but by dint of hard +work all was ready by ten o'clock, and the night being bright, the +anchor was hove up. With every sail that we could carry set, we glided +out of the harbour. It was important to get a good offing, so that we +might weather Portland Point, the southernmost part of the island, +before the sea-breeze should again begin to blow. We hoped that the +land breeze, which generally begins to drop about midnight, would last +longer than usual, so as to carry us well out to sea. There are ugly +rocks off Portland which it is not pleasant to have under the lee at any +time. + +"Shure it would be hard to bate these nights out here, Mr Terence," +said Larry, whom I met on deck, and who seemed to enjoy as much as I did +the calm beauty of the scene, the stars like specks of glittering gold +shining out of the heavens of the deepest blue, each one reflected in +the tranquil ocean. The line of coast, seen astern and on our starboard +quarter, rose into various-shaped mountains, their outlines clearly +marked against the sky; while every now and then a mass of silver light +was spread over the water, as some inhabitant of the deep leaped +upwards, to fall again with a splash into its liquid home. + +I asked Larry how Hoolan was going on after his flogging. + +"He doesn't talk much, Mr Terence, but he looks as sulky as ever, and I +wouldn't trust him more than before," was the reply. + +"He can harm no one, at all events," I observed; "and I don't think he +has much chance of making his escape, even if he still thinks of +attempting it." + +"Faith, I don't fancy he could hide himself among the black fellows; and +no merchant skipper would like to have him aboard his craft," said +Larry. + +Going aft, I met Tom Pim, for he and I were in the first watch. We were +pacing the deck together, when we were joined by one of our passengers, +Ensign Duffy. + +"Can't sleep, my dear fellows," he said in a melancholy tone, which made +Tom and me laugh. "My thoughts are running on a charming little girl I +met at Kingston. I was making prodigious way with her when we were +ordered off to the out-of-the-way corner of the world to which you are +carrying us, and the chances are we shall not meet again." + +"What's her name, Duffy?" I asked. + +"Lucy Talboys," he answered promptly. "I don't mind telling you young +fellows, as you are not likely to prove rivals; but I say, if either of +you meet her I wish you'd put in a word about me. Say how miserable I +looked, and that you are sure I had left my heart at Kingston." + +"I will gladly say anything you wish; but perhaps she will think you +left it with some other lady," I observed. + +"Say I was always sighing and uttering `Lucy! Lucy!' in my sleep." + +"I'll not say anything of the sort," exclaimed Tom. "I never heard you +utter her name till now, and I don't believe she cares the snuff of a +candle for you." + +Just as we were about to go below, at eight bells, we made out Portland +Point broad on our starboard beam, so that we hoped, should the wind not +fail us before morning, to be well to the westward of it. We were just +turning into our hammocks, the other watch having been called, when we +heard the canvas flap loudly against the masts, and were summoned on +deck again to take in studding-sails. Still the land wind favoured us, +the sails once more bulged out, and before we went below we had brought +Portland Point on the quarter. When we went on deck again in the +morning the frigate lay nearly becalmed off Carlisle Bay, thence we had +a westerly course to Pedro Bluff. The sun, as it rose higher and higher +in the cloudless sky, beat down hot and strong upon our heads, while +officers and men, as they paced the deck, whistled perseveringly for a +breeze. At length a dark blue line was seen extending in the south-east +across the shining waters. It approached rapidly. Presently the canvas +blew out, and with tacks on board we stood along the coast. Our speed +increased with the rising breeze. We were not long in getting round +Pedro Bluff, when we stood directly for Savannah-le-Mer, then a pretty +flourishing little town at the south-west end of the island. Here we +were to land some of the redcoats, and were to take the rest round to +Montego Bay, at the north-west end of Jamaica. We came off it on the +following morning. + +As the harbour is intricate, we hove-to outside, while the soldiers were +landed in the boats. I went in one, and Tom Pim in another, the second +lieutenant having the command of the whole. We had a long and a hot +pull, and Ensign Duffy, who was in my boat, declared that if it was +proportionately hot on shore to what it was on the water, he should +expect to be turned into baked meat before he had been there long. +Larry was pulling bow-oar, and very well he pulled by this time, for +though he was a perfect greenhorn when he came to sea, he had been +accustomed to row on the Shannon. + +The frigate, I should have said, was to call on her way back for some of +the soldiers whom those we took out had come to relieve. Our approach +had been seen by the officers at the barracks, which were situated about +a mile from the town; and they came down to welcome their comrades in +arms. Leaping on shore, the rocks which formed the landing-place being +slippery, I fell, and came down on my knees with great force. I felt +that I was severely hurt, and on attempting to rise, found it impossible +to do so, even with the assistance of Larry, who sprang to my side, +uttering an exclamation of sorrow. On this, one of the officers, whom I +perceived by his dress to be a surgeon, came up to me, and at once +examined my hurt. + +"It requires to be instantly attended to," he said, "or inflammation may +set in, and in this climate the consequences may be serious." + +My friend Duffy proposed that I should be carried to the barracks, +though my lieutenant at first objected to letting me go, declaring that +he should not be long in getting back to the ship. + +"Long enough to allow of the young gentleman losing his leg, or perhaps +his life," remarked the surgeon. "I'll have him at once taken to a +house in the town, and when your frigate comes back, I hope he'll be in +a condition to embark." + +Hearing this, the lieutenant not only gave me leave to remain, but +allowed Larry to stay and attend on me. Tom Pim took my hand as Duffy +and some of his men were placing me upon a door, which had been procured +to carry me into the town. + +"I wish that I was going to stay with you, Paddy," he said; "but it's of +no use to ask leave, though I'd give a great deal if I could. We shall +be very dull without you." + +"Thank you, Tom," I answered. "If I had my will I'd rather go off. I +suppose the doctor is right; and it's safer to let him attend to me at +once." + +I was carried immediately to a house which I found belonged to a Mr +Hans Ringer, an attorney, who had charge of several plantations in that +flourishing neighbourhood. The doctor and he, it was evident, were on +most intimate terms, for on our arrival, without any circumlocution, the +latter at once said-- + +"I have brought a young midshipman who requires to be looked after, and +I'd be obliged to you if you'd order your people to get a room ready for +him immediately." + +I could scarcely have supposed that so serious an injury could have been +so easily inflicted. Soon after my arrival I nearly fainted with the +pain, but the doctor's treatment at length soothed it, and he was able +to set the injured bones. + +I must make a long story short, however. + +Mr Ringer and his family treated me with the greatest kindness; indeed, +nothing could surpass the hospitality of the inhabitants of Jamaica; and +it was with the utmost difficulty, when I got better, that the doctor +could get him to allow me to be carried to the barracks, where the +fresher air would assist me in regaining my strength. Larry, of course, +spent most of his time with me; indeed, had I not insisted on his going +out, he never would have left my bedside. + +I was now every day expecting the return of the frigate, when I believed +that, well or ill, I should have to go on board her. + +"That must depend on circumstances, my lad," said Dr McManus. "For if +you can't go, you can't. The captain must find another opportunity of +getting you on board." + +"But suppose the frigate has to fight an action, I would not be absent +on any account," I exclaimed. + +"With a fractured tibia, and the inflammation which would be sure to +supervene, you would not render much service to your country," observed +the doctor. "When you have sufficiently recovered you can get back to +Port Royal, and rejoin your ship; she's not likely to be sent to a +distance while the enemy's fleet threaten the island. Indeed, we +require all the forces on shore and afloat we can collect. I don't +quite understand what we shall do if we are attacked here, though I'm +very sure we shall fight to the last before we let the French and +Spanish land." + +I saw that there was no use in arguing the point, but I was determined, +if I could, to go off and rejoin my ship. Larry did his best to console +me. + +"It's not a bad place to be in, if you only had the use of your legs, +Mr Terence. Them nager boys and girls are mighty funny creatures. +What bothers me most is that I didn't bring my fiddle on shore, for sure +if I had, it would have been after setting them all dancing, till they +danced out of their black skins. It's rare fun to see them laughing as +if they'd split their sides, when I sing to them. They bate us Irishmen +hollow at that fun, I'll allow. I find it a hard matter to contain +myself when I see them rolling their eyes and showing their white teeth +as they stretch their mouths from ear to ear." + +I happened to tell Dr McManus of Larry's talent. + +"I'll try and get a fiddle for the boy, and put it to the test," he said +good-naturedly. + +In the evening I was aroused from a nap into which I had fallen, by the +sound of an Irish jig played on a violin, followed by shouts of +laughter, clapping of hands, shrieks, and merriment, while the noise of +feet from the courtyard below told me that Larry had been as good as his +word. I thanked the doctor, who came in while the revels were at their +height. + +"I sent into the town and borrowed a fiddle, for I was sure that your +follower's music would do as much good to the men as the fresh air of +the hills. They and the black boys and girls are all toeing and heeling +it together. The niggers, I confess, beat them hollow in agility and +endurance." + +I asked the doctor to wheel me to the window, that I might look out and +see the fun. He good-naturedly complied, and assisted me to sit up. +There were forty or fifty white men, and almost double the number of +blacks of both sexes,--the women dressed in gay-coloured petticoats, +with handkerchiefs round their heads; the men in white or striped +cotton--the light colour contrasting with their dark skins,--one and all +clapping their hands, snapping their fingers, and moving here and there +in figures it was difficult to follow, but all evidently enjoying +themselves immensely, judging by their grinning countenances and rolling +eyes. + +After this Larry became an immense favourite with the soldiers, as he +found not a few of our countrymen among them. The officers of the +little garrison were very kind to me, and I was never in want of +society, as one or other was constantly by my bedside. + +Notwithstanding this, as I got better I became more and more anxious to +receive news of the frigate, and began to wonder what had become of her. +Though I could not walk, I saw no reason why I should not return on +board. The doctor, however, was still of a different opinion; and I was +greatly disappointed when, on returning from the town one day, he told +me that she had come off the harbour, and that he had sent on board to +say that I was not yet fit to be moved, but would rejoin my ship by the +first opportunity after I was convalescent. I could only thank him for +his kindness, keeping my feelings to myself. + +At length I was able to get out of bed, and walk with the assistance of +a crutch. Had the doctor and Larry not held me up, however, the first +time I made the attempt, I should have fallen down again. I felt just +as, I suppose, an infant does on his first trying to toddle. After this +I got rapidly better, and was soon able to join the officers in the +mess-room, and in a short time to throw away my crutches. + +The first walk I proposed to take was into Savannah-le-Mer to inquire +about vessels proceeding to Port Royal. I was accompanied by Ensign +Duffy and Larry. With their help I got on better than I expected; and +though I didn't feel inclined to take a leap, I fancied that if put to +it I could run as well as ever. + +We repaired to the house of Mr Ringer, who received us cordially, and +from him I learnt that a fine vessel, the _Princess Royal_, would sail +for Kingston the next day. He insisted on my remaining at his house, +promising to drive me back to the barracks in the evening, that I might +wish the kind doctor and my other friends there good-bye. We +accordingly returned as he proposed. It was a difficult matter to get +Larry away from his late companions, who seemed inclined to detain him +_vi et armis_, the men grasping his hands, and the black girls hanging +round him, many of them blubbering outright at the thoughts of parting +from the "lubly Irish boy dat play de fiddle,"--as for pronouncing his +name, that they found beyond their power. + +The officers drank my health in overflowing bumpers, and had I not +remembered my uncle's advice, and prevented my own glass from being +filled, I should not have been in a fit state to present myself at Mr +Ringer's hospitable mansion. I remember thinking the night oppressively +hot, and was thankful that Mr Ringer was good enough to drive me from +the barracks into the town. + +"I don't know what to make of the weather," said my host the next +morning, when we met at breakfast. + +Not a breath of wind stirred the atmosphere, and it seemed as if all +nature was asleep; while the sky, instead of being of a cerulean blue, +was suffused, as the sun rose, with a fiery red tinge. + +The hour--about noon--at which it was arranged that I should go on board +was approaching. My host offered to accompany me down to the harbour, +but before we reached it we encountered a violent squall, which almost +took us off our legs, and sent Larry's hat flying up the street. He +made chase after it, and we stopped to let him overtake us, while a +number of other people, caught by the wind, passed us running off in the +same direction. At length his hat, driven into a doorway, was +recovered, and Larry came battling against the wind to rejoin us. + +"You'll not put to sea to-day," said my friend; "nor for many a day to +come, if I mistake not; but we'll make our way to the harbour, and see +how things are going on there." + +On reaching it we found the sea already lashed into a mass of seething +foam. The larger vessels strained at their anchors, some tossing and +tumbling about, others already overwhelmed by the waves. It was with +difficulty we could stand our ground. + +"Unless the hurricane passes by, for hurricane it is, not one of those +vessels will escape destruction," said Mr Ringer. As he spoke, one of +them parted from her cables and drove towards the shore. + +"We must beat a rapid retreat if we wish to save our lives," he +continued; "the tempest is down upon us!" + +The wind, which had previously blown from the south-east, suddenly +shifted to the southward. + +Grasping my arm, he hurried me off from the spot on which we were +standing. At the same time down came a deluge of rain--not in mere +drops, but in regular sheets of water. It wetted us to the skin in a +few moments. Larry, now seizing my other arm, dragged me forward. As +we looked back for a moment, we observed the sea rising in a mountain +billow, hissing and foaming, and approaching the shore. It was but the +first, however, of others still larger which were to follow. It broke +with a thundering roar,--the water rushed on, flowing by the spot we had +already reached; but even though we were nearly up to our knees, I +couldn't resist taking another glance behind. The whole ocean was +covered with wreck; and one of the larger vessels I had seen just +before, had disappeared beneath the surface. + +As we hurried on, crash succeeded crash. First one house fell, then +another, and another, and from some bright flames burst forth, which +even the descending rain failed to quench. It was useless to attempt +saving the lives of our fellow-creatures, for the same destruction would +have overtaken us. Our great object was to reach the higher country in +the direction of the barracks. Had Larry and I been alone, we should in +all probability have lost our lives; but Mr Ringer, knowing the town, +led us quickly through it by the shortest route. As we dashed through +the streets, scarcely looking to the right hand or to the left, piercing +cries of agony and despair struck on our ears. The smaller and more +lightly built houses were levelled in a moment, and many even of the +larger were crumbling away. + +"Don't you wish to go to your own house? if so, we must not stop you; we +will go with you," I said to Mr Ringer. + +"We should only be crushed by the falling ruins if we made the attempt," +he answered at the top of his voice, and even then I could scarcely hear +what he said. "I'll try and get to it from the rear when I have seen +you out of the town." + +Not far off from where we then were was a fine house, that had hitherto +withstood the hurricane. Presently a blast struck us which, had we not +clung together, would have blown us down. At the same time, looking up, +I saw the house literally rocking. Down came one wall, and then +another, the roof fell in, and in one instant it was a heap of shapeless +ruins. + +"I trust the inmates have escaped," cried Mr Ringer. + +Just then loud shrieks and cries for help struck on our ears. They +came, it seemed, from beneath the ruins. We could not withstand the +appeal for assistance, and calculating as well as we could in what +direction the still standing walls would fall, we sprang forward, taking +a course to avoid them across the mass of ruins. An arch, which had +apparently formed the centre of a passage, was yet uninjured, though +blocked up. The cries seemed to us to come from thence. We should +find, we knew, great difficulty in removing the _debris_ which +encumbered it, and the walls might at any moment fall down and crush us. +Still Larry and I, having climbed to the top of the heap, began pulling +away the beams and planks and rubbish which stopped up the entrance. +Mr Ringer joined us, though evidently considering our occupation a very +dangerous one. However, we persevered, and at length had made an +opening sufficiently large to look in. We could see two ladies, an old +gentleman, and a mulatto servant. + +"We have come to help you," I cried out. "If you'll climb up here +you'll be free, and there may yet be time, Mr Ringer thinks, to reach +the open country." + +Mr Ringer joining us, the two gentlemen recognised each other. + +"What, Martin! Glad to see you safe," said the former. "Come, get out +of that place as fast as possible." + +Encouraged by us, the youngest of the ladies first made the attempt, and +succeeded in getting high enough to reach our hands. The old lady +followed, though unless Mr Martin and the mulatto girl had shoved +behind, we should have found it impossible to have got her through. Mr +Martin and the girl followed. + +As may be supposed, we didn't stop longer on the ruins than was +necessary, but scrambling over them, again reached the open street. +Scarcely were we there before down came the remaining wall, with a crash +which broke in the arch. It would certainly have destroyed Mr Martin +and his family had they been there. The event showed us clearly the +importance of getting out of the town. It seemed scarcely possible that +any one passing through the narrow streets could escape being killed. +Even in the broader ones the danger of being crushed was fearful. Mr +Ringer assisted Mrs Martin, I offered my aid to the young lady, and +Larry took charge of the old gentleman, who required helping as much as +his wife and daughter. I had forgotten all about my lameness. We of +course were somewhat delayed in our progress. Now we had to scramble +over fallen walls--now we narrowly escaped being killed by masses of +masonry and timber falling around us. + +At length the open was reached, and we made our way to some higher +ground overlooking the bay. We had reason to be thankful that we were +out of the town. Providentially we reached a small stone building, +which afforded us some shelter from the driving rain and furious wind, +against which it was impossible to stand alone. The bay, as we looked +down upon it, presented a fearful scene. The whole shore was strewn +with masses of wreck. Not a small craft had escaped, and the largest, +with all anchors down, were tossing about, and seemed every moment +likely to be engulfed. The town itself was a heap of ruins, scarcely a +house was standing, and none had escaped injury. In some places flames +were raging, which would have set fire to other houses had it not been +for the mass of water descending on them, while even amid the uproar of +the elements we could hear the shrieks and cries of the inhabitants who +still survived. Presently another immense wave rolled into sight, out +of the dense mist which now shrouded the ocean. On it came with a +tremendous roar. The first vessel it reached was in a moment buried +beneath it. We thought the others would share the same fate, but the +cables parted, and they were borne on the summit of the wave high up +above the beach. On, on it came. Mr Ringer shouted out to us to +escape; and he had reason to do so, for it seemed as if the wave would +overwhelm the spot where we stood. Though the water swept up a portion +of the height, the wave broke before it reached it, leaving the +_Princess Royal_ high and dry on the shore, while it receded, roaring +and hissing, carrying off everything in its course. The crew of the +stranded ship had good cause to be thankful for their escape. On again +looking towards the town, we saw that the sea had swept away many of the +houses in the lower part, while the water rushed through the streets, +extinguishing some of the fires, and must have overwhelmed all caught in +its embrace. Mr Ringer proposed that we should make our way to the +barracks, but the ladies were unwilling to encounter the storm, and +begged to remain where they were. Evening was now approaching, but the +hurricane gave no signs of abating. In whatever direction we looked we +could see its dire effects. Not a shrub, not a cane, remained standing. +Every tree had been blown down. It seemed as if a vast scythe had +passed over the land. The uproar continued as loud as before. + +"This is a mighty curious country," shouted Larry to me. "It beats a +faction fight in Tipperary hollow. I was after thinking it was the most +peaceable disposed part of the world, seeing how quiet it has been since +we came out here. Hullo! what's that?" + +There was a loud rumbling sound. The earth shook beneath our feet. + +"It's an earthquake," cried Mr Ringer. "Heaven forbid that it should +increase." + +The ladies clung to Mr Martin with looks of terror. Again there came +that fearful shaking of the earth; many of the remaining buildings +toppled over. Flashes of lightning, brighter than I had ever before +beheld, darted from the sky and lighted up the sea. Even the night +scarcely added to the horrors of those moments, as far as we were +concerned, though it must have done so to the miserable people still +within the precincts of the town. At one time the water seemed to +recede altogether out of the bay, but presently, as if gathered up in a +heap, it once more rolled over the land. + +Hour after hour went by, till about midnight, almost as suddenly as it +had commenced, the hurricane passed away from us on its devastating +course; and in a short time, excepting the roar of the surf upon the +shore, scarcely a sound was heard. On this we set out for the barracks, +hoping that they had withstood the tempest. Although they had suffered +considerably, the larger portion had escaped. + +Mr Martin and his wife and daughter warmly expressed their gratitude to +us for having rescued them from their perilous position, saying that +they must have perished had we not come to their assistance. + +"I wish that I had a home to which to invite you, said Mr Martin, with +a melancholy smile; but I trust that my house may ere long be rebuilt, +and that I may have the means of showing my gratitude better than I can +now." + +"I shall be very happy to stay with you if I have the chance," I +answered; "but I suspect it will be a long time before I again get +leave." + +The officers, as might have been expected, received us in the kindest +way possible. Duffy was delighted to see us. He fancied I might have +gone on board, and sailed before the hurricane came on. + +Next morning the commanding officer marched the whole of the men down, +to render such assistance as they could to the survivors among the +suffering inhabitants. I have never since witnessed a more fearful +scene of destruction than the town presented. Numbers were lying about +in the streets, where they had been crushed to death by the falling +masses, many among them being the principal people in the place. In all +directions the survivors were rushing about in quest of relatives or +friends; while the larger number of the dead lay concealed beneath the +ruins. + +The appearance of the _Princess Royal_ was extraordinary. We had seen +her cast on shore and left on her beam-ends. At present she was +perfectly upright, the ground beneath her keel, during the earthquake, +having given way: and there she lay, securely embedded, without the +possibility of ever being set afloat again, about a quarter of a mile +from the beach. Two other vessels had been driven higher on shore, but +lay on their beam-ends. It was at once proposed to utilise the vessel, +by making her the home of the houseless inhabitants; and forthwith the +women and children, and men unable to labour, were collected on board +her. As I surveyed the effects of the hurricane, I naturally felt very +anxious about my ship, fearing that she might have been at sea, and been +lost. I afterwards learned that it was only the eastern wing of the +hurricane that had swept by the western end of Jamaica, but that its +influence in a less degree had been felt over the whole island. As soon +as the news reached Kingston, vessels were despatched with provisions, +and such relief as could be afforded, for the sufferers. As I was +anxious to get back, I took my passage with Larry on board the _Rose_ +schooner. The captain promised to land us at Port Royal in a couple of +days; "always providing that we are not snapped up by the enemy, or that +another hurricane doesn't come on," he observed. + +As we sailed out of the harbour, I could see at one glance, more clearly +than before, the destruction worked by the hurricane and earthquake. +The whole town appeared to be reduced to heaps of ruins, with here and +there a few shattered walls standing up in their midst. The skipper of +the _Rose_ could give me no information about the _Liffy_, There were a +considerable number of men-of-war in the harbour, and he had not taken +especial note of any of them. + +"If she was at sea during the hurricane, it is a hundred to one that she +escaped," he observed. + +We made all sail, and kept in shore as much as we could, lest the +enemy's privateers might spy us out, and carry us off to Saint Domingo, +or elsewhere. We, however, escaped all dangers; and, to my great joy, +on entering Port Royal I made out the _Liffy_ among the other men-of-war +at anchor. The _Rose's_ boat took me alongside. Mr Saunders was on +deck, so I went up to him. + +"Come aboard, sir," I said, touching my hat. + +"What, my lad! is it you?" he exclaimed. "I'm glad to see you. There +was a report that you had perished during the hurricane at Savannah. +How is your leg? Able to return to your duty, I hope?" + +"As able and willing as ever, sir," I answered. + +"That's all right; there'll be work for us all, ere long." + +As I entered the berth there was a regular shout, "Hurrah, Paddy Finn!" + +"Glad to have you back, youngster," cried Nettleship. + +Tom Pim grasped my hand, and seemed unwilling to let it go, though he +didn't say as much as many of the others. I had to answer whole volleys +of questions from my messmates, who were all eager to know what had +happened to me. I described our narrow escape from the town, and +modestly touched on the part I had taken in rescuing Mr Martin and his +wife and daughter. + +"Glad to see you uphold the honour of the cloth," said Nettleship; "we +should never see anybody in danger, and not try to help them at the risk +of our lives." + +I was amply repaid by the praises my messmates bestowed upon me, for +they knew that I had only told them the truth without exaggeration. I +asked what they expected we should do next. + +"Look out for the French and Spanish fleets, which have long been +threatening to pay the island a visit, and take possession of it, if +they can," answered Nettleship. "Why they have not come before now I +don't know; but there's some reason for it, I suppose." + +The sound of music, and the stamp of feet, as I went forward in the +evening, showed me that Larry's fiddle had been taken care of; and there +he was, scraping away in high glee, setting his messmates dancing +merrily to his music, they not troubling their heads about the fierce +work which was in store for them. He had received, he afterwards told +me, a hearty welcome from all hands, who were delighted to get him back +among them. + +The next morning Nettleship went on shore. We were most of us in the +berth when he returned. + +"I have grand news, boys; not so much for us, though, as for the people +of Jamaica. The governor has received information that the Spanish and +French fleets were caught in the late hurricane, as they were cruising +off Cape Francois. Two Spanish ships foundered, two more were driven no +one knows where, and four were dismasted. Two Frenchmen were dismasted, +one went to the bottom, and another was driven on shore, while the rest, +considerably battered, had to bear away to Havanna." + +"How do you know that it's all true?" asked several of the mess. + +"I heard it from the captain himself, and, what's more, we're to sail +forthwith to carry the information to Sir Samuel Hood, who is supposed +to be at Barbadoes. He sent me on to direct Mr Saunders to get the +ship ready for sea, so that we may sail the moment he comes on board." + +The boatswain's call, summoning all hands on deck, prevented us from +asking any further questions. It not being known at what moment the +ship might be sent to sea, she was kept well provided with water and +fresh provisions, so that we had nothing to wait for from the shore, +except a few of the officers, who had gone to Port Royal. + +Blue Peter was hoisted and a gun fired, as a signal for them to come +off. The topsails were loosed, the cable hove short, and we were ready +to start at the first puff of the land breeze that might come off the +mountains. We were all anxiously looking out for the appearance of the +captain. The moment his gig came alongside, she was hoisted up, the +anchor hove in, the sails let fall, and we glided out of the harbour. +Under the influence of the land breeze, with studding-sails set below +and aloft, we ran on at a rapid rate, expecting that we should reach +Barbadoes in about a week at the furthest. When once away from the +land, the wind dropped, and for hours we lay becalmed. The next morning +we got a light breeze, which enabled us to steer our course. A constant +look-out was kept for the enemy, for though the main body of the French +fleet was said to be in harbour, it was likely that their cruisers would +be met with. + +Nettleship, Tom Pim, and I were in the morning watch. The first ruddy +streaks, harbingers of the rising sun, had appeared in the eastern sky, +when the look-out who had been sent aloft shouted, "A sail on the +lee-bow." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +FRESH CAPTURES. + +There had been a stark calm since the commencement of the middle watch. +The sails still hung up and down against the masts. + +"What does she look like?" inquired Mr Bramston, the lieutenant of the +watch. + +"A ship, sir," was the answer. + +Nettleship, with his glass at his back, sprang up the rigging to take a +look at the stranger. + +"She's a ship, sir, but appears to me to be a small one," he observed as +he came down. The chances are that it's all we shall know about her. +If she gets a breeze before us she'll soon be out of sight. + +Soon after, some catspaws began to play across the water. + +"Hurrah! we shall get the breeze before the stranger feels it," cried +Nettleship. + +Now the canvas began to bulge out; now it again dropped. The royals and +topgallant sails filled, and the frigate moved slowly through the water. +Her speed soon increased, however, as the breeze freshened. At length +we could see the stranger from the decks, for, as she still lay +becalmed, we were quickly coming up with her. Nettleship again went +aloft, and I followed him. + +"What do you think of her?" I asked. + +"She's Spanish or French; I'm pretty certain of that. A flush-decked +ship, probably carrying twenty to six-and-twenty guns." + +"If she can't escape, will she fight, do you think?" I inquired. + +"If her captain has any pluck in him, he may hope to knock away some of +our spars, though he can't expect to take us," he said. + +When we again came below, and Nettleship made his report, the drum beat +to quarters. Every stitch of canvas we could carry had been set, below +and aloft. We were carrying down the breeze as we glided on towards the +stranger. She also made all sail, though she still lay becalmed; but +every moment we expected to see her canvas blow out, when, if she was a +fast vessel, she might lead us a long chase before we could come up to +her. As our object was to get down to Barbadoes with all speed, the +captain might consider it his duty to let her go, rather than be led out +of his course. As we approached, our bow-chasers were got ready, to +send her an unmistakeable message that she must strike, or run for it. +Hitherto she had shown no colours. Presently the French ensign was run +up at her peak. Immediately afterwards a flash issued from her stern, +and a shot came bounding over the water towards us; but we were not yet +within range. + +"That's a long gun," observed Nettleship. "If she keeps ahead, she may +do us some damage with it before we get alongside of her." + +"Give her the starboard bow gun, Mr Saunders," cried the captain. + +The gun being trained as far forward as possible, we yawed slightly to +port. We watched the shot as it flew across the water. It was well +aimed, for it struck the counter of the chase; but its force must have +been nearly expended, for it fell back into the sea. + +All the sails of the chase were now drawing, and away she went before +the wind. + +"She may still lead us a long dance, unless we can knock away some of +her spars," observed Nettleship. "She's evidently a fast craft, or her +commander would not attempt to escape. We are, however, as yet gaining +on her; and, if we can once get her under our broadside, we shall soon +bring down her colours." + +While he was speaking, another shot was fired from the Frenchman's +stern. Ricochetting over the surface, it passed close to our side. +After this she continued firing shot after shot. Two went through our +canvas, others missed us. At last one came on board, and carried off a +man's head. + +Captain Macnamara, anxious to get up to her, would not lose way by again +yawing to fire; and we had to receive her shot without returning the +compliment. + +"It's very annoying to be bothered by a small craft like that," said +Tom. "However, we'll pay her off when we do get up with her." + +Fast as she was, our wider spread of canvas enabled us before long to +bring our foremost guns to bear. They were fired in rapid succession. +The first discharge produced no apparent damage; but at the second, down +came her mizen-yard. On seeing this, our crew cheered lustily, and our +guns were quickly run in and reloaded. The enemy, however, showed no +intention of striking. + +Just as we were again about to fire, putting her helm to starboard, she +brought the whole of her larboard broadside to bear on us, and a dozen +round shot came crashing aboard the frigate. + +Three of our men fell, and several others were wounded, mostly by the +splinters which flew about the deck. None of our spars, however, were +shot away. + +Before she could again keep before the wind the whole of our starboard +broadside was poured into her. It was better aimed even than hers. The +sound of the shrieks and cries rising from her deck told us of its +fearful effects. Still her colours were flying. + +Again keeping before the wind, she stood on, blazing away at us from two +long guns in her stern. The loss of her mizen told on her sailing. +Slowly but surely we got nearer and nearer. + +"Shall we not soon be up with her?" I asked Nettleship; for it was +trying work to be peppered at without being able to return more than a +single shot occasionally. + +"As surely as the sun sets and rises again, unless she knocks away one +of our masts, or brings down our main or fore-yard; and then it's +possible that she may get off after all." + +"I made sure we should have her before many minutes were over," I +observed. + +I remarked the eager countenances of the men as they stood at their +guns, expecting every moment the order to fire. It came at last. Once +more we kept away. + +"Give it them now!" cried the captain, and every gun sent forth a sheet +of flame. + +Our shot told with fearful effect on the enemy's deck. There seemed to +be confusion on board, and then a man was seen to spring aft, and down +came the colours. + +A cheer rose from our men at the sight. We stood on, however, till we +were close enough to hail, when the captain ordered through the +speaking-trumpet the Frenchman to heave to, threatening to fire another +broadside if he failed to do so. The order was obeyed; and we also +having hove-to, a boat was lowered to send on board and take possession. +Mr Bramston went in her, and I accompanied him. + +On reaching the deck of the prize, a glance showed me the fearful damage +our guns had produced. In all directions lay numbers of dead seamen, +the deck slippery with gore. The bulwarks were shattered, two of the +boats knocked to pieces, and the ship was otherwise severely damaged. + +A lieutenant stepped up to us. + +"My captain lies there," he said, and he pointed to a body concealed +beneath a flag; "another of my brother officers is killed, the rest are +wounded, and I alone am unhurt." + +Mr Bramston complimented him on his bravery, and told him to prepare +for going on board the frigate. + +Meantime other boats came alongside and removed the crew of the prize, +which proved to be the _Soleil_ carrying eighteen guns and six +carronades, with a crew of one hundred and eighty men, upwards of thirty +of whom were killed or wounded. + +Mr Bramston sent me back with this information. The captain at once +decided to remove the prisoners, and send the prize to Port Royal. + +As no time was to be lost, the boats were lowered, and the prisoners +soon brought on board. + +The captain at once sent for Nettleship, Tom, and me. + +"I intend to send you in charge of the prize, Mr Nettleship," he said, +"and these two youngsters can accompany you. Fifteen men are all I can +spare you, so you must make the most of them. All the prisoners will be +removed, with the exception of about a dozen, who may volunteer to +assist in working the ship, so that you'll easily look after them." + +"Thank you, sir, for the confidence you place in me," said Nettleship, +who would gladly have accepted the command, even if he had had but half +a dozen men. + +Tom and I promised to do our best, and hurried below to get our traps +ready. + +I took care to apply for Larry, and to remind him to bring his riddle +with him, but I didn't hear what other men were selected to form the +prize crew. Ten of the Frenchmen only could be induced to promise their +assistance. Tom and I, without loss of time, accompanied Nettleship on +board. As soon as the dead were put overboard, the decks washed down, +and the damages the prize had received were repaired, the men who had +come from the frigate to assist us returned to her. She stood to the +southward, and we made sail for Port Royal. Among the first men on whom +my eyes fell was Dan Hoolan, looking as sulky and morose as ever, though +he was going about his work with more activity than he generally +displayed. As I caught sight of the rest of the crew, I found that +three more of the Irishmen pressed with him were among them. + +"I hope that by this time they are content with their lot, and will do +their duty like men," I thought to myself; "still I would rather have +had any others." + +"We are terribly short-handed, I must confess," said Nettleship, as he +and I were seated at dinner in the captain's cabin, while Tom Pim was +acting as officer of the watch. "I know I can trust you two fellows, +however, and we must make the most of the men we've got. There are many +of them about the worst on board; but if we have fine weather, they +won't have much to do, and we may hope not to catch a Tartar on the way. +We must take to our heels if we see a suspicious stranger, and the +_Soleil_ appears to have a fast pair, at all events, so we may hope to +escape. Though I would rather be in a condition to fight than have to +run away." + +"The Frenchmen only promised to assist in navigating the ship. We +mustn't trust them to man the guns," I said. + +"We'll see what our own men can do without them, then," said Nettleship +in a cheery tone. + +We hurried over our dinner to let Tom come down and take his, while +Nettleship and I went on deck. The weather looked favourable, and +Nettleship was in high spirits at finding himself in command of a fine +ship. Should he take her to Port Royal in safety, he might reasonably +expect to obtain his long waited-for promotion. Although the majority +of the men sent with us were the least reliable of the crew, we had an +old quartermaster, Ben Nash, and three other seamen, who were first-rate +hands, and we took care to put two of them into each watch. Of course +there was plenty of work to do in getting the ship to rights. As soon +as the men knocked off we heard Larry's riddle going. Stepping forward, +I found that he had set all the Frenchmen dancing, and some of our own +men, too, who were enjoying themselves to their hearts' content. "Larry +will take good care to keep the people in good temper," I thought to +myself, as I turned aft. + +When night came on, Nettleship thought it prudent to shorten sail, as is +the custom of careful merchant skippers, who can't perform that +operation in a hurry. We lost nothing by so doing, as for some hours it +was a stark calm. Tom and Ben Nash were in one watch, Nettleship and I +in another. Night passed quickly away. Towards morning we got a +breeze, and were once more standing on our course. We kept a bright +look-out, not, as we should have liked, to watch for a prize, but to run +away should a suspicious sail be sighted. We kept no colours flying, +for should a Frenchman see us, we might have a better chance of avoiding +an encounter. At daylight, as we had a fair breeze, all sail was again +set, and we stood gaily on our course. + +"If this weather holds, we shall be safe at anchor in a couple of days +in Port Royal," said Nettleship. + +"A sail ahead!" shouted the look-out, from aloft. + +"We must continue on our course till we see what she is," said +Nettleship. + +Tom Pim, who went aloft to have a look at her, on his return said that +she was a brig, standing to the westward, but too far off at the time to +judge of her size. She appeared to be almost becalmed, while we, +carrying the breeze along with us, rapidly neared her. At length we +could see her clearly from the deck. + +"She has hoisted her colours," observed Nettleship. "Though from the +cut of her canvas she's English, as far as I can make out, her flag is +French." + +We had not yet hoisted our colours; indeed, as we were standing, the +Frenchman could not have seen them even if we had. + +"There's no doubt about the flag," observed Tom, who had taken the +glass; "that is French, though she's an English merchantman, if I ever +saw one. The people on board her recognise this ship as one of their +own cruisers, and take us for a friend." + +"I believe you're right, Tom," said Nettleship, "and we'll not undeceive +them." + +The stranger, having now got a breeze, hove-to, apparently wishing to +speak us. We had to luff up a little to reach her. + +"Hoist the French ensign," said Nettleship to me; and I ran it up to the +peak. + +As we got nearer it became necessary to shorten sail, that we might +lower a boat to send on board and take possession, should it be found +that the brig had been captured by the French. Whether or not it was +from the slow way in which we performed the operation, the suspicions of +the Frenchmen were aroused, and putting up their helm, they filled their +sails and ran off before the wind. We immediately let fall our courses, +and hauling down the French flag and hoisting the English, stood away in +chase. + +"Give her a shot, Tom," said Nettleship. "We mustn't let her lead us +out of our course." + +Tom and I hurried forward, and, training the gun ourselves, fired. The +chase took no notice of the first shot, but we quickly again loaded, and +managed to send a second plump on board her. To our satisfaction, she +immediately rounded to, when we were soon up to her, we also heaving to +to windward. + +"You shall board her, Paddy," said Nettleship. "Take care to let the +Frenchmen understand that it was fortunate for them we didn't sink the +brig." + +Larry, Hoolan, and four other men, formed my boat's crew, all of us of +course being armed to the teeth. We found only ten men on board, three +of whom were blacks, the rest French, under the command of a young +French midshipman. He at once handed me his sword, with a polite bow. +As I understood French,--I forget if I before said so,--I learnt from +him that the brig was, as we supposed, English; that she had been +captured a week before by a French corvette; and that he was on his way +to Saint Domingo. He looked a little downcast on losing his command, +but shrugged his shoulders, and observed that it was "_la fortune de la +guerre_." I requested him and five of his white crew to accompany me on +board my ship. He replied that he was ready, and begged that he might +be allowed to carry his traps with him. + +"Certainly, monsieur," I replied; and he dived down below, as he said, +to pack them up. As he was much longer in the cabin than I considered +necessary, I grew impatient, and followed him. I found him talking to a +person in bed in one of the side-berths. + +"I ought, monsieur, to have told you that I have a brother aspirant, who +is very ill; and I fear that it might cause his death were he to be +removed. Your captain would be conferring a great favour on us both, +were he to allow me to remain with him, as no one else is so well able +to nurse him as I am." + +"I'll ask him," I said, looking at the sick youth, who certainly +appeared very ill. I regret, however, that I cannot delay longer, so +you must come with me. + +"I'll obey you, monsieur," said the midshipman; and exchanging a few +more words with his sick companion, he followed me on deck. + +Leaving Larry and two other men on board, I made three of the Frenchmen +take their places in the boat, and returned to the _Soleil_ with the +young Frenchman. I told Nettleship of the request he had made. + +"I don't like to refuse him, as what he says is no doubt true," said +Nettleship; "but we must take care that he plays us no tricks." + +"Then am I to tell him that he may return on board the brig?" I asked. + +"Yes, you may take him with you, for I intend to send you in charge of +the prize, as I can't spare Tom; but Nash shall go with you,--you +couldn't have a better man;--and so with five hands, and the help of the +blacks you speak of, and a couple of the Frenchmen, you'll be able to +work the vessel, and by keeping in our wake you'll easily find your way +to Port Royal." I was highly pleased at the confidence Nettleship +placed in me, especially as Tom was not a bit jealous. + +"Nettleship thinks that as I'm a little chap I shouldn't inspire the +same respect among the Frenchmen that you will," he said, as we shook +hands before I went down the side. + +The brig was the _Good Luck_, bound from Barbadoes to Halifax when she +had been captured. The French midshipman, who was profuse in his +expressions of gratitude for being allowed to return to look after his +sick messmate, told me that his name was La Touche. + +As soon as the boat which had brought me on board had gone back to the +_Soleil_ she made sail, and I followed in her wake. I at once mustered +my crew. The two Frenchmen said that they were perfectly ready to do as +their officer wished. + +"I desire you, then, to obey monsieur, who is in command of this +vessel," said La Touche. + +"Certainly we will obey him," answered the Frenchmen, making flourishing +bows. + +The blacks, two of whom spoke English, said also that they were ready to +obey me. + +On looking at the men, I saw that not only Dan Hoolan, but two of the +men who had been pressed with him, had also been sent; but then I had +Ben and Larry, on whom I could thoroughly rely; and the others, while we +kept close to the _Soleil_, would not venture to attempt any treachery. + +In less than an hour the wind fell very light. I saw, notwithstanding +this, by the way in which the brig slipped through the water, that she +was remarkably fast for an English merchant vessel. This was +satisfactory, as I felt sure that during the night I was not likely to +fall behind the _Soleil_. + +As the day drew on the wind fell altogether, and we lay becalmed at a +short distance from each other. I divided my crew into two watches. I +took one with Larry, two of our own crew, a Frenchman, and a black. Ben +had charge of the other, with the remainder. I did not think it prudent +to let La Touche take a watch, though he politely offered to do so. The +night was excessively hot, and I felt more inclined to remain on deck +than below. After La Touche and I had had supper, he said he would +remain in the cabin to look after his sick friend. One of the Frenchmen +acted as steward, and the other as cook. The former frequently came +into the cabin to bring us our meals, and to take food to the sick +midshipman. + +I kept the first watch, and Ben relieved me at midnight, when I lay down +on deck, on a mattress I had brought up from the cabin, under a small +awning rigged near the after-part of the vessel. I had been asleep for +a couple of hours or more, when I was awakened by feeling the vessel +heel suddenly over. + +"All hands on deck! Shorten sail!" shouted Ben in a lusty voice. + +I sprang to my feet. There was not a moment to lose. La Touche, who +had been awakened at the same time, rushed up on deck, followed by +another person, who appeared to be as active as any one. As rapidly as +we could, we let fly the topgallant sheets, lowered the peak, and +brailed up the foresail, while the helm was put up. The brig righted, +fortunately not carrying away the masts, and off we flew before the +wind. The Frenchmen and blacks behaved remarkably well, and ran aloft +to reef the topsails, and stow the lighter sails, which were flapping +loudly as they blew out with the wind. + +The sky had become overcast; the scud flew rapidly along, just above our +heads, as it seemed, while the spoon-drift, blown off from rising seas, +covered the ocean with a sheet of white. + +When all immediate danger was over, the stranger who had so mysteriously +shown himself slipped down the companion ladder, and I was too busy to +ask La Touche who he was. I naturally concluded that he was the sick +midshipman La Touche had been so tenderly nursing. + +As soon as we had got the brig to rights, I looked out for the _Soleil_ +but could nowhere distinguish her. Had she borne up? or having +shortened sail in time, was she still keeping her course? I hoped that +the latter was the case, and resolved to attempt hauling to the wind, +and steering for Port Royal. I told Ben of my intention, as he, I +considered, was the best seaman among my crew. + +"It will be as much as we can do, sir, if we could do it at all," he +answered. "The brig is not particularly stiff, or she would not have +heeled over as sharply as she did just now." + +"The French officer knows better than we can what sail the brig will +bear. I might ask his opinion," I remarked. + +"Beg pardon, sir, but I would not ask him if I were you," said Ben. +"He'll of course say, `Keep before the wind; but he won't say that if we +do we shall chance to run right into the midst of a Spanish or French +fleet, or up to one of their cruisers, if so be this is only a passing +gale." + +"I fear that it is not merely a passing gale; but still, if we can keep +the brig on a wind, we'll try and do it," I said. + +I gave the order to man the braces, waiting for an opportunity to put +the helm down and bring the brig up to the wind. Scarcely was the order +given, however, than a blast more furious than before struck the brig, +and which, had I not delayed carrying out my intention, would either +have hove her on her beam-ends or carried away the masts. On we flew +before the wind, which was every moment increasing; while the seas rose +higher and higher, and came roaring up around us. Even now we had more +sail set than we could safely carry, and I at once ordered the hands +aloft to furl the main-topsail, and to closely reef the fore-topsail. +Yet even when this was done, the brig flew on at a tremendous pace. + +"To my mind, we've got old Harry Cane on board, sir," said Ben; "and the +sooner we get our fore-topsail stowed the better, to save it from being +blown out of the bolt ropes, and the less likely we shall be to lose the +masts. If the foremast goes, the mainmast will be pretty sure to +follow." + +"You're right, Ben," I answered, and I gave the order to furl the +fore-topsail. + +Ben and Larry led the way aloft, and most of our own men followed; but +the two Frenchmen didn't seem to like the look of things, and remained +on deck. I ordered them up, but they stood holding on to the bulwarks +without moving, and I had no power to compel them. My own men, however, +were able to perform the operation without their aid, and at length, +having stowed the sail, they came down on deck. + +Even now the brig dashed on at a furious rate, while the sea, roaring up +astern, threatened constantly to poop her. Fortunately, we had plenty +of sea-room, and unless the wind should suddenly shift round to the +opposite quarter, as I knew it might do, I hoped that we should keep +afloat till the hurricane had abated. + +Consulting with Ben, I did everything he advised to secure the masts and +spars. + +When La Touche saw how we were employed, he went to the Frenchmen and +blacks, and induced them to assist; indeed, without their help we could +scarcely have done what was necessary. + +As soon as we had finished all that was required, I went into the cabin, +and asked La Touche to find me a chart, and calculating where we had +been when the hurricane first struck us, I marked down as well as I +could the course we had since run, that I might better be able to find +my way back to Port Royal. I was not a very experienced navigator, +still, having the exercise of my wits, I hoped to succeed, and I felt +not a little proud at the thought that I must trust to my own resources. +I could not expect assistance from La Touche, and no one else on board, +except the sick midshipman knew anything about navigation. + +Expecting to follow close in the wake of the _Soleil_ I had not brought +a quadrant with me, but I found one in the cabin, as well as a French +nautical almanack; and I hoped, when the hurricane was over and the sky +had cleared, to be able to use them. + +La Touche had hitherto occupied the state-room, but supposing that I +should turn him out, he had removed his things to a berth on the +opposite side, close to that of his messmate. + +Having placed the chart and quadrant with the almanack in what was now +my cabin, I locked the door, and returned on deck. + +The hurricane showed no signs of abating; but the brig, which was +fortunately not fully laden, behaved beautifully, and literally bounded +over the waves as she ran before the wind. The crew continued on deck, +holding fast on to the stanchions, belaying-pins, and the rigging, to +save themselves from being washed away; for every now and then a sea +tumbled on board, and swept along the deck, sometimes over one quarter, +sometimes over another, and frequently over the bows; but the hatches +had been battened down, and no water got below. + +"We shall do well, I hope, and carry the brig safely into Port Royal," I +observed to La Touche. + +He shrugged his shoulders, and answered-- + +"For your sake I may wish it, though I shall not be sorry if we fall in +with one of our own cruisers before the voyage is ended." + +"Very naturally; but should she appear, we will try our best to get away +from her," I said, laughing. + +At length daylight broke. A wild scene the ocean presented; the foaming +seas dancing up on all sides, through which the brig was struggling +onwards. It seemed to me that the wind was blowing stronger than ever, +and I began to fear that we should be driven over towards the reefs and +shoals upon the American coast before it had ceased. If so, shipwreck +was almost certain, and the chance of saving our lives would be small +indeed. Still I kept up my spirits, and took care not to express my +fears to my shipmates. + +Suddenly about noon the wind dropped, but whether or not it was gaining +strength for a fresh blow I was not certain. I asked La Touche. He +replied that he could not tell, but that it might be so, and that it +would be wise to be prepared for it. The seas tumbled about so much +that I could not bring the brig to the wind. I, however, first set the +fore, and then the main-topsail, and kept her before it to avoid the +risk of the seas pooping us. The clouds at length began to disperse, +and in a short time the sea itself went down. + +I lost no time in bringing the brig to the wind, making more sail, and +shaping a course for Jamaica. Before nightfall the clouds had entirely +disappeared; and the setting sun cast a radiant glow over the sky and +sea, as the brig, heeling over to the breeze, sped on her way. + +"I congratulate you, monsieur, on the change of weather, for I should +have been grieved as much as you would, had the brig been lost," said La +Touche, coming up to me. "Still there's many a slip between the cup and +the lip,"--he gave an equivalent proverb in French. "If one of our +cruisers appears, you'll have to congratulate me, though I hope you'll +receive the same courteous treatment that I have enjoyed from you, and +for which I have to thank you." + +"I have no fear of that," I replied. "Your cruiser has not yet +appeared. The _Good Luck_ is fortunately a fast craft, and we'll do all +we can to put her at her best speed." + +We had been unable to sit down to table during the hurricane, and had +had no time to take a regular meal since; but me of the French seamen, +who acted as steward, now placed a very substantial one on the table. I +played the part of host, and La Touche that of guest. His messmate was +too ill to get up, he said, but notwithstanding, though a sick man, he +managed to consume a fair quantity of the viands La Touche took to him. + +"There ought to be some good wine in this locker, if the bottles were +not broken during the hurricane," said La Touche, rising and lifting up +the lid. Groping about, he produced a couple of bottles of claret, and +another of cognac. + +"There are several more here, so that we need not stint ourselves," he +said, laughing. + +A corkscrew was soon found. I took a couple of glasses. The wine was +excellent, there was no doubt about that. La Touche pressed me to take +a third. "Come, we must pledge each other," he said, replenishing my +glass, and filling up his own. "Here's to the continuance of our +friendship." + +I felt pretty well tired, as I had been up the whole of the last night, +and a good portion of the previous one, so I was not sorry to have +something to set me up. We struck our glasses together, and wished each +other health, prosperity, and promotion. + +"You like the wine," said La Touche. "Come--another glass; now we must +finish the bottle, and I don't wish to take a larger share than you +have." + +"No, no, my friend," I answered, thinking there was something peculiar +in his manner. "I command this craft, and must keep a cool head on my +shoulders, but I have no objection to your finishing the bottle, and +taking a second, if you like." + +In vain he pressed me, for the more he pressed, the more determined I +became not to take another drop. I found the wine indeed stronger than +I had supposed it was. Besides which, I recollected the major's advice, +which strengthened me in my resolution. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +TREACHERY. + +After supper we rose to go on deck. I observed as we did so, that La +Touche replaced the bottle in the locker. I felt more inclined to go to +sleep than to pace the deck, but I resolved to take the first watch, +that Nash might have the middle one. The wind had fallen still more, +the moonbeams cast a silvery light over the ocean. La Touche, who had +followed me out of the cabin, joined me, and we walked up and down for +some time. At length, giving a yawn, he said-- + +"If monsieur does not wish me to keep watch, which I shall be happy to +do, I shall turn in, for I can scarcely keep my eyes open." + +"Thank you," I said; "but I cannot disobey my orders, though I should +place perfect confidence in your honour." + +"I am much obliged to you for the compliment," he replied in a +hesitating tone; and wishing me good-night, and a pleasant watch, he +dived below. + +I continued walking up and down the deck, doing my utmost to keep myself +awake. Seeing Larry, I called to him to come to me. One of our men was +at the helm. I asked Larry how the people were getting on forward. + +"We're all as friendly as bees, Mr Terence. Shure the Frenchmen are +mighty pleasant fellows, though I wouldn't be after trusting to them too +much. The steward has got some bottles of the crathur, and he's been +serving it out pretty freely. I have been afraid that Dan Hoolan and +Mat would be after taking more than is good for them, though Dan's head, +to be sure, could stand lashins of liquor, and be none the worse for +it." + +"Take care, and not be tempted yourself, Larry," I said. + +"No, no, Mr Terence, I know my duty too well for that, though the +Frenchmen in their love of me tried to force it down my throat." + +"I wish you could manage to find the bottles of liquor, and bring them +aft, or heave them overboard; it would be putting temptation out of the +men's way," I said. + +"Shure, Mr Terence, I'll obey your orders, though the Frenchmen won't +be loving me so much, if they find out it was myself that did it." + +While Larry went forward to carry out my directions, I continued my +solitary walk. I was afraid even to rest against the bulwarks for a +moment, or I should have been off to sleep like a shot. Even as it was, +as I stood on deck watching the canvas, to see that the man at the helm +was steering properly, I more than once became unconscious of where I +was. Though my eyes might not have closed, I lost the power of seeing, +now fancying myself on the deck of the frigate, now on board the +_Soleil_, and I heard the voices of Nettleship and Tom Pim talking to +each other, though except that they were speaking about me, I could not +make out what they said. Now I opened my eyes. "No higher!" I sang +out, as I saw the head-sails almost aback. The helmsman turned the +spokes of the wheel, and the sails filled I continued my walk, but soon +again stopped. I went to the binnacle lamp to look at my watch. It +still wanted half an hour to midnight. I would have given much to have +had that half hour over; and it was with the greatest difficulty that I +managed to stand upright. Once more as I stood, now looking out +forward, now at the sails, strange voices sounded in my ears, and my +senses wandered. + +"Faith, Mr Terence, the spalpeens have been too sharp for me; I could +only find one bottle of spirits, and that was empty. The blacks are as +drunk as fiddlers, and the Frenchmen seem to have lost their senses, +while Dan Hoolan and the rest of our men are much the same, barrin' Tim +Logan here, at the helm, and Ben Nash, and he's fast asleep, waiting for +me to call him, and relieve you." + +"Well, then, Larry, go and rouse him up at once, for if he doesn't come +down soon there'll be only you and Logan to look after the ship, as I'm +pretty well done up." + +"Hush, Mr Terence! I'd like to see Logan kept at the helm," said +Larry, putting his hand to his mouth; "for when he goes forward I am +after thinking that the Frenchmen will be tempting him with the liquor, +and he's not the boy to refuse a glass of the crathur when it's put +before his nose." + +"I'll speak to Nash when he comes," I said. "Take a look-out ahead +before you go below." + +In a short time Ben Nash came aft, hitching up his trousers and rubbing +his eyes as if just awakened out of sleep. I gave him my directions, +and inquired about the rest of the crew. + +"Why, sir, the watch below don't seem inclined to turn out and the men +forward seem more asleep than awake," he answered. "It seems to me that +they have been having a drop too much; I only hope we shan't have to +shorten sail, or there won't be many of them fit to go aloft." + +Ben's reply confirmed what Larry told me. It made me very unwilling to +turn in, but so overpowerful was my sleepiness, that I knew it would be +impossible for me to keep awake much longer. + +"I must lie down for half an hour or so," I said, "and if you observe +anything unusual, send Larry down to call me. Let him stay by you if he +can manage to keep awake, while Logan remains at the helm a short while +longer." + +"Never fear, sir," answered Nash. "I'll do as you order me." + +Under other circumstances I should have myself gone forward and roused +up the watch, but from the reports Nash and Larry had given me, I knew +that it would be useless, as I had no power to enforce obedience. I +therefore very unwillingly went below, and threw myself on the bed all +standing, and in half a minute was fast asleep. + +I didn't dream; not a thought passed through my brain till I was at +length partly awakened by a noise overhead. What it was I couldn't make +out. Presently I heard some one come down, as I supposed, to call me. +Now fully awake, I was on the point of jumping up to hurry on deck, when +I became aware that two persons were standing close to my berth. + +"_Soyez tranquille, monsieur_," said the voice of La Touche. "The brig +is no longer under your command; most of your people have joined my men, +and they insist on carrying her into the Havanna." + +"Impossible!" I exclaimed. "My men would not have turned traitors. +I'll go on deck and see how matters stand." + +"That we cannot allow. I did not instigate my men to recapture the +vessel, they managed it themselves; but now that they have possession, I +dare not order them to give her up." + +"I know that two of my people would have fought to the death rather than +have turned traitors," I exclaimed. + +"Those two you speak of--the old man and the Irish lad--were +overpowered, and are stowed safely below, with handcuffs on their +wrists," he answered. "Have I your word that you'll not interfere? You +treated me with courtesy, and I wish you to be allowed to remain at +liberty; but if you decline to give me your word, I cannot prevent you +being treated as they are." + +While he was speaking, I felt for my pistols, which I had placed at the +head of the berth, intending to spring up suddenly, knock him and his +companion over, and gain the deck, but they were gone. My sword had +also been taken away. + +I observed by the light of the lantern that his companion held, that +both of them were fully armed, and prepared to resist any attack I might +make on them. The countenance of the other person, who wore the uniform +of a lieutenant, I did not recognise, but I guessed he must be the sick +messmate to whom La Touche had been so attentive. I could not help +thinking also that La Touche was not so ignorant altogether of the +intentions of his crew as he asserted. + +"I'll consider the subject, and let you know in the course of a few +minutes, if you'll give me that time for reflection," I answered. + +I was anxious to gain time, for I still had a lingering hope that Nash +and Larry had managed to retain their liberty, and that if I could once +get on deck, we might recover possession of the brig. + +"I'll not hurry you, monsieur, but shall be very much grieved if you +will not give me your word, as I shall be under the painful necessity of +subjecting you to an indignity such as I would willingly avoid," +observed the lieutenant. + +I spent the time in considering what I would do, and finally came to the +conclusion that it would be useless to refuse the freedom offered me, +as, were I handcuffed and imprisoned below, I could not assist my two +faithful men, or make any attempt to recover the brig. + +I therefore said, with as good a grace as I could command, "I accept +your offer, Monsieur La Touche." + +"You must give your word to this gentleman, who is my superior officer," +said La Touche, turning to the supposed sick man. + +I said nothing; but I had a shrewd suspicion that he had remained on +board for the purpose of carrying out the plan which had been so +completely successful. I felt, however, very much downcast, and very +foolish at being outwitted, and indignant at the treacherous conduct of +my own men. Yet what more could I have expected from Hoolan and his +associates? + +"Monsieur, I promise not to interfere with the discipline of the brig, +provided I am allowed to retain my liberty," I at length said, +addressing the lieutenant. + +"That is well," he replied. "I would advise you to lie down again and +finish your sleep. You will be in better heart to-morrow to bear your +misfortune, and we wish to return the courtesy which we have received at +your hands. It is the fortune of war, and we have acted fairly." + +I was not so clear about that, but there was no use in complaining, so I +at once threw myself into the berth, and in a minute was in happy +forgetfulness of all that had occurred. + +Next morning, when I went on deck, I found the brig was steering to the +north-west. How different I felt to the day before; then I was in +command, now I was a prisoner. As I cast my eye along the deck, I +caught sight of Hoolan and the other mutineers. He scowled at me +maliciously, but did not approach, and the others continued the work on +which they were engaged. La Touche had charge of the deck. I had my +misgivings as to how it had fared with Larry and Nash. + +I turned to the French midshipman, and said-- + +"I should like to see my people who did not mutiny. Where are they?" + +"Two are in the hold, and the one who was at the wheel was struck down +and killed with an axe, and is overboard. It was a case of necessity, +and the fortune of war." + +I made no answer, for I was too indignant to speak. At last I said-- + +"Will you give me permission to go down and see my poor men? It will be +a consolation to them to know that I am safe, for one who is my +foster-brother is much attached to me, and the other is a faithful +fellow." + +The midshipman seemed struck at hearing this, and at once said that he +would obtain permission from his lieutenant. He went into the cabin, +and quickly returned, saying that I might go and see the men. Taking a +lantern which he ordered one of the crew to bring me, I went down into +the hold, and there, in a small space on some planks placed on the +cargo, and surrounded by casks, I found Larry and Ben Nash, with +handcuffs on their wrists, and their legs tied, seated side by side. + +"Is it yourself, Mr Terence?" exclaimed Larry, as I appeared. "Have +you come to set us free? Have you got the brig again?" + +"I wish that I had," I answered, "but there's no such good luck for us. +I'm a prisoner at large, and I have obtained permission to come and see +you, as I wanted to know how you're getting on, and how it all +happened." + +"Shure it's bad enough for myself, Mr Terence, but it's worse for poor +Ben here, for just look at him,--he's got a mighty ugly prong in his +side, another in his shoulder, and a knock in his head, which was enough +to do for him. Tim Logan was killed entirely; but don't mind me, just +look to Ben, he can scarcely speak." + +Ben's face was pale as death. + +"Where are you hurt, Nash?" I asked. + +He groaned as he told me. + +"But it's water I want, sir; the fellows haven't brought us any since we +were down here. Once Dan Hoolan came to look at us, and when I asked +him for some, he turned away with a growl, swearing I might die of +thirst before he would bring me any." + +Immediately on hearing this I sprang on deck, and begged La Touche to +let me have a jug of water. He ordered one of the Frenchmen to bring it +to me, and I returned with it. I first gave some to Nash, who, though +he eagerly bent forward his head as I lifted the jug to his lips, seemed +to have a difficulty in swallowing. I next put it to Larry's mouth, and +he quickly gulped down the contents. + +"Shure, that does a boy good," he exclaimed, drawing breath. "I +wouldn't have taken it all, if I had been after thinking that Ben would +have been wanting it." + +"I hope easily to get some more if he requires it," I said; but on +looking at poor Ben it appeared to me that neither water nor food would +restore him. He was leaning back, gasping violently. His eyes, as I +held the lantern to them, appeared to have lost all animation. I put +the lantern down on the deck, and supported him in my arms. + +"It's cruel in those fellows to keep the manacles on him while he's +suffering thus," I exclaimed. "I'll ask La Touche to have them taken +off. He could no longer, even if he had a will, interfere with them." + +Springing on deck, I made my request to La Touche; he replied that he +would go below and consult his commanding officer. He soon returned. + +"If you think that the man is really dying, Lieutenant Dubois will give +you leave to do as you desire," he said, "but you must be answerable for +him." + +"I feel certain that he will die unless he is properly cared for," I +answered. + +He called to one of the blacks who belonged to the armourer's crew on +board the French frigate, and told him to go below and knock off the +Englishman's irons. I thought I might put in a word for Larry. + +"May they release my foster-brother?" I asked. "Poor fellow, he did +but his duty in defending the brig, and I'll be responsible for his good +conduct." + +"Yes. Lieutenant Dubois fancied that I spoke of both of them, and for +my part, I am very willing to do as you wish," he answered. + +I hurried below, accompanied by the black. Nash was still breathing +hard, and scarcely had the armourer commenced operations, when the poor +fellow fell back in my arms, his spirit set free before his body was +liberated from the irons. The black continued knocking away, quite +indifferent to what had occurred. + +"It's all over with poor Ben," exclaimed Larry, who was eagerly watching +the operation. + +"Yes, he's gone," I answered, as I felt the honest seaman's wrist. + +The black finished his work, and then stretched the body out on the +deck. + +"And now, my friend, I'll beg of you to release this young fellow," I +said. "You wouldn't like to have irons on your wrists longer than you +could help." + +"Not de first time I hab dem on, and big chain too; but dis nuttin'," +said the black, and a few blows sufficed to set Larry free. + +He sprang to his feet, knocking his head against the deck above him with +a force which brought him down again, but fortunately the crown of an +Irishman's head is thicker than that of most people, and he quickly +recovered himself. + +Telling him to sit quiet till I got leave for him to appear, I went on +deck to report the death of Nash. + +"Ah, they told me the man was badly hurt," said La Touche. "He was a +brave fellow, for he fought desperately. We will bury him forthwith." + +"And my follower, may he return on deck?" I asked. "Both of us will be +glad to assist in navigating the ship, if our services are required." + +"Yes, you can do so; but I do not think that you will return the +compliment we paid you, by attempting to retake the brig from us," he +answered, laughing. + +"You are right, monsieur," I answered. "I have given you my word to +that effect, and the word of an English officer is never broken." + +La Touche winced. "I took no part," he observed, "in capturing the +brig; you'll understand that." + +I made no reply, though I was convinced that all along he was cognisant +of the plot and plans of his lieutenant. The treachery of Hoolan and +his companions enabled him to succeed with greater ease than he could +otherwise have expected. + +With the assistance of the black armourer, Larry and I sewed Ben up in a +piece of canvas which he obtained for us, with a shot at the feet. We +then together carried the body to a port, and launched it overboard, no +one offering to render assistance, but at the same time not interfering +with our proceedings. When Lieutenant Dubois came on deck, he bowed +politely to me, and we exchanged a few words, but he didn't appear +inclined to enter into conversation. Perhaps he felt conscious that he +was guilty of treachery in allowing his men to mutiny, even if he had +not instigated them to do so, after the kind way in which he had been +treated. Of course Nettleship made a great mistake in allowing him and +the midshipman to remain on board; but judging them by his own sense of +honour, he could not suppose it possible they would take advantage of +his generosity, and even dream of attempting to recapture the brig. + +Larry, when I was on deck, always kept close to me, and he asked whether +I could obtain permission for him to sleep under the companion ladder, +or anywhere aft, so that he might be within call. + +"In truth, Mr Terence, I'm not fond of the looks Dan Hoolan casts at me +when I go forward," he said. "I shouldn't be surprised on waking some +night to find him after cutting my throat or giving me a knock on the +head, for he knows that if it hadn't been for poor Ben and Tim Logan and +me, he would have tried to kill you, Mr Terence, that you might not +appear against him; but we fought as long as we could, till the French +lieutenant came on deck, and there was only myself remaining unhurt." + +I felt very certain that what Larry said was true, and La Touche +afterwards corroborated the account. How Larry had escaped seemed a +wonder, till I heard that he had seized a handspike, and using it as a +shillelah, or rather as a singlestick, had kept his enemies at bay, and +defended himself. Whenever I saw Hoolan on deck, I observed that he +cast sinister looks at Larry and me, and I felt very sure that if he had +an opportunity he would carry out his threat of putting an end to us. +When I told La Touche of Larry's wish, and his reason for it, after +speaking to the lieutenant, he said it should be complied with. At +meal-time the officers invited me into the cabin, and, to do them +justice, treated me with as much courtesy as if I had been a willing +guest. + +"We have changed places, but we hope that you don't bear us any +ill-will," said La Touche, filling up my glass with claret. "Here's to +your health, and may our friendship endure as long as our lives. When +peace is established between our two countries which I suppose will be +some day or other, I shall be enchanted if you will pay me a visit at my +father's chateau in Normandy." + +"With the greatest pleasure in the world," I answered; "though I confess +I didn't think you would play me so cruel a trick." I didn't wish to +use a harsher expression. + +"Believe me, monsieur, that it was from no design of mine. I but +performed my duty. Until the vessel was in the hands of the mutineers, +I was not aware myself of what was going to happen. Monsieur Dubois +will corroborate what I state." + +"La Touche speaks but the truth," said the lieutenant. "He acted under +my orders, for, knowing his sense of honour, I didn't confide my plan to +him." + +I was very glad to hear this, as I was much inclined to like La Touche, +and was grieved to suppose that I had been disappointed in him. + +The weather, after the hurricane which had been the chief cause of my +misfortune, rapidly moderated, and became very fine; and though the wind +was generally light, the brig made good way to the south-westward. +During the day one of the Frenchmen, or La Touche himself, was +constantly at the masthead, on the look-out for vessels, either to avoid +suspicious strangers, or hoping to fall in with one of their cruisers. +The lieutenant had at first intended to steer for Havanna, on the +northern coast of Cuba; but just as we passed the latitude of Jamaica +the wind shifted to the westward, and he determined to run for +Port-au-Prince, at the westward end of Saint Domingo. He didn't conceal +his intentions from me; indeed there was no object in his doing so. He +asked me whether we were likely to fall in with English cruisers between +Jamaica and Cuba. I told him what I believed to be the case, that they +would most probably be found on the south or west side of the island, +looking out for the French and Spanish fleets expected to be coming from +Havanna. + +"I am surprised, indeed, that we have not fallen in with one of our +cruisers already," I said. + +"There is a reason for that," he remarked. "The hurricane, of which we +only felt the edge, will have driven them into port, or have sent them +ashore, or to the bottom. I thought of that before I ventured here, and +calculated that it must have been some days before they could put to sea +again." + +I believed that the lieutenant was right, and it lessened my hopes of +the brig being retaken; still I did not abandon them altogether, and the +thought contributed to keep up my spirits. + +Supper over, after a few turns on deck I begged leave to turn in and +finish out the sleep which had been so disagreeably interrupted the +previous morning. Both the officers begged I would return to the berth +I had previously occupied. I thought it best to accept their courtesy. +When Larry saw me go below, he came down the companion ladder, and after +attending on me, as I told him he might do, he stowed himself away under +it. When I awoke next morning, finding myself in my old berth, for a +few seconds I forgot all that had occurred, and fancied myself still in +command of the brig, but the reality soon came back to me. With +anything but pleasant feelings I turned out, and having dressed, went on +deck. Larry, who had slept undisturbed, followed me up. + +"I'm after thinking, Mr Terence, that Dan was looking for me, but, as +good fortune would have it, I found an empty biscuit cask, so what did I +do but poke my head into it, and cover my neck up with a thick +handkerchief," said Larry, as he stood by my side. "Thinks I to myself, +if Master Dan wants to be after giving me a whack on the skull, I shall +have had time to jump up before he has done for me; but the spalpeen did +not find me out, I've a notion, and I'll be on the watch for him if he +does, another night." + +I found La Touche on deck, and we exchanged salutations. The brig was +under all sail, standing to the eastward. I cast my eye eagerly astern, +half hoping to see a British man-of-war in chase of us; but I found that +the Frenchmen were carrying all sail, as was but natural, to reach their +destination as fast as possible. I could just distinguish to the +southward the distant mountains of Jamaica, rising like a blue irregular +line above the horizon. Nothing could be more beautiful than the +weather. The sky was bright; the ocean glittered in the rays of the +rising sun. + +In spite of this, I could not keep my spirits up, and put away the +thoughts of the fate in store for me. Instead of serving my country, +gaining honour and promotion, and passing my time in the society of +shipmates to whom I was much attached, I was doomed to be imprisoned in +some out-of-the-way part of Saint Domingo, or sent across the Atlantic +to be shut up in a French fortress, as I knew that other officers had +been. + +Now that their hopes of escaping increased, the Frenchmen became still +more courteous, and did their best to make my stay on board pleasant. I +should have been glad to have regained my liberty, but certainly should +have pitied them if we had been captured. + +At length we made the west side of Saint Domingo, and, entering the Bay +of Gonavez, ran up to the harbour at its eastern extremity. Here we +found a considerable number of men-of-war at anchor. We were at once +visited by several officers, who seemed surprised to hear that we had +been at sea and escaped being wrecked, every ship in the harbour having +lost masts or spars, or received other serious damage. + +Lieutenant Dubois had promised that he would keep us on board as long as +possible, as we should, on being landed, have been moved away into the +interior. I was, of course, very glad to take advantage of his kind +offer. + +We had not been long at anchor before an officer came off from the shore +with an official-looking packet. I was in the cabin when he delivered +it to Lieutenant Dubois. + +"The governor has heard of your arrival, and of the undamaged condition +of your vessel," said the officer. "He is desirous of sending important +information to Admiral the Count de Grasse, who will probably be found +at the island of Guadaloupe, and he desires that you will sail +forthwith, and convey these despatches. There is no vessel in harbour +fit to go, and he considers your arrival a fortunate circumstance." + +Dubois at once expressed his satisfaction, and promised to sail without +a moment's delay. I was afraid that he might consider it necessary to +send Larry and me on shore; but I thought it prudent to say nothing, and +continued seated as if I belonged to the vessel. The French officer +from the shore made no remark, and having performed his commission, +speedily took his departure. + +"All right," said Dubois to me; "I'm not compelled to land you, and if +you like we can continue our voyage together. It will give you a better +chance of escape if the fortune of war should throw me into the hands of +one of your ships; but I have no intention of being caught if I can help +it." + +I thanked him very much, and assured him that nothing would give me +greater pleasure than being once more able to play the host to him. + +Before we sailed, however, six more hands, whom he had asked for, were +sent on board to strengthen his crew; but Hoolan and the other mutineers +were allowed to remain, for which I was sorry. Perhaps they would +rather have gone on shore, for if the brig were recaptured, they would, +to a certainty, have to grace her yard-arms before many days had passed +over their heads. + +We had to beat out of the harbour, but rounding Cape Tiburon we got a +fair wind, and stood away for Guadaloupe. + +We had a long passage before us, and I was continually thinking of what +the fortune of war might bring about. My fear was that we might fall in +with a French cruiser, to which Lieutenant Dubois might consider it his +duty to deliver up his despatches, that they might be conveyed more +speedily to their destination, and that we might have to return to Saint +Domingo. Still I did my utmost to look at the bright side of the +picture; and I fancied how pleasant it would be to find the brig under +the guns of an English frigate,--perhaps the _Liffy_ herself. + +I had another secret source of satisfaction: I had given my word to La +Touche simply not to interfere with the discipline of the ship, and I +had made myself answerable that Larry would not; although I had said +nothing about not attempting to make my escape, should an opportunity +occur, though that was very remote indeed. In a French port it would be +useless, as I should only tumble out of the frying-pan into the fire, or +find myself among enemies. I could not speak French well enough to pass +for a Frenchmen, and Larry's tongue would at once have betrayed him. +Still hope kept me up, although what to hope for was indistinct and +uncertain. + +Larry, having somewhat got over his unpleasant suspicions of Hoolan's +intentions, was as merry as usual, and in the evening kept his fiddle +going, and the Frenchman and blacks dancing to their heart's content. +He, however, was disinclined to remain forward after dark, and came back +to his hiding-place under the companion ladder, where he was allowed to +sleep under the supposition that he was there to attend on me. + +I should have said that when the officer from the shore had delivered +his despatches to Lieutenant Dubois, the latter, instead of locking them +up in his own berth, put them into a drawer in the cabin table. Of +their contents I, of course, was kept in ignorance,--indeed, I was not +certain that Lieutenant Dubois himself knew their purport. + +I do not even now like to speak of the thoughts which passed through my +mind about these despatches. I was greatly troubled by them. Sometimes +the idea occurred to me that when no one was in the cabin, I might throw +them out of the stern port, and take the consequences of my act; but +then I should be making an ungrateful return to the young French +officers who had treated me so courteously. I dreaded to commit an act +which might be dishonourable; at the same time, it was evident that by +destroying the despatches I should be benefiting my country. From the +eagerness which the officer who brought the packet had shown to get it +off, I was convinced that it was of great importance, and that perhaps +the fate of some of our islands might depend on its delivery. I was +surprised at Dubois' carelessness at leaving it exposed, though less at +La Touche, who, though a good-natured fellow, was harum-scarum and +thoughtless in the extreme. Perhaps he might have returned me the +compliment. + +The wind was light; and there seemed every probability that we should +make a long passage. So much the better, I thought. While we were at +sea I was in good spirits, for I knew that there was a good chance of +the brig being recaptured. Larry kept the crew alive with his fiddle +forward, and even Dan Hoolan looked somewhat less surly than usual; at +the same time Larry kept out of his way, and never trusted himself at +night on deck when I was not there. Whether he was right in his +suspicions or not was uncertain, but at all events Hoolan was a ruffian, +and a traitor to his country. + +I treated Larry as, of course, an officer does not usually treat an +ordinary seaman. He was one night walking the deck with me, and we were +talking of Ballinahone and our early days, when he suddenly said, +"Shure, Mr Terence, there's something on your mind. I've thought so +more than once. Just say now what it is." + +"You are clever, Larry, to find that out," I answered. "It's your love +for me enables you to do it. It's nothing you would think much about. +I'm troubled with the thoughts that we are carrying despatches to the +French admiral, which, if delivered, may cause some serious injury to +our country. They are kept in the drawer of the cabin table, and I +might at any moment throw them overboard, and defeat the Frenchmen's +object." + +The moment I said this I regretted it, as it struck me that it was like +instigating Larry to do what I would not do myself. The effect on him +was what I supposed my words would produce, for he at once replied, +"Thin, shure, overboard they go before the world's many hours older." + +"No, no, Larry! you mistake me," I exclaimed. "That's just what I don't +want you to do. If it has to be done, I'll do it myself, and I forbid +you to touch the packet I insist on your promising me that you will +not." + +Very unwillingly Larry gave the promise, and I knew that I could trust +him. I then let the subject drop, regretting that I had broached it to +my faithful follower. + +"If the Frenchman choose to hang me, I will not bring the same fate on +him," I thought. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +LIFFY AHOY! + +Day after day went by. Though we occasionally saw a sail, we kept out +of her way. + +At length, one morning the look-out shouted, "A sail on the starboard +quarter!" + +We were just then setting royals, which we did not carry at night. We +watched the stranger. "She has borne up in chase," cried La Touche, who +had gone aloft. + +Dubois immediately ordered the brig to be kept before the wind, and +studding-sails to be set on either side. The wind freshened, and away +we flew before it. The brig being lightly laden, it was her best point +of sailing, as I had observed. It took us out of our course, however. +I sincerely hoped that the wind would increase, and that it should carry +away some of our spars, and thus enable our pursuer to come up with us, +for I took it for granted that she was English. The Frenchmen watched +her eagerly, for we could see her topsails from the deck. + +"Do you think we shall get away from her?" I asked La Touche in an +indifferent tone, as if it were a matter of no consequence to me. + +"I hope so," he replied. "This brig is a regular little fly-away, and +your frigates are not generally fast sailers." + +"But why do you think she is one of our frigates?" I asked. "She may +be French after all, and you may be running away from a friend." + +"I think she is English, because none of our cruisers are likely to be +hereabouts at present," he answered; and then, as if he had said +something without thought, correcting himself, he added, "Of course she +may be French; but we think it safest to keep out of the way of all +men-of-war." + +The topsails of the stranger rose gradually above the horizon; she was +evidently a large vessel--a frigate, if not a line-of-battle ship. The +little brig flew on gaily, as if feeling as eager to get away as were +those on board. + +"Ah, my friend! a stern chase is a long chase," observed Dubois, who saw +me watching the stranger. "You are not going to rejoin your ship just +yet." + +"I have made up my mind to be content with whatever happens," I said. + +"You are wise," answered Dubois. "It is the best thing under all +circumstances." + +Still I did not despair of being overtaken. Perhaps she might be the +_Liffy_ herself, which had gone back to Jamaica, and was now returning +to the south. We had a brisk breeze, though it did not increase, and +the brig continued running on at her utmost speed. When I looked again, +some time afterwards, it did not appear to me that the stranger had +gained on us. The hours passed slowly on; evening, however, at length +approached, and I was afraid that during the night Dubois would alter +the brig's course, and that we should manage to escape. When I went +below for our meals, I endeavoured to maintain as calm a countenance as +I could, and to appear as cheerful as usual. + +"You are a brave _garcon_," said Dubois, as we sat at supper. "We +should be very sorry to lose your society, and I'll endeavour to keep +you on board as long as I can." + +I thanked him, and said that I hoped to have the satisfaction of +returning his courtesy, should the tables once more be turned. At last +darkness came on, and our pursuer was lost to sight. As it was useless +to remain on deck, I turned in, and Larry as usual followed me below. +Whether it was from the excitement I had gone through, or from having +remained on deck all day, I cannot say; but I fell asleep immediately my +head touched the pillow, and slept as soundly as a top. When I awoke, I +saw by the dim light coming through the bull's-eye that the day had +broken, and I hurried on deck, anxious to know if our pursuer was still +in sight Dubois and La Touche were there. I saluted them as usual. +They did not appear quite as cheerful as they did on the previous day. +The brig was still before the wind, with every stitch of canvas she +could carry set. On looking astern, there was our pursuer, though hull +down, but considerably nearer than before. + +"Do not be too sanguine that she will come up with us. When the breeze +freshens, we shall again get away from her," said Dubois. + +"It is of course what you wish, monsieur," I observed. + +"I've been after dreaming, Mr Terence, that that craft is the _Liffy_, +and that we were again on board her, as merry as crickets," said Larry, +coming to my side. + +"But dreams, they say, go by contraries," I answered. "It would have +been better not to have dreamed that." + +"Shure, thin, I wish that I had dreamed that we had run her out of +sight," he answered. + +Soon after the wind got up, and was soon blowing as freshly as on the +day before. The Frenchmen's spirits once more rose. Larry's and mine +fell. The big ship, however, continued about the same distance off; but +as long as she did not gain on us, our captors did not mind. At length +it seemed to me that we were actually drawing ahead. Perhaps we might +be leading our pursuer further out of her course than she wished to go, +and she would give up the chase. The Frenchmen, from their remarks, +seemed to think so. + +Mid-day arrived; an observation was taken. I found that we were in the +latitude of the Virgin Islands, still a long way from Guadaloupe. When +once among the islands, we should very easily escape during the night. +Dubois and La Touche were congratulating themselves, when the look-out +aloft shouted, "Several sail in sight to the south-east!" + +La Touche, immediately on hearing this, went to the masthead. I should +have liked to have followed him, eager to know what they were. He said +nothing till he came down. I then saw by the way he spoke to Dubois +that he considered them to be enemies. After a short consultation the +helm was put to starboard, and the brig headed more to the north; the +yards were braced up, though the studding-sails were still set. In my +eagerness to ascertain what the strangers were, I sprang aloft without +waiting to ask leave of Dubois. He did not, however, call me down. As +I got to the topgallant masthead I looked eagerly to the southward, and +I made out what I took to be a large fleet standing to the eastward, +while here and there ships were scattered about, which I took to be +frigates. I had no doubt that Dubois concluded they were English, and +had therefore no wish to run in among them. We had heard before we left +Jamaica that Sir George Rodney was expected out to join Sir Samuel Hood, +and I had little doubt but that the fleet in sight was that of either +the one or the other of those admirals. Whether the brig would escape +them or not was doubtful, and I expected every instant to see either a +frigate or corvette coming in chase of us. Our other pursuer could not +have seen the ships visible from our masthead, and would therefore not +understand the reason for our change of course. Had it been earlier in +the day, our capture by either one or the other would have been certain; +but Dubois might now manage, by good seamanship, to slip between the +two. The wind increased, and our starboard studding-sails were taken +in; we carried those on our larboard side to the last. Having satisfied +myself, I returned on deck. + +"Do you know what those ships are away to the southward?" asked Dubois. + +"Yes, monsieur, I believe them to be English," I answered. "And you +expect them to catch us, do you?" he said. + +"That depends on circumstances," I replied; "but I know your +determination, and believe that you will make every effort to escape." + +"You may be sure of that," he said, laughing. "See how I'm carrying on. +Many would have shortened sail before this." + +I made no reply, but looked aloft. The brig was literally tearing +through the water; the breeze was increasing; the sails were bulging +out, every rope stretched out to its utmost tension; the studding-sails +pulled and tugged as if eager to fly away. Presently there came a loud +crack, and both studding-sail booms broke off close to the irons. The +men attempted to get in the fluttering canvas. + +"Cut! cut!" cried Dubois. "Let them go!" + +The wind shifted a point or two, and we had to haul still more up. As I +had been unable lately to look at the chart, I could not make out +exactly for what place we were steering, but I could distinguish several +blue hillocks rising out of the ocean, which I knew must be small +islands, either the Virgin Islands or others in their neighbourhood. We +were now steering due north. I again went aloft. The main body of the +fleet was no longer in sight, but three or four white sails could be +seen shining brightly in the rays of the setting sun far away astern, +while our pursuer could still be distinguished over our larboard +quarter, yet apparently no nearer than before. On returning on deck +Dubois looked at me with a smile of satisfaction. + +"We are not caught yet," he said. "But bear it patiently, my young +friend. We all have our trials." + +I made no reply, but walked to the other side of the deck. It was again +night; the steward came and invited me down to supper, in which I joined +Dubois, while La Touche remained on deck. He did not think fit to tell +me what were his intentions, and though I should have liked to have +known, I did not ask him. At last I turned in, and tried to go to +sleep. I should not have minded hearing the brig go crash on shore, so +vexed did I feel at the idea of her having escaped. Still I could not +but admire the determination of the two young French officers, and again +better feelings rose in my breast. At length I fell fast asleep. As I +had no watch to keep, I slept on, as usual, until daylight streamed in +through the bull's-eye over my head, when, to my surprise, I heard the +sound of the cable slipping out, and knew that the brig had come to an +anchor. I dressed as speedily as I could, and went on deck. We were in +a fine harbour with numerous vessels of all sizes and nations--Spanish, +French, Dutch, and Danish (the latter predominating)--floating on its +bosom, and among them a frigate, with the colours of England flying at +her peak. I knew, therefore, that we were in a neutral port, for which +Dubois had steered when he found he could not otherwise escape. On +examining the frigate more narrowly, my heart gave a bound, for I felt +almost sure that she was the _Liffy_, but as several vessels were +between us I could not make her out very clearly. + +Dubois, who had probably been on deck most of the night, had gone below; +and La Touche was engaged in issuing his orders to the crew. I took +care to conceal my feelings, and on speaking to Larry I found he had not +suspected that the frigate was the _Liffy_. Still he might do so, and I +told him that I believed her to be our ship, charging him on no account +to exhibit his feelings. + +"Shure, Mr Terence, that's a hard matter," he exclaimed. "I half feel +inclined to leap out of my skin and get aboard her." + +"We must try to do that by some means or other," I said; "but how to +accomplish it is the question. Even if Captain Macnamara knew that we +were on board this brig, he could not come and take us by force." + +"Why not, Mr Terence?" exclaimed Larry in surprise. "Shure if I see +one of our boats pulling by, I'll be after shouting at the top of my +voice, to tell them we're here, and to axe them to come and take us off. +Our captain's not the man to desert us, nor Mr Saunders either; and as +soon as they know that we're prisoners, they'll be after sending a +couple of boats to release us; or maybe they'll bring the frigate round, +and blaze away at the brig till they sink her." + +"That would be an unpleasant way of proceeding for us, at all events," I +answered, laughing. "The reason they can't take us by force is, that +this is a neutral port, and all vessels in here must keep the peace +towards each other; so that if Monsieur Dubois refuses to give us up, +our captain can't compel him. We must therefore manage to get away by +ourselves if we are to be free." + +"Thin, Mr Terence, that's just what we will be after doing," said +Larry, taking off his hat and scratching his head while he considered +how the undertaking could be accomplished. "Couldn't we just slip +overboard at night and swim to the frigate? It wouldn't be further than +I have swum many a time in the Shannon." + +"But the Shannon and this place are very different," I answered. "Jack +Shark keeps as sharp a look-out here as he does in Port Royal harbour; +and we may chance to have our legs nipped off before we can get up the +side of the frigate." + +"Shure, Mr Terence, thin I never thought of that," said Larry; "but +maybe the officers will go on shore, and they don't keep very strict +watch aboard here, so I might just manage to slip a grating and a spar +or two over the side, to make a raft; then we might paddle on it to the +frigate." + +"I don't see any better plan than you propose," I answered; "though I +would risk a swim and the chances of encountering a shark rather than +not make the attempt to escape; for, even supposing the frigate on the +other side of those merchantmen should not prove to be the _Liffy_, we +should be welcome on board. It is of the greatest importance that the +captain should know of the despatches the brig is carrying to +Guadaloupe, so that a watch may be kept on her movements, and that she +may be pursued and captured outside the harbour." + +"Thin, Mr Terence, let me go alone; I'd have no difficulty in slipping +overboard, and there's less chance of my being missed," said Larry. +"When her captain knows that you're aboard the brig, he'll be after her +in a jiffy." + +"No, no, Larry; I can never let you go alone. Whatever we do, we'll do +together." + +"That's like you, Mr Terence. Just trust to me, thin; only do you be +ready for a start directly it's dark, and I'll be keeping a look-out on +deck for the chance of one of the _Liffy's_ boats coming near, to let +them know that we're aboard." + +Tantalising as it was to see the ship, as I supposed, to which I +belonged within a short distance of me, and yet not be able to +communicate with her, I felt that I could do nothing for the present, +and that it was prudent not to be seen talking too much with Larry. I +therefore told him to keep away from me during the day, unless he had +something particular to say, while I went below again, to finish my +toilet and wait for breakfast. + +La Touche had been too busy to speak to me, and Dubois was still asleep. +I remained in my berth until the steward announced that breakfast was +ready, when I met the two officers, who had just come below. They +politely invited me to take a seat at the table. + +"Well, you see, we have managed to escape your cruisers," said Dubois, +as he poured me out a cup of coffee. "We have reason to congratulate +ourselves, as we were very hard pressed." + +"I must compliment you, monsieur, on your skilful seamanship," I said. +"I do so with sincerity, although I should have been very glad had you +been caught. However, I am prepared to bear my disappointment +philosophically. We have not yet reached Guadaloupe, and I don't +despair of regaining my liberty, though I conclude you'll not consider +yourself justified in letting me leave the brig?" + +"For your sake I wish that we could," said La Touche; "but you are known +to be on board, and we should have to account for you; so I'm afraid you +must exercise the philosophy you speak of." Imitating the Frenchman, I +shrugged my shoulders, as if I was perfectly resigned to my fate. I +made no remark about the English frigate in the harbour, as the +Frenchmen didn't allude to her, though they could not have supposed that +I was ignorant of her being there. + +I saw that the brig was riding at single anchor and hove short, and I +expected that Dubois was waiting for an opportunity of slipping out of +the harbour before the frigate was prepared to follow him. That she +would do so, should the brig be discovered to be an English vessel, a +prize to the French, there could be no doubt, unless detained by some +matter of more importance. + +After breakfast we walked the deck for some time, and then Dubois +ordered La Touche to take a boat and pull round the harbour. + +"See as you pass yonder frigate there, how she's riding," he said; +"whether she appears to be ready to put to sea, and learn, if you can +ascertain, what brought her in here. I wouldn't have come in had I +known that we should have found so unpleasant a neighbour." + +"Do you know what frigate she is?" he asked, turning to me. + +"As I can't see her hull clearly, were I perfectly acquainted with her I +should be unable to answer your questions, monsieur," I replied. + +"Well, then, favour me by going aloft with my telescope, and you'll +then, by looking down on her deck, be able to tell me whether you +recognise any of those on board, or have to your knowledge seen the +frigate before." + +From his manner I believed he had not an idea that I suspected the +frigate to be the _Liffy_. + +I willingly agreed; and, taking the glass, went aloft. All my doubts +were at an end. I at once made out Captain Macnamara walking the +starboard side of the quarter-deck with Mr Saunders. On the opposite +side, I distinguished several of my messmates by their figures. Some of +the men were forward, but the greater number were below, and I could see +no signs of any intentions of getting under way. I waited a +considerable time, and heartily I wished for a pair of wings, that I +might fly over the masts of the other vessels, and pitch down on her +deck. No sight could have been more tantalising. I descended at last, +and returning the telescope to Dubois, said-- + +"I confess frankly that I know the frigate. She is the one to which I +belong." + +"Is she a fast vessel?" inquired Dubois. + +"She is considered so, monsieur," I answered. + +"Faster than this brig?" he asked. + +"Certainly, unless in a very light wind," I said. "If you expect to be +chased, you have very little chance of escape from her, I should think." + +"I must hope for the best," he said. "There's a fine breeze out of the +harbour, and we may be off again before the frigate finds we are moving. +We have the advantage of being concealed from her sight, and she dare +not fire a gun or send a boat after us, even should she wish it, till +we're three leagues outside the harbour." + +Dubois spoke in a confident tone, as if he did not think that there was +the slightest chance I should even try to make my escape. I was +dreading all the time that he would ask me to give my word not to do so. +He didn't, however, appear to think of that. In a short time La Touche +came back, and reported, as I knew he would, that the frigate didn't +appear to be preparing to sail. Scarcely had he come on board than the +wind began to drop, till it became a stark calm. I saw the officers +exchange looks with each other as they observed the dog vane hanging +right up and down. It was very certain that we could not move, for we +had not boats sufficient to tow the brig out of the harbour. There was +every prospect of the calm continuing for many hours. The Frenchmen, by +the way they paced the deck, showed their vexation, every now and then +giving an impatient stamp with their feet. + +At last La Touche stopped and said-- + +"Wouldn't it be well to go on shore and try and pick up some news? We +may gain intelligence which may be of importance; at all events, we +shall pass the time more pleasantly than on board." + +"A good idea," answered Dubois. "We will go. You'll be content to +remain on board?" he added, turning to me. "It might be inconvenient to +take you with us, as we might meet some of your brother officers; but I +brought a few books of light literature in my portmanteau, besides my +nautical almanack, and you can read them while we're on shore." + +I thanked him, and was very glad to find that he didn't wish me to go; +as, although by landing I might have a chance of making my escape, I +would not do so without Larry. + +They did not wait for dinner; but telling the steward to bring me mine +at the usual hour, pulled away in one of the boats, leaving the brig +under the charge of a quartermaster, who had come on board at Gonavez +Bay. He was a sharp-eyed old fellow, and had evidently been directed to +keep a watch on Larry and me. Several shore-boats came alongside, but +after some fresh provisions had been purchased, the others were ordered +to keep off. + +Soon after the officers had gone Larry came up to me. + +"Hwist, Mr Terence," he said in a low voice. "Dan Hoolan and the other +boys know that the frigate out there is the _Liffy_, and I heard Dan say +to one of them that they must take care we don't get away to her, for +he's afraid, if we do, that Captain Macnamara, when he hears of the +mutiny, will consider that he has a right to retake the brig, and that +they'll all be triced up to the yard-arm before many hours are over +afterwards." + +"We must try, then, to throw them off their guard, Larry," I said. +"Have you thought of any other plan for escaping?" + +"Not just yet, Mr Terence; but I'm still hoping that something will +turn up. I'll tell you all about it presently; but I mustn't stop long +aft, for I have a notion that Dan and the rest have got something into +their heads, and that they won't be stopping aboard if they can help it, +to run the risk of hanging." + +Larry again went forward, and I returned to the cabin. I cannot say +that the books Dubois left me were edifying; and after I had turned over +a few pages, I threw them aside as abominable trash, not fit for any +gentleman's eyes to rest on. They were such works as contributed to +prepare the way for the French Revolution. The steward brought me an +excellent dinner, and placed a bottle of claret on the table, of which, +however, I partook very moderately. I passed the afternoon as best I +could, now and then going on deck to have the pleasure of taking a look +at the _Liffy_, and hoping to see one of her boats passing. I +determined, should one pull by, to hail her and say who I was; for I was +afraid that Nettleship might suppose the brig had been lost, and that +the report of my death might, by ill-luck, reach Ballinahone. I +watched, however, in vain. As evening approached I expected that Dubois +and La Touche would return. Something kept them on shore; probably, +finding the calm continue, they were carrying out their intentions of +amusing themselves. At last darkness came on, and I went back into the +cabin. I should have said that the brig carried a small boat hoisted up +astern, but which was in a dilapidated condition, and considered not fit +to put into the water. As we had no carpenter on board able to repair +her, she was allowed to remain hoisted up. I had been in the cabin some +time, and I believe I must have dropped off into a doze, when I heard a +sound of blocks creaking, and presently there was a splash in the water. +Springing up, I looked out of one of the stern ports, which was open, +and could distinguish a boat just below me with a man in her, moving +round the quarter. At first I thought he was Larry, and then I felt +sure that Larry would not have taken a boat without first giving me +notice of his intentions. In less than a minute afterwards, however, he +poked his head into the cabin. + +"Hwist, Mr Terence, it's just as I thought it would be," he whispered. +"Dan Hoolan and the rest are going to pull on shore. They have made the +watch below drunk, and they have seized the anchor watch and put them in +limbo. They fancy that if they can get away up the country, they'll be +safe, and I have a mind to go with them and pull the boat back, and take +you off. Keep a look-out of the cabin window, Mr Terence; maybe I'll +come under the counter, and you can squeeze through the port without +anybody on deck finding us out. Now I'm off." + +Larry hurried out of the cabin, leaving me in a state of anxious doubt +as to whether he would succeed. I was afraid of going on deck lest I +should be seen by the mutineers, and I at once therefore went to the +port, hoping that I might catch a glimpse of them pulling away. Even if +Larry got off with them, there might be many chances against his +returning. The boat even might fill before she could reach the shore, +or she might encounter the French officers returning to the brig, and be +seized. I wondered at their carelessness in leaving the vessel with +such a crew as theirs; for those who had proved traitors to me might +have been expected to turn traitors to them. + +Scarcely a minute had elapsed before, to my surprise, I heard a "hwist" +come from under the counter, and Larry's voice saying-- + +"Lend a hand, Mr Terence, and catch the painter as I chuck it up." + +I did as he desired, and presently he climbed up in at the port. + +"Hold fast there, Mr Terence," he said, as he squeezed through, and +springing forward locked the cabin door. "I'll tell you all about it +when we're free of the brig," he whispered. + +Quick as thought he made the painter fast to an eye-bolt, used to secure +the dead-light. "Now jump into the boat, Mr Terence, and we'll be +off," he added. + +As he bid me, I slid down the painter, expecting him to follow +immediately. For a few seconds he didn't come, and I feared that +something had happened to him; but he soon appeared, and slid down as I +had done, holding in his mouth a knife, with which he quickly cut the +rope. + +I had taken one of the oars, he seized another, and giving a shove +against the counter, sent the boat off from the brig. We paddled away +with might and main, making, however, as little noise as we could. +Scarcely, however, had we gone half a cable's length than I heard a +gruff voice, which I recognised as Dan Hoolan's, uttering a fearful +oath, and inquiring what had become of the boat. Several others replied +in the same tones; and one of them, who had apparently run aft, +exclaimed, "Shure there she is, and that so-and-so Larry Harrigan has +gone off with her." + +"Come back, come back, you villain!" shouted the men. + +"It's mighty likely we'll be after doing that," Larry was on the point +of shouting out, when I told him to be silent; and there being now less +necessity for caution, we bent to our oars with all our might. + +"I wonder the villains don't fire at us," I said. + +"Shure the cabin door's locked, and they can't get at the muskets, or +they would be after doing the same," answered Larry. + +We had ample reason to pull hard, for the water was leaking in through +every seam in the boat; but I hoped that she might keep afloat long +enough to enable us to reach the side of the frigate. Hoolan and his +companions, finding that it was of no use, had ceased hailing us. We +had gone a short way when I saw a boat coming off from the shore. "A +hundred to one the French officers are in her," I thought; "and if they +have heard the shouting from the brig, they will fancy that something +has happened, and be on the look-out. However, we are in for it." We +were at first pulling ahead of the vessels which were at anchor between +us and the frigate; but, on seeing the boat, I told Larry we would pass +under the stern of the one nearest us, and thread our way in and out +among them, so that we might be concealed from the sight of those coming +off from the shore, in case they should make chase after us. In a short +time, however, the boat was half full of water. + +"We must get this out, or we shall be sinking," I said. + +There was no bailer; but I had seized my hat before I had got out of the +cabin window, and putting in our oars we bailed away as hard as we +could. We had succeeded in partly freeing the boat of water, when we +heard the splash of oars coming from the direction of the brig. Once +more we gave way, the water still coming in. I very much doubted that +we should reach the frigate without having again to stop. The boat, +however, was gaining on us. Should she come up before we could get +under our own flag, we might lawfully be recaptured; the water was +already up to the thwarts, and the boat pulled heavily; our pursuers +were getting closer and closer. We were nearing the frigate. + +I looked round. I saw her high sides and tall masts against the sky. + +I shouted at the top of my voice, "_Liffy_ ahoy! help, help here!" + +Larry shouted still louder, for he had a voice of his own when he tried +to exert it. The boat pulled more heavily than ever. If it had not +been for the dread of the sharks, I should have jumped overboard and +tried to swim to the frigate. Still we made her move. I can't say what +a leap my heart gave as we ran up against her side. Some ropes were +hove to us, for our shouts had attracted attention, and, swirming up +them, we each reached a port in time to see our boat's gunwale flush +with the water, and our pursuers turning round to pull away. As we got +on deck the quartermaster brought a lantern, which he held so as to +throw a light on our faces, and at the same time a midshipman ran up. + +"Who have we here?" he exclaimed, and I recognised Chaffey's voice. +"What! Paddy Finn, my boy, where in the world have you come from?" + +"From a brig--a prize to the French," I answered. "But I say, Chaffey, +I want to see the captain at once. If there comes a breeze she'll be +slipping out of the harbour, and we must be ready to go after her." + +"Why, we thought you were on board the _Soleil_, and expected she would +be put into commission, and be sent out to rejoin us, as we want small +craft to watch the movements of the French." + +I briefly told him what had happened. He in return told me what I was +sorry to hear, that nothing had been heard of the _Soleil_, though the +idea was that she had got safely into Port Royal harbour. + +"The captain doesn't like to be roused up; but I suppose as your +information is of importance, he won't give me a wigging for disturbing +him," he said, as we reached the cabin door. Mentioning his object, the +sentry stationed there allowed him to pass, and I stood for a time +outside, trying to squeeze the water out of my nether garments. I had +formed a little pool round my feet by the time Chaffey returned. + +"You're to go into the captain, Paddy," he said. "He fired off his +great guns and small arms at me, so he'll receive you pleasantly, I +hope." + +Giving a final wring to my coat tails, I made my way to the after cabin. +The captain, with night-cap on head, had just got into his breeches. + +"Glad to see you safe on board, Finnahan," he said. "Now give me the +information you have brought. I'll hear about your adventures +afterwards." + +"I have just escaped from a brig, sir, that is carrying despatches to +the French admiral at Guadaloupe, and as she may at any moment slip out +of the harbour, I thought you would like to know of it, that you may +follow and capture her as soon as she gets to a sufficient distance from +this place." + +"How do you know she has despatches?" he asked. + +"I heard the French officer who came on board tell the lieutenant in +command of the brig what they were, and I saw them in the drawer of the +cabin table. I supposed that the lieutenant put them there that they +might be handy to throw overboard, should he find at any time that the +brig was likely to be recaptured." + +"Then why didn't you bring them away with you?" asked the captain. "You +made your own escape--you might easily, I should have thought, have got +hold of them." + +"I felt in honour bound not to do so, sir. I was trusted on board; but +as I had not given my word not to escape, I felt justified in getting +away when the opportunity offered." + +"I consider you acted rightly," said the captain. "A man cannot have +too nice a sense of honour; at the same time I believe you would have +gained great credit if you had brought them off. Much may depend on our +getting hold of them. However, we must do our best to capture the brig, +and prevent her delivering them to the French admiral. You deserve +credit as it is for making your escape, and I'm glad you got off without +breaking your parole. I should have regretted to find that you had done +that. Now call Mr Saunders, and--hillo! my lad, you're dripping wet! +Go and shift into dry clothes, or rather, if you're not wanted, turn +into your hammock and get some sleep. You have not had much of that +to-night, I conclude." + +Getting a lantern from the sentry, I at once repaired to old +"Rough-and-Ready's" cabin. + +"Mr Saunders," I shouted, "the captain wants to see you." He jumped up +in a moment wide awake--a good first lieutenant always sleeps with one +eye open. + +"Why, where do you come from, youngster?" he asked, as, throwing his +night-cap on the pillow, he rapidly slipped into his clothes. + +I very briefly told him while he finished dressing, which took him +scarcely a minute, and he then hastened to the captain's cabin, while I +gladly went below and had my marine roused up to get me out some dry +clothes from my chest and to sling my hammock. I inquired for Larry, +who I found had gone forward. In a short time he came aft, having also +got into dry clothes. + +"Mighty glad we've got away from the brig, Mr Terence," he said; "but +still I'm as sorrowful as a pig in a gale of wind. The first thing the +men axed me for was my fiddle, and bedad I left it aboard the brig; so +if she gets away I'll never be after seeing it again." + +"We must hope to take her," I said. "Depend on it the captain will keep +a look-out on her movements, and we shall then recover your fiddle, +though I'm afraid we shall not get hold of the despatches." + +"Is it them bundle of papers in the drawer you're speaking of?" asked +Larry. "I was after thinking it would be as well to bring them away, in +case the captain should like to have a look at them, so I just put them +in my shirt before I slipped out of the cabin window. I hope I won't be +called a thief for taking them. Here they are, Mr Terence;" and he +handed me the packet which I had seen in the drawer. + +I hurried aft with it to the captain. I found him and the first +lieutenant in the cabin. + +"Why, what's this?" exclaimed the captain, as I gave him the packet. + +I told him that I believed it contained the despatches sent from +Port-au-Prince; and that my companion, Larry Harrigan, unknown to me, +had brought them away. + +"What! and you gave him a hint to do so?" said the captain. + +"No, indeed I didn't, sir," I answered firmly, though I blushed as I +then explained, that although I had spoken to Larry about them, it was +with no intention of inducing him to do what I was unwilling to do +myself. "I had told him of them, sir," I said; "but I give you my word +of honour that I had no thought at the time of his getting hold of them. +I did meditate, I confess, throwing them overboard; but under the +circumstances I came to the conclusion that I had no right to do that, +independent of the risk of being severely dealt with by the Frenchmen, +should my act be discovered." + +"Well, well, I believe you, Finnahan," said the captain in a kind tone. +"We have got them, and we must take them at once to Sir Samuel Hood. We +need care very little about the brig now." + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +OLD FRIENDS. + +"Hadn't you better, sir, see what they contain?" observed Mr Saunders. +"It's just possible, too, that the commander of the brig knows their +contents, and will communicate it verbally to the French admiral, or +perhaps he may have duplicates on board." + +"I don't think he has that, sir," I remarked. "I saw the packet +delivered to the French lieutenant, and he certainly did not open it, +though I can't say whether he knows the purport of the despatches." + +"It's likely enough that he does, though; and at all events we must +prevent him, if we can, from communicating with his admiral," said +Captain Macnamara. "When he finds that you have made your escape, he'll +be eager to be off, and still more so if he discovers that the +despatches are missing. Send a boat, Mr Saunders, at once to watch the +movements of the brig. Heave the cable short, and be ready to sail the +moment we get a breeze." + +Mr Saunders left the cabin to carry out the orders he had received. I +hadn't yet told the captain of the way the brig was taken from me, and +of the mutiny. I now, by his desire, gave him a detailed account of the +circumstances. + +"There's no blame attached to you, Finnahan," he said; "though as far as +I can make out, the French officers didn't behave in an honourable way, +and I hope those mutinous scoundrels will get their deserts before long. +I'm sorry they are our countrymen, but I can show them no favour on +that account. If we take the brig, every one of them will be hanged." + +"I rather think, sir, that the French officers will have saved us the +trouble; for when they get on board and find what Hoolan and his mates +have been about, they won't be inclined to treat them leniently." + +"I wish that we had left them ashore at Cork," observed the captain. +"We should have been better without such scoundrels. Now, with regard +to these despatches. I don't understand a word of French, nor does the +first lieutenant, nor any other officer in the ship except yourself, +Finnahan; still it may be necessary to act immediately on them. I'll +open them, and you must translate their contents." + +I would thankfully have excused myself; for though I could jabber French +pretty glibly, I was very little accustomed to write or translate it. +The captain got out pens and paper from his desk and, telling me to sit +down, opened the packet, and put it into my hands. The hand-writing +greatly puzzled me, for it was not a style to which I was accustomed. I +spelt out the words, however, as well as I could, and tried to get at +the sense. It contained an account of the intended sailing of the +Marquis de Boullie with four thousand troops for the relief of +Guadaloupe, which was at that time being attacked by the English under +General Prescott. There were also various directions for the guidance +of the French forces in those seas; but the most important was a plan +for the concentration of the fleet, carrying a large body of soldiers, +so that they might pounce down on Jamaica while the English squadrons +were being led away in opposite directions. It was some time before I +arrived at the gist of the matter. + +"This is important," exclaimed the captain. "You would have rendered +essential service to the country by bringing these on board, and I must +see that Harrigan is rewarded; while the part you have played must not +be forgotten, as, though your sense of honour prevented you from taking +the packet, it is owing to your courage and determination that we have +obtained it. However, we will talk of that by and by. We must look +out, in the meantime, that the brig doesn't escape us; for though I have +got the information to put Sir Samuel Hood on his guard, the French may +obtain it also, and act accordingly." + +While we were speaking, Mr Saunders came in to say the boat was ready, +and the cable hove short; but that, as it was still a stark calm, there +was no chance at present of the brig getting under weigh. + +"You must go in the boat, Finnahan, and make sure that we watch the +right brig. As we can't see her from the ship, we may be following the +wrong vessel," said the captain. + +Though I would much rather have turned in and gone to sleep, I of course +obeyed orders. + +Mr Harvey, the third lieutenant, was in charge of the boat, and as I +stepped into her, I found that Larry Harrigan formed one of the crew. +They pulled away under my directions, and soon gained sight of the brig. + +"It's mighty hard that we can't jump aboard and take her," I heard Larry +say to the stroke oar, behind whom he was sitting. "I'd be after +getting back my fiddle, at all events, if we could." + +"It's agen' the law of nations," answered the man; "though I should like +to punish the rascal Hoolan for murdering poor Ben Nash and Tim Logan." + +"Silence, men," said Mr Harvey; "we must not let the people on board +the brig find out that we are watching them. They'll probably take us +for a guard-boat, but if they hear our English voices, they'll know who +we are." + +We kept under the shade of one of the neighbouring vessels. All was +quiet on board the brig. There were no signs of her being about to trip +her anchor. I wondered whether Dubois had put Hoolan and the rest in +irons when he discovered how they had behaved. I could scarcely suppose +that they would have contrived to seize him and his boat's crew when +they returned on board; yet such was possible, and would have been +retributive justice on him for having taken the brig from us. Still I +should have been very sorry indeed to hear that he and La Touche had met +with any injury. + +We waited and waited, till it appeared that we were not likely to wait +to any purpose. + +At last Larry, who seemed to have forgotten the order he had received to +keep silence, suddenly exclaimed-- + +"Couldn't we go aboard just to axe the Frenchmen to give me back my +fiddle. That wouldn't be agen' the law of nations, would it, Mr +Terence?" + +"Silence there," said Mr Harvey, scarcely able to restrain his +laughter. "I ordered you men not to speak." + +"Shure I forgot the same," said Larry in a suppressed tone. "Och! my +fiddle, my fiddle! what will I be after doing without it!" + +At length daylight dawned; and according to the orders Mr Harvey had +received, we returned on board. As the sun rose, a light breeze began +to play over the surface of the harbour. A look-out was sent aloft to +keep watch on the brig, while every preparation was made for heaving up +the anchor and making sail, should she be seen to get under weigh. + +Dubois, knowing that Larry and I had gone aboard the frigate, must have +been aware that the captain was acquainted with the character of his +vessel, and also that she was carrying despatches. He would certainly, +I thought, suppose that we should follow him, should he put to sea. I +therefore scarcely fancied that he would venture out of the harbour +during daylight, but fully expected that he would wait another night, on +the chance of there being a breeze during the time to enable him to get +away. I was therefore greatly surprised when the look-out hailed-- + +"The brig is loosing her topsails, and heaving up her anchor." + +The breeze at this time had freshened considerably. Scarcely had the +words been uttered than I saw, between the other vessels, the brig, with +her topsails and courses set, steering towards the narrow entrance, +through which only small or light vessels could venture. + +The capstan was instantly manned; the hands were ordered aloft, and +topsails, and topgallant-sails were let fall; but before we could cant +the right way, the brig had passed us, and had already reached the +passage, when, the head-sails filling, the anchor was tripped, and being +run up to the bows, we steered for the broader and only safe channel. + +What had induced Dubois to put to sea, and leave the safe shelter of the +harbour, I could not divine. It made me suspect that he had not +discovered the loss of the despatches, and knowing the importance of +delivering them without delay, he had determined to run every risk for +that object. He probably expected, by getting the first of the breeze, +to be a long way ahead before we could follow, trusting to the various +chances which might occur to effect his escape. Had we been able to go +through the narrow passage, he must have known that he would to a +certainty have been caught; but our captain, from remarks I heard, +seemed to think that the brig might possibly succeed in getting off, +though he was resolved to use every exertion to overtake her, provided +we were not led out of our course, for it was of still greater +importance to get down to Barbadoes, or wherever the English admiral +might be. + +During the stay of the _Liffy_ in the harbour, information had been +obtained of the movements of the French fleet, as also that they had a +large number of troops on board. Their object was to capture as many of +our West India Islands as they could, and several had already fallen +into their hands. Saint Christopher's, however, had hitherto held out; +Jamaica was prepared to resist to the last; and Barbadoes, our pet +island, was strongly protected by Sir Samuel Hood's fleet. + +The French were, I should have said, vastly superior in numbers to the +English. We had, however, brave and vigilant commanders, who took good +care not to let the grass grow beneath their feet. + +Had Captain Macnamara been certain that Lieutenant Dubois was ignorant +of the contents of the packet Larry had carried off, he would have cared +very little about letting the brig escape. He thought, however, that +Dubois might possibly have duplicates, or might have learned the +information they contained. + +The wind freshened as we got outside. We could now see the brig about +five or six miles away to the southward, for she had got the first of +the breeze, and had carried it along while we were getting under weigh. +All sail being made, however, we rapidly gained on her. + +"It'll be a bad job for Dan Hoolan if we come up with the little hooker, +Mr Terence," said Larry. "If the Frenchmen haven't shot him already, +our captain will be shure to run him up to the yard-arm, with the poor +fellows he decaived." + +"It's what he richly deserves," I replied; "but I wish that he had never +been pressed. It would have been better to have left him on shore, to +stand his chance of hanging, or turning honest." + +"Ah, shure there's but little honesty likely to come out of Dan Hoolan," +observed Larry, who disliked him more than ever since he had caused the +deaths of Tim Logan and Ben Nash. + +The brig was steering south-east directly for Guadaloupe, and we +followed in the same direction; but as there were numerous islands in +her course, she might, if she could retain her distance ahead till dark, +escape by keeping round them, or if hard pressed, run on shore, when the +French officers would probably endeavour to forward the information they +were conveying by some other vessel. She was, as I have said, very +fast, and she was now carrying every stitch of canvas she could set. +The _Liffy_ was no laggard, and we pressed after her. The chase was as +exciting as it could well be. Scarcely any of the officers left the +deck, except to take a hurried breakfast, and every glass on board was +in requisition. Now, when the breeze freshened, we appeared to be +gaining on her; now, when it fell, she seemed to draw ahead of us. We +passed between the islands of Saint John and Tortola; we sighted the +east end of Santa Cruz, and then made out the curious conical hill of +Saba, to the north of Saint Eustatia. Noon had passed, and the wind +again freshening, we gained rapidly on the chase. The look-out aloft +hailed that he saw several sail right ahead. It was a question whether +they were English or French. If the latter, the brig might lead us +under their guns, and it was necessary to be cautious. Dubois must have +seen them also, but probably was as uncertain about their character as +we were. He might, after all, be captured should he stand on. At +length he altered his course, and appeared to be making for Saint +Eustatia, and from this it was pretty evident that he took the fleet +ahead to be English. Whether he was right in that respect or not we +could not tell, but he made a mistake in hauling his wind. In another +half hour we got near enough to send a shot, which fell aboard him; +another and another followed, when, letting fly his head sheets, he put +his helm to starboard, and hauled down his colours. We at once hove-to. +A boat was lowered, and I, being able to speak French, was sent with +Mr Harvey to take possession. We were soon alongside. Dubois must +have recognised me when in the boat. As we stepped on deck he and La +Touche advanced, and presented their swords to Mr Harvey, at the same +time each of them made me a very formal bow. I returned it, and said, +as I stepped forward-- + +"What is the meaning of this, Monsieur Dubois? You have made a gallant +attempt to escape. It's the fortune of war that you have failed; but +why do you treat me as a stranger? I wish to behave towards you as old +friends, and will do all in my power to help you." + +"We do not desire the friendship of one who has been guilty of such an +act as you have committed," answered Dubois stiffly. + +"What act do you speak of?" I asked, suspecting, however, to what he +alluded. + +"You were trusted. You made your escape, and carried off the +despatches," he answered. + +"I had a right to make my escape, for I had not given you my word to +remain," I said. "I did not carry off the despatches, nor did I +instigate any one to do so. You'll find that I speak the truth." + +"I have, then, to beg your pardon," said Dubois, with French politeness, +though he looked doubtfully at me. + +There was little time for conversation, however. Mr Harvey desired the +two French officers to prepare for going on board the frigate. "I +understand that you have some English seamen on board. Where are they?" +he asked. + +"Two of them lie there," said Dubois, "and the third, in trying to swim +on shore, was seized by a shark. We are well rid of them, for they were +mutinous rascals." + +I looked forward; there, on the deck, lay Dan Hoolan and the other +mutineer. A shot had struck him on the chest, and nearly knocked the +upper part of his body to pieces, while it had cut his companion almost +in two, but I recognised his features, grim and stern, even in death. +One of the French seamen had also been killed, and his countrymen, +without ceremony, hove his body overboard. Mr Harvey ordered our men +to dispose of the mutineers in the same manner, and to wash down the +deck, for the sight was not such as any of us cared to look at longer +than was necessary. Dubois and La Touche, who had gone below to get +their valises, now returning with them, stepped into the boat, and Mr +Harvey left me in charge of the brig. I felt somewhat elated at finding +myself on board the craft of the command of which I had been so suddenly +deprived, and began to hope that I was to retain it. I resolved, at all +events, should any of the Frenchmen be left in her, to be careful that +they didn't again take her out of my hands. + +I was sorry that I didn't know rather more about navigation, but I +thought that I could manage, by carrying on, to keep in sight of the +frigate. I was especially thankful that we had not been compelled to +hang Dan Hoolan and the other men, for ruffians as they were, and +outlaws as they had been, I felt for them as countrymen, and should have +been sorry to see them suffer so ignominious a fate. The brig was still +hove-to, and I was pacing the deck with all the dignity of a commanding +officer, when I saw another boat come off from the frigate, full of men. +In a short time, Sinnet stepped up the side. + +"I have come to supersede you, Paddy," he said. "The captain doubts +your capabilities as a navigator; besides which, he wants you as an +interpreter, so you need not consider yourself slighted." + +"Not a bit of it," I answered. "Only look out that the Frenchmen don't +take the brig from you." + +"The captain has made sure that that won't be the case, by ordering all +the prisoners to be sent to the frigate," he replied. + +I saw Larry step on deck with the new arrivals, and fancied that he had +been sent to form part of the brig's crew. I asked him if we were to be +separated. + +"No, Mr Terence, I'm thankful to say; but I axed leave of Mr Saunders +to come and look for my fiddle. `To be shure,' said he; `it puts life +into the men, and you may go.' So I've come, Mr Terence. If Dan +Hoolan hasn't hove it overboard, I'll be after setting the men a-jigging +this very evening, supposing we haven't to fight the French, or do any +other trifle of that sort!" + +"Be smart, then, Larry, about it," I said, "for I have to be off;" and +Larry dived below. I ordered the Frenchmen to tumble into the boat,-- +they obeying in their usual light-hearted manner, not in any way looking +as if they were prisoners. The last man had got into the boat, when +Larry came up from below with his fiddle-case under his arm. + +"Hooray, Mr Terence! shure I'm in luck, for I've got back my Cremona!" +he exclaimed, as he came down the side, "I'll set your heels going, +mounseers, so don't be down-hearted, my boys," he said, addressing the +French prisoners. + +They seemed to understand him. Some exclaimed, "_Bon garcon_!" snapping +their fingers, and moving their feet, to show that they were ready +enough to dance notwithstanding that they were prisoners. + +"It's a wonder, Mr Terence: I've been after looking for Dan Hoolan, but +never a sight could I get of him, or Phelan, or Casey," said Larry. + +When he heard of their fate, he'd scarcely believe it, till I told him +that I had seen two of them dead on the deck, and that Dubois had +accounted for the other. + +"Well, I'm mighty thankful, for they might have had a worse ending, and +it wasn't to be supposed that they'd come to a good one," he remarked. + +Soon after I got back to the ship the captain sent for me into the +cabin. + +"I wish you, Finnahan," he said, "to try and ascertain from these two +young French officers what they know about the proceedings of their +fleet, and also learn whether they suppose the ships ahead are those of +our country or theirs." + +I promised to do as he desired. I found Dubois walking the deck, +looking somewhat disconsolate. He received me as before, in a cold +manner, though La Touche held out his hand when I offered him mine. + +"It's of little consequence now," he said; "but I confess that we +suspect you of carrying off the packet. We only discovered that it was +gone after we left the harbour." + +I told him exactly how it had happened, and that I myself considered +that under the circumstances I should not have been justified in taking +it. + +"You have acted honourably, monsieur. I apologise for our wrong +suspicions, and I hope Dubois will do the same," he said. + +"Certainly," said Dubois. "I vowed, when I discovered our loss, that I +would never trust an English officer again." + +"You will now acknowledge, then, that though we are compelled to be +enemies, we act honourably towards you," I remarked. "However, all is +said by you to be fair in love or war--is it not?" + +"We have got the saying, though it may not be a true one, for all that," +he answered. + +I now tried to carry out the captain's instructions, but I confess that +I could gain very little either from Dubois or La Touche. Perhaps they +didn't know much about the movements of their own fleet. Their opinion +was that the ships they had seen ahead were English, or they would not +have gone out of their course to avoid them. Captain Macnamara was not +quite satisfied on that point. + +We continued standing to the southward, with the brig following in our +wake, while a bright look-out was kept aloft, that we might haul our +wind, and get out of their way, in case they should prove enemies. It +was fortunate that we were cautious, for, just before dark, the ships in +sight were made out to be certainly French, and we immediately stood +away to the southward to avoid them. Two frigates were seen coming in +chase, but we made all sail, and night hid them from our sight. Whether +or not they were still pursuing us we could not tell, but no lights were +shown, and it was important to avoid an engagement, especially with +enemies of a superior force. A careful look-out, however, was kept, +lest they should come up with us during the night. When morning dawned +we found that we had run them out of sight, and we now once more steered +our course for Barbadoes. + +On reaching Carlisle Bay, we found the fleet under Sir Samuel Hood +moored in order of battle. It was evident from this that the admiral +expected an attack from the French fleet, and we afterwards learned that +he had gained information that it had sailed from Martinique in great +force for the purpose of attacking the island. In an hour afterwards +Sinnet brought in the brig in safety, when he had to deliver her up to +the prize agents. + +It was a fine sight to me, for I had never seen so many line-of-battle +ships together, with their broadsides pointed in the same direction, +sufficient, it seemed, to blow the whole navy of France into the air. +Captain Macnamara, immediately on bringing up, sent Mr Harvey with the +despatches to the admiral, and directed him to ask for instructions as +to our future course. + +We waited hour after hour in expectation of the French fleet. + +"We shall have a good stand-up fight for it," observed Sinnet to me. "I +only wish that I had kept command of the brig, and I would have blazed +away at the Frenchmen with my pop-guns." + +The night passed away. Early the next morning a sail was seen in the +offing, standing towards the bay. We all supposed her to be one of the +advance frigates of the French, sent ahead to ascertain our strength; +but as the light increased she was seen to be a corvette, though at the +same time she had a French appearance. She came steering directly for +the admiral, and hove-to inside him. + +"Why, I do believe it's the craft we took soon after we left Jamaica, +and Nettleship and you were sent away in charge of," exclaimed Sinnet, +who had been watching her. + +I had also been examining her minutely, and had come to the same +conclusion. + +Directly she had furled sails, a boat went off from her to the admiral, +and remained alongside for some time. We were thus left in doubt as to +whether we were right. At length the boat, which had returned to the +corvette, came pulling towards us. + +Sinnet was watching her through a telescope. + +"Why, I say, Paddy, I'm nearly certain I see old Nettleship in the +stern-sheets, and Tom Pim alongside him," he said. + +"Then there can be no doubt that the corvette is the _Soleil_; but +Nettleship hoped to get his promotion, and if so, he has been made one +of her lieutenants," I remarked. + +"He hasn't got on a lieutenant's uniform, at all events," said Sinnet, +looking through the telescope. + +In a short time the boat was alongside, and our doubts were solved, by +seeing Tom Pim and Nettleship come on deck. They went aft at once, and +reported themselves to Captain Macnamara. As soon as they were +dismissed they joined us. They both gave a start of surprise at seeing +me. + +Tom grasped my hand and said, "Well, I am glad, Paddy, to find you safe +aboard. We fully believed that the brig was lost in the hurricane, and +never expected to set eyes on you again." + +Nettleship also greeted me warmly, though he looked somewhat down in the +mouth. The cause of this soon came out. + +"Why, Nettleship," I said, "I thought you would have been made long +before this." + +"It's my ill-luck that I'm not, Paddy," he answered. "I thought so too. +I got highly complimented for bringing the prize into Port Royal, and I +was then told to rejoin my ship as soon as possible; while the _Soleil_ +was commissioned, and a commander and two lieutenants, who had just come +out from England with strong recommendations from the Admiralty, were +appointed to her." + +"Well, cheer up, old fellow; we are very glad to have you still with +us," said Sinnet. + +Tom afterwards told me that Nettleship got blamed by the admiral at +Jamaica for sending me aboard the brig with so few hands, and for +allowing the prisoners to remain on board, as he shrewdly suspected what +had really happened, that if we had managed to escape the hurricane, +they had risen on us and taken possession of the vessel. + +The _Soleil_ had brought intelligence which she had gained from the crew +of a prize she had captured a few days before, that the Count de Grasse +had borne away for Saint Christopher's, where he had landed a force +under the Marquis de Boullie, which it was feared would overpower +General Fraser. The news soon ran through the fleet that, instead of +waiting to be attacked, we were forthwith to sail in search of the +French, to attack them. In a short time, at a signal thrown out from +the flag-ship, the fleet, consisting of twenty-two sail of the line and +several frigates, got under way, and stood out from Carlisle Bay. We +first proceeded to Antigua, where we obtained fresh provisions, and took +on board the 28th regiment of foot and two companies of the 13th, under +the command of General Prescott; and on the evening of the same day we +sailed for Saint John's Roads, and stood under easy sail for Basse +Terre, two of our frigates going ahead to give timely notice of what the +French were about. We and the _Nymph_ frigate were on one flank, and +two others on the opposite side. We were fully expecting that we should +have warm work in the morning. Few of the officers turned in. When a +large fleet is sailing together, it is necessary to keep a very bright +look-out. We could dimly see the other ships, with their lights +burning, as we glided over the water. + +Presently Nettleship, near whom I was standing, remarked-- + +"There are two of them closer together than they should be;" and the +next instant he exclaimed, "They're foul of each other! I feared that +it would be the case." + +Signals of distress were now thrown out from both the ships. We on this +closed with them; and Captain Macnamara ordered the boats to be lowered, +to ascertain what had happened, and to render assistance. I went in one +of them with our second lieutenant. The first we boarded proved to be +the _Nymph_. She had been run into by the _Alfred_. She was dreadfully +knocked about, being almost cut in two. We heard aboard her that the +_Alfred_ herself had also been severely damaged. A boat was at once +sent to report what had happened to the admiral, and as soon as daylight +dawned he threw out signals to the whole fleet to lay to while the +injuries the _Alfred_ had received were being repaired. The _Nymph_ +herself was too severely damaged to proceed, and was ordered at once to +return to Antigua. + +While we were lying to, a sail was seen in the distance, when the +admiral ordered by signal the _Liffy_ to chase. Before long we came up +with her. She proved to be a large French cutter, laden with shells and +ordnance stores for the besieging army. + +Nearly the whole day was spent in repairing the damages the _Alfred_ had +received, and on our approaching Basse Terre, to our bitter +disappointment, we found that the Count de Grasse had put to sea. The +next night was spent in doubt as to what had become of him, but in the +morning the French fleet, consisting of about twenty-nine sail of the +line, was perceived about three leagues to leeward, formed in order of +battle. Sir Samuel Hood immediately ordered the British fleet to bear +down as if to attack him. This had the effect of driving him still +farther to leeward, when, to our surprise, the admiral threw out another +signal, directing the fleet to stand for Basse Terre. + +In the evening we entered Frigate Bay, and anchored in line of battle. +The object of this was to cut off the French from all communication with +their forces on shore. Before we had brought up, the Count de Grasse +stood towards us, and commenced a furious attack on the rear of our +fleet, commanded by Commodore Affleck. He, supported by the _Canada_, +Captain Cornwallis, and the _Resolution_, Lord Robert Manners, kept up +so incessant a fire on the French, that, finding they could make no +impression on us, their squadron bore up and stood again to sea. I +mention these events to show the sort of work in which we were engaged. + +The night passed quietly, but in the morning the French fleet was seen +again approaching. On they came, passing along our line, and pouring +their broadsides into us. Though superior to us in numbers, we returned +so furious a fire, that after a time, finding we remained firm, they +wore, and again stood out to sea. In the afternoon the French again +appeared, but we again pounded them so severely that they at length, +having had enough of it, once more retired, evidently having suffered +severe loss. + +The French flag-ship, the _Ville de Paris_, was seen to be upon the +heel, blocking up the shot-holes she had received between wind and +water. + +All this time on shore the French were attacking General Fraser, who had +been compelled to retire to a fort on Brimstone Hill, and with whom it +had become exceedingly difficult to communicate. I was in the berth +when I received a message from the captain, to go to his cabin. + +"I have just come from the admiral," he said. "He wishes to send some +one on shore to communicate with General Fraser at Brimstone Hill. I +told him at once that you would be able to succeed if any one could; +though I warn you that the risk of being shot or captured by the enemy +is considerable. Are you, notwithstanding, ready to go?" + +"With all the pleasure in the world, sir," I answered, "if I am likely +to be able to find my way to the fort." + +"You'll not have much difficulty in doing that," he said, unless you're +stopped, for you'll be furnished with an exact plan. + +"Am I to go in uniform, sir, or in disguise?" I asked. + +"I wouldn't have you risk your life by going in disguise," he replied. +"If you were caught you would be shot as a spy. You must make the +attempt at night, and by wearing a cloak you may escape detection, +unless you happen to encounter any of the French soldiers; in that case +you'll have to yield yourself a prisoner." + +"Whatever the difficulties, I'm ready to go through with them, sir," I +said; "and as I speak French, though not very well, should I meet any +French soldiers, I may perhaps be able to make my escape from them." + +"The captain told me that the object of the admiral was to establish a +communication between the fleet and Brimstone Hill, by means of signals, +which I was to carry with me, the general not being supplied with them. +It will be safer to take a man with you to convey the flags, while you +carry the code of signals, which you must endeavour to destroy should +you be made prisoner," he said. + +I had still some hours to wait, however, before it was dark enough for +me to land. I soon afterwards met La Touche. Both he and Dubois made +themselves very happy on board, caring apparently very little about +being prisoners. I told him of my intended expedition. + +"If you succeed, well and good," he said; "but if you are taken +prisoner, I hope you'll mention Dubois and me to the Marquis de Boullie, +and suggest that he should make an offer to exchange you for me. +Perhaps he has captured another English officer, who would gladly be +exchanged for Dubois. Not that we are weary of our captivity, as you +all do your best to make it as light and agreeable as possible." + +I told La Touche that I should be happy to carry out his wishes should I +be taken prisoner, though I had no intention of being made one if I +could help it. + +When I told Tom Pim of what I had to do, he declared that he was jealous +of me, and that he thought he should try to get leave to go. I said +that I should like to have his company, and accordingly we went together +to the captain to ask leave. He, however, refused, saying that he would +not risk the loss of two midshipmen at the same time. + +"You may, however, take Harrigan with you," he said; "he is a sharp lad, +and will serve you better than any other man in the ship." + +Though I should have been unwilling to ask for Larry, for fear of +exposing him to danger, I was very glad to have him with me. + +Just before dark a boat was lowered and manned, and Nettleship was +ordered to take me and Harrigan on shore. I shook hands with my +messmates. + +"We hope you'll get back, Paddy," said Sinnet. "If you're killed or +taken prisoner, we will mourn over your hard fate. However, you're too +sharp to be caught, and we shall see you back again before long, I +daresay." + +The captain desired to see me before I started, and gave me further +instructions, making me study well a plan of the road to the fort, so I +did not fear that I should lose my way. At length we shoved off. +Instead, however, of pulling directly for the shore, we steered over to +the opposite side of the bay to that where the enemy were encamped. + +Nettleship seemed very anxious about me. + +"I wish that an older man had been sent, Paddy," he said; "and I'm +ashamed of myself that I don't understand French, or I might have been +employed in the service. I envy you for the opportunity you have of +distinguishing yourself." + +"I don't see that I shall have much to boast of, having only to creep +along in the dark up to the fort and back again. There's no great +difficulty in the undertaking, besides having to keep out of the way of +the French pickets." + +"It's not so much what you have to do, as the object to be attained, and +the danger of doing it, which will bring credit on you," he answered. + +It was perfectly dark before we reached the place which had been fixed +on for landing, so that we ran no risk of being observed from the shore. +It was arranged that Nettleship was to wait off it until I made the +signal for him to come in and take me aboard. Not a word was spoken as +Larry and I stepped on to the beach, he carrying the signals and I the +book and the admiral's letter. We kept first to our right till we found +a path leading inland through a wood. We went on as rapidly as the +nature of the ground would allow. The snake-like roots ran across the +path, and creepers hung low down in festoons, forming nooses, which +might have brought us sharply up if we had run our heads into them. Now +and then I fancied that I saw a huge snake winding its way along before +me; and tree-frogs, crickets, and other nocturnal insects, kept up a +noisy chorus as we went on. Sometimes it was so dark that it was with +the greatest difficulty I could make my way with the stick I carried. I +was very glad when, getting out of the wood, we found ourselves on the +borders of a sugar-cane plantation. This I knew I should have to skirt +till I reached another path leading almost directly up to the fort. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +THE LAST OF THE "LIFFY." + +We had proceeded some distance when the voice of a sentry hailing a +passer-by struck my ear. The challenge was in French, as was the +answer. It appeared to be some way off, and I hoped might come from one +of the extreme outposts. Still I knew that it was necessary to proceed +with caution, or we might suddenly find ourselves close upon another. +We went on and on, occasionally stopping to listen. No other sounds +besides those of noisy insects broke the silence of night. Already we +could see the top of Brimstone Hill rising against the dark sky. In +another quarter of an hour or so we might reach it. I hoped that we +might find nothing to stop us in passing over the intervening space. We +continued on, concealing ourselves as much as possible beneath the +hedges of cacti, or the trunks of trees. We had got close to a thick +copse, as we should call it, only that the plants were of a very +different character, when I heard a sound of feet passing apparently +before us. Then I heard a remark made in French by one person to +another, who answered it in the same tongue. Grasping Larry's arm, I +dragged him towards the wood. Fortunately we found some thick bushes, +behind which we crouched down. Presently the sounds of the footsteps +grew louder, and I could just distinguish the dim outline of a party of +men and several officers, passing along the road towards the left, where +the French army were supposed to be encamped. They had evidently been +out on a reconnoitring expedition, and were now returning. Had we gone +on we should certainly have fallen into their hands. I waited until +they were out of hearing, and then, whispering to Larry, we got up and +made our way directly towards the fort, with much less fear than before +of meeting any one. Still I knew that we were not safe until we had +actually gained our destination. + +At last we were hurrying on, when I heard a voice say, "Who goes there?" +and I answered, "A friend from the fleet, with a letter for the +general." The sentry told us to pass on. In another minute we reached +the picket, a soldier from which was sent up with us to the fort. We +were at once admitted into the presence of General Fraser, to whom I +delivered the despatches and signals. + +"You have performed your service well, young gentleman," said the +general. "Are you to remain here, or to return to the fleet?" + +I told him that my directions were to get back as soon as possible. + +"I'll detain you, then, but a short time, while I write a letter to Sir +Samuel Hood," he said. "I hope that you'll be as successful on your +journey back, as you were in coming here." + +Before he began to write, he ordered a servant to bring me refreshments, +and to look after my companion. The walk had given me an appetite; and +I did justice to the food placed before me. + +The general had soon finished his letter; and, giving it to me, with a +warm shake of the hand, told me that I was at liberty to set out when I +was ready. + +"My orders are to return without delay, sir," I answered, and took my +leave. + +The sentry accompanied Larry and me to the outer picket, thence we +hurried on as fast as we could manage to get along. Still I maintained +the same caution as in coming, for at any moment we might fall in with +some of the enemy, who might be watching the fort from a distance. The +farther we got, the more my hopes of succeeding increased. I could +already make out the lights of the ships in the bay, and the sheen of +the intermediate water. We reached the wood through which we had before +passed, and had just made our way to the outside, when I caught sight of +a body of men, apparently a patrol, a short distance to the right. We +were still under the shade of the trees, and I hoped that we should not +be discovered. We drew back to see in what direction they were coming. +It appeared to me that they had already passed, and that we might gain +the landing-place, even should they see us making towards it. We +accordingly, after waiting a short time, darted forward, running at our +full speed. Scarcely, however, had we begun to run, than I heard a +shout of-- + +"_Arretez la_!"--Stop there, stop! + +It was an order we were not likely to obey. It was too late to return +to the wood, so, scampering as fast as our feet could move, we ran on to +where we expected to find the boat. + +Again the Frenchmen shouted to us, and presently a shot came whistling +by my ear. + +"Stoop down, Larry," I cried, "as low as you can; it doesn't do to +present a larger target to the enemy than is necessary." + +I hoped that the shots would attract the attention of Nettleship, and +that he would pull in to take us aboard. I turned my head for a moment, +and saw the soldiers running towards us; still, as we were some way +ahead, I expected that we should have time to reach the boat, and to +shove off to a distance before they came up. + +To make sure, I shouted out-- + +"Nettleship, ahoy! Pull in as hard as you can." + +Though I could see lights on board the ships, close to the water as it +was, I could not distinguish the boat, and I was afraid that, not +expecting us so soon, Nettleship had pulled to a distance. Should he +not arrive our capture was certain. We had nearly gained the rocks on +which we had landed, when I made out a dark object on the water +approaching. That must be the boat, I thought, and again hailed. +Nettleship, recognising my voice, answered, and I guessed by the sound +of the oars that the men were bending to them with all their might. +Larry and I stood ready to spring in. We could hear the footsteps of +the Frenchmen approaching rapidly. By stooping down we managed to +conceal ourselves, and to avoid several more shots which were fired. +The moment the bowman touched the rock with his boat-hook, Larry and I +sprang on board. I scrambled aft, while Nettleship shouted out-- + +"Back oars all. Now, starboard oars, give way." + +The boat was quickly got round, but we had pulled to no great distance +before the Frenchmen, reaching the beach, began to blaze away at us. We +returned the compliment by firing the only two muskets which had been +brought. The Frenchmen standing up on the rock presented a good target. +First one shot struck the stern, and another the blade of an oar, but +no one was hurt, and the Frenchmen, finding that they were the greatest +sufferers, prudently retired from the beach. + +After a long pull we got back to the frigate. The captain, to whom I +delivered General Fraser's letter, complimented me on having performed +the duty. + +"Your conduct will be noted, Finnahan, and you may depend upon obtaining +your promotion as soon as you are old enough." + +I expected to be able to turn in, but he sent me with the letter at once +on board the flag-ship, and I delivered it in person to Sir Samuel Hood. + +The admiral almost repeated what the captain had said; and I had good +reason to congratulate myself at the success of my adventure. + +Next day, General Prescott's division was re-embarked, as it was not a +sufficient force to fight its way to General Fraser at Brimstone Hill. +Other attempts were made to communicate with him, and two officers were +captured; so that I had good cause to be thankful that I had escaped. + +Dubois and La Touche confessed that they were very sorry to see me back. + +"I felt sure that you would be made prisoner, and fully expected to have +had the satisfaction of being exchanged for you," said the latter. "But +we have to practise patience and laugh at our misfortunes, to get on in +this world." + +"I'm very glad you were not caught, Paddy," said Tom Pim. "I envy you +your success, and only wish that I could talk French as you do, to be +employed on the same sort of service. La Touche is teaching me, and I'm +trying to teach him English, but we make rum work of it without a +grammar or dictionary, or any other book. I suspect he gets more out of +me than I do out of him, though I try very hard to pronounce the words +he says." + +We could hear the French guns thundering away at the fort, and those of +the fort replying, hour after hour, without intermission, but the +signals made by General Fraser were not supposed to be satisfactory. + +At last, one day, we saw the flag hauled down; the guns at the same time +ceased, and we knew that all was over, and the gallant garrison had been +compelled to capitulate. Information of this was sent on board to the +admiral, with a flag of truce, by the Marquis de Boullie. + +That evening we sailed on a cruise to ascertain the movements of the +French fleet. We had not been to sea many hours when we saw them +standing in for Nevis Point, where they came to an anchor; and counting +them, we found that they numbered no less than twenty-four sail of the +line, several ships having lately joined them. We at once returned with +the information to Sir Samuel Hood. It was now discovered that the +French had been throwing up gun and mortar batteries on a hill, which +would completely command the fleet. + +We were seated in the berth after we had brought up, discussing the +state of affairs. + +"We're in a nice position," said Chaffey. "We shall be pounded at from +the shore, and shall have the French fleet, with half as many more ships +as we possess, down upon us before long, and it will be a tough job to +fight our way out from among them." + +"Just trust our admiral," answered Tom; "he knows what he's about, +depend on that; he won't let us be caught like rats in a trap." + +As he was speaking, Nettleship came into the berth. + +"The captain was sent for on board the flag-ship, and he's just +returned," he said. "I hear that he met all the captains of the fleet +on board, and the admiral told them to set their watches by his +timepiece, and directed all the ships to slip or cut their cables at +eleven o'clock. The sternmost and leewardmost ships are to get under +weigh first, and so on in succession, and we're to stand on under easy +sail, in sight of each other, till we receive further orders from the +admiral." + +No one turned in; the crews were at their stations; not a sign was shown +which might allow the French--who were of course watching us from the +shore--to discover that any movement was in contemplation. At the +appointed time, the _Alfred_, the most leeward of our ships, was seen to +get under weigh, followed in rapid succession by the _Canada_ the +_President_, and the rest of the line-of-battle ships, which stood out +of the bay, accompanied by the frigates, before probably the French were +aware what we were about. + +It was a masterly movement, as it would have been madness to have +stopped to be attacked by so superior a force as the French possessed; +for though we might have driven them off, we must have suffered +severely, and have had to return into harbour to refit. At this time we +were outnumbered, and even out-manoeuvred, by the French, who took +possession of several of our islands, which we were unable to protect. + +We were not to be idle, for there was plenty of work for the frigates in +watching the enemy, and occasionally in engaging their frigates. + +We had not been long at sea when our captain received orders from Sir +Samuel Hood to stand in towards where the French fleet were supposed to +be, and ascertain what they were about. + +We had sighted the island of Antigua on our starboard bow, and were +standing in towards Nevis, when three sail appeared to the westward. +One of the lieutenants went aloft to examine them. On returning on +deck, he reported that one was a line-of-battle ship, and the other two +frigates. As there could be no doubt, from their position, that they +were enemies, the captain ordered our course to be altered, intending to +pass to the northward of Antigua. We had been seen by the enemy, who +were making all sail in chase. I saw Dubois and La Touche watching them +eagerly. + +"You expect this time to gain your liberty, my friend?" I said to La +Touche. "Don't be too sure that your countrymen will come up with us, +or if they do, that they will make the _Liffy_ strike her flag." + +"I would rather be set at liberty in any other way," he answered, in his +usual cordial tone; "but they appear to me to be gaining on us." + +"Perhaps they are, and if so we must fight them, and drive them off," I +observed. + +"It would be madness to do that," he remarked. "You cannot cope with a +line-of-battle ship alone, independent of two frigates, each of which is +a match for the _Liffy_." + +It was soon seen that our captain had no intention of striking his flag +without striking very hard first at the enemy. The strangers appeared +to have a stronger breeze than filled our sails, and were coming up hand +over hand with us. Still we might get the wind, and run into an English +harbour. It was the first time the _Liffy_ ever had to run, and we +didn't like it. I asked Nettleship what he thought about the matter. + +"We shall have a tough fight, at all events; but if we can save our +spars, I don't think, notwithstanding, the enemy will take us." + +This was the general feeling of all on board. + +We had sighted Nevis, when two other ships were made out to the +south-east. Presently several more appeared in that direction. It was +a question, however, whether they were friends or foes. Had we been +certain that they were friends, we should have stood towards them, but +our captain was unwilling to run the risk of finding that he had made a +mistake. A look-out was kept on them from aloft; and before long they +were pronounced to be enemies. I saw by the looks of our captain that +he didn't like it, though he tried to appear as confident as usual. The +rest of the officers kept up their spirits. + +It was very evident that we were now in a difficult position. The +line-of-battle ship was the closest; the two frigates, one to the north +of us, the other some way to the south of her; while the new enemies we +had discovered prevented us escaping in the opposite direction. Our +only hope was to knock away some of the spars of the line-of-battle +ship, and then fight our way past the two frigates. The line-of-battle +ship was rapidly approaching. A single broadside, should we be exposed +to it, would almost sink us. + +Every preparation had been made for fighting; and not a man flinched +from his gun. The officers were at their stations; the powder-monkeys +seated on their tubs; the surgeons below, preparing for the wounded; and +we, the younger midshipmen, ready for any duty we might be called on to +perform. + +At length a puff of smoke was seen issuing from the line-of-battle ship. +The shot fell close to our counter. + +"That was fired from her forecastle," observed Nettleship, "from a long +gun, too. It will play Old Harry with us if well served, before we can +return the compliment." + +A second shot quickly followed, and struck the hammock-nettings on the +starboard side, knocking several overboard. + +We at length luffed up; and the captain ordered the whole of our +starboard broadside to be fired. Our guns were well aimed, and +immediately we had fired we again kept away. Our shot did considerable +damage to our pursuer, but she still kept on, while we expected every +moment to have her broadside crashing into us. + +Fortunately for us the wind fell, and our light frigate moved rapidly +through the water. The other frigates were, however, coming up. + +"What does the captain intend to do?" I asked of Nettleship. + +He pointed ahead where the island of Nevis rose green and smiling out of +the blue water. + +"Depend on it he won't let the enemy have our tight little frigate if he +can help it," he answered. "My idea is that he'll try and get close in, +and stand round the island, to give a chance to our big enemy to run on +shore." + +Shortly after this I heard Nettleship involuntarily exclaim, "See! see! +here it comes!" and as I looked aft I saw the line-of-battle ship +luffing up, and as she did so her whole broadside was discharged at us. + +With a fearful uproar the shot came crashing on board. Cries and +shrieks arose from all sides. Well-nigh a dozen of our men were struck +down, and many more were wounded. The most severely hurt of the latter +were carried below. Comparatively little damage, however, had been done +to our spars and rigging, though the rents in our sails showed where the +shot had passed through; while blocks came rattling down on deck, and +several ropes hung in festoons from the yards. Still our stout-hearted +captain held on. + +To return the enemy's fire would have been useless, and only the sooner +insure our destruction. We got nearer and nearer the island. The men +were ordered into the chains to heave the lead. The captain and master +examined the chart, which had been brought from the cabin. We had no +doubt of what their intentions were, but we couldn't hear a word they +said. We were gaining on our pursuer, but at the same time the two +frigates were not far astern, while the other ships, which had last been +seen, were coming up rapidly. The men in the chains were heaving the +lead. We were shoaling our water. + +"By the mark, nine," was called, and immediately followed by "By the +mark, eight." Before the men in the chains could again cry out, a loud +crash was heard,--every timber in the ship trembled,--the tall masts +quivered. + +"We're on shore," I cried out. + +"No doubt about that," said Nettleship, "and likely to remain there +too." + +The captain at once ordered the men aloft to furl sails. + +Our pursuer, not wishing to meet with the same fate, hauled her wind, +and stood to a distance, which left us beyond the reach of her guns. + +"Roll them up anyhow. Be smart about it," cried Mr Saunders. + +It was done. Then the order came,--"Out boats!" + +Every boat was got into the water, and brought over to the starboard +side, with a few hands in each. + +"We shall have to cut away the masts," said Nettleship, whom I again +passed. + +The ship was still forging over the ledge on which she had struck, +closer and closer towards the shore. The order which he expected +quickly came. + +"Stand from under," shouted Mr Saunders. Some of the men sprang below, +others forward. We, the officers, rushed aft. The carpenter, with his +mates, and the boatswain, stood ready, with their gleaming axes in their +hands. + +"Cut!" cried the captain. + +The shrouds were severed at one side, then the axes descended. A few +strokes, and the masts in rapid succession fell overboard. We had all +been so engaged in this operation that we had not watched our enemies. +We now saw the line-of-battle ship signalling the frigates. Shortly +after they were seen to stand in, apparently for the object of attacking +us. + +"It must be done," cried Captain Macnamara. "Lads, I'm sorry to say we +must leave our stout ship. We must not allow her, however, to fall into +the hands of the enemy. Get your clothes, and anything you value most, +as I have resolved to destroy her." + +Every one now hurried below to get their clothes, and such other things +as they desired to preserve. The purser appeared with the ship's +papers, the master with the ship's log, and the captain with a few +instruments. Muskets and ammunition, pistols and cutlasses, were then +served out, so that we might have the means of resisting the enemy +should they attempt to land. All were now ready for embarking. He +would allow none of us to take larger sized packages than the men were +permitted to carry away. The crew were now all told off to take their +places in the boats. The midshipmen and boys, as in the case of fire or +shipwreck, were sent first. Larry was in my boat. + +"It's a sad day this, Mr Terence, which I never thought to see," he +said; "but arrah! I've not forgotten my fiddle, and it will be mighty +convenient to cheer the hearts of our poor fellows when we get ashore." + +Most of the men took the matter very philosophically. Those who +suffered most were the unfortunate wounded, who had previously been +lowered into the boats, with the surgeons to look after them. Our two +prisoners, Dubois and La Touche, had, I fancied, formed some plan for +remaining on board, but a hint from Rough-and-Ready made them very +quickly follow me into the boat, accompanied by a marine. + +"Take care, Finnahan, those two foreigners don't give you the slip," +shouted the first lieutenant. "Let them understand that they must +remain under charge of the sentry, and that if they give leg-bail he has +orders to shoot them. Now shove off." + +I told my friends what Mr Saunders had said. + +"Ah, that lieutenant of yours is very suspicious," remarked Dubois. "We +wish to get away! What folly to think of it." + +I said nothing more, but there was a twinkle in Dubois' eye, which made +me fancy he did think of it. + +The shore was soon reached; providentially there was no surf, and the +men quickly landed. On this the boats at once put off to bring away the +remainder of the crew. The men bent to their oars. There was no time +to be lost, for the French frigates were approaching, and would soon be +blazing away at our ship. On they came under all sail. + +"We'll have them right enough if they run ashore," cried one of the men; +"there'll then be fair play maybe." + +"I wish that our captain would only just let us go back and fight them," +exclaimed another; "we'd soon show them that the saucy _Liffy_ hasn't +done barking yet." + +But the Frenchmen seemed to have no intention of running ashore if they +could help it. As we got alongside they had come almost within range of +our guns. The remainder of the crew and officers stood ready to embark. +Just at that moment I recollected that I had come away without my +grandfather's sword, which was hung up in the berth. I sprang on deck +and rushed down below to obtain it. Having got it in my hand, I was +hurrying out of the berth, when I saw the captain, accompanied by Mr +Saunders with the gunner and his crew, just coming aft. At the same +time I observed a dense smoke issuing from the fore-hold. They had +matches in their hands, with which they had lighted some trains which +had been laid leading to the after-part of the ship. I sprang back into +the boat, into which the gunner and his crew followed me, the captain's +gig still waiting alongside. Mr Saunders came down and took his seat. +The captain stood for some moments gazing along the deck, then, lifting +up his hat, he also descended. "Shove off!" I heard him cry out, in a +husky voice, just as we were pulling away. + +He was the last man to leave the frigate. As he did so several shot +came crashing aboard her from the opposite side. We pulled away as fast +as we could lay our backs to the oars, for we had a good chance of being +hit. The shot dropped round us pretty thickly, but we escaped +uninjured. As we looked astern thick wreaths of smoke were issuing from +every part of our gallant frigate. + +"Her fighting days are over," I observed. + +"Not just yet, sir,--not just yet. Wait a minute and you'll see," +exclaimed the coxswain. + +He was right. Before we landed the flames had reached the guns, and her +whole broadside, pointed towards the Frenchmen, went off in rapid +succession. + +"Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted all the men; "the old girl dies game to the +last." + +What damage the guns of our ship effected on the French frigates we +could not discover, but they were seen to haul their wind and to stand +off as fast as they could from the land. We soon gained the shore, +which was as captivating in appearance as any shipwrecked mariner has +ever landed on. It seemed like a perfect garden, with churches and +planters' houses peeping out from among the trees, in the midst of the +most picturesque scenery. In the centre rose a lofty cone, surrounded +by a ruff of trees, below which all was one mass of verdure. We had +little time or inclination just then to admire the beauties of nature. +The crew having been mustered, none being missing except the poor +fellows who were known to have been killed, the wounded were placed on +litters formed of sails, and we were set off to march towards +Charlestown, the smart little capital of the island, whence Captain +Macnamara expected to be able to send intelligence of the disaster to +the admiral. + +We had gone some distance, and were all feeling hungry and thirsty, when +we came in sight of the house of a planter. Our approach was perceived. +The master of the mansion came forth, and, addressing Captain +Macnamara, insisted on our halting, and taking such refreshment as he +could provide. His offer was gladly accepted. As the house wouldn't +hold us all, we youngsters stopped in the shade of of a grove of trees +close to it, the captain and gun-room officers being invited inside. +The men threw themselves on the ground, in every variety of attitude, +waiting for the expected feast. We of the midshipmen's berth formed a +group by ourselves a little way from the men, close to a fountain, which +sent up a jet of water into the quivering air. The sight of it alone +was calculated to cool us, and we needed cooling, for our march had been +hot and fatiguing. Some of the men suffering most from thirst rushed to +the fountain, and baled the water into their mouths, or lapped it up +like dogs. + +"I say, Paddy, what has become of your French friends?" asked +Nettleship, looking round. "I thought La Touche would at all events +have been with us, though Dubois might have considered himself +privileged to go in with the gun-room officers." + +"I haven't set eyes on them--since--since--let me see--not since we left +the shore," I answered. "I suppose they must be in the house." + +Just then I saw the marine who had had charge of the prisoners. I asked +him what had become of them. He had been ordered to fall into the ranks +with his comrades, and had handed them over, he said, to the second +lieutenant,--Simon Silk,--known among us as Softy. I told Nettleship +this. + +"Oh, then of course they are in the house," he remarked. + +"Not so sure of that, if Softy had charge of them," said Tom. + +In a short time a number of blacks came out, bringing provisions of all +sorts. Huge jugs of sangaree, baskets of pink shaddocks, bananas, +oranges, pomegranates, figs, and grapes, in addition to the more +substantial fare. How we did peg into the fruit, which we enjoyed the +more from having been lately on salt provisions. To the poor wounded +fellows the fruit was especially refreshing, and I believe the lives of +several were saved who would otherwise have succumbed. + +"Well, I shouldn't mind being shipwrecked occasionally, if I could +always land in such a place as this," said Chaffey, devouring a superb +shaddock, while the rest of us were similarly employed, or sucking +oranges, or popping grapes into our mouths. + +As we were at no great distance from Charlestown, our kind host advised +the captain to remain, and to pursue his march in the cool of the +evening, undertaking to send on to the authorities that quarters might +be provided for us. We were not at all sorry to hear this, as all of us +needed rest. We ate the delicious fruit till we could eat no more, and +then threw ourselves on the ground. Our host came out and invited us +into the house, but Nettleship, who considered that he might have done +so at first, declined his offer; indeed, we were far better off under +the trees than between walls, and certainly more at our ease. At length +Mr Saunders came out, and ordered us to get ready for marching; the men +were formed in ranks, and, giving a cheer for our host, we set out. + +I had been looking about for Dubois and La Touche, when I saw Lieutenant +Silk. I asked him if he knew where they were. + +"Bless me! why, have they not been with you all this time?" he +exclaimed. "I understood them to say that they would join you when we +arrived at Mr Ballahoo's, and I never dreamed of their not doing so." + +The marine officer looked somewhat aghast on hearing that we had not +even seen the Frenchmen. + +"Whether he dreamed it or not, they are off as sure as a gun," observed +Nettleship, when I told him. + +Such proved to be the case; and though Softy had to march back with a +party of his men to look for them, they were nowhere to be found. I do +not think that the captain was very much put out, though I was sorry to +part from my polite friends without saying good-bye. As the enemy were +in the neighbouring island, it was probable that they would send a force +across to capture Nevis, so that we fully expected to have work to do, +as the governor was resolved to oppose them. + +We arrived at Charlestown just at sunset, and were hospitably received +by the inhabitants, among whom we were billeted, the wounded being sent +to the hospital. We were expecting to have a pleasant stay in the town, +but next day a frigate appeared off the place and sent her boat ashore, +when our captain applied for a passage for himself and men to join the +admiral. We had at once, therefore, to embark on board the _Thisbe_. +Next day we stood across to Antigua, and, having passed that island, we +beat to the southward, when a large fleet was seen ahead. We approached +cautiously till we got within signalling distance, when the fleet was +found to be that of Sir Samuel Hood, steering for Antigua. We were +ordered to join it, and the next day brought up in Saint John's roads. +We here remained at anchor for some time, till we were joined by Sir +George Rodney, who had come out from England with several sail of the +line. Sir George Rodney became commander-in-chief, and now considered +himself strong enough to cope with the French and Spanish. + +While the officers and crew of the _Liffy_ were together, we were merry +enough; but after we had undergone the trial for her loss, and our +captain and his subordinates had been honourably acquitted, the time +came for our separation. We were distributed among the different ships +of the fleet. Nettleship, Tom Pim, and I were ordered to join the +_Cerberus_, 74, with a portion of our men, among whom was Larry. Tom +and I agreed that we felt lost in so big a ship. We soon, however, got +accustomed to her, and became intimate with our new messmates, several +of whom were very good fellows. Tom declared that he should never like +the gun-room after our snug little berth, for, should he once fetch +away, he shouldn't bring up again until he had cracked his head against +a gun or against the ship's side. For some time we had fine weather, so +that he had no opportunity of experiencing the inconvenience he +anticipated. We heard that the very day we left Nevis the French had +thrown an overwhelming force across and taken possession of the island. + +"I don't know that we should have prevented that," said Tom, "so I am +glad that we got away, or we might have been killed or made prisoners." + +The fleet being strengthened as I have described, we proceeded to Saint +Lucia to complete our water. We now had to sail in search of a large +French convoy which was expected to arrive from Europe, and anticipated +a rich prize; but the French were too sharp for us, for though a +vigilant look-out was kept by the frigates, they managed, by sailing +close under Dominique and Guadaloupe, to reach Port Royal Bay +unperceived by any of our ships. When Sir Samuel Hood got information +of this unlucky event, the line-of-battle ships returned to Saint Lucia +to refit, while the frigates were employed in watching the movements of +the enemy. The object of the French and Spaniards was well known. It +was to unite their fleets, and thus, forming a powerful force, to +proceed to the conquest of Jamaica. Our object was to prevent them from +doing this. The frigates had ample work in watching their movements, +and many ran a great risk of being captured in the anxiety of their +captains to keep a vigilant watch on them. Our fleet lay ready for a +start as soon as information was brought of the enemy having put to sea. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +LUCY TALBOYS AGAIN. + +At length, at daylight on the 8th of April, when I, acting as signal +midshipman, was on the look-out, I saw a frigate standing towards us and +making signals. I immediately communicated the information to the +commander, who was on deck. + +"The _Andromache_, Captain Byron," he exclaimed. "She tells us that she +has seen the enemy's fleet with a large convoy coming out of Port Royal +Bay, and standing to the north-west." + +Tom Pim was immediately sent down to call the captain, and, as he +appeared, the admiral threw out a signal from the _Formidable_ to put to +sea in chase of the enemy. Cheers resounded from ship to ship, and +never did fleet get under weigh with more alacrity. By noon we were +clear of Gros Islet Bay, when we stretched over to Port Royal, but, +finding none of the French ships there or at Saint Pierre, we stood +after them in the direction they were supposed to have taken. We +continued on for some hours during the night, still uncertain as to +whether we should overtake the enemy, when, to our joy, we discovered +their lights right ahead. + +As morning broke, a large portion of the convoy was discovered under +Dominique, while to windward we could see the French fleet forming the +line of battle. As the light increased, the admiral threw out signals +to prepare for action and to form the line. + +It was welcomed by a hearty cheer from ten thousand throats. As, +however, we got under Dominique, to our bitter disappointment the sails +flapped against the masts, and most of the ships lay becalmed, unable to +obey the orders which had been received. It was tantalising in the +extreme. At length, however, the lighter canvas filled, and the +sea-breeze freshened. The _Barfleur_, Sir Samuel Hood's flag-ship, then +our ship, then the _Monarch_ and _Warrior_, the _Valiant_ and _Alfred_ +got the wind, and the whole of the van division, of which we formed a +part, stretched to the northward on the starboard tack in chase, while +the central and rear divisions, under Sir George Rodney, lay still +becalmed and unable to join us. Our gallant admiral, however, anxious +to bring on an action, continued his course, when we saw the French +fleet also forming their line on the starboard tack, in the hope of +attacking us before we could be joined by Sir George Rodney. + +"Now, Paddy, we shall see what a real fight is like," said Tom Pim, as +we stood on the quarter-deck. + +"I hope we shall see what a victory is like, too," I answered, as I eyed +the approaching enemy, numbering fifteen ships, to oppose which we had +but eight. Sir Samuel Hood, however, knew what he was about, and the +order was given to heave to, which brought our broadsides to bear upon +the French, and at the same time would allow the other two frigates to +come up with us as soon as they could get the wind. The first shot was +fired from the _Barfleur_ a few minutes before 10 a.m., and then all our +eight stout ships began blazing away at the French, as they stood down +intending to break our line; but so tremendous was the fire with which +they were received, that they found the attempt hopeless. They, +however, returned it vigorously, and for a full hour we were pounding +away at each other, not a few of our brave fellows being killed, and +many more wounded. Towards the end of the time, as the smoke cleared +away, I saw the rest of our fleet coming up with the breeze, which had +at length reached them. The French admiral also saw them, and, having +had a taste of how eight ships could treat him, he stood away under all +sail after the remainder of his fleet. Sir George Rodney now threw out +a signal for a general chase, but the Frenchmen beat us hollow in +running away, and we in vain attempted to come up with them. For two +whole days we were engaged in chasing. + +"I'm afraid, after all, the mounseers will get off, and reach Jamaica +before us," said Tom Pim to me; "and if they do, what will become of Mr +Talboys and his family? Poor Lucy! she will be marrying a French count, +perhaps, and I shall never see her again." + +"They are not quite out of sight, and though they're gaining on us, the +wind may change, or some other accident may occur, and we shall have +another stand-up fight," I answered. + +This was soon after sunrise on the 12th of April, when our fleet was +standing to the northward, about five leagues north-west of Prince +Rupert's Bay, with a light breeze. The French were upon the same tack +to windward of the Saintes, with a fresh sea-breeze. The light +increasing, we saw a ship which had lost her foremast and bowsprit, in +tow of a frigate standing in for Guadaloupe. On perceiving this the +admiral threw out a signal for us and three other ships to chase; and, +disabled as the French line-of-battle ship was, we made sure of +capturing her. + +"We shall get hold of one ship, at all events, and the frigate too, if +she doesn't up stick and run," said Nettleship, as he watched the two +Frenchmen ahead. + +Presently he exclaimed, "Not so sure of that, though. I see the French +admiral making signals, and we shall know what he has been saying +presently." + +A short time afterwards he added, "His fleet is bearing up for the +purpose of protecting the wounded bird." + +We stood on, however. The captain told Tom Pim, who was signal +midshipman, to keep a sharp eye on our admiral. + +"If he keeps on that course he'll give us the weather gage, and we shall +catch him as sure as his name is De Grasse," cried Nettleship. + +Our crew of course were at their quarters, and we expected ere long to +be exchanging broadsides with the enemy. Presently the French again +altered their course, and formed their line on the larboard tack. + +"The admiral has hoisted the recall signal," cried Tom. Directly +afterwards we saw the signal made for our ships to form the line of +battle on the starboard tack. Rear-Admiral Drake's division was now +leading, the _Marlborough_ being ahead. The island of Dominique was on +our starboard hand, the wind coming off the land, and the French between +us and it. Thus they were to windward of us, standing almost directly +for Guadaloupe. We were now gradually nearing each other. Just at 8 +a.m. the _Marlborough_, in gallant style, opened fire on the rear of the +French. At the same time Rodney made the signal for close action. Soon +after it was hoisted all the other ships and Rear-Admiral Drake's +division commenced firing their broadsides. For a time Admiral Hood's +division was almost becalmed, as were many of Sir George Rodney's ships, +but as they drew ahead they got the wind much stronger clear of the +land. After the action had continued for some time, the wind shifted, +enabling us to get to windward of the enemy. + +"Look out there, Paddy, at the _Duke_. See, that gallant fellow Gardner +is endeavouring to force the Frenchman's line," cried Nettleship. + +We watched for some minutes, when a shot carried away the _Duke's_ +main-topmast, and she dropped to leeward, and Sir George Rodney, +followed by the _Namur_ and _Canada_, stood right in between the enemy's +ships, not far from the _Ville de Paris_, carrying their admiral's flag. +Others quickly followed, when Rodney wore and doubled upon the enemy, +all the time, it must be understood, keeping up a tremendous and +incessant fire. By this gallant manoeuvre the French line was +completely broken, and thrown into the utmost confusion. Their van bore +away, and endeavoured to form to leeward, but our division, under Sir +Samuel Hood, now getting the breeze, came up, and joined in the close +fight which had long been going on. To describe it so that my account +should be understood would be difficult in the extreme. All the time +the shot of the enemy came crashing aboard. Our object was to catch +sight of the hulls of the Frenchmen amid the clouds of smoke, and to +pound away at them. Each of our ships did the same. Amongst the ships +was the _Glorieux_, commanded by the Vicomte d'Escar. Though surrounded +by enemies, he continued to fire his broadsides until his masts and +bowsprit were shot away by the board, and not till he saw that he must +abandon all hope of rescue did he haul down his colours. We almost +immediately afterwards came up with another ship, which we found to be +the _Caesar_, Captain M. de Marigney. We got so close up to her that +our guns almost touched, and began furiously pounding away at her sides. +She had already been severely battered before we attacked her. The +gallant Frenchman, however, continued to engage us, and, looking up, as +for an instant the smoke was blown aside, we saw that he had nailed his +colours to the mast. + +"We must knock them away notwithstanding," said Nettleship. + +Soon afterwards down came the enemy's mainmast, followed by her +mizzenmast, fortunately falling over on the opposite side. + +Still the Frenchmen continued working their guns, but one after the +other ceased firing, and at last an officer waved a handkerchief, to +show that they surrendered. As he did so the foremast went by the +board. We immediately ceased firing, and our second lieutenant was sent +to take possession in one of the few of our boats which could swim. I +accompanied him. I by this time had seen a good deal of fighting, but I +had never yet witnessed any scene so dreadful as the decks of the +_Caesar_ presented. On reaching the upper deck, one of the first +objects which met our eyes was the body of the gallant captain, who had +just breathed his last. Near him lay three or four other officers, and +a little farther off two young midshipmen; while fore and aft lay the +dead and wounded, their shipmates having had no time as yet to carry the +latter below. Everywhere there was wreck and confusion, masts and +rigging trailing overboard, the stumps alone remaining, the bulwarks +shattered, the guns upset, the carriages of some knocked to pieces, +every boat damaged, while it was impossible, as we stepped along, to +avoid the pools of blood and gore. The third lieutenant, his head bound +up, stepped forward, saying that he was the officer of the highest rank +remaining, and offered his sword. In the meantime the fight continued +raging: the _Ardent_ struck to the _Belliqueux_, and the _Hector_ to the +_Canada_; but the gallant Cornwallis, leaving his prize, made sail after +the Count de Grasse, who, together with his second, was endeavouring to +rejoin his flying and scattered ships. We were fast approaching. +Notwithstanding this, the Count de Grasse held out till the _Barfleur_ +came up, and poured in so tremendous and destructive a fire, that at +length the gallant Frenchman, deserted by his ships, was compelled to +haul down his flag, just as the sun sank beneath the horizon. + +The French fleet were now going off before the wind, pursued by some of +our ships. Others would have joined in the chase, but Sir George +Rodney, wishing to collect the fleet and secure his prizes, made the +signal to the fleet to bring to. + +Our captain meantime had ordered us at once to commence removing the +prisoners. + +I had shoved off with one boat-load, and just got alongside the +_Cerberus_, when I heard the cry, "The _Caesar_ is on fire!" I hurried +the prisoners up the side, eager to assist in extinguishing the flames, +or to bring away as many as I could of those on board. Several of the +other ships were also sending their uninjured boats to the rescue; but +before they could reach the blazing ship, we heard a fearfully loud +explosion. Up went her decks. Fragments of planks and timbers, and +even heavy guns, with human bodies torn and rent asunder, rose in the +air; the whole ship blazed furiously, lighting up the surrounding +vessels with a lurid glare, when suddenly her hull sank, and all was +dark around. In her perished our third lieutenant and boatswain, and +fifty of our gallant crew, besides four hundred Frenchmen. + +Our most valuable prize was the _Ville de Paris_, as she had on board a +quantity of specie, and she was considered the finest ship afloat; but +we had a heavy price to pay for our victory: Captain Bayne, of the +_Alfred_, and Captain Blair, of the _Anson_, were killed, besides +several lieutenants and other officers. Altogether we lost two hundred +and fifty-three men killed, and eight hundred and sixteen wounded. The +French ships, having numerous troops on board, and carrying more men +than ours, suffered more severely in proportion, and it was generally +believed that three thousand were killed, and double the number wounded. +On board the _Ville de Paris_ alone four hundred were slain. + +We remained three days under Guadaloupe, repairing damages, when Sir +George Rodney ordered Sir Samuel Hood to proceed with his division in +search of stragglers. In spite of the fighting we had had, with +cheerful alacrity we stood away; and on the 19th sighted five of the +enemy's ships. They were standing for the Mona passage. + +"They hope to escape us," said Nettleship. "But never fear, if they can +get through, so can we." + +This proved to be the case. Just then Sir Samuel Hood threw out the +signal for a general chase. A shout rose from our deck when it was seen +that the wind had died away, and that the enemy lay becalmed. + +The _Valiant_ early in the afternoon got alongside the _Caton_, which +immediately struck. Captain Goodall then stood on, leaving us to pick +her up, and attacked the _Jason_, of the same force, with so much +impetuosity, that after a stout resistance of twenty minutes she also +hauled down her colours. Two other smaller ships were shortly +afterwards captured, and only one, which got through the passage, +effected her escape. + +A few days afterwards we rejoined Sir George Rodney under Cape Tiberoon, +and with him proceeded to Jamaica. + +Great was the rejoicing of the inhabitants. Guns were thundering, flags +flying on steeples and houses and hundreds of flagstaff's; and the whole +town of Kingston turned out, with the military and civic authorities at +their head, to receive the conqueror as he landed, accompanied by the +Count de Grasse, the admiral who had threatened their subjugation. + +We aboard the _Cerberus_ saw little of the festivities which took place, +as we were engaged in repairing her, and fitting her for sea,--it being +understood that in consequence of the damages she had received she was +to be sent home. + +Tom and I got leave only for one day to go up to Kingston, in the hopes +of seeing our friends the Talboys. Tom was in a great state of +excitement. + +"I say, Paddy, I wonder whether Lucy still cares for me," he said. +"Perhaps she'll have forgotten all about me by this time; and if that +fellow Duffy has been stationed at Kingston, as soon as we left he'll +have done his best to cut me out." + +"I don't think her papa, at all events, would prefer an ensign to a +midshipman; and depend upon it, that if she has transferred her +affections, it would be to a post-captain or a colonel," I answered. +"But cheer up, Tom, don't be down-hearted; we'll hope for the best." + +Almost the first gentlemen we saw on landing were two French officers, +strolling along arm in arm. As we got close to them they turned their +heads, and I recognised Lieutenant Dubois and La Touche. They knew me +in a moment, and held out their hands with more cordiality than I should +have expected. + +"You see us again prisoners to your brave nation; but we have given our +parole, and are allowed to be at large during the day," said Dubois. + +"You'll come to our lodgings, I hope, and allow us to show you some +hospitality," added La Touche. "In this life we have many ups and +downs. One day you are prisoners to us, and the next day we are +prisoners to you. What matters it if we retain our honour and our +lives. It's a miracle that we're alive." + +"How is that?" I asked. + +"We were aboard the _Ville de Paris_," he said, "and were doing duty on +the lower deck. We fought to the last, and fully believed that the ship +would go down. At one time the admiral was the only person left +unwounded on the upper deck. Officer after officer was killed as they +went up to join him. We were about to follow, when our flag was hauled +down. However, we expect to be exchanged soon, when, for my part, I +intend to return to France." + +This was said as we walked along with the young Frenchmen. + +The lodgings to which they introduced us consisted of a single room, in +which they slept and took their meals; but they didn't seem a bit +ashamed of it, and did the honours with as great an air as if they were +receiving us in a magnificent saloon. They had evidently won the heart +of their mulatto landlady, who placed an elegant repast on the table,-- +indeed, in a country where fruits and delicacies are abundant, that is +not any difficult matter. + +"The English are very polite to us here; and some of the young ladies +are charming," observed Dubois. "There is one family especially +polite,--that of a Monsieur Talboys. Ah! _ma foi_! his little daughter +is perfectly charming." + +On hearing the name of Talboys, Tom Pim pricked up his ears and looked +at me, for he was not able to understand all that was said. + +"We are acquainted with Mr Talboys," I observed, "and all must admire +his daughter. Is she not engaged to be married yet?" + +"Ah, yes, there's the pity," said Dubois, shrugging his shoulders; "to a +military officer, I'm told,--the Capitaine Duffy. He has lately +obtained his promotion, and appeared at a ball in a bright new uniform, +which completely captivated the young lady's heart." + +"I'll not believe it until I see her, and she tells me so," exclaimed +Tom, starting up. "You must have been misinformed, monsieur." + +"_Ma foi_! I hope so," said Dubois; "for I thought I was making great +way, and resolved, if her father would accept me as his son-in-law, to +give up the sea and settle down as a planter in Jamaica." + +On hearing this Tom became very fidgety, and proposed that we should go +in search of our friends. As I was afraid that he might say something +which might annoy our hosts, I agreed, and, wishing them good-bye, Tom +and I started for Mr Talboys' town house. + +We had no great difficulty in finding it. Just as we reached the +entrance, who should I see but Duffy himself, strutting out in a +captain's uniform. He didn't know me at first, until I hailed him. + +"What, Duffy!" I exclaimed. "It must be yourself or your elder +brother. Let me congratulate you on obtaining your captain's +commission. You have faster promotion in your service than we have in +the navy." + +"Ah, Paddy! is it you?" he cried, taking me by the hand. "It's myself, +I can assure you. Thanks to this torrid climate, sangaree, and Yellow +Jack, you're right, my boy. All the fine fellows you knew at Savannah +are invalided home, or are under the sod; but as I eschew strong drinks, +and keep in the shade as much as I can, I have hitherto escaped the fell +foe. I suppose you're going to call on my friends the Talboys? They +will be very glad to see you. We often talk about you, for the gallant +way in which you, Pim, and your other messmates behaved when the house +was attacked." + +"Here is Pim," I said. + +"What! I beg your pardon," said he; "I really did not recognise you;" +and he put out his hand, which Tom took rather coldly. "We all owe you +a debt of gratitude which none of us know how to repay." + +"I don't require payment," said Tom, drawing himself up stiffly. "Good +morning, Captain Duffy! I don't wish to detain you." + +"Well, as I have to go on guard, I mustn't stop, or I should like to go +back and join Lucy in thanking you." + +"I don't require thanks," said Tom, gulping down his rising anger. +"Come along, Paddy." + +As I saw that the sooner the interview was brought to an end the better, +we entered the house. Tom was even half inclined to turn back, and I +think he would have done so had not Mr Talboys seen us, and insisted on +our coming into the drawing-room. + +Both of us followed him over the slippery floor, and nearly pitched down +on our noses, making a somewhat eccentric entrance into the room. + +Mrs Talboys, with Lucy and her younger girls, were seated on +cane-bottomed sofas, dressed in white, with fans in their hands. The +weather was unusually hot. A blush rose to Lucy's cheek as she saw Tom. +She, however, came frankly forward, and we all shook hands. Nothing +was said about Duffy. They were all eager to hear our adventures, which +we narrated as briefly as we could. They knew Dubois and La Touche, and +Mr Talboys thought them very agreeable Frenchmen, but they didn't +appear to be much in Lucy's good graces. I was much inclined to speak +of Duffy, but Lucy evidently didn't wish to mention him. We had +observed the marks of fire on some of the houses as we came along, and +Mr Talboys told us that since we had been there there had been a +fearful conflagration; and had not the wind shifted, the whole town +would have been burned down. He and his family were at that time in the +country, and so escaped the alarm which the fire caused. + +Mrs Talboys invited us to spend the evening at the house, but Tom at +once answered for himself and me, and said that we had to return on +board, and we were not pressed to stay. At last we got up to take our +leave. + +"Lucy is very anxious again to thank you, Mr Pim, for your brave +conduct in saving her from the blacks. Perhaps you'll meet in England, +as she expects to go there shortly, should peace be established; but we +are unwilling to allow her to risk the danger of the passage in war +time." + +Lucy had managed to get Tom to the window, so I didn't hear what she +said, but he looked far from happy. + +"I must tell you, Mr Finnahan, that my daughter will probably be soon +married. Captain Duffy," said Mrs Talboys, "her intended, is an +excellent young man, and heir to a good estate, with a sufficient +fortune already in possession; and she could not expect to make a more +satisfactory match. It has our entire approval. You know him well, he +tells me?" + +I of course said that I did, that he had treated me very kindly at +Savannah, and that I must congratulate him on his good fortune. + +While we were speaking, Tom came up, and said somewhat abruptly, "Paddy, +we must not delay longer." He didn't again turn towards Miss Lucy, to +whom I went up and wished good-bye. Tom and I then paid our adieus to +the rest of the family. Lucy was well-nigh crying, I thought, but the +yellow light admitted through the blinds prevented me from seeing +clearly. + +"It's all over," cried Tom, as we got outside. "I thought it would +happen. I've been and made a fool of myself, and I'll never do so again +as long as I live; no, never--never!" + +I comforted Tom as well as I could, and indeed he soon recovered his +equanimity. I told him I was sure that Miss Lucy was very grateful, +though she was not inclined to wait till he had become a post-captain, +or even a commander, to marry him. + +We looked in on our way down to the harbour on our two French friends. +We found them in high spirits, for they had just received information +that they were to accompany the Count de Grasse, and other French +officers, who were about to return home, on board the _Sandwich_, Sir +Peter Parker's flag-ship, on their parole. As Sir Peter was on the +point of sailing in charge of a homeward-bound convoy, Sir George Rodney +remained as commander-in-chief at Jamaica. A short time after, Admiral +Pigot arrived out from England to supersede him, and Sir George returned +home in the _Montague_. + +At length, after lying idle for some time, Admiral Pigot, with his flag +on board the _Formidable_ made the signal for the whole fleet to put to +sea. + +A report reached us just before this that we and the other ships were to +return to England, and highly delighted every one was at the thoughts of +going home. We were, however, kept cruising for some time, till we fell +in with the fleet of Admiral Graves off Havanna; thence we proceeded to +Bluefields, on the south coast of Jamaica, towards its western end. + +Here Admiral Graves, whose flag was flying aboard the _families_, +received orders to convoy a hundred sail of merchantmen, together with +the French prizes, consisting of the _Ville de Paris_, no guns, the +_Glorieux_ and _Hector_; of 74 guns each, and the _Ardent_ and _Jason_, +of 64 guns each. The men-of-war accompanying them were the _Canada_, +our ship the _Cerberus_, of 74 guns each, and the _Pallas_, of 36 guns. + +"It's to be hoped that we shall have fine weather," said Nettleship one +day at mess. "Even now we're obliged to keep the pumps going every +watch. It's a wonder the hull and rigging hold together; while we're +terribly short-handed, and, as far as I can judge, the rest of the ships +are in no better condition, and the prizes are still more battered." + +"What an old croaker you've become," cried Tom. "I thought you would +have been the last person to talk in that way." + +Others, joining Tom, made the same sort of remarks. + +"I'm not croaking. I only say that never fleet put to sea in a worse +condition; but I do hope we shall be blessed with fine weather, and not +meet with a heavy gale, or have to encounter an enemy of superior +force." + +Those watching us from the shore could certainly not have supposed that +the fine-looking fleet sailing along the coast of Jamaica was unable to +cope with the fiercest gale that it was likely to encounter. + +As we got away from land we found that the _Jason_ had not joined us, +being employed in completing her water, while during a calm the officers +of the _Ardent_ sent a memorial to the admiral stating that she was +totally unseaworthy; and they had therefore the good fortune to be +ordered back to Jamaica to refit. + +For some time the fine weather lasted, and few doubted that we should +convoy the merchantmen committed to our charge, and the trophies of our +hard-earned victory, in safety to England. We had got about the +latitude of the Bermudas, when some of the convoy parted company, on +their way to New York, leaving us, including the men-of-war and +merchantmen, with only ninety-two sail,--the _Ville de Paris_, under an +experienced navigator, leading the van through the Gulf Stream. The +wind and sea, however, shortly after this got up, and two ships, the +_Caton_ and _Pallas_, made signals of distress, each having sprung a +leak. The admiral therefore ordered them to bear away for Halifax, then +less than a hundred leagues distant. Scarcely were they out of sight +than the wind shifted to the south-east, blowing strongly, while a still +heavier sea got up. The admiral on this made signals for the whole +fleet to collect together, and prepare for a heavy gale. He hove-to on +the larboard tack under his mainsail, with topgallant masts struck. We +and the other ships followed his example, with all our other canvas +furled. + +Nettleship, Tom Pim, and I, being in the same watch, were on deck +together. We had just got the ship snug, and, our duties for the moment +performed, were standing together, watching the fast-rising seas. + +"I say, Nettleship, we have got that gale you hoped we should escape, +and no mistake about it," said Tom Pim; "but the old barkie rides +easily, and the wind must blow a good deal harder than it does yet to +hurt her." + +"But we can't say that it won't blow harder, youngster," said +Nettleship, who was much graver than usual. "To my mind the weather +looks as threatening as it well can be, and those in authority would +have shown more wisdom had they waited till the equinox was over to send +us to sea. Just look round; now did you ever see a wilder sky?" + +Nettleship was right. The clouds were rushing madly on overhead, while +to the southward and east it had a peculiarly angry appearance. +Foam-capped waves were tossing and tumbling, the spoon-drift flying off +their heads covering the ocean with a sheet of white, while a lurid +light occasionally gleamed forth from the point where the sun was going +down, tinging for a moment the crests of the seas and here and there a +tossing ship on which it fell. The sea with thundering blows struck our +bows and washed along our high sides, the blocks rattled, the wind +whistled in the rigging, the masts groaned, the bulkheads creaked. We +had to speak at the top of our voices to make each other hear, while the +lieutenants had to shout their loudest through their speaking-trumpets +as they issued their orders. We were the leewardmost of the men-of-war +who were in sight, the merchantmen scattered around, all pitching and +rolling together, in a way which threatened to send their masts +overboard. The latter we could see had now a yard, now a topmast +carried away, but as far as we could make out, no great damage had been +done. Each dog-watch the pumps were manned. Their clanking was heard +amid the uproar as night closed in. My old shipmates and I had to keep +the morning watch, so as soon as the hammocks were piped down, we turned +in to get some sleep first. Seldom that I had my head on the pillow +many seconds before my eyes closed, but this night the fearful uproar, +the violent swinging of my hammock, and the plunges which I felt the +ship making, kept me awake. My watch below seemed twice as long as +usual. At length I heard eight bells strike. I turned out, and with my +two messmates went on deck. + +"Things haven't mended since sundown," observed Nettleship, as he, Pim, +and I were together on the quarter-deck. + +Indeed, the wind was howling more furiously than ever, and the big ship +plunged and rolled in a way which made it difficult to keep our feet. + +"We've plenty of sea-room, that's one satisfaction, at all events," said +Nettleship. "I shouldn't like to be on a lee shore on a night like +this." + +"Faith, nor should I, unless there was a good harbour to run into," said +I. + +"It must have a broad entrance, and be well lighted, then," he answered, +"or we shouldn't be much better off than we are at present." + +Two--four bells struck in the morning watch, and there appeared to be no +improvement in the weather. The captain and second and third +lieutenants came on deck, and, by the way they stood talking together, I +saw that they considered matters growing serious. The pumps were kept +going twice as long as usual. Six bells had just struck, when there +came a sound like thunder breaking over our heads. Looking up, I saw +the mainsail aback. + +The captain shouted out, "Man the clew garnets, let fly tacks and +sheets;" but the words were scarcely out of his mouth before the ship +heeled over, with a suddenness which nearly took us all off our feet. + +There was no need for the officers to cry out, "Hold on for your lives." +We struggled to windward, grasping whatever we could clutch. More and +more the ship heeled over; then there came another loud report, the +mainmast went by the board, the fore-topmast fell over the starboard +bow, and the next instant the mizzenmast was carried away half up from +the deck, while the sound of repeated blows which came from the +after-part of the ship, showed us that the rudder had been wrenched from +the pintles, and was battering away under the counter. All these +accidents happened in such rapid succession that it was impossible to do +anything to avert them. The utmost vigilance was required to save +ourselves from being crushed by falling yards and blocks, while cries +and shrieks arose from many of our poor fellows, some of whom had been +struck down, and others carried overboard, vainly endeavouring to regain +the ship. Suddenly she righted, with a violence which tore away the +guns from their lashings, and jerked the shot out of the lockers. The +captain, not for a moment losing his self-possession, shouted to the +crew to clear away the wreck of the masts,--himself, axe in hand, +setting the example. Before, however, many strokes had been given, the +sea came roaring up astern, and, bursting into the captain's cabin, +swept everything before it. The doctor, purser, and several other +officers who had remained below, came rushing up, some only in their +shirts and trousers, others in their shirts alone, believing very +naturally that the ship was going down. Tom Pim and I, with the other +midshipmen, were exerting ourselves to see that the men obeyed the +orders received. I met Larry, axe in hand, chopping away vigorously at +the shrouds. + +"Ah, then, Mr Terence, things have come to a bad pass, I'm after +fearing," he exclaimed. "Will you be letting me keep by you, if you +please? If the ship goes down, I'd like to see how we could save +ourselves on a boat, or a raft, or one of the masts, if we can't get +into a boat." + +"If it comes to that, Larry, I'm afraid we shall have little chance of +saving our lives," I answered; "at all events, however, I should like to +have you near me." + +I can scarcely find words to describe the fearful condition of the ship. +Gun after gun broke loose, crushing several of the men against whom +they were cast; shot, hove out of the lockers, were rolling about +between decks, injuring many others. The water from below rushed from +side to side, making a clean sweep of everything it encountered, doing +almost as much mischief as the seas which broke aboard on the upper +deck. The officers who had last come from below were unable to return, +and stood shivering in their scanty clothing, no one having even a coat +to spare. While some of the crew were clearing away the masts, which +were striking with every surge against the ship's side, tearing off the +copper, and, as the oakum washed out, increasing the leaks, others, +encouraged by their officers, were labouring at the pumps, while a third +party was endeavouring to bale out the water with buckets. I didn't +expect to see another dawn; but the morning came notwithstanding, and a +fearful sight it presented to us. Away to leeward we discovered the +_Canada_, with her main-topmast and mizzenmast gone. The flag-ship, +more to windward, seemed in no better condition. The _Glorieux_ had +lost her foremast, bowsprit, and main-topmast. The _Ville de Paris_ +still proudly rode the waves, as far as we could judge, uninjured, yet +ere long she was to share the fate of many others, for after that day +she was never again seen, and must have foundered with all her crew. Of +the merchantmen several had already gone down, others had lost many of +their spars, and some their masts, while out of the whole fleet not +twenty remained in sight. Not far off from us lay a large ship on her +beam-ends. Nettleship pointed her out to me. "Poor fellows, they're +worse off than we are," he said. The crew were attempting to wear her. +First they cut away the mizzenmast, then shortly the mainmast went; +still she lay helpless. + +"See, she's hoisting the ensign, Union downwards," said Nettleship. +"It's her last despairing signal for help." + +No help could any one give her. We watched her for a few minutes, when +her stern rose, the sea rolled up and plunged into it; down she went, +the fly of her ensign the last object visible. + +She was the _Dutton_ formerly an East Indiaman, and then a storeship. +Her fate might soon be ours. + +"Some of her poor fellows have escaped," cried Nettleship. + +He pointed out to me a boat under sail, not far from where the _Dutton_ +had foundered. We watched the boat. Now she was hid from sight in the +trough of the sea, now she rose to the summit of a billow. Still it +seemed impossible that she could escape being swamped. Yet on she went, +driving before the gale. + +"That boat is well handled, or she would have been under water before +this time," observed my messmate. "What she can do others can do, and +some of us may have a chance for our lives if our old ship goes down. +Paddy, my boy, if that happens, do you try and get aboard a boat. +You're young, with a good chance of promotion. I'm old, and have none; +and I should like to have you and Tom Pim save yourselves." + +"But I can't go without Larry," I answered; "and you too, Nettleship, if +you have any hope of a boat living in this sea, you must try to get +off." + +He shook his head. + +"No, no, Paddy. I have long made up my mind for the worst, and am ready +for it. I should be thankful, though, to see you and Pim escape, and +your honest fellow, Larry. There are two or three boats still +uninjured. It's a pity that the lives of some of us should not be +saved, if we can but manage to launch them." + +While he was speaking I was watching the progress of the _Dutton's_ +boat. First she steered for a ship some way to the eastward, but those +on board at length saw that they should have to haul up to reach her, +and again she kept away for a large merchantman to leeward. Presently +the boat ran alongside the merchantman, from whose deck a number of +ropes were hove into her, and the men, clutching them as the boat surged +by, were hauled up, and, as far as we could see, none were lost, though +the boat herself almost immediately rilled and disappeared. In other +directions most melancholy spectacles met our sight. The whole sea was +literally covered with pieces of wreck and human beings clinging to +them, among whom we observed several women lashed to spars or gratings, +probably by brave fellows who themselves had perished after in vain +attempting to preserve those they loved. No help could be given to the +unfortunate wretches; and even had we been able to haul some who came +near us on board our ship, it would only have been to prolong their +lives for a few short hours. + +Our captain and officers were making all possible efforts to save our +ship, but from the first, I suspect, they must have seen they were +hopeless. Every possible weight was got rid of. The anchors were cut +away; then the upper deck guns were hove overboard, though the operation +in itself was a dangerous one, for, after the gun tackles were cut +loose, there was the risk of the guns upsetting and crushing those +standing near. All this time the pumps were being worked. The captain +ordered all hands not otherwise engaged to bale, and we were formed in +gangs to pass the buckets up and down and along the deck. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +THE WRECK OF THE "CERBERUS." + +We were thus employed when the carpenter came to the captain with +consternation in his countenance, and told him that the pumps would no +longer work, for, the shot-lockers being destroyed, the shot as well as +the ballast had got into the well, and completely choked it up. + +"Well, my lads," cried the captain, "we must try what baling will do, +and lightening the ship by every means in our power." + +Those who had been working at the pumps, and some others, were now +divided into gangs under different officers, and were employed in +getting rid of the heaviest things which could be reached. Some hove +the guns overboard, others got up the weightier stores, the boatswain's +party being engaged in chopping up the cables and throwing them into the +sea. + +While my messmates and I were hard at work with the rest, I saw the +captain beckon Nettleship to him. They talked for a minute or more. +Directly afterwards Nettleship came to where Tom and I were at work with +Larry and some of the men. "The captain has given me charge to try and +save some of you youngsters," he said. "Life is sweet, and I won't deny +that I am glad to have the chance of preserving my own with honour. You +tell Tom Pim and your boy Larry. I'll speak to some of our other +messmates, and try to pick out a few trusty men who I know are cool +hands, and we will try and get a boat into the water. It will be no +easy matter,--it may, I warn you, hasten our deaths; but the captain is +satisfied that the ship can't float many hours longer. He argued the +point, and showed me that if we don't get off as he directed, we shall +not escape at all, as numbers will be rushing for the boats when they +discover that the ship must go down." + +Matters were growing rapidly worse. Even now I don't like to think of +that dreadful night which followed. When morning broke, the number of +ships in sight had much diminished. The sea raged as furiously as ever, +the wind blew with fearful force. All hands had been toiling away. +Nearly every one began to see that our efforts had been in vain. A loud +noise was heard like that of an explosion coming from far down in the +depths of the ship. The carpenter reported that the water in the hold +had blown up the orlop deck. It was very evident that the ship was +settling down. Many of the men who had been looked upon as the bravest +now gave way to despair, and went below, crying out to their messmates +to come and lash them into their hammocks. Other stout fellows were in +tears as they thought of their country and those dear to them, whom they +were never to see again. Some, though they must have known it would be +of no use, were lashing themselves to gratings and small rafts, which +they had formed of spars. Larry wanted me to do the same. + +"Shure, Mr Terence, you and Mr Pim and I will be able to manage a raft +between us, and we'll get aboard one of the ships in better plight than +we are," he said. + +I pointed out to him the distance the ships were from us, and the +impossibility of reaching one of them. Some of the poor fellows +launched their rafts overboard, but were quickly swallowed up by the +sea. Even the lieutenants went below; and, strange as it may seem, few +of the men remained on deck. Tom Pim and I, however, kept together, +with Larry, who would not leave me. Presently Nettleship came up. + +"Now is our time, lads, if we're to save our lives. I have spoken to +those whom the captain named, but none of them will come. They shake +their heads, and declare it useless." + +One of the quarter boats still remained uninjured. We went to her and +found six of our men, one of whom was Larry, standing by the falls ready +to lower her. Nettleship told us to jump in, there was not a moment to +be lost. We found that he had put masts, and sails, and oars, and +provisions aboard. Waiting till a sea surged up alongside, he and the +men sprang into her. + +"Cut, cut!" he cried. + +The next instant I found that the boat was some fathoms from the ship. +All was done so rapidly, and it seemed only by a miracle we got clear, +that I can scarcely explain how it happened. I looked around, when what +was my dismay to find that Tom was not with us. Looking up, I saw him +on the deck. + +"Leap! leap!" shouted Nettleship, though in the uproar his voice could +not have been heard so far. Next instant Tom was in the water, striking +out towards us. + +"We have already as many aboard as the boat will carry," cried some of +the men. + +What we had been about had been discovered by our unfortunate shipmates, +who were now crowding to the side and shouting to us to return. Several +in their fear leaped into the sea, but immediately disappeared. I +caught sight of one head still above water. It was Tom Pim. + +"Oh, take him in--take him in!" I cried out. + +The men were getting out the oars. We were still, it must be +understood, under the lee of the ship, or we should instantly have been +swamped. + +"We must have that lad aboard," exclaimed Nettleship sternly. "I'll not +try to save you if you desert him." + +Tom struck out bravely. Larry and I stretched out our arms, and, +catching hold of him, hauled him on board the boat. Several others, now +leaping into the water, tried to reach us, but, had we attempted to save +them, we should to a certainty have perished together. + +Nettleship sprang aft to the helm. + +"Now, lads, step the mast and hoist the sail," he shouted. "Get out the +starboard oars." + +In another instant the boat was before the wind, a cable's length from +the ship. We could scarcely believe that we were saved; indeed, every +moment it seemed as if the fierce foaming seas would break aboard us and +send us to the bottom. I could not resist still looking at the ship, +nor could Tom Pim. He presently exclaimed-- + +"There's another boat being launched." + +We both saw her for a moment, but she presently disappeared. + +"She's gone," cried Tom. + +"No--no, there she is," I exclaimed, as I caught sight of her on the +summit of a sea, and again she sank out of view. As far as I could make +out, there were several people in her, but she had no sail hoisted, and +consequently in those foaming seas rising up between us was scarcely +visible. + +We ran on, steering to the southward. Most of the hands were employed +all the time in baling out the water, while Nettleship's whole attention +was engaged in steering the boat, for he well knew that with the +slightest want of care she would have filled in an instant. It seemed a +wonder, indeed, that she could float in the midst of those foaming seas. +Tom and I still kept looking at the ship. + +"She is sinking lower and lower," said Tom. + +I hoped that he was mistaken, and that she appeared to be so only +because we were getting farther from her. + +Not many minutes afterwards, as I looked, a huge sea rolled up towards +her. + +The next instant Tom cried out, "She's gone!" I rubbed my eyes. The +foaming waters raged over the spot where the old _Cerberus_ had floated; +and I knew too well that every one of our helpless shipmates had +perished, unless the other boat had got safely off. Their fate might be +ours before long, we all knew, though we did not despair. + +Nettleship's first care was to see what provisions we had got. We found +that we had but two quart bottles of water, a bag of biscuits, a small +ham, a single piece of pork, and three bottles of French cordials. +These he had placed in the stern-sheets, that they might be kept dry, +and that none of the men might be tempted to take more than their share. +We might be days, or even weeks, before we were picked up or reached +land. Nettleship pointed out to us the importance of husbanding our +stores. The afternoon was far gone before we left the ship, and night +was now approaching, while the gale had shown no signs of abating. + +Humanly speaking, our lives depended on Nettleship's steering. There +was everything to try the skill and nerves of a man; but it was +difficult in the darkness to watch the seas coming up so as to avoid +those likely to break aboard. + +He sat in the stern-sheets like a figure of iron, his countenance fixed, +his eyes turned now ahead, now on one, now on the other side. He seldom +spoke, for his attention was occupied with the task he had undertaken. +Older seamen had given in, while his courage and resolution had remained +unshaken. + +I had always liked him, ever since I joined the _Liffy_, but now I +admired and respected him above all men, barring my uncle the major, who +would, I am sure, have acted in the same way, though he might not have +had the nautical skill to steer the boat. + +"Stretch yourselves as best you can, youngsters, in the stern-sheets, +and go to sleep," said Nettleship; "I intend to steer till daylight, and +then let either Hunt or Ray (they were two quartermasters) take the +helm." + +"But I don't like to leave you without company," I said. + +"Don't trouble yourself about that, Paddy," he answered; "the seas are +my company, and precious rough company they are too; they'll prevent me +nodding." + +He laughed at his own remark. + +At last Tom and I did as he advised us; indeed, we couldn't keep our +eyes open longer, for we had had no sleep, lashed as we had been to the +bulwarks on the previous night. + +We both of us slept on right through the night. I awoke with a weary +heart-sinking feeling. Dawn was already casting a grey light over the +still troubled ocean. Clouds hung thickly overhead; the seas seemed to +reach them as they rose up on either side. + +There sat Nettleship, wide awake, his hand on the tiller, his eyes +wearing a pained expression, as well they might, looking round watching +the waves as they hissed up, threatening to overwhelm us. No one was +speaking. Most of the men sat with their arms folded and their heads +bent down, still fast asleep. I believe that Nettleship had been the +only one awake among us during the night. + +"The wind has fallen, and the sea has gone down considerably, Paddy," he +said, looking at me. "Cheer up, lad; we shall save our lives after all, +I believe." + +Tom, hearing him speak, awoke. + +"I wish you would let me take the helm, Nettleship," he said. + +"No, no, Tom! The responsibility is too much to impose on you; I'll let +Hunt steer presently." + +First one man woke up, then another, and another; but they all looked +round with lack-lustre eyes and gloomy countenances. After some time, +Tom shouted out that there was a break in the clouds to the eastward. + +Just then a ray of bright light streamed across the ocean, tinging the +foam-topped seas with a ruddy hue. + +"It's the harbinger of better weather," I said. + +"You're right, sir," observed Hunt. "It will be our own fault if we +don't manage to keep the boat afloat." + +I saw Nettleship for the first time showing signs of sleepiness. He +aroused himself for the moment, and called to Hunt to take the helm. +The quartermaster stepped aft, and Nettleship, resigning his seat to +him, a moment afterwards was fast asleep. + +The men now cried out that they were very hungry, and Pim and I agreed +that it would be better to serve out some food without awaking +Nettleship. We gave each man a biscuit and a small piece of ham. The +neck of a broken bottle was the only measure we had for serving out the +water. The quantity was but just sufficient to moisten our lips, but +not to quench our thirst. The men asked for more, but Tom told them +that until Nettleship awoke he couldn't give them any. + +Though the weather was moderating, the wind went down very slowly, and +the seas tossed and tumbled with almost as much violence as before. It +was noon when Nettleship awoke. He approved of the allowance Tom and I +had served out. + +"But, my lads," he said, "you see these two bottles of water. We don't +know how long we may have to go before we get more, so you must make up +your minds to do with the allowance you have already had to-day. I'll +take no more." + +He then told Tom and me to give him what we had given the rest; and, +after eating the biscuit and bit of ham, he drank the bottle-neck full +of water. My own sensations made me hope that we should not have many +days to live on so small an allowance. Still, though my throat felt +like a dust-bin, I determined to support Nettleship, and I knew Tom +would do so, in whatever he thought necessary. We ran on all day, the +wind going down very slowly. At noon, Ray took the helm. Whether he +steered with less care, or, as I think, the seas broke in a different +way, two in succession came aboard, and we had to bale as fast as we +could, to get the water out of the boat. As it came in, it washed right +aft and wetted through our bag of biscuits, which Tom and I in vain +tried to save. Nettleship didn't blame Ray, but warned him to be more +careful. + +"I intend to steer to-night," he said, "so I'll finish out my snooze, +and call me at sundown." + +Both Hunt and Ray asked him to let them steer during part of the night, +but he was firm. + +"No," he answered; "your lives are entrusted to me, and it's my duty to +keep at the helm while there's most likely to be danger." + +Tom and I, however, determined to have our eyes open, so as to make +company for him during part of the night, which, it being summer time, +was fortunately not long. Had it been in the winter, none of us could +have survived. Nettleship appeared to have completely recovered +himself. I sat up through part of the night, and Tom through the +remainder. We talked cheerfully and hopefully. When I lay down, I +slept as soundly as I ever did in my bed. Towards morning, I suppose it +was, I dreamed of the various scenes I had gone through since I came to +sea, among others of the earthquake at Savannah, and then I was looking +out into the barrack-yard, and there was Larry fiddling away, with +soldiers and blacks dancing to his music,--everything seemed so vivid +that I had no doubt about its reality. Then Mr Talboys and Lucy and +Captain Duffy came in and joined in the dance. I thought it very good +fun, so I ran down and began to dance, and who should I see but the +admiral and captain and old Rough-and-Ready, each with a black partner, +and there we were jigging away right merrily, till I awoke, to find +myself in the stern-sheet of the boat, and to see Nettleship steering, +while the notes of Larry's fiddle sounded in my ears. There, sure +enough, he was, seated on the after-thwart, with the fiddle at his chin, +working away with right good-will. I sat up and looked at him with +amazement. + +"Shure, Mr Terence, I wasn't going to leave that behind after it had +been saved from fire and water, so I took it into the boat the first +thing, and Mr Nettleship gave me leave to play it, just to cheer up he +boys a bit." + +The music had certainly had that effect, for all the people wore more +cheerful countenances than they did the day before. Larry, however, put +his fiddle back in its case while breakfast was served out. It +consisted only of wet biscuit, a modicum of ham, and a small taste of +liquor. The water Nettleship said he should keep till mid-day, to serve +out with the pork. + +The sea was still rough, though there was much less than on the previous +day, and careful steering was necessary to keep the boat free from +water. As there was nothing for the men to do, Nettleship advised us to +spin yarns and sing songs in the intervals of Larry's playing. He was +ready enough to go on moving his bow as long as he had leave. + +During the day the clouds cleared away, and the sea went down still +more. We were thankful for this, as we could now dry our clothes, and, +what was of more importance, our biscuits, and move about in the boat to +stretch our limbs. But then, again, with a calm we might be delayed, +and, after all, perish from hunger and thirst. Nettleship, I daresay, +thought this, but notwithstanding cheered us up with the hopes of +reaching land or being taken on board some vessel. Next night passed +much as the others had done. The sun rose in a clear sky, and as it got +above the horizon the wind dropped, and there appeared every likelihood +of a perfect calm. Our scanty provisions were served out, and then +Nettleship, as he had done the day before, set us to spinning yarns and +singing; but even those who had the best voices could scarcely bring out +a note, and several appeared but little inclined to talk. Larry, +however, kept his fiddle going, and Tom and I talked, and tried to draw +out the men to tell something about themselves. At last my throat felt +like a dust-bin, and I suspect the rest were very much in the same +condition. There we were, floating out in the Atlantic, hundreds of +miles away from help, as far as we could tell, and the calm might +continue after the gale for a week or more. At last Nettleship ordered +the men to get out the oars. + +"We may pull into a breeze, lads, perhaps," he said. "At all events, we +shall get so much nearer land." + +Tom and I each took an oar to encourage the rest, half of us pulling at +a time. We had been at the oars for some five or six hours, when +towards evening, Nettleship, who had been standing up shading his eyes, +said-- + +"Lads, there's a sail in sight; she has a light breeze, and is standing +to the northward. We shall, I hope, get up to her; but mark you, she +may be English, but she may be French, and in that case we shall be made +prisoners." + +"That won't be much odds," said one of the men; "better be made +prisoners than die of hunger and thirst out here." + +That was true enough, but I didn't like the thoughts of the alternative. +When Nettleship, however, said that he was determined to try and come +up with the stranger, the men bent to their oars. Tom and I, at the +time, were now pulling, and I was surprised to see the strength the men +still possessed. + +Gradually the stranger's topgallant-sails, and then the heads of her +topsails, rose above the horizon. + +"She's a large ship, no doubt about that," said Nettleship. "Cheer up, +lads! my belief is she's English, but we shall be better able to judge +when we see her courses." + +We were now steering west-and-by-north, so as to cut her off. After +going some distance, Nettleship called to Tom Pim to stand up in the +stern-sheets, and take a look at the stranger. + +"What do you think of the cut of her canvas, Tom?" he asked. "Is that +English or French?" + +"I should say English," answered Tom, "but we must get nearer to be +certain." + +"Have you made up your minds to a French prison, lads, if we're +mistaken?" again said Nettleship. + +"Better a French prison with food and water, than out here starving to +death," answered the men. "And we'll ask you, Mr Nettleship, for a +drink of water apiece. We'll get aboard her before dark, and our +throats are terribly dry." + +"I warn you, lads, that a breeze may spring up, and that even now we may +miss her; and what shall we do if we have no water left?" said +Nettleship. + +Still the men cried out for water. I could judge how my companions felt +by my own sensations. Nettleship reluctantly served out a double +allowance, leaving scarcely a quarter of a bottleful,--the other had +before been exhausted. The sun was sinking low, and we had not yet seen +the hull of the ship. Nettleship looked more anxious than before. The +men strained every nerve, for they believed that their lives depended on +their getting up to the ship before dark. + +Some of them now called out for food, and declared that they could pull +no longer without it; others asked for the remainder of the water. + +Accordingly, while one half rested, Nettleship served out a portion of +our remaining stock of provisions. The other half then took a meal. +This, however, only made us all more thirsty, and again the cry rose +of-- + +"Water! water! We must have it, or we shall have to give in!" + +Nettleship seemed to think that it would be useless to resist their +entreaties, and with a look of desperation he divided the remainder of +the water, leaving not a drop at the bottom of the last bottle. + +Rapidly the sun sank towards the horizon. In a short time it would be +dark, and we should have no chance of being seen from the ship. The men +cried out for the remainder of the liquor, saying that they could pull +all the better if they could get it. This, also, to my surprise, +Nettleship served out to them,--the bottle-neck full to each of us, for +we all shared alike,--and again they pulled as lustily as before for a +short time; but we all felt our thirst increased. Few of them spoke; +but Larry every now and then gave a shout, or made some comic remark to +encourage his companions. Nettleship also did his best to keep up our +spirits. + +Darkness, however, was fast approaching; the wind appeared to be +freshening, and, should a strong breeze fill the stranger's sails, all +hope of getting alongside her before she passed us would be lost. Not a +word was now uttered; but every now and then the men turned their heads +to ascertain what progress we were making. + +Nettleship now steered the boat rather more to the northward. + +Presently a light streamed out towards us across the water. Again our +hopes of getting on board increased. The wind once more dropped. + +"We shall reach her, lads!" cried Nettleship at length, in a confident +tone. + +The men cheered, though their voices sounded husky, the ring of a +British seaman's voice sadly wanting. They pulled bravely on, however. + +The light rose higher above the surface. It was now almost ahead. Then +another streamed forth from a port. Presently Nettleship's voice rang +out clear and loud-- + +"Ship ahoy! What ship is it?" + +"His Britannic Majesty's ship _Hector_. What boat is that?" came over +the water. + +Nettleship replied. + +Presently the order sounded out from aboard the ship-- + +"Raise tacks and sheets! clew up mainsail and foresail! Let fly +topgallant-sheets!" + +The wind having fallen, the ship soon lost her way, and we pulled up +alongside. A light gleamed through the entrance port, and ready hands, +coming down, quickly assisted us up on deck, while the boat was secured, +for none of us had much strength left to help ourselves. + +Nettleship, Tom, and I were at once conducted to the upper deck, where +we found the gallant commander of the _Hector_, Captain Bouchier, to +whom Nettleship at once gave a brief account of what had happened. + +"We have reason to be thankful that we escaped the gale, Drury," said +the captain, turning to an officer in a captain's uniform standing near +him. "We should to a certainty have shared the fate of many others." + +Captain Bouchier made this remark, I found, in consequence of the +unseaworthy condition of his ship. To enable her to perform the voyage, +before she sailed from Jamaica she had had twenty-two of her guns taken +out of her, and her masts replaced by others of smaller dimensions. Her +crew amounted in all to scarcely three hundred men, many of whom were +invalids, and others French and American prisoners, who had volunteered +to assist in working the ship. + +As soon as Nettleship had finished his account, the captain directed +that we should be taken below, and hammocks slung for us. + +"I would advise you to turn in, young gentlemen, as soon as you have had +some food," he said, as we were leaving. + +He also ordered that our boat's crew should be well looked after. The +surgeon, who was summoned, went to attend to them, and to prevent them +from being overfed, or overdosed with grog, which to a certainty they +would otherwise have been by the seamen of the ship. As I was going +down to the orlop deck, Larry came aft, supported by two men, with his +fiddle-case under his arm. + +"Och, Mr Terence," he said, "I'm mighty glad to find ourselves safe +aboard a big ship again, and to see you all right. It is more than I +thought to do since our own went down with all her brave boys, barrin' +ourselves." + +The doctor, finding that we did not require much of his assistance, +attended to Larry and the other men, who appeared far more knocked up +than we were, and they were at once sent to their hammocks. We were +ushered into the gun-room by the master's mate, who accompanied us. +Here we found a number of midshipmen seated at a table, employed in +various ways. They greeted us warmly, and were all eager to know our +adventures, which we told them while discussing the meal placed before +us. Scarcely, however, had I finished eating, when my head dropped on +the table, and there I should have sat, had not one of the +assistant-surgeons aroused me and advised me to turn in. I slept on, as +did Nettleship and Tom, till the hammocks were piped up next morning, +and, if left alone, should not have awoke for hours afterwards. + +We all three, though still weak, felt pretty well able to get about, and +were in reality in a better state than many of the officers and men, who +were suffering from the effect of the West Indian climate. I never saw +so pale and haggard a crew. We were treated with the greatest kindness +by our new messmates, and Nettleship was asked into the ward-room, to +give a further account of what had happened to us. We had indeed ample +reason to be thankful for our preservation, when so many on board our +own and other ships had perished. + +In a couple of days we were as well as ever, and, as many of the mates +and midshipmen were too ill to do duty, we were directed to take their +places. Larry, as usual, made himself at home with his fiddle, and soon +set the seamen and French prisoners jigging away, as he had done on +board other ships. + +We were standing on with all the canvas the battered old _Hector_ could +carry, with the wind from the southward, when the look-out aloft +announced two sail away to leeward. One of the lieutenants, with his +telescope on his back, immediately went to the main-topmast cross-trees +to have a look at them. + +"As far as I can make out, they are two frigates, sir, coming up before +the wind," he said to the captain when he came down. + +"Are they English or French?" asked the captain. "According to my +judgment, sir, they are French," was the answer. + +The captain took a few turns on deck, and then again sent aloft. The +lieutenant, on his return, pronounced his opinion more decidedly that +they were French, and both large frigates. The captain on this ordered +the drum to beat to quarters, and the usual preparations were made for +battle. Evening was approaching, and it might be well on in the night +before the enemy could be up to us. + +Although the _Hector_ was a 74-gun ship, she in reality only carried +fifty-two guns, and, from her battered condition, was not fit to cope +even with a single frigate. Still our brave captain determined to +struggle to the last. She being a heavy sailer, the two frigates came +rapidly up with us, and there was no doubt from their appearance that +they were enemies, although we could not as yet see their ensigns. All +doubt on that score was dissipated, when, in a short time, French flags +were run up at their peaks. The prisoners were accordingly ordered +below and placed under sentries, while the captain went along the decks +encouraging the men. They received him with cheerful countenances as he +appeared, promising to do their best to beat the enemy. I asked +Nettleship what he thought would be the result of the contest. + +"Heaven only knows!" he answered; "but there's one thing, I'm certain +that our fellows will fight to the last. I never saw a crew, though so +many of them are sick, more resolute or full of pluck." + +The leading frigate, now coming up on our starboard quarter, opened +fire, and we, luffing up, returned it with our aftermost guns. She then +ranged up abeam, while her consort placed herself on our larboard +quarter, so that we could not luff up again without being raked by the +other. We, however, could fight our starboard broadside, and +occasionally could bring some of our larboard guns to bear on the enemy +on that side. We could now see that each frigate mounted forty guns, +their decks being crowded with men; indeed, they together mustered more +than double our complement. These were fearful odds, but Captain +Bouchier and his crew seemed in no way daunted. The men ran the guns in +and out as fast as they could load them, but the enemy's shot came +crashing aboard, committing fearful havoc in all parts of the ship. The +French must have known, from our smaller masts and spars, that we were +likely to be short-handed, and also soon discovered the small number of +guns we carried. + +Though I saw numbers struck down around me, I never for one instant +thought of myself or expected to be killed. The surgeons below soon had +their hands full, as one poor fellow after another was carried down to +the cockpit. The dead were left where they fell, for all were too busy +to remove them. The enemy generally fired at our hull rather than at +our spars. + +I was standing near Nettleship, when I heard him exclaim-- + +"Here comes one of them alongside us." + +I looked out of a port, and there saw the frigate on the starboard beam +dropping so close that I could distinguish the countenances of the +people on her deck. + +Presently the voice of the captain sounded loud and clear-- + +"Boarders! repel boarders!" + +Our crew, leaving the guns on the starboard side, seized their weapons; +some stood armed with cutlasses and pistols, others with pikes, at the +place where the Frenchmen were likely to try and gain a footing on our +deck. Our larboard guns were still replying to the fire of the frigate +on that quarter; but she now making sail, ranged up alongside, +receiving, however, a heavy fire from our guns as she did so. A large +body of her men, with the soldiers, stood on the forecastle, ready to +leap aboard. + +"You must drive those fellows back," cried Nettleship. "Come on, my +lads," he shouted to such of the men as were near him, among whom was +Larry. Tom also, who saw what we were about, quickly joined us. + +Just as the first Frenchman sprang on to our deck, Nettleship's sword +cut him down. Others, however, followed, but our men fought +desperately. Though the enemy came rushing on board, not an inch of +ground did they gain. + +Presently, a big fellow--the boatswain, apparently, from his dress-- +joined his shipmates, and attacked Nettleship. I saw another close +behind him, aiming a pistol at his head. I sprang forward and knocked +it up just as it exploded, and the next moment dealt the Frenchman a +blow on his sword arm, which saved Nettleship's life. The fellow whose +pistol I had knocked up, however, had his cutlass uplifted to strike me +down, when Larry, who was by my side, parried the blow with his cutlass, +and, though he got a severe wound, he brought the man to the deck by a +blow which he gave the next moment. Others of our crew now coming to +our assistance, we drove back the enemy, who had nearly gained a +footing. + +The fight all the time was going on fiercely on the starboard side, and +we could not tell whether the Frenchmen were getting the best of it. + +As we had begun the action with but three hundred men, many of whom had +been killed or wounded, and invalids who had scarcely strength to handle +their weapons, and the French had upwards of six hundred, it might be +seen that our chance of success was very small indeed. Our men, +however, fought with the most desperate courage. Captain Bouchier, with +Captain Drury--who was a passenger--and several of the lieutenants, +headed the men on the starboard side in repelling the enemy; while the +master and two of the other lieutenants and the purser encouraged those +on our side of the deck. + +Directly the Frenchmen had been driven back, the second lieutenant, +calling off a portion of the men, hurried to the guns, when their +thundering roar, with the crashing sounds which followed, showed us that +their shot were creating a dire effect on the bows of our antagonist. +All this time a withering fire of musketry had been kept up on us from a +body of troops stationed on the forecastles of the French frigates, and +many of our poor fellows had been struck down. + +Again and again the Frenchmen attempted to gain a footing on our deck, +some springing down from the fore-rigging, others clambering up from the +forecastle, and all the time the guns roaring, the musketry and pistols +rattling, the cutlasses clashing, the men shouting and shrieking, while +the ships surged against each other with tremendous crashes,--many of +the Frenchmen who were driven overboard being crushed to death between +them. This continued, not for the few minutes which it has taken me to +describe the scene, but for an hour or more, and it seemed sometimes +that all the three ships must go down together. + +Our marines were not idle, for some stationed on the forecastle, and +others on the poop, kept up a hot fire on the enemy. + +At length our ship tore herself from her two antagonists almost at the +same moment; and they apparently gave up all hopes of taking us by +boarding, as they didn't attempt again to come close alongside, though +their fire was even more destructive than at first, for now one passed +under our stern and raked us, now the other performed the same +manoeuvre; while we, with our braces shot away, our masts and yards +injured, and our sails shot through and torn, were unable to move with +sufficient swiftness to avoid them. + +Already numbers of our men had fallen. I frequently looked round to see +how it fared with Larry, Tom Pim, and Nettleship, and was thankful to +find them still actively engaged at the guns, at which most of the +officers were assisting the men. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +OLD ENGLAND AGAIN. + +Occasionally, as the French ships were manoeuvring, alternately passing +either ahead or astern of us, there was a cessation of firing, but it +was only for a short time. Again their shot came crashing aboard. + +I observed Captain Bouchier not far from me, when, just as we were +receiving a raking broadside, he staggered, and would have fallen to the +deck, had not the purser sprang forward and caught him. Directly +afterwards, the latter, summoning two men, the captain was carried +below. + +On this, Captain Drury, shouting, "Keep at it, my lads! We'll beat them +off yet!" took his place, and issued the necessary orders. + +Again the Frenchmen ranged up as before,--one on our beam and the other +on our quarter,--and made another attempt to board. Captain Drury, +leading our men on the starboard side, while our first lieutenant +commanded those on the other, drove them back, many falling dead on our +deck and others overboard. In a few minutes we again separated. + +For four hours the action had continued (it appeared to me to be much +longer), when, as the smoke from the guns cleared away, I saw that day +was breaking. + +As it showed the enemy more clearly than before our shattered and weak +condition, I could not help fearing that they would again renew the +attack, with every prospect of success. + +From the numbers of the poor fellows who had been carried below wounded, +and the many who lay stretched dead on the deck in all directions, I +fancied that we must have lost half of our crew, while it seemed to me +that at any moment our shattered spars would come tumbling down on deck. +The fore-topmast hung over the bows, the main-yard was nearly cut in +two, and not a sail remained whole. Still Captain Drury and the other +officers went about encouraging the men to persevere. + +When daylight increased, however, and we saw our two antagonists in +comparison to our ship but slightly injured, we knew how desperate was +our condition, yet our men stood sturdily to their guns, and blazed away +as they could be brought to bear. + +While watching the two frigates, I observed signals exchanged between +them, and almost immediately afterwards, to our astonishment, they +hauled their tacks aboard, and stood away from us. Our nearly exhausted +crew, on seeing this, cheered again and again. + +"We must not be too sure that they don't intend to come back again when +they have repaired damages, and renew the fight," said Nettleship to me. + +"We will hope for the best, and if they do, try to beat them off again," +I answered. + +"That's the right spirit, Paddy," said Nettleship. "Please Heaven, we +shall do so." + +"Hurrah! hurrah! We've licked the Frenchmen," I heard Larry shouting. +"Give them another cheer, boys! Hurrah! hurrah!" and the men round him +joined in his hurrahs. + +The men were still allowed to remain at their quarters, for it was yet +difficult to say what the enemy would do next. We watched them +anxiously, for even the most fire-eating of our men had no wish for more +fighting, as by no possibility could we hope to capture either of the +frigates. When some way astern they joined company, and we saw them +standing to the westward. They got farther and farther off, and +gradually their hulls sank below the horizon. We were now ordered to +secure the guns. This done, the dead hove overboard, and the decks +washed down, all hands were employed in knotting and securing the +running and standing rigging, and strengthening the wounded spars. I +asked one of the assistant-surgeons, who came on deck to get a little +fresh air, if he knew how the captain was going on. + +"He has a desperate wound in the arm, but is likely to do well," he +answered. + +He told me, besides, that there were six-and-twenty wounded men below, +while nineteen had been killed. From the number of shot the Frenchmen +fired at us, I supposed that we had lost many more. A large proportion +of the shot, however, had flown over our heads, and injured only our +sails and rigging. The ship was but partially put to rights when +another night closed in. I found it difficult enough even during my +watch to keep my eyes open, and the moment I turned in to my hammock I +was fast asleep. I suspect that all on board, both officers and men, +were equally drowsy. I had not to turn out again till the hammocks were +piped up. + +When I came on deck I found that the weather had changed. Dark clouds +were rushing across the sky, the sea had got up, and the ship was +rolling and pitching into it. The wind was from the southward. Two +reefs had been taken in the topsails, but from the way the ship heeled +over it was evident that she had more canvas on her than she could +carry. + +Captain Drury had just come on deck. + +"We must shorten sail," he said to the first lieutenant. + +"Hands aloft," he shouted. + +Just at that moment, as the men were about to spring into the rigging, a +tremendous blast struck the ship, and over she heeled. + +"Up with the helm!" cried Captain Drury. + +The ship did not answer it, but heeled over more and more. I thought +she was about to share the fate of the _Cerberus_, The moment afterwards +a heavy sea came roaring up, a succession of crashes was heard, the +masts went by the board, and she rose on an even keel, the wheel flying +round and sending the men at it across the deck. The rudder had been +carried away, and the ship lay a helpless wreck on the stormy ocean. + +The men looked at each other, with blank dismay in their countenances, +but our brave commander did his best to conceal his anxiety, and the +officers followed his example. + +"Clear away the wreck, lads; the gale won't last long, and when the wind +goes down we must try to get up jury-masts and repair the rudder," he +cried out. + +All hands were now employed in trying to save some of the spars, and to +cut the masts clear, for their butts were striking with fearful force on +our larboard side, already shattered by the shot of the enemy. While we +were thus employed, the carpenter and his mates, who had been below, +came on deck, and went up to the captain. I saw by his looks as he +passed me that something was the matter. Directly afterwards the order +was given to man the pumps, and they were set clanging away as fast as +they could be made to work. The quantity of water gushing out showed +that the ship must be leaking at a rapid rate. There was so much work +to do that but few words were spoken. I happened to meet Larry. + +"Cheer up, Mr Terence," he exclaimed. "Things look mighty bad; but +though our ship went to the bottom we were saved, and I'm after hoping +that we'll be saved again. It would be hard to have beaten the enemy +and yet to lose her." + +"I don't expect that we shall do that," I answered. "The wind is fair +for Nova Scotia, and when we get up jury-masts and rig a new rudder, we +may be able to get her along." + +Though I said this, I confess that I was not very sure about it. Things +didn't improve. The sea increased, the wind blew stronger and stronger, +and though the pumps were kept going without cessation, we could not get +the water under. It came in faster and faster. The reports from the +sick bay were also disheartening. Several of the poor fellows who had +left their hammocks to fight had since succumbed, and many others were +following them. The wounded, who might have done well under other +circumstances, dropped off one by one. The only satisfactory +intelligence was the state of the captain, who, though so badly wounded, +was progressing favourably. The day after the gale commenced ten men +died, and the following a still larger number. It was sad to see them +lashed in their hammocks as they were slid overboard. There was no time +for any funeral ceremonies. Even the healthiest among us looked pale +and broken in spirits. On the fourth or fifth day, I think it was, from +that on which the gale commenced, the purser's steward, on getting up +provisions, found that the salt water had spoiled all the bread, while +many of the casks with fresh water had broken loose and their contents +were lost. + +To try and stop the leaks, Captain Drury ordered the only spare mainsail +to be fothered and drawn under the ship's bottom. To prepare it a +quantity of oakum was spread over the sail, and stitched down by the +sail-makers, thus forming what seemed like an enormous mat. This was +lowered over the bows, and gradually hauled under the ship's bottom, +where the leaks were supposed to be the worst. We all looked anxiously +for the result. Though, in addition to the pumps, a gang of men were +set to bale, the water still continued to gain on us. In spite of this, +neither officers nor men appeared to lose heart. + +"The gale will come to an end some day," cried Captain Drury, "and we +must keep the ship afloat till then. We should be cowards to give in." + +He did his best to speak in his usual cheery tone, but even his voice +was more husky than usual, and it was easy to see that he didn't say +what he thought. At last many of the men were seen to desert the pumps. + +"Come, Paddy," said Tom Pim, "we must not let them do that. You and I +will take their places and shame them back." + +We turned to, and worked away till our arms ached. "Spell ho!" we +cried, and, catching hold of two men, we dragged them back to the pumps. +Nettleship did the same with others. The lieutenants were constantly +going about trying to keep the crew at work. Some of them behaved +exactly as those aboard the _Cerberus_ had done before she was lost, and +were about to lash themselves into their hammocks. The first lieutenant +and the boatswain, going round, quickly routed them out, and they +returned to their duty, either to pump or bale. + +The carpenter and his mates, assisted by the boatswain, were attempting +to get at the leaks, but even they at last abandoned their efforts on +finding them hopeless. + +Captain Drury, who had been to visit Captain Bouchier, now returned on +deck, and ordered the guns to be hove overboard to lighten the ship. +All hands not engaged in pumping were employed in this duty. One by one +they were sent plunging into the sea, and the big seventy-four was left +at the mercy of the smallest privateer afloat. This gave the ship +relief, and our hopes rose of saving her. Of late we had been on the +smallest possible allowance of water, and now, to our dismay, the purser +announced that the last cask was expended. Nor could wine or spirits be +got at owing to the quantity of water in the hold. We had beef and +pork, but the bread was all spoiled; thus, even should we keep the ship +afloat, we ran the risk of dying of hunger and thirst. Of the crew of +the _Hector_, which had consisted of three hundred men when my +companions and I got on board, nearly one hundred had been killed in +action, or had since died, and still others were dropping off fast. + +Day after day went by. We had known when in the boat what it was to +suffer from thirst, but I now felt it more severely. Even Nettleship +owned to me that he didn't think he could get through another day. + +"I don't know whether either of us will survive, Paddy," he said, "but +if you do, I want you to write to my mother and sister, who live near +Plymouth, to tell them what happened to me, and that I thought of them +to the last; and should be thankful if you could just get some one to +let the Admiralty know that Jack Nettleship did his duty while life +remained." + +I tried to cheer him up, at the same time promising to carry out his +wishes if I should survive him. I fancy a good many, both of officers +and men, were feeling as he did. Still, no one I saw showed any signs +of cowardly apprehension. Our chief work was now to keep the men at the +pumps and baling. It was only by the constant efforts of the officers +that they could be induced to remain at their stations; and when "Spell +ho!" was cried, and a fresh gang was ordered to take their places, the +people relieved staggered away, and fell down on the deck like drunken +men. The others, after labouring away for some time, relaxed in their +exertions. Nettleship and I were standing near, occasionally taking a +turn to help them. One poor fellow fell down. We ran forward to lift +him up, but he was dead. We could only just drag him out of the way and +call to another to take his place. Before many minutes were over +another fell in the same way, dying at the post of duty, as heroically +as if he had been standing at his gun. One of the lieutenants, who just +then came up, called the surgeon to examine them. He came at once, but +his efforts proved ineffectual to restore the men, and they were soon +sent to join a number of their shipmates in their ocean grave. Two or +three others, I heard, died in the same manner, when I was not present. +The gun-room had become uninhabitable from the water washing through it. +We had to move up to the ward-room. The deck below us was fast +sinking. The carpenter reported that some of the beams of the orlop +deck had fallen into the hold, though they must have done so gradually, +for we had heard no sound to account for what had taken place. Indeed, +the loud noise of the seas beating against the ship, and the water +washing about in the hold, prevented any noises except the loudest from +being heard. We all now knew that the ship was sinking. Only by the +greatest exertions could she be kept afloat to prolong our lives for a +few hours. Still no one talked of giving in. + +Captain Bouchier, wounded as he was, got up and went about, encouraging +both officers and men. The spirit he and Captain Drury displayed +encouraged us all. For three days we had none of us tasted a drop of +water or spirits. We could judge by our own sufferings the fearful +agonies the sick and wounded must be enduring. Not one would have +survived, had not the surgeon discovered a few bottles of claret, which +the captain insisted should be reserved for them, and though he required +it as much as any one, he would not touch a drop himself. + +The third day since the water had been exhausted came to an end, and few +of us expected to see another sunrise. That night was a dreadful one. +The loud lashing of the sea against the side, the creaking of the +bulkheads, the ominous sounds which came from the depths of the ship, +the groans and cries of the sick and dying, heard at intervals, the +ceaseless clanging of the pumps, rang in our ears as we lay, during our +watch below, on our damp beds extended on the ward-room deck. The +night, however, did come to an end, and we found ourselves still alive, +though the ship had evidently sunk lower since the previous day. I +joined Nettleship on deck, for we naturally kept together as much as we +could. I found that the wind was still blowing strongly, and the sea +running high, although it had lately somewhat gone down. Nothing could +be seen around but the leaden-coloured foaming seas rising and sinking +between us and the horizon. On comparing notes, my two messmates and I +agreed that we didn't suffer nearly so much from thirst as we had done +in the boat. Such provisions as could be got at were served out, but +none of us cared much for food, though we ate what we could to keep up +our strength. We were soon summoned to watch and assist the men at the +pumps and buckets, for even now, not for an instant were they allowed to +relax in their exertions. Captain Bouchier, weak as he was, went +frequently amongst them. + +"Keep at it, my lads!" cried Nettleship; "while there's life there's +hope. If we can keep the ship afloat for a short time longer, it may +make all the difference whether we save our lives or perish. Cheer up, +lads, cheer up! Show that you're British seamen to the last!" + +The men uttered a faint cheer when the captain, leaning on the purser's +arm, returned. + +Captain Drury, who had fought the ship so bravely after Captain Bouchier +was wounded, was the life and soul of all on board. + +Noon had passed, and still the stout ship lay rolling in the trough of +the sea. Inch by inch the water was rising, and we knew that if we were +to cease pumping and baling, it would gain upon us still more rapidly. + +Already despair could be seen on nearly every countenance. +Notwithstanding, few, if any, flinched from their work. Those who +spoke, talked of home and friends whom they never expected to see again. +Some shook hands, believing that at any moment the ship might make the +last fatal plunge, and sink beneath the waves. + +Larry was now like my shadow, wherever I went, he followed, no one +preventing him, except when he had to take his turn at the pumps or +buckets. + +Some of the officers had written letters addressed to friends or +relatives, and were enclosing them in bottles headed up in small casks, +so that some record might be preserved of our fate. Nettleship had +prepared one. + +"Have you anything to say to your friends at Ballinahone, Paddy?" he +asked. + +"Yes; beg your mother to write to them, and say that I send my love to +all, not forgetting my uncle the major, and that I have been thinking +much of them to-day," I answered, as well as I could speak with the +choking sensation in my throat. + +"And please, Mr Nettleship, may I be so bold as to axe you to put in a +word about Larry Harrigan, and to say that he stuck to Mr Terence to +the last, and that if he couldn't save him, it wasn't the will that was +wanting, but the cruel say was too much for us at last." + +"And put in a word to my family,--you know their address," said Tom; +"just my love, and that I was thinking of them. They'll know that I was +likely to have done my duty as far as I could, so I won't trouble you +with a longer message." + +Just as Nettleship had returned to the gun-room to add the messages to +his letter, there came a shout from the poop-- + +"A sail! a sail!" + +Many of the officers rushed up to take a look at her. Tom Pim and I +followed them. We could make her out clearly,--a small vessel, right +away to windward. The question was whether she would see us. + +Captain Drury also had his telescope on her. + +Now she was hidden by the seas which rose up between us; now she came +clearly into view, her hull almost visible. + +"She's standing this way," said Captain Drury, "and I believe has made +us out, but of that we can't be certain. However, we must not relax in +our efforts to keep the ship afloat, for it may be many hours before we +can get aboard her." + +I should have said that we had had a spar secured to the stump of the +mainmast, to which an ensign with a jack downwards had been nailed from +the first, in the hopes of attracting the attention of any passing +vessel. + +Captain Bouchier, who had been informed that a sail was in sight, now +came up to have a look at her, but almost immediately went down again +among the men. + +"Lads," he said, "your exertions will be rewarded, I hope; but you must +not slacken in them, or your labours may be thrown away. We may keep +the ship afloat many hours longer if you bale and pump as sturdily as +heretofore. By that time the sea may have gone down, and we may manage +to get aboard the vessel in her boats, though she probably will not +venture alongside." + +The men received his address with a faint cheer, and turned to again at +the pumps, while those employed in baling passed the buckets to and fro +with greater alacrity even than before. + +I occasionally ran up on deck to see how near she was getting. I know +my heart bounded when I saw the English flag flying out at her peak. +She appeared to be a good-sized merchantman, a "snow," and I heard some +of the officers who had been looking through their glasses say that she +had guns aboard. + +On hearing my report when I returned, some of the men burst into tears, +others shouted for joy and shook each other by the hand, believing that +our deliverance was near. + +Night was now coming on. The sea still ran too high to allow of boats +laden with men to pass from one vessel to the other. For the same +reason it was impossible for the stranger to come near enough to take +any of us off. Many would very probably perish in the attempt, even if +the snow should escape being hove against us and stove in. + +Again I ran up. All those on deck were now stretching out their hands +towards her. She came close enough for the voice of her captain--who +stood on the poop--to be heard through his speaking-trumpet. + +"I'll stay by you during the night," he shouted. "The sea is going +down. In the morning I'll take you off,--please God." + +The last words reached us as the stranger surged by, close under our +lee. She then hove-to at a safe distance. Eager eyes were turned +towards her before the light altogether faded away, and many looked as +if they were tempted to leap overboard and swim to her. Thirsty, +hungry, and weary as we were, we would gladly have knocked off baling; +but the captain wisely ordered us to keep at it as long as we remained +on board. + +"You can't tell, my lads, when the bucketful will leak in that will send +her to the bottom," he said, and the men again turned to. He ordered, +however, the carpenter to patch up such of the boats as could be made +serviceable enough to float even for a short time, so that they might be +employed in carrying us aboard the snow. Without the masts the launch +could not be got off the deck, but we had three other boats fit to be +repaired; all the others had been completely knocked to pieces. No one +slept at all events during that night, for we were all kept spell and +spell at the pumps and buckets. The certainty that relief was at hand +if we kept afloat, inspired us with renewed strength. When morning +dawned the snow came as close as she could venture. Three of her boats +approached and pulled towards us. The order was now given for the men +to prepare for leaving the ship. Sentries were placed at the gangways +to prevent any crowding in till they received the order to go down the +side, but this was unnecessary. The few survivors of the sick and +wounded were first lowered into the boats, with the surgeons to attend +them. The boys and midshipmen were then ordered to go down the side, +the names of all being called in succession. As soon as the snow's +boats were filled and had pulled away, ours were lowered. Tom Pim and I +went, with Larry, in one of them, Nettleship having charge of her. I +looked up at the old ship. She seemed to be settling fast. The water +came out of the scuppers, showing that, according to the captain's +orders, the hands were still at the pumps. There was no hurry, yet all +was done rapidly. The moment we shoved off our crew gave way, and we +were soon aboard the snow. While Nettleship returned for more men, Tom +and I stood watching them anxiously. It seemed even now that before +they could escape the ship would go down. Though the sea had much +decreased, there was no little danger, while the boats were alongside +the _Hector_, of their being swamped. As fast as they could the boats +went backwards and forwards, taking their cargoes in through the lower +ports. I saw Captain Drury and the first lieutenant pressing Captain +Bouchier to leave the ship, but in spite of his wound he insisted on +remaining to the last. Our men, as they arrived, stood watching the +ship from the deck of the snow, and gave a cheer as they saw him +descending, the last man, into the cutter, for they knew that not a soul +was left on board the gallant _Hector_, Scarcely had the captain been +helped up the side, than we saw the ship's head begin to sink. Lower +and lower it went, then down she plunged, her ensign flying from the +spar secured to the stump of her mainmast, streaming upwards, alone +showing us the spot where she was sinking into the depths of the ocean. +A groan escaped from the breasts of many of those who had long sailed in +her. We found that we were on board the _Hawk_ snow, a letter-of-marque +belonging to Dartmouth, Captain John Hill, and bound from Lisbon to +Saint John's, Newfoundland. When Captain Bouchier expressed his +gratitude to the master for receiving him and his people, the reply +was-- + +"Don't talk of it, sir; I'm but doing my duty. I would wish to be +treated the same way by others." + +Besides his own crew of five-and-twenty men, he had now two hundred of +the _Hector's_ on board. We had brought neither provisions nor water, +and were still many a long league from our port. The _Hawk_ had +fortunately hitherto had a quick passage. We had, therefore, more +provisions and water on board than would otherwise have been the case. +Still two hundred mouths in addition was a large number to feed, yet +neither the captain nor his ship's company grumbled or made the +slightest complaint. To stow us all away was the difficulty. To solve +it, the captain at once ordered his men to heave overboard the more +bulky portion of his cargo. His owners, he said, would not complain, +for he himself was the principal one, and he trusted to the justice of +his country to replace his loss. We were, of course, put on an +allowance, but after the starvation we had endured, it appeared +abundance. Even when the cargo had been got rid of it was unpleasantly +close stowing for most of us, but we had great reason to be thankful to +Heaven for having escaped with our lives. The officers and crew of the +_Hawk_ treated us with the greatest kindness; most of our poor fellows, +indeed, required help, and were unable to move about the deck by +themselves. The wind, however, continued fair, and those who had +abundant sleep recovered their spirits. Still several died, worn out by +fatigue and sickness. We were safe for the present, and we did not +allow ourselves to recollect that another gale might spring up before we +could reach Saint John's, to which port we were bound, or that contrary +winds might keep us from our port, and that, after all, we might perish +from hunger and thirst. I was talking of what we should do when we got +ashore. + +"Wait till we are there, Paddy," said Nettleship. "I don't say that we +shall not reach it, but we may not. That noble fellow, Hill, knows that +such may be the case as well as I do; and I admire his calmness, and the +care he takes not to show us that he fears he and his people may suffer +the fate from which they rescued our ship's company. You see they are +all put on the same allowance that we are, yet not one of them +complains." + +I heartily agreed with him. Shortly afterwards I asked Nettleship what +he had done with his letter. + +"I left it in the cask aboard, Paddy," he answered. "So in case we're +lost, our friends will know our whereabouts, though they'll not hear of +our being rescued, and the chance we have had of escaping; but that +won't matter much, though I should like to have made Hill's conduct +known." + +Never, perhaps, did seamen watch the weather more anxiously than we did. +Our lives, as far as we could see, depended on the winds. Already the +stock of provisions and water was getting low, and it was necessary to +diminish the allowance of both. Still the crew of the _Hawk_ would only +receive the same quantity that we did. The sun rose and set, and again +rose, and we sailed on. Mr Hill met us each morning at breakfast, his +honest countenance beaming with kindness, and jocularly apologised for +the scantiness of the fare. Even he, however, one morning looked grave; +the wind had fallen, and we lay becalmed. He had good reason to be +grave, for he knew what we did not, that he had only one cask of water +left, and provisions scarcely sufficient for a couple of days. + +"I have come away without fish-hooks," he observed. "If I had had them, +gentlemen, I might have given you cod for dinner; and I promise you I'll +never be without them again, when I make this voyage." + +"Then I only hope, captain, that you'll take us up again if we happen to +have our ship sinking under us," I said, at which there was a general +laugh. + +As we had nothing else to do, all hands employed themselves in whistling +for a breeze. Just before the sun again rose, a cheering shout was +heard from the masthead-- + +"Land! land!" + +In a short time the rocky coast of Newfoundland rose on the larboard +bow, and we stood along to the northward for Saint John's harbour, on +the east coast. Before evening we were passing through the Narrows, a +passage leading to the harbour, with perpendicular precipices rising to +a considerable height on either side. Passing under Fort Amhurst, a +voice came off hailing-- + +"Where are you from? What length of passage?" + +The answer announcing, "We have on board the officers and crew of H.M.S. +_Hector_," evidently caused considerable excitement, and signals were +made to a post on the top of a lofty hill on the right side, whence the +information was conveyed to the town. + +Before we dropped our anchor, the last cask of water was emptied, the +last particle of food consumed. + +The moment we brought up, the vessel was surrounded by boats, the news +of our arrival having preceded us. Before landing, all the officers +again expressed their thanks to our gallant preserver, who, I hope, +received the reward he so well merited, from our Government, we +ourselves being unable to offer him any. None of us, indeed, had more +than the clothes we wore, and a few articles we had been able to carry +off with us from the wreck. + +We were received with the greatest kindness and hospitality by the +inhabitants of Saint John's. Nettleship, Tom, and I were lodged +together in the house of a merchant, whose wife and daughters, pitying +our condition, did everything they could to restore us to health. +Certainly we were very unlike the gay midshipmen we appeared when we +sailed from Jamaica. Both the young ladies were very nice girls; but +Tom confided to me that his heart had become hard as adamant since +Lucy's cruel treatment of him. + +"It will soften by and by, Tom," I answered, laughing, though I could +not say that I felt mine inclined to yield to their attractions. + +We agreed, however, that Nettleship, as we thought, would knock under. +What might have been the case I don't know; but as soon as the men had +somewhat recovered from their hardships,--there being no man-o'-war +likely to call off the place,--the captain chartered two merchant brigs +to convey himself and the survivors of the _Hector_ to Halifax, Nova +Scotia, whence he expected to get a passage home for us to England. +Nettleship, Tom, and I, accompanied by Larry, had to go on board the +_Jane_, one of the vessels, of which Captain Drury went in charge; while +Captain Bouchier, though still not recovered from his wound, went in the +other, the _John Thomas_. + +I did not mention it at the time, but Larry had managed to save his +riddle uninjured when he left the _Hector_, and his appearance with it +under his arm afforded no small amount of satisfaction to the crew of +the _Jane_. + +The _John Thomas_ proved a much faster sailer than the brig, and soon +ran ahead of us. We had just lost sight of Cape Race when a sail was +made out, standing towards us from the southward. + +"I don't like her looks," observed Nettleship to me, as she approached. +"I shouldn't be surprised if she proves to be a French privateer." + +The captain appeared to be of this opinion, for, after: examining the +stranger through his glass, he ordered all the sail we could carry to be +set, and stood away right before the wind, to the north-west. The +stranger, however, came up with us hand over hand. In a short time the +French ensign was seen blowing out at her peak, leaving no doubt as to +her character. + +"We must not be taken, lads. I trust to you to fight to the last, +before we strike our flag," cried the captain. + +The crew cheered, and promised to do their best. + +The _Jane_ had six nine-pounders, while the enemy carried twice as many +guns, evidently of much heavier metal. As a few men only were required +to work them, the captain ordered the rest to go under shelter. Tom and +I were among those ordered below. In a short time we heard our guns go +off, and the shot of the enemy came rattling on board. Presently there +came a crash, and we guessed that the privateer had run us alongside. + +"On deck, lads!" cried the captain. "Boarders, repel boarders." + +At the summons we eagerly rushed up through every hatchway, to see a +number of Frenchmen swarming on board; but they didn't get far beyond +the bulwarks before they were driven back, we in return boarding them. +Tom and I led our men into the fore part of the vessel. More and more +of our fellows followed. The Frenchmen gave way, some leaped below, +others ran aft, where they encountered Nettleship and his party; in less +than five minutes the privateer was ours, and Larry, shouting-- + +"Wallop-a-hoo-aboo! Erin go bragh!" hauled down her colours. + +The enemy had so completely been taken by surprise, that they had +offered but a slight resistance, and few, therefore, had lost their +lives, while we had only half a dozen wounded. Captain Drury, with +two-thirds of our men, went on board the prize, retaining the larger +number of our prisoners; while Nettleship, Tom, and I remained in the +_Jane_, with orders to follow close astern. + +"We must take care, Paddy, that our prisoners don't play us the same +trick yours played you," said Nettleship. "They would like to try it, +no doubt." + +We had thirty prisoners to look after. + +"I'll take remarkably good care that they don't do that," I answered; +"and to make sure, it would be as well to keep them in durance vile till +we reach Halifax." + +The Frenchmen grumbled at finding that they were to have their arms +lashed behind them, and be kept below under charge of a couple of +sentries. They were somewhat more contented when we fed them carefully, +and told them that it was because we considered them brave fellows, and +felt sure that if they had the opportunity they would take the brig from +us, that we were obliged to treat them so unceremoniously. Fortunately +the wind held fair, and we had a quick passage to Halifax, where we +arrived before the harbour was frozen up. Of course we gained great +credit for our last exploit at that favourite naval station. + +We found the _Maidstone_ frigate just about to sail for England, on +board of which all who were well enough were ordered home. We were +pretty considerably crowded, but we were a merry set, and had plenty to +talk about. The midshipmen of the _Maidstone_, which had been for some +time at Halifax, spoke warmly of the kindness they had received, and of +the fascinations of the young ladies of the place, except an old mate +and an assistant-surgeon, who declared that they had been abominably +treated, and jilted by half-a-dozen whose hearts they thought they had +won. + +Old Grumpus, the master's mate, was especially bitter. "Look here," he +said, producing a sketch which he had made. "See these old ladies +seated on chairs on the quay, watching their daughters fishing. There +are a dozen girls at least, with long rods and hooks, baited with all +sorts of odds and ends. And see what sort of fish they're after,--naval +officers--marine officers--and of all ranks, from an admiral down to a +young midshipman. And there's a stout dame--she can't be called a young +lady exactly--casting her hook towards a sturdy boatswain. + +"`Look here,' one of them cries out, `mother, mother, I've got a bite.' + +"`Play him, my dear,' cries the mother, `till you see what he is.' + +"`Oh, mother, mother!' she cries out presently, `I've caught a +midshipman.' + +"`Throw him in, my dear, he's no good,' answered the old lady. + +"Presently another sings out, `Mother, I've got a bite. I'm sure it's +from a lieutenant, from the way he pulls.' + +"`Let him hang on a little, my dear,' says the mother; `may be if you +see a commander or a post-captain swimming by, you may cast him off, and +hook one of the others instead.' + +"Presently a fourth cries out, `Oh, mother, I've hooked a captain!' + +"`Run, Jane, run, and help your sister to land him,' cries Mrs +Thingamebob; and just see the way they're doing it, so as not to +frighten him, and make him turn tail. + +"At last another shouts, `Mother, I've hooked a master's mate.' + +"`Then go and cut the line, Susan. Don't let Nancy land that brute, on +any account. He's the worst of the lot.' + +"And so it goes on," exclaimed old Grumpus. "However, to my mind +they're all alike. Why, while we have been there a dozen officers from +different ships have been and got spliced. It's lucky for you fellows +that you were not there long, or you would have been and done it, and +repented it all your lives afterwards." + +During the voyage old Grumpus brought out his sketch a score of times, +and repeated his story as often, with numerous variations, which +afforded us all much amusement. He had anecdotes of other descriptions +without end to tell, most of them hingeing on the bad way the junior +officers of the service were treated. He didn't say that most of those +junior officers were rough diamonds like himself, who would have been +much better off if they had not been placed on the quarter-deck. + +We had a somewhat long and stormy passage, and were half frozen to death +before it was over, most of us who had been for years in the West Indies +being little prepared for cold weather. We should have been much worse +off, however, in a line-of-battle ship, but in the midshipmen's berth we +managed to keep ourselves tolerably warm when below. At length we +sighted the coast of Ireland. + +"Hurrah, Mr Terence! There's the old country," said Larry, throwing up +his hat in his excitement, and nearly losing it overboard. "If the +captain would only put into Cork harbour, we would be at home in two or +three days, and shure they'd be mighty pleased to see us at Ballinahone. +What lashings of whisky, and pigs, and praties they'd be after eating +and drinking in our honour, just come home from the wars. Och! I wish +we were there, before a blazing turf fire, with the peat piled up, and +every one of them red and burning, instead of being out here with these +cold winds almost blowing our teeth down our throats." + +The picture Larry drew made me more than ever wish to get home. Not +that I was tired of a sea life, though I had found it a pretty hard one +in some respects; but I longed to see my father, and mother, and +brothers, and sisters again, and my kind uncle the major, as I had not +heard from them for many a long day. Letters in those days were +conveyed to distant stations very irregularly. I had only received two +all the time I had been away. Indeed, friends, knowing the great +uncertainty which existed of letters reaching, thought it scarcely worth +while to write them. We could just see the land, blue and indistinct, +over our larboard bow, when the wind veered to the eastward, and instead +of standing for Plymouth, as we expected to do, we were kept knocking +about in the Chops of the Channel for three long weeks, till our water +was nearly exhausted, and our provisions had run short. There we were, +day after day, now standing on one tack, now on another, never gaining +an inch of ground. Every morning the same question was put, and the +same answer given-- + +"Blowing as hard as ever, and right in our teeth." + +We sighted a number of merchant vessels, and occasionally a man-of-war, +homeward-bound from other stations, but all were as badly off as we +were. + +At last one morning the look-out at the masthead shouted, "A sail to the +eastward coming down before the wind." It was just possible she might +be an enemy. The drum beat to quarters, and the ship was got ready for +action. On getting nearer, however, she showed English colours, and we +then made out her number to be that of the _Thetis_ frigate. As soon as +we got near each other we both hove-to. Though there was a good deal of +sea running, two of our boats were soon alongside her to obtain water, +and some casks of bread and beef, for, as far as we could tell to the +contrary, we might be another month knocking about where we were. In +the meantime, one of her boats brought a lieutenant on board us. + +"Peace has been signed between Great Britain and France," were almost +the first words he uttered when he stepped on deck. "I can't give +particulars, but all I know is, that everything we have been fighting +for is to remain much as it was before. We are to give up what we have +taken from the French, and the French what they have taken from us, and +we are to shake hands and be very good friends. There has been great +rejoicing on shore, and bonfires and feasts in honour of the event." + +I can't say that the news produced any amount of satisfaction to those +on board the _Maidstone_. + +"Then my hope of promotion has gone," groaned Nettleship; "and you, +Paddy, will have very little chance of getting yours, for which I'm +heartily sorry; for after the creditable way in which you have behaved +since you came to sea, I fully expected to see you rise in your +profession, and be an honour to it." + +"What's the use of talking to sucking babies like Paddy and Tom here +about their promotion, in these piping times of peace which are coming +on us," cried old Grumpus, "if we couldn't get ours while the war was +going on?" + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +FESTIVITIES AT HOME. + +The news of peace was received perhaps with more satisfaction by the men +who had no promotion to look for, and who now expected to visit their +families, or enjoy themselves in spending their prize-money according to +their own fashion on shore. + +Parting from the _Thetis_, we continued beating backwards and forwards +for another week, when the wind shifting suddenly to the southward, we +ran up to Plymouth, and at last dropped anchor in Hamoaze. We lived on +board till the ship was paid off. In the meantime, I wrote home to say +that Larry and I would return as soon as we could manage to get a +passage to Cork. Tom Pim was uncertain of the whereabouts of his +family, so he also waited till he could hear from them. Nettleship had +told us that his mother and sister lived near Plymouth, and he got leave +to run over and see them. + +"It won't be a good thing for you youngsters to be knocking about this +place by yourselves," he said, on his returning; "and so, having told my +mother this, she has invited both of you, with Larry, to come up and +stay with us till you can go home. You'll be much better off than in +lodgings, or stopping at an inn, even though you may find it somewhat +dull." + +Tom at once accepted the invitation, and persuaded me to do so, though I +wanted to see some of the fun of Plymouth, which my other shipmates had +talked about. I won't describe the scenes which took place on board,-- +the noise and uproar,--the characters of all descriptions who crowded +the ship, eager to take possession of the sailors, or rather of the +money which lined their pockets. I saw very much the contrary of fun in +it. We had then a midshipman's paying-off dinner on shore, to which +some of the ward-room officers were invited. The wine flowed freely. +Healths were drunk and sentiments given, and in a short time most of the +party became very uproarious, those who were sober enough on shore being +as bad as the rest. + +"Come, Paddy," said Nettleship, "we have to get home to my mother's +house to-night, and I can't introduce you, remember, if you're not quite +yourself." + +Tom Pim was ready. + +"So am I," I said. "I'll not take another drop." + +Our intended departure being discovered, we were assailed with hoots, +and shouts, and groans. + +"Never mind them," said Nettleship. "If we were to be moved by that +sort of stuff, those very fellows would be the first to laugh at us +another day." + +On seeing us gaining the door, several jumped up, intending to bring us +back. + +"Run for it, Paddy; run, Tom," cried Nettleship. "I'll guard your +retreat. They'll not stop me." + +"Hands off," he shouted, as Grumpus and some others attempted to seize +him. "I have made up my mind to go, and go I will, though every one in +the room were to jump up and try to bar my passage." + +Tom and I got safe into the street, where we were joined by Larry, who +had been waiting for us; and Nettleship came up, saying that he had got +clear off, at the cost of flooring two or three of his assailants. + +"Not a satisfactory way of parting from old friends," he said, "but the +only one which circumstances would permit." + +We at once set off, walking briskly, to get as soon as possible away +from the scene of our shipmates' revels. We at length reached a pretty +little cottage, a short way out of Plymouth, where Mrs Nettleship and +her daughter received us in the kindest manner possible. I was struck +by the appearance of the two ladies, so nicely dressed, and quiet in +their manners, while the house seemed wonderfully neat and fresh, +greatly differing from the appearance of Ballinahone. It was the first +time in my life that I had ever been in an English house. When +Nettleship talked of his mother's cottage, I had expected to see +something like the residence of an Irish squireen. Both inside and out +the house was the same,--the garden full of sweetly-scented flowers, the +gravel walks without a weed in them, and the hedges carefully trimmed. +Then when Tom and I were shown to the room we were to occupy, I was +struck by the white dimity hangings to the beds, the fresh curtains and +blinds, the little grate polished to perfection, and a bouquet of +flowers on the dressing-table. Tom was not so impressed as I was, +though he said it reminded him of his own home. Miss Fanny was +considerably younger than Nettleship, a fair-haired, blue-eyed, +sweetly-smiling, modest-looking girl, who treated Tom and me as if we +were her brothers. + +Nettleship and Tom accompanied me into Plymouth each morning, that I +might learn if any vessel was sailing for Cork, and thus be saved the +journey to Bristol, with which place and Ireland, as there was a +considerable amount of trade carried on, I was told that I should have +no difficulty in obtaining a vessel across. I was so happy where I was, +however, that I was less in a hurry than might have been supposed. I +had no want of funds for the purpose, for I had received my pay; and a +good share of prize-money for the vessels we had captured was also due +to me, though, as Nettleship told me, I must not count upon getting that +in a hurry. + +At last, one morning, on going to a shipbroker, who had promised to let +me know of any vessel putting into Plymouth on her way to Cork, he told +me that one had just arrived, and would sail again in a few hours. I at +once went on board the _Nancy_ schooner, and engaged a passage for Larry +and myself, and then hurried back to wish Mrs Nettleship and her +daughter good-bye. My old shipmates returned with me, and Larry carried +our few traps over his shoulder, as I had not possessed a chest since +mine was lost in the _Liffy_. + +"Good-bye, Paddy, old fellow," cried Nettleship. "If I get appointed to +a ship I'll let you know, and you must exert your interest to join her; +and I hope Tom also will find his way aboard. We have been four years +together without so much as a shadow of a quarrel; and if we were to +spend another four years in each other's company, I'm sure it would be +the same." + +Tom merely wrung my hand; his heart was too full to speak. + +"Good-bye, Mr Pim," said Larry, as the schooner's boat was waiting for +us at the quay. "Your honour saved my life, and I would have been after +saving yours, if I had had the chance, a dozen times over." + +"You saved it once, at least, Larry, when you helped to get me out of +the water as the boat was leaving the _Cerberus_ and I hope that we may +be again together, to give you another chance." + +"There's nothing I'd like better. May Heaven's blessing go with your +honour," said Larry, as Tom held out his hand and shook his warmly. + +Our friends stood on the shore as we pulled across the Catwater to the +schooner, which lay at the entrance. Directly we were on board she got +under weigh, and with a fair breeze we stood down Plymouth Sound. She +was a terribly slow sailer, and we had a much longer passage to Cork +than I had expected. We had no longer any fear of being snapped up by a +privateer, but, seeing her style of sailing, I hoped that we should not +be caught in a gale on a lee shore, or we should have run a great chance +of being wrecked. + +Larry made friends with all on board, keeping them alive with his +fiddle, which he was excessively proud of having saved through so many +and various dangers. + +"Shure, I wouldn't change it for all the gold in the _Ville de Paris_, +if it could be fished up from the bottom of the say," he exclaimed, "for +that couldn't cheer up the hearts of my shipmates as my old fiddle can +be doing. Won't I be after setting them toeing and heeling it when we +get back to Ballinahone!" + +At length our eyes were rejoiced by a sight of the entrance to Cork +Harbour, and the wind being fair, we at once ran up to Passage, where I +engaged a boat to take us to Cork. As we had no luggage except what +Larry could carry, and he wouldn't let me lift an article, we proceeded +at once to the inn at which my uncle and I had put up. + +I was just about to enter through the doorway, when I saw a tall figure +standing before me, not older by a wrinkle than when I, a stripling, had +last seen him, standing on the quay waving me a farewell; his hat and +coat, the curl of his wig, every article of dress, was the same. For a +moment he looked at me as if I were a stranger; then, recognising my +features, though in height and breadth I was so changed, he stretched +out his arms, exclaiming-- + +"Terence, my nephew! Is it you, indeed?" and embracing me, his feelings +overcame him, and he could say no more for some minutes. "I came on the +chance of meeting you, though I knew not when you would arrive," he said +at length. "I have been waiting day after day, every hour in +expectation of seeing you; but faith, when my eyes first fell on your +figure I forgot the change that four years would have produced in you, +and took you for a stranger. And you have brought back Larry safe from +the wars? Glad to see you, boy. I thought you would be taking care of +the young master." + +"Faith, your honour, I should have been mighty grieved at myself if I +hadn't done the best I could; and it's a pleasure to hand him back to +you, major, without a wound or a scratch, though the round shot and +bullets have been flying about pretty quickly round him; and we've +escaped from fire and hurricane, and shipwrecks and earthquakes, and a +mighty lot of other things besides." + +"And you, uncle, don't look a day older than when I went away," I said. + +"You must not trust too much to appearances, Terence," he answered, +shaking his head. "The enemy has been sapping the foundations, though +he has not as yet taken the fortress. I have a good many things to try +me. Matters at home are not in a satisfactory state." + +"It was about them all I was going to ask, uncle," I said. "How are my +father and mother, the girls and the boys?" + +"Your mother is not so strong as she was, though she bears up bravely; +but your poor father has greatly changed. Though he has given up his +claret, he still sticks to his potations of rum shrub and whisky punch, +which are rapidly bringing him to his grave, though he won't believe it +Kathleen and Nora are married; Kathleen to Eustace Fitzgerald, and Nora +to Tim Daley. I would rather they had found steadier husbands, but +they'll bring the boys into order, I hope, in time. Your brother +Maurice got his commission soon after you left home, and, having seen +some service in America, has lately returned home on leave. I was in +hopes that he would have fallen in with you. Denis stops at home to +help me mind the house and keep things in order. The rest have grown +into strapping lads, and it's time to be sending them out into the world +to seek their fortunes. The Fitzgeralds and the Daleys are staying at +the Castle, and they'll be mightily pleased to see you. We will start +to-morrow morning at daylight. I brought horses for you and Larry, with +Tim Sweeney to look after them, for I suppose that Larry will scarcely +know the head from the tail of one by this time." + +"Och, your honour, I'll soon be after remembering which is which when I +see the bastes again, though I haven't crossed a horse's back since I +left," said Larry, in answer to my uncle's remark. + +"I'll trust you for that, my lad," said the major; "and now, Terence, we +will go in and order supper, and while it's coming, you shall give me an +account of your adventures." + +I was soon seated before the fire, briefly describing what I had gone +through, in as clear a way as I could. My uncle was deeply interested, +and constantly stopped me to put questions, when he did not clearly +understand my descriptions. Even when we were at supper he made me talk +on, appearing scarcely to think about what he was eating, so eager was +he to listen to me. He was much struck on hearing of Dan Hoolan's fate. + +"I can't say the country is much the quieter, for unfortunately there +are too many boys of the same character to take his place," he remarked, +"but I hope we shall reach Ballinahone without meeting any of them." + +At last, seeing that I was getting sleepy, he advised me to turn in, to +be ready to start in the morning. + +Larry in the meantime had been well taken care of by Tim Sweeney,-- +indeed, too much taken care of; for when he came into my room to see if +I wanted anything, he stood balancing himself with difficulty, and +talking away, until I was obliged to turn him out and bid him go to bed +as fast as he could. + +The next morning we were on the road, the major sitting his horse as +firmly as ever; and indeed, except that we were going in an opposite +direction, I might have fancied, until I looked at Larry and felt the +change that had come over myself, that we were but continuing our +journey of four years back. + +Having plenty to talk about, I rode alongside my uncle, Larry and Tim +following us, the latter listening with eager ears to the wonderful +accounts Larry was giving him. We pushed on as fast as our horses would +carry us, but as the roads were none of the best, our progress was much +slower than I liked. + +The afternoon of the second day my uncle proposed that, instead of +stopping at the village through which we were then passing, we should +push on to a little roadside inn, that we might be so much the further +on our way next morning. It was almost dark when we arrived, but the +landlord, Pat Casey, who knew my uncle well, received us warmly, +promising to give us all the accommodation we could desire, and a supper +and breakfast not to be despised. Pat at once fulfilled his promise by +placing some rashers of bacon and fresh eggs, and actually a white loaf, +which with several others he said he had received that morning, on the +table. + +"I would be after having some tay for breakfast, but I wouldn't dream of +giving it to your honours for supper," he said, as he placed instead on +the table a bottle of the cratur, from which, he observed with a wink, +the revenue had not in any way benefited, while a bowl of smoking hot +potatoes formed the chief dish of the feast. I remember doing good +justice to it, and was not sorry when my uncle proposed that we should +retire to our downy couches. Unpretending as was the outside of the +inn, they were far superior to what I should have expected; mine was a +feather bed to which many hundreds of geese must have contributed, while +the curtains were of silk, faded and patched, to be sure, but showing +that they had come from some grand mansion. I slept like a top, till my +uncle roused me up in the morning with the announcement that breakfast +was nearly ready. To that I was prepared to do more ample justice than +I did to the supper. + +"Come, Terence, let us take our seats," said my uncle. "Biddy has just +placed the things on the table, and they will be getting cold." + +The breakfast looked tempting. There was a pile of buttered toast, +plenty of new-laid eggs, a beautiful griskin broiled to perfection, and +water boiling on the hot turf fire in a saucepan. The teapot having +taken to leaking, as Biddy said, she had made the tea in the potheen +jug. I was just about to follow my uncle's example, when there came a +rap at the outside door of the paved parlour in which we were sitting. + +"Come in," said my uncle. + +No one answered. + +"Go and see who it is, Terence; maybe it's some modest fellow who +doesn't like to open the door." + +No sooner had I lifted the latch than I felt a heavy shove. The door +flew open, and before I could get out of the way, in rushed a huge sow, +knocking me over in a moment; and while I was kicking my heels in the +air, over my body came nearly a dozen young pigs, their amiable mother +making her way round the room, grunting, snorting, and catching the air +through her enormous proboscis. + +"Jump up, Terence! jump up, or she'll be at you!" said my uncle, coming +to my assistance; but the sow was too rapid in her movements, and, ere +he could reach me, charged furiously at his legs. Fortunately he +escaped her by springing with wonderful agility out of her way, and, +mounting on a chair, got up on the top of a chest of drawers, which +formed a convenient place of retreat. In the meantime I got on my legs, +and, seeing the savage sow was inclined to attack me, I sprang on to the +chest of drawers, the only safe place I could discover. Here we sat, +regularly besieged, for our weapons of offence and defence had been left +on the table. The sow, seeming to know the advantage she had gained, +kept eyeing us savagely. Indeed, unless we had thought it worth while +to run the risk of an attack from her, we saw that we must make up our +minds to remain where we were. The louder we shouted for help, the more +enraged the sow became, thirsting, as we had reason to believe, for our +blood. She was the lankiest, the tallest, and grisliest beast I ever +saw; her back, arching higher than a donkey's, resembled a rustic +bridge; her loose-flapping ears nearly hid her small sunken, fiery eyes, +their ends just covering one half of her mouth, which divided her head, +as it were, into an upper and under storey, clearly showing that she had +the means of taking a huge bite out of our legs, could she get at them. +Her tusks, like those of a boar, projected from under her nostrils, and +the ring and hook in her nose was a formidable weapon of offence, though +intended to prevent her from digging up the ground. Her promising +family were not little pigs, but had nearly attained the age when they +would be turned out to shift for themselves, regular hobbledehoys of +swinehood. + +After rampaging round the room, sniffing the air, and vainly attempting +to get at us, the sow ran under the table, which she unceremoniously +upset, when, with a peculiar grunt summoning her progeny to the feast, +she and they immediately commenced gobbling up our viands. Seeing this, +I jumped down, intending to drive her away, but scarcely had I reached +the ground when she made so savage a rush at me that I was glad to +regain my former position. + +"This is too bad," cried the major; and, slipping off the drawers, he +seized a chair, with the intention of belabouring our assailant, when +just at that moment one of the young pigs, of an inquisitive +disposition, hearing the bubbling water on the fire, attempting to look +into the pot, brought the scalding contents down upon itself. On +feeling its tender bristles getting loose, it set up the most terrific +cries, louder even than the most obstinate of its race when the butcher +is making preparations for manufacturing it into corned pork. The sow, +attributing the cries of her darling to some torture inflicted by us, +rushed to the drawers, making several savage attempts to rear up against +them so that she could seize us by the legs. Every moment we expected +to be caught hold of by the hook in her nose, when we should have +inevitably been brought down. In vain we kicked and stamped at her to +drive her off, while we shouted loudly for assistance. + +As it turned out, Larry and Tim were in the stables attending to the +horses, while the landlord and his family, having performed, as they +supposed, all their required duties in attending on us, had gone to the +potato garden. Not for some minutes did Pat hear our voices, and then +in he rushed, with astonishment depicted on his countenance. Seizing a +stick, he began belabouring the sow, bestowing on her epithets +numberless and profuse. + +"Och! the curse of Crummell light on you for a greedy old sow as ye +are," he exclaimed, whacking away at the creature, who didn't care for +his blows, though she dared not attack him. At length Tim and Larry +came in, and, seizing the sow by the tail, attempted to drag her out; +she, supposing that they wanted her to go into the room, in the usual +swinish spirit of contradiction turned to snap at their legs, and, +followed by her hopeful progeny, bolted out of the door. My uncle and I +burst into fits of laughter, though in reality it was no laughing +business as far as our breakfast was concerned. Pat expressed his fear +that there was not another morsel of food in the house; however, Biddy +and her assistant, coming in from the potato garden, soon set matters to +rights, and put some water on to boil, hunted up some fresh eggs, and +produced another loaf. We were too hungry to let them toast and butter +it, however. We made a very good breakfast after all, our appetites +being sharpened by the exercise of our lungs, not to speak of the alarm +we had been in. The occurrence delayed our departure till a later hour +than we intended, and we pushed on to try and make up for lost time. + +I confess that I occasionally looked round, half expecting to see some +of Dan Hoolan's successors come out from behind the rocks or bushes, and +demand our valuables; but if any were lying in wait in the +neighbourhood, they probably thought four well-armed men too formidable +to be assailed, and we proceeded towards our journey's end without +molestation. I had at first felt a sort of callousness about reaching +home, and should have been indifferent had any delay occurred; but as I +approached Castle Ballinahone I became more and more eager to be there, +and could scarcely restrain my feelings when I saw the towers rising +beyond the trees in the distance, and the Shannon shining brightly in +the rays of the setting sun. My uncle and I gave our horses the rein, +and our two attendants clattered after us. The gate of the park was +open, and as we dashed up the avenue at full speed, the sounds of our +horses' hoofs attracted the attention of the inmates of the castle. The +door was thrown open, and my mother and sisters, and Maurice and Denis +and my two brothers-in-law, appeared on the steps, down which the +younger boys came springing towards us; while from the servants' wing +out rushed a whole posse of men and girls and dogs,--tumbling over each +other, the dogs barking, the girls shrieking, and the men shouting with +delight, as they surrounded Larry, and half pulled him off his horse. +Dismounting, I sprang up the steps into my mother's arms, where she held +me for some time before she was willing to let me go. I received a +similar welcome from my sisters. "You see I have brought him back safe +after all," said the major, benignantly smiling. My hands were next +seized by my brothers and brothers-in-law, who wrung their fingers after +receiving the grips which I unconsciously bestowed upon them. + +"And my father?" I asked, not seeing him. + +"He is in the parlour," answered my mother in an altered tone; and she +led me in. He was seated in his wheelchair, a look of dull imbecility +on his countenance. + +"What! are you Terence?" he asked in a quavering tone. "Come back from +the wars, eh? I suppose you are Terence, though I shouldn't have known +you. We will drink your health, though, at supper in whisky punch, if +he'll let me have it, for we can't afford claret now,--at least so he +says, and he knows better than I do." + +I was much pained, but tried to conceal my feelings from my mother, +though my father's changed appearance haunted me, and prevented me from +being as happy as otherwise would have been the case. His state had +been that of many of his neighbours, whom he was fond of boasting he had +seen under the sod,--once fine intelligent men, who might have lived out +their natural course of years in health and happiness, with everything +to make their lives pleasant, had it not been for the drinking habits so +general among their class. After the greetings with my family were +over, I went into the servants' hall to have a talk with the old +domestics. Larry was in the height of his glory, just getting out his +fiddle to give them a tune in honour of our return. They all crowded +round me, each eager to grasp my hand, and congratulate me on having +escaped the dangers of the wars. I felt myself more of a hero than I +had ever done before. The moment I retired I heard Larry's fiddle +going, and the boys and girls beginning to make use of their feet, for +it was impossible to keep them quiet while such notes sounded in their +ears. After a visit to my chamber, which had long been prepared for me, +accompanied by Denis, who wanted to hear all I had got to tell him, I +returned to the drawing-room. I there found the family assembled, fully +as anxious as my brother to have a narrative of my adventures. My +mother, taking my hand, which she held in hers, led me to the sofa, and +fondly looked in my face as I described the battles I had been engaged +in and the shipwrecks I had encountered. My uncle nodded approvingly as +I described the actions in which I had taken a prominent part. My poor +father, who had been wheeled into the room, stared with lack-lustre +eyes, evidently only comprehending a portion of what I said. The rest +of the family occasionally uttered exclamations of surprise and +astonishment, now and then putting questions to help me along, when I +stopped for want of breath or to recollect myself. I had never in my +life talked so much at a stretch. + +At last we went in to supper. My poor father, lifting his glass with +trembling hands to his lips, drank my health. My brothers-in-law, +Maurice and Denis, followed his example. The major kindly nodded. + +"You have done well, Terence, and I'm proud of you," he exclaimed; "and +though the war is over, I hope you'll still find means to climb up the +rattlings, as you say at sea." + +Several neighbours looked in, hearing of my arrival, to congratulate me +and my family. The whisky-toddy flowed fast. I as usual drank but +little; in truth, I had no taste for the stuff, though probably it would +have grown upon me, as it does upon others. + +My uncle looked at me approvingly. "I'm glad to see, Terence," he said, +"that you possess one of the qualities of a good officer, and that even +when off duty you retain the habit of sobriety." + +My brothers-in-law glanced at each other and laughed, but took care that +the major should not observe them. The guests took no notice of my +uncle's remark, evidently intending to make the whisky punch flow +freely, the great object for which they had come. Toasts and +sentiments, according to the fashion of the day, were given. My father +tried to sing one of his old songs, but soon broke down. Several of the +other gentlemen, however, took up his stave, and soon began to be +uproarious. My mother on this got up, and beckoned to my sisters to +follow her. They whispered to their husbands, who, however, only nodded +and laughed. My uncle's object was rather to guide than to suppress the +hilarity, and when he observed anything like a dispute arising, he put +in a word or two nipping it in the bud in a calm, determined way, to +soothe irritated feelings. In a short time Dan Bourke came in, and, +putting his hands on the back of my father's chair, said, "By your +leave, gentlemen, I'm come to wheel the master away;" and without more +ado, though my poor father stretched out his hand trying to grasp his +glass, before he could reach it he was at a distance from the table. It +was a melancholy spectacle, and I almost burst into tears as I saw him +moving his arms like a child, and trying to kick out with his gouty +feet. As Dan wheeled him round towards the door, he shouted and cried, +"Just let me have one glass more, Dan, only one; that can't be after +doing me harm." + +One of the guests exclaimed, "Can't you be leaving the master alone, and +let him have a glass to comfort his soul? Just one glass can make no +matter of difference." + +But Dan was obdurate, and, looking over his shoulder, he said, "It's the +orders of the mistress, and they're to be obeyed." + +Had the major's eye not been upon him, I don't know how Dan would have +behaved, but without another word he wheeled my poor father out of the +room, and closed the door behind him. It was almost the last time he +appeared at table. His state made a deep and lasting impression on me. + +As soon as he was gone, the guests went on talking and singing as +before, and would probably have kept up their revels till a late hour, +had not my uncle reminded them that he and I had just come off a long +journey. + +"As I've been playing the part of host, I can't be so rude as to leave +you at table, gentlemen." + +The hint, as he intended it to be, was too broad not to be taken, and +those whose brains had still some sense left in them rose to take their +departure, hoisting the others in a friendly way out of their seats, +when arm-in-arm they staggered to the door. + +"The ladies have retired, so you need not stop to pay your farewell +respects to them," said my uncle; and he told Dan Bourke, who was in the +hall, to order the gossoons to bring round the gentlemen's horses. Some +mounted without difficulty, but others had to be helped up on their +steeds by my brothers-in-law and Denis. I thought they would have +tumbled off. + +"They'll be all to rights when once in their saddles," said Denis. +"They're accustomed to ride home in that state. To be shure, one of +them now and then dislocates his neck or breaks his head, but that's a +trifle. It's too common a way for an Irish gentleman to end his mortal +career for anything to be thought of it." + +"I hope, Denis, that you'll not be after following their example," I +remarked. + +"Faith, the major keeps me in too strict order for that at present," he +said; "I don't know what I should do if I hadn't his eye upon me, but +I'll acknowledge I have no wish to become a brute beast, as some of them +are." + +My first day at home was over. I felt less happy than I had expected. +My father's melancholy condition,--my mother's sorrow, which she in vain +tried to conceal,--and the fallen fortunes of the family, damped my +spirits. My brothers-in-law were fine young fellows, but not altogether +what I liked; and my sisters were graver than they used to be. +Everything about the house looked in a dilapidated condition. My mother +and sisters wore old dresses; the furniture was faded; the servants, if +not ragged, were but poorly habited. Had it not been for the major, the +family, I suspect, would long ere this have been turned out of house and +home. I must not spend much time in describing my life at Castle +Ballinahone. I soon got tired of it, and began to wish myself at sea +again, for I knew that my only chance of promotion was to keep afloat. +I told the major. He said that he perfectly agreed with me, and that he +would at once write to Captain Macnamara, who was in London, and to two +or three other friends, and ask them to try and get me appointed to a +ship without delay. After I had been at home a few days, Fitzgerald and +Daley invited me to accompany them to the fair at Mullyspeleen, where +they wished to dispose of some horses they had bred on my father's +property. Larry begged that he might come, just to see the fun. I +observed, as he mounted, that he had strapped his fiddle-case on his +back. My journey had made me as much at home as ever on horseback, so +that I was enabled to keep up with my brothers. The distance we had to +go was about fifteen miles, through beautiful country, with a range of +hills in the distance, below which is situated the old castle of +Tullinhoe, once the seat of a powerful family, many of the descendants +of whom were now probably selling pigs at the fair. We met people +wending their way towards the place of meeting, some on foot, some on +horseback, others in cars and carts of primitive construction, all +grinning and shouting in high glee at the thoughts of the fun to be +enjoyed. What that fun was we were soon to witness. Not only were +there men, but women and children, down to small babies in arms,--the +men with frieze coats, with shillelahs in hands, the women in cloaks and +hoods, and caps under them. Others had gaily-coloured handkerchiefs +tied over their heads. As we got near the fair the crowd increased, +till we sometimes had a difficulty in making our way among the people. +As we pushed them aside, however, they were in no way offended, but +good-humouredly saluted us with jokes of all sorts. There were tents +and booths of various descriptions, the most common among them being +formed of wattles,--that is, young saplings cut from some neighbouring +estate, the thick ends stuck in the ground some distance apart, and the +thin ends bent down till they met, when they were fastened together with +haybands. Some twenty or thirty of such arches having been formed, and +further secured by a long pole at the top, were covered over with +blankets, sheets, and quilts, borrowed from the nearest cottages, +occasionally eked out with petticoats and cloaks of varied hue; the +quilts, being of every variety of pattern, and of all the colours of the +rainbow, had a very gay appearance. The tables were composed of doors +carried off from farm buildings and cottages, elevated on hillocks of +clay dug from underneath. The benches on either side generally +consisted of doors cut longitudinally in two or three parts, and to be +nailed together again when done with. Outside several of the tents were +huge turf fires, on which pots were boiling, some containing lumps of +salt beef and cabbage, while fried herrings were sending up a fragrant +odour attractive to hungry visitors. There were cold viands also +displayed, to tempt those disposed for a snack, rounds or rumps of beef, +hams, bread and cheese, and whisky enough to make every soul in the fair +moderately drunk if equally divided. Here and there were booths +containing toys and trinkets; but the great object of the fair was for +the sale of horses, cows, pigs, and poultry. Besides these were the +more pretentious booths of the frieze merchants, who were likely to run +a good trade to supply the place of the garments which would be torn +into shreds before the fair was over. In other booths, earthenware, +knives, and agricultural implements were to be procured. My +brothers-in-law having disposed of their horses at a good price,-- +especially good to them, as the animals had cost them nothing since they +were foals,--we agreed to ride round the fair and see the fun, which had +now been going on for some time, while, as the eating and drinking +booths had been constantly filled and emptied, a large portion of the +visitors were already in a hilarious condition. We were passing a +booth, when a man came out, who, taking off his long frieze coat, which +he trailed along behind him on the ground, at the same time flourishing +his shillelah, shouted out-- + +"Who'd be after daring to put a foot on that, I should like to know?" + +He hadn't gone far, when from another tent out sprang a stout fellow, +holding a cudgel big enough to fell an ox with. Rapidly whirling it in +the air, he exclaimed-- + +"That's what I'll dare to do!" and he made a fierce blow at the head of +the owner of the coat, which would have felled him in a moment, had he +not been prepared to defend himself with his shillelah. A clatter of +blows succeeded, when the owner of the coat fell, stunned, to the +ground. + +At the same instant numbers of fellows in frieze coats, brogues, and +battered hats, rushed forth from the various tents, flourishing their +shillelahs, and shouting at the tops of their voices, some siding with +the fallen man, others with the victor, till a hundred or more were +ranged on either side, all battering away, as fast as they could move +their arms, at each other's heads. Now one party would scamper off as +if in flight; then they would meet again, and begin cudgelling each +other, apparently with the most savage fury, while the women and +children stood around, the latter forming a squalling orchestra, which +kept time to the blows. When matters were becoming serious, a number of +the women, handing their babies to their companions, sprang into the +fight, shrieking out, "Come out o' that, Pat!" + +"Come out o' that, Tim!" and dragged their husbands, or sons, or lovers, +away from each other. + +The men mostly, however, endeavoured to release themselves by leaving +their coats in the women's hands, exclaiming-- + +"Let me get at them, Biddy. I'll not be held back!" + +The women succeeded in dragging but a very few out of the fray, and +again the combatants went at it, till one after the other was stretched +on the ground. + +At length a priest arrived, and exhorted those who were of his flock to +desist; and, rushing in among them, where words were ineffectual, dealt +them pretty hard blows with his own cudgel. I was inclined to go and +assist his reverence, but Fitzgerald advised me to do nothing of the +sort. + +"They treat him with some sort of respect," he observed, "but they would +treat you with none, and a broken head would be the consequence." + +The tumult and uproar had made our horses restive; and as a party of the +combatants, with loud shrieks and clashing of shillelahs, came rushing +against mine, he began to kick and plunge, and at length bolted with me, +scattering the people in his course right and left. + +Shouts and imprecations followed me, but though I pulled at the rein +with all my might, I could not stop him. On he went, upsetting a booth +of crockery and scattering the contents; he dashed in among a herd of +pigs, which scampered off in all directions; when finally, attempting to +leap over a tent in our course, he went through one side of it, pitching +me before him, and down he came on to the middle of the table, with his +hind legs under the bench, and very nearly on the top of me. + +I scrambled out of the way, bruised and scratched, receiving no very +friendly greeting from the owner of the booth. Larry, who had seen what +was going on, followed, and assisted to extricate my steed as well as +me. + +Its knees were cut and hind legs sprained, and I felt as if every bone +in my body was broken, though I managed to get on my feet, and, giving +myself a shake, had the satisfaction of discovering that nothing of the +sort had occurred. + +My brothers-in-law, coming up, paid the men for the damage done to the +crockery booth and the tent my steed had upset, out of the proceeds of +their sale; and I, to show that I was not daunted, remounted my horse. + +"Have you sufficiently enjoyed the humours of the fair, Terence?" asked +Fitzgerald. + +"Faith, indeed I have, and sufficient to last me a mighty long time," I +answered. + +In one place there were a dozen fellows piled up, one upon another, +struggling and kicking, with their heads cut and their noses bleeding; +but few of them had lost their voices, and not one of them was mortally +wounded. + +I had charged Larry not to join in any of the fights; and though he +confessed that he had been sorely tempted, he had become too well +disciplined at sea to disobey me. He came out of the fair, therefore, +with a whole skin, having employed himself for a good portion of the +time in amusing the boys and girls with some tunes on his fiddle. I +took care to see him clear of the fair, and free from danger, before we +put our horses into a trot. + +The whole scene gave me some idea of the state of my native country, to +become still more unhappy before many more years were over, owing to the +misguiding of hot-headed men, and the cruel treatment of a Government +whose only notion of ruling was by stern suppression and terrorism. + +We rode too fast to allow of Larry playing his fiddle, so he was obliged +to put it in its case, and trot after us. + +I felt dreadfully stiff for several days after this adventure, and but +little inclined to ride, though I managed to walk about. + +Denis begged me to go with him to fish in a stream which ran into the +Shannon three or four miles from the house. I agreed, for the sake of +having his society, although no adept in the art of throwing a fly. +Larry accompanied us, to carry our baskets, and the fish we intended to +bring home. We started later in the day than we had intended, so that +the best part of it had gone by before we could reach the stream. + +I was more successful than I had expected, and succeeded in hooking and +landing a brace of tolerably-sized salmon,--Denis having caught twice as +many. This encouraged us to go on, and the shades of evening had +already begun to spread over the beautiful landscape before we thought +of giving in. At length Larry came up to me. + +"I wouldn't be after wishing to frighten you, Mr Terence," he said in a +whisper, "but I have just now seen something I don't like." + +"What is it, Larry?" I asked. "Is it in human shape, or with four +legs, a couple of horns, and a tail?" + +"Don't be laughing at it, Mr Terence. I'm thinking you don't know +where we are, or you wouldn't be after doing that," he whispered. + +"We are fishing in the stream of Corregan," I said. + +"But does your honour know what happened here?" he asked, in a low +voice. "It's his ghost I've seen, as sure as I'm a living man, just +behind yon clump of trees there hanging over the water; and I'm thinking +he'll be showing himself again if we stop here longer." + +"I shall be very happy to make his acquaintance, whoever he is," I said. +"Does Mr Denis know anything about him?" + +"Master Denis would be only laughing at me if I were to speak to him +about it," said Larry. + +I called to Denis, and said that I was ready to put up my rod, as I +wished to make the acquaintance of a suspicious individual who was said +to be lurking about the stream. He replied that he would be ready to +come as soon as he had landed a salmon he had lately hooked. + +"Come, Larry, tell me all about this ghost, or spirit, or whatever it +was, you fancy you saw just now," I said, while engaged in winding up my +line. + +"Hish! your honour; we mustn't speak loud about him, if you plaise, and +I'll tell you," he answered. "It's just this, your honour: while we +were away in foreign parts, there was a broth of a boy,--I knew him +well,--Dominic Brian. Well, Nick was one evening going home from +reaping, along this very part of the stream, when what did he do but cut +his own head off. Why he did it no one to this day can tell; but +certain sure his body was found on the bank, with his bloody scythe +beside him, but his head was gone. They say he comes every evening at +the same hour to look out for his head, since he doesn't rest quiet in +his grave without it. When they told me about it I laughed, thinking it +couldn't be true; but seeing's believing, and as sure as I'm a living +man, I saw Dominic Brian this very evening with his head under his arm." + +"I thought you said that he always came to look for his head?" I +observed. + +"Shure so I did, Mr Terence; but the ghost I saw had his head tucked +under his arm, just as if it had been a keg of potheen." + +"Whether he has his head under his arm or has got it on at all, I'll +rout him out," I exclaimed. + +"Oh, don't, Mr Terence, don't!" cried Larry. "No one can tell what +he'll be after doing to you. Shure it will be safer for us to be away +from this as fast as our legs can carry us. Just shout to Master Denis +to make haste, or we don't know what will be happening." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +A GHOST AND A WEDDING. + +Laughing at Larry's fears, I, having just finished winding up my line +and disconnecting my rod, bade him take up the fish, while I walked +towards the clump of trees where he had seen the headless ghost. + +I didn't feel altogether sure that something would not appear. I had +not gone many paces before I caught sight of a white object. Larry saw +it also, and my gallant follower, who would have tackled a dozen +Frenchmen with a cutlass in his hand, fairly turned tail and scampered +away, shouting out-- + +"The ghost! the ghost! It's Nick Brian himself, barring his head. Run, +Mr Terence! Run, Mr Denis! or he'll be taking hold of us, and +carrying us off into the river to help him to look for it." + +In spite of Larry's shouts, I still went on, although not feeling over +comfortable, when, as I got nearer, out flew, with a loud hiss, a large +white swan, whose nest was probably thereabouts. Though I might have +defended myself with the end of my rod, I thought it prudent to beat a +retreat and leave her in quiet possession of the locality. On seeing +this she also returned to her nest. When I overtook Larry,--who, +finding that I was not following him, had halted,--I assured him that +the ghost was only a swan. He, however, still remained incredulous, +declaring that it might have appeared like a swan to me in the gloom of +the evening, but he felt sure it was Nick Brian, and no one else. In +vain I endeavoured to induce him to return with me. + +"I'd rather not, Mr Terence, if it's the same to you," he answered. +"It's not wise to be hunting up them sorts of things." + +Denis now joined us, and though he laughed at the idea of a ghost, he +remarked that it would be as well, while there was sufficient light to +see our way, to commence our return home, which, as it was, we should +not reach till long after dark. I saw Larry every now and then turning +his head round, evidently expecting that Nick Brian the headless would +be following us. + +We got home without any other adventure, where Larry gave a full account +of our encounter with Nick Brian's ghost, and the gallant way in which +Mr Terence had faced him, though he was not ashamed to confess that he +had not backed me up as he should have done, had I been attacked by a +human foe. + +Though Denis had not seen the ghost, and I assured every one that it was +only a white swan, I found that Larry's account was believed in +preference to mine; the general opinion being that I fancied I had seen +the bird, though it was a ghost notwithstanding. + +To do honour to my return, and to keep up the dignity of the family, my +mother and sisters considered it necessary to give a ball to the +neighbours, and invitations were issued accordingly. The major was +rather against the matter, on the score of expense, but he didn't hold +out as stoutly as usual. The preparations, however, were not on a very +extensive scale. Such flags and banners as were to be found in the +castle--many of them tattered and torn--were arranged so as to decorate +the entrance hall. The furniture was carried out of the dining-room-- +the largest room in the house--and piled up in the dingy study. +Supper-tables were placed on one side of the hall; and my mother and +sisters, and all the females in the establishment, were engaged for some +days in manufacturing pasties, tarts, and jellies; while at the same +time sundry pieces of beef, ham, turkeys, and poultry were boiling and +roasting at the kitchen fire. + +At the usual hour the guests began to arrive,--some in family coaches, +once covered with paint and gilt, but now battered and dingy; others +came in cars and gigs, and a considerable number of the fair sex on +horseback, having sent their ball dresses on before, by the invitation +of my sisters, who had promised their assistance in bedecking them. My +father complained that he was hurried away from the dinner-table that +due time might be obtained for making the necessary preparations. He +was left in his chair in the corner of the room, whence he watched the +proceedings with an expression which showed that he could not make out +exactly what was being done. I went up to him several times and tried +to make him understand. + +At last the O'Maleys, the O'Flahertys, the Frenches, the Fitzgeralds, +the Burkes, the Geraldines, and the members of numerous other families +began to arrive, and Larry, habited in a sky-blue coat, a huge frill to +his shirt, pink breeches and green stockings, with four or five other +musicians, similarly attired, playing various instruments, took their +places on a raised platform which served as an orchestra. + +A country dance was speedily formed, the couples standing opposite each +other, reaching from the top to the bottom of the room, and I had the +honour of leading out Miss Nora O'Flaherty, who was considered one of +the beauties of the county, though in many respects I doubt whether Tom +Pim would have looked upon her with the same eyes as he had done on Lucy +Talboys. Taking my partner, I led her prancing down the centre, and +proud enough I felt as I heard the remarks made upon us. Then we had to +come back and turn each couple, and so on in succession till we reached +the bottom. It was pretty hard work, though my fair partner seemed to +enjoy it amazingly. Of course, as was the custom of those days, I could +not take another partner, and I had every reason to congratulate myself +on having obtained so good a one. I suspect that many envied me. I was +naturally over head and ears in love with her before the evening was +over. There was very little rest between the dances. As soon as one +was over another was started, the musicians playing away with might and +main. We got through a few minuets, but such dances were too tame for +my fair countrywomen; indeed, but few of the men were able to perform +them, whereas all took to the country dances as if by instinct. + +While we younger ones were thus amusing ourselves, the older people +passed the time playing cards, and afterwards did ample justice to the +supper. Indeed, very few of the young ladies were very backward at +that. Even Nora managed to discuss the wing and breast of a chicken, +with ham and a slice of beef, not to speak of tartlets and other +delicacies, without the slightest difficulty. + +I saw her to her family coach, which conveyed her mamma, two sisters, +and a he cousin besides, of whom I felt prodigiously jealous. I could +think of nothing and talk of nobody but Nora O'Flaherty all the next +day, and proposed riding over to pay my respects to the family. + +"You'll do nothing of the sort, Terence!" said my uncle. "I should be +the first to say `Go,' if I thought it would add to your happiness; but, +to the best of my belief, the young lady is engaged to her cousin; and +even supposing that she cared for you, and would consent to wait till +you became a post-captain, you would then only have your pay, and she +has not a stiver in the world, and you would thus be doing her a great +injustice. Talk of her as you like, think of her as a perfect angel; +but angels don't make good wives down here on earth, whatever they might +do in ethereal regions." + +In fine, my uncle talked and laughed me out of my first love. Instead +of going over to Castle Moirty, I employed myself in fishing, shooting, +and other rural sports with my brothers and my brothers-in-law, and +occasionally with the major. This sort of life, however, didn't suit my +taste, and I began to wish myself once more afloat. + +Among the young ladies present at the ball given in honour of my return +was a Miss Kathleen O'Brien, to whom I observed my brother Maurice paid +the most devoted attention, and I guessed, as I afterwards discovered, +that he was over head and ears in love with her. It was not a matter of +surprise, considering that she was among the prettiest of the very +pretty girls present. As she was an only daughter, and heiress of a +very fine estate, my family were highly delighted at the prospect of his +winning her; and as he was supposed to be crowned with laurels, had a +couple of honourable wounds in his arms, and our family was equal to +hers, it was hoped that no impediment would be thrown in the way of +their marriage, provided the young lady would accept him. Young ladies +in those days in Ireland had a free will of their own, and Maurice +acknowledged that he was not certain what way he had made in her +affections. My mother and sisters, however, encouraged him, and, +considering that there was no young man like him in that part of the +country, assured him that he had no cause to fear. Thus it appeared to +me that the battle was half won, and I had no doubt, when he set out the +next morning, attired in his red military suit, to pay his respects at +Castle Blatherbrook, that he would return back an accepted lover. We +cheered him as he set forth. + +"Good luck go with you," cried Denis. "We will welcome you as an +intended Benedict when you come back again. Kathleen's tender heart +will never stand that gay coat and clashing sword. Talk of your +laurels, Maurice, and tell her how beautiful she will look with a wreath +of orange-blossoms across that fair brow of hers." + +Maurice, a good-natured fellow, took all our jokes in good humour, and, +waving his hand as he put spurs to his steed, galloped off; while Denis +and I went to amuse ourselves with our fishing-rods, in hopes of +obtaining some variety to our usual fare. On our return we found that +Maurice had not come back from his wooing. This was considered a good +sign, as it was hoped that he was detained at the castle as an accepted +suitor. Our own meal was over, and evening was approaching; still +Maurice did not appear. My mother and sisters were very positive that +he had won the lady. At length, just as it grew dark, his horse's hoofs +were heard clattering up the avenue. + +"You must not be disappointed," said the major, as we were all rushing +out to welcome him. "Girls are not always to be won by once asking." + +Maurice threw his rein to Larry, who had taken up his old office of +groom, with what we thought a disconsolate air. + +"Well, my dear boy, has she accepted you?" + +"Yes, I'm sure she has. She could not have said no," exclaimed my +mother, taking him by the hand. + +"Faith, then, she has," cried Maurice, "and I ought to be, and fancy I +am, the happiest man under the sun. But I am to quit the army, and turn +my sword into a ploughshare, and gather oats instead of laurels; and I +am not quite certain how I shall take to that sort of life." + +We all congratulated him on his good fortune, and assured him that he +would soon get accustomed to a domestic state of existence. + +After this I had very little of his society, as he rode off every +morning to Blatherbrook. He used to look bright and happy enough when +he came back, and Denis and I agreed that he was by degrees getting +accustomed to the thoughts of his expected change of life. This was +very good fun for Maurice, but I began to find it rather dull, and even +to wish myself afloat again. However, I wanted to wait for the wedding, +which, to my great satisfaction, I found was fixed for an early day. I +managed to spend the intermediate time much as before,--fishing or +sailing and shooting on the Shannon, with Larry as crew and old Mike +O'Hagan as pilot, when we explored not only the banks of the beautiful +river, but the various lochs which opened out of it. At last the happy +day arrived which was to see my brother united to his lady love. The +ceremony was to take place at her father's house, as was the custom of +those days among people of rank and fashion. Everything was arranged on +a splendid scale. All our neighbours from far and near assembled at +Castle Ballinahone, to see the bridal party set off, and to wish us good +luck. We had wedding favours down from Dublin, and wedding clothes of +resplendent hue, no one just then troubling themselves much as to how +they were to be paid for. My sisters were adorned with silks and +satins, and looked unusually handsome; but my mother, as became her +position, was attired in a costume of silver satin, so that when she put +it on the evening before, the light of the lamps made her resemble a +moving constellation. My brother, as became his military character, was +habited in a scarlet uniform, to which the tailor had added a sufficient +amount of gold lace to adorn the coats of half a dozen field-marshals, +white satin breeches, silk stockings, and diamond buckles in his shoes, +setting him off to great advantage, and we all agreed that a more +gallant bridegroom never set forth on a matrimonial expedition. The +family coach had been burnished up for the occasion, and was drawn by +four of the sleekest steeds in the stable, Larry and the other boys +having been employed for many a day previously in currying them down. +Dan Bourke was turned into coachman for the occasion, dressed in a +magnificent bright blue coat and hat adorned with gold lace. The +footboys, Mick Kelly and Tim Daley, were habited in new liveries, of the +same colour as Dan's, and stood behind the coach, in which were +ensconced my mother, two sisters, and the happy bridegroom. My uncle, +disdaining to enter a coach, led the way on horseback, dressed also in +full uniform; and amid the shouts and good wishes of the assembled +spectators, the family coach set off, those who had horses or vehicles +immediately following at a respectful distance. Denis, my two +brothers-in-law, and I had a vehicle to ourselves, which it had not been +thought necessary to furbish up. It was an old travelling chaise, which +had long rested in an out house, covered with dust and cobwebs, and +often the roosting-place of poultry. It was drawn by two sorry hacks, +and driven by Phil Kearney, the gamekeeper, for so he was called, though +there was but little game on the estate to keep, he being our usual +attendant on all sporting expeditions; while Larry, dressed in the +attire in which he had appeared at our ball, mounted the rumble with his +beloved fiddle, all ready, as he said, for setting the heels of the boys +and girls going in the kitchen, while their betters were dancing in the +hall. Denis and our two brothers-in-law were habited, as became the +attendants of the happy bridegroom, in white cloth coats with blue +capes, waistcoats and breeches of blue satin, spangled and laced all +over, while their heads were adorned with large paste curls, white as +snow, and scented with bergamot. I was more modestly attired in a new +naval uniform, carefully made from the pattern of my last old one under +my uncle's inspection. As we wished to reach Blatherbrook Castle before +the rest of the party, we took a short cut across the country, so as to +get into another high road, which would lead us directly to our +destination. Phil lashed on our steeds, when, with a pull and a jerk, +our horses, not being accustomed to work together, dashed forward at a +rapid pace over the stones, in a way calculated not only to dislocate +our limbs, but to shake the vehicle to pieces, but we held on to the +sides, trying to keep it together as best we could. + +When we settled to take this route, we forgot that there existed a +turnpike on the road, an institution to which Irishmen have a decided +objection. The old turnpike-keeper, a discharged soldier, who had only +lately been sent there, and was thus unacquainted with any of us, +cautiously closed the gate, knowing that travellers often forgot to pull +up and pay. We, as loyal subjects of His Majesty, were ready to +disburse whatever was demanded of us. I accordingly put my hand in my +pocket, but not a coin could I find in it, and, knowing that my +brothers-in-law were not over-willing to draw their purse-strings if +there was any one else ready to do it, I desired Denis to give the +gate-keeper the toll. + +"I quite forgot to put any money in my pocket," he observed. "But you +can pay him, Daley." + +"I have not a stiver," said Daley, feeling first in one pocket, then in +the other. + +"Well, we must come upon you, Fitz," I said. + +"Faith, I left my purse in my other small-clothes," he answered. + +"Is there any cash in it?" asked Daley, with a wink. + +"Well, but the man must be paid," I said. "I'll tell Phil Kearney," +and, looking out of the window, I called to him. + +"Sorra a ha'p'orth of coppers there are in my pocket, seeing not a sight +of coin have I got from the master this many a day," he answered. + +I then turned to Larry, hoping that he might be better off than the rest +of us. + +"Faith, Mr Terence, it's a long time since I have had a coin to boast +of, and if I had that same, I'd not be after chucking it to an old +spalpeen for just opening a gate." + +Phil at this juncture, observing that the gate was swinging slowly back, +lashed on his horses, and attempted to pass through, on which the old +soldier seized them by their heads; but Phil, not inclined to be +stopped, furiously flourishing his whip, bestowed his lashes, not only +on their backs, but on the shoulders of the gate-keeper. Fitzgerald, +who was the most peppery of the party, tried to get out to join in the +fight, but fortunately could not open the carriage door. Just then the +gate-keeper's wife hurried out, and joined her husband in hurling abuse +at us. + +"I see who you are," she exclaimed, "a party of vagabond stage-players +running away from Cork, where you haven't paid your bills, and going to +wheedle the people at Limerick out of their money." + +"That's true enough, mistress," said Fitzgerald, who had a soft tongue +in his head when he chose to use it; "but we're coming back soon, and +we'll pay you double for the beating your husband has got, and remember, +the next time he deserves it you'll pardon him for our sakes, and it +will save you the trouble of giving it to him. It's not to Limerick +we're going, but only to Castle Blatherbrook, where we're to play for +the entertainment of the wedding guests, for it's Mr Maurice O'Finnahan +is to marry Miss Kathleen O'Brien; and Mr O'Brien, the lady's father, +will be after paying us well, for he's as rich as Croesus, and we'll +bring away a bottle or two of the cratur to comfort your old soul." + +As Phil had by this time ceased beating his horses, which stood quietly +enough while Fitz was giving this address, the old man let go their +heads and came to listen. + +"Shure then you look like dacent stage-players, for certain; and as I'm +mighty fond of a good tune, now just give us one, and maybe if I like +it, I'll let you off this time, and thank you into the bargain," said +the old soldier. + +"With all the pleasure in the world," answered Fitz. "There's our +musician sitting behind the coach, and he'll tune up his fiddle while we +tune up our pipes, and just consider what's likely to please you." + +Larry, on hearing this, shouted out-- + +"I'll be after giving you what'll make your old hearts bump right +merrily, if it doesn't set your heels agoing," and, putting his riddle +to his chin, he began playing one of his merriest airs. + +"Arrah now, but that's a brave tune," cried the old woman, beginning to +shuffle her feet, though she hadn't much elasticity in her limbs. + +"It's a song we're after wanting," cried the gate-keeper; "shure you'll +give us a song, gentlemen?" + +"Well, you shall have one to begin with, and you shall have a dozen when +we come back from the wedding," cried Fitz, and he struck up-- + + "As beautiful Kitty one morning was tripping + With a pitcher of milk from the fair of Coleraine, + When she saw me she stumbled, + The pitcher it tumbled, + And all the sweet buttermilk water'd the plain. + + "`Och! what shall I do now? + 'Twas looking at you now; + Sure, sure, such a pitcher I'll ne'er meet again; + 'Twas the pride of my dairy, + Och, Barney McCleary, + You're sent as a plague to the girls of Coleraine.'" + +So Fitz ran on, verse after verse, and tune after tune, till he stopped +for want of breath. + +Highly delighted, the old pikeman insisted on shaking us all round by +the hand, and then, running in, brought us out a glass of whisky each. +He was much surprised to find Denis and I declined taking it. Daley, +however, prevented his feelings being offended by singing another song. +Then Larry gave them a second tune on the fiddle, which pleased him +still more, and he set to work with Phil to put to rights the harness, +which had been considerably disarranged by the prancing of our steeds. + +Then he exclaimed-- + +"Good luck to you. You'll give us some more tunes when you come back. +Off with you now. Success! success!" + +Phil lashing on the horses, away we went, laughing heartily at our +adventure. We soon arrived at the castle, where we found the guests +rapidly assembling. I won't describe the ceremony. My brother and +Kathleen O'Brien were indissolubly united. No sooner was it over than +every one rushed forward to kiss the blushing bride, and then we all +heartily congratulated each other at the happy event. My mother took +charge of her new daughter-in-law, who cried a little, but, soon +recovering, looked as bright and blooming as any of her fair +bridesmaids. + +Plum-cake and wine were then handed round, just to stay our appetites +till dinner was announced,--a substantial repast, to which all did good +justice. Then the ball commenced, the bride leading off the dance. It +was kept up, with an interval for a hot supper, until three or four in +the morning. It was lucky for me that Nora O'Flaherty, for some reason +or other, was not present, or I believe that in spite of my uncle's +advice I should have forgotten my poverty and confessed my love. But +there's luck in odd numbers, and there were so many charming girls +present that my heart was pretty evenly divided among them. The whole +of the guests were put up in the house,--and pretty close stowing it +was, but no one complained,--and, after a breakfast as substantial as +the supper, we set off to return home. We purposely went back by the +way we came, and greatly astonished the old pike-keeper by not only +paying him his toll, but treble the value of the whisky he had bestowed +on us, as well as two or three additional songs. He had by this time +discovered who we were, and was profuse in his apologies for the way in +which he had behaved. We assured him that he had but done his duty, and +as we had chosen to pass for stage-players we could not complain of him +for believing us. For a few days things went on much as usual. At last +my uncle received a letter from Captain Macnamara, saying that he had +not been appointed to a ship himself, but had applied to Lord Robert +Altamont, who had just commissioned the _Jason_ at Plymouth, and who had +agreed to receive me on board on his recommendation. "Your nephew will +meet some of his old shipmates, who, I have no doubt, will be glad to +have him among them," he added. + +At first I was highly delighted at this news, but when the time came for +parting I wished that I had been able to remain longer at home. It +appeared to me very unlikely that I should ever see my father again, and +the state of our pecuniary affairs was evidently telling on my mother, +though my brave uncle was doing his utmost to keep things together. It +was settled, of course, that Larry was to accompany me. + +"I should like to go with you," said my uncle; "but you're old enough to +take care of yourself, and affairs at home require my presence. Two men +will, however, attend you, to look after the horses and bring them +back." + +I will not describe our leave-takings a second time, or my journey to +Cork. I found there was a vessel just about to sail for Plymouth, and I +therefore secured berths on board her for myself and Larry. Nothing +particular occurred during the passage. We dropped anchor in the +Catwater at Plymouth five days after leaving Cork. I at once repaired +on board the _Jason_, lying in Hamoaze. + +Who should I find walking the deck as first lieutenant but old +Rough-and-Ready. He put out his hand and shook mine cordially. + +"Glad to have you aboard, my lad," he said. "You see, their Lordships, +knowing my value as a first lieutenant, have taken good care not to +promote me, lest my peculiar qualities should be lost to the service." + +"I should have been glad to have served under you, had you been in +command of a corvette, sir," I said; "and I'm very happy to be with you +again." + +"You'll find two or three old shipmates on board, for Lord Robert, being +a friend of Captain Macnamara, applied to him to recommend such officers +as he thought well of. He has immense interest, and I hope that we +shall all get our promotion when he's done with us, though he'll take +very good care it will not be till then." + +I begged Mr Saunders to let me go ashore again to procure an outfit, as +I had not got one at Cork. + +"Have you brought another family chest with you?" he asked. + +"No, sir; I'll get one of the proper dimensions this time, knowing the +size you approve of," I answered. + +On going into the berth, I found, to my infinite satisfaction, my old +friends Nettleship and Tom Pim. + +"Glad to see you, Paddy," they exclaimed in the same voice, each +grasping a hand. + +"We heard rumours that you were appointed to the _Jason_, but could not +ascertain the fact for certain," said Nettleship. "Well, here you see +me, after all the actions I have taken part in, still an old mate. Lord +Robert assures me that he will look after my interests; but he has said +the same to everybody else, and will probably tell you so likewise." + +Tom Pim accompanied me on shore, and assisted me by his advice in +getting the outfit I required, and I took care to choose the smallest +chest I could find, that there might be no risk of its being cut down. +In the evening Nettleship joined us, and we accompanied him to pay his +respects to his mother and sister. I was more than ever struck by the +sedate manner of the young lady, after having been so lately accustomed +to those of Irish girls. Though Miss Nettleship was very pretty, I +didn't lose my heart to her. Tom Pim, however, seemed to admire her +greatly, though it was impossible to judge of how her feelings were +affected towards him. We spent a very pleasant evening, and I took +greatly to Mrs Nettleship, who seemed to me to be a very kind and +sensible old lady. We had to return on board at night, to be ready for +duty the next morning, for the frigate was now being rapidly fitted out +Old Rough-and-Ready was in his true element, with a marline-spike hung +round his neck, directing everywhere, and working away with his own +hands. He made us do the same. + +"We don't want dainty young gentlemen on board," he said, "but fellows +who are not afraid of the tar-bucket." + +Though not pleasant, this was useful, and I learned a good many things +which I had before not known perfectly. The ship was completely fitted +for sea before Lord Robert Altamont made his appearance on board. We +all turned out in full fig to receive him as he came up the side. He +had sent down a pattern of the dress he wished his crew to wear, and the +men as they joined had to put it on. It consisted of a blue jacket, a +red waistcoat, white or blue trousers, slippers of white leather, and a +hat with the ship's name in gold letters under a crown and anchor. All +the men wore pigtails, to the arrangement of which they devoted a +considerable portion of Sunday morning. They might then be seen in +groups, combing and brushing each other's hair, which hung down very +long behind, and then tying up the tails with a bit of blue cotton tape. +The captain was a young man, tall and slight, with a very effeminate +air, and as unlike his first lieutenant as he well could be. Still his +countenance was not bad, and he smiled in a pleasant way as he returned +our salutes. + +"Very well done, Mr Saunders," he said, looking aloft, and then +glancing round the deck. "You have got the ship into good order, and I +hope to find the crew in the same satisfactory state. If not, we must +take measures to make them so. Though it's peace time, we must maintain +the discipline of the service." + +After a few more remarks he retired to his cabin, where he had ordered +dinner to be prepared. He now sent to invite the first and second +lieutenants, the lieutenant of marines, the doctor, and three of the +young gentlemen, to dine with him. Such an invitation was like a royal +command. Nettleship and I, with Dick Larcom, who had just joined the +frigate, and who was a _protege_ of the captain, were the favoured ones. +The repast was sumptuous in my eyes, and unlike anything I had seen +before. Lord Robert was all courtesy and kindness. He inquired of each +of us what service we had seen, and particulars about our family +history. + +"My father was a lieutenant, killed in action, and my mother lives in a +cottage near Plymouth," answered Nettleship. + +"And I came in at the hawse-holes, and worked my way up. I have been in +ten general actions, and five-and-twenty engagements with single ships, +or cutting-out expeditions in boats," said Mr Saunders. "Here I am a +first lieutenant; and a first lieutenant I suppose I shall remain until +I'm too old to keep at sea, when perhaps I shall be rewarded with my +master's and commander's commission." + +"Long before that period arrives, I hope," said Lord Robert, smiling +blandly. "I trust before many years are over to see you posted to a +ship like this." + +I answered his lordship's questions with all due modesty, and he seemed +well pleased at hearing about my family. His lordship happened to look +at Dicky Larcom, who, supposing that he had to give an account of +himself, said-- + +"I haven't done anything yet, Lord Robert, because I have only been two +days in the navy; but I intend to do as much as Admiral Benbow, Lord +Rodney, or Sir Samuel Hood, if I have the chance." + +"No doubt about it, youngster," said his lordship, laughing. "While I +think of it, I wish two of you young gentlemen to breakfast with me +every morning. I wish you all to learn manners, in which I find +occasionally a great deficiency among the junior officers of the +service. I'll say nothing about their seniors. You'll let it be known +in the berth, Finnahan. You can all come in rotation." + +"Thank you, my lord," I answered, for I found that he always liked to be +thus addressed. + +The announcement did not afford as much pleasure as I had expected. The +oldsters voted it a great bore, though Dicky Larcom and the other +youngsters looked upon the invitation as an especial honour, and +anticipated the good breakfasts they were to enjoy several times a week. + +Where we were to be sent to was now the question, for as yet that +important information had not transpired. The bumboat-woman, the great +authority as far as midshipmen were concerned, could not enlighten us, +though some of the more knowing expressed an opinion that we should be +attached to the Channel squadron, which, in other words, meant that Lord +Robert intended to remain in harbour as much as possible, to save +himself from the perils and discomforts he might be exposed to at sea. + +We waited day after day, while the captain, it was understood, was +transacting important business on shore, though it was shrewdly +suspected that he was amusing himself as he thought fit. At length he +received a peremptory order to proceed to sea. When he came on board, +he complained to old Rough-and-Ready of the hardships to which he was +subjected. + +"Don't you think, Mr Saunders, that it's a shame that men of rank like +myself should be at the beck and call of such old fogies as my Lords +Commissioners of the Admiralty?" he exclaimed. "I have had positively +to give up Lady Seacombe's ball on the 15th. Putting my own feelings +aside, there will be several sweet girls who will be bitterly +disappointed." + +"I don't know anything about balls, except round shot and musket-balls," +answered the first lieutenant. "For my part, if I'm asked the use of a +ship-of-war, I should say that it is to be afloat, looking after the +interests of the country. I don't know, however, since the Government +have thought fit to shake hands with the French and Spaniards, and to +knock under to the Yankees, what we have got to do; only I do know that +we shall never get the ship into a proper state of discipline till we're +at sea, and can exercise the men at their guns, reefing and shortening +sail." + +"Oh, yes, to be sure! that's a very proper matter for you to think +about, Mr Saunders," said the captain; "but for my part, I esteem that +sort of thing as a great bore. However, understand that I want you to +do whatever you consider right and proper." + +"Thank you, my lord. If you leave the matter to me, I'll do my best to +make the ship's company the smartest in the service," answered the first +lieutenant. + +"Well, I'm much obliged to you, and will support you to the best of my +ability," said the captain. + +I overheard this conversation; indeed, his lordship was not at all +particular as to what he said, or as to who was present when he +expressed his opinions. + +That afternoon, the wind being fair, we went out of harbour, and by dark +were well to the south-west of the Eddystone. As Lord Robert said he +preferred having plenty of sea-room, we at once steered out into the +Atlantic. + +"We may thus, you see, Mr Saunders, be able to get a fair breeze from +whatever quarter the wind blows, which is far better than having to +batter away against a head-wind, and make ourselves uncomfortable. I +wrote some lines on the subject:-- + + "We're rovers where'er rolls the fetterless sea, + For the boundless blue ocean was made for the free. + +"They are fine, are they not? Shall I go on with them?" + +"They may be, my lord, but I'm no judge of pottery," answered Mr +Saunders; "indeed, I never read a line in my life, except some old +sea-songs. And as to being free, we should soon get the ship into a +pretty state of disorder if the men were to get that notion into their +heads; they may not be slaves, but they must do what they're ordered, +and pretty smartly too, or look out for squalls, I've a notion. That's +what we must do at present.--All hands, shorten sail!" he shouted. "Be +smart about it, lads." + +Lord Robert put his paper into his pocket, and threw himself into an +attitude of command, while he glanced up at the straining canvas, and +Mr Saunders shouted the necessary orders, which he did not receive from +the captain. + +The hands flew aloft. My station was in the main-top, to which I +quickly ran up. Royals and topgallant sails were speedily taken in, two +reefs in the topsails, the yards were squared, and we ran off before the +fast-rising gale. We pitched and rolled pretty considerably as it was; +it would have been much worse if we had been close-hauled. As the gale +was from the northward, we ran south all the night. + +In the morning it was my turn, with Dicky Larcom, to breakfast with the +captain, which, according to his lordship's orders, the young gentlemen +in the berth had taken their turns to do with considerable, regularity. +We had to dress in our best, and at the appointed hour we made our +appearance at the cabin door. + +The captain treated us with his usual urbanity. We took our seats, and +had got through some slices of ham and toast, when Lord Robert told us +to help ourselves to coffee. As the ship was rolling and pitching, I, +knowing what might happen if I filled my cup, poured out only a small +quantity. Poor Dicky, not aware of the necessity of taking the same +precaution, filled his to the brim; when, just as he was about to lift +it to his lips, out flew the contents over the fine blue damask +table-cloth. On this Lord Robert jumped up, his countenance exhibiting +anything but an amiable expression, and, seizing poor Dicky by the +collar, he gave him a kick which sent him flying to the cabin door, with +an expression which sounded very unlike a blessing, exclaiming-- + +"Who is to wash breakfast-cloths for such a young powder-monkey as you? +Remember that in future you only breakfast with me once a month." Then +turning to me, he said in a gentle tone, "You see, Finnahan, I must +maintain discipline." + +I of course said nothing, but bolted the remainder of my breakfast as +fast as I could, thinking it prudent to take my leave, lest his lordship +should, with or without reason, find fault with anything I might do, and +treat me in the same way. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +A MIDDY FLOGGED. + +On returning to the berth, I found poor Dicky blubbering, and looking +very melancholy. + +"It was not the loss of my breakfast, for I don't care if I never have +another with him, but it was the indignity with which I was treated," he +exclaimed. At this most of our messmates laughed. + +"Indignity, do you call it, Dicky, to be kicked by a lord? It's a high +honour," said old Grumpus, who had joined us just before we sailed, and +did duty as mate of the lower deck. "Look out, youngster, that you +don't get treated with greater indignity before long. I took the +skipper's measure the day I first set eyes on him. With all his mincing +manners and fine talk, depend upon it he'll prove a Tartar at bottom." + +Besides Dicky, another youngster had come to sea for the first time, and +was related, it was supposed, to the captain. Alfred de Lisle was +somewhat older than Dicky Larcom, and a refined, nice fellow. I took a +great liking to him, though he had his faults. He was excessively +indignant when he heard how Dicky had been treated. + +"It's a great shame. I wouldn't stand it," he exclaimed. "If he treats +me in the same way, I'll leave the ship and go home." + +"Bravo, youngster," cried Grumpus, backing him up. "There'll be one +less in the service to be placed over my head one of these days, and so +I approve of your resolution; only just stick to it. When the captain +next orders you to do anything you don't like, just let it alone. Don't +say you won't, or you'll be guilty of mutiny." + +De Lisle took what Grumpus said in downright earnest, though I didn't +fancy he would have done so, or I should have given him better counsel. + +As the gale increased, the captain, as we heard, sent for the first +lieutenant, and said he should like to bear up for the Cove of Cork or +Plymouth Sound. + +"There's just one objection to our doing that," observed old +Rough-and-Ready. "You see, my lord, they happen to be right away to +windward, and we can no more get there until the wind shifts, than we +can reach the moon. We'll heave the ship to, if your lordship pleases, +and she'll be so much nearer Portsmouth than if we run on as we're +doing." + +"Oh, pray heave to; it is the best thing we can do under the +circumstances," answered his lordship. + +The hands were accordingly turned up, and the ship brought to the wind +at the risk of carrying away some of our bulwarks and boats. We thus +rode, hove-to, for a couple of days, when, the gale moderating, we were +able to make sail, and steer for the Channel. + +As soon as the weather was fine enough, old Rough-and-Ready, according +to promise, kept all hands exercising at the guns and shortening and +reefing sails for hours together. He was in no hurry to get into port +again, as he wanted before then to have a smart ship's company. + +This evidently gave the captain great satisfaction, for he knew he would +gain the credit, and he was not above wishing that for himself, if it +could be obtained without too much trouble. He had come on deck with +his arms akimbo to give his orders, in a voice very different from that +in which he spoke when in his cabin or ashore, introducing as many +expletives and adjurations as the boatswain himself could have done. No +sooner had the sails been again loosed, and tacks and sheets hauled +down, than he sang out once more-- + +"Shorten sail. If you're not smart enough about it, I'll flog the last +man in off the yards." + +The midshipmen had to furl the mizzen-topsail. We consequently flew +aloft with the rest. De Lisle, though active enough in general, didn't +at all like this, and chose to take his time about it. He was +consequently the last on deck. The captain had marked several of the +men for punishment, which they got the next morning, and took it as a +matter of course. The captain, however, said nothing to De Lisle, who +did not dream, therefore, that he would carry out his threats. He was +in the morning watch the next day, and had to turn out at eight bells to +assist in holy-stoning and washing down decks. This was always done +under the supervision of the first lieutenant, who appeared on such +occasions in an old sou'-wester, a jacket patched and darned, a +comforter round his throat, and a pair of blue trousers tucked up at the +knee, without shoes or stockings. The midshipmen had also to go about +with bare feet, as of course had the men. They, with buckets in hand, +were dashing the water over the decks to carry off the sand through the +scuppers, and then they had to dry the decks with huge swabs, which they +swung about, now bringing them down on one side, now on another, with +loud flops. When old Rough-and-Ready's eye was off them, all sorts of +larks would take place. One would heave a bucket of water over a +messmate, the other would return it with interest, and a battle royal +would ensue, till every one was soused through. Then one fellow would +bring his swab across the back of another, and a swab fight would +generally follow, till the first lieutenant would turn round and call +them to order. + +De Lisle on this morning had not made his appearance. At length +Rough-and-Ready, recollecting him, sent below. He came up dressed in +full uniform. + +"What are you after?" exclaimed the first lieutenant staring at him. +"Turn to at once, and attend to your duty." + +"I don't consider it my duty, sir, to engage in such dirty work as +washing down decks; I should spoil my dress if I did," answered De +Lisle. + +"What I order you is your duty; and if I tell you to put your hands in +the tar-bucket and black down the rigging, you'll have to do it," said +the first lieutenant, for once in a way growing angry. + +"I'll go and change my clothes, then, sir," said De Lisle. + +He was so long about this that when he came on deck the operations were +concluded, and the men were flemishing down the ropes. Rough-and-Ready +said nothing at the time, and De Lisle attended to his duty as usual. +Before noon, however, the captain sent for several of us youngsters into +the cabin. Though I had been so long at sea I was still considered a +youngster. The master-at-arms was standing with a small cat in his +hand, a weapon of punishment capable of inflicting a considerable amount +of pain, but not of so formidable a character as the large cat used on +delinquents among the crew. By the captain's side stood his clerk, with +a printed document in his hand. + +"Read the Articles of War," said the captain, "and do you youngsters +listen." + +When he came to the part referring to obedience to the orders of +superior officers, he looked at De Lisle, and exclaimed in a thundering +voice-- + +"Do you hear that, youngster? Prepare to receive the punishment you +merit for disobedience to orders." + +On the port side was a gun which Lord Robert had chosen to have painted +green, carriage and all, to make it harmonise with the furniture. + +"Strip," he said. + +De Lisle, trembling, seemed disinclined to obey; but the master-at-arms +seized him, and quickly had his jacket off, and his back exposed. He +then, in spite of the boy's struggles, secured him to the gun. + +"Give him half-a-dozen lashes," said the captain. + +The cat descended till the blood came. + +"I'll tell my father and mother," sang out poor De Lisle in his agony. + +"Two more for that," cried the captain. + +"Oh! could my brothers and sisters see my disgrace!" cried out poor De +Lisle, scarcely knowing what he said. + +"Two more for that," shouted Lord Robert. + +Again the cat descended. He thus got ten instead of six lashes. He did +not again speak. Overcome by his feelings rather than by the pain, he +had fainted. The captain sent for the doctor, who soon brought him to, +when he was led off to the surgery to have his wounds attended to. + +"That's a lesson for you all, young gentlemen," said Lord Robert in a +subdued tone, differing greatly from that which he had lately used. +"I'm determined to maintain discipline aboard my ship; and you'll +understand that though I wish to treat you all with consideration, I +will certainly punish any disobedience to orders." + +We looked at each other, and then at the captain, and, supposing that we +were not required to stay longer, I led the way out of the cabin, +followed by the rest, my feelings boiling over with indignation, for I +had never before seen a midshipman flogged. Still I could not but +acknowledge that De Lisle merited punishment, and he confessed as much +to me afterwards, though he did not expect to receive it in that +fashion. He harboured no ill-will towards the captain in consequence, +and became far smarter than he had ever been before in attending to his +duties. The lesson was not thrown away on any of us, and we took good +care not to run the risk of incurring the captain's displeasure. +Notwithstanding the captain's effeminate looks and manners, he managed +to gain the respect of the men, who liked to have a lord to rule over +them, though they knew well enough that it was old Rough-and-Ready who +had got the ship into such prime order; and for him they would have gone +through fire and water, though they might not have wished to have him in +supreme command. The captain having abundance of stores on board, our +cruise continued for a longer period than we had expected, and we in the +midshipmen's berth had run short of all our luxuries, and were condemned +to exist on salt junk and hard biscuits. This gave old Grumpus, +Nettleship, and other oldsters the opportunity of grumbling, which made +them, as Tom said, perfectly happy. We enjoyed, however, an occasional +blow-out, when we breakfasted or dined with the captain. We were +beginning to wish, however, that another war would break out, or that we +might return into port and have a spree on shore. + +Besides making and shortening sail, we were constantly exercised at the +guns, as well as the small arms. Our chief employment was firing at a +cask with a flag at the top of it, in doing which we expended as much +powder and shot as would have enabled us to fight a couple of pitched +battles; but it made the men expert gunners, and would have enabled +them, as old Rough-and-Ready observed, to take an enemy's frigate in +half the time they would otherwise have done. + +At length we sighted the coast of Ireland, and, with a westerly breeze, +stood up Channel under all sail. We expected to put into Plymouth, and +Nettleship invited Tom and me to come and pay his mother and sister a +visit, but, to our disappointment, we found the ship passing the +Eddystone, and heard that we were to go on to Portsmouth, where the +captain had his reasons for wishing to remain, namely, that he might be +so much the nearer to London. On a fine bright morning we stood in +through the Needles, and steered for Spithead, where the fleet was lying +at anchor. We carried on in fine style as we stood up the Solent, +between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, exciting the admiration of +all beholders on shore. + +"Now, my lads, let's show the admiral how smartly we can shorten sail +and bring the ship to an anchor," said the captain, who appeared in full +fig on deck. + +We were all on the alert, and the moment "Away aloft!" reached our ears +we flew up the rigging. The boatswain's pipe sounded shrill, the +topsails came down smartly with a loud whirr. The ship was rounded to, +the men lay out on the yards and briskly handed the canvas, and the +anchor was let go, a short distance from the flag-ship. Directly +afterwards a signal was made for Lord Robert to go aboard her. I had +the honour of accompanying him. The boats were newly painted, the men +wearing white trousers and shirts, the oars without a speck; and in good +style we dashed alongside. + +The admiral received Lord Robert on the quarter-deck, and desired to +compliment him on the splendid way in which he had brought his ship to +an anchor. Lord Robert bowed, and, with a self-satisfied smile, replied +he was glad to find that his efforts to bring his crew into a state of +good discipline met with approval, and his only regret was that, it +being peace time, he was unable to bring in a prize in tow, which, as he +pleasantly observed, he should otherwise without doubt have done. + +I thought that he might possibly refer to the assistance he had received +from old Rough-and-Ready, but not a word escaped his lips to allow the +admiral to suppose that all was not due to his own admirable system. He +then hinted that the ship had been in some heavy weather, and that it +might be necessary to go into harbour, to have her damages made good. +The admiral made no objection, and we accordingly, the next morning, got +under weigh, and stood in to Portsmouth harbour, where we brought up +some distance from the dockyard. We found two or three other frigates +lying there, and several sloops-of-war and corvettes and brigs. + +We had not been there long before our captain received invitations from +the residents in the neighbourhood, who had known him as a lieutenant +and commander, and were accustomed to make much of him. He was +acquainted with most of the captains of the other ships, and they were +constantly dining on shore in each other's company. They had all been +invited to dinner at the house of a baronet some miles out of +Portsmouth, and their boats were ordered to be in waiting for them at +about half-an-hour after midnight. All the commanders and most of the +post-captains were young men, full of life and spirits, two or three of +them noted for their harum-scarum qualities. + +I had been sent to bring off Lord Robert, and a midshipman was in each +of the other boats belonging to the different ships. We waited and +waited for our respective captains, sitting in the stern-sheets wrapped +in our thick cloaks, afraid to go ashore lest our men should take the +opportunity of slipping off into one of the public-houses on the Common +Hard, standing temptingly open. + +At last we heard the voices of a party of revellers coming along, and I +recognised among them that of my captain, who seemed to be in an +especially jovial mood. + +In those days there stood on the Hard a sentry-box, furnished with a +seat inside, on which the sentry was accustomed to sit down to rest his +legs between his turns. + +Presently I heard Lord Robert sing out-- + +"Hillo! where's the sentry?" + +He and the other captains then gathered round the box. The sentry was +fast asleep. They shouted to him. He made no reply. There was a good +deal of laughing and talking. Then they called several of the men, and +in another minute they brought the sentry-box, with the sentry in it +still fast asleep--or rather dead drunk--down to the boats. Securing +two together, the sentry-box was placed across them, and, the order +being given, we shoved off. Instead, however, of returning to our +ships, we made our way across the harbour to the Gosport side, when the +sentry-box was safely landed, and placed with the sentry, his head +fortunately uppermost, and his musket by his side, on the beach. + +We then left him, the boats casting off from each other amidst shouts of +laughter, and we pulled back to the _Jason_. The captain didn't say +much, for the best of reasons, he was not very well able to use his +tongue, but rubbed his hands, chuckling at the thoughts of what he had +done. I helped him up the side, and assisted him to his cabin. + +I believe most of the other captains were also, as he was, three sheets +in the wind, or they probably would not have engaged in the proceeding. + +Next morning, soon after daybreak, Nettleship and I were sent ashore by +the first lieutenant to look out for three men who had not come off on +the previous evening, and who, it was supposed, might have deserted. + +"Something like looking for a needle in a bundle of hay," said +Nettleship, as we pulled towards the Hard. "The chances are we shall +find them drunk in some house or other, or perhaps in the gutter with +black eyes and broken heads. It's not pleasant work, but it must be +done." + +I said nothing about the condition in which the captains had come off +the previous evening, but I thought to myself if captains set such an +example, no wonder if the men follow it in their own fashion. + +On landing we found an unusual number of people on the Hard for that +early hour, while parties of soldiers, headed by sergeants, were passing +at the double-quick march. We inquired of one of the men we met what +had happened. He said that on the relief coming to the spot where the +sentry-box had stood, and finding neither box nor sentry, they had been +seized with alarm. The captain of the guard had immediately reported +the circumstance to the fort major, and, forgetting that peace had been +established, he roundly asserted that the French squadron was at +Spithead, that the Isle of Wight had been captured, and that Portsmouth +would be attacked. The whole garrison was aroused, and the telegraphs +on the hills set to work to communicate the intelligence far and wide. +As I was the only person in the boat who knew what had actually +occurred, I thought it prudent to hold my tongue and let things take +their course. Nettleship and I therefore proceeded in search of the +men, and before long found them, much in the condition we had expected, +though sufficiently recovered to walk. Helped along by their shipmates, +we got them down to the boats. The excitement was still at its height, +when, just as we were shoving off, a boat arrived from the Gosport side, +with the astounding intelligence that the missing sentry-box, with the +sentry in it, was standing upright on the beach. Immediately a number +of boats, one of which contained the captain of the guard and several +other officials, pulled across to investigate the matter. + +"We may as well go to see the fun," said Nettleship; "the first +lieutenant won't find fault with us when I explain the object." + +Away we pulled with the rest, and lay off the beach, while Captain +Bouncer and his party landed. + +The sentry, who was standing in his box, stepped out, and saluted in due +form. + +"How did you get here, my man?" inquired Captain Bouncer in an angry +tone. + +"Faith, captain, that's more than I can be after telling you," answered +the sentry, whom I recognised as a countryman. + +"You don't mean to tell me that you don't know how you and your +sentry-box were transported across the harbour in the middle of the +night!" exclaimed Captain Bouncer. + +"That's just what I'm saying I can't do, captain dear," replied the +sentry. + +"You must have been drunk as a fiddler," shouted the captain. + +"I can swear, your honour, by all the holy saints, that I was sober as a +judge," answered Pat. "Shure it's my belief I was lifted up by a couple +of witches riding on broomsticks, and carried across without so much as +wetting my feet, for my boots are as dry as if they had been roasting +before the fire." + +"If witches carried the man across, they must be hunted up and +punished," cried one of the bystanders. + +"Witches be hanged!" exclaimed the captain; "the man must give a better +account than that of the way he came across." + +"Then, captain, if it was not witches, it must have been a score of +will-o'-the-wisps, who just upset the sentry-box and towed it across the +harbour while I was sitting quiet, not dreaming of what was happening, +and only just looking up at the stars shining brightly above me," said +Pat in a wheedling tone. + +"You must have been asleep, at all events, or you would have discovered +that your box was being moved," said the captain. + +"Asleep is it, your honour!" exclaimed the sentry; "shure Pat Donovan, +and that's myself, never went to sleep on guard since he listed in His +Majesty's army." + +"Whether the sentry was drunk or asleep, whether transported across by +witches or imps, we must have the sentry-box back again," said Captain +Bouncer, and he gave orders to have it lifted into a boat. This was +found, from its weight, not to be an easy matter, confirming the people +in their belief that the sentry had been carried across as he stated, +for if heavy when empty, it must have been much heavier with him in it. + +Poor Pat meantime was placed under arrest, and carried away to be +further examined by the town major, and dealt with as might seem +expedient, while we pulled back to our ship. There were many among the +crowd who believed that Pat Donovan, of her Majesty's 3---th regiment, +had been spirited across Portsmouth harbour by a couple of witches +riding on broomsticks, though where they were to be found was more than +one could say. We heard afterwards that a dozen old women had been +seized and accused of the crime, and that had it not been for the +interference of certain naval officers, whose names were not mentioned, +they would have been subjected to the ordeal of being ducked in the +harbour, or tossed in a blanket. It was reported that our captain had +seen what he took to be a sentry-box floating across the harbour on the +night in question, and he could swear that no such agency as was +reported had been employed. Whatever the educated might have believed, +the lower classes were still forcibly impressed with the idea that the +sentry-box and sentry had been carried across by witches; but on board +ship the real state of the case was soon known, and the men, who kept +the secret, chuckled over the credulity of their friends on shore. + +Portsmouth had become very dull, I was told, since the war was over, and +we certainly at times found a difficulty in knowing how to pass our +time. Our captain occasionally posted up to London, but, having no +business there, received a hint from the Admiralty that he must remain +on board his ship, and therefore had to post down again as fast as he +could. He consoled himself by spending nearly all the day on shore, +generally at the houses of people in the neighbourhood. He had one +evening gone to dine at a house situated some way in the country, on the +Gosport side, and he had ordered his boat to be waiting for him at the +nearest landing-place to it, punctually at ten o'clock. As he had a +picked crew, not likely to desert, no midshipman went in the boat. As +it happened, the doctor, the second lieutenant, and the lieutenant of +marines had been invited to spend the evening close to Gosport, and I +was ordered to go and bring them off at half-past ten, not far from the +place where the captain had intended to embark. When I got in I found +his boat still there. The men had been talking and laughing, and had +evidently managed to get some liquor on board. They did not see me, and +as I was afraid that they might send over some to my men, I kept my boat +as far off as I could get. + +Presently the steward came down, and told the coxswain that his lordship +had made up his mind to stay on shore, and that the boat was to return +to the ship. Just then, however, I saw an animal of some sort, but what +it was I could not distinguish through the gloom of night, come close +down to the water. A couple of the men instantly jumped ashore, and, +catching hold of it, lifted it into the boat, laughing and chuckling +loudly. I had a short time longer to wait before the officers came +down. + +Of course I said nothing of what I had seen. We pulled alongside the +frigate, the boats were hoisted up, and my watch being over, I turned in +to my hammock. I had not been long asleep when my ears were saluted by +the most unearthly sounds, so it seemed to me, that ever broke the +stillness of night. A universal panic seemed to be prevailing. Men +were rushing up on deck, shouting out that Old Nick himself had gained +possession of the ship, some carrying their clothes with them, but +others only in their shirts, leaving in their terror everything else +behind. + +The alarm which had begun forward extended aft; the marines, headed by +their sergeant and corporal,--though the sentries still remained at +their posts,--ever mindful of their duty, and ready to do battle with +foes human or infernal. I and the other midshipmen, thus awakened from +our sleep by the fearful sounds, jumped out of our hammocks, and began +dressing as fast as we could. It was not until I was half-way up the +ladder, and still not quite awake, that I recollected the occurrence at +the landing-place. Again the sounds which had alarmed us came forth +from the lower depths of the ship. Many of the men in their terror +seemed inclined to jump overboard. + +Before long, however, old Rough-and-Ready came hurrying on deck, with +his small-clothes over his arm and night-cap on head; his voice rang out +above the uproar, inquiring what was the matter. The drum beat to +quarters, the boatswain's whistle sounded shrilly, piping all hands on +deck, though the greater number were there already. No one answered the +first lieutenant's question. + +Again the sound was heard. The men who were at their stations seemed +inclined to desert them, when it struck me that only one animal in +existence could make that fearful noise, and as matters were getting +serious, I went up to the first lieutenant and said-- + +"I fancy, sir, that it's a donkey's bray." + +"Of course it is," exclaimed Mr Saunders. "How in the name of wonder +came a donkey on board the ship?" + +I thought it prudent not to reply; and the second lieutenant and other +officers who had come off with me of course said that they knew nothing +about it. + +The first lieutenant, having now got into his breeches, calling the mate +of the lower deck, the master-at-arms, and others, to bring lanterns, +descended to the fore-hold. None of the men, however, except those who +were summoned, appeared inclined to follow them. I, however, expecting +to have my suspicions verified, went forward with Tom Pim. We heard old +Rough-and-Ready shouting out for a tackle, and in another minute up came +an unfortunate donkey. The poor brute, having fallen into the hold, had +given expression to its dissatisfaction by the sounds which had driven +the ship's company well-nigh out of their wits. + +How the donkey had come on board was still to be discovered. My boat's +crew knew nothing about the matter; and it was surprising that the +captain's crew, including the coxswain, were equally unable to account +for the mysterious occurrence. As they had been engaged in transporting +the sentry-box across the harbour, it was just possible that they might +have taken it into their heads to imitate the example of their +superiors, and play a trick on their own account. + +Whatever the first lieutenant might have thought on the subject, he took +no steps in the matter, but awaited the return of the captain. The +first thing the next morning, however, he sent the poor donkey ashore. + +Late in the afternoon Lord Robert came on board, and received due +information of what had occurred. Perhaps he might have suspected how +the donkey had entered the ship; at the same time it is possible that +his conscience may have smote him for having set the example of +practical joking. At all events, he made no strenuous attempts to +discover the culprits. The next day he issued an order that, even if +his satanic majesty and a thousand of his imps should come aboard, the +men were not to turn out of their hammocks till piped up by the +boatswain. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +A TRIP TO LONDON. + +While we lay in harbour, three ships of Sir Edward Hughes' squadron from +the East Indies came home and were paid off, the crew not only receiving +their pay, but large sums for prize-money. Scarcely had they dropped +their anchors than the ships were boarded by hundreds of harpies in all +shapes, eager to fleece the crew,--or rather, to win their confidence, +in order to fleece them as soon as they had received their hard-earned +wages. Pinchbeck watches, copper chains which passed for gold, huge +rings for the fingers and ears, trinkets of all sorts, and cutlery made +of tin, were pressed upon Jack as loans, to be paid for as soon as he +landed; and the moment he got his pay, no time was lost in commencing +the operation of fleecing him. Some sturdy fellows, who had been played +that trick often before, attempted to resist the importunities of their +pretended friends, and kept their hands in their pockets, turning +scornful glances on either side, as they rolled along; but most of them, +unless they could resist the grog-shop, were very soon doomed to fall +into more warily-laid traps. + +Tom and I were on shore the day the _Hero_ was paid off, one of the +ships which had so often encountered the squadron of the French Admiral +de Soufryen. The whole of Portsmouth was in an uproar. We met dozens +of stout fellows rolling along, with massive chains hung from their +fobs, rings on their fingers, their heads adorned with lovelocks, +pigtails, and earrings, with female companions hung on to each of their +arms, rolling and shouting as they went, paying no respect to anybody +out of uniform, in the height of good humour as long as they could have +their way, but evidently ready to quarrel with any one whom they might +fancy wished to interfere with them. + +At the door of one of the principal inns we found a couple of coaches, +with four horses each, prepared for starting, and surrounded by some +twenty or thirty seamen. Some quickly clambered up on the roof and into +the front seats, and others behind; those who had climbed outside +shouting out that the ship would be top-heavy if the rest did not stow +themselves away below, the last half-dozen or so got inside. + +"Drive on, coachee," cried one of the men in front; "let's see how fast +your craft can move along." + +The coachman smacked his whip, and off galloped the horses, the men +cheering and waving their hats at the same time, and throwing showers of +silver among the boys in the street, who had gathered to look on, and +who were soon engaged in a pretty scrimmage to pick up the coins thus +profusely bestowed on them. Tom and I could with difficulty refrain +from joining in the scramble. + +The junior officers were at a paying-off dinner at the "Blue Posts," to +which Tom and I, and Nettleship, who afterwards joined us, were invited. +The wine of course flowed freely. Before the feast was over, the +larger number of the party scarcely knew what they were about. + +At last it was proposed that we should sally forth, and out we went, +arm-in-arm, in good humour with ourselves, and ready for anything that +might turn up. One of the party commenced a sea-song, in the chorus of +which we all joined at the top of our voices, awaking the sleeping +inhabitants, who, however, were not unaccustomed to such interruptions +to their slumbers. We were becoming more and more uproarious, when we +encountered a party of watchmen in greatcoats, carrying lanterns and +rattles. Having been lately reprimanded for allowing disturbances in +the streets, they took it into their heads to disperse us, telling us in +no very courteous manner to return on board our ships. They were +received with shouts of laughter, and, as they still persisted in +interfering, our leader cried out-- + +"Charge them, lads." + +At the word we rushed forward, scattering the old gentlemen right and +left. + +"Chase them, boys! chase them!" cried our leader. + +As they went up one street, and then down another, this was no easy +matter, and we became quickly dispersed. + +"I say, Paddy, this sort of thing doesn't do," said Tom. "It may be all +very well for those fellows who are paid off, and are going home, but we +shall be getting into a row before long, and it would look foolish to +return on board with broken heads and black eyes." + +Just then we met Nettleship, who had been looking for us, and who, being +perfectly sober, fully agreed with Tom. We accordingly directed our +course to the Point, where we knew we should find a boat to take us off. + +Just as we were turning out of the High Street, however, we encountered +three of the guardians of the night who had been assailed by our party. +They instantly accused us of attacking them, and I fully expected that +we should be carried off into durance vile. + +"How dare you say anything of that sort?" said Nettleship. "We belong +to the _Jason_, Lord Robert Altamont, and his lordship will take very +good care to bring you to justice should you venture to detain us. Make +way there. Let us pass." + +The watchmen were overawed by his manner, and we walked steadily on. +Seeing that we were perfectly sober, they supposed that we did not +belong to the party, as they had at first fancied, and we reached the +water's edge without further interruption. + +"You see the dangerous consequences of being in bad company," observed +Nettleship. "We might have been kept locked up all night, and had our +leave stopped for a month when we returned on board." + +"But you joined us," said Tom. + +"I know I did," said Nettleship, "and I am more to blame than you are, +in consequence of setting you so bad an example; but that does not +prevent me from reading you a lecture. It's easier to preach than to +practise." + +"You are right, I see," said Tom; "and I am very glad we haven't lost +our senses, as most of the other fellows have done." + +We roused up a waterman who was sleeping in the bottom of his boat, and +got on board the frigate in time to keep the middle watch. + +Lord Robert Altamont being fond of amusing himself on shore, was willing +to allow his officers the same liberty, provided a sufficient number +remained on board to maintain the discipline of the ship, for which he +was at all times a great stickler. + +"You have never been in London, Paddy," said Nettleship to me one day. +"I have some business that calls me up there. It's a legal affair, and +if I am successful it will add some fifty pounds or more a year to my +mother's income. I have obtained leave, and if you like to accompany +me, I'll ask leave for you to go, and promise to take charge of you." + +It was not likely that I should refuse such an offer, and, leave being +obtained, we set off by the coach as Nettleship intended. We had inside +places, for there was only room outside for four persons besides the +coachman, and on the hinder part, on a little box of his own, sat the +guard, arrayed in a scarlet coat, a three-cornered hat, a brace of +pistols in his belt, a hanger by his side suspended by a sash over his +shoulder, while a couple of blunderbusses were stuck into cases on +either side of him ready to his hand. + +"Why does the man carry all these arms?" Tasked. + +"If he didn't, the chances are that the coach, when passing over +Hounslow Heath, would be attacked by highwaymen or footpads, and the +passengers robbed, if not murdered," answered Nettleship. "As it is, +occasionally some bold fellows stop the coach and cry, `Your money or +your lives,' and the guard is either shot down or thinks it wise not to +interfere, and the passengers have to deliver up their purses." + +"I hope that sort of thing won't happen to us," I said. + +"When they look in and see two naval officers, with a brace of pistols +and swords by their sides, the highwaymen will probably ride on. They +are generally, I fancy, arrant cowards, and prefer pillaging old +dowagers, who are likely to afford good booty without any risk," said +Nettleship. + +Notwithstanding Nettleship's assertions, I half expected to be stopped, +but we reached London in safety. When he had time Nettleship +accompanied me about to see the sights, but when he was engaged I had to +go out by myself, and consequently very often lost my way. I always, +however, managed to get back to our lodgings without having to obtain a +guide. I will not here describe the adventures I met with. As, +according to Nettleship's advice, I looked upon every one who spoke to +me as a rogue, I escaped being fleeced, as some of my shipmates were who +ventured into the metropolis by themselves. Our leave had nearly +expired, and we had to be down at Portsmouth the following evening. +When we went to the coach office to secure our places, we were told that +the whole coach had been engaged, it was supposed by a gentleman who was +going to take down his family. + +"But we must go," said Nettleship to me, "even if we travel in the boot, +for I've not got money enough left to pay for posting, and I should not +like to expend it so even if I had." + +We waited until the coach drove up to the office, expecting to see a +dignified gentleman with his wife and daughters inside, and his sons and +servants on the outside. What was our surprise, then, to behold only a +jovial Jack Tar, with his arms akimbo, seated on the roof, looking as +dignified and independent as the Sultan on his throne. + +"Come, there's plenty of room," I said to Nettleship. "No one else +seems to be coming; the gentleman who took the coach has probably +delayed his journey." + +Nettleship put the question to the coachman. + +"There's the gentleman who's taken the coach," he replied, pointing with +his thumb over his shoulder. "He says it's his, and that no one else is +to ride, inside or out. He has paid his money, and we can't interfere." + +All this time Jack was regarding us with supercilious glances. I felt +very indignant, and proposed opening the door and getting inside, +whatever the seaman might say, but the doors were locked, and the +shutters drawn up. + +"That will never do," observed Nettleship. "Let me tackle him, though +it won't do to give him soft sawder. I say, my man, you lately belonged +to the _Hero_, didn't you?" he asked. + +"Yes, I did, but I'm free of her now," answered Jack. + +"You fought some pretty smart actions in her, I've a notion. We have +heard speak of them. My young messmate and I were out in the West +Indies, and belonged to the _Liffy_. She ran ashore. Then we joined +the old _Cerberus_, which went down in the Atlantic; and then we went on +board the _Hector_, which fought the two French frigates. We had a +narrow squeak for our lives, for she went the way of our former ship. +And now we belong to the _Jason_, and shall have to keep the middle +watch to-night, which is what you'll not have to do, I fancy. Now if we +overstay our leave and don't get down, you know what the consequences +will be." + +"I've some notion of it," said Jack. "What is it you're driving at?" + +"If you'll just let us get inside your coach we'll say you're a mighty +good fellow; and if you don't, we'll leave you to call yourself what you +think you would be," answered Nettleship. + +"Come, I like an outspoken fellow," said Jack. "Jump in, youngsters; +I'll give you a passage down, and nothing to pay for it. You guard +there, with your long horn, open the door and let the young gentlemen +in, but mind you, you take up nobody else, not if the First Lord and all +the Admiralty come and axe for places." + +In we sprang with our valises, and we heard Jack shout-- + +"Make sail, coachee, and see how many knots you can run off the reel." + +The coachman smacked his whip, and away we rattled through the villages +of Knightsbridge, Kensington, and Hammersmith. The coach pulled up at +the "Green Dragon" at the latter place, and some parcels were offered, +but Jack kept his eyes about him, and would not let one be taken on +board. In an authoritative tone he ordered the landlord to bring us out +a tankard of ale, and likewise treated the coachman and guard. As we +knew it would please him, we did not refuse the draughts. He flung the +landlord a sovereign. + +"There's payment for you, old boy," he cried out. "Don't mind the +change; and, I say, you may treat as many thirsty fellows as you like +with it. Now drive on, coachee." + +Thus Jack went on at each stage, sitting, while the coach was in motion, +with his arms folded, looking as proud as a king on his throne. I +thought at one time that he would have quarrelled with us because we +declined to taste any more of the ale he offered. He was pretty well +half-seas over by the time we arrived at Portsmouth. When he came to +the door to help us out, Nettleship began to thank him. + +"I don't want your thanks, young masters," he answered gruffly. "I've +had my spree, and maybe before long I shall be at your beck and call; +but I'm my own master now, and intend to remain so as long as the gold +pieces jingle in my pocket. Maybe I'll have another ride up to London +in a day or two, and if you like the trip, I'll give it you. You may +thank me or not as you like." + +Nettleship and I saw that it would be no use saying more, so, wishing +him good evening, we took our way down to the Hard. I turned for a +moment, and saw our friend rolling up the middle of the street with his +hands in his pockets, as proud as the grand bashaw. + +A few nights after this Tom Pim and I, having leave on shore, took it +into our heads to go to the theatre. In the front row of seats sat our +friend who had given us so seasonable a lift down from London. The +seats on either side of him were vacant, and when any one attempted to +occupy them he told them to be off. He had taken three seats that he +might enjoy himself. There he was, with his arms folded, looking as if +he thought himself the most important person in the house. There were a +good many more seamen on the other benches,--indeed, the house was more +than half filled with them, some in the pit, others in the upper boxes +and galleries. The play was "The Brigand's Bride." The lady evidently +had a hard time of it, and appeared to be in no way reconciled to her +lot, her great wish being clearly to make her escape. In this attempt +she was aided by a young noble in silk attire, who made his appearance +whenever the brigand, a ferocious-looking ruffian, was absent. The lady +made piteous appeals to the audience for sympathy, greatly exciting the +feelings of many of them, though Tom and I were much inclined to laugh +when we saw the brigand and the lover hob-nobbing with each other behind +a side scene, which, by some mischance, had not been shoved forward +enough. At length the young count and the brigand met, and had a +tremendous fight, which ended in the death of the former, who was +dragged off the stage. Soon afterwards, the lady rushed on to look for +him, and the brigand, with his still reeking sword, was about to put an +end to her existence, when, stretching out her hands, she exclaimed-- + +"Is there no help for me on earth? Am I, the hapless one, to die by the +weapon of this cruel ruffian?" + +"No, that you shan't, my pretty damsel," cried our friend Jack, +forgetting all the stern selfishness in which he had been indulging +himself,--"not while I've got an arm to fight for you." + +Just as he was speaking, a dozen of the brigand's followers had appeared +at the back of the stage. + +"Hurrah, lads! Boarders! repel boarders!" he exclaimed, starting up. +"On, lads, and we'll soon put this big blackguard and his crew to +flight." + +Suiting the action to the word, he sprang over the footlights, followed +by the seamen in the pit. The lady shrieked at the top of her voice, +not at all relishing the interruption to her performance, and far more +afraid of the uproarious seamen than of the robber from whom she had +just before been entreating protection. Bestowing a hearty box on +Jack's ear, she freed herself from his arms, and rushed off the stage, +while the brigand and his companions, turning tail, made their escape. + +"Blow me if ever I try to rescue a young woman in distress again, if +that's the way I'm to be treated," cried Jack. "Shiver my timbers, if +she hasn't got hold of that vagabond. There they are, the whole lot of +them, carrying her off. No, it's impossible that she can be wanting to +go with such a set of villains. On, lads! on! and we'll soon drive them +overboard, and just bring her back to learn what she really wants." + +Saying this, Jack, followed by a score of seamen, rushing up the stage, +disappeared behind the side scenes. We heard a tremendous row going on +of mingled cries and shouts and shrieks. Presently the seamen returned, +dragging with them the perfidious heroine, and well-nigh a dozen of the +brigands whom they had captured. In vain the latter protested that they +were not really brigands, but simply scene-shifters and labourers, who +had been hired to represent those formidable characters. The lady also +asserted that she was the lawful wife of the robber chief, and the +mother of six children, and that she didn't stand in the slightest fear +of him, but that he was the kindest and most indulgent of husbands. + +At length the manager came on the stage, leading forward the murdered +youth and the brigand himself, who now, having laid aside his beard and +wig, looked a very harmless individual. The manager, politely +addressing the seamen, requested them to return to their seats and allow +the performance to continue. After some persuasion they complied, but +the illusion was gone, and by the loud remarks which issued from their +lips they evidently took very little interest in the plot of the piece. + +"I say, Smith, how are the babies at home?" shouted one. + +"You know if you was such a villain as you say, you would be triced up +to the yard-arm in quarter less than no time," cried another. + +The poor actress, as she reappeared, was saluted with, "How goes it with +you, Mrs Smith? Have you been to look after the babies?" while the +carpenters and scene-shifters were addressed as Jones and Brown and +other familiar names. + +In vain the manager protested against the interruption of the +performance. He was desired to dance a hornpipe or sing a sea-song. To +the latter invitation he at last acceded, and at length restored +somewhat like order in the theatre. Tom and I, having to return on +board, left the house before the performance was concluded, so I can +give no further account of what happened on that memorable evening. + +Some days after this, the boatswain, with a party of men, having gone +ashore to obtain some fresh hands to fill up our complement,--there was +no need of the press-gang at that time,--returned on board with six +stout fellows. Among them I recognised the seaman who had given us a +passage down in the coach from London, and who had taken so prominent a +part in the defence of the brigand's bride. They were at once entered, +the man I speak of under the name of John Patchett. He looked at +Nettleship and me as if he had never before seen us in his life, and I +at first almost doubted whether he could really be the same man; but +when I observed the independent way in which he went rolling along the +deck, evidently caring for no one, and heard the tone of his voice, I +was certain that he was the fellow I had supposed; so also was +Nettleship, who said that he would have a talk with him some day, under +pretence of learning what ships he had served aboard. He told me +afterwards that he had done so, but that Patchett didn't allude to his +journey in the coach. His only answer when he asked him if he knew +anything about it was-- + +"Well, the fellow had his spree, but he was a fool for all that." + +At last Lord Robert, whose name had appeared very frequently at balls +and entertainments given in London, received peremptory orders from the +Admiralty to put to sea. He came back in very ill-humour, complaining +as before to Mr Saunders of the harsh treatment he received from the +Admiralty. In a cheerful tone the following day old Rough-and-Ready, +who was always happier at sea than in harbour, gave the order to unmoor +ship. Visitors were sent on shore, and sail being made, we stood out of +Portsmouth harbour to Spithead. We there dropped our anchor near the +spot where, four years before, the _Royal George_ with brave Admiral +Kempenfeldt and upwards of four hundred men, went down. A large buoy +marked the place where the stout ship lay beneath the waves. + +Some cases of claret and other stores which Lord Robert expected had not +arrived, and he declared that it would be impossible to put to sea +without them. It was a matter of perfect indifference to us in the +midshipmen's berth how long we remained, or where we went, for in those +piping times of peace we expected to have very little to do. In that +respect we were not mistaken. After waiting three days, the expected +stores, which had come down from London by waggon, were brought +alongside, and, going out by Saint Helen's, we stood down Channel. We +put into Plymouth Sound, where we remained a whole week, while Lord +Robert went on shore; but as it was impossible to say at what moment we +might be ordered to sea, no leave was granted. We all wished for a gale +of wind from the south-west, which might compel us to run into Hamoaze, +as the Sound itself afforded no shelter. Lord Robert had better have +kept at sea if he had wished to remain on the home station, for by some +means or other information was sent to the Admiralty of our being at +Plymouth, and a courier came down post haste from London, with +despatches for the _Jason_ to convey to the Mediterranean. We were well +pleased when the news was brought aboard. The captain, however, looked +in not very good humour at having to go so far from home. The wind +being to the eastward, we immediately got under weigh, and proceeded on +our course down Channel. Old Rough-and-Ready tried his best to restore +the men to their former discipline, by exercising them at the guns, and +repeatedly shortening and making sail. The despatches, I suppose, were +of no great importance, as Lord Robert appeared not to be in a hurry to +deliver them. We took it easily, therefore, and at times, when the wind +was light or contrary, furling everything, and then making all sail +again; that done, we had once more to reef and furl sails, and to brace +the yards about. However, at last we got a strong breeze and continued +our course. About a month after leaving Plymouth, we came in sight of +the Rock of Gibraltar, and brought up in the bay. Lord Robert delivered +the despatches he had brought out to the governor. We got leave to land +and visit the wonderful galleries hewn out in the Rock, which had bid +defiance to the fleets and armies of France and Spain when General +Elliot was in command of the place, in 1782, while we were in the West +Indies. We heard many particulars of the gallant defence. General +Elliot had comparatively a small force of troops to garrison the +fortress, but they were reinforced by the seamen of the fleet, who were +landed, and formed into a brigade under the command of Captain Robert +Curtis, of the _Brilliant_ frigate. The French and Spaniards had a +fleet of forty-seven sail of the line, besides floating batteries of a +peculiar construction, frigates, zebecks, gun and mortar boats, and +upwards of 40,000 troops, who besieged the fortress on the land side. +The naval brigade had charge of the batteries at Europa Point, and so +ably did they work their guns, that they soon compelled the Spanish +squadron to retire out of the reach of their shot. Besides the vessels +I have mentioned, the Spaniards had 300 large boats, collected from +every part of Spain, which were to be employed in landing the troops. +Early in the morning on the 13th September, the fleet, under the command +of Admiral Moreno, got under way, and, approaching to a distance of +about a thousand yards, commenced a heavy cannonade, the troops on the +land side opening fire at the same time. It was replied to by the +garrison with tremendous showers of red-hot shot, which, falling on +board the Spanish ships, set that of the admiral and another on fire. +The Spaniards were seen in vain attempting to extinguish the flames. +The fiery shower was kept up, and during the night seven more vessels +took fire in succession. The Spaniards were seen making signals of +distress, and the boats of their fleet came to their assistance, but +were so assailed by the showers of shot, that they dared no longer +approach, and were compelled to abandon their ships and friends to the +flames. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. + +When morning broke, a scene of fearful havoc was exhibited. Numbers of +men were seen in the midst of the flames imploring relief, others +floating on pieces of timber; and even those on board the ships where +the fire had made but little progress were entreating to be taken off. +Captain Curtis, on seeing this, regardless of the danger he was running, +or that those in distress were enemies, embarked with several of his +boats to their assistance. They boldly boarded the burning ships and +rescued the perishing crews. While engaged in this glorious service, +one of the largest of the ships blew up, scattering its fragments far +and wide around. One English gunboat was sunk, and another was +considerably damaged. A piece of timber falling struck a hole in the +bottom of the barge in which was Captain Curtis. His coxswain was +killed, and two of his crew wounded, and the boat would have sunk had +not the seamen stuck their jackets into the hole. By these means she +was kept afloat till other boats came to their assistance. Don Moreno +left his flag flying on board his ship, and it was consumed with her. +The English garrison had sixty-five killed and four hundred wounded, and +the naval brigade only one killed and five wounded. Soon after this a +heavy gale from the southward sprang up, dispersing the enemy's fleet. +A fine seventy-four was driven close under the Rock, when, after a few +shots, she struck. Others received much damage. The garrison was +finally relieved by the fleet under Lord Howe, who attacked the French +and Spaniards, and gave them a severe drubbing. They managed, however, +to escape, and stood up the Mediterranean, where Lord Howe didn't +consider it prudent to follow them. Tom Pim and I agreed that we wished +we had been there. When we had gone over the place, we were not so much +surprised as we might have been at its having been able, with so small a +garrison, to resist the enormous force brought against it. The +Spaniards received a lesson at that time which they have never since +forgotten. + +All now looked peaceable and quiet. The country people came jogging on +their mules across the neutral ground up to the forts, and seemed on +perfectly good terms with their old enemies. After spending a week at +Gibraltar, we steered for the Bay of Naples, Lord Robert intending, we +heard, to pay his respects to the king and queen of that very +insignificant state, and to give an entertainment to their majesties. +Cork harbour is a fine place, but the Bay of Naples, we all agreed, beat +it hollow. + +Lord Robert went on shore, and was, we suppose, received by the king and +queen, for two days afterwards we were ordered to dress the ship with +flags, and to rig an awning over the quarter-deck, so as to turn it into +what looked very much like a tent. Old Rough-and-Ready grumbled as if +he were not at all pleased at what he had to do, but he did it +notwithstanding. All the officers then turned out in full uniform, and +shortly afterwards we saw a magnificent barge coming off, followed by a +number of smaller boats. The barge came alongside, and the captain went +down the accommodation ladder which had been rigged to receive his royal +guests. They seemed highly pleased with the appearance of the ship, +and, it was said, did good justice to the banquet which had been +prepared for them. We then very quickly unrigged the tent and hauled +down the flags, and, getting under weigh, took a cruise round the bay. +As the water was perfectly smooth, their majesties seemed to enjoy +themselves, and the king remarked that he was not surprised that the +King of England's son should become a sailor. + +"I've a notion that the prince has a very different sort of life to +this," remarked old Rough-and-Ready, "though I have no doubt they make +it as easy for him as they can." + +When we came to an anchor, their majesties, with their courtiers, went +ashore, and we had the ship to ourselves. We got leave to visit a +number of ruins and other places. As far as we could judge, we should +have time to become well acquainted with the neighbourhood, as our +captain was evidently intent on enjoying himself after his own fashion, +and showed no inclination to put to sea. Lord Robert knew, however, +that even he must not remain there for ever, and, fearing that the +commodore might come in and send him off, with orders not to return, +reluctantly came on board; the anchor was weighed, and we sailed on a +cruise along the African coast. At that time the Barbary States, as +they were called, were nominally at peace with England, but their +cruisers didn't object to capture English merchantmen when they could +fall in with them, and carry off their crews into slavery. In the +daytime we stood close to the coast, and at night kept at a respectful +distance. We had one night been standing to the eastward, about nine +miles off the land. + +Just as day dawned the look-out from aloft shouted, "Two sail ahead!" + +"What are they like?" inquired the first lieutenant. + +"I can't make out, sir," was the answer. "One seems to me as if she had +boarded the other, for she's close alongside." + +Mr Saunders at once sent me aloft to have a look at the strangers. I +was also at first puzzled, till the light increased, when I made out an +English merchant vessel, and a foreign-looking ship alongside her. Soon +after I came down, and had reported what I had seen, we made them out +clearly from the deck. + +"We must overhaul those fellows," said the first lieutenant, and he +instantly gave orders to make all sail. + +The breeze was increasing, and we soon neared them. At last we saw the +larger ship make sail, and stand in for the land, while the other +remained, with her yards some one way some another. As she was not +likely to move, we steered after the first. The captain had been +called, and now made his appearance on deck. Our fear was that the +stranger would run on shore, or get into some harbour before we could +come up with her. That she was an Algerine pirate, and had been engaged +in plundering the brig, we had no doubt. However, she was not a very +fast sailer, and we soon got her within range of our guns. + +"Give her a shot across the forefoot, and make her heave to," cried the +captain, who was more animated than I had ever yet seen him. + +Our larboard bow-chaser was fired, but the Algerine took no notice of +it. We now sent our shot as fast as our guns could be run in and +loaded. Several struck her, and at last her main-yard was knocked away. +Still she stood on, her object being, apparently, to induce us to +follow till we ran ashore. The men were sent into the chains to heave +the lead. Occasionally the chase fired at us, but her shot did us no +damage. + +"She will escape us after all," cried the captain, stamping with +impatience. + +Scarcely had he uttered the words than there came a loud roar. Up rose +the masts of the Algerine, with her deck, and fragments of wreck and +human bodies, and then down they fell into the water, and, except a few +spars and planks, the fine vessel we had just seen vanished from sight. +The frigate's head was at once put off shore; the boats were lowered, +and pulled away to rescue any of the unfortunate wretches who had +escaped destruction. I went in one of the boats, and we approached the +scene of the catastrophe. We saw two or three people clinging to the +spars, but as they perceived us they let go their hold and sank from +sight, afraid, probably, of falling into our hands alive. As soon as +the boats returned on board, the frigate's sails were filled, and we +stood for the brig alongside which we had seen the Algerine, hoping to +find that her crew had escaped with their lives, even though the vessel +might have been plundered. As we again caught sight of her, however, we +observed that her yards were braced, some one way, some another, and she +lay like a boy's model vessel on a pond, without a hand to guide the +helm. + +"That looks bad," observed Nettleship. + +"Perhaps the poor fellows are below, thinking the Algerine still in +sight, and are afraid to return on deck," I remarked. + +"Very little chance of that," he replied; "however, we shall see +presently." + +On getting near the brig, the frigate was hove-to, and I was sent in a +boat with the second lieutenant to board her. A fearful sight met our +eyes. On her deck lay stretched the bodies of her officers and crew, +almost cut to pieces by the sharp scimitars of their assailants. We +hurried below, hoping to find some still alive, but not a voice answered +to our shouts. Finding a couple of lanterns, we explored the vessel +fore and aft, but the wretches who had just met their doom had made +certain work of it, having killed every human being who had attempted to +resist them. Many of the sufferers whom they had captured must have +perished when their vessel blew up. The lieutenant sent me back to +report the state of things to the captain. After a short talk with Mr +Saunders, Lord Robert sent for Nettleship. + +"I put you in charge of the brig," he said. "You may take Pim and +Finnahan with you, and follow close in our wake, I intend to steer for +Gibraltar, and will there ascertain whether it is necessary for me to +send the brig to England or not." + +On receiving the captain's orders through Mr Saunders, we immediately +got our traps ready, and the boat carried us on board the brig, with +eight hands to form our crew. Among them was Larry, who jumped into the +boat in the place of another man, who was glad enough to escape having +to go, and Jack Patchett, our coach friend, who proved himself, though a +sulky, self-conceited fellow, a prime seaman. As we were short-handed +we were not sorry to have him. On getting on board the brig we had +first to bury the bodies of the murdered crew. Her ship's papers showed +her to be the _Daisy_ of London, John Edwards, master. The pirates had +rifled his pockets, and those of his mates, so that we were unable to +identify them. We at once, therefore, set to work to sew the murdered +men up in canvas, when, without further ceremony, they were launched +overboard. We then washed down decks, to try and get rid of the dark +red hue which stained them; but buckets of water failed to do that. + +The lieutenant and his men having assisted us in knotting and splicing +the rigging, and in bracing the yards the proper way, returned on board +the frigate, which directly made sail, we following in her wake. The +_Daisy_ was not a fast craft, and though we made all sail we could +carry, we found she was dropping astern of the frigate. + +"It matters very little," said Nettleship, who had brought his quadrant +and Nautical Almanac; "we can find our way by ourselves." + +We saw the frigate's lights during the early part of the night, but +before morning they had disappeared. This being no fault of ours, we +did not trouble ourselves about the matter. As daylight approached the +breeze fell, and became so light that we scarcely made more than a knot +an hour. As soon as it was daylight, we turned to with the holy-stones +to try and get the blood-stains out of the deck before they had sunk +deeply in. We were thus employed till breakfast. By this time the wind +had completely dropped, and it became a stark calm, such as so often +occurs in the Mediterranean. The brig's head went boxing round the +compass, and chips of wood thrown overboard lay floating alongside, +unwilling to part company. The heat, too, was almost as great as I ever +felt it in the West Indies. Still we tried to make ourselves as happy +as we could. We were out of sight of the African coast, and were not +likely to be attacked by Salee, Riff, or Algerine corsairs; and Tom +observed that if we were, it would be a pleasing variety to our day's +work, as we should to a certainty beat them off. + +"We must not trust too much to that," observed Nettleship. "We have +only six small pop-guns, and as we muster only eleven hands, all told, +we might find it a hard job to keep a crew of one hundred ruffians or +more at bay." + +We kept the men employed in putting the brig to rights, and setting up +the rigging, which had become slack from the hot weather. As the vessel +was well provisioned, and one of the men sent with us was a tolerable +cook, we had a good dinner placed on the table. Nettleship and I were +below discussing it, while Tom Pim had charge of the deck. I hurried +over mine, that I might call him down, and was just about to do so, +having a glass of wine to my lips, when there came a roar like thunder, +and over heeled the brig, capsizing everything on the table, and sending +Nettleship and me to the lee side of the cabin. We picked ourselves up, +and rushed to the companion ladder, but it was upset. + +While we were endeavouring to replace it, I heard Tom's voice shouting-- + +"Cut, lads, cut!" + +Just as he had uttered the words, a succession of crashes reached our +ears, and the brig righted with a suddenness and force which threw us +off our legs. We quickly, however, had the ladder replaced, and sprang +up on deck. We found that both the masts had been carried away by the +board and were trailing alongside. Tom Pim was holding on to the +starboard bulwarks, while Jack Patchett was at the helm, steering the +brig before the gale. None of the men appeared to have been lost or +injured, but were standing forward, looking very much astonished at what +had happened. + +"The first thing to do is to clear the wreck," cried Nettleship, and he +called the men aft; while I ran down to get up some axes which we had +seen in the cabin. + +When I returned on deck, to my surprise I found that the wind had +suddenly fallen. The brig had been struck by a white squall, which +frequently occurs in the Mediterranean, and either whips the masts out +of a vessel, or sends her to the bottom. + +We accordingly, under Nettleship's directions, began hauling the masts +alongside, to obtain such spars as we could that might serve us to form +jury-masts. We could scarcely hope, with the limited strength we +possessed, to get the masts on deck. We were thus employed till dark. +We had saved the spars and some of the sails, though it was rather +difficult to avoid staving in the boats, which had been lowered that we +might effect our object. The weather might again change, and it was +important to get up jury-masts as soon as possible. + +During the night, however, we could do but little, as the men required +rest. One half, therefore, were allowed to turn in. The night was as +calm as the greater part of the day had been. At dawn we all turned out +and set to work. We were thus employed, when I saw several sail +standing down towards us, and bringing a breeze with them. I pointed +them out to Nettleship. + +"It's to be hoped the wind will continue moderate," he said, "or we may +be driven nearer to the African coast than may be pleasant." + +We were at this time just out of sight of land, to the northward of +Algiers. As the ships got nearer, we made them out to be a large fleet, +several being line-of-battle ships, others frigates, and vessels of +various rigs. In a short time many more came in sight, till we could +count upwards of one hundred. These appeared not to be all. The larger +number had lateen sails and long tapering yards. + +"What can they be about?" asked Tom. + +"That's more than I can say," said Nettleship; "but I suspect they are +bound upon some expedition or other,--perhaps to attack the Algerines." + +As we got near enough to make out their flags, we distinguished four to +be Spanish ships, two had Maltese flags flying; there were two +Portuguese, and one Sicilian. + +"Then I have no doubt about it," said Nettleship, "for the Dons and +Portingales have the chief trade up the Levant, and are likely to suffer +most from those rascally corsairs. Since Blake gave them a good +drubbing they have generally been pretty careful how they interfere with +English vessels; but we have strong proof in this unfortunate craft that +they want another thrashing to keep them in order." + +As we had not as yet got up our jury-masts, we were unable to move out +of their way, and there appeared to be some risk of our being run down. +Every now and then Jack Patchett hailed with his stentorian voice, and +warned the vessels approaching us that they might pass ahead or astern, +as the case might be. At last a Spanish man-of-war, carrying an +admiral's flag, was sailing quite close to us, when a voice asked from +her deck in English-- + +"Can we render you any assistance?" + +"The best assistance you can give us, is to take us in tow, and carry us +to Gibraltar," answered Nettleship. + +He said this without the slightest expectation of its being done. + +"We'll heave to and send a tow-rope on board," was the answer; and +presently the line-of-battle ship, shortening sail, hove-to under our +lee. A couple of boats being lowered, came rowing towards us. Their +object, we found, was to tow us close enough to receive a hawser on +board. + +As one of them came alongside, an officer stepped on to our deck, and, +advancing towards Nettleship, said-- + +"I am an Englishman, and have joined an expedition to attack Algiers, +for my hatred and detestation of the cruelty the Algerians inflict on +the unfortunate Europeans they capture. An English vessel in which I +sailed lately up the Levant was attacked, and not until we had lost +several men did we succeed in beating off the Algerines." + +Nettleship explained that the _Daisy_ had also been plundered and her +people murdered. + +"That is a good reason why you should join us in our proposed attack on +Algiers," said the officer. "I must introduce myself to you as Henry +Vernon, a name not unknown to fame. I am a nephew of the admiral, and +my desire is to emulate his deeds." + +Nettleship at once agreed to accompany the fleet, and expressed his +readiness to take part in the expected engagement. + +"We have no help for it," he said to Tom and me; "and I think I am +justified in agreeing to Mr Vernon's proposal. We shall, I expect, see +some heavy work. Algiers is a strong place, I'm told, and the Algerines +are not likely to knock under without trying to defend themselves." + +Tom and I were of course well pleased with this. + +The Spanish ship, the _Guerrero_ having taken us in tow, continued her +course after the fleet. We waited just out of sight of land till +nightfall, when, some of the smaller vessels piloting ahead, we stood in +towards the Bay of Algiers. + +Before daybreak the troops were embarked on board a number of galleys +and gunboats, which landed them a short distance from the town. + +By Harry Vernon's advice we dropped our anchor out of range of the +Algerine guns, as the brig could not be of any assistance in the attack. +Nettleship had resolved to go on board the flag-ship to assist. Tom +and I asked him to take us with him. He replied that it was impossible +for both of us to go, but that Tom Pim should remain in charge of the +brig with four hands, while the rest of us should go on board the +_Guerrero_ to assist in working her guns. Tom did not at all like this +arrangement, but Nettleship replied that as he was senior to me, he was +the proper person to take charge of the brig. We shook hands with him +as we went down the side to go on board the flag-ship. + +"Never mind, Tom," said Nettleship, "you're doing your duty by remaining +where you are." + +The Admiral Don Antonio Barcelo expressed his pleasure, through Harry +Vernon, at having the assistance of so many English officers and men, +whose noted courage, he said, would animate his crew. + +The wind being fair at daybreak, the line-of-battle ships stood slowly +in, each having to take up an appointed position before the town. The +ships were stationed as close as they could venture, the gun and mortar +boats being placed in the intervals between them, but still closer to +the shore. + +Scarcely had the anchors been dropped and the sails furled, than the +Algerines began blazing away along the whole line of their batteries, +the ships discharging their broadsides at the same moment. The troops +had been ordered to make an assault at the same time; and it was hoped +by the combined efforts of the land and sea forces that the pirates +would soon be compelled to yield. + +After some hours of firing, however, news was brought to the admiral +that the assault made by the troops had failed, and as far as we could +judge from what we could see through the wreaths of smoke which +enveloped the ships, no impression had been made on the walls of the +city, though the flames bursting forth here and there showed that some +of the houses inside had been set on fire. Don Antonio Barcelo, thus +finding that his efforts were unavailing, the wind having shifted, +ordered the ships to get under weigh, and stand out of the reach of the +Algerine shot. + +We had lost a few men, but had not been at sufficiently close quarters +to receive much damage. Vernon was much disappointed, and so were we; +but the admiral assured him that he would go at it again the next day, +after the troops had had a little breathing-time. + +He was as good as his word; and soon after dawn the fleet again stood +in, and recommenced the attack. The Algerines, however, kept up so +tremendous a fire, that some of the ships, being much damaged, withdrew +to a safer distance. The admiral also received information that the +enemy had made a sortie on the troops, and had driven them back with +fearful slaughter. Still he was undaunted, and declared his intention +of succeeding. + +"If he would dismiss a few of the Maltese and Sicilian ships, he would +have a better chance of doing so," said Vernon. "The Spaniards and +Portuguese are brave enough, but they are not much given to coming to +close quarters, while the others would keep out of the fight altogether +if they could." + +Another attack was accordingly planned, and Don Antonio ordered the +smaller craft to stand closer in than before. The other ships, however, +brought up at a respectful distance when they found the Algerine shot +came rattling aboard them. Judging by the thunder of the guns and the +amount of the smoke, it seemed to me impossible that the Algerines could +long stand out against our assaults. In all directions houses were seen +in flames; and I thought that the whole city must be burned down, for +the flames were extending, yet the guns and batteries replied with as +much briskness as at first. Again news was brought from the shore that +the troops had made another assault, but that the Algerines had sallied +out, and were cutting them fearfully up. On this Don Barcelo notified +his intention of going himself to lead them, and invited Vernon to +accompany him. + +"If you like to come and see what is going on, I can give you a seat in +the boat," said Vernon, an offer I was delighted to accept. + +We at once pulled off from the side of the flag-ship. The admiral had +promised Vernon the command of one of the ships, the captain of which +had shown the white feather, and he expected to have the honour of +leading the attack and taking the ships in closer. Away we pulled, but +we had not gone very far when a couple of shots struck the boat herself, +killing three men. I remember hearing two distinct crashes, and the +next moment found myself in the water, and about to sink. I believe I +should have gone down, had not a friendly hand held me up; and, looking +to see who it was, I recognised the face of my faithful follower, Larry +Harrigan. + +"It's all right, Mr Terence, and I'll not let you go while I can keep +my feet moving," he cried out, energetically treading water. "We will +swim back to the big ship, and there'll be plenty of ropes hung over the +sides by this time." + +The distance, however, was considerable, and, independent of the chances +of being hit by the round shot which were plunging into the water around +us, I doubted whether we could swim as far, even though I did my best to +second his efforts to keep me afloat. We were now joined by Patchett, +who came swimming up, and offered to assist Larry in supporting me. + +"Hurrah! here comes a boat," cried Patchett. + +Looking round, I saw one approaching, and soon made out Nettleship +standing up in the stern-sheets; but as the shots from the Algerine +batteries came plunging into the water close to her, it seemed doubtful +whether she would reach us. She soon, however, got up uninjured, and I +and my companions were taken on board. We then went on to where two +persons were still floating. The one was Vernon. He had been gallantly +supporting the Spanish admiral. + +"Take him aboard first," cried Vernon; "he's unable to help himself." + +We accordingly hauled in the Don, while Vernon held on with one hand to +the gunwale of the boat. Nor till the admiral was safe would Vernon +allow us to lift him in. He sat down, looking very ghastly. + +"Why, my dear fellow, you are yourself wounded," said Nettleship, +examining his shoulder, from which the blood was flowing. + +"Yes, I fancy I was hit," answered Vernon, though I have not had time +yet to think about it. + +"The sooner you're under the doctor's care the better," said Nettleship, +as he got the boat round. "Now give way, lads." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. + +A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. + +The Spanish crew understood his gestures more than his words, and with +might and main pulled back to the flag-ship. As we went on, the shot +fell like hail around us, but providentially none of us were hit. On +getting to the opposite side of the ship, the admiral and Vernon were +lifted on board. The rest of us quickly followed. Vernon was at once +carried below to be placed under the care of the surgeon; while, without +waiting to change our wet clothes, we hurried to the guns, to encourage +the Spanish crew, some of whom appeared to think they had had enough of +it. Don Barcelo, however, retired to his cabin, and, having changed his +uniform, shortly afterwards reappeared. He showed no wish, however, to +make another attempt to land, but sent off despatches by an officer to +the commander of the land forces. What were their contents did not at +the time transpire. He continued, however, pacing the deck, watching, +as far as the smoke would allow, the other ships, and the forts opposed +to us. + +"I very much doubt whether we shall thrash the Algerines after all," +said Nettleship to me. "The villains fight desperately, and I can't see +that we have made a single breach in any part of the walls. See! two +more of our galleys have sunk; and I have seen half-a-dozen gun or +mortar boats go down. Several of the ships and frigates are already +tremendously cut about. The old Don is a plucky fellow, or he wouldn't +keep at it so long." + +While he was speaking the admiral came up, pointing first towards a +sinking vessel, and then at one of the boats alongside. + +"Just ask him, Paddy, if he doesn't want me to go and rescue the +fellows," said Nettleship. I addressed the admiral in French, which he +understood tolerably well. + +"Yes, I shall be obliged to him if he will. My officers and men are +required to fight the ship," answered the admiral. + +"They don't exactly like the sort of work," observed Nettleship; "but +I'll go willingly." + +"And I will go with you," I said. + +We ran down and got into the boat, followed by Larry and Patchett, the +rest of our crew being made up of Spaniards, who were ordered by their +officers to man the boat. Away we pulled, and had time to save a good +many people from the vessel, which had sunk before we reached her. We +were exposed all the time to the shot, which came splashing into the +water close to us. I heartily hoped that none would come aboard, for, +crowded as the boat was, a number of the people must have been killed. +There was no necessity to tell the Spanish crew to give way, for they +were eager enough to get back. + +Soon after returning on board, the admiral, having received intelligence +from the shore that the attack had again failed, threw out a signal to +his ships to discontinue the action. Fortunately the wind enabled us to +stand off the shore, in spite of the shattered condition of many of the +ships, when we anchored out of range of the enemy's guns. As soon as we +had brought up, Nettleship and I went down to see Vernon. Though the +surgeon had told him that the wound was a bad one, he didn't complain. + +"I fear, after all, that we shall not succeed, and I advise you, +Nettleship, to return on board your brig, and get her into a condition +to put to sea," he said. "The admiral may not be able to help you as I +could wish, and you will have to look out for yourself." + +Nettleship thanked him for his advice, saying that he intended to follow +it, as we could not further assist the cause, and that it was our duty +to get the brig to Gibraltar as soon as possible. + +The admiral had invited both of us to supper in the cabin. He spoke in +the highest terms of Vernon, and said that he had intended to give him +command of one of his ships, that he might lead the next attack. + +"I wish, gentlemen, also to show you my high sense of the assistance you +have rendered me by coming on board," he added. + +When I translated this to Nettleship, he said-- + +"Tell the old fellow that I shall be obliged to him if he'll send a +dozen of his best hands, with such spars and rigging as we require, to +set up jury-masts." + +"It shall be done to-morrow," replied the admiral. "I intend to give +the crew of my ships a short breathing-time before I again renew the +attack." + +Though we were ready enough to fight, we were not sorry to find the next +day that the old Don was as good as his word, and had sent us on board a +sufficient number of spars, which, with the aid of his men, enabled us +to set up jury-masts, and to get the brig into condition for putting to +sea. The Spaniards worked very well, and as soon as their task was +accomplished, Larry offered to give them a tune on his fiddle. + +When, however, he began scraping away, instead of jumping up, and toeing +and heeling it as Frenchmen would have done, they stood with their arms +folded, gravely listening to his strains. + +"Arrah, now, my boys, there is no quicksilver in your heels," he +exclaimed, observing their apathy. "What's the use of playing to such +grave dons as you?" We then tried them with a song, but with no better +effect. At last their officer, who took supper with us in the cabin, +ordered them into the boat, and they pulled back to their ship. + +"I say, Paddy," said Tom, "I wish that you would let me go instead of +you to-morrow, if the dons make another attack on the city. I daresay +Nettleship will consent, if you ask him." + +I did not like to disappoint Tom, but at the same time, as I should +thereby be avoiding danger, it was just the request to which I could not +well agree. + +Nettleship, however, settled the matter. "To tell you the truth," he +answered, "I have been thinking over what is our duty, and have arrived +at the conclusion that, now the brig is ready for sea, we ought to make +the best of our way to Gibraltar. As far as I can judge, no impression +has been made on the city; and if the Spaniards and their allies could +not succeed while their ships were in good order, they are less likely +to do anything now. Had the Spanish admiral requested our assistance, +we should have been bound to afford it; but as he said nothing on the +subject, I don't feel called upon to offer it again." + +We, however, remained at anchor during the night. The next day the +fleet showed no signs of renewing the attack, though righting was taking +place on shore. Nettleship, however, having desired me to accompany +him, we pulled on board the flag-ship to bid farewell to Don Barcelo and +Henry Vernon. The admiral again thanked us, but, from the remarks he +made, I judged that he was rather anxious than otherwise that we should +go away, so as not to witness his defeat. When I wished him success, he +looked very gloomy, and made no reply. Having paid him our respects, we +went down into the cockpit to see Vernon, who was, we were sorry to +find, suffering greatly. The surgeon, however, who was present, assured +me that his wound was not mortal, though it would be some time before he +recovered. When Nettleship told him his intention of leaving the fleet, +he replied that it was the wisest thing he could do. + +"If you could speak Spanish you might have taken the command of the ship +which was to have been given to me; but as it is, the men would not +place confidence in you, and you could do nothing with them; so, to tell +you the truth, I think you are well out of it. Our success is very +uncertain. The troops on shore have again been defeated with heavy +loss, and I suspect have been so demoralised that they'll take to flight +whenever the enemy rush out upon them." + +These remarks strengthened Nettleship in his resolution, and, wishing +our new friend good-bye, we pulled back to the brig. The wind was from +the south-east, and Nettleship thought it prudent to get a good offing +before night, lest it should again shift and blow us back towards the +land. The brig sailed under her reduced canvas tolerably well, and +before daybreak the next morning we had made fair progress towards +Gibraltar. As the sun rose, however, the weather gave signs of +changing. The wind veered round to the north-west, and blew heavily +directly towards the Bay of Algiers. + +"Don Barcelo and his fleet will catch it, I'm afraid, if they don't +manage to get out of the bay before this gale reaches them," remarked +Nettleship. "I'm very thankful that we put to sea, or we should have +fared ill." + +As it was, we ran a great risk of losing our masts; but they were well +set up, and we shortened sail in good time, and were able to keep our +course. Our chief anxiety, however, was for the gallant Henry Vernon; +for should the flag-ship drive on shore, he would to a certainty lose +his life. + +"We must hope for the best," observed Nettleship; "the _Guerrero_ was +less damaged than many of the other ships, and may be able to ride it +out at anchor, or claw off shore." + +As we could never manage to get more than four knots an hour out of the +brig, we were a considerable time reaching Gibraltar. To our +satisfaction we found the _Jason_ was still there. We were warmly +congratulated on our return on board, as from our non-appearance for so +long a time it was supposed that we had either been lost in a squall, or +that the brig had been taken by another pirate. We were much +disappointed to find that the brig had to be delivered up to the +authorities at Gibraltar, as we fully expected that Nettleship would +have been ordered to take her home. Though she was an especially +detestable craft, yet he and Tom Pim and I were very happy together, and +we had enjoyed an independence which was not to be obtained on board the +frigate. When Lord Robert got tired of Gibraltar, we sailed to the +eastward, and again brought up in the Bay of Naples. We here heard of +the failure of the expedition against the Algerines. Nearly half the +troops had been cut to pieces in the repeated and resolute sallies made +by the Moors. During the gale we had encountered, the ships narrowly +escaped being wrecked. Several smaller vessels sank, and all were +severely damaged. The troops were finally embarked, and the ships got +back to the ports from which they had sailed, with neither honour nor +glory to boast of. Their ill success encouraged the pirates in their +warfare against civilised nations. The people of Tripoli, Tunis, and +other places imitated their example, so that the voyage up the Straits +became one of considerable danger in those days. After leaving Naples +we stood up the Mediterranean to Alexandria, where we saw Pompey's +Pillar and Cleopatra's Needle, and other wonderful things in the +neighbourhood, of which I will not bother my readers with a description. +On our way we kept a sharp look-out for Tunisian or Algerine rovers; +but as we were known to be in those seas, they took good care that we +should not get a sight of them, and our cruise was bootless as far as +prizes were concerned. Lord Robert managed to eke out a few more weeks +at Naples, the pleasantest place, he observed, at which he could bring +up. Thence we sailed to Gibraltar, where we found orders awaiting us to +return to England. + +"I have managed it very cleverly," said Lord Robert to Mr Saunders. +"When I was last here, I wrote to some private friends in the Admiralty, +telling them I was getting heartily tired of the Mediterranean, and +requesting that we might be sent home; and you see how readily their +Lordships have complied with my wishes. Their willingness arose from +the fact that I'm going to stand for one of our family boroughs, and +have promised the Ministry my support." + +"It would be a good job for Dick Saunders if he had a friend at court to +look after his interests," said the first lieutenant; "but as he knows +not a soul who would lift a finger to help him, he must be content to +remain at the foot of the rattlins, till a lucky chance gives him a lift +up them." + +"Don't be down-hearted, my dear fellow," said Lord Robert in a +patronising tone. "When once I'm in Parliament I'll look after your +interests. The First Lord is sure to ask me to name some deserving +officers for promotion, and I'll not forget you." + +We had contrary winds, and then we were hove-to for two or three days, +during a heavy gale in the Bay of Biscay. After that we were kept +knocking about in the Chops of the Channel for a week, when, the wind +shifting, we ran for Plymouth Sound, and came to an anchor in Hamoaze. + +Lord Robert immediately went on shore, and we all wondered what would +next happen to us. + +We had no reason to complain. We got plenty of leave. Tom and I +accompanied Nettleship to pay a visit to his family. I won't describe +it just now, except to say that we were received in as kind a way as +before. + +We guessed that if Lord Robert was returned to Parliament we should have +no further chance of seeing any foreign service while the ship remained +in commission. Nettleship, indeed, was of opinion that before long she +would be paid off. + +I wrote home to say where we were, and in the course of a fortnight +received a letter from the major, telling me to come to Ballinahone if I +wished to see my father alive. I with difficulty obtained leave on +urgent family affairs, and next day, going to the Catwater, I found a +small hooker belonging to Cork, just about to return there. Although +she was not the sort of craft aboard which I should have chosen to take +a passage, yet as she was likely to afford the most speedy way of +getting to my destination, I forthwith engaged berths for myself and +Larry, for whom I also got leave. + +Nettleship and Tom went on board with me. There was a little cabin aft, +about eight feet square, with a sleeping place on either side, one of +which was occupied by the skipper, while I was to enjoy the comforts of +the other. The crew, consisting of three men and a boy, were berthed +forward, in a place of still smaller dimensions, and only just affording +room for Larry. + +"I would rather you had gone to sea in a stouter craft," said +Nettleship; "but as the skipper tells me he has made the passage a dozen +times a year for the last twenty years, I hope he'll carry you across in +safety." + +The wind was light, and my messmates remained on board, while the hooker +towed their boat some way down the Sound. + +Wishing me farewell, they then pulled back to Hamoaze, and we stood on, +fully expecting to be well on our voyage by the next morning. During +the night, however, a strong south-westerly breeze sprang up, and the +skipper considered it prudent to put back to Cawsand Bay, at the +entrance to the Sound. + +Here, greatly to my disgust, we lay the best part of a week, with a +number of other weather-bound vessels. I dared not go on shore lest the +wind should change, and had nothing to do but to take a fisherman's walk +on deck,--three steps and overboard. + +Larry had, of course, brought his fiddle, with which he entertained the +crew, who were as happy as princes, it being a matter of indifference to +them where they were, provided they had the privilege of being idle. + +The skipper, who had remained on board all the time, at last one day +went ashore, saying that he must go and buy some provisions, as our +stock was running short. We had hitherto been supplied by bumboats with +vegetables and poultry, so that I had not supposed we were in want of +any. + +I had fortunately brought two or three books with me, and had been +sitting reading by the light of the swinging lamp in the small cabin, +when, feeling sleepy, I went to bed. I was awakened by hearing some one +entering the cabin, and, looking out of my berth, I observed that it was +the skipper, who, after making a lurch to one side, then to another, +turned in, as far as I could see, all standing. This, however, did not +surprise me, as I thought he might be intending to sail early in the +morning. + +Soon after daylight I awoke, and, having dressed, went on deck, when +what was my surprise to find that all the other vessels had got under +weigh, and were standing out of the bay. + +I tried to rouse up the skipper, but for some time could not succeed. +When he opened his eyes, by the stupid way he stared at me, it was very +evident that he had been drunk, and had scarcely yet recovered. I told +him that a northerly breeze had sprung up, and that we had already lost +some hours of it. At last, getting up, he came on deck, and ordered his +crew to heave up the anchor and make sail; but this they could not have +done without Larry's and my assistance. + +As I hoped that the skipper would soon recover, I did not trouble myself +much about the matter. He had brought the stores he had procured in a +couple of hampers, which I found on deck. They contained, as I +afterwards discovered, not only provisions, but sundry bottles of +whisky. + +There being a fresh breeze, the little hooker ran swiftly along over the +blue ocean; the Eddystone being soon left astern and the Lizard sighted. +The skipper told me he intended to run through the passage between the +Scilly Islands and the main. + +"If the wind holds as it does now," he said, "we'll be in Cork harbour +in a jiffy. Shure the little hooker would find her way there if we were +all to turn in and go to sleep till she gets up to Passage." + +"As I'm not so confident of that same, captain, I must beg you to keep +your wits about you till you put me ashore," I observed. + +He gave me a wink in reply, but said nothing. + +During the day I walked the deck, going into the cabin only for meals. +The skipper spent most of his time there, only putting up his head now +and then to see how the wind was, and to give directions to the man at +the helm. From the way the crew talked, I began to suspect that they +had obtained some liquor from the shore, probably by the boat which +brought the skipper off. Not being altogether satisfied with the state +of things, I offered to keep watch. The skipper at once agreed to this, +and suggested that I should keep the middle watch, while he kept the +first. + +Before I went below the wind veered round almost ahead. The night, I +observed, was very dark; and as there was no moon in the sky, while a +thick mist came rolling across the water, had I not supposed that the +skipper was tolerably sober I should have remained on deck; but, feeling +very sleepy, I went below, though thinking it prudent not to take off my +clothes. I lay down in the berth just as I was. I could hear the +skipper talking to the man at the helm, and it appeared to me that the +vessel was moving faster through the water than before. Then I fell off +to sleep. + +How long I had slept I could not tell, when I was awakened by a loud +crash. I sprang out of my berth, and instinctively rushed up the +companion ladder. Just then I dimly saw a spar over me, and, clutching +it, was the next moment carried along away from the deck of the vessel, +which disappeared beneath my feet. I heard voices shouting, and cries +apparently from the hooker. The night was so dark that I could scarcely +see a foot above me. I scrambled up what I found must be the dolphin +striker of a vessel, and thence on to her bowsprit. + +"Here's one of them," I heard some one sing out, as I made my way on to +the forecastle of what I supposed was a ship of war. + +My first thought was for Larry. + +"What has become of the hooker?" I exclaimed. Has any one else been +saved? + +The question was repeated by the officer of the watch, who now came +hurrying forward. + +No answer was returned. + +"I fear the vessel must have gone down. We shouted to her to keep her +luff, but no attention was paid, and she ran right under our bows," said +the officer. + +"I'm not certain that she sank," I answered. "She appeared to me to be +capsizing, and I hope may be still afloat." + +"We will look for her, at all events," said the officer; and he gave the +necessary orders to bring the ship to the wind, and then to go about. + +So dark was the night, however, that we might have passed close to a +vessel without seeing her, though eager eyes were looking out on either +side. + +Having stood on a little way we again tacked, and for three hours kept +beating backwards and forwards; but our search was in vain. + +The vessel which had run down the hooker was, I found, H.M. brig of war +_Osprey_, commander Hartland, on her passage home from the North +American station. + +"You have had a narrow escape of it," observed the commander, who came +on deck immediately on being informed of what had occurred. "I am truly +glad that you have been saved, and wish that we had been able to pick up +the crew. I have done all I can," he said at length, "and I feel sure +that if the hooker had remained afloat, we must have passed close to +her." + +"I am afraid that you are right, sir," I said, and I gave vent to a +groan, if I did not actually burst into tears, as I thought of the +cheery spirits of my faithful follower Larry being quenched in death. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. + +A VISIT TO FRANCE. + +"What is the matter?" asked the commander in a kind tone. + +"I had a man on board who had been with me ever since I went to sea," I +answered. "We had been through dangers of all sorts together, and he +would have given his life to save mine." + +"Very sorry, very sorry to hear it," he said in a kind tone. "Come into +my cabin; I'll give you a shake-down, and you must try to go to sleep +till the morning." + +I gladly accepted his offer. The steward soon made up a bed for me; but +after the dreadful event of the night, I found it more difficult than I +had ever done before to close my eyes. I kept thinking of poor Larry, +and considering if I could have done anything to save him. I blamed +myself for turning in, when I saw the half-drunken condition of the +skipper. His crew probably were in the same state, and had neglected to +keep a look-out. I at last, however, went to sleep, and didn't awake +till the steward called me, to say that breakfast would be on the table +presently. + +I jumped up, and, having had a wash, went on deck. The officers of the +brig received me very kindly, and congratulated me on my escape. +Presently a master's mate came from below, and looked hard at me for a +moment, and then, stretching out his hand, exclaimed, "Why, Paddy, my +boy! is it yourself? I'm delighted to see you." + +I recognised Sinnet, my old messmate on board the _Liffy_. + +"Why, I thought you were a lieutenant long ago," he said, after we had +had a little conversation. "For my part I have given up all hopes of +promotion, unless we get another war with the French, or Dutch, or +Spaniards; but there's no use in sighing, so I take things as they +come." + +"That's much as I must do, and as we all must if we would lead happy +lives," I answered. + +It cheered me up to meet Sinnet, and we had plenty of talk about old +times. A strong north-westerly breeze was blowing, and the brig, under +plain sail, was slashing along at a great rate up Channel. I hoped that +she would put into Plymouth, but somewhat to my disappointment I found +that she was bound for Portsmouth. I was now summoned by the captain's +steward to breakfast, and a very good one I enjoyed. When I told the +commander where I was going when the hooker was run down, he said that +he thought it very likely he should be sent round to the Irish coast, +and that if I liked to remain on board he would land me at the first +port we might touch at near my home. Next day we ran through the +Needles' passage, and brought up at Spithead, where the _Osprey_ had to +wait for orders from the Admiralty. As we might sail at any moment, we +were unable to go on shore. Though I was the commander's guest, I +several times dined with the midshipmen, or spent the evening in the +berth. + +Our berth in the _Liffy_ was not very large, but this was of much +smaller dimensions, and had in it the assistant-surgeon, two master's +mates, the master's assistant, all grown men, besides two clerks and +four midshipmen. It was pretty close stowing, when all hands except +those on watch were below, and the atmosphere, redolent of tobacco-smoke +and rum, was occasionally somewhat oppressive. As the brig had been +some time in commission, the greater part of the glass and crockery had +disappeared. There were a few plates of different patterns, which were +eked out with platters, saucers, and two or three wooden bowls. The +bottoms of bottles, two or three tea-cups without handles, and the same +number of pewter mugs, served for glasses. Three tallow dips stuck in +bottles gave an uncertain light in the berth. Salt beef and pork with +pease-pudding, cheese with weevilly biscuits, constituted our fare till +we got to Spithead, when we obtained a supply of vegetables, fresh meat, +and soft tack, as loaves are called at sea. The ship's rum, with water +of a yellowish hue, formed our chief beverage; but the fare being what +all hands were accustomed to have, no one, except the assistant-surgeon, +a Welshman, who had lately come to sea, grumbled at it. + +I wrote to my uncle to tell him I was safe; for, having said I was +coming by the hooker, as she would not arrive, my family, I conjectured, +might be alarmed at my non-appearance. I also mentioned the loss of +poor Larry, and begged the major to break the news to his family. Their +great grief, I knew, would be that they would not have the opportunity +of waking him. I also wrote to Nettleship to tell him of my adventure, +and enclosed a letter to the captain, begging that in consequence my +leave might be prolonged. + +After we had been three days at anchor, the commander, who had been on +shore, told me on his return that he had received orders to proceed at +once to Cork, and that he would land me there. We had a quick passage, +and as soon as we had dropped our anchor in the beautiful bay, Captain +Hartland very kindly sent me up, in a boat under charge of Sinnet, to +Cork. + +Having fortunately my money in my pocket when the hooker went down, I +was able to hire a horse through the help of the landlord of the +"Shamrock" hotel, and as I knew the road thoroughly I had no fear about +finding my way. Having parted from my old messmate Sinnet, I started at +dawn the next morning, intending to push on as fast as my steed would +carry me. I had somewhat got over the loss of Larry, but it made me +very sad when I had to answer the questions put to me about him by the +people of the inns where we had before stopped. + +"And to think that him and his fiddle are gone to the bottom of the say! +Och ahone! och ahone!" cried Biddy Casey, the fair daughter of the +landlord of the inn, the scene of our encounter with the irate sow. + +It was late in the evening when I reached Ballinahone, and as I rode up +the avenue I saw a tall figure pacing slowly in front of the house. It +was my uncle. I threw myself from the saddle, and led my knocked-up +steed towards him. He started as he turned and saw me. + +"What, Terence, is it you yourself?" he exclaimed, stretching out his +hands. "You have been a long time coming, and I fancied your ship must +have sailed, and that you could not obtain leave." + +I told him that I had twice written, but he said that he had not +received either of my letters. + +"You come to a house of mourning, my boy," he continued, "though I doubt +not you'll have been prepared for what I have to tell you." + +"My father!" I exclaimed. + +"Yes, he's gone; and really from the condition into which he had fallen, +it was a happy release, at all events to the rest of the family, who +could not watch him without pain." + +"And my mother?" I answered anxiously. + +"She is slowly recovering, and I think that your arrival will do her +good," he said. "Maurice and his young wife have come to live at the +castle, and they get on very well with your sisters and their husbands. +But what has become of Larry?" he asked, looking down the avenue, +expecting to see him following me. + +When I told him, and had to mention how I had been so nearly lost, he +was greatly grieved. + +"I am thankful we did not get your letter saying you were coming, or we +should have been very anxious about you," he said. "Now take your horse +round to the stables, while I go in and prepare your mother for your +arrival. It's better not to give her a sudden surprise." + +I did as my uncle told me. As soon as I had entered the courtyard I met +Tim Daley, who gave a loud shout as he saw me, and at once, as I knew he +would do, inquired for Larry. + +"Don't be asking questions," I said, fearing that there would be a wild +hullaballoo set up in the kitchen, which might reach my mother's ears +before my uncle had time to tell her of my arrival. + +"But isn't Larry come with your honour?" asked Tim. + +"Seamen can't always get leave from their ships," I answered, wishing to +put him off. "I'll tell you all about it by and by. And now just take +that poor brute into the stable. Rub him down well, and give him some +oats, for he's scarcely a leg left to stand on." + +"Ah! shure your honour knows how to ride a horse smartly," said Tim, as +he led off the animal, while I hurried round to the front door. One of +my sisters let me in, and I had the opportunity of talking to her before +I was summoned to my mother. She appeared sad and much broken, but the +sight of me cheered her up, and as I talked on with her I was inclined +to hope that she would recover her usual health and spirit. As soon as +I could I mentioned my own narrow escape, and Larry's loss, for I knew +that, should my uncle tell any one, there would soon be an uproar of +wild wailing in the kitchen, which might alarm her if she did not know +the cause. I was right, for, as the major had thought it best to +mention what had happened, the news soon spread throughout the house. +As I went down-stairs a chorus of shrieks and cries reached my ears, +expressive of the domestics' grief at Larry's loss. It was some time +before I ventured down among them to give an account of what had +happened; and as I narrated the circumstances, between each sentence +there arose a chorus of cries and sighs. + +"Och ahone! och ahone! and we'll never be after seeing Larry Harrigan +again," cried Biddy and Molly together. + +Similar exclamations burst from the lips of the other domestics, and I +confess that my feelings were sufficiently sensitive to make me thankful +to get away to the parlour. The supper was more cheerful than I +expected it would be. Maurice and his young wife did the honours of the +house with becoming grace. Of course I had plenty of accounts to give +of my adventures in the Mediterranean. They were highly amused at my +account of Lord Robert; and Fitzgerald exclaimed that he wished he could +get him to Ballinahone, and they would soon knock his dignity out of +him. As Maurice had sheathed his sword, Denis had determined to take +his place as one of the defenders of his country. My uncle told me that +he hoped soon to get a commission for him in the same regiment. + +"Maurice stood well among his brother officers, and that will give Denis +a good footing as soon as he joins," he observed to me. "He is a +steady, sensible boy, and with his Irish dash and pluck he is sure to +get on in the army. We have plenty of fellows with the latter +qualities, but too few with the former, for they fancy if they're +tolerably brave they may be as harum-scarum, rollicking, and careless as +they like. I wish that Denis had seen something of the world before he +joins his regiment, for he's as green as a bunch of shamrock. If it +could be managed, I should like him to take a cruise with you, Terence, +and to run up to Dublin for a few weeks, but funds are wanting for the +purpose, though, as you observe, we have managed to get the house into +better order than it has been of late years." + +"I have some prize-money, though not much pay, due to me," I answered, +"and I shall be very glad to hand it over to Denis for the purpose you +name." + +"No! no! I could not allow that. It's little enough you'll get out of +the estate, and you mustn't deprive yourself of funds, my boy," answered +the major. "We will think of some other plan." + +I observed the next day a great improvement in the general state of +things about the house. The furniture had been repaired and furbished +up. There were clean covers to the sofas and chairs in the +drawing-room, and a new carpet in my mother's chamber, while the +servants had a less dingy and untidy look than formerly, showing that +they had received their wages. + +I had spent a few pleasant days with my relations, when I received a +letter from old Rough-and-Ready, peremptorily ordering me to return. I +concluded that the letter I wrote from Portsmouth had not reached +Nettleship, and consequently that my request for prolonged leave of +absence had not been received. + +As there was no time if I wrote to receive an answer, which very +probably would not reach its destination, my uncle advised me to set off +at once. I must pass over my parting with my mother and other members +of my family. My mother had greatly recovered, and I had no reason to +be apprehensive about her health. The major announced his intention of +accompanying me, with Denis, as far as Cork. + +"I wish that we could make the journey with you to Plymouth; but to say +the truth, I find it prudent not to be longer away from Ballinahone than +can be helped," he observed. "My superintendence is wanted there as +much as ever." + +We accordingly the following morning set out, Denis in high spirits at +having to make the journey, for hitherto his travels had not extended +farther than Limerick. The major rode ahead, and he and I followed, +talking together, though occasionally we rode up when we thought that +our uncle wanted company. A journey in those days was seldom to be made +without some adventures. None, however, occurred that I think worth +mentioning. On our arrival at Cork, I found a vessel sailing direct for +Bristol. My uncle advised me to go by her as the surest means of +reaching Plymouth quickly. + +Wishing him and Denis, therefore, good-bye, I hurried on board, and two +days afterwards was on my journey from the great mart of commerce to +Plymouth. + +Part of the distance I performed by coach, part by post-chaise, the rest +on horseback. + +I felt somewhat anxious lest my ship should have sailed, and I might +have to kick my heels about Plymouth until she came back, or have to +make another journey to get aboard her. Great was my satisfaction, +therefore, when I saw her at anchor in Hamoaze. I at once went aboard. +Old Rough-and-Ready received me with a somewhat frowning brow when I +reported myself. On my explaining, however, what had happened, he said +that he would make things all right with Lord Robert, who was expected +on board every hour. As soon as his lordship appeared, we went out of +harbour. We found that Parliament being prorogued, we were to take a +short summer cruise. It was shorter than we expected. + +After knocking about for a couple of weeks, we put back again into the +Sound, where we received a packet of letters, which had been waiting for +us at the post office. I got one from my uncle, stating that all things +were going on well at Ballinahone, and enclosing another in an unknown +hand, and bearing a foreign post-mark. On opening it I found that it +was from La Touche, reminding me of my promise to pay him a visit when +peace was restored, and inviting me over to his chateau in the +neighbourhood of Vernon. It appeared to me that I had but little chance +of being able to accept his invitation. I at once wrote him a letter, +stating that I was still on board, but that, should I be at liberty, I +would without fail endeavour to go over and see him; that though we had +been fighting with his nation, I had met so many brave men among them, +nothing would give me greater pleasure than to become acquainted with La +Belle France, and to see him again. I at once sent the letter on shore +to be posted. The same mail brought despatches to the captain. Their +tenor was soon announced. It was that the ship was to sail immediately +for Portsmouth, where she had been fitted out, to be paid off. + +As his lordship was never addicted to doing anything in a hurry, he +waited, before obeying the order he had received, till he could get a +supply of fresh butter and eggs and other comestibles on board. We +therefore did not sail till the next day. We had a fair breeze going +out of the Sound, but the wind headed us when we got into the Channel, +and we made a tack towards the French coast. The wind continued light +and baffling, and we were three days before, having gone round by Saint +Helen's, we came to an anchor at Spithead. Here we had to wait until +the wind again shifted, when we ran into Portsmouth harbour. + +I have already given a description of the scenes which occurred when I +was last paid off, so I need not repeat it. Lord Robert made us a +speech, promising to attend to the interests of all the officers who had +served with him, and especially to bear in mind the strong claims of his +first lieutenant to promotion. He took down all our addresses, saying +we should hear from him before long. + +"I'll buy a golden frame to put his letter in, if I receive one," +growled old Rough-and-Ready. + +"I doubt whether he'll put pen to paper for my sake," said Nettleship. + +Most of the rest of us made similar remarks. We were not wrong in our +conjectures, and, as far as I could learn, his lordship forgot all about +us and his promises from the moment he started for London; and we were +cast adrift to shift for ourselves. + +Nettleship intended to go down to Plymouth, and wanted Tom Pim and me to +accompany him; but Tom's family were expecting him at home, and I hoped +to get round direct from Portsmouth to Cork by sea. + +The _Osprey_, which had returned to Portsmouth, was paid off at the time +we were, and as there was no vessel sailing for Cork, I accepted an +invitation from Sinnet to go over to Cowes, where his family were +staying. We ran across in a wherry he had engaged. + +As we were entering the harbour, we saw a fine-looking lugger at anchor, +and while passing I inquired where she was bound to. + +"Over to France, to the port of Grisnez or thereabouts," answered a man +who was walking the forecastle with his hands in his pockets. + +"When do you sail?" I asked. + +"May be to-morrow, may be next day," was the answer. + +"I say, Sinnet, I've a great mind, if the lugger remains here long +enough, to take a passage in her, and go and pay my promised visit to La +Touche. I wish you could come too; I am sure he will be glad to see +you." + +"I wish I could, for I'm certain we should have good fun; but you see I +have not been with my family for a long time, and they would look upon +me as destitute of natural feeling if I went away so soon. If you, +however, have a wish to go, don't stand on ceremony. Should the lugger, +however, remain long enough, I'll take advantage of your proposal," he +said, as I accompanied him up to his house. + +I was introduced to his father and mother and sisters, who were all such +nice people that I was half inclined to give up my idea. Sinnet, +however, mentioned the matter to the old gentleman, who at once told me +not to stand on ceremony. + +"You could not have a better opportunity of seeing France; and perhaps +before long we shall be at loggerheads again, when no Englishman will be +able to set foot in the country except as a prisoner; therefore go, and +come back to us when you have got tired of frogs' legs and _soup +maigre_." + +In the evening I went down with Sinnet to the quay, where a man was +pointed out to us as skipper of the lugger. We at once went up to him, +and I told him that I wished to get across to France. + +"I have no objection to take you, young gentleman, though we do not +generally like having king's officers on board our craft," he answered. + +"But I'm not on service now," I observed, guessing the meaning of his +allusion. "What sum do you expect for passage money?" + +"Five guineas," he answered. "I do not care to take less." + +"Five guineas you shall have, if you land me where I wish to go," I +said. "Now, when shall I be on board?" + +"To-morrow morning at six o'clock. The tide will serve to carry us out +at the Needles; and I don't intend to wait a moment longer." + +"At six o'clock I will be on board, then; and, by the by, what is your +name, captain?" + +"Jack Long, though some call me little Jack," answered the skipper, with +a laugh. + +"And your vessel, that there may be no mistake?" + +"The _Saucy Bet_," he said; "and now you know all you need know about +her." + +"Then, Captain Long, I'll be aboard the _Saucy Bet_ at the hour you +name," I said, as I took Sinnet's arm. + +We strolled back to his house, and a very pleasant evening I spent with +my messmate's family. We had music and singing. Two or three girls and +some young men came in, and we got up a dance. Altogether, I began to +regret that I had not arranged to remain longer. + +My old messmate turned out at an early hour to accompany me down to the +quay. As soon as I got on board the lugger, the anchor was hove up, and +we made sail. I found a roughish looking crew, several of them being +Jerseymen or Frenchmen. We soon got a fresh breeze from the northward, +when the _Saucy Bet_ walked along at a great rate, with large square +topsails set above her lower lugs. She had a small cabin aft, neatly +fitted up, and a large hold, but now perfectly clear. She could mount +eight guns, all of which were now below. Soon after we got outside the +Needles, however, they were hoisted up and placed on their carriages. + +"What sort of a cargo do you generally carry, Captain Long?" I asked. + +"That depends on what we stow away in the hold," he answered, with a +knowing wink. "Silks, satins, and ribbons, sometimes; and at others +tobacco and brandy, a few cases of gloves or lace, and such articles as +English ladies are fond of, and are glad to get without paying duty." + +"Then you acknowledge yourself to be a smuggler, captain?" + +"I intend to be as long as I can make an honest living by it," he +answered, laughing. "I'm not ashamed of it. It is fair play, you see. +If I'm caught I lose my goods and vessel, and am sent to prison, or +serve His Majesty on board a man-of-war. If I land my cargo, as I +generally contrive to do, I make a good profit." + +As he was thus open I argued the point, trying to show that the +Government must have a revenue to pay their expenses, and that his +proceedings were lawless. + +"That's their business, not mine," he answered, not in the least degree +moved by my observations. "The Government could not think very ill of +us," he remarked; "for if they want information about what is going on +in France, or have to send over anybody secretly, they are ready enough +to apply to me, and pay well too. Why, in the war time, if it hadn't +been for us smugglers, they couldn't have managed to send a messenger +across Channel. Bless you! I've carried over a queer lot of characters +now and then. But you must be getting hungry, young gentleman, and it's +time for dinner. Come below." + +I found a plentiful repast, which, though somewhat roughly cooked, I did +ample justice to. The skipper produced a bottle of claret and another +of cognac, and pressed me to drink, but he himself, I observed, was very +moderate in his potations. + +"If I did not keep a cool head on my shoulders, the _Saucy Bet_ would +soon get into trouble," he remarked; "still, that need not stop you from +making yourself happy if you like." + +He seemed very much surprised when I told him that I had no fancy for +making myself happy in that fashion. + +In the afternoon the wind fell, and we lay becalmed, floating down +Channel with the ebb. The smugglers swore terribly at the delay, as +they were in a hurry to get over to the French coast. + +In the evening I walked the deck some time with the skipper, who was +full of anecdotes. In the war time he had commanded a privateer, which +had been tolerably successful, but his vessel had been captured at last, +and he had spent some months a prisoner in France. He had on that +occasion picked up a fair knowledge of French, which much assisted him, +he said, in his present vocation. He was always on good terms with the +mounseers, he told me, though he amused himself sometimes at their +expense. + +"Some of my chaps and I were ashore one night, not long ago, taking a +glass at a wine shop near the harbour, when a frigate came in, and a +beauty she was, no doubt about that." He continued: "The Frenchmen +began to praise her, and says one of them to me-- + +"`There, you haven't got a craft like that in the whole of your navy.' + +"`I don't know what we've got,' says I; `but if there comes a war we +should precious soon have one, for we should have she.' + +"You should have seen the rage the Frenchmen were in when I said that, +and heard how they _sacred_ and swore. But I calmed them down by +reminding them that they had taken some of our frigates, and that it was +only to be expected that we should take some of theirs in return." + +The captain gave me a side-berth in the little cabin, occupied +generally, I found, by one of the mates. It was somewhat close, but I +was soon asleep, and slept soundly until daylight the next morning. + +By noon a breeze sprang up from the eastward, and under all sail we +stood away to the southward. By nightfall we were well in with the +French coast, but farther to the west than I expected. + +"The tide will soon make in shore, and we must beat back to the +eastward," observed the skipper. "You mustn't hope, howsomdever, young +gentleman, to get ashore till to-morrow morning." + +This mattered little to me, as I had no great objection to spend a few +hours more on board. + +During the night I awoke, and found the vessel perfectly motionless. + +"Can another calm have come on?" I thought. + +I was going off to sleep again, when I heard a footstep in the cabin, +and, looking out of my bunk, by the light from the swinging lamp I saw +the skipper examining some papers at the table. + +"Has the wind dropped again?" I inquired. + +"No, we are at anchor; we have been chased by a _chasse-maree_, and so, +to escape her, we slipped in here; and here we shall remain perhaps for +some days, till the coast is clear," he answered. + +"In that case, captain, I shall prefer going on shore, and making my way +overland to my friend's house. I shall find conveyances of some sort, I +suppose?" I said. + +"As to that I can't say. It isn't much of a place, but you may get +along in a country cart, or hire a nag." + +As I had no objection to seeing something of the country, I did not +complain of this, and as soon as it was daylight I turned out. + +Being anxious not to lose time, I got Captain Long to send me ashore +with my valise. A small cabaret being open, I intended to take up my +quarters there until I could obtain some means of conveyance to the +Chateau La Touche. A cup of coffee, which was at once offered me, +enabled me to wait until a more substantial breakfast was prepared. + +In the meantime I took a stroll through the village. It was a small +place, and, as far as I could judge, primitive in the extreme. It was +the first time I had been in France, yet, as I spoke the language pretty +well, I felt myself perfectly at home. Indeed, the people I addressed +took me for a Frenchman, and were extremely civil. + +On getting back to the inn, the landlady asked me if I had been to see +the wonderful animal which had been landed some time before by a +fisherman, who had found him, she said, on board a vessel, navigating +her all by himself. + +"What sort of an animal?" I inquired. + +"Ah, monsieur, they say it is a bear. It certainly looks like one, for +it has a bear's head and claws, and a tail; but it does all sort of +things that no other bear that I have heard of can do; and what is more +strange, it can talk, though no one can understand what it says." + +"I must go and have a look at this bear after breakfast," I said. + +"Certainly monsieur would not leave our village without seeing so great +a wonder," she replied. "My boy Pierre can show you the way. Jacques +Chacot, who is the fortunate possessor of the bear, lives not more than +a quarter of a league away to the west. He charges half a franc to each +person to whom be shows his wonder, and the people come from far and +near. He talks of taking his bear to Paris to exhibit it, and if he +does he will surely make a fortune." + +Though I was somewhat incredulous as to whether the bear could really +speak, and had also a doubt as to the way the woman said the animal had +been found, I felt curious to see it; and as soon as I had breakfasted, +conducted by Pierre, I set out for the cottage of Jacques Chacot. On +the way the boy amused me by giving further accounts of the strange +animal we were to see. + +We found a number of other people going in the same direction, for my +landlady had given no exaggerated account of the curiosity which it had +excited. Jacques Chacot evidently possessed the talent of a showman. +He had enlarged the front of his cottage so as to form a sort of +theatre, the inner part serving as a stage. We found him standing at +the door with a couple of stout young fellows, his sons, ready to +receive visitors, for he allowed no one to go in until he had obtained +payment. A strong bar was run across in front of the stage, which +Jacques Chacot explained was to prevent the spectators from approaching +too close to the bear, who, he observed, was sometimes seized with +sudden fits of ferocity, and might, he was afraid, do some injury. The +room was already half full when Pierre and I entered, and a considerable +number of people came in afterwards. They were all country people, +decently dressed, who behaved with the usual politeness the French +exhibit when not excited by any special cause. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. + +LARRY'S DISGUISE. + +At last Jacques Chacot, looking round the room, gave notice that his +bear would at once commence his performance. In a short time a door +opened, and he appeared, leading out what looked like a large brown +bear, followed by one of his sons, carrying a couple of chairs. Jacques +Chacot, who had in his hand a long pole with a sharp point to it, took +his seat on one chair, and made signs to the bear to sit down on the +other, which it immediately did. The lad then handed a glass of wine to +the bear, which, making a bow to the audience, it drank off, putting the +glass, it seemed to me, almost down its throat, in a very curious +fashion. + +Its keeper then ordered it to stand on its head, which it did with +seeming unwillingness, kicking its hind legs up in the air. + +"Now show mesdames and messieurs how you can dance," cried Chacot. +"Strike up, Jean," he added to his son, who, getting down a riddle from +the wall, commenced scraping away, and producing a merry tune. Up got +the bear, and began shuffling and leaping about, in a fashion which +strangely resembled an Irish jig, at the same time singing in a voice +which sounded remarkably like that of a human being. The audience +applauded; but the bear at length, getting tired from its exertions, +took a chair and sat itself down in a corner. On this Chacot shouted to +it to go on; but the bear, being seized with sulkiness, refused, till +the fellow, giving it a poke with his pole, the bear sprang up and +recommenced its performance, Jean fiddling away as before. + +"Now address the company, and give them an account of your adventures," +said Chacot. + +The bear on this got up, and, making another bow, uttered some words +which certainly no one present could have understood. Listening +attentively, I caught several words which sounded remarkably like Irish. + +"Who are you, and where in the world do you come from?" I exclaimed in +my native tongue. + +No sooner had I uttered the words, than the bear made a spring right off +the stage, and rushed towards me, exclaiming, "Arrah! I'm Larry +Harrigan, Mr Terence dear! and shure you've found me at last?" + +At the first movement the bear made the audience rushed from all parts +of the room, trying to effect their escape through the door, while +Jacques Chacot endeavoured to seize it, and to drag it back on the +stage. Larry, however, was not to be hindered, and, grasping my hand, +he held it in his shaggy paws, his voice alone assuring me who he was. + +"Hands off from him, Chacot!" I cried out. "He is an honest Irishman +whom I know well. If you injure him it will be at your peril. Stop, +friends, stop!" I shouted to the people as they were escaping. "The +bear will do you no harm; come and assist me." Jacques Chacot, however, +fearing that the chance of making further gains by his prisoner would be +lost, dragged him back by main force, while poor Larry, closely encased +as he was in a skin, and padded out with pillows, was unable to help +himself. At the same time, one of the sons, seizing his pike, +threatened to run me through if I interfered. + +I in vain called to the people to help me; they seemed to think that I +was as mad as the bear, or that I was a mere bearish Englishman, who had +lived so long amongst animals of that description that I very naturally +took it for an old friend Larry continued to shout out to me for help, +until Jacques Chacot seized his jaws, and, closing them, prevented his +voice from coming out, while the young Frenchmen dragged him away. + +"Keep up your spirits, Larry," I cried. "If there's justice in the +country, I'll obtain it for you." As I found it would be impossible at +that moment to set Larry free, I followed the people out of the show, +and endeavoured to explain to them that the bear was no bear at all, but +a human being, whom I had known all my life. This, however, I found +they were by no means inclined to believe. It was a very strange bear, +they acknowledged, but they had no reason to doubt that bears could +speak; and the words he had uttered were just such as might be expected +to proceed from a bear. + +Young Pierre had bravely stuck by me all the time, and was more inclined +to believe me than any one else. + +"I have heard say that Jacques Chacot is a great rascal, and if monsieur +will take my advice he will go to Monsieur Jules Pontet, the mayor, who +will compel him to allow the bear to be properly examined, and if it +proves to be a man have him set at liberty," he observed. + +"You are a sensible little fellow," I answered; "and if you will show me +the way to the mayor's house, we will go to him at once. But don't let +any one know, or Chacot will take means to hide the bear, or carry him +off, or perhaps throw him into the sea and drown him, so that there may +be no evidence of his knavery." + +"That's just what I was thinking, monsieur," said Pierre, as he led the +way. We hurried on, for I was very anxious about Larry's safety, +fearful that Chacot would play him some trick. In about twenty minutes +we reached the most respectable-looking house in the village. + +"Monsieur the mayor lives here," said Pierre. "He is at home, I know, +for he never leaves so early in the day." + +I knocked at the door, and, being admitted by a neat-looking woman in a +high cap, was ushered into a room, where I found Monsieur Jules Pontet, +the mayor, seated, with number of papers before him. I explained that, +having been induced to go and see a strange animal said to be a bear, I +had discovered a countryman, an old acquaintance of my own, who had been +compelled by some means or other to play the part, that he was being +cruelly treated, and desired to be set free. + +The mayor listened politely. + +"I have heard of this strange animal, and suspected that there was some +trick," he observed; "I will accompany you forthwith, and if you are +right in your conjectures, we will have the man set free." + +"They are more than conjectures, they are certainties, monsieur," I +answered. + +I then thanked him for his courtesy, when, getting his hat and cane, he +immediately set out with me, followed by Pierre, who was eager to see +the end. + +We found a number of people collected round Chacot's cottage, which made +me hope that during my absence he had not been able, had he contemplated +violence, to carry his intention into effect. + +"I wish to see this strange animal I have heard of," said the mayor in +an authoritative tone. "Go, some of you, and tell Chacot that I desire +him to bring the creature out on the stage, and let him perform his +tricks before me. Come, my friends, come in, you shall see the sight +without payment this time." + +Whether Chacot was aware or not that I had brought the mayor, I could +not tell, as he might not have observed me among the crowd. + +In a short time the door of the stage opened, and Chacot appeared, +dragging in the bear, who came very reluctantly, urged on by one of the +young fellows from behind with a pike. + +Larry was going through his performances, when the mayor said, turning +to me-- + +"Speak to him, and tell him to come down quickly. I see the whole +trick; no bear would walk as that creature does." + +No sooner did Larry hear my voice than he sprang off the stage, before +Chacot or his sons could stop him, and I rushed forward to meet him, +followed by Monsieur Pontet. + +"Have any of you a knife?" asked the worthy magistrate. "Hand it to me +at once." + +A knife was given him, and he began forthwith to cut away at the +bear-skin, Larry standing patiently while the operation was going +forward. + +He soon got the head off, when Larry's honest countenance was displayed +beneath it. + +Loud shouts of laughter burst from the people, mingled with no small +amount of abuse hurled at Chacot for the trick he had played them. + +As the mayor proceeded, a quantity of hay tumbled out, which had served +to stuff out poor Larry to the required proportions. + +"Faith, Mr Terence dear, you'd better not take it off altogether before +so many decent people; for, to say the truth, I've got nothing under it +but my bare skin," said Larry to me in a subdued voice. + +Such, indeed, I perceived to be the case, as did the mayor. + +"Bring the man's clothes at once, and let him have a room in which he +may dress himself properly," he exclaimed to Chacot, who had, by the +mayor's orders, remained on the stage, and had been watching our +proceedings. + +Chacot, with no very good grace, obeyed, and I, fearing that some +violence might be offered, accompanied him into the room. + +Chacot soon appeared with a seaman's dress, which Larry, jumping out of +his bear-skin, quickly put on. + +As yet he had had no time to tell me how he had come into the power of +the French fisherman; and as I also did not wish to keep the mayor +waiting, as soon as Larry was ready, we hurried out to join him. + +"I'll have my revenge on you one of these days," I heard Chacot exclaim, +but I thought it as well to take no notice of his remark. + +"Come with me to my house," said Monsieur Jules Pontet. "I want to hear +how that fellow Jacques Chacot got hold of the English seaman. He must +have been a stupid fellow to have allowed himself to be so ill-treated." + +"I have not yet had time to make inquiries, monsieur," I said, "but I +will, if you wish it, at once ask him how it happened." + +"By all means," replied the mayor; so I desired Larry to tell me how he +had escaped from the hooker, and been turned into a bear. + +"It is a long yarn, Mr Terence, but I'll cut it short to plase the +gintleman. You'll remember the night we were aboard the hooker. I was +asleep forward, just dreaming of Ballinahone, an' thinking I was leading +off a dance with Molly Maguire, when down came the whole castle tumbling +about our heads. Opening my eyes, I jumped out of my bunk, and sprang +up the fore hatchway, just in time to see that the masts had been +carried away, and that the hooker was going to the bottom. How it all +happened I couldn't for the life of me tell. I sang out at the top of +my voice for you, Mr Terence, and rushed aft to the cabin, where I +expected to find you asleep. But though I shouted loud enough to waken +the dead, you didn't answer, and not a soul was aboard but myself. For +a moment I caught sight of the stern of a vessel steering away from us, +which made me guess that we had been run down. The water was rushing +into the little craft, and I knew that she must go to the bottom. Her +masts and spars were still hanging to her side, an' so, thinks I to +meself, I'll have a struggle for life. I had seen an axe in the +companion hatch, and, getting hold of it, I cut away the rigging, and +had time to get hold of a cold ham and some bread and a bottle of water, +which I stowed in a basket. Thinks I, I'll make a raft, and so I hove +overboard some planks, with part of the main hatch and a grating, and, +getting on them, lashed them together in a rough fashion, keeping my eye +all the time on the hooker, to see that she didn't go down, and catch me +unawares. I was so mighty busy with this work, that if the vessel which +had run the hooker down had come back to look for us I shouldn't have +seen her. I had just got my raft together, when I saw that the hooker +was settling down, so I gave it a shove off from her side; and faith I +was only just in time, for it made a rush forward, and I thought was +going down with the vessel, but up it came again, and there I was, +floating all alone on the water. + +"During the night a light breeze from the northward sprang up, and I +began to fear that I might be drifted out into the Atlantic. However, I +couldn't help myself, and was not going to cry die. I was mighty +thankful that the sea was smooth, and so I sat on my raft, trying to be +as happy as I could; but the thinking of you, Mr Terence, and not +knowing if you had escaped, often made me sad. I wished, too, that I +had had my fiddle, when I would have played myself a tune to keep up my +spirits. I can't say how many days I spent on the raft, sleeping when I +could not keep my eyes open, till all the provisions and the water I had +brought were gone. Then I got very bad, and thought I was going to die. +The weather, too, was changing, and the sea getting up. I was just +lying down on the raft, not long before the bright sun sank into the +ocean, and not expecting to see it rise again, when I heard a shout, +and, opening my eyes, I saw a small craft, which I guessed was a French +fishing-boat from her look, coming towards me. She having hove-to, +presently a boat was lowered from her deck, and I was taken on board, +more dead than alive. The Frenchmen gave me some food, and, taking me +down into the cabin, put me to bed. + +"It came on to blow very hard that night. For some days we were +knocking about, not able to get back to port. From the heavy seas which +broke over the little vessel, and from the way I heard the Frenchmen +speaking, I thought that after all we should be lost, but I was too weak +to care much about the matter just then. + +"However, at last the weather moderated, and after several days I found +that we were at anchor in smooth water. I was still very bad, so the +French skipper carried me ashore to his cottage. He fed me pretty well, +and I at last got strong enough to walk about. By this time I had +managed somehow to make him understand me, and I asked him to tell me +how I could cross over to Ireland, as I wanted to get home and learn if +you had escaped. He laughed at me, however, and said that I owed him a +hundred francs for taking care of me, and that I must pay him. I +answered that I would be glad enough to pay him, like an honest man, as +soon as I could get any prize-money, and that I would send it over to +him. To this, however, he would not agree, but said that if I would +help him in a trick he wanted to play off on the people, he would be +satisfied. He then explained that I must dress up like a bear, and that +he would show me off as a wonder. As I had no help for it, I consented. +He at once made me get into the bear-skin which you, Mr Terence, cut +me out of, and showed me how I was to behave myself. After I had had +some days' practice, he sent round to let it be known that he had picked +up a bear at sea, which could talk and play all sorts of tricks; and in +a short time people came to look at me. At first I thought it a good +joke, but at last he treated me so like a real bear, for he chained me +up at night and never let me get out of my skin, that I began to grow +heartily tired of the fun; and it's my belief, if you hadn't found me +out, he'd have been after making away with me, lest the people should +discover the trick he had played them." + +I translated Larry's story to the mayor, who, being a humane man, was +very indignant, but said that he had no power to punish Chacot, as Larry +confessed that he had consented to be dressed up. + +When I told this to Larry, he said that he should be very sorry to have +Chacot suffer, as, whatever his motive, he had certainly saved his life. + +In a couple of days Larry was fit to set out. With the aid of Monsieur +Pontet, I purchased two horses. They were sorry steeds to look at, but +had more go in them than I expected from their appearance. Larry +carried my valise, and I had my sword and a brace of pistols, though +Monsieur Pontet assured me I should have no necessity for their use. I +had become intimate with him, and he kindly gave me a letter of +introduction to a friend of his at Vernon, a Monsieur Planterre, who, he +said, would dispose of my horses for me, and afford me any other +assistance I might require, in case La Touche should be absent from +home. + +Bidding farewell to Monsieur Pontet, I started on my journey at an early +hour in the morning, fully expecting to enjoy the trip, as all was new +and strange to me. The people I met with were primitive in their +habits, and invariably treated me with civility. The inns I stopped at +were small, and not over comfortable, but as they afforded sufficient +accommodation for man and beast, I did not complain. + +I must pass over the incidents of the journey. It was towards evening +when the towers of Vernon, situated on the banks of the Seine, appeared +in sight, and, passing across the boulevards which surrounded the town, +I entered the narrow, crooked streets, with timber-framed houses on +either side, and kept clean by running streams. On my way I inquired +for the house of Monsieur Planterre, which I found situated at the +entrance of an avenue which leads to the Chateau de Bizy, belonging to +the Duc de Penthievre. + +The house, though of a primitive style of architecture, was better than +most of those I had passed. Being admitted, Larry having taken charge +of my horse, Monsieur Planterre received me with much courtesy, and, +telling me that I could not possibly reach the Chateau La Touche that +evening, invited me to take up my quarters at his house. I of course +was glad to accept his invitation, and Larry was at once sent round to +the stables with the horses. I took no further concern for him, being +well aware that he could make himself at home wherever he was. + +Monsieur Planterre told me that he was acquainted with my friend La +Touche, and should be happy to accompany me to the chateau the next day. +I learned from him more of the state of things in France than I had +before known. He told me that republican principles were gaining ground +in all directions, and that the people were everywhere complaining of +the taxes imposed on them by the Government. + +"Discontent indeed prevails everywhere, and unless reforms take place, I +know not what will be the result," he said, with a deep sigh. "Even in +this place the people are in an unsatisfactory state of mind." + +I was introduced to Madame Planterre and her daughters, bright, pretty +young ladies, who seemed much attached to their parents. They gave me a +very pleasant idea of a French family of the upper middle class. + +Next morning Monsieur Planterre asked me to defer starting for a couple +of hours, as he had to attend a meeting at the Town Hall, where he hoped +to propose some measure for the benefit of the poorer inhabitants. He +suggested that I should pass the intermediate time in taking a turn +through the town, and visiting an ancient tower and hospital founded by +Saint Louis, and other objects of interest. + +Giving Larry directions to have the horses ready, I set out. Having +spent nearly two hours in visiting different parts of the town, I +ascended to the top of the ancient tower I have mentioned, from which I +obtained a fine view, not only of the picturesque old town, but along +the Seine for a considerable distance up and down, and also of the +Chateau de Bizy, with the fine avenue leading to it. I was about to +descend, when I saw a vast number of people emerging from the various +streets into a broad space called the Place, a short distance below me. +From their movements they appeared highly excited, for loud cries and +shouts reached my ears. The greater number were armed, either with +muskets, pikes, scythes, swords, or other weapons. As I was curious to +know what they were about, I hastened down, and made my way along the +street leading to the Place. I had no fear of going among the people, +for I did not suppose that they would interfere with me. Many of those +I passed were of respectable appearance, and as I got into the Place I +inquired of one of them what they were about to do. + +"They have just tried and condemned to death one of our principal +citizens, Monsieur Planterre, who has always proved himself one of their +best friends," was the reply. + +"Monsieur Planterre!" I exclaimed. "Where is he?" + +My friend was pointed out to me, in the midst of a band of ruffians, who +were dragging him forward, shouting, "_A la lanterne! a la lanterne_!" + +Seized with an impulse I could not control, to preserve, if I could, the +life of my kind host, I dashed forward through the crowd. The people +made way for me, until I reached his side. + +"Good people of Vernon, what are you about to do?" I exclaimed. "I +hear every one speaking in favour of Monsieur Planterre, and yet you +threaten him with instant death." + +My friend, whilst I was speaking, stood pale and trembling; the rope was +round his neck, and the ruffians had hold of the end, as if eager to +strangle him. + +"What has he done to outweigh his kind deeds?" I asked. + +No answer was vouchsafed, the mob only shouting the louder, "_A la +lanterne! a la lanterne_!" + +"Who are you, young stranger? Be off with you, or you shall share his +fate," cried out a big ruffian; and many of them pressing on, shoved me +aside, endeavouring to separate me from their intended victim. + +I saw that it was a moment for action,--that should I exhibit the +slightest hesitation the life of a worthy man would be sacrificed; and, +regardless of the danger I myself ran from the fury of the excited +crowd, again dashing forward, I succeeded in reaching Monsieur +Planterre, round whom I threw my arms, and held him fast. + +"You shall not injure him. Back, all of you!" I shouted. "I will not +allow you to destroy an honest man. There must be some mistake. You +are not executioners, you are assassins, and are about to commit a deed +of which you will repent." + +Notwithstanding what I said, the ruffians still pressed upon us, and +attempted to drag Monsieur Planterre away, shouting, "_A la lanterne_!" +but I held him fast. + +"My friends," I cried,--"for I will not call you enemies,--if you hang +this man you must hang me, for alive I will not be separated from him, +and you will be guilty of the murder of two honest men instead of one." + +As I spoke a reaction suddenly took place; my words had even more effect +than I expected on the volatile crowd. One of them rushed forward and +removed the rope from Monsieur Planterre's neck. + +"You have saved his life!" cried another. + +"You are a brave fellow!" shouted a third. "Long live the noble +Englishman! he is worthy of our regard." + +These and similar cries burst from the throats of numbers standing +round, and were echoed by the would-be executioners. Before I knew what +was about to happen, a number of them, rushing forward, lifted me on +their shoulders, and carried me along in triumph, shouting and singing, +while Monsieur Planterre's friends, who had been watching the +opportunity, pressing forward, hurried him away in another direction. +To my infinite satisfaction, I saw him carried off, while I was borne +along by the crowd, who shouted and sang in my praise until their voices +were hoarse. + +I thought it wise to submit to the honours paid me; at the same time I +could not tell at what moment the feelings of the fickle mob might +change, and perhaps they might carry me to the _lanterne_ instead of the +man I had rescued. I made the best of my position, and kept bowing to +the mob right and left, expressing my admiration for France and +Frenchmen in the most glowing terms I could command. + +This seemed to please them mightily; but I was curious to know what they +were going to do with me. They appeared highly delighted at having an +object on which to bestow their admiration. First they carried me round +and round the Place, shouting and cheering, while they told all who came +up what I had done. Perhaps they found it quite as amusing as hanging +their townsman. + +At last some one proposed that they should carry me to the Hotel de +Ville. The proposal was received with acclamations by the crowd, and my +bearers set off, several of them going before cheering and +gesticulating, while, as we passed through the narrow, crooked streets, +the people looked out from the windows, waving coloured handkerchiefs +and shawls, for by this time the whole town had heard, with perhaps a +few exaggerations, of the act I had performed. On arriving at the Town +Hall, I saw a number of gentlemen in full dress, with various insignia, +whom I suspected to be the civic authorities, standing on the steps, +drawn up to welcome me. My bearers halted when a small gentleman, in a +powdered wig and cocked hat, who was, I found, the mayor, stepping in +front of the rest, made me a long oration, at which the mob cheered and +cheered again. I then found, from all eyes being turned towards me, +that it was expected I should say something in return. I accordingly +expressed, in the best French I could command, my sense of the honour +done me, and my satisfaction at having been the means of saving the life +of one who, from his many virtues, was esteemed by his fellow-citizens; +and I added I felt sure that those who had intended to put him to death +were under an erroneous impression, as was shown by the generous way in +which they treated me. I now begged to thank my bearers for having +carried me so long on their shoulders, and, unwilling though I was to +descend from so honourable a position, I requested that they would have +the goodness to put me down on my feet that I might see their faces, so +that I might be able at any future time to recognise them, which I owned +I should at present be unable to do. + +After some demur, they at last acceded to my request, letting me down on +my feet. When I did see their countenances, it struck me that they were +as hideous a set of ruffians as any of those I had before seen. + +Concealing my feelings, however, I shook each of them by the hand, +calling them my dear brothers, and assuring them that I should never +forget the honour done me. After they had shaken themselves and +stretched their brawny limbs, they appeared inclined to get hold of me +again and carry me off on another round of the Place. Feeling +especially unwilling, for the reason I have before given, to undergo +another ovation, I stepped back among the civic authorities, and got +inside the Town Hall, conducted by a gentleman, who whispered that he +was a friend of Monsieur Planterre's, and that he had been sent by him +to escort me back to his house. + +"Monsieur Planterre is anxious to get out of the town as soon as +possible, and advises you to do the same, for we cannot tell at what +moment the mob may change their minds, and perhaps take it into their +heads to hang you and him together," he said, as, leading me through the +Town Hall, he conducted me out by a back door. + +"We are going by a somewhat circuitous route to the house of Monsieur +Planterre, where he himself is waiting for us," he continued, as we +walked on together. "Your horses are in readiness, and he has had one +prepared for himself, so that you may start as soon as you arrive." + +As we passed through the streets we could hear the shouts of the people +in the distance, but what they were about we could not tell. My guide +appeared to be in a somewhat agitated state, as if he feared that they +would commit some other deed of violence, to recompense themselves for +losing the pleasure of hanging Monsieur Planterre. + +On arriving before the house I found Larry holding three horses. +Presently a serving-man came out and took hold of the rein of one of the +animals. On looking at him, to my surprise I recognised Monsieur +Planterre himself. + +"I think it wise to leave the town in this disguise, lest the mob should +suddenly regret having allowed me to escape, and, seeing me go, pursue +me," he said. + +I immediately mounted, and Monsieur Planterre, pointing out the road I +was to take, I moved forward, followed by him and Larry, they appearing +in the characters of my two lackeys. They kept close behind me, in +order that Monsieur Planterre might tell me when to turn to the right or +left. He evidently expected that we should be pursued, but though I +looked round occasionally, I could see no one following us. + +Upon the road Monsieur Planterre rode up to my side, and gave me a good +deal of information, both about my friend's family and that of other +families in the neighbourhood. + +"I am grateful to you," he continued, "for the service you have rendered +me, and I am anxious for your safety. I would advise you, therefore, to +make no long stay in France. The whole country is, I can assure you, +like a volcano, ready to burst forth at any moment. The people are +generally imbued with republican principles, and they have lost all +respect for the priests; they complain of the heavy taxes which go to +support a profligate court; and are weary of the tyranny under which +they have so long groaned." + +"But has not the king a powerful army to keep them in order?" I +inquired. + +"The army cannot be depended on," answered my friend. "It is thoroughly +disorganised, and at any moment may side with the people. The only +reliable troops are the Swiss, and other foreigners. We are coming upon +troublous times, of that I am confident." + +Until now I had known nothing of France, and had fancied that Frenchmen +were a light-hearted race, thoroughly contented with themselves and +their country; indeed, I even now scarcely believed what Monsieur +Planterre told me. + +In less than a couple of hours we caught sight of an ancient mansion, +with a high roof, and towers at the corners, standing up amid the trees. + +"There is the Chateau la Touche," said my companion. "I will not +present myself in this disguise at the front gate, but when you descend +will accompany your servant, who has not discovered who I am, and takes +me for one of his fellows." + +On arriving at the gate, Monsieur Planterre, having given his horse to +Larry, went up the steps and rang the bell, and then came down and held +my steed whilst I dismounted. As soon as the door opened he led my +horse off. + +La Touche, who had been advised of my arrival, hurried out to meet me, +and embraced me affectionately according to the French fashion. + +"Overjoyed to see you, my dear friend," he exclaimed. "I have been long +looking for you, and am delighted that you have been induced to come. I +have been preparing various entertainments, as I wish to show you how we +Frenchmen enjoy life." + +I said everything that was proper in return, when, after he had made +many inquiries as to how I had come to France, and the adventures I had +met with on my journey, he added-- + +"Now I must introduce you to madame _ma mere_ and my young sister. They +are prepared to receive you as a friend, and are delighted to find that +you possess the accomplishment of speaking French." + +He forthwith led me into a handsome _salon_, or drawing-room, in which I +saw two ladies seated, engaged in embroidery work. They both rose as we +entered. The eldest was a stately and handsome dame, but my eyes were +naturally attracted by the younger. It was fortunate, perhaps, that +Monsieur Planterre had described her, or I do not know how I should have +behaved myself. She was in truth the most lovely little damsel I had +ever seen, fair, and of exquisite figure, with blue, laughing eyes. +They received me without any form, as if I had been an old friend, and I +at once felt myself perfectly at home. Without speaking of my +adventures at Vernon, I told them of my landing, and highly amused them +with the description of the way in which I had found my follower Larry +compelled to act the part of a bear. I said how grateful I felt to the +worthy mayor for the assistance he had given me, as also for his +introduction to Monsieur Planterre. While I was speaking, La Touche was +summoned out of the room by a servant. He in a short time returned, and +then, to my surprise, gave his mother and sister a full account of the +way I had rescued Monsieur Planterre from the hands of the mob. + +Mademoiselle Sophie appeared to be highly interested, and kept looking +at me while her brother was speaking, and, although she did not join in +the praises her mother lavished upon me for what she called my gallant +conduct, evidently regarded me as a hero. + +"You have come into our country in what I fear will prove troublous +times," observed La Touche, as we were seated at the supper table. "The +people are inclined to take the law into their own hands in other places +besides Vernon, and are specially ill-disposed towards the _noblesse_, +who, they declare, have been living on the fat of the land, while they +have been starving. Our friend Monsieur Planterre, after what has +occurred, not considering his life safe in the town, has come out here, +but thought it wiser not to appear as a guest, lest it should be +reported that I have entertained him. My people suppose him to be a +lackey, as he acts the part to admiration; and he will take his +departure to-morrow morning, without, I hope, being discovered, so that +they will all be ready to declare that Monsieur Planterre has not come +to the chateau." + +"Yes, there is a sad time coming for France, from what I hear is taking +place in Paris," said Madame La Touche. "The people have already got +the upper hand, and the king himself is, I fear, in hourly peril of his +life." + +"Ah! we must not think or talk about such things too much," said La +Touche. "My object at present is to make our guest's stay in France +pleasant, and not to speak of disagreeable subjects. Sophie will, I am +sure, aid me in that object." + +Sophie smiled, and said that such an occupation would afford her much +pleasure. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. + +CONCLUSION. + +As the supper was at a comparatively early hour, we retired to the +drawing-room, where the young lady played and sang, with much spirit, +several lively airs, which her brother selected. She then chose one for +herself of a more plaintive character, which had, as she intended it +should have, a strange effect upon me. I listened in raptures, for her +voice was sweet and melodious. + +"I am indeed glad that you understand French so well," she said. "When +I heard that an Englishman was coming some day, I thought that we should +have had to carry on a conversation by signs, and that would have been +very stupid." + +"I fear that I do not speak it very correctly, but I must try to improve +myself," I remarked. + +"You do make a few mistakes now and then, but I shall be delighted to +instruct you, and to correct your errors, if you will allow me to do +so." + +That night, although somewhat tired from the exertions I had gone +through in the morning, it was some time before I felt inclined to turn +in; and when I did at length go to bed, I remained awake far longer than +usual, thinking of the beautiful Sophie, her sweet voice still sounding +in my ears. + +I was awakened next morning by Larry, who accompanied one of the +servants to my room. + +"I did not see you last night, Mr Terence, and I couldn't tell what had +become of your honour," he exclaimed. "Faith, I tried to tell the +people of the house that I wanted to find you, but not a word of my best +French did they understand." + +I told Larry how well I had been treated, and that he need not have any +apprehensions about me. The servant had brought a cup of coffee, which +I found was the custom of the French to take in the morning, and he told +me that breakfast would not be ready for an hour or more. As soon, +therefore, as I had dressed I descended to the garden, which was of +considerable extent, with lawns, fish-ponds, fountains, statues, and +labyrinths. I had not gone far, when I saw a small figure tripping on +lightly before me. I was tempted to hasten my steps. She turned--it +was Sophie. + +"I will show you the garden," she said, "and my favourite spots. You +might lose yourself without my guidance, and perhaps you will accept +it." + +I of course had but one answer to give. We walked on in the fresh +morning air. I thought her lovely in the evening, but she appeared +still more so now, looking as fresh and bright as the gay flowers which +adorned the parterres. I felt that I had entered into a new existence; +it was no wonder, for we were both young, and she had lived a secluded +life, she told me, since her father's death. We very naturally forgot +all about breakfast, and when we arrived at the house Madame La Touche +chided her for her thoughtlessness in allowing me to starve. + +Such was the commencement of my stay. My friend insisted that I should +go out with him to shoot, believing that such was the only amusement I +was likely to care for; but the preserves were full of game, and we had +to do little more than stand still and shoot the birds as they were put +up by the dogs. We returned to dinner, and as La Touche gave me the +choice, I preferred a stroll in the garden with him and his sister to a +more extended excursion. + +The following days were spent in the same delightful manner. Every hour +I became more and more attached to Sophie. I could not but feel a +desire that she should return my affection. I forgot my poverty, and +that until I could obtain my promotion, I should have nothing on which +to support a wife, as the Ballinahone property had been entailed on my +brother. I ought, I knew, to have assumed an indifference to the young +lady, and speedily taken my departure, and I was in consequence much to +blame. Still La Touche should not have invited me to the chateau; but +in throwing me into the society of so charming a being as his sister, he +did no perhaps think of the consequences, or, if he did, fancied that I +was possessed of wealth, or at least a competency. + +We were living all the time a peaceful secluded life, for we never went +beyond the walled grounds of the chateau, and few visitors came to the +house. We heard occasionally, however, what was going forward both in +Paris and other parts of the country. Matters were growing more and +more serious. Risings had occurred in various places, and lives had +been lost. An army of fishwives, and other women of the lowest orders, +had marched to Versailles, and threatened the King and Marie Antoinette, +if food was not given them. + +We were one evening seated at supper when a servant rushed into the +room, with terror depicted in his countenance. + +"Oh, monsieur! oh, madame!" he exclaimed, "I have just received notice +that a vast array of people are marching this way, threatening to +destroy all the chateaux in the neighbourhood, and the Chateau La Touche +in particular. They declare that you are an aristocrat." + +"Are you certain that this is true?" exclaimed La Touche, starting from +his seat. + +"If monsieur will come to the northern tower, he will hear the voices of +the people in the distance," replied the servant. + +"Do not be alarmed, my mother and sister," said La Touche. "The report +may be exaggerated, but it is as well to be prepared. We will close all +the lower doors and windows, and set the ruffians at defiance if they +come. Will you accompany me, Finnahan, and as we go give me your advice +as to the best way of defending the house?" + +I would willingly have stopped to try and tranquillise the alarm of +Madame La Touche and Sophie, but I could not refuse my friend's request. +I set off with him, and we soon reached the tower. We looked out from +a narrow window towards the north, but at first could see no one +approaching, though on listening attentively we fancied that we could +distinguish the murmur of voices far off. + +Presently a bright light appeared on the left, rising, it seemed, out of +the midst of a forest at some distance from the banks of the Seine. The +light rapidly increased in size, and flames began to ascend, while +clouds of smoke darkened the sky. + +"Ah! that must come from the Chateau l'Estrange!" exclaimed La Touche. +"The rabble have attacked the house, and set it on fire. Fortunately, +none of the family are at home except the old domestics, and they, poor +people, will too probably be sacrificed. The villains would like to +treat my chateau in the same way, and will before long make the +attempt." + +"But we will defend it, and drive them back," I exclaimed. "Have you a +sufficient supply of arms and ammunition for its defence? We must +barricade all the doors and windows; and, unless they have cannon, they +will not succeed in getting in, I trust." + +"We have plenty of arms, and I obtained a supply of ammunition a short +time since," said La Touche. "I doubt, however, the courage of some of +my domestics; they would rather yield to the rabble than risk their +lives in the defence of my property." + +"Larry and I will try to make up, as far as we can, for their want of +bravery," I said. + +"Thank you, my friends; you will be a host in yourselves. Now let us +see about preparing to give the insurgents a warm reception should they +attack the chateau." + +On descending from the tower, La Touche entered the supper room singing +and laughing. + +"There is not much to be afraid of, so you need not be anxious, _ma +chere mere_; or you either, Sophie," he said in a cheerful tone of +voice. "We are going to shut the doors and windows in case any of the +rabble may try to creep in at them. You can retire to your rooms or +stay here, as you think best. You will oblige me, however, by keeping +the women quiet, or they may be running about and interfering with our +proceedings." + +"We will do more than keep them quiet," exclaimed Sophie; "we will make +them useful by setting them an example; only tell us what you want us to +do." + +"The best thing you can do is to close all the shutters and windows +looking to the front in the upper storey, and to place chests of drawers +and bedding against them, so that if bullets are fired they will do no +harm." + +"That we will do, my son," said Madame La Touche, rising from her seat; +and she hurried off, accompanied by Sophie. + +La Touche at once summoned his _maitre d'hotel_ and the other servants. + +"My friends," he said, "I have no intention of letting the insurgents +destroy my chateau, as they have done those of other persons, and I will +trust to you to defend it to the last." + +A party of Englishmen would have cheered. They, however, merely said, +"_Oui! oui! monsieur_; we are ready to do what you tell us." + +Among the servants came Larry. I told him what we expected would +happen, and what he was to do. + +"Shure we'll be after driving the `spalpeens' back again," he answered. +"I was little thinking that we should have this sort of fun to amuse us +when we came to France." + +We lost no more time in talking, but immediately set to work to shut all +the doors on the ground floor, and to nail pieces of timber and strong +planks against them. The windows were closed with such materials as +could be obtained. There were more forthcoming than I expected; and La +Touche acknowledged that he had laid in a store some time before. + +He then summoned the _maitre d'hotel_ and two other servants, and led +the way--accompanied by Larry and me--down a steep flight of stone steps +to a vault beneath the house. Opening the door of what was supposed to +be a wine cellar, he showed us a stand of twenty muskets, with pistols +and pikes, several casks of powder and cases of bullets. Larry, at once +fastening a belt round his waist, and tucking a couple of muskets under +each arm, hurried off, the servants following his example. La Touche +and I each took as many more, and returned to the hall. + +His first care was to place his men two and two at each of the parts of +the building likely to be attacked. + +"These countrymen of mine fight better together than singly," he +observed. "And now let us go round and examine our defences, to +ascertain that no part is left insecure." + +Some time was spent in making these various arrangements. Every now and +then La Touche ran in to see his mother and sister, and to assure them +that they need not be alarmed. + +"I have no fears," said Sophie, on one of these occasions, when I +accompanied him. "With the help of this brave Englishman and his +follower, I am sure that you will drive back the insurgents." + +"_Ma foi_! I hope so," said La Touche to me, as we left the room. "But +they are the same sort of ruffians as those who destroyed the Bastile." + +The news of that event had a short time before reached us. + +"Now let us return to the watch-tower, and try to make out what the +_canaille_ are about." + +The mob, as far as we could observe, were not as yet approaching. They +were probably dancing and singing round the burning chateau, the flames +from which were ascending in all directions, its towers forming four +pyramids of fire. + +"They are waiting to see the result of their handiwork," said La Touche. +"When the roof has fallen in and the towers come to the ground, they +will be satisfied, and will probably make their way in this direction. +Ah! what are those lights there?" he suddenly exclaimed. + +I looked towards the spot he pointed at, when I saw advancing along the +road a number of men bearing torches. + +"They are coming, as I expected, fully believing that they will destroy +this chateau as they have the Chateau l'Estrange," said La Touche. +"Now, my friend, it is possible that they may succeed, notwithstanding +all our preparations. I will therefore have a carriage prepared, and +the horses put to, with two others for riding. I know, should I be +unable to go, that you will protect my mother and sister, and endeavour +to conduct them to a place of safety, either to the coast or to the +house of a friend whom they will name to you." + +"You may trust me indeed, although I hope for your sake that there will +be no necessity for such a proceeding," I answered, my heart beating +strangely at the thought of having Sophie and her mother committed to my +charge. I resolved, of course, to protect them to the last, and I hoped +that in my character as a foreigner I might be able to do this more +effectually than La Touche himself. Madame should pass as my mother, +and Sophie for my sister, and I hoped that we might thus pass through +the fiercest mob, whose rage, being turned against the aristocrats, +would not interfere with an Englishman, whom they would imagine was +merely travelling through the country for the sake of seeing it, as many +had been doing for some time past. We had very little longer time to +wait, when some hundreds of persons appeared coming along the road +directly for the chateau. We could see them from the tower, where we +had remained. A large number were carrying torches. The entrance gate +was locked and barred, and the chateau itself, all lights being +concealed, must have appeared shrouded in darkness. + +"Let them exhaust their strength in breaking down the gate," said La +Touche. + +Scarcely a moment after, the mob reached the gate, waving their torches, +and shrieking and shouting out-- + +"Down with the aristocrats! Down with the tyrants! Down with those who +pillage us, and live upon the product of our toil?" + +"Let them shout themselves hoarse," remarked La Touche. "They will not +find it a very easy matter to break down that stout old gate, or to +climb over the wall." + +On discovering the impediment in their way, their shouts and threats +increased in fury. A number of them, rushing against the bar of the +gate, endeavoured to force it from its hinges. + +Not a word all this time was uttered by any of our garrison. The +insurgents, finding that the gate would not yield, shouted for some one +in the chateau to open it. No one replied. Again and again they shook +it. At last we heard the sound of loud blows, as if it were being +struck by a sledge hammer, while several figures appeared on the top of +the wall, ladders having been procured to assist them up. + +"Why do you come here, my friends?" demanded La Touche abruptly. "The +gate is locked as a sign that I wished to be in private." + +"It is the residence of an aristocrat, and all such we have resolved to +level to the ground," shouted one of the mob. + +"I warn you that you will pay dearly if you make the attempt," cried La +Touche. "We are well-armed, and are resolved to defend the place." + +"We are not to be stopped by threats. On, comrades, on!" exclaimed +another voice among those who were clambering over the wall. "If one of +our number falls, remember that every one of those inside the house will +be destroyed." + +"You have been warned,--the consequence will be on your own heads if you +attack us," said La Touche. + +By this time a considerable number of persons had got into the yard by +clambering over the wall, but the stout iron gate had hitherto resisted +all attempts to force it open. + +"We might kill or wound all the fellows in front of the house," said La +Touche to me, "but I am unwilling to shed the blood of my countrymen if +it can be avoided; I will give them another chance. You are in our +power, friends," he shouted out; "if we fire, not one of you will +escape. Go back to where you came from, and your lives will be spared." + +Derisive shouts were the only answers given to what La Touche had said. +More people were all the time clambering over the wall, while continued +blows on the gate showed that the mob had not given up the idea of +forcing an entrance. Presently there was a loud crash, the gate was +thrown open, and in rushed a number of savage-looking fellows, all armed +with some weapon or other, many of them carrying torches, which they +waved wildly above their heads, shouting all the time, "Down with the +aristocrats! Revenge! revenge for the wrongs they have done us!" + +"They are in earnest, of that there can be no doubt," said La Touche. +"We must drive them back before they become more daring. It is useless +to hold further parley with them;" and he gave orders to our small +garrison to open fire. + +Loud shrieks and cries rent the air, several people were seen to fall, +but this only increased the rage of the rest, who, running up to the +front door with axes and other weapons, began hacking away at it, +probably expecting quickly to force it open. + +More and more people followed, until the whole yard was full of men +surging here and there, some firing, others waving their torches, +apparently to distract our attention, while the more determined assailed +the doors and windows. + +"Are there no troops likely to come to our assistance?" I asked, seeing +that matters were growing serious. + +"No; we must defend ourselves, and I fear that if these ruffians +persevere, they will succeed at last," whispered La Touche to me. "We +must endeavour to save my mother and sister, for the mob, if they once +get in, will sacrifice them as well as the rest of us. I am resolved to +stop and defend my house to the last, but I must provide for their +safety by committing them to your charge. The carriage is in readiness, +and there are two faithful servants to whom I have given orders how to +act. Go, I beseech you, at once, and request my mother and Sophie to +enter the carriage and set out without a moment's delay. Two +saddle-horses are in readiness for you and your servant. You will go as +their escort. Tell them I will retreat in time to follow them. Take +the road towards Paris, and wait for me. Should any one attempt to +interfere with you, say that you are an English officer, and that the +ladies are under your charge. I do not apprehend that you will be +molested; go, therefore, lose no time." + +He wrung my hand as if he would take no denial. I of course, although +unwilling to leave him, was ready to carry out his wishes. I hastened +to the room where I had left Madame La Touche and Sophie, and explained +to them what La Touche wished them to do. + +"But will he follow us?" asked Madame La Touche in an agitated tone. + +"He has promised to do so, madame," I answered; "but let us not delay, +lest the mob should get round to the other side of the house and cut off +our retreat." + +Madame La Touche hesitated no longer, but allowed me to lead her and her +daughter down to the yard at the back of the house, where we found the +horses already put to, and I handed the ladies into the carriage. The +coachman mounted the box; another servant was holding the two riding +horses; and I was preparing to mount, when Larry, sent by La Touche, +came springing down the steps and was in his saddle in a moment. The +French servant mounted behind the carriage; and the coach drove off down +an avenue which led along the banks of a stream running through the +pleasure-grounds. I was in hopes that La Touche would have followed at +once, for I saw that there was very little probability of his being able +successfully to defend the house against the savage mob who had resolved +to destroy it. I could hear the wild shrieks and shouts and cries of +the assailants, the rattle of musketry, and the loud thundering against +the doors and windows; but, anxious as I felt about my friend, my duty +was to push on with my charges, and with all possible speed to convey +them out of danger. The coachman was equally desirous to preserve his +mistress, and lashed on his horses at their utmost speed. Fortunately +he knew the road, which was an unusually good one. + +We were soon outside the grounds belonging to the chateau. Proceeding +along a road which ran parallel with the river, we soon got beyond the +sounds of the strife; but on looking round I saw a bright light suddenly +appear in the direction of the chateau. It increased in size. Another +and another appeared; and I could distinguish the flames bursting out +from several windows. Could the mob so soon have broken into the +chateau, and set it on fire? I feared the worst, and that my gallant +friend and his servants had been overwhelmed, and too probably +massacred. I felt thankful, however, that Madame La Touche and Sophie +had escaped in time. Had they remained a few minutes longer, they might +have been too late. Had I been alone, I should have been unable to +restrain myself from galloping back to ascertain what had occurred; but +to protect them was now my great object. I kept as close as possible to +the carriage, not knowing what might at any moment occur. I was afraid +that they might look out of the window and see the flames; but they were +too much overcome with grief and terror to do that, and sat back in the +carriage, clasped in each other's arms. When the road would allow, I +rode up and spoke a few words to try and comfort them, although it was +no easy matter to do that. + +"When will Henri come?" exclaimed Madame La Touche. "He ought to have +overtaken us by this time." + +"You forget, madame, we have been travelling at a rapid rate," I +observed. "He promised to retreat in time, should he find it necessary +to abandon the chateau. He will probably overtake us when we stop for +the night. There is no fear that the mob will follow him to any +distance." + +The coachman said he knew of an inn about six leagues on the Paris road, +where madame and Sophie might rest securely, as the mob could not get so +far that night. It was where Monsieur La Touche had ordered him to +remain. I bade him therefore go on as his master told him, although he +proceeded at a slower rate than at first, for fear of knocking up his +horses. + +I was very thankful when the little inn was reached. It was kept by a +buxom dame, who received Madame La Touche and Sophie politely, and +offered the best accommodation her house would afford. I handed the +ladies from the carriage. Madame entered the house at once, but Sophie +lingered for a moment. + +"Oh, tell me, Monsieur Finnahan, has Henri come yet? I dread lest he +should have done anything rash, and lost his life. It would break +mamma's heart if he were to be killed; and she will not rest, I am +convinced, until she knows he is safe. I cannot ask you to go back to +look for him, but will you send your servant to gain intelligence, and +bring it to us?" + +"I would go back myself, but my duty is to remain and guard you," I +said. "What do you wish?--tell me." + +"We shall be perfectly safe here, and I desire for my mother's sake to +know what has happened to Henri," she answered. + +I thought that Sophie was right, and my own anxiety made me desire to +ride back. + +I accordingly mounted my horse, leading Larry's. I left my faithful +retainer with instructions that in the event of the mob approaching, he +was to drive off with the ladies. I galloped on at full speed, anxious +without loss of time to reach the chateau. If La Touche had escaped, he +would probably require my assistance. I had no expectation of finding +he had beaten back the insurgents; indeed, I was not free from the +fearful apprehension that he and his people had been surprised by them, +and massacred before they could make good their retreat; still, as the +insurgents, when I left the chateau, appeared to have no intention of +making their way round to the back of the building, I hoped that he +would have contrived to escape in time. That they would have murdered +him if caught I had not the shadow of a doubt. + +I had marked the road as I came along, and had no fear as to finding my +way. The moon, too, had risen, which enabled me to do this with less +difficulty. As I galloped on, I looked carefully about on either side, +for I knew that the clatter of my horses' hoofs would attract the +attention of any one coming along the road. But I met no one along the +whole length of my ride. At last I could distinguish the tall towers +with the flames bursting out from their summits, and I knew that the +chateau was doomed to destruction. Suddenly both horses started, and I +heard a voice say-- + +"Who goes there?" + +It was La Touche. He was wounded badly, and unable to proceed farther. +Had I not gone to look for him, he would most probably have perished. + +"The chateau will be burned to the ground," he observed. "But I care +not for that, now that I know, thanks to you, Finnahan, that my mother +and Sophie have escaped." + +Having bound up his wounds, I assisted him to mount the spare horse, and +we set out for the inn where I had left Madame La Touche and her +daughter. + +We met with many adventures and hair-breadth escapes before I ultimately +succeeded in escorting them on board the _Saucy Bet_, and seeing them +safely landed in England I shortly afterwards obtained my promotion. +And though I have much more to narrate which my readers may like to +hear, I was now lieutenant, and my adventures as a midshipman therefore +come to a conclusion at this period of my life. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Paddy Finn, by W. H. G. 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