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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/21788-h.zip b/21788-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf95e74 --- /dev/null +++ b/21788-h.zip diff --git a/21788-h/21788-h.htm b/21788-h/21788-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f96aaca --- /dev/null +++ b/21788-h/21788-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,11880 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Held Fast For England, by G. A. Henty</title> +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[*/ + body {background:#ffffff; + color:black; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + font-size:14pt; + margin-top:70px; + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align:justify} + caption { font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.04em; font-family: "Arial"; + text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 18pt; } + div { text-align: center} + em {font-weight: bold} + h1 {text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.05em} + h1.pg {text-align: center; text-transform: none; letter-spacing: 0em} + h2 {text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.04em} + h3 {text-align: center; letter-spacing: 0.04em} + hr {height: 5px} + p {text-indent: 4% } + table {text-align: center} + td { font-family: "Arial"; text-align: left} + td.ltoc { letter-spacing: 0.04em; font-weight: bold; font-size: 18pt; + text-transform: uppercase; text-align: right; vertical-align: top } + td.rtoc { font-weight: bold; font-size: 18pt; text-align: left} + thead { font-weight: bold;} + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + border: solid black; + height: 5px; } + pre {font-size: 75%; } +/*]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Held Fast For England, by G. A. Henty, +Illustrated by Gordon Browne</h1> +<pre> +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 <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Held Fast For England</p> +<p> A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83)</p> +<p>Author: G. A. Henty</p> +<p>Release Date: June 9, 2007 [eBook #21788]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3>E-text prepared by Martin Robb</h3> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1>Held Fast for England:</h1> +<h2>A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83)<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +By G. A. Henty.</h2> +<p> </p> +<hr /> +<p> </p> +<center><table summary="Table of Contents"> +<caption>Contents</caption> +<tr><td class="ltoc"></td> +<td class="rtoc"><a href="#Preface">Preface</a>. +</td></tr> +<tr><td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch1">Chapter 1</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> "Something Like An Adventure."</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch2">Chapter 2</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Great Change.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch3">Chapter 3</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> An Unexpected Journey.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch4">Chapter 4</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Preparations For A Voyage.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch5">Chapter 5</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A French Privateer.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch6">Chapter 6</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Rock Fortress.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch7">Chapter 7</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Troubles Ahead.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch8">Chapter 8</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Siege Begins.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch9">Chapter 9</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Antelope.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch10">Chapter 10</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Cruise In A Privateer.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch11">Chapter 11</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Cutting Out A Prize.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch12">Chapter 12</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Rich Prize.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch13">Chapter 13</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Oranges And Lemons.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch14">Chapter 14</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Welcome Cargo.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch15">Chapter 15</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> Bob's Mission.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch16">Chapter 16</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> A Cruise In The Brilliant.</td> +</tr><tr> +<td class="ltoc"> +<a href="#Ch17">Chapter 17</a>:</td> +<td class="rtoc"> The Floating Batteries.</td> +</tr></table> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<table summary="Illustrations"> +<caption>Illustrations<br /></caption> +<tr><td><a href="#PicA"> +Bob and his Companions surprise the Burglars. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicB"> +View of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicC"> +View of Gibraltar from the Bay. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicD"> +The Professor gets excited. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#Map1"> +The Rock and Bay of Gibraltar. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicE"> +'The old gentleman is a brick,' exclaimed Gerald. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicF"> +Bob swims off to the Spanish Warship. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicG"> +They found the two Spanish mates playing at cards. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicH"> +They find Boxes of Silver in the Lazaretto. +</a></td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PicI"> +Bob receives a Commission from the Governor. +</a></td></tr> +</table> +</center> +<h2><a name="Preface" id="Preface">Preface</a>.</h2> +<p>The Siege of Gibraltar stands almost alone in the annals of +warfare, alike in its duration and in the immense preparations +made, by the united powers of France and Spain, for the capture of +the fortress. A greater number of guns were employed than in any +operation up to that time; although in number, and still more in +calibre, the artillery then used have in, modern times, been thrown +into the shade by the sieges of Sebastopol and Paris. Gibraltar +differs, however, from these sieges, inasmuch as the defence was a +successful one and, indeed, at no period of the investment was the +fortress in any danger of capture, save by hunger.</p> +<p>At that period England was not, as she afterwards became, +invincible by sea; and as we were engaged at the same time in war +with France, Spain, Holland, and the United States, it was only +occasionally that a fleet could be spared to bring succour and +provisions to the beleaguered garrison. Scurvy was the direst enemy +of the defenders. The art of preserving meat in tins had not been +discovered, and they were forced to subsist almost entirely upon +salt meat. During the first year of the siege the supply of fresh +vegetables was scanty, in the extreme, and the garrison +consequently suffered so severely, from scurvy, that at one time +scarcely half of the men of the garrison were strong enough to +carry a firelock, and perform their duty. The providential capture +of a vessel laden with oranges and lemons checked the ravages of +the scourge; and the successful efforts of the garrison to raise +vegetables prevented it from ever, afterwards, getting a firm hold +upon them.</p> +<p>In such a siege there was but little scope for deeds of +individual gallantry. It was a long monotony of hardship and +suffering, nobly endured, and terminating in one of the greatest +triumphs ever recorded in the long roll of British victories.</p> +<p>G. A. Henty.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch1" id="Ch1">Chapter 1</a>: "Something Like An +Adventure."</h2> +<p>Had Mr. Tulloch, the headmaster and proprietor of a large school +at Putney, been asked which was the most troublesome boy in his +school, he would probably have replied, without hesitation, "Bob +Repton."</p> +<p>But, being a just and fair-minded man, he would have hastened to +qualify this remark, by adding:</p> +<p>"Most troublesome, but by no means the worst boy. You must +understand that. He is always in scrapes, always in mischief. In +all my experience I have never before come across a boy who had +such an aptitude for getting into trouble; but I have nothing else +to say against him. He is straightforward and manly. I have never +known him to tell a lie, to screen himself. He is an example to +many others in that way. I like the boy, in spite of the endless +trouble he gives, and yet there is scarcely a day passes that I am +not obliged to cane him; and even that does him no good, as far as +I can see, for he seems to forget it, five minutes after it is +over. I wonder, sometimes, if he has really got hardened, and +doesn't feel it.</p> +<p>"He is sharp, and does his lessons well. I have no difficulty +with him, on that score; but he is a perfect imp of mischief."</p> +<p>With such characteristics, it need hardly be said that Bob +Repton was one of the most popular boys at Tulloch's school.</p> +<p>School life was, in those days--for it was in August, 1778, that +Bob was at Tulloch's--a very different thing to what it is, at +present. Learning was thrashed into boys. It was supposed that it +could only be instilled in this manner; and although some masters +were, of course, more tyrannical and brutal than others, the cane +was everywhere in use, and that frequently. Lads, then, had far +less liberty and fewer sports than at present; but as boys' spirits +cannot be altogether suppressed, even by the use of the cane, they +found vent in other ways, and there was much more mischief, and +more breaking out of bounds, than now take place. Boys were less +trusted, and more harshly treated; in consequence of which there +was a kind of warfare between the masters and the boys, in which +the masters, in spite of their canes, did not always get the best +of it.</p> +<p>Bob Repton was nearly fifteen. He was short, rather than tall +for his age, but squarely built and strong. His hair could never be +got to lie down, but bristled aggressively over his head. His nose +was inclined to turn up, his gray eyes had a merry, mischievous +expression, and his lips were generally parted in a smile. A casual +observer would have said that he was a happy-go-lucky, merry, +impudent-looking lad; but he was more than this. He was shrewd, +intelligent, and exceptionally plucky; always ready to do a good +turn to others, and to take more than his fair share of blame, for +every scrape he got into. He had fought many battles, and that with +boys older than himself, but he had never been beaten. The opinion, +generally, among the boys was that he did not feel pain and, being +caned so frequently, such punishment as he got in a fight was a +mere trifle to him.</p> +<p>He was a thorn in the side of Mr. Purfleet, the usher who was +generally in charge of the playground; who had learned by long +experience that, whenever Bob Repton was quiet, he was certain to +be planning some special piece of mischief. The usher was sitting +now on a bench, with a book in his hand; but his attention was, at +present, directed to a group of four boys who had drawn together in +a corner of the playground.</p> +<p>"There is Repton, again," he said to himself. "I wonder what he +is plotting, now. That boy will be the death of me. I am quite sure +it was he who put that eel in my bed, last week; though of course, +I could not prove it."</p> +<p>Mr. Purfleet prided himself on his nerve. He had been telling +the boys some stories he had read of snakes, in India; among them, +one of an officer who, when seated at table, had felt a snake +winding itself round his leg, and who sat for several minutes +without moving, until some friends brought a saucer of milk and +placed it near, when the snake uncurled itself and went to +drink.</p> +<p>"It must have required a lot of nerve, Mr. Purfleet," Bob Repton +had said, "to sit as quiet as that."</p> +<p>"Not at all, not at all," the usher replied, confidently. "It +was the natural thing to do. A man should always be calm, in case +of sudden danger, Bob. The first thought in his mind should be, +'What is this?' the second, 'What had best be done, under the +circumstances?' and, these two things being decided, a man of +courage will deal coolly with the danger. I should despise myself, +if I were to act otherwise."</p> +<p>It was two nights later that the usher, having walked down +between the two rows of beds in the dormitory, and seeing that all +the boys were quiet, and apparently asleep, proceeded to his own +bed, which was at the end of the room, and partly screened off from +the rest by a curtain. No sooner did he disappear behind this than +half a dozen heads were raised. An oil lamp burned at the end of +the room, affording light for the usher to undress; and enabling +him, as he lay in bed, to command a general, if somewhat faint view +of the dormitory. Five minutes after Mr. Purfleet had disappeared +behind the curtain, the watching eyes saw the clothes at the end of +the bed pulled down, and caught a partial view of Mr. Purfleet as +he climbed in. A second later there was a yell of terror, and the +usher leapt from the bed. Instantly, the dormitory was in an +uproar.</p> +<p>"What is it, Mr. Purfleet--what is the matter, sir?" and several +of the boys sprang from their beds, and ran towards him; the only +exceptions to the general excitement being the four or five who +were in the secret. These lay shaking with suppressed laughter, +with the bedclothes or the corner of a pillow thrust into their +mouths, to prevent them from breaking out into screams of +delight.</p> +<p>"What is it, sir?"</p> +<p>It was some time before the usher could recover himself +sufficiently to explain.</p> +<p>"There is a snake in my bed," he said.</p> +<p>"A snake!" the boys repeated, in astonishment, several of the +more timid at once making off to their beds.</p> +<p>"Certainly, a snake," Mr. Purfleet panted. "I put my legs down, +and they came against something cold, and it began to twist about. +In a moment, if I had not leapt out, I should no doubt have +received a fatal wound."</p> +<p>"Where did it come from?"</p> +<p>"What is to be done?"</p> +<p>And a variety of other questions burst from the boys.</p> +<p>"I will run down and get three or four hockey sticks, Mr. +Purfleet," one of the elder boys said.</p> +<p>"That will be the best plan, Mason. Quick, quick! There, do you +see it moving, under the clothes?"</p> +<p>There was certainly something wriggling, so there was a general +movement back from the bed.</p> +<p>"We had better hold the clothes down, Mr. Purfleet," Bob Repton +said, pushing himself forward. "If it were to crawl out at the top, +and get on to the floor, it might bite a dozen of us. I will hold +the clothes down tight, on one side, if someone will hold them on +the other."</p> +<p>One of the other boys came forward, and the clothes were +stretched tightly across the bed, by the pillow. In a minute or +two, Mason ran up with four hockey sticks.</p> +<p>"Now, you must be careful," Mr. Purfleet said, "because if it +should get out, the consequences might be terrible. Now, then, four +of you take the sticks, and all hit together, as hard as you +can--now."</p> +<p>The sticks descended together. There was a violent writhing and +contortion beneath the clothes, but the blows rained down fast and, +in a very short time, all movement ceased.</p> +<p>"It must be dead, now," Bob Repton said. "I think we can look at +it now, sir."</p> +<p>"Well, draw the clothes down very gently; boys, and be ready to +strike again, if you see the least movement."</p> +<p>The clothes were drawn down, till the creature was visible.</p> +<p>"It must be a cobra," the usher said, looking at it from a +distance. "It is thick and short. It must have escaped from +somewhere. Be very careful, all of you."</p> +<p>Mason approached cautiously, to get a nearer view; and then +exclaimed:</p> +<p>"Why, sir, it is an eel!"</p> +<p>There was a moment's silence, and then a perfect yell of +laughter from the boys. For a moment the usher was dumbfounded, +then he rallied.</p> +<p>"You will all go to your beds, at once," he said. "I shall +report the matter to Mr. Tulloch, in the morning."</p> +<p>The boys retired, laughing, to their beds; but above the din the +usher heard the words, in a muffled voice:</p> +<p>"A man should always be calm, in sudden danger."</p> +<p>Another voice, equally disguised, said:</p> +<p>"Yes, he should first ask himself 'What is this?' then 'What had +best be done, under the circumstances?'"</p> +<p>A third voice then took it up:</p> +<p>"It follows that a man of courage will deal coolly with the +danger."</p> +<p>Then there was a chorus of half a dozen voices:</p> +<p>"I should despise myself, if I were to act otherwise."</p> +<p>"Silence!" the usher shouted, rushing down the line between the +beds. "I will thrash the first boy who speaks."</p> +<p>As Mr. Purfleet had one of the hockey sticks in his hand, the +threat was sufficient to ensure silence.</p> +<p>To the relief of the two or three boys engaged in the affair, +Mr. Purfleet made no report in the morning. Mr. Tulloch by no means +spared the cane, but he always inquired before he flogged and, as +the usher felt sure that the snake story would be brought forward, +by way of excuse for the trick played upon him, he thought it +better to drop it; making a mental note, however, that he would get +even with Bob Repton, another time--for he made sure that he was at +the bottom of the matter, especially as he had been one of those +who had listened to the snake story.</p> +<p>Mr. Purfleet was held in but light respect by the boys. He was a +pale young man, and looked as if he had been poorly fed, as a boy. +He took the junior classes, and the belief was that he knew nothing +of Latin.</p> +<p>Moffat, who took the upper classes, was much more severe, and +sent up many more boys to be caned than did the junior usher; but +the boys did not dislike him. Caning they considered their natural +portion, and felt no ill will on that account; while they knew that +Mr. Moffat was a capital scholar and, though strict, was always +scrupulously just. Above all, he was not a sneak. If he reported +them, he reported them openly, but brought no accusation against +them behind their back; while Mr. Purfleet was always carrying +tittle tattle to the headmaster. There was, therefore, little +gratitude towards him for holding his tongue as to the eel; for the +boys guessed the real reason of his silence, and put it down to +dread of ridicule, and not to any kindliness of feeling.</p> +<p>"Purfleet would give sixpence to know what we are talking about, +Bob," one of the group talking in the corner of the playground +said.</p> +<p>"It is worth more than that, Jim; still, we shall have to be +extra careful. He suspects it was our lot who played him the trick +about the eel, and he will do his best to catch us out, in +something.</p> +<p>"Well, as I was saying, Johnny Gibson has got a first-rate dog +for rabbits, and he says there are lots of them up on the Common. I +told him that I would come, and I expected two or three more; and +we would meet him at the top of the hill, at four o'clock tomorrow +morning. It will be getting light by that time. Of course, we shall +get out in the usual way, and we can be back by half past six, and +no one will be any the wiser. Old Thomas never comes down till a +quarter to seven. I have heard him a dozen times. He just comes +down in time to ring the bell for us to get up."</p> +<p>"Oh, I ain't afraid of Thomas," one of the others said, "but I +am afraid of Purfleet."</p> +<p>"There need be no fear about him. He never wakes till the bell +rings, and sleeps like a top. Why, he didn't wake, the other +morning, when we had a scrimmage and you tumbled out of bed. +Besides, we all sleep at the other end of the room and, even if he +did wake up in the night, he wouldn't notice that we had gone; +especially if we shoved something in the bed, to make a lump.</p> +<p>"My only fear is that we shan't wake. We ought to keep watch +till it's time to get up, but I am sure we shouldn't keep awake. We +must all make up our minds to wake at three, then one of us will be +sure to do it. And mind, if one wakes, he must promise not to go to +sleep again before he hears the hall clock strike, and knows what +time it is. If it is before three, he can go off to sleep again. +That way, one of us is sure to be awake, when it strikes +three."</p> +<p>"I say, shan't we just be licked, if we are found out, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Of course we shall; but as we get licked pretty well every day, +that won't make much difference, and we shall have had awful fun. +Still, if any of you fellows don't like it, don't you go. I am +going, but I don't want to persuade any of you."</p> +<p>"Of course we are going, if you are going, Bob. What are we +going to do with the rabbits?"</p> +<p>"Oh, I settled Johnny Gibson should keep them. He is going to +bring his dog, you know; besides, what could we do with them? We +can't cook them, can we?"</p> +<p>As it was clear to all the party that this could not be managed, +no objection was raised to this disposal of their game.</p> +<p>Bob Repton slept but little that night. They went to bed at +eight, and he heard every hour strike after nine; dozing off +occasionally, and waking up, each time, convinced that the clock +would strike three next time. At last he heard the three welcome +strokes, and at once got up and went to the beds of the other three +boys.</p> +<p>They were all sound asleep, and required some shaking before +they could be convinced that it was time to get up. Then each boy +put his bolster in his bed, rolled up his night shirt into a ball +and laid it on the pillow, and then partly covered it up with the +clothes. Then they slipped on their shirts, breeches, and stockings +and, taking their jackets and shoes in their hand, stole out of the +door at their end of the room, and closed it behind them. They then +crept downstairs to the room where their caps were kept, put on +these and their jackets, and each boy got a hockey stick out of the +cupboard in the corner in which they were kept. Then they very +cautiously unfastened the shutter, raised the window, and slipped +out. They pulled the shutter to behind them, closed the window, and +then put on their shoes.</p> +<p>"That is managed first rate," Bob said. "There wasn't the least +noise. I made sure Wharton would have dropped his shoes."</p> +<p>"Why should I drop them, more than anyone else?" Wharton asked +in an aggrieved voice.</p> +<p>"I don't know, Billy. The idea occurred to me. I didn't think +anyone else would do it, but I quite made up my mind that you +would."</p> +<p>"Well, I wish you wouldn't be so fast about making up your mind, +then," Wharton grumbled. "I ain't more clumsy than other +people."</p> +<p>"You are all right," Jim Sankey put in. "Bob's only joking."</p> +<p>"Well, he might as well joke with somebody else, Jim. I don't +see any joke in it."</p> +<p>"No, that is where the joke is, Billy," Bob said. "If you did +see the joke, there wouldn't be any joke in it.</p> +<p>"Well, never mind, here is the walnut tree. Now, who will get +over first?"</p> +<p>The walnut tree stood in the playground near the wall, and had +often proved useful as a ladder to boys at Tulloch's. One of its +branches extended over the wall and, from this, it was easy to drop +down beyond it. The return was more difficult, and was only to be +accomplished by means of an old ivy, which grew against the wall at +some distance off. By its aid the wall could be scaled without much +difficulty, and there was then the choice of dropping twelve feet +into the playground, or of walking on the top of the wall until the +walnut tree was reached.</p> +<p>Tulloch's stood some little distance along the Lower Richmond +Road. There were but one or two houses, standing back from the road +between it and the main road up the hill, and there was little fear +of anyone being abroad at that time in the morning. There was, as +yet, but a faint gleam of daylight in the sky; and it was dark in +the road up the hill, as the trees growing in the grounds of the +houses, on either side, stretched far over it.</p> +<p>"I say," Jim Sankey said, "won't it be a go, if Johnny Gibson +isn't there, after all?"</p> +<p>"He will be up there by four," Bob said, confidently. "He said +his father would be going out in his boat to fish, as soon as it +began to be daylight--because the tide served at that hour--and +that he would start, as soon as his father shoved off the boat.</p> +<p>"My eye, Jim, what is that ahead of us? It looks to me like a +coach."</p> +<p>"It is a coach, or a carriage, or something of that sort."</p> +<p>"No, it isn't, it is a light cart. What can it be doing here, at +this hour? Let us walk the other side of the road."</p> +<p>They crossed to the left, as they got abreast of the cart. A +man, whom they had not noticed before, said sharply:</p> +<p>"You are about early."</p> +<p>"Yes, we are off to work," Bob replied, and they walked steadily +on.</p> +<p>"He couldn't see what we were like," Jim Sankey said, when they +had got a hundred yards further.</p> +<p>"Not he," Bob said. "I could not make out his figure at all, and +it is darker on this side of the road than it is on the other.</p> +<p>"I say, you fellows, I think he is up to no good."</p> +<p>"What do you mean, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Well, what should a cart be standing on the hill for, at this +time in the morning? That's Admiral Langton's, I know; the door is +just where the cart was stopping."</p> +<p>"Well, what has that got to do with it, Bob? The cart won't do +him any harm."</p> +<p>"No, but there may be some fellows with it, who may be breaking +into his house."</p> +<p>"Do you think so, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Well, it seems likely to me it may be his house, or one of the +others."</p> +<p>"Well, what are we to do, Bob?"</p> +<p>"I vote we see about it, Jim. We have pretty nearly half an hour +to spare, now, before Johnny Gibson will come along. We have got +our hockey sticks, you know."</p> +<p>"But suppose there shouldn't be any men there, Bob, and we +should be caught in the grounds; They would think we were going to +steal something."</p> +<p>"That would be a go," Bob said, "but there isn't likely to be +anyone about, at half past three; and if there were, I don't +suppose he would be able to catch us. But we must risk something, +anyhow. It will be a bit of fun, and it will be better than waiting +at the top of the hill, with nothing to do till, Johnny Gibson +comes."</p> +<p>They were now past the wall in front of Admiral Langton's, and +far out of sight of the man in the cart.</p> +<p>"There is some ivy on this wall," Bob said. "We can climb over +it, by that. Then we will make our way along, until we can find +some place where we can climb over into the admiral's garden."</p> +<p>"Perhaps there are some dogs about," Wharton objected.</p> +<p>"Well, if there are, they are most likely chained up. We must +risk something.</p> +<p>"Well, here goes. If you don't like it, Wharton, you can stay +behind."</p> +<p>So saying, he put his hockey stick between his teeth, and then +proceeded to climb up the wall, by means of the ivy.</p> +<p>The wall was but nine feet high and, as soon as he gained the +top, Bob said:</p> +<p>"Come on, you fellows. I am going to drop down."</p> +<p>In two minutes he was joined by the other three.</p> +<p>"There is a path, just beyond," Bob said; "let us go by that. +Don't you fellows say a word. As Wharton says, there may be some +dogs about."</p> +<p>Quietly they stole along the path, which ran parallel to the +road, until it turned off at right angles.</p> +<p>"Now, the first tree that grows against the wall we will get +over by," Bob whispered.</p> +<p>After going twenty yards, he stopped.</p> +<p>"This tree will do."</p> +<p>"But what are you going to do, if there should be some men?" +Wharton asked, in a tone that showed he objected, altogether, to +the proceeding.</p> +<p>"It depends upon how many of them there are," Bob replied. "Of +course, the admiral has got some men in the house; and they will +wake up, and help us, if we give the alarm. Anyhow, we ought to be +able to be a match for two men, with these sticks, especially if we +take them by surprise.</p> +<p>"What do you say, Jim?"</p> +<p>"I should think so," Jim replied. "Anyhow, if you are game to go +on, I am.</p> +<p>"What do you say, Fullarton?"</p> +<p>"Oh, I am ready," Fullarton, who was a boy of few words, +replied.</p> +<p>"Only, if there is anyone, Bob, and we get into a row with them, +of course it will all come out about us; and then shan't we get it, +just!"</p> +<p>"I suppose we shall," Bob admitted, "but I don't see we can help +that.</p> +<p>"Well, we are in for it, now," and he began to climb the tree +and, working along a limb which extended over the wall, he dropped +down into the garden.</p> +<p>The others soon joined, Wharton being more afraid of staying +behind, by himself, than of going with the rest.</p> +<p>"Now, what are we to do next?"</p> +<p>"I should say we ought to find out whether anyone has got into +the house. That is the first thing. Then, if they have, we have got +to try to wake up the people, and to frighten the men inside.</p> +<p>"Have you got some string in your pockets?"</p> +<p>"I have got some."</p> +<p>They all had string.</p> +<p>"What do you want string for, Bob?"</p> +<p>"String is always useful, Jim. We may want to tie their hands. +But what I was thinking was, we might fasten it across the stairs, +or some of the passages; and then set up a sudden shout, and they +would think the watchmen had come, and would make a bolt; and when +they got to the string over they would go, and then we would drop +on them with these hockey sticks, before they could get up.</p> +<p>"Well, come on. There mayn't be anyone here, after all. Now we +will go up to the house, and creep round."</p> +<p>The house stood thirty or forty yards away and, stepping as +noiselessly as they could, the boys crossed the lawn and moved +along the front. Suddenly, Tom Fullarton caught hold of Bob's +arm.</p> +<p>"Look, Bob, there is a light in that room! Do you see--through +the slit in the shutters?"</p> +<p>"So there is. Well, there is no mistake, now. There must be some +fellows belonging to that cart inside. That must be the drawing +room, or dining room, and they would never have lights there at +this time of night.</p> +<p>"Now, let us find out where they got in. This is something like +fun. It beats rabbit hunting all to nothing.</p> +<p>"Now mind, you fellows, if we do come upon them, and there is a +fight, you remember the best place to hit, to begin with, is the +ankle. You have only just got to fancy that it is a bung, and swipe +at it with all your might. Anyone you hit there is sure to go down +and, if he wants it, you can hit him over the head, afterwards.</p> +<p>"Now, come along. I expect they got in at the back of the +house."</p> +<p>They soon came upon a door at the side of the house. It was +open.</p> +<p>"That looks as if they had been let in," Bob whispered. "See, +there is a light in there, somewhere! Come on.</p> +<p>"Now, let us take our shoes off."</p> +<p>The others were thoroughly excited now, and followed Bob without +hesitation.</p> +<p>"Bob, is the key in the door?" Jim whispered.</p> +<p>"Yes, on the inside. They have been let in. I wish I dare lock +it, and take the key away. Let me see if it turns easy."</p> +<p>Very gently he turned the key, and found the bolt shot +noiselessly. It had doubtless been carefully oiled. He turned it +again, shut the door, locked it, and put the key in his pocket.</p> +<p>Then they crept on tiptoe along the passage. At the end were two +large chests, strengthened with iron bands. A lighted lantern stood +upon them. Bob peered round the corner into the hall. No one was to +be seen, but he heard a noise through an open door, from which came +a stream of light.</p> +<p>Motioning the others to stand still, he crept forward +noiselessly till he could look into the room. A man was occupied in +packing some articles of massive plate, clocks, and other valuables +into a sack. He was alone.</p> +<p>Bob made his way back to the others.</p> +<p>"There's only one fellow there," he said. "If there are any +more, they are upstairs. Let us have this one first--his back is to +the door.</p> +<p>"Now, Wharton, you hold our handkerchiefs and the string. If he +don't look round, I will jump on his back and have him down.</p> +<p>"The moment he is down, you two throw yourselves on him, and you +shove the handkerchiefs into his mouth, Wharton. In the surprise, +he won't know that we are only boys; and we will tie his hands +before he has time to resist.</p> +<p>"Now, come on."</p> +<p>They were all plucky boys--for Wharton, although less morally +courageous than the others, was no coward, physically. Their +stockinged feet made no sound, and the man heard nothing until Bob +sprang on to his back, the force sending him down on to his face. +Bob's arm was tightly round his throat; and the other two threw +themselves upon him, each seizing an arm, while Wharton crammed two +handkerchiefs into his mouth. The man's hands were dragged behind +his back, as he lay on his face, and his wrists tied firmly +together. He was rendered utterly helpless before he had recovered +from the first shock of surprise.</p> +<p>"Tie his ankles together with the other two handkerchiefs," Bob +said, still lying across him.</p> +<p>"That is right. You are sure they are tight? There, he will do, +now. I must lock him in."</p> +<p>This was done.</p> +<p>"Now, then, let's go upstairs.</p> +<p>"Now, fasten this last piece of string across between the +banisters, six or eight steps up.</p> +<p>"Make haste," he added, as a faint cry was heard, above.</p> +<p>It did not take a second to fasten the string at each end; and +then, grasping their sticks, the boys sprang upstairs. On gaining +the landing, they heard voices proceeding from a room along a +corridor and, as they crept up to it, they heard a man's voice say, +angrily:</p> +<p>"Now we ain't going to waste any more time. If you don't tell us +where your money is, we will knock you and the girl on the +head.</p> +<p>"No, you can't talk, but you can point out where it is. We know +that you have got it.</p> +<p>"Very well, Bill, hit that young woman over the head with the +butt of your pistol. Don't be afraid of hurting her.</p> +<p>"Ah! I thought you would change your mind. So it is under the +bed.</p> +<p>"Look under, Dick. What is there?"</p> +<p>"A square box," another voice said.</p> +<p>"Well, haul it out."</p> +<p>"Come on," Bob Repton whispered to the others; "the moment we +are in, shout."</p> +<a id="PicA" name="PicA"></a><center><img src="images/a.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: Bob and his Companions surprise the Burglars." +/></center> +<p>He stood for a moment in the doorway. A man was standing, with +his back to him, holding a pistol in his hand. Another, similarly +armed, stood by the side of a young woman who, in a loose dressing +gown, sat shrinking in an armchair, into which she had evidently +been thrust. A third was in the act of crawling under the bed. An +elderly man, in his nightshirt, was standing up. A gag had been +thrust into his mouth; and he was tightly bound, by a cord round +his waist, to one of the bedposts.</p> +<p>Bob sprang forward, whirling his hockey stick round his head, +and giving a loud shout of "Down with the villains!" the others +joining, at the top of their voices.</p> +<p>Before the man had time to turn round, Bob's stick fell, with +all the boy's strength, upon his ankle; and he went down as if he +had been shot, his pistol exploding as he fell. Bob raised his +stick again and brought it down, with a swinging blow, on the +robber's head.</p> +<p>The others had made a rush, together, towards the man standing +by the lady. Taken utterly by surprise, he discharged his pistol at +random, and then sprang towards the door. Two blows fell on him, +and Sankey and Fullarton tried to grapple with him; but he burst +through them, and rushed out.</p> +<p>Bob and Wharton sprang on the kneeling man, before he could gain +his feet; and rolled him over, throwing themselves upon him. He was +struggling furiously, and would soon have shaken them off, when the +other boys sprang to their assistance.</p> +<p>"You help them, Jim. I will get this cord off!" Fullarton said +and, running to the bed, began to unknot the cord that bound the +admiral.</p> +<p>The ruffian on the ground was a very powerful man, and the three +boys had the greatest difficulty in holding him down; till +Fullarton slipped a noose round one of his ankles and then, jumping +on the bed, hauled upon it with all his strength--the admiral +giving his assistance.</p> +<p>"Get off him, he is safe!" he shouted; but the others had the +greatest difficulty in shaking themselves free from the man--who +had, fortunately, laid his pistol on the bed, before he crawled +under it to get at the box.</p> +<p>Jim Sankey was the first to shake himself free from him and, +seeing what Fullarton was doing, he jumped on to the bed and gave +him his assistance and, in half a minute, the ruffian's leg was +lashed to the bedpost, at a height of five feet from the +ground.</p> +<p>Just as this was done there was a rush of feet outside; and +three men, one holding a cutlass and the other two armed with +pokers, ran into the room. It was fortunate they did so, for the +man whom Bob had first felled was just rising to his feet; but he +was at once struck down again, by a heavy blow over the head with +the cutlass. By this time the admiral had torn off the bandage +across his mouth.</p> +<p>"Another of them ran downstairs, Jackson. Give chase. We can +deal with these fellows."</p> +<p>The three men rushed off.</p> +<p>"Well, I don't know who you are," the admiral went on, turning +to the boys, "but you turned up at the nick of time; and I am +deeply indebted to you, not only for saving my money--although I +should not have liked to lose that--but for having captured these +pirates.</p> +<p>"That villain has not hurt you much, I hope?" for both Bob and +Jim Sankey were bleeding freely, from the face, from the heavy +blows the robber had dealt them.</p> +<p>"No, sir, we are not hurt to speak of," Bob said. "We belong to +Tulloch's school."</p> +<p>"To the school!" the admiral exclaimed. "What on earth are you +doing here, at four o'clock in the morning?</p> +<p>"But never mind that now. What is it, Jackson, has he got +away?"</p> +<p>"No, sir; he was lying in a heap, at the bottom of the stairs. +There was a lanyard fastened across."</p> +<p>"We tied a string across, sir, as we came up," Bob +explained.</p> +<p>"Well done, lads!</p> +<p>"Are there any more of them, Jackson?"</p> +<p>"Don't see any signs of any more, admiral. There are the two +plate chests in the passage, as if they had been brought out from +the butler's strong room, in readiness to take away."</p> +<p>"Where is the butler? He must have heard the pistol shots!" the +admiral exclaimed angrily.</p> +<p>"He is not in his room, admiral. We looked in to bring him with +us. The door was open, but he isn't there."</p> +<p>"There is another man in the drawing room, tied." Bob said. "He +was putting a lot of things into a sack."</p> +<p>"The scoundrel! Perhaps that is the butler," the admiral +said.</p> +<p>"Well, Emma, you had better go back to bed again.</p> +<p>"Jackson, you stand guard over these two villains here, and +split their heads open, if they venture to move.</p> +<p>"Now, let us go and see to this other fellow."</p> +<p>The admiral proceeded downstairs, followed by the boys. The +other two servants were standing beside the third robber, who was +still insensible.</p> +<p>"You keep watch over him, John," the admiral said.</p> +<p>"William, you come with us. There is another man in the drawing +room, but he is tied."</p> +<p>"There is the key, sir," Bob said, producing it. "We thought it +safest to lock him up."</p> +<p>"Upon my word, young gentlemen, you seem to have thought of +everything. If I were in command of a ship, I should like to have +you all as midshipmen."</p> +<p>The door was opened. The man was still lying on the ground, but +had rolled some distance from where they had left him. He had +succeeded in getting his feet loosened from the handkerchief, but +the whipcord round his wrists had resisted all his efforts to break +or slacken it. He was panting heavily from the exertions he had +made.</p> +<p>"It is Harper," the admiral said, in a tone of indignation and +disgust.</p> +<p>"So, you treacherous scoundrel, it was you who let these men in, +was it? Well, it is a hanging matter, my lad; and if any fellow +deserves the rope, you do.</p> +<p>"You had better go and get some more cord, Williams, and tie all +these four fellows up, securely. Let Jackson see to the knots.</p> +<p>"Where did the scoundrels get in?" he asked, turning to the +boys.</p> +<p>"At the door at the end of the passage, sir, where the plate +chests are standing. We found it open--here is the key of it. We +locked it, after we came in, so as to prevent anyone from getting +away.</p> +<p>"There is another man, with a cart, in the road."</p> +<p>"We will see to him, directly we have got the others all tied up +safely," the admiral said. "That is the first thing to see to."</p> +<p>In five minutes, the four men were laid side by side in the +hall, securely bound hand and foot.</p> +<p>"Now, Williams, you keep guard over them.</p> +<p>"Jackson, do you and John sally out. There is a cart standing +outside the gate, and a fellow in it. Bring him in, and lay him +alongside the others."</p> +<p>The boys followed the two men, to see the capture. The light had +broadened out over the sky, and it was almost sunrise as they +sallied out. They went quietly along, until they reached the +gate--which stood ajar--then they flung it open and rushed out. To +their disappointment, the cart was standing about fifty yards lower +down the hill. The man was in it, with his whip in one hand and the +reins in another, and was looking back; and the moment he saw them, +he struck the horse and drove off at the top of his speed. The pace +was such that it was hopeless for them to think of following +him.</p> +<p>"I expect he heard the pistol shots," Jackson said, "and sheered +off a bit, so as to be able to cut and run if he found his consorts +were in trouble. Well, we cannot help it; we have taken four prizes +out of the five, and I call that pretty fair."</p> +<p>"I think we had better go, now," Bob said. "We have got a friend +waiting for us."</p> +<p>"Then he must wait a bit longer," Jackson said. "The admiral +will want to ask you some more questions. But if your friend is +anywhere near, one of you might run and tell him to back and fill a +bit, till you come to him."</p> +<p>"Tell him to do what?" Jim Sankey asked.</p> +<p>"Tell him to wait a bit, lad."</p> +<p>"I will run up," Wharton said.</p> +<p>"Shall I tell him we shan't want him at all, today, Bob?"</p> +<p>"I think so, Wharton. You see it is four o'clock, now; and we +mayn't be able to get away for half an hour, and it will be too +late, then. Besides, Jim and I have been knocked about too much to +care for rabbit hunting, now. You tell him we will go some other +day."</p> +<p>"You needn't tell him that, Wharton," Fullarton put in. "It will +be some time before we get a chance, you may be sure."</p> +<p>"All right! Tell him to go home then, Wharton. Tell him I will +make it all right with him, for losing his morning's work. Of +course, you will come in here, when you come down the hill +again."</p> +<p>Wharton nodded, and started at a run up the hill; while his +companions accompanied the two men into the house. The admiral was +down in the hall again. He had now had time to add to his former, +scanty costume.</p> +<p>"Get the shutters of the drawing room open, Jackson," he said, +after hearing the report of the man's escape, "and tell the +maids--I suppose they are all up--to light a fire and get some +coffee ready, at once, and something to eat.</p> +<p>"Now, young gentlemen, sit down and tell me all about this +business. Now, which of you will be spokesman?"</p> +<p>Jim nodded to Bob.</p> +<p>"It's his doing, sir. I mean about our coming in here. We should +never have thought anything about the cart, if it hadn't been for +Bob; and we didn't much like coming, only he pretty well made us, +and he arranged it all."</p> +<p>"That's all rot," Bob said. "We were just all in it together, +sir, and this is how it was."</p> +<p>And he told the whole story of what had taken place.</p> +<p>"Well, you couldn't have done better, if you had been officers +in His Majesty's service," the admiral said. "You have saved me the +loss of my two plate chests, of all the plate in this room--and +that couldn't be counted in money, for they were most of the things +given me, at different times, on service--and of 500 pounds I had +in that box upstairs--altogether, at least 2000 pounds in money +value. More than that, you prevented my being captured; and it +would have been a sorer blow, to me, than the loss of the money, if +those scoundrels had had their way, and had got off scot free.</p> +<p>"But you haven't told me, yet, how you happened to be going up +the hill, at half past three o'clock in the morning. What on earth +were you doing there? Surely your master does not allow you to +ramble about, in the middle of the night."</p> +<p>"Well, no, sir, that is the worst of it," Bob said. "You see, I +had arranged with one of the fishermen's boys, who has got a +first-rate dog, that we could meet him upon the Common, and do some +rabbit hunting. We slipped out from Tulloch's, and meant to have +been back before anyone was up. And now I expect we shall get it +nicely, because I suppose it must all come out."</p> +<p>The admiral laughed.</p> +<p>"You are four nice young scamps!" he said--for Wharton had +rejoined them, before Bob had finished the story--"but it is not +for me to blame you. It will certainly have to be told, lads, +because you will have to appear as witnesses at the trial of these +fellows; but I will go down myself, the first thing in the morning, +and speak to your master."</p> +<p>"Thank you, sir," Bob said. "It won't make any difference about +the thrashing; we are bound to get that. But we shan't mind that, +we are pretty well accustomed to it. Still, if you speak for us, I +expect we shall get off with that; otherwise I don't know what +Tulloch would have done, when he found out that we had been +slipping out at night."</p> +<p>"I expect it is not the first time you have done it?"</p> +<p>"Well, no, it is not, sir. We have been out two or three times, +with one of the fishermen, in his boat."</p> +<p>"I expect you are nice young pickles," the admiral said. "Well, +what time does school begin?"</p> +<p>"Half past seven, sir."</p> +<p>"Very well, then. I will be there at that hour, lads, and do my +best for you. You see, with those faces of yours, you would be sure +to be noticed, anyhow; and I hope you wouldn't, in any case, have +been mean enough to screen yourselves by lying."</p> +<p>"That we shouldn't," Bob said. "I don't think there is a boy in +the school who would tell a lie to Tulloch."</p> +<p>"That is right, lads. A gentleman will never tell a lie to +screen himself, when he has got into a scrape. I wouldn't keep the +smartest young officer in the service on board a ship of mine, if I +caught him telling a lie; for I should know that he would not only +be a blackguard, but a coward. Cowardice is at the bottom of half +the lying of the world. I would overlook anything, except lying. +Upon my word, I would rather that a boy were a thief than a +liar.</p> +<p>"Well, here is breakfast. Now sit down and make yourselves at +home, while I go up and see how my daughter is, after the fright +she has had."</p> +<p>Half an hour later, after eating a hearty breakfast, the four +boys started for school.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch2" id="Ch2">Chapter 2</a>: A Great Change.</h2> +<p>It was just striking six when they again climbed over the wall, +and descended by the tree. They had had a discussion whether they +should wait until the doors were opened, and walk quietly in, or +return as they left. They adopted the latter plan, because they +thought that, if the matter was reported to Mr. Tulloch, he might +proceed to administer punishment before the admiral arrived to give +his version of the affair.</p> +<p>The door was still ajar. As they opened it, they gave an +exclamation of surprise--for there, sitting on a chair in the +passage, was Mr. Purfleet. He smiled unpleasantly.</p> +<p>"So here you are. You have had a pleasant ramble, no doubt; but +I don't quite know what view Mr. Tulloch may take of it."</p> +<p>"It was very good of you to sit up for us, Mr. Purfleet," Bob +said, quietly; "but you see, we had left the door open, and could +have got in by ourselves. I hope you will not have caught cold, +sitting there only in a dressing gown."</p> +<p>"You are an impudent young scamp!" Mr. Purfleet said, in a rage. +"You will laugh with the other side of your mouth, presently. You +and Sankey are nice-looking figures, ain't you, with your faces all +cut and swollen?"</p> +<p>"We have been a little in the wars," Bob replied.</p> +<p>"I don't want to hear anything about it," the usher replied. +"You will have to explain matters to Mr. Tulloch."</p> +<p>"So I suppose, Mr. Purfleet.</p> +<p>"Well, Jim, we'll go and have a good wash. The bell will be +ringing, in half an hour."</p> +<p>So saying, Bob went into the lavatory, followed by his +companions; while the usher returned upstairs. He was certainly +disappointed. Quietly as the boys had dressed, the slight noise +they had made in closing the door had woke him. He thought little +of it but, just as he was going off to sleep again, he heard the +bolts of the door below withdrawn. He at once got up and walked to +the other end of the dormitory, and discovered that the four boys +were missing.</p> +<p>Chuckling to himself that he should now be able to repay the +grudge he owed to Bob, he put on his dressing gown and went +downstairs; and had sat there for three hours, momentarily +expecting their return. He had certainly felt chilly, but had borne +it patiently; comforted by the joyful expectation of the utter +dismay that would be felt, by the culprits, when they saw him. The +meeting had not passed off at all as he had anticipated, and he +could only console himself by thinking that his turn would come +when he made his report to Mr. Tulloch.</p> +<p>The four boys did not return to the dormitory but, after they +had washed, strolled about in the playground. There was quite a +ferment, in the dormitory, when their absence was perceived, and +the others noticed the four made-up figures in their place. The +operation of dressing was got through with much greater alacrity +than usual and, when they went downstairs and saw the four missing +boys in the playground, these were at once surrounded by an excited +throng. They refused, however, to answer any questions.</p> +<p>"You will hear it all, in good time," Bob said. "We have been +out, and we have been caught. That is all I am going to tell +you."</p> +<p>At the usual hour the bell rang, and the boys assembled in the +schoolroom. The two ushers were in their places. They waited three +or four minutes for Mr. Tulloch to appear; then the door opened, +and the manservant entered and, walking up to Mr. Moffat, said a +word or two. The latter nodded.</p> +<p>"Lessons will begin at once," he said, in a loud voice. "The +first class will come up to me."</p> +<p>The boys of this class, who occupied the senior dormitory, at +once began their lessons; while Mr. Purfleet took the lower class. +The second class, including Bob and his friends, remained in their +places. In a quarter of an hour the door opened, and Mr. Tulloch +entered, accompanied by Admiral Langton. Mr. Tulloch was looking +very serious, while the admiral looked hot and angry.</p> +<p>"We are going to catch it," Bob whispered, to Jim Sankey. "I +knew the admiral wouldn't be able to get us off."</p> +<p>"I wish all the boys to return to their places, Mr. Moffat. I +have something to say," Mr. Tulloch said, in a loud voice.</p> +<p>When the boys were all seated, he went on:</p> +<p>"Admiral Langton has been telling me that four of my boys were +out and about, soon after three o'clock this morning. The four boys +in question will stand up.</p> +<p>"I do not say that this is the first time that such a serious +infraction of the rules of the school has taken place. It has +happened before. It may, for aught I know, have happened many +times, without my knowledge; but upon the occasions when it has +come to my knowledge, the offenders have been most severely +punished. They must be punished, now.</p> +<p>"Admiral Langton has been telling me that the boys in question +have behaved with very great courage, and have been the means of +saving him from the loss of a large sum of money and plate, and of +capturing four burglars."</p> +<p>A buzz of surprise passed round the school.</p> +<p>"That this conduct does them great credit I am fully prepared to +admit. Had they been aware that this burglary was about to be +committed, and had they broken out of the house in the middle of +the night for the purpose of preventing it, I allow that it might +have been pleaded as an excuse for their offence; but this was not +so. It was an accident, that occurred to them when they were +engaged in breaking the rules, and cannot be pleaded as a set-off +against punishment.</p> +<p>"Admiral Langton has pleaded with me, very strongly, for a +pardon for them; but I regret that I am unable to comply with his +request. The admiral, as a sailor, is well aware that discipline +must be maintained; and I am quite sure that, when he was in +command of a ship, he would not have permitted his judgment to be +biased, by anyone. I have put it to him in that way, and he +acknowledges that to be so. The two matters stand distinct. The +boys must be punished for this gross breach of the rules. They may +be thanked, and applauded, for the courage they have shown, and the +valuable service they have rendered to Admiral Langton.</p> +<p>"I have, however, so far yielded to his entreaties that, while I +must administer a severe caning for the gross breach of the rules, +I shall abstain from taking any further steps in the matter; and +from writing to the boys' parents and guardians, requesting them to +remove their sons from the school, at once, as I certainly +otherwise would have done. At the same time, I am willing to hear +anything that these boys may have to urge, in explanation or +defence of their conduct. I have already been informed, by Admiral +Langton, that their object, in so breaking out, was to hunt rabbits +up on the Common."</p> +<p>"I wish to say, sir," Bob said, in a steady voice, "that it was +entirely my doing. I made the arrangements, and persuaded the +others to go; and I think it is only right that they should not be +punished as severely as I am."</p> +<p>"We were all in it together, sir," Jim Sankey broke in. "I was +just as keen on it as Bob was."</p> +<p>"So was I," Fullarton and Wharton said, together.</p> +<p>"Well, lads," Admiral Langton said, taking a step forward, and +addressing the boys, in general, "as your master says, discipline +is discipline; this is his ship, and he is on his own +quarterdeck--but I wish to tell you all that, in my opinion, you +have every reason to be proud of your schoolfellows. They behaved +with the greatest pluck and gallantry and, were I again in command +of a ship, I should be glad to have them serving me. I am only +sorry that I cannot persuade Mr. Tulloch to see the matter in the +same light as I do.</p> +<p>"Goodbye, lads!" and he walked across, and shook hands with the +four boys. "I shall see you again, soon," and the admiral turned +abruptly, and walked out of the schoolroom.</p> +<p>Mr. Tulloch at once proceeded to carry his sentence into effect, +and the four boys received as severe a caning as ever they had had +in their lives; and even Bob, case hardened as he was, had as much +as he could do to prevent himself from uttering a sound, while it +was being inflicted. Lessons were then continued, as usual, until +eight o'clock, when the boys went in to breakfast. After that was +over, they went into the playground, until nine; and the four +culprits gave the rest a full account of the events of the +night.</p> +<p>"I don't mind the thrashing," Bob said, "although Tulloch did +lay it on hot. It was well worth it, if it had only been to see +that sneak Purfleet's face, when the admiral told the story. I was +watching him, when Tulloch came in; and saw how delighted he was, +at the tale he was going to tell; and how satisfied he was that he +should get no end of credit, for sitting three hours in his +dressing gown, in order to catch us when we came in. It was an +awful sell for him, when he saw that the admiral had come out with +the whole story, and there was nothing, whatever, for him to +tell."</p> +<p>When they went into school again, Mr. Tulloch said:</p> +<p>"Boys, I hear that four of your number have behaved with great +gallantry. They have prevented a serious robbery, and arrested the +men engaged in it. I shall therefore give you a holiday, for the +remainder of the day. The four boys in question will proceed, at +once, to Admiral Langton's, as they will be required to accompany +him to Kingston, where the prisoners will be brought up before the +magistrates."</p> +<p>There was a general cheer from the boys, and then Bob and his +companions hurried upstairs to put on their best clothes, and ran +off to the admiral's.</p> +<p>"Well, boys, is it all over?" he asked, as they entered.</p> +<p>"All over, sir," they replied together.</p> +<p>"Well, boys, I think it was a shame; but I suppose discipline +must be maintained in school, as well as on board a ship; but it +vexes me, amazingly, to think that I have been the means of +bringing you into it."</p> +<p>"It is just the other way, sir," Bob said, "and it is very lucky +for us that we came in here, sir, instead of going up to the +Common, as we intended. One of the ushers found out that we had +gone, and sat up until we came back and, if it had not been for +you, we should not only have got a thrashing, but should all have +been expelled; so it is the luckiest thing possible that we came in +here."</p> +<p>"Well, I am very glad to hear that, boys. It has taken a load +off my mind, for I have been thinking that, if you had not come in +to help me, you would have got back without being noticed.</p> +<p>"Emma, these are the four lads who did us such good service, +last night. They caught sight of you, before, but you were hardly +in a state to receive them formally."</p> +<p>The young lady laughed, as she came forward and shook hands with +them.</p> +<p>"You need not have mentioned that, papa.</p> +<p>"Well, I am very much obliged to you all; for I have no doubt +they meant to have my watch and jewels, as well as papa's +money."</p> +<p>"Now, it is time for us to be off," the admiral said. "My +carriage is at the door, and a fly. You two, who have been knocked +about, had better come with my daughter and myself. The others can +either ride inside the fly, or one can go on the box of each +vehicle, as you like."</p> +<p>Wharton and Fullarton both said that they should prefer going +outside; and in a few minutes they were on their way, the three +menservants riding inside the fly. The prisoners had been sent off, +two hours before, in a cart; under the charge of the two local +constables.</p> +<p>The case lasted but an hour, the four men being all committed +for trial. The party then returned to Putney, the admiral insisting +upon the boys stopping to lunch with him. After the meal was over, +he inquired what they were going to do, on leaving school, and what +profession they intended to adopt.</p> +<p>Bob was the first questioned.</p> +<p>"I am going to be a wine merchant, sir," he said. "I have got no +choice about it. I lost my father and mother, years ago; and my +guardian, who is an uncle of mine, is in the wine trade, and he +says I have got to go in, too. I think it is horrid, but there is +no good talking to him. He is an awfully crusty old chap. I should +like to be a soldier, or a sailor; but of course it is of no use +thinking of it. My guardian has been very kind to me, even though +he is so crusty, and it wouldn't be right not to do as he tells me; +and I don't suppose the wine business is so very bad, when one is +accustomed to it."</p> +<p>"Has your uncle any sons, lad?"</p> +<p>"No, sir, he is an old bachelor; and he says that, some day, I +am to have his business."</p> +<p>"Then you can't do better than stick to it, lad," the admiral +said. "A boy who has before him the prospect of a solid, +substantial living, on shore, is simply a fool if he goes to sea. +It is a rough life, and a hard one; and if you don't get shot, or +drowned, you may get laid on the shelf with the loss of a limb, and +a pension that won't find you in grog and tobacco.</p> +<p>"It is a pity, for you would have made a good officer, but you +will be vastly better off, in all respects, at home; and I can tell +you there is not one sailor out of five who would not jump at a +berth on shore, if he could get the chance."</p> +<p>Sankey's father was a country clergyman and, at present, Jim had +no particular prospect.</p> +<p>"Would you like to go to sea, boy?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir, I should like it of all things."</p> +<p>"Very well; give me your father's name and address, and I will +write to him about it."</p> +<p>Fullarton's father was a landed proprietor in Somersetshire, and +he was the eldest son. Wharton was to be a lawyer, and was to begin +in his father's office, in a year or two. Admiral Langton took +notes of the addresses of the boys' relatives.</p> +<p>When he had done that, he said to them:</p> +<p>"Now, lads, I know you would rather be off. I remember, when I +was a midshipman, I was always glad enough to escape, when I had to +dine with the captain."</p> +<p>A week later, a young man came down from a city watchmaker's, +with four handsome gold watches and chains for the boys; with an +inscription stating that they had been presented to them by Admiral +Langton, in remembrance of their gallant conduct on the night of +August 6th, 1778. They were immensely delighted with the gift; for +watches were, in those days, far more expensive luxuries than at +present, and their use was comparatively rare. With the watches +were four short notes from the admiral, inviting them to come up on +the following Saturday afternoon.</p> +<p>They had, by this time, received letters from their families, +who had each received a communication from the admiral, expressing +his warm commendation of their conduct, and his thanks for the +services that the boys had rendered.</p> +<p>Jim Sankey's father wrote saying that the admiral had offered to +procure him a berth as a midshipman, at once; and that he had +written, thankfully accepting the offer, as he knew that it was +what Jim had been most earnestly wishing--though, as he had no +interest, whatever, among naval men, he had hitherto seen no chance +of his being able to obtain such an appointment. This communication +put Jim into a state of the wildest delight, and rendered him an +object of envy to his schoolfellows.</p> +<p>Fullarton's father wrote his son a hearty letter, congratulating +him on what he had done, and saying that he felt proud of the +letter he had received from the admiral.</p> +<p>Wharton's father wrote to him sharply, saying that thief-taking +was a business that had better be left to constables, and that he +did not approve of freaks of that kind.</p> +<p>Mr. Bale wrote an irascible letter to Bob.</p> +<p>"My dear nephew," he began, "I am astonished, and most seriously +displeased, at contents of communication I have received from a +person signing himself J. Langton, admiral. I gather from it that, +instead of pursuing your studies, you are wandering about at night, +engaged in pursuits akin to poaching. I say akin, because I am not +aware whether the wild animals upon the common are the property of +the lord of the manor, or whether they are at the mercy of +vagabonds. It appears to me that there can be no proper supervision +exercised by your masters.</p> +<p>"I spoke to you when you were here, six weeks ago, as to your +school reports which, although fairly satisfactory as to your +abilities, said there was a great want of steadiness in your +general conduct. I am convinced that you are doing no good for +yourself, and that the sooner you settle down to a desk, in my +office, the better. I have therefore written this morning, +informing Mr. Tulloch that I shall remove you, at Michaelmas.</p> +<p>"Your sister has been here, with her husband, today. I am sorry +to say that they do not view your wild and lawless conduct in the +same light that I do, and that they are unable to see there is +anything positively disreputable in your being mixed up in midnight +adventures with burglars. I am glad to gather, from Admiral +Langton's letter, that Mr. Tulloch has seen your conduct in the +proper light, and has inflicted a well-merited punishment upon +you.</p> +<p>"All this is a very bad preparation for your future career as a +respectable trader, and I am most annoyed to hear that you will be +called on to appear as a witness against the men who have been +captured. I have written to Admiral Langton, acknowledging his +letter, and expressing my surprise that a gentleman in his position +should give any countenance, whatever, to a lad who has been +engaged in breaking the rules of his school; and in wandering at +night, like a vagabond, through the country."</p> +<p>Bob looked rather serious as he read through the letter for the +first time but, after going through it again, he burst into a shout +of laughter.</p> +<p>"What is it, Bob?" Tom Fullarton asked.</p> +<p>"Read this letter, Tom. I should like to have seen the admiral's +face, as he read my uncle's letter. But it is too bad. You see, I +have regularly done for myself. I was to have stopped here till a +year come Christmas, and now I have to leave at Michaelmas. I call +it a beastly shame."</p> +<p>It was some consolation to Bob to receive, next morning, a +letter from his sister, saying she was delighted to hear how he had +distinguished himself in the capture of the burglars.</p> +<p>"Of course, it was very wrong of you to get out at night; but +Gerald says that boys are always up to tricks of that sort, and so +I suppose that it wasn't so bad as it seems to me. Uncle John +pretends to be in a terrible rage about it, but I don't think he is +really as angry as he makes himself out to be. He blew me up, and +said that I had always encouraged you--which of course I +haven't--and when Gerald tried to say a good word for you, he +turned upon him, and said something about fellow-feeling making men +wondrous kind. Gerald only laughed, and said he was glad my uncle +had such a good opinion of him, and that he should have liked to +have been there, to lend a hand in the fight; and then uncle said +something disagreeable, and we came away.</p> +<p>"But I feel almost sure that Uncle John is not really so angry +as he seems; and I believe that, if Gerald and I had taken the +other side, and had said that your conduct had been very wicked, he +would have defended you. It was stupid of us not to think of it, +for you know uncle always likes to disagree with other +people--there is nothing he hates more than their agreeing with +him. His bark is much worse than his bite, and you must not forget +how good and kind he has been to us all.</p> +<p>"You know how angry he was with my marriage, and he said I had +better have drowned myself, than have married a soldier; and I had +better have hung myself, than have married an Irishman--specially +when he had intended, all along, that I should marry the son of an +old friend of his, a most excellent and well-conducted young man, +with admirable prospects. But he came round in a month or two, and +the first notice of it was a letter from his lawyer, saying that, +in accordance with the instruction of his client, Mr. John Bale, he +had drawn up and now enclosed a post-nuptial settlement, settling +on me the sum of 5000 pounds consols; and that his client wished +him to say that, had I married the person he had intended for me, +that sum would have been doubled.</p> +<p>"The idea, when I never even saw the man! And when I wrote, +thanking him, he made no allusion to what he had said before; but +wrote that he should be glad, at all times, to see my husband and +myself, whenever we came to town; but that, as I knew, his hours +were regular, and the door always locked at ten o'clock--just as if +Gerald was in the habit of coming in, drunk, in the middle of the +night! Fortunately nothing puts Gerald out, and he screamed over +it; and we went and stopped a week with uncle, a month afterwards, +and he and Gerald got on capitally together, considering. Gerald +said it was like a bear and a monkey in one cage, but it was really +very funny.</p> +<p>"So I have no doubt he will come round, with you. Do try and not +vex him more than you can help, Bob. You know how much we all owe +him."</p> +<p>This was true. Bob's father had died when he was only three +years old--he being a lawyer, with a good business, at +Plymouth--but he had made no provision for his early death, and had +left his wife and two children almost penniless. Mr. Bale had at +once taken charge of them, and had made his sister an allowance +that enabled her to live very comfortably. She had remained in +Plymouth, as she had many friends there.</p> +<p>Her daughter Carrie--who was six years older than Bob--had, four +years before, married Gerald O'Halloran, who was then a lieutenant +in the 58th Regiment, which was in garrison there. He had a small +income, derived from an estate in Ireland, besides his pay; but the +young couple would have been obliged to live very economically, had +it not been for the addition of the money settled on her by her +uncle.</p> +<p>Her mother had died, a few months after the marriage; and Mr. +Bale had at once placed Bob at the school, at Putney; and had +announced his intention of taking him, in due time, into his +business. The boy always spent one half of his holidays with his +uncle, the other with his sister. The former had been a trial, both +to him and to Mr. Bale. They saw but little of each other; for Mr. +Bale, who, like most business men of the time, lived over his +offices, went downstairs directly he had finished his breakfast, +and did not come up again until his work was over when, at five +o'clock, he dined. The meal over, he sometimes went out to the +houses of friends, or to the halls of one or other of the city +companies to which he belonged.</p> +<p>While Bob was with him, he told off one of the foremen in his +business to go about with the boy. The days, therefore, passed +pleasantly, as they generally went on excursions by water up or +down the river or, sometimes, when it was not otherwise required, +in a light cart used in the business, to Epping or Hainault Forest. +Bob was expected to be back to dinner and, thanks to the +foreman--who knew that his employer would not tolerate the smallest +unpunctuality--he always succeeded in getting back in time to wash +and change his clothes for dinner.</p> +<p>The meal was a very solemn one, Mr. Bale asking occasional +questions, to which Bob returned brief answers. Once or twice the +boy ventured upon some lively remark, but the surprise and +displeasure expressed in his uncle's face, at this breach of the +respectful silence then generally enforced upon the young, in the +presence of their elders, deterred him from often trying the +experiment.</p> +<p>Mr. Bale was as much bored as was Bob by these meals, and the +evenings that sometimes followed them. He would have been glad to +have chatted more freely with his nephew, but he was as ill at ease +with him, as he would have been with a young monkey. There was +nothing in common between them, and the few questions he asked were +the result of severe cogitation. He used to glance at the boy from +under his eyebrows, wonder what he was smiling to himself about, +and wish that he understood him better. It did not occur to him +that if he had drawn him out, and encouraged him to chatter as he +liked, he should get underneath the surface, and might learn +something of the nature hidden there. It was in sheer desperation, +at finding nothing to say, that he would often seize his hat and go +out, when he had quite made up his mind to stay indoors for the +evening.</p> +<p>Bob put up, as well as he could, with his meals and the dull +evenings, for the sake of the pleasant time he had during the day; +but he eagerly counted the hours until the time when he was to take +his place on the coach for Canterbury, where the 58th were now +quartered. He looked forward with absolute dread to the time when +he would have to enter his uncle's office.</p> +<p>"What is the use of being rich, Carrie," he would say to his +sister, "if one lives as uncle does? I would rather work in the +fields."</p> +<p>"Yes, Bob; but you see, when you get to be rich you needn't live +in the same way, at all. You could live as some traders do, in the +country at Hampstead, Dulwich, or Chelsea, and ride in to business; +and you can, of course, marry and enjoy life. One needn't live like +a hermit, all alone, because one is a trader in the city."</p> +<p>The one consolation Bob had was that his uncle had once said +that he considered it was a great advantage, to any young man going +into the wine trade, to go over to Spain or Portugal for two or +three years; to learn the whole routine of business there, to study +the different growths and know their values, and to form a +connection among the growers and shippers. Bob had replied gravely +that he thought this would certainly be a great advantage, and that +he hoped his uncle would send him over there.</p> +<p>"I shall see, when the time comes, Robert. It will, of course, +depend much upon the relations between this country and Spain and +Portugal; and also upon yourself. I could not, of course, let you +go out there until I was quite assured of your steadiness of +conduct. So far, although I have nothing to complain of, myself, +your schoolmaster's reports are by no means hopeful, on that head. +Still, we must hope that you will improve."</p> +<p>It was terrible to Bob to learn that he was to go, fifteen +months sooner than he had expected, to his uncle's; but he was +somewhat relieved when, upon his arrival at the house at Philpot +Lane, his uncle, after a very grave lecture on the enormity of his +conduct at school, said:</p> +<p>"I have been thinking, Robert, that it will be more pleasant, +both for you and for me, that you should not, at present, take up +your abode here. I am not accustomed to young people. It would +worry me having you here and, after your companionship with boys of +your own age, you might find it somewhat dull.</p> +<p>"I have therefore arranged with Mr. Medlin, my principal clerk, +for you to board with him. He has, I believe, some boys and girls +of about your own age. You will, I hope, be able to make yourself +comfortable there."</p> +<p>"Thank you, uncle," Bob said, suppressing his impulse to give a +shout of satisfaction, and looking as grave as possible. "I think +that would be a very nice arrangement."</p> +<p>"Mr. Medlin is a very trustworthy person," Mr. Bale went on. "He +has been with me for upwards of twenty years, and I have the +greatest confidence in him.</p> +<p>"You had better sit down here, and take a book. At five o'clock +come down into the counting house. Mr. Medlin will leave at that +hour."</p> +<p>Bob had hitherto avoided the counting house. He had +occasionally, on previous visits, slipped down to his friend the +foreman; and had wandered through the great cellars, and watched +the men at work bottling, and gazed in surprise at the long tiers +of casks stacked up to the roof of the cellar, and the countless +bottles stowed away in the bins. Once or twice he had gone down +into the counting house, with his uncle; and waited there a few +minutes, until the foreman was disengaged. He had noticed Mr. +Medlin at work at his high desk, in one corner--keeping, as it +seemed to him, his eye upon two young clerks, who sat on high +stools at opposite sides of the desk, on the other side of the +office.</p> +<p>Mr. Medlin had a little rail round the top of his desk, and +curtains on rods that could be drawn round it. He was a man of six +or seven and thirty; with a long face, smooth shaven. He always +seemed absorbed in his work and, when spoken to by Mr. Bale, +answered in the fewest possible words, in an even, mechanical +voice. It had seemed to Bob that he had been entirely oblivious to +his presence; and it did not appear to him now, as he sat with a +book before him, waiting for the clock on the mantel to strike +five, that existence at Mr. Medlin's promised to be a lively one. +Still, as there were boys and girls, it must be more amusing than +it would be at his uncle's and, at any rate, the clerk would not be +so formidable a personage to deal with as Mr. Bale.</p> +<p>At one minute to five he went down, so as to open the counting +house door as the clock struck. As he went in through the outer +door, his uncle came out from the inner office.</p> +<p>"Ah! There you are, Robert.</p> +<p>"Mr. Medlin, this is my nephew who, as we have arranged, will +take up his residence with you. I am afraid you will find him +somewhat headstrong and troublesome. I have already informed you +why it has been necessary to remove him from school. However, I +trust that there will be no repetition of such follies; and that he +will see the necessity of abandoning schoolboy pranks, and settling +down to business."</p> +<p>"Yes, sir," Mr. Medlin replied, seeing that his employer +expected an answer.</p> +<p>Bob had noticed that, although the clerk's eyes were directed +upon him, there appeared to be no expression of interest or +curiosity in them; but that they might as well have been fixed upon +a blank wall.</p> +<p>"Your boxes have already been sent round in the cart to Mr. +Medlin's, Robert. I don't know that there is anything else to say. +Mr. Medlin will, of course, put you in the way of your duties here; +but if you have anything to say to me--any questions to ask, or any +remarks, connected with the business, or otherwise, you wish to +make--I shall always be ready to listen to you, if you will come +into the counting house at half past four."</p> +<p>So saying, Mr. Bale retired into his private room again. Mr. +Medlin placed his papers inside his desk, locked it, took off his +coat and hung it on a peg, put on another coat and his hat, and +then turned to Bob.</p> +<p>"Ready?"</p> +<p>"Quite ready."</p> +<p>Mr. Medlin led the way out of the counting house, and Bob +followed. Mr. Medlin walked fast, and Bob had to step out to keep +up with him. The clerk appeared scarcely conscious of his presence, +until they were beyond the more crowded thoroughfare, then he +said:</p> +<p>"Two miles, out Hackney way. Not too far!"</p> +<p>"Not at all," Bob replied. "The farther the better."</p> +<p>"No burglars there. Wouldn't pay."</p> +<p>And Bob thought that the shadow of a smile passed across his +face.</p> +<p>"We can do without them," Bob said.</p> +<p>"Hate coming here, I suppose?"</p> +<p>"That I do," Bob said, cordially.</p> +<p>Mr. Medlin nodded.</p> +<p>"Not so bad as it looks," he said, and then walked on again, in +silence.</p> +<p>Presently there was a break in the houses. They were getting +beyond the confines of business London.</p> +<p>"Do you see this little garden?" Mr. Medlin asked, suddenly, in +a tone so unlike that in which he had before spoken that Bob quite +started.</p> +<p>The lad looked at the little patch of ground, with some stunted +shrubs, but could see nothing remarkable in it.</p> +<p>"Yes, I see it, sir," he said.</p> +<p>"That, Bob," Mr. Medlin went on, "--for I suppose you are called +Bob--marks the end of all things."</p> +<p>Bob opened his eyes in astonishment, and again examined the +little garden.</p> +<p>"It marks, Bob, the delimitation between London and country, +between slavery and freedom. Here, every morning, I leave myself +behind; here, every evening, I recover myself--or, at least, a +considerable portion of myself--at a further mark, half a mile on, +I am completely restored.</p> +<p>"I suppose you used to find just the same thing, at the door of +the schoolroom?"</p> +<p>"A good deal, sir," Bob said, in a much brighter tone than he +had used, since he said goodbye to the fellows at Tulloch's.</p> +<p>"I am glad you feel like that. I expect you will get like that, +as to the city, in time; but mind, lad, you must always find +yourself again. You stick to that. You make a mark somewhere, leave +yourself behind in the morning, and pick yourself up again when you +come back. It is a bad thing for those who forget to do that. They +might as well hang themselves--better.</p> +<p>"In there," and he jerked his thumb back over his shoulder, "we +are all machines, you know. It isn't us, not a bit of it. There is +just the flesh, the muscle, the bones, and a frozen bit of our +brains. The rest of us is left behind. If, as we come out, we +forget to pick it up, we lose ourselves altogether, before long; +and then there we are, machines to the end of our lives. You +remember that, Bob. Keep it always in mind."</p> +<p>"It is a pity that my uncle didn't get the same advice, forty +years ago, Mr. Medlin."</p> +<p>"It is a pity my employer did not marry. It is a pity my +employer lives in that dull house, in that dull lane, all by +himself," Mr. Medlin said, angrily.</p> +<p>"But he has not got rid of himself, altogether. He is a good +deal frozen up; but he thaws out, sometimes. What a man he would +be, if he would but live out somewhere, and pick himself up +regularly, as I do, every day!</p> +<p>"This is my second mark, Bob, this tree growing out in the road. +Now, you see, we are pretty well in the country.</p> +<p>"Can you run?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I can run pretty well, Mr. Medlin."</p> +<p>"Very well, Bob. You see that tree growing out beyond that +garden wall, about four hundred yards on. It is four hundred and +twenty, for I have measured it. Now then, you walk on fifty yards, +and then run for your life. See if I don't catch you, before you +are there."</p> +<p>Bob, wondering as he went along at the astounding change that +had come over his companion, took fifty long steps; then he heard a +shout of "Now!" and went off at the top of his speed. He was still +a hundred yards from the mark, when he heard steps coming rapidly +up behind him; and then the clerk dashed past him, and came in +fully twenty yards ahead.</p> +<p>"You don't run badly," he said, as Bob stopped, panting. "My +Jack generally comes to meet me, and I always give him seventy +yards, and only beat him by about as much as I do you. He couldn't +come, this afternoon. He is busy helping his mother to get things +straight. I expect we shall meet him, presently.</p> +<p>"Well, what are you laughing at?"</p> +<p>"I was just thinking how astonished my uncle would be, if he +were to see us."</p> +<p>Mr. Medlin gave a hearty laugh.</p> +<p>"Not so much as you would think, Bob. Five years ago, my +employer suddenly asked me, just as we were shutting up one +afternoon, if I was fond of fishing. I said that I used to be.</p> +<p>"He said, 'I am going down, for a fortnight, into Hampshire. I +have no one to go with--suppose you come with me.'</p> +<p>"I said, 'I will.'</p> +<p>"He said, 'Coach tomorrow morning, eight o'clock, Black Horse +Yard.'</p> +<p>"I was there. As we went over London Bridge I found myself, as +usual; and he found himself. I explained to him that I could not +help it. He said he didn't want me to help it. We had a glorious +fortnight together, and we have been out every year, since. He +never alludes to it, between times. No more do I. He is stiffer +than usual for a bit. So am I. But we both know each other.</p> +<p>"You do not suppose that he would have sent you to me, if he +hadn't known that I have got another side to me?"</p> +<p>"Well, I should not have thought," Bob said, "from the way he +talked, when he introduced me to you, that he ever had such an idea +in his mind."</p> +<p>"He was obliged to talk so," Mr. Medlin said, laughing. "We were +just machines at the time, both of us. But he talked in quite a +different way when we were down fishing together, three weeks ago. +He said then you were rather a pickle, and that he didn't think you +would do yourself any good where you were, so that he was going to +bring you up to business.</p> +<p>"'I don't want him to turn out a dull blockhead,' he said, 'and +so I propose that you should take charge of him, and teach him to +keep himself young. I wish I had done it, myself.'</p> +<p>"And so it was settled.</p> +<p>"There is no better employer in the city than your uncle. There +is not a man or boy about the place who isn't well paid, and +contented. I used to think myself a lucky man, before we went out +fishing together for the first time but, six months after that, he +gave me a rise that pretty well took my breath away.</p> +<p>"Ah! Here come the young uns."</p> +<p>A couple of minutes later, four young people ran up. There was a +boy about Bob's age, a girl a year younger, a boy, and another +girl, in regular steps. They greeted their father with a joyous +shout of welcome.</p> +<p>"So you have got everything done," he said. "I thought you would +meet me somewhere here.</p> +<p>"This is Bob Repton, my employer's nephew, and future member of +the firm. Treat him with all respect, and handle him gently. He is +a desperate fellow, though he doesn't look it. This is the young +gentleman I told you of, who made a night expedition and captured +four burglars."</p> +<p>After this introduction, Bob was heartily shaken by the hand, +all round; and the party proceeded on their way, the two girls +holding their father's hand, the boys walking behind, with Bob, who +was so surprised at the unexpected turn affairs had taken that, for +a time, he almost lost his usual readiness of speech.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch3" id="Ch3">Chapter 3</a>: An Unexpected Journey.</h2> +<p>Hawthorne Cottage, Mr. Medlin's abode, was a pretty little +house, standing detached in a good-sized garden, surrounded by a +high wall.</p> +<p>"Here we are, mother," the clerk said, as he led the way into a +cozy room, where tea was laid upon the table, while a bright fire +blazed in the grate.</p> +<p>A very pleasant-faced lady, who did not look to Bob more than +thirty--although she must have been four or five years +older--greeted her husband affectionately.</p> +<p>"My dear," he said, "in the exuberance of your feelings, you +forget that I have brought you home a visitor. This is Mr. Robert +Repton. While he is resident in the house, he may be greeted as +Bob. We had a race, and he runs faster than Jack; fifty yards, in +four hundred and twenty, is the utmost I can give him."</p> +<p>"What nonsense you do talk, Will!" his wife said, laughing. "I +am sure Master Repton must think you out of your mind."</p> +<p>"It is a very jolly way of being out of his mind, Mrs. Medlin. +You don't know how pleased I am."</p> +<p>"He thought I was an ogre, my dear, and that you were an +ogress.</p> +<p>"Now let the banquet be served; for I am hungry, and I expect +Bob is, too. As for the children, they are always hungry--at least, +it seems so."</p> +<p>It was a merry meal, and Bob thought he had never enjoyed one as +much, except at his sister's. After tea they had music; and he +found that Mr. Medlin performed admirably on the violin, his wife +played the spinet, Jack the clarionet, and Sophy--the eldest +girl--the piccolo.</p> +<p>"She is going to learn the harp, presently," Mr. Medlin +explained; "but for the present, when we have no visitors--and I +don't count you one, after this evening--she plays the piccolo. She +is a little shy about it, but shyness is the failing of my +family."</p> +<p>"It is very jolly," Bob said. "I wish I could play an +instrument."</p> +<p>"We will see about it, in time, Bob. We want a French horn; but +I don't see, at present, where you are to practise."</p> +<p>"Has uncle ever been here?" Bob asked, late in the evening.</p> +<p>"Yes, he came here the evening we got back from our fishing +expedition. He wanted to see the place, before he finally settled +about you coming here. My wife was a little afraid of him; but +there was no occasion, and everything went off capitally--except +that Sophy would not produce her piccolo. I walked back with him, +till he came upon a hackney coach.</p> +<p>"He said as he got in, 'I have spent a most pleasant evening, +Medlin. You are a very lucky fellow.'</p> +<p>"I went back to work the next morning, and we both dropt into +the old groove; and nothing more was said until yesterday, when he +informed me that you would come, today."</p> +<p>"Oh, dear!" Bob said, as he started with the clerk, at eight +o'clock on the following morning. "Now I am going to begin at that +wretched counting house."</p> +<p>"No, you are not, Bob. You are not coming in there, at present. +When your uncle and I were talking--when we were fishing, you +know--he said that he saw no use in your going in there, at +present; and thought it would be quite time for you to learn how +the books are kept, in another three or four years; and that, till +then, you could go into the cellar. You will learn bottling, and +packing, and blending, and something about the quality and value of +wines. You will find it much more pleasant than being shut up in a +counting house, making out bills and keeping ledgers."</p> +<p>"A great deal," Bob said, joyfully. "I sha'n't mind that at +all."</p> +<p>Bob observed a noticeable change in his companion's demeanour, +when he arrived at the tree and, on passing the last garden, his +face assumed a stolid expression; his brisk, springy walk settled +down into a business pace; his words became few; and he was again a +steady, and mechanical, clerk.</p> +<p>A fortnight later, Bob was summoned to the counting house.</p> +<p>"Mr. Bale wishes to see you," Mr. Medlin said.</p> +<p>Bob entered, wondering what he was wanted for.</p> +<p>"I received a subpoena, a week ago, Robert, for you to attend as +a witness at Kingston tomorrow. These interruptions to business are +very annoying. I did not mention it to you before for, if I had +done so, you would be thinking of nothing else.</p> +<p>"This morning I have received a letter from Admiral Langton, +requesting me to allow you to go down by the stage, this afternoon, +and to sleep at his house. He will take you over, in the morning; +and you will sleep there again, tomorrow night, and come back by +the early stage.</p> +<p>"I trust that you will endeavour to curb your exuberance of +spirits. This is a very grave matter, and anything like levity +would be altogether out of place.</p> +<p>"The letter says that the stage leaves the Bell Tavern at four +o'clock."</p> +<p>Bob replied, gravely, that he would be there in time; and went +off to his work again, until twelve o'clock.</p> +<p>When he arrived at the admiral's, at a quarter to six, a lad in +midshipman's uniform came rushing out into the hall.</p> +<p>"Hulloa, Bob!"</p> +<p>"Why, Jim!--but no, I suppose I ought to say Mr. James Sankey, +to an officer of your importance. How comes it, sir, that you are +so soon attired in His Majesty's uniform?"</p> +<p>"I will punch your head, Bob, if you go on with that +nonsense.</p> +<p>"But I say, isn't it jolly? The very afternoon after you left +came down a big letter, with a tremendous seal; and therein I was +informed that I was appointed to His Majesty's ship Brilliant, and +was ordered to join immediately. Of course, I did not know what to +do, so I came up here; and who do you think I found here? Captain +Langton, the admiral's son, who is in command of the Brilliant.</p> +<p>"Of course, it was he who had got me the appointment. He was +very kind, and told me that I could not join until after this +trial; so that I could go down home, and stop there, till today; +and the admiral sent me straight off, to be measured for my +uniform. When I started, next day, he gave me a letter to my +father--an awfully nice letter it was, saying that he intended to +present me with my first outfit. I got here about an hour ago, and +have been putting on my uniform, to see how it fitted."</p> +<p>"You mean to see how you looked in it, Jim? It looks first rate. +I wish I was in one too, and was going with you, instead of +sticking in Philpot Lane."</p> +<p>"I am awfully sorry for you, Bob. It must be beastly."</p> +<p>"Well, it is not so bad as I expected, Jim, and uncle is turning +out much better; and I don't live there, but with the head clerk, +out at Hackney. He is an awfully jolly sort of fellow--you never +saw such a rum chap. I will tell you all about it, afterwards.</p> +<p>"I suppose I ought to go in, and see the admiral."</p> +<p>"He is out, at present, Bob. He will be back at eight o'clock to +supper, so you can come up and tell me all about it. Captain +Langton is here, too."</p> +<p>Captain Langton spoke very kindly to Bob, when the two boys came +down to supper; and told him that if, at any time, he changed his +mind, and there was a vacancy for a midshipman on board his ship, +he would give him the berth.</p> +<p>"I should be very glad to have you with me," he said, "after the +service you rendered my father and sister."</p> +<p>On the following morning, Fullarton and Wharton came up from the +school, and two carriages conveyed the witnesses over to Kingston. +The prisoners, Bob heard, were notorious and desperate criminals, +whom the authorities had long been anxious to lay hands on. The +butler was one of the gang, and had obtained his post by means of a +forged character. The trial only occupied two hours for, taken in +the act as the men were, there was no defence whatever. All four +were sentenced to be hung, and the judge warmly complimented the +four boys upon their conduct in the matter.</p> +<p>The next morning, Bob returned to his work in the city.</p> +<p>For the next three months, his existence was a regular one. On +arriving in the cellar, he took off his jacket and put on a large +apron, that completely covered him; and from that time until five +o'clock he worked with the other boys: bottling, packing, storing +the bottles away in the bins, or taking them down as required. He +learned, from the foreman, something of the localities from which +the wine came, their value and prices; but had not begun to +distinguish them by taste, or bouquet. Mr. Bale, the foreman said, +had given strict orders that he was not to begin tasting, at +present.</p> +<p>Three days before Christmas, one of the clerks brought him down +word that Mr. Bale wished to see him in the office, at five +o'clock.</p> +<p>During the three, months he had scarcely spoken to his uncle. +The latter had nodded to him, whenever he came into the cellar; and +had regularly said, "Well, Robert, how are you getting on?"</p> +<p>To which he had, as regularly, replied, "Very well, uncle."</p> +<p>He supposed that the present meeting was for the purpose of +inviting him to dine at Philpot Lane, on Christmas Day; and +although he knew that he should enjoy the festivity more, at +Hackney, he was prepared to accept it very willingly.</p> +<p>"I have sent for you, Robert," Mr. Bale said, when he entered +his office, "to say that your sister has written to ask me to go +down to spend Christmas with her, at Portsmouth. As her husband's +regiment is on the point of going abroad, I have decided on +accepting her invitation and, for the same reason, I shall take you +down with me. You will therefore have your box packed, tonight. I +shall send down a cart to fetch it, tomorrow. You will sleep here +tomorrow night, and we start the next morning."</p> +<p>"Thank you very much, uncle," Bob said, in delight; and then, +seeing that nothing further was expected of him, he ran off to join +Mr. Medlin, who was waiting for him outside.</p> +<p>"What do you think, Mr. Medlin? I am going down to spend +Christmas at my sister's."</p> +<p>"Ah!" the clerk said, in a dull unsympathetic voice. "Well, mind +how you walk, Mr. Robert. It does not look well, coming out from a +place of business as if you were rushing out of school."</p> +<p>Bob knew well enough that it was no use, whatever, trying to get +his companion to take any interest in matters unconnected with +business, at present; so he dropped into his regular pace, and did +not open his lips again, until they had passed the usual +boundary.</p> +<p>Then Mr. Medlin said, briskly, "So you are going down to your +sister's, Bob!"</p> +<p>"Yes, that will be first rate, won't it? Of course, I went down +in the summer to Canterbury, and hardly expected to go again this +year. As I have only been three months here, I did not even think +of going.</p> +<p>"It will be the last holiday I shall have, for some time. You +know Carrie said, when she wrote to me a month ago, that the +regiment expected to be ordered abroad soon; and uncle said it is +on the point of going, now.</p> +<p>"He is coming down with me."</p> +<p>His voice fell a little, at this part of the announcement.</p> +<p>"He is, eh? You think you will have to be on your best +behaviour, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Before you told me about him, Mr. Medlin, I should have thought +it would quite spoil the holiday. But I do not feel it so bad, +now."</p> +<p>"He will be all right, Bob. You have never seen him outside the +city, yet. Still, I shouldn't be up to any tricks with him, you +know, if I were you--shouldn't put cobbler's wax on his pigtail, or +anything of that sort."</p> +<p>"As if I should think of such a thing, Mr. Medlin!"</p> +<p>"Well, I don't know, Bob. You have made Jack pretty nearly as +wild as you are, yourself. You are quite a scandal to the +neighbourhood, you two. You nearly frightened those two ladies next +door into fits, last week, by carrying in that snowman, and +sticking it up in their garden, when you knew they were out. I +thought they were both going to have fits, when they rushed in to +tell me there was a ghost in their garden."</p> +<p>"I believe you suggested it yourself, Mr. Medlin," Bob said, +indignantly. "Besides, it served them right, for coming in to +complain that we had thrown stones and broken their window, when we +had done nothing of the sort."</p> +<p>"It was rather lucky for you that they did so, Bob; for you see, +we were all so indignant, then, that they didn't venture to accuse +you of the snowman business--though I have no doubt they were +convinced, in their own minds, that it was you. But that is only +one out of twenty pranks that you and Jack have been up to."</p> +<p>"Jack and I and someone else, Mr Medlin. We carry them out, but +I think someone else always suggests them."</p> +<p>"Not suggest, Bob--far from it. If I happen to say that it would +be a most reprehensible thing if anyone were to do something, +somehow or other that is the very thing that Jack and you do. It +was only last week I said that it would be a very objectionable +trick if anyone was to tie paper bands round the neck of the +clergyman's black cat--who is always stealing our chickens--and to +my surprise, the next morning, when we started for business, there +was quite a crowd outside his house, watching the cat calmly +sitting over the porch, with white bands round its neck. Now, that +is an example of what I mean."</p> +<p>"Quite so, Mr. Medlin, that is just what I meant, too; and it +was much better than throwing stones at him. It is a savage beast, +though it does look so demure; and scratched Jack's hand and mine, +horribly, when we were tying on the bands."</p> +<p>At the tree the others met them, and they laughed and chatted +all the way back; the young ones expressing much regret, however, +that Bob was to be away at Christmas.</p> +<p>At the appointed time, Mr. Bale and Bob took their places on the +coach. The latter felt a little oppressed; for his uncle had, the +evening before, been putting him through a sort of examination as +to the value of wines; and had been exceedingly severe when Bob had +not acquitted himself to his satisfaction, but had mixed up Malaga +with Madeira, and had stated that a French wine was grown near +Cadiz.</p> +<p>"I expect I shall know them better when I get to taste them," +Bob had urged, in excuse. "When you don't know anything about the +wines, it is very difficult to take an interest in them. It is like +learning that a town in India is on the Ganges. You don't care +anything about the town, and you don't care anything about the +Ganges; and you are sure to mix it up, next time, with some other +town on some other river."</p> +<p>"If those are your ideas, Robert, I think you had better go to +bed," Mr. Bale had said, sternly; and Bob had gone to bed, and had +thought what a nuisance it was that his uncle was going down to +Portsmouth, just when he wanted to be jolly with Carrie and her +husband for the last time.</p> +<p>Little had been said at breakfast, and it was not until the +coach was rattling along the high road, and the last house had been +left behind him, that Bob's spirits began to rise. There had been a +thaw, a few days before, and the snow had disappeared; but it was +now freezing sharply again.</p> +<p>"The air is brisk. Do you feel it cold, Robert?" Mr. Bale said, +breaking silence for the first time.</p> +<p>"I feel cold about the toes, and about the ears and nose, +uncle," Bob said, "but I am not very likely to feel cold, anywhere +else."</p> +<p>His uncle looked down at the boy, who was wedged in between him +and a stout woman.</p> +<p>"Well, no," he agreed; "you are pretty closely packed. You had +better pull that muffler over your ears more. It was rather +different weather when you went down to Canterbury in the +summer."</p> +<p>"That it was," Bob replied, heartily. "It was hot and dusty, +just; and there were a man and woman, sitting opposite, who kept on +drinking out of a bottle, every five minutes. She had a baby with +her, too, who screamed almost all the way. I consider I saved that +baby's life."</p> +<p>"How was that, Robert?"</p> +<p>"Well you see, uncle, they had finished their bottle by the time +we got to Sevenoaks; and we all got down for dinner there and, +before we sat down, the man went to the bar and got it filled up +again. A pint of gin, filled up with water--I heard him order it. +He put it in the pocket of his coat, and hung the coat up on a peg +when he sat down to dinner.</p> +<p>"I was not long over my dinner, and finished before they did; +and I took the bottle out, and ran out to the yard and emptied it, +and filled it up with water, and put it back in the pocket again, +without his noticing it.</p> +<p>"You should have seen what a rage he was in, when he took his +first sip from the bottle, after we had started. He thought the man +at the inn had played him a trick, and he stood up and shouted to +the coachman to turn back again; but of course he wasn't going to +do that, and every one laughed--except the woman. I think she had +had more than was good for her, already, and she cried for about an +hour.</p> +<p>"The next two places where we changed horses, we did it so quick +that the man hadn't time to get down. The third place he did and, +though the guard said we shouldn't stop a minute, he went into the +public house. The guard shouted, but he didn't come out, and off we +went without him. Then he came out running, and waving his arms, +but the coachman wouldn't stop. The woman got down, with the child, +at the next place we changed horses; and I suppose they went on +next day and, if they started sober, they did perhaps get to Dover +all right."</p> +<p>"That was a very nasty trick," the woman, who was sitting next +to Bob, said sharply.</p> +<p>Bob had noticed that she had already opened a basket on her lap, +and had partaken of liquid refreshment.</p> +<p>"But you see, I saved the baby, ma'am," Bob said, humbly. "The +woman was sitting at the end and, if she had taken her share of the +second bottle, the chances are she would have dropped the baby. It +was a question of saving life, you see."</p> +<p>Bob felt a sudden convulsion in his uncle's figure.</p> +<p>"It is all very well to talk in that way," the woman said, +angrily. "It was just a piece of impudence, and you ought to have +been flogged for it. I have no patience with such impudent doings. +A wasting of good liquor, too."</p> +<p>"I don't think, madam," Mr. Bale said, "it was as much wasted as +it would have been, had they swallowed it; for at least it did no +harm. I cannot see myself why, because people get outside a coach, +they should consider it necessary to turn themselves into +hogs."</p> +<p>"I will trouble you to keep your insinuations to yourself," the +woman said, in great indignation. "You ought to be ashamed of +yourself, at your age, encouraging a boy in such ways. There is +them as can stand the cold, and there's them as can't; and a little +good liquor helps them, wonderful. I am sich, myself."</p> +<p>And she defiantly took out her bottle from her basket, and +applied it to her lips.</p> +<p>"I was not speaking personally, my good woman," Mr. Bale +said.</p> +<p>"I would have you to know," the woman snapped, "that I ain't +your good woman. I wouldn't demean myself to the like. I will ask +this company if it is right as a unprotected female should be +insulted, on the outside of one of His Majesty's mails?"</p> +<p>The other passengers, who had been struggling with their +laughter, endeavoured to pacify her with the assurance that no +insult had been meant; and as Mr. Bale made no reply, she subsided +into silence, grumbling occasionally to herself.</p> +<p>"I am a-going down," she broke out, presently, "to meet my +husband, and I don't mind who knows it. He is a warrant officer, he +is, on board the Latona, as came in last week with two prizes. +There ain't nothing to be ashamed of, in that.</p> +<p>"And I will thank you, boy," she said, turning sharply upon Bob, +"not to be a-scrouging me so. I pay for my place, I do."</p> +<p>"I think you ought to pay for two places," Bob said. "I am sure +you have got twice as much room as I have. And if there is any +scrouging, it isn't me."</p> +<p>"Would you have any objection, sir," the woman said +majestically, to a man sitting on the other side of her, "to change +places with me? I ain't a-going to bear no longer with the insults +of this boy, and of the person as calls himself a man, a-sitting +next to him."</p> +<p>The change was effected, to Bob's great satisfaction.</p> +<p>"You see, Robert, what you have brought down upon me," Mr. Bale +said. "This comes of your telling stories about bottles, when there +is a woman with one in her basket next to you."</p> +<p>"I really was not thinking of her when I spoke, uncle. But I am +glad, now, for I really could hardly breathe, before.</p> +<p>"Why, uncle, I had no idea you smoked!" he added, as Mr. Bale +took a cigar case from his pocket.</p> +<p>"I do not smoke, when I am in the city, Robert; but I see no +harm in a cigar--in fact I like one--at other times. I observed a +long pipe on the mantelpiece, at Mr. Medlin's; and indeed, I have +seen that gentleman smoke, when we have been out together, but I +have never observed him indulging in that habit, in the city."</p> +<p>"Oh, yes! He smokes at home," Bob said.</p> +<p>"I have great confidence in Mr. Medlin, Robert. You have been +comfortable with him, I hope?"</p> +<p>"Could not be more comfortable, sir."</p> +<p>"An excellent man of business, Robert, and most trustworthy. A +serious-minded man."</p> +<p>Bob was looking up, and saw a little twinkle in Mr. Bale's +eye.</p> +<p>"You don't find it dull, I hope?"</p> +<p>"Not at all dull, sir. Mr. Medlin and his family are very +musical."</p> +<p>"Musical, are they, Robert?" Mr. Bale said, in a tone of +surprise. "As far as I have seen in the counting house, I should +not have taken him to be musical."</p> +<p>"No, I don't think you would, uncle. Just the same way as one +wouldn't think it likely that you would smoke a cigar."</p> +<p>"Well, no, Robert. You see, one must not always go by +appearances."</p> +<p>"No, sir; that is just what Mr. Medlin says," Bob replied, +smiling.</p> +<p>"Oh, he says that, does he? I suppose he has been telling you +that we go out fishing together?"</p> +<p>"He did mention that, sir."</p> +<p>"You must not always believe what Medlin says, Robert."</p> +<p>"No, sir? I thought you told me he was perfectly +trustworthy?"</p> +<p>"In some points, boy; but it is notorious that, from all times, +the narratives of fishermen must be received with a large amount of +caution. The man who can be trusted with untold gold cannot be +relied upon to give, with even an approach to accuracy, the weights +of the fish he has caught; and indeed, all his statements with +reference to the pursuit must be taken with a large discount.</p> +<p>"You were surprised, when you heard that I went fishing, +Robert?"</p> +<p>"Not more surprised than I was when you lit your cigar, +sir."</p> +<p>"Well, you know what Horace said, Robert. I forget what it was +in the Latin, but it meant:</p> +<p>"'He is a poor soul, who never rejoices.'</p> +<p>"The bow must be relaxed, Robert, or it loses its stiffness and +spring. I, myself, always bear this in mind; and endeavour to +forget that there is such a place as the city of London, or a place +of business called Philpot Lane, directly I get away from it."</p> +<p>"Don't you think that you could forget, too, uncle, that the +name I am known by in the city is Robert; and that my name, at all +other times, is Bob?"</p> +<p>"I will try to do so, if you make a point of it," Mr. Bale said, +gravely; "but at the same time, it appears to me that Bob is a name +for a short-tailed sheepdog, rather than for a boy."</p> +<p>"I don't mind who else is called by it, uncle. Besides, +sheepdogs are very useful animals."</p> +<p>"They differ from boys in one marked respect, Bob."</p> +<p>"What is that, uncle?"</p> +<p>"They always attend strictly to business, lad. They are most +conscientious workers. Now, this is more than can be said for +boys."</p> +<p>"But I don't suppose the sheepdogs do much, while they are +puppies, uncle."</p> +<p>"Humph! I think you have me there, Bob. I suppose we must make +allowances for them both.</p> +<p>"Well, we shall be at Guildford in half an hour, and will stop +there for dinner. I shall not be sorry to get down to stamp my feet +a bit. It is very cold here, in spite of these rugs."</p> +<p>It was seven o'clock in the evening when the coach drew up at +the George Hotel, in Portsmouth. Captain O'Halloran was at the door +to meet them.</p> +<p>"Well, Mr. Bale, you have had a coldish drive down, today.</p> +<p>"How are you, Bob?"</p> +<p>"At present, I am cold," Bob said. "The last two hours have been +bitter."</p> +<p>"I have taken bedrooms here for you, Mr. Bale. There is no +barrack accommodation, at present, for everyone is back from leave. +Any other time, we could have put you up.</p> +<p>"Now, if you will point out your baggage, my man will see it +taken up to your rooms; and you can come straight on to me. Carrie +has got supper ready, and a big fire blazing. It is not three +minutes' walk from here."</p> +<p>They were soon seated at table and, after the meal was over, +they drew round the fire.</p> +<p>"So you have really become a man of business, Bob," his sister +said. "I was very glad to hear, from your letter, that you liked it +better than you expected."</p> +<p>"But it will be a long while, yet, before he is a man of +business, niece. It is like having a monkey in a china shop. The +other day I went down to the cellar, just in time to see him put +down a bottle so carelessly that it tumbled over. Unfortunately +there was a row of them he had just filled; and a dozen went down, +like ninepins. The corks had not been put in, and half the contents +were lost before they could be righted. And the wine was worth +eighty shillings a dozen."</p> +<p>"And what can you expect of him, Mr. Bale?" Gerald O'Halloran +said. "Is it a spalpeen like that you would trust with the handling +of good wine? I would as soon set a cat to bottle milk."</p> +<p>"He is young for it, yet," Mr. Bale agreed. "But when a boy +amuses himself by breaking out of school at three o'clock in the +morning, and fighting burglars, what are you to do with him?"</p> +<p>"I should give him a medal, for his pluck, Mr. Bale; and let him +do something where he would have a chance of showing his +spirit."</p> +<p>"And make him as wild and harum-scarum as you are, yourself, +O'Halloran; and then expect him to turn out a respectable merchant, +afterwards? I am sure I don't wish to be troubled with him, till he +has got rid of what you call his spirits; but what are you to do +with such a pickle as this? There have been more bottles broken, +since he came, than there ordinarily are in the course of a year; +and I suspect him of corrupting my chief clerk, and am in mortal +apprehension that he will be getting into some scrape, at Hackney, +and make the place too hot for him.</p> +<p>"I never gave you credit for much brains, Carrie, but how it was +you let your brother grow up like this is more than I can +tell."</p> +<p>Although this all sounded serious, Bob did not feel at all +alarmed. Carrie, however, thought that her uncle was greatly vexed, +and tried to take up the cudgels in his defence.</p> +<p>"I am sure Bob does not mean any harm, uncle."</p> +<p>"I did not say that he did, niece; but if he does harm, it comes +to the same thing.</p> +<p>"Well, we need not talk about that now. So I hear that you are +going out to the Mediterranean?"</p> +<p>"Yes, uncle, to Gibraltar. It is a nice station, everyone says, +and I am very pleased. There are so many places where there is +fighting going on, now, that I think we are most fortunate in going +there. I was so afraid the regiment might be sent either to +America, or India."</p> +<p>"And I suppose you would rather have gone where there was +fighting, O'Halloran?"</p> +<p>"I would," the officer said, promptly. "What is the use of your +going into the army, if you don't fight?"</p> +<p>"I should say, what is the use of going into the army, at all?" +Mr. Bale said, testily. "Still, I suppose someone must go."</p> +<p>"I suppose so, sir," Captain O'Halloran said, laughing. "If it +were not for the army and navy, I fancy you trading gentlemen would +very soon find the difference. Besides, there are some of us born +to it. I should never have made a figure in the city, for +instance."</p> +<p>"I fancy not," Mr. Bale said, dryly. "You will understand, +O'Halloran, that I am not objecting in the slightest to your being +in the army. My objection solely lies in the fact that you, being +in the army, should have married my niece; and that, instead of +coming to keep house for me, comfortably, she is going to wander +about, with you, to the ends of the earth."</p> +<p>Carrie laughed.</p> +<p>"How do you know someone else would not have snapped me up, if +he hadn't, uncle?"</p> +<p>"That is right, Carrie.</p> +<p>"You would have found her twice as difficult to manage as Bob, +Mr. Bale. You would never have kept her in Philpot Lane, if I +hadn't taken her. There are some people can be tamed down, and +there are some who can't; and Carrie is one of the latter.</p> +<p>"I should pity you, from my heart, if you had her on your hands, +Mr. Bale. If ever I get to be a colonel, it is she will command the +regiment."</p> +<p>"Well, it is good that one of us should have sense, Gerald," his +wife said, laughing. "And now, you had better put the whisky on the +table, unless uncle would prefer some mulled port wine."</p> +<p>"Neither one nor the other, my dear. Your brother is half +asleep, now, and it is as much as I can do to keep my eyes open. +After the cold ride we have had, the sooner we get back to the +George, the better.</p> +<p>"We will breakfast there, Carrie. I don't know what your hours +are but, when I am away on a holiday, I always give myself a little +extra sleep. Besides, your husband will, I suppose, have to be on +duty; and I have no doubt it will suit you, as well as me, for us +to breakfast at the George."</p> +<p>"Perhaps it will be better, uncle, if you don't mind. Gerald +happens to be orderly officer for the day, and will have to get his +breakfast as he can, and will be busy all the morning; but I shall +be ready for you by ten."</p> +<p>At that hour Bob appeared, alone.</p> +<p>"Uncle won't come round till one o'clock, Carrie. He said he +should take a quiet stroll round, by himself, and look at the +ships; and that, no doubt, we should like to have a talk +together."</p> +<p>"Is he very cross with you, Bob?" she asked, anxiously. "You +know he really is kind at heart, very kind; but I am afraid he must +be very hard, as a master."</p> +<p>"Not a bit, Carrie. I expected he was going to be so, but he +isn't the least like that. He is very much liked by everyone there. +He doesn't say much, and he certainly looks stiff and grim enough +for anything; but he isn't so, really, not a bit."</p> +<p>"Didn't he scold you dreadfully about your upsetting those +twelve bottles of wine?"</p> +<p>"He never said a word about it, and I did not know at the time +he had seen me. John, the foreman--the one who used to take me out +in the holidays--would not have said anything about it. He said, of +course accidents did happen, sometimes, with the boys; and when +they did, he himself blew them up, and there was no occasion to +mention it to Mr. Bale, when it wasn't anything very serious. But +of course, I could not have that; and said that either he must tell +uncle, or I should.</p> +<p>"It really happened because my fingers were so cold I could not +feel the bottle. Of course the cellar is not cold, but I had been +outside, taking in a waggon load of bottles that had just arrived, +and counting them, and my fingers got regularly numbed.</p> +<p>"So John went to the counting house, and told him about the wine +being spilt. He said I wished him to tell him, and how it had +happened."</p> +<p>"What did uncle say, Bob?"</p> +<p>"He said he was glad to hear that I told John to tell him; but +that he knew it already, for he had just come down to the cellar +when the bottles went over and, as he didn't wish to interfere with +the foreman's work, had come back to the counting house without +anyone noticing he had been there. He said, of course boys could +not be trusted like men; and that, as he had chosen to put me +there, he must put up with accidents. He never spoke about it to +me, till last night."</p> +<p>"Well, he seemed very vexed about it, Bob, and made a great deal +of it."</p> +<p>"He didn't mean it, Carrie; and he knew I knew he didn't mean +it. He knows I am beginning to understand him."</p> +<p>That evening, Mr. Bale sent Bob back to the hotel by +himself.</p> +<p>"I thought I would get him out of the way," he said, when Bob +had left. "I wanted to have a chat with you about him.</p> +<p>"You see, Carrie, I acted hastily in taking him away from +school; but it seemed to me that he must be getting into a very bad +groove, to be playing such pranks as breaking out in the middle of +the night. I was sorry, afterwards; partly because it had upset all +my plans, partly because I was not sure that I had done the best +thing by him.</p> +<p>"I had intended that he should have stopped for another year, at +school; by that time he would be between sixteen and seventeen, and +I thought of taking him into the office for six months or so, to +begin with, for him to learn a little of the routine. Then I had +intended to send him out to Oporto, for two years, and then to +Cadiz for two years; so that he would have learnt Portuguese and +Spanish well, got up all there was to learn about the different +growths, and established friendly relations with my agents.</p> +<p>"Now, as it happens, all these plans have been upset. My agent +at Oporto died, a month ago. His son succeeds him. He is a young +man, and not yet married. In the first place, I don't suppose he +would care about being bothered with Bob; and in the second place, +boys of Bob's age are not likely to submit very quietly to the +authority of a foreigner. Then, too, your brother is full of +mischief and fun; and I don't suppose foreigners would understand +him, in the least, and he would get into all manner of scrapes.</p> +<p>"My correspondent at Cadiz is an elderly man, without a family, +and the same objection would arise in his case; and moreover, from +what I hear from him and from other Spanish sources, there is a +strong feeling against England in Spain and, now that we are at war +with France, and have troubles in America, I think it likely enough +they will join in against us. Of course my correspondent writes +cautiously, but in his last letter he strongly advises me to buy +largely, at once, as there is no saying about the future; and +several of my friends in the trade have received similar +advice.</p> +<p>"I have put the boy into the cellar for, at the moment, I could +see nothing else to do with him. But really, the routine he is +learning is of little importance, and there is no occasion for him +to learn to do these things himself. He would pick up all he wants +to know there, when he came back, in a very short time."</p> +<p>"Then what are you thinking of doing, uncle?" Carrie asked, +after a pause, as she saw that Mr. Bale expected her to say +something.</p> +<p>"It seems to me that a way has opened out of the difficulty. I +don't want him to go back to school again. He knows quite as much +Latin as is required, in an importer of wines. I want him to learn +Spanish and Portuguese, and to become a gentleman, and a man of the +world. I have stuck to Philpot Lane, all my life; but there is no +reason why he should do so, after me. Things are changing in the +city, and many of our merchants no longer live there, but have +houses in the country, and drive or ride to them. Some people shake +their heads over what they call newfangled notions. I think it is +good for a man to get right away from his business, when he has +done work.</p> +<p>"But this is not the point. Bob is too young to begin to learn +the business abroad. Two years too young, at least. But there is no +reason why he should not begin to learn Spanish. Now, I thought if +I could find someone I could intrust him to, where his home would +be bright and pleasant, he might go there for a couple of years. +Naturally I should be prepared to pay a fair sum--say 200 pounds a +year--for him, for of course no one is going to be bothered with a +boy, without being paid for it."</p> +<p>Carrie listened for something further to come. Then her husband +broke in:</p> +<p>"I see what you are driving at, Mr. Bale, and Carrie and myself +would be delighted to have him.</p> +<p>"Don't you see, Carrie? Your uncle means that Bob shall stop +with us, and learn the language there."</p> +<p>"That would be delightful!" Carrie exclaimed, enthusiastically. +"Do you really mean that, uncle?"</p> +<p>"That is really what I do mean, niece. It seems to me that that +is the very best thing we could do with the young scamp."</p> +<p>"It would be capital!" Carrie went on. "It is what I should like +above everything."</p> +<p>"A nicer arrangement couldn't be, Mr. Bale. It will suit us all. +Bob will learn the language, he will be a companion to Carrie when +I am on duty, and we will make a man of him. But he won't be able +to go out with us, I am afraid. Officers' wives and families get +their passages in the transports, but I am afraid it would be no +use to ask for one for Bob. Besides, we sail in four days."</p> +<p>"No, I will arrange about his passage, and so on.</p> +<p>"Well, I am glad that my proposal suits you both. The matter has +been worrying me for the last three months, and it is a comfort +that it is off my mind.</p> +<p>"I will go back to my hotel now. I will send Bob round in the +morning, and you can tell him about it."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch4" id="Ch4">Chapter 4</a>: Preparations For A +Voyage.</h2> +<p>Bob went round to the barracks at half past nine.</p> +<p>"Uncle says you have a piece of news to tell me, Carrie."</p> +<p>"My dear Bob," Captain O'Halloran said, "your uncle is a broth +of a boy. He would do credit to Galway; and if anyone says anything +to the contrary, I will have him out tomorrow morning."</p> +<p>"What has he been doing?" Bob asked.</p> +<p>"I told you, Carrie, yesterday, he wasn't a bit like what he +seemed."</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, you are not going to stay at his place of business +any longer."</p> +<p>"No! Where is he going to send me--to school again? I am not +sure I should like that, Carrie. I didn't want to leave, but I +don't think I should like to go back to Caesar, and Euclid, and all +those wretched old books again."</p> +<p>"Well, you are not going, Bob."</p> +<p>"Hurry up, Carrie!" her husband said. "Don't you see that you +are keeping the boy on thorns? Tell him the news, without beating +about the bush."</p> +<p>"Well, it is just this, Bob. You are to come out for two years +to live with us, at Gibraltar, and learn Spanish."</p> +<p>Bob threw his cap up to the ceiling, with a shout of delight; +executed a wild dance, rushed at his sister and kissed her +violently, and shook hands with her husband.</p> +<p>"That is glorious!" he said, when he had sufficiently recovered +himself for speech. "I said uncle was a brick, didn't I? But I +never dreamt of such a thing as this."</p> +<p>"He is going to pay, very handsomely, while you are with us, +Bob, so it will be really a great help to us. Besides, we will like +to have you with us. But you will have to work hard at Spanish, you +know."</p> +<p>"Oh, I will work hard," Bob said, confidently.</p> +<p>"And be very steady," Captain O'Halloran said, gravely.</p> +<p>"Of course," Bob replied. "But who are you going to hire to +teach me that?"</p> +<p>"You are an impudent boy, Bob," his sister said, while Captain +O'Halloran burst out laughing.</p> +<p>"Sure, he has us both there, Carrie. I wonder your uncle did not +make a proviso that we were to get one of the padres to look after +him."</p> +<p>"As if I would let a Spanish priest look after me!" Bob +said.</p> +<p>"I didn't mean a Spanish priest, Bob. I meant one of the army +chaplains. We always call them padres.</p> +<p>"That would be worth thinking about, Carrie."</p> +<p>"Oh, I say," Bob exclaimed in alarm, "that would spoil it, +altogether!"</p> +<p>"Well, we will see how you go on, Bob. We may not find it +necessary, you know; but you will find you have to mind your P's +and Q's, at Gib. It is a garrison place, you know, and they won't +stand nonsense there. If you played any tricks, they would turn you +outside the lines, or send you up to one of the caverns to live +with the apes."</p> +<p>"Are there apes?" Bob asked, eagerly. "They would be awful fun, +I should think. I have seen them at Exeter 'Change."</p> +<p>"There are apes, Bob; but if you think you are going to get near +enough to put salt on their tails, you are mistaken."</p> +<p>"But am I going out with you?" Bob asked. "Why, tomorrow is +Christmas Day, and you sail two days after, don't you? And I +shouldn't have time even to go up to town, and down to Putney, to +say goodbye to the fellows. I should like to do that, and tell them +that I am going abroad."</p> +<p>"You are not going with us, Bob, and you will have time for all +that. We could not take you in the transport, and uncle will +arrange for a passage for you, in some ship going out. Of course, +he knows all about vessels trading with Spain."</p> +<p>"Well, we sha'n't have to say goodbye, now," Bob said. "I +haven't said much about it, but I have been thinking a lot about +how horrid it would be, after being so jolly here, to have to say +goodbye; knowing that I shouldn't see you again, for years and +years. Now that is all over."</p> +<p>A few minutes later, Mr. Bale came in. He had assumed his most +businesslike expression, but Bob rushed up to him.</p> +<p>"Oh, uncle, I am so obliged to you! It is awfully kind."</p> +<p>"I thought the arrangement would be a suitable one," Mr. Bale +began.</p> +<p>"No, no, uncle," Bob broke in. "You would say that, if you were +in Philpot Lane. Now you know you can say that you thought it would +be the very jolliest thing that was ever heard of."</p> +<p>"I am afraid, niece, that the sentiment of respect for his +elders is not strongly developed in Bob."</p> +<p>"I am afraid not, uncle; but you see, if elders set an example +of being double-faced to their nephews, they must expect to forfeit +their respect."</p> +<p>"And it is a lot better being liked than being respected, isn't +it, uncle?"</p> +<p>"Perhaps it is, Bob, but the two things may go together."</p> +<p>"So they do, uncle. Only I keep my respect for Philpot Lane, and +it is all liking, here."</p> +<p>They spent two more delightful days at Portsmouth; visited some +of the ships of war, and the transport in which the 58th was to +sail, and went over the dockyard. The next morning, Mr. Bale and +Bob returned by the early coach to London, as the boxes and trunks +and the portable furniture had to be sent off, early, on board.</p> +<p>Mr. Medlin was less surprised, at hearing that Bob was going to +leave, than the latter had expected.</p> +<p>"You know, Bob, I was away one day last week. Well, I didn't +tell you at the time where I was, because I was ordered not to; but +your uncle said to me, the evening before:</p> +<p>"'I am going to drive down by coach to Windsor, Mr. Medlin, and +shall be glad if you will accompany me.'</p> +<p>"I guessed he wanted to talk about things outside the business, +and so it was. We had a capital dinner down there, and then we had +a long talk about you. I told him frankly that, though I was very +glad to have you with me, I really did not see that it was of any +use your being kept at that work. He said that he thought so, too, +and had an idea on which he wanted my opinion. He was thinking of +accepting your sister's invitation to go down and spend Christmas +with her; and intended to ask her if they would take charge of you, +for a couple of years, in order that you might learn Spanish. Of +course, I said that it was the very best thing in the world for +you; and would not be any loss of time because, if you could speak +Spanish well, you would learn the business much more quickly when +you went to Cadiz; and need not be so long abroad, then."</p> +<p>"I shall be awfully sorry to go away from you, Mr. Medlin, and +from Mrs. Medlin and the others. It has been so jolly with you, and +you have all been so kind."</p> +<p>"Yes, it has been very comfortable all round, Bob, and we shall +all be sorry that you are going; but I did not expect we should +have you long with us. I felt sure your uncle would see he had made +a mistake, in taking you into the place so young; and when he finds +out he has made a mistake, he says so. Some people won't; but I +have known him own up he has been wrong, after blowing up one of +the boys in the cellar for something he hadn't done. Now, there is +not one employer in a hundred who would do that.</p> +<p>"Yes, I felt sure that he would change his mind about you, and +either send you back to school again or make some other +arrangement; so I wasn't a bit surprised when he spoke to me, last +week. Still, we shall all be sorry, Bob."</p> +<p>Another fortnight, passed without Bob hearing more; except that +he was taken by Mr. Medlin to various shops, and a large outfit was +ordered.</p> +<p>"You will bear in mind two things, Mr. Medlin," his employer had +said. "In the first place, that my nephew will grow, in the next +two years. Therefore order some of his things to fit him, now, and +some to be made larger and in more manly fashion. Give instructions +that, when these are finished, they are to be put in tin cases and +soldered down, so as to be kept distinct from the others.</p> +<p>"In the second place, you will bear in mind that clothes which +would be perfectly right and suitable for him, here, will not be at +all suitable for him, there. He will be living with an officer, and +associating entirely with military men; and there must therefore be +a certain cut and fashion about his things. Of course, I don't want +him to look like a young fop; but you understand what I want. There +will be no boys out there, it is therefore better that he should +look a little older than he is. Besides, I think that boys--and +men, too--to some extent live up to their clothes.</p> +<p>"I do not think that I have anything else to say, Mr. Medlin; +except that, as he will not be able to replace any clothes he may +destroy out there, and as he is sure to be climbing about and +destroying them, in one way or another, it is necessary that an +ample supply should be laid in."</p> +<p>Mr. Medlin had scrupulously carried out all these instructions, +and Bob was almost alarmed at the extent of the wardrobe +ordered.</p> +<p>"I know what I am doing, Mr. Robert,"--for they were in the city +when Bob made his protest--"I am quite sure that my employer will +make no objection to my ordering largely; but he would certainly be +much displeased, if I did not order what he conceived to be +sufficient."</p> +<p>At the end of the fortnight, Mr. Bale informed Bob that he had +arranged for his passage to Gibraltar in the brig Antelope.</p> +<p>"She is bound to Valencia for fruit. She is a fast sailer, and +is well armed. There will be no other passengers on board but, as I +am acquainted with the captain--who has several times brought over +cargoes for me, from Cadiz and Oporto--he has agreed to take you. I +would rather you had gone in a ship sailing with a convoy but, as +there was a very strong one went, at the time the transports +sailed, there may not be another for some time. These small vessels +do not wait for convoys, but trust to their speed.</p> +<p>"You can now discontinue your work here, as you will probably +wish to go down to Putney, to say goodbye to your friends there. +The brig will sail next Monday; but you will go down on Saturday, +by coach, to Southampton, where she now is. I shall request Mr. +Medlin to see you on board. He tells me that your outfit is +completed; and your trunks, with the exception of what will be +required upon the voyage, will be sent off by the carrier waggon, +on Wednesday.</p> +<p>"On Thursday afternoon you will leave Mr. Medlin's, and stay +here till you start."</p> +<p>The week passed quickly. Bob enjoyed his day at Putney where, +after saying goodbye to his old schoolfellows, he called upon +Admiral Langton, who was very glad to hear of the change in his +prospects.</p> +<p>"It will do you good," he said, "to go out into the world, and +see a little of life. It was a dull thing, for a lad of your age +and spirits, to be cooped up in a counting house in the city; but +now that you are going to Gibraltar, and afterwards to Cadiz and +Oporto, and will not return to settle down to business until you +are one-and-twenty or so, I think that the prospect before you is a +very pleasant one; and I am glad that your uncle has proved +altogether different to your anticipations of him.</p> +<p>"Well, you are sure to see my son at Gibraltar, sometimes. I +shall write to him, and tell him that you are there; and as your +friend Sankey is on board the Brilliant, it will be pleasant for +both of you.</p> +<p>"Only don't lead him into scrapes, Bob. Midshipmen are up to +mischief enough, on their own account."</p> +<p>"Everyone always seems to think I am getting into scrapes, +admiral. I don't think I get into more than other fellows."</p> +<p>"I rather think you do, Bob. Mr. Tulloch certainly intimated, to +me, that you had a remarkable talent that way, if in no other. +Besides, your face tells its own story. Pickle is marked upon it, +as plainly as if it were printed.</p> +<p>"Now you must have supper with us, at seven o'clock, and catch +the eight o'clock stage. You can stay until then, I hope?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir. I told Mr. Medlin that I might not come back until +the last stage."</p> +<p>At parting, the admiral placed a case in Bob's hands.</p> +<p>"There, my lad, are a brace of pistols. You won't have any use +for them for some years to come, I hope; but if you stay out in +Spain and Portugal, they may prove useful. Those fellows are very +handy with their knives; and it is always well to be armed if you +go about, at night, among them. I should advise you to practise +shooting, whenever you get an opportunity. A pistol is an excellent +weapon, if you really know how to use it; but is of no use at all, +if you don't.</p> +<p>"Another thing is, you may get involved in affairs of honour. I +consider duelling to be a foolish practice, but it is no use one +person standing up against a crowd. It is the fashion, in our days, +to fight duels and, therefore, it is almost a necessity for a +gentleman to be able to shoot straight; besides, although you might +be able to avoid fighting a duel with any of your countrymen, there +is no possibility of getting out of it, if you become involved in a +quarrel with a foreigner. In that case, an Englishman who showed +the white feather would be a disgrace to his country.</p> +<p>"Another advantage of being a good shot--I mean a really good +shot--is that, if you get forced into an affair, and are desirous +of giving a lesson, but no more, to an opponent, you have it in +your power to wing him; whereas, if you are only a tolerably good +shot, you can't pick your spot, and may--to your lasting +regret--kill him.</p> +<p>"But all this is in the future, Bob. I have fought several +duels, myself, with those very pistols, and I am happy to say I +have never killed my man; and shall be glad to believe, Bob, that +they will always be used in the same spirit."</p> +<p>Bob's last two evenings before sailing were more pleasant than +he had expected. Mr. Bale seemed to forget that he was still in +Philpot Lane, and chatted with him freely and confidentially.</p> +<p>"I hope that I am doing the best for you, Bob. I know this is an +experiment, and I can only trust that it will turn out well. I +believe you have plenty of sound sense, somewhere in your head; and +that this association with a number of young military men will not +have any bad effect upon you; but that, after four or five years +abroad, you will not be less, but rather more inclined to settle +down to business. I regard you as my son, and have indeed no +relations whom I care for in any way, except you and your sister. I +trust that, when you come back, you will apply yourself to +business; without becoming, as I have done, a slave to it.</p> +<p>"I might, if I chose, make you altogether independent of it; but +I am sure that would not be for your good. There is nothing more +unfortunate for a young man, belonging to the middle classes, than +to have no fixed occupation. The heir to large estates is in a +different position. He has all sorts of responsibilities. He has +the pursuits of a country gentleman, and the duties of a large +landowner. But the young man of our class, who does not take to +business, is almost certain to go in for reckless dissipation, or +gambling. I have seen numbers of young men, sons of old friends of +my own, who have been absolutely ruined by being left the fortunes +their fathers had made, simply because they had nothing with which +to occupy their minds.</p> +<p>"It is for this reason, Bob, that I chiefly wish you to succeed +me in my business. It is a very good one. I doubt whether any other +merchant imports such large quantities of wines as I do. During the +next few years I shall endeavour to give up, as far as I can, what +I may call private business, and deal entirely with the trade. I +have been doing so for some time, but it is very difficult to give +up customers who have dealt with me, and my father before me. +However, I shall curtail the business in that direction, as much as +I can; and you will then find it much more easily managed. Small +orders require just as much trouble in their execution as large +ones; and a wholesale business is, in all respects, more +satisfactory than one in which private customers are supplied, as +well as the trade.</p> +<p>"I am entering into arrangements, now, with several travellers, +for the purpose of extending my dealings with the trade in the +provinces; so that when it comes into your hands you will find it +more compact, and at the same time more extensive, than it is +now.</p> +<p>"I am glad that I have had you here, for the past four months. I +have had my eye upon you, more closely than you suppose; and I am +pleased to see that you have worked well and willingly--far more so +than I expected from you. This has much encouraged me in the hope +that you will, in time, settle down to business here; and not be +contented to lead a purposeless and idle life. The happiest man, in +my opinion, is he who has something to do--and yet, not too much; +who can, by being free from anxieties regarding it, view his +business as an occupation, and a pleasure; and who is its master, +and not its slave.</p> +<p>"I am thinking of giving Mr. Medlin a small interest in the +business. I mean to make a real effort to break a little loose from +it, and I have seen enough of him to know that he will make a very +valuable junior. He is a little eccentric, perhaps--a sort of +exaggeration of myself--but I shall signify to him that, when he +comes into the firm, I consider that it will be to its advantage +that he should import a little of what we may call his +'extra-official' manner into it.</p> +<p>"In our business, as I am well aware--although I do not possess +it, myself--a certain cheerfulness of disposition, and a generally +pleasing manner, are of advantage. Buyers are apt to give larger +orders than they otherwise would do, under the influence of +pleasant and genial relations; and Mr. Medlin can, if he chooses, +make up for my deficiencies in that way.</p> +<p>"But I am taking the step rather in your interest than in my +own. It will relieve you of a considerable portion of the burden of +the business, and will enable you to relax somewhat, when you are +disposed, if you have a partner in whom you can place thorough +confidence.</p> +<p>"I do not wish you to mention this matter to him. I would rather +open it to him, myself. We will go on another fishing expedition +together, and I think we can approach it, then, on a more pleasant +footing than we could here. He has modelled himself so thoroughly +upon me that the matter could only be approached in so intensely a +businesslike way, here, that I feel sure we should not arrive at +anything like such a satisfactory arrangement as we might do, +elsewhere."</p> +<p>In the course of the week, Captain Lockett of the Antelope had +called at the office, and Bob had been introduced to him by Mr. +Bale. He was a hearty and energetic looking man, of some +five-and-thirty years of age.</p> +<p>"I shall want you to go to Cadiz for me, next trip, Captain +Lockett," Mr. Bale said. "I am having an unusually large cargo +prepared for me--enough, I fancy, to fill up your brig."</p> +<p>"All the better, sir," the sailor said. "There is nothing like +having only one shipper--it saves time and trouble; but I should +advise you to insure it for its full value, for the channel swarms +with French privateers, at present; and the fellows are building +them bigger, and mounting heavier guns than they used to do.</p> +<p>"I am mounting a long eighteen as a swivel gun, this voyage, in +addition to those I carried before. But even with that, there are +some of these French craft might prove very awkward customers, if +they fell in with us. You see, their craft are crowded with men, +and generally carry at least twice as many hands as ours. It is +just the same with their fishing boats. It takes about three +Frenchmen to do the work of an Englishman."</p> +<p>"Well, don't get caught, this time, Captain Lockett. I don't +want my nephew to learn to speak French, instead of Spanish, for +there is very little trade to be done in that quarter, at present; +and what there is is all carried on by what I may call 'irregular' +channels."</p> +<p>"I fancy there is a great deal of French wine comes into this +country still, sir, in spite of the two nations being at war. It +suits both governments to wink at the trade. We want French wine, +and they want English money."</p> +<p>"That's so, Captain Lockett; but at any rate, we can't send +English buyers out there, and must take what they choose to +send."</p> +<p>On Saturday morning Bob said goodbye to his uncle, with an +amount of feeling and regret he would have considered impossible, +four months previously. Mr. Medlin accompanied him to Southampton, +and the journey was a very lively one.</p> +<p>"Goodbye, Bob," the clerk said, as they shook hands on the deck +of the Antelope. "You will be a man, when I see you again--that is, +if you don't come home, for a bit, before going to the people at +Cadiz and Oporto. You will be coming into the firm, then; and will +be Mr. Robert, always."</p> +<p>"Not if we go out fishing expeditions together," Bob said, and +laughed.</p> +<p>"Ah! Well, perhaps that will be an exception.</p> +<p>"Well, goodbye; a pleasant voyage to you, and don't get into +more scrapes than you can help."</p> +<p>"Oh, I am growing out of that, Mr. Medlin!"</p> +<p>"Not you, Bob. They may be different sorts of scrapes, in the +future; but scrapes there will be, or I am a Dutchman."</p> +<p>"Well, youngster, are you a good sailor?" the captain asked; as +the Antelope, with all sail set, ran down Southampton water.</p> +<p>"I hope I am, captain, but I don't know, yet. I have gone out +sailing in boats at Plymouth several times, in rough weather, and +have never felt a bit ill; but I don't know how it will be, in a +ship like this."</p> +<p>"If you can sail in rough water in a boat, without feeling ill, +you ought to be all right here, lad. She is an easy craft, as well +as a fast one; and makes good weather of it, in anything short of a +gale.</p> +<p>"There is eight bells striking--that means eight o'clock, and +breakfast. You had better lay in as good a store as you can. We +shall be outside the Needles, if the wind holds, by dinnertime; and +you may not feel so ready for it, then."</p> +<p>The second mate breakfasted in the cabin with the captain and +Bob, the first mate remaining on deck. The second mate was a young +man of three or four and twenty, a cousin of the captain. He was a +frank, pleasant-faced young sailor, and Bob felt that he should +like him.</p> +<p>"How many days do you expect to be in getting to Gibraltar, +captain?"</p> +<p>"About ten, if we have luck; twenty if we haven't. There is +never any saying."</p> +<p>"How many men do you carry?"</p> +<p>"Twenty-eight seamen, the cook, the steward, two mates, and +myself; and there are three boys. Thirty-six all told."</p> +<p>"I see you have eight guns, besides the pivot gun."</p> +<p>"Yes. We have plenty of hands for working them, if we only have +to fight one side at once; but we shouldn't be very strong handed, +if we had to work both broadsides. There are four sixteen pounders, +four twelves, and the pivot; so that gives three men to a gun, +besides officers and idlers. Three men is enough for the twelves, +but it makes rather slow work with the sixteens. However, we may +hope that we sha'n't have to work both broadsides at once.</p> +<p>"We carry a letter of marque so that, in case of our having the +luck to fall in with a French trader, we can bring her in. But that +is not our business. We are peaceful traders, and don't want to +show our teeth, unless we are interfered with."</p> +<p>To Bob's great satisfaction, he found that he was able to eat +his dinner with unimpaired appetite; although the Antelope was +clear of the island, and was bowing deeply to a lively sea. The +first mate--a powerful looking man of forty, who had lost one eye, +and whose face was deeply seamed by an explosion of powder in an +engagement with a French privateer--came down to the meal, while +the second mate took the duty on deck. Bob found some difficulty in +keeping his dish before him, for the Antelope was lying well over, +with a northerly wind abeam.</p> +<p>"She is travelling well, Probert," the captain said. "We have +got her in capital trim, this time. Last time we were too light, +and could not stand up to our sails.</p> +<p>"If this wind holds, we shall make a fast run of it. We will +keep her well inshore, until we get down to the Scillys; and then +stretch across the bay. The nearer we keep to the coast, the less +fear there is of our running against one of those French +privateers."</p> +<p>The wind held steady, and Bob enjoyed the voyage immensely, as +the brig sailed along the coast. After passing Portland Bill they +lost sight of land until, after eight hours' run, a bold headland +appeared on the weather beam.</p> +<p>"That is the Start," the captain said. "When I get abeam of it +we shall take our bearings, and then shape our course across the +bay. If this wind does but hold, we shall make quick work of +it."</p> +<p>Presently the tiller was put up and, as the brig's head paid +off, the yards were braced square; and she ran rapidly along +towards the southwest, with the wind nearly dead aft. The next +morning when Bob went on deck he found that the wind had dropped, +and the brig was scarcely moving through the water.</p> +<p>"This is a change, Mr. Probert," he said to the first mate, who +was in charge of the deck.</p> +<p>"Yes, and not a pleasant one," the officer replied. "I don't +like the look of the sky, either. I have just sent down to the +captain, to ask him to step on deck."</p> +<p>Bob looked round. The sky was no longer bright and clear. There +was a dull, heavy look overhead; and a smoky haze seemed to hang +over the horizon, all round. Bob thought it looked dull, but +wondered why the mate should send for the captain.</p> +<p>The latter came up on deck, in a minute or two.</p> +<p>"I don't much like the look of the sky, sir," the mate said. +"The wind has died suddenly out, this last half hour; and the swell +has got more kick in it than it had. I fancy the wind is going +round to the southwest; and that, when it does come, it will come +hard."</p> +<p>"I think you are right, Mr. Probert. I glanced at the glass, as +I came up, and it has fallen half an inch since I was up on deck in +the middle watch. I think you had better begin to take in sail, at +once. Call the watch up from below. It is not coming yet; but we +may as well strip her, at once."</p> +<p>The mate gave the order to the boatswain, whose shrill whistle +sounded out, followed by the shout of "All hands to take in +sail!"</p> +<p>The watch below tumbled up.</p> +<p>"Take the royals and topgallant sails off her, Mr. Probert. +Double reef the topsails, and get in the courses."</p> +<p>Bob watched the men as they worked aloft, and marvelled at the +seeming carelessness with which they hung on, where the slip of a +foot or hand would mean sudden death; and wondered whether he could +ever attain such steadiness of head. Three quarters of an hour's +hard work and the mast was stripped, save for the reduced +topsails.</p> +<p>"Get in two of the jibs, and brail up the spanker."</p> +<p>This was short work. When it was done the second mate, who had +been working forward, looked to the captain for further orders. The +latter had again gone below, but was now standing on the poop, +talking earnestly with the first mate.</p> +<p>"Yes, I think you are right," Bob heard the captain say. "The +glass is still falling and, very likely, it will be some time +before we want these light spars again. There is nothing like being +snug."</p> +<p>"Aloft again, lads!" the mate sung out, "and send down the yards +and topgallant masts."</p> +<p>"Now she is ready for anything," the captain said, when the men +again descended to the deck.</p> +<p>Bob, who had been so intently watching the men that he had not +looked round at the sky, since they first went aloft, now had time +to do so; and was startled with the change that had come over the +sea, and sky. There was not a breath of wind. There was a dull, +oily look on the water, as it heaved in long, regular waves, +unbroken by the slightest ripple. Black clouds had banked up from +the southwest, and extended in a heavy arch across the sky, but +little ahead of the brig. From its edge ragged, fragments seemed to +break off suddenly, and fly out ahead.</p> +<p>"It is going to blow, and no mistake," the captain said. "It is +lucky that we have had plenty of time to get her into fighting +trim.</p> +<p>"You had better get hold of something, lad, and clutch it tight. +It will begin with a heavy squall and, like enough, lay her pretty +well over on her beam ends, when it strikes her."</p> +<p>Higher and higher the threatening arch rose, till its edge stood +over the mainmast. Then the captain cried:</p> +<p>"Here it comes, lads. Hold on, every one!"</p> +<p>Looking ahead, Bob saw a white line. It approached with +wonderful rapidity, and with a confused, rushing sound. Then in a +moment he felt himself clinging, as if for life, to the stanchion +of which he had taken hold. The wind almost wrenched him from his +feet while, at the same moment, a perfect deluge of water came down +upon him.</p> +<p>He felt the brig going further and further over, till the deck +beneath his feet seemed almost perpendicular. The captain and first +mate had both grasped the spokes of the wheel, and were aiding the +helmsman in jamming it down. Bob had no longer a hold for his feet, +and was hanging by his arms. Looking down, the sea seemed almost +beneath him but, with a desperate effort, he got hold of the rail +with one hand, and then hauled himself up under it, clinging tight +to the main shrouds. Then he saw the second mate loose the jib +halliards, while one of the sailors threw off the fore-staysail +sheet, and the spanker slowly brought the brig's head up into the +wind.</p> +<p>As it did so she righted, gradually, and Bob regained his place +on deck; which was still, however, lying over at a very +considerable angle. The captain raised his hand, and pointed to the +main topsail; and the second mate at once made his way aft with +some of the men and, laying out on the weather rigging, made his +way aloft. The danger seemed, to Bob, so frightful that he dared +not look up. He could hear, through the pauses of the blast, the +mate shout to the men above him and, in a few minutes, they again +descended to the deck.</p> +<p>Even Bob could feel how much the brig was relieved, when the +pressure of the topsail was taken off. The lower planks of the deck +rose from the water and, although this still rushed in and out +through the scupper holes, and rose at times to the level of the +bulwark rail, he felt that the worst was over.</p> +<p>One of the men was called to assist at the helm, and the captain +and mate came forward to the poop rail.</p> +<p>"That was touch and go, youngster!" the former shouted to +Bob.</p> +<p>"It was," Bob said. "More go than touch, I should say; for I +thought she had gone, altogether."</p> +<p>"You had better go below, and change your things. Tell the +steward to bring me my oilskins, out of my cabin. You had better +keep below, until this rain has stopped."</p> +<p>Bob thought the advice was good; so he went down and got into +dry clothes, and then lay down on the cabin sofa, to leeward--he +could not have kept his place, on the other side. The rain was +still falling so heavily, on deck, that it sounded like a waggon +passing overhead; and mingled with this noise was the howl of the +wind, and the swashing of the water against the ship's side. +Gradually the motion of the vessel became more violent, and she +quivered from bow to stern, as the waves struck her.</p> +<p>Although it was early in the afternoon, it became almost as dark +as night in the cabin. The steward had brought him a glass of hot +grog, as soon as he had changed his clothes and, in spite of the +din, he presently fell off to sleep. When he woke the rain had +ceased; but the uproar caused by the howling of the wind, the +creaking of the spars, and the dashing of the waves was as loud as +before.</p> +<p>He soon made his way up on deck, and found that a tremendous sea +was running. The fore-topsail had been got off the ship, the +weather sheets of the jib and fore-staysail hauled across, and the +vessel was making comparatively little way through the water. She +was, in fact--although Bob did not know it--lying to, under these +sails and the spanker.</p> +<p>It all looked so terrible, to him, that he kept his place but a +few minutes; and was then glad to return to the sofa, below. In a +short time, the captain came down.</p> +<p>"How are you getting on, lad? All in the dark, eh?</p> +<p>"Steward, light the lamp, and bring me a tumbler of hot grog. +Keep the water boiling; the other officers will be down, +directly.</p> +<p>"Well, what do you think of it, young gentleman?"</p> +<p>"I don't like it, at all," Bob said. "I thought I should like to +see a storm, but I never want to see one, again."</p> +<p>"I am not surprised at that," the captain said, with a laugh. +"It is all very well to read about storms, but it is a very +different thing to be caught in one."</p> +<p>"Is there any danger, sir?"</p> +<p>"There is always more or less danger, in a storm, lad; but I +hope, and think, the worst is over. We are in for a heavy gale but, +now that the brig has got through the first burst, there is not +much fear of her weathering it. She is a capital sea boat, well +found and in good trim; and we were fortunate enough in having +sufficient warning to get her snug, before the first burst +came.</p> +<p>"That is always the most dangerous point. When a ship has way on +her, she can stand almost any gale; but when she is caught by a +heavy squall, when she is lying becalmed, you have to look out. +However, she got through that without losing anything; and she is +lying to, now, under the smallest possible canvas and, if all goes +well, there is no reason, whatever, for anxiety."</p> +<p>"What do you mean by 'if all goes well,' captain?"</p> +<p>"I mean as long as one of her masts isn't carried away, or +anything of that sort. I daresay you think it rough, now, but it is +nothing to what it will be by tomorrow morning. I should advise you +to turn in, at once. You could see nothing, if you went up; and +would run the risk of being washed overboard, or of getting a limb +broken."</p> +<p>Bob's recollections of his position, as the ship heeled over +when the storm struck her, were still far too vivid for him to have +any desire for a repetition of it; and he accordingly took the +captain's advice, and turned in at once.</p> +<p>When he got up in the morning and, with some difficulty, made +his way on deck he found that, as the captain predicted, the sea +was far heavier than the night before. Great ridges of water bore +down upon the ship, each seeming as if it would overwhelm her; and +for the first few minutes Bob expected to see the brig go, head +foremost, and sink under his feet. It was not till he reflected +that she had lived through it for hours that he began to view the +scene with composure. Although the waves were much higher than when +he had left the deck on the previous afternoon, the scene was +really less terrifying.</p> +<p>The sky was covered with masses of gray cloud, ragged and torn, +hurrying along with great velocity, apparently but a short distance +above the masthead. When the vessel rose on a wave, it seemed to +him that the clouds, in places, almost touched the water, and +mingled with the masses of spray caught up by the waves. The scud, +borne along by the wind, struck his face with a force that caused +it to smart and, for a time, he was unable to face the gale even +for a minute.</p> +<p>The decks were streaming with water. The boats had disappeared +from the davits, and a clean sweep seemed to have been made of +everything movable. Forward was a big gap in the bulwark and, as +the brig met the great waves, masses of green water poured in +through this, and swept along the deck waist deep. The brig was +under the same sail as before, except that she now showed a +closely-reefed fore-topsail.</p> +<p>When he became a little accustomed to the sea, and to the +motion, he watched his time; and then made a rush across from the +companion to the weather bulwark, and got a firm hold of one of the +shrouds. The captain and the second mate were on the poop, near the +wheel. The former made his way to him.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Master Repton! Managed to get some sleep?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I have slept all night, captain. I say, isn't this +tremendous? I did not think anything could be like this. It is +splendid, you know, but it takes one's breath away.</p> +<p>"I don't think it is blowing quite so hard, is it?"</p> +<p>"Every bit as hard, but it is more regular, and you are +accustomed to it."</p> +<p>"But I see you have got up some more sail."</p> +<p>"Yes, that's to steady her. You see, when she gets into the +trough between these great waves, the lower sails are almost +becalmed; and we are obliged to show something above them, to keep +a little way on her. We are still lying to, you see, and meet the +waves head on. If her head was to fall off a few points, and one of +these waves took her on the beam, she would go down like a +stone.</p> +<p>"Yes, the brig is doing very handsomely. She has a fine run, +more like a schooner than a brig; and she meets the waves easily, +and rises to them as lightly as a feather. She is a beauty!</p> +<p>"If you are going to stay here, lad, you had better lash +yourself; for it is not safe, standing as you are."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch5" id="Ch5">Chapter 5</a>: A French Privateer.</h2> +<p>As he became more accustomed to the scene around him, and found +that the waves were more terrible in appearance than reality, Bob +began to enjoy it, and to take in its grandeur and wildness. The +bareness of the deck had struck him, at once; and he now saw that +four of the cannon were gone--the two forward guns, on each +side--and he rightly supposed that these must have been run out, +and tumbled overboard, to lighten the ship forward, and enable her +to rise more easily to the waves.</p> +<p>An hour later, the second mate came along.</p> +<p>"You had better come down and get some breakfast," he said. "I +am going down first."</p> +<p>Bob threw off the rope, and followed the mate down into the +cabin. Mr. Probert had just turned out. He had been lying down for +two or three hours, having gone down as daylight broke.</p> +<p>"The captain says you had better take something before you go on +deck, Mr. Probert," the second mate said. "He will come down, +afterwards, and turn in for an hour or two."</p> +<p>"No change, I suppose?"</p> +<p>"No. She goes over it like a duck. The seas are more regular, +now, and she is making good weather of it."</p> +<p>Bob wondered, in his own mind, what she would do if she was +making bad weather.</p> +<p>The meal was an irregular one. The steward brought in three +large mugs, half filled with coffee; a basket of biscuits, and a +ham. From this he cut off some slices, which he laid on biscuits; +and each of them ate their breakfast, holding their mugs in one +hand, and their biscuits and ham in the other.</p> +<p>As soon as they had finished, the two officers went on deck and, +directly afterwards, the captain came down. Bob chatted with him +until he had finished his breakfast, and then went up on deck +again, for two or three hours. At the end of that time he felt so +completely exhausted, from the force of the wind and the constant +change of the angle at which he was standing, that he was glad to +go below and lie down again.</p> +<p>There was no regular dinner, the officers coming below by turns, +and taking a biscuit and a chunk of cold meat, standing. But at +teatime the captain and second mate came down together; and Bob, +who had again been up on deck for a bit, joined them in taking a +large bowl of coffee.</p> +<p>"I think the wind is blowing harder than ever," he said to the +captain.</p> +<p>"Yes, the glass has begun to rise a little, and that is +generally a sign you are getting to the worst of it. I expect it is +a three days' gale, and we shall have it at its worst, tonight. I +hope by this time, tomorrow, we shall be beginning to shake out our +reefs.</p> +<p>"You had better not go up, any more. It will be dark in half an +hour, and your bunk is the best place for you."</p> +<p>Bob was not sorry to obey the order, for he felt that the scene +would be a very terrible one, after dark. The night, however, +seemed to him to be a miserably long one; for he was only able to +doze off occasionally, the motion being so violent that he had to +jam himself in his berth, to prevent himself from being thrown out. +The blows with which the waves struck the ship were tremendous; and +so deeply did she pitch that, more than once, he thought that she +would never come up again; but go down, head foremost. Once he +thought he heard a crash, and there were orders shouted, on the +deck above him; but he resisted the desire to go up and see what it +was, for he knew that he could do nothing; and that, in the +darkness, he could see but little of what was going on.</p> +<p>With the first gleam of daylight, however, he got out of the +bunk. He had not attempted to undress, having taken off his shoes, +only, when he lay down. Having put these on again, he went up. +There was but little change since the previous morning but, looking +forward, he saw that the bowsprit was gone, and the fore-topmast +had been carried away. The sea was as high as ever, but patches of +blue sky showed overhead between the clouds, and the wind was +blowing somewhat less violently.</p> +<p>"We have been in the wars, you see, youngster," the captain +said, when Bob made his way aft; "but we may thank God it was no +worse. We have had a pretty close squeak of it, but the worst is +over, now. The wind is going down, and the gale will have blown +itself out by this evening. It was touch-and-go several times +during the night and, if she had had a few more tons of cargo in +her, she would never have risen from some of those waves; but I +think, now, we shall see Oporto safely--which was more than I +expected, about midnight."</p> +<p>For some hours Bob, himself, had considerable doubts as to this, +so deeply did the brig bury herself in the waves; but after twelve +o'clock the wind fell rapidly and, although the waves showed no +signs of decreasing in height, their surface was smoother, and they +seemed to strike the vessel with less force and violence.</p> +<p>"Now, Mr. Probert," said the captain, "do you and Joe turn in, +till first watch. I will take charge of the deck. After that, you +can set regular watches again."</p> +<p>The main-topsail was already on her and, at six o'clock, the +captain had two of its reefs shaken out; and the other reef was +also loosed, when Mr. Probert came up and took charge of the first +watch, at eight bells. That night Bob lay on the floor, for the +motion was more violent than before--the vessel rolling, gunwale +under--for the wind no longer pressed upon her sails, and kept her +steady, and he would have found it impossible to maintain his +position in his berth.</p> +<p>In the morning, he went up. The sun was rising in an unclouded +sky. There was scarce a breath of wind. The waves came along in +high, glassy rollers--smooth mounds of water which extended, right +and left, in deep valleys and high ridges. The vessel was rolling +tremendously, the lower yards sometimes touching the water. Bob had +to wait some time before he could make a rush across to the bulwark +and, when he did so, found it almost impossible to keep his feet. +He could see that the men forward were no longer crouching for +shelter under the break of the fo'castle, but were holding on by +the shrouds or stays, smoking their pipes, and laughing and joking +together. Until the motion abated somewhat, it was clearly +impossible to commence the work of getting things in order.</p> +<p>"Did the bowsprit and mast both go, together?" Bob asked Joe +Lockett, who was holding on to the bulwark, near him.</p> +<p>"Yes, the bowsprit went with the strain when she rose, having +buried herself halfway up the waist; and the topmast snapped like a +carrot, a moment later. That was the worst dive we made. There is +no doubt that getting rid of the leverage of the bowsprit, right up +in her eyes, eased her a good bit; and as the topmast was a pretty +heavy spar, too, that also helped."</p> +<p>"How long will it be before the sea goes down?"</p> +<p>"If you mean goes down enough for us to get to work--a few +hours. If you mean goes down altogether, it will be five or six +days before this swell has quite flattened down, unless a wind +springs up from some other quarter."</p> +<p>"I meant till the mast can be got up again."</p> +<p>"Well, this afternoon the captain may set the men at work; but I +don't think they would do much good, and there would be a good +chance of getting a limb broken. As long as this calm holds there +is no hurry, one way or the other."</p> +<p>"You mean, because we couldn't be sailing, even if we had +everything set?"</p> +<p>"Well, yes, that is something, but I didn't mean that. I am not +thinking so much of our sailing, as of other people's. We are not +very fit, as we are now, either for fighting or running, and I +should be sorry to see a French privateer coming along; but as long +as the calm continues, there is no fear of that; and I expect there +have been few ships out, in this gale, who have not got repairs to +do as well as we have."</p> +<p>After dinner, an effort was made to begin the work; but the +captain soon ordered the men to desist.</p> +<p>"It is of no use, Mr. Probert. We shall only be getting some of +the men killed. It wouldn't be possible to get half done before +dark and, if the sea goes down a bit, tonight, they will get as +much done in an hour's work, in the morning, as they would if they +were to work from now to sunset.</p> +<p>"The carpenter might get some canvas, and nail it so as to hide +those gaps in the bulwark. That will be something done. The boys +can give it a coat of paint, in the morning. But as for the spar, +we must leave it."</p> +<p>All hands were at work, next morning, with the first gleam of +daylight. The rollers were still almost as high as the day before; +but there was now a slight breath of wind, which sufficed to give +the vessel steerage way. She was put head to the rollers, changing +the motion from the tremendous rolling, when she was lying +broadside to them, for a regular rise and fall that interfered but +little with the work. A spare spar was fitted in the place of the +bowsprit, the stump of the topmast was sent down, and the +topgallant mast fitted in its place and, by midday, the light spars +were all in their places again, and the brig was showing a fair +spread of canvas; and a casual observer would, at a distance, have +noticed but slight change in her appearance.</p> +<p>"That has been a good morning's work," the captain said, as they +sat down to dinner. "We are a little short of head-sail, but that +will make no great difference in our rate of sailing, especially if +the wind is aft. We are ready to meet with another storm again, if +it should come--which is not likely.</p> +<p>"We are ready for anything, in fact, except a heavily-armed +privateer. The loss of four of our guns has crippled us. But there +was no choice about the matter; it went against my heart to see +them go overboard, but it was better to lose four guns than to lose +the ship.</p> +<p>"I hope we shall meet with nothing till we get through the +Straits. I may be able to pick up some guns, at Gibraltar. Prizes +are often brought in there, and condemned, and there are sales of +stores; so I hope to be able to get her into regular fighting trim, +again, before I clear out from there.</p> +<p>"I should think you won't be sorry when we drop anchor off the +Mole, youngster?"</p> +<p>"I am in no hurry, now," Bob said. "I would have given a good +deal--if I had had it--two days ago, to have been on dry land but, +now that we are all right again, I don't care how long we are, +before we get there. It is very warm and pleasant, a wonderful +change after what it was when we sailed.</p> +<p>"Whereabouts are we, captain?"</p> +<p>"We are a good bit farther to the east than I like," the captain +replied. "We have been blown a long way into the bay. There is a +great set of current, in here. We have drifted nearly fifty miles +in, since noon yesterday. We are in 4 degrees 50 minutes west +longitude, and 45 degrees latitude."</p> +<p>"I don't think that means anything to me."</p> +<p>"No, I suppose not," the captain laughed. "Well, it means we are +nearly due west of Bordeaux, and about one hundred miles from the +French coast, and a little more than eighty north of Santander, on +the Spanish coast. As the wind is sou'-sou'west we can lay our +course for Cape Ortegal and, once round there, we shall feel more +comfortable."</p> +<p>"But don't you feel comfortable at present, captain?"</p> +<p>"Well, not altogether. We are a good deal too close in to the +French coast; and we are just on the track of any privateer that +may be making for Bordeaux, from the west or south, or going out in +those directions. So, although I can't say I am absolutely +uncomfortable, I shall be certainly glad when we are back again on +the regular track of our own line of traffic for the Straits or +Portugal. There are English cruisers on that line, and privateers +on the lookout for the French, so that the sound of guns might +bring something up to our assistance; but there is not much chance +of meeting with a friendly craft, here--unless it has, like +ourselves, been blown out of its course."</p> +<p>A lookout had already been placed aloft. Several sails were seen +in the distance, in the course of the afternoon, but nothing that +excited suspicion. The wind continued light and, although the brig +had every sail set, she was not making more than five and a half +knots an hour through the water. In the evening the wind dropped +still more and, by nine o'clock, the brig had scarcely steerage +way.</p> +<p>"It is enough to put a saint out of temper," the captain said, +as he came down into the cabin, and mixed himself a glass of grog +before turning in. "If the wind had held, we should have been +pretty nearly off Finisterre, by morning. As it is, we haven't made +more than forty knots since we took the observation, at noon."</p> +<p>Bob woke once in the night; and knew, by the rippling sound of +water, and by the slight inclination of his berth, that the breeze +had sprung up again. When he woke again the sun was shining +brightly, and he got up and dressed leisurely; but as he went into +the cabin he heard some orders given, in a sharp tone, by the +captain on deck, and quickened his pace up the companion, to see +what was going on.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Mr. Lockett!" he said to the second mate, who was +standing close by, looking up at the sails.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Master Repton!" he replied, somewhat more shortly +than usual.</p> +<p>"There is a nice breeze this morning," Bob went on. "We seem +going on at a good rate."</p> +<p>"I wish she were going twice as fast," the mate said. "There is +a gentleman over there who seems anxious to have a talk with us, +and we don't want to make his acquaintance."</p> +<p>Bob looked round and saw, over the quarter, a large lugger some +three miles away.</p> +<p>"What vessel is that?" he asked.</p> +<p>"That is a French privateer--at least, there is very little +doubt about it. We must have passed each other in the dark for, +when we first made him out, he was about four miles away, sailing +northeast. He apparently sighted us, just as we made him out; and +hauled his wind, at once. He has gained about a mile on us, in the +last two hours. We have changed our course; and are sailing, as you +see, northwest, so as to bring the wind on our quarter; and I don't +think that fellow has come up much, since. Still, he does come up. +We feel the loss of our sail, now."</p> +<p>It seemed to Bob, looking up, that there was already an immense +amount of canvas on the brig. Stunsails had been set on her, and +she was running very fast through the water.</p> +<p>"We seem to have more canvas set than that vessel behind us," he +said.</p> +<p>"Yes, we have more, but those luggers sail like witches. They +are splendid boats, but they want very big crews to work them. That +is the reason why you scarcely ever see them, with us, except as +fishing craft, or something of that sort. I daresay that lugger has +a hundred men on board--eighty, anyhow--so it is no wonder we +sometimes get the worst of it. They always carry three hands to our +two and, very often, two to our one. Of course we are really a +trader, though we do carry a letter of marque. If we were a regular +privateer, we should carry twice as many hands as we do."</p> +<p>Walking to the poop rail, Bob saw that the men were bringing up +shot, and putting them in the racks by the guns. The breech covers +had been taken off. The first officer was overlooking the work.</p> +<p>"Well, lad," Captain Lockett said, coming up to him, "you see +that unlucky calm has got us into a mess, after all and, unless the +wind drops again, we are going to have to fight for it."</p> +<p>"Would the wind dropping help us, sir?"</p> +<p>"Yes, we have more canvas on her than the lugger carries and, if +the breeze were lighter, should steal away from her. As it is, she +doesn't gain much; but she does gain and, in another two or three +hours, she will be sending a messenger to ask us to stop."</p> +<p>"And what will you do, captain?"</p> +<p>"We shall send another messenger back, to tell her to mind her +own business. Then it will be a question of good shooting. If we +can knock out one of her masts, we shall get off; if we can't, the +chances are we shall see the inside of a French prison.</p> +<p>"If she once gets alongside, it is all up with us. She can carry +us, by boarding; for she can throw three times our strength of men +on to our deck."</p> +<p>There was but little talking on board the brig. When the men had +finished their preparations, they stood waiting by the bulwarks; +watching the vessel in chase of them, and occasionally speaking +together in low tones.</p> +<p>"You may as well pipe the hands to breakfast, Mr. Probert. I +have told the cook to give them an extra good meal. After that, I +will say a few words to them.</p> +<p>"Now, Master Repton, we may as well have our meal. We mayn't get +another good one, for some time; but I still hope that we shall be +able to cripple that fellow. I have great faith in that long +eighteen. The boatswain is an old man-o'-war's-man, and is a +capital shot. I am a pretty good one, myself and, as the sea is +smooth, and we have a good steady platform to fire from, I have +good hope we shall cripple that fellow before he comes up to +us."</p> +<p>There was more talking than usual, at breakfast. Captain Lockett +and the second mate both laughed, and joked, over the approaching +fight. Mr. Probert was always a man of few words, and he said but +little, now.</p> +<p>"The sooner they come up, the better," he growled. "I hate this +running away, especially when you can't run fastest."</p> +<p>"The men will all do their best, I suppose, Probert? You have +been down among them."</p> +<p>The first mate nodded.</p> +<p>"They don't want to see the inside of a prison, captain, no more +than I do. They will stick to the guns; but I fancy they know, well +enough, it will be no use if it comes to boarding."</p> +<p>"No use at all, Probert. I quite agree with you, there. If she +comes up alongside, we must haul down the flag. It is of no use +throwing away the men's lives, by fighting against such odds as +that. But we mustn't let her get up."</p> +<p>"That is it, sir. We have got to keep her off, if it can be +done. We shall have to haul our wind a little, when we begin, so as +to get that eighteen to bear on her."</p> +<p>"Yes, we must do that," the captain said. "Then we will get the +other four guns over on the same side."</p> +<p>After breakfast was over, the captain went up and took his +station at the poop rail. The men had finished their breakfast and, +on seeing that the captain was about to address them, moved +aft.</p> +<p>"My lads," he said, "that Frenchman behind will be within range, +in the course of another hour. What we have got to do is to knock +some of her spars out of her and, as she comes up slowly, we shall +have plenty of time to do it. I daresay she carries a good many +more guns than we do, but I do not suppose that they are heavier +metal. If she got alongside of us, she would be more than our +match; but I don't propose to let her get alongside and, as I don't +imagine any of you wish to see the inside of a French prison, I +know you will all do your best.</p> +<p>"Let there be no hurrying in your fire. Aim at her spars, and +don't throw a shot away. The chances are all in our favour; for we +can fight all our guns, while she can fight only her bow +chasers--at any rate, until she bears up. She doesn't gain on us +much now and, when she comes to get a few shot holes in her sails, +it will make the difference. I shall give ten guineas to be divided +among the men at the first gun that knocks away one of her spars; +and five guineas, besides, to the man who lays the gun."</p> +<p>The men gave a cheer.</p> +<p>"Get the guns all over to the port side. I shall haul her wind, +a little, as soon as we are within range."</p> +<p>By five bells, the lugger was within a mile and a half. The men +were already clustered round the pivot gun.</p> +<p>"Put her helm down, a little," the captain ordered. "That is +enough.</p> +<p>"Now, boatswain, you are well within range. Let us see what you +can do. Fire when you have got her well on your sights."</p> +<p>A few seconds later there was a flash, and a roar. All eyes were +directed on the lugger, which the captain was watching through his +glass. There was a shout from the men. The ball had passed through +the great foresail, a couple of feet from the mast.</p> +<p>"Very good," the captain said. "Give her a trifle more +elevation, next time. If you can hit the yard, it will be just as +good as hitting the mast.</p> +<p>"Ah! There she goes!"</p> +<p>Two puffs of white smoke broke out from the lugger's bow. One +shot struck the water nearly abreast of the brig, at a distance of +ten yards. The other fell short.</p> +<p>"Fourteens!" the captain said. "I thought she wouldn't have +eighteens, so far forward."</p> +<p>Shot after shot was fired but, so far, no serious damage had +been caused by them. The brig had been hulled once, and two shots +had passed through her sails.</p> +<p>The captain went, himself, to the pivot gun; and laid it +carefully. Bob stood watching the lugger intently, and gave a shout +as he saw the foresail run rapidly down.</p> +<p>"It is only the slings cut," the second mate--who was standing +by him--said. "They will have it up again, in a minute. If the shot +had been the least bit lower, it would have smashed the yard."</p> +<p>The lugger came into the wind and, as she did so, eight guns +flashed out from her side while, almost at the same moment, the +four broadside guns of the Antelope were, for the first time, +discharged. Bob felt horribly uncomfortable, for a moment, as the +shot hummed overhead; cutting one of the stunsail booms in two, and +making five fresh holes in the sails.</p> +<p>"Take the men from the small guns, Joe, and get that sail in," +the captain said. "Its loss is of no consequence."</p> +<p>In half a minute, the lugger's foresail again rose; and she +continued the chase, heading straight for the brig.</p> +<p>"He doesn't like this game of long bowls, Probert," the captain +said. "He intends to come up to board, instead of trusting to his +guns.</p> +<p>"Now, boatswain, you try again."</p> +<p>The brig was now sailing somewhat across the lugger's bows, so +that her broadside guns--trained as far as possible aft--could all +play upon her; and a steady fire was kept up, to which she only +replied by her two bow chasers. One of the men had been knocked +down, and wounded, by a splinter from the bulwark; but no serious +damage had so far been inflicted, while the sails of the lugger +were spotted with shot holes.</p> +<p>Bob wished, heartily, that he had something to do; and would +have been glad to have followed the first mate's example--that +officer having thrown off his coat, and taken the place of the +wounded man in working a gun--but he felt that he would only be in +the way, did he try to assist. Steadily the lugger came up, until +she was little more than a quarter of a mile behind them.</p> +<p>"Now, lads," the captain shouted, "double shot the guns--this is +your last chance. Lay your guns carefully, and all fire together, +when I give the word.</p> +<p>"Now, are you all ready? Fire!"</p> +<p>The five guns flashed out together, and the ten shot sped on +their way. The splinters flew from the lugger's foremast, in two +places; but a cry of disappointment rose, as it was seen that it +was practically uninjured.</p> +<p>"Look, look!" the captain shouted. "Hurrah, lads!" and a cloud +of white canvas fell over, to leeward of the lugger.</p> +<p>Her two masts were nearly in line, and the shot that had +narrowly missed the foremast, and passed through the foresail, had +struck the mainmast and brought it, and its sail, overboard. The +crew of the brig raised a general cheer. A minute before a French +prison had stared them in the face, and now they were free. The +helm was instantly put up, and the brig bore straight away from her +pursuer.</p> +<p>"What do you say, Probert? Shall we turn the tables, now, and +give her a pounding?"</p> +<p>"I should like to, sir, nothing better; but it would be +dangerous work. Directly she gets free of that hamper, she will be +under command, and will be able to bring her broadside to play on +us; and if she had luck, and knocked away one of our spars, she +would turn the tables upon us. Besides, even if we made her strike +her colours, we could never take her into port. Strong handed as +she is, we should not dare to send a prize crew on board."</p> +<p>"You are right, Probert--though it does seem a pity to let her +go scot free, when we have got her almost at our mercy."</p> +<p>"Not quite, sir. Look there."</p> +<p>The lugger had managed to bring her head sufficiently up into +the wind for her broadside guns to bear, and the shot came hurtling +overhead. The yard of the main-topsail was cut in sunder, and the +peak halliard of the spanker severed, and the peak came down with a +run. They could hear a faint cheer come across the water from the +lugger.</p> +<p>"Leave the guns, lads, and repair damages!" the captain +shouted.</p> +<p>"Throw off the throat halliards of the spanker, get her down, +and send a hand up to reef a fresh rope through the blocks, Mr. +Probert.</p> +<p>"Joe, take eight men with you, and stow away the topsail. Send +the broken yard down.</p> +<p>"Carpenter, see if you have got a light spar that will do, +instead of it. If not, get two small ones, and lash them so as to +make a splice of it."</p> +<p>In a minute the guns of the lugger spoke out again but, although +a few ropes were cut away, and some more holes made in the sails, +no serious damage was inflicted and, before they were again loaded, +the spanker was rehoisted. The lugger continued to fire, but the +brig was now leaving her fast. As soon as the sail was up, the +pivot gun was again set to work; and the lugger was hulled several +times but, seeing that her chance of disabling the brig was small, +she was again brought before the wind.</p> +<p>In half an hour a new topsail yard was ready, and that sail was +again hoisted. The Antelope had now got three miles away from the +lugger. As the sail sheeted home, the second mate shouted, from +aloft:</p> +<p>"There is a sail on the weather bow, sir! She is close hauled, +and sailing across our head."</p> +<p>"I see her," the captain replied.</p> +<p>"We ought to have noticed her before, Mr. Probert. We have all +been so busy that we haven't been keeping a lookout.</p> +<p>"What do you make her to be, Joe?" he said to the second +mate.</p> +<p>"I should say she was a French frigate, sir."</p> +<p>The captain ascended the shrouds with his glass, remained there +two or three minutes watching the ship, and then returned to the +deck.</p> +<p>"She is a frigate, certainly, Mr. Probert, and by the cut of her +sails I should say a Frenchman. We are in an awkward fix. She has +got the weather gage of us. Do you think, if we put up helm and ran +due north, we should come out ahead of her?"</p> +<p>The mate shook his head.</p> +<p>"Not if the wind freshens, sir, as I think it will. I should say +we had best haul our wind, and make for one of the Spanish ports. +We might get into Santander."</p> +<p>"Yes, that would be our best chance.</p> +<p>"All hands 'bout ship!"</p> +<p>The vessel's head was brought up into the wind, and payed off on +the other tack, heading south--the frigate being, now, on her +weather quarter. This course took the brig within a mile and a half +of the lugger, which fired a few harmless shots at her. When she +had passed beyond the range of her guns, she shaped her course +southeast by east for Santander, the frigate being now dead astern. +The men were then piped to dinner.</p> +<p>"Is she likely to catch us, sir?" Bob asked, as they sat down to +table.</p> +<p>"I hope not, lad. I don't think she will, unless the wind +freshens a good deal. If it did, she would come up hand over +hand.</p> +<p>"I take it she is twelve miles off, now. It is four bells, and +she has only got five hours' daylight, at most. However fast she +is, she ought not to gain a knot and a half an hour, in this breeze +and, if we are five or six miles ahead when it gets dark, we can +change our course. There is no moon."</p> +<p>They were not long below.</p> +<p>"The lugger is under sail again, sir," the second mate, who was +on duty, said as they gained the deck.</p> +<p>"They haven't been long getting up a jury mast," Captain Lockett +said. "That is the best of a lug rig. Still, they have a smart crew +on board."</p> +<p>He directed his glass towards the lugger, which was some five +miles away.</p> +<p>"It is a good-sized spar," he said, "nearly as lofty as the +foremast. She is carrying her mainsail with two reefs in it and, +with the wind on her quarter, is travelling pretty nearly as fast +as she did before. Still, she can't catch us, and she knows it.</p> +<p>"Do you see, Mr. Probert, she is bearing rather more to the +north. She reckons, I fancy, that after it gets dark we may try to +throw the frigate out; and may make up that way, in which case she +would have a good chance of cutting us off. That is awkward, for +the frigate will know that; and will guess that, instead of wearing +round that way, we shall be more likely to make the other."</p> +<p>"That is so," the mate agreed. "Still, we shall have the choice +of either hauling our wind and making south by west, or of running +on, and she can't tell which we shall choose."</p> +<p>"That is right enough. It is just a toss up. If we run, and she +runs, she will overtake us; if we haul up close into the wind, and +she does the same, she will overtake us, again; but if we do one +thing, and she does the other, we are safe.</p> +<p>"Then again, we may give her more westing, after it gets dark, +and bear the same course the lugger is taking. She certainly won't +gain on us, and I fancy we shall gain a bit on her. Then in the +morning, if the frigate is out of sight, we can make for Santander, +which will be pretty nearly due south of us, then; or, if the +lugger is left well astern we can make a leg north, and then get on +our old course again, for Cape Ortegal. The lugger would see it was +of no use chasing us, any further."</p> +<p>"Yes, I think that is the best plan of the three, captain.</p> +<p>"I see the frigate is coming up. I can just make out the line of +her hull. She must be a fast craft."</p> +<p>The hours passed on slowly. Fortunately the wind did not +freshen, and the vessels maintained their respective positions +towards each other. The frigate was coming up, but, when it began +to get dusk, she was still some six miles astern. The lugger was +five miles away, on the lee quarter, and three miles northeast of +the frigate. She was still pursuing a line that would take her four +miles to the north of the brig's present position. The coast of +Spain could be seen stretching along to the southward. Another hour +and it was perfectly dark and, even with the night glasses, the +frigate could no longer be made out.</p> +<p>"Starboard your helm," the captain said, to the man at the +wheel. "Lay her head due east."</p> +<p>"I fancy the wind is dying away, sir," Mr. Probert said.</p> +<p>"So long as it don't come a stark calm, I don't care," the +captain replied. "That would be the worst thing that could happen, +for we should have the frigate's boats after us; but a light breeze +would suit us, admirably."</p> +<p>Two hours later, the wind had almost died out.</p> +<p>"We will take all the sails off her, Mr. Probert. If the frigate +keeps on the course she was steering when we last saw her, she will +go two miles to the south of us; and the lugger will go more than +that to the north. If they hold on all night, they will be hull +down before morning; and we shall be to windward of them and, with +the wind light, the frigate would never catch us; and we know the +lugger wouldn't, with her reduced sails."</p> +<p>In a few minutes all the sails were lowered, and the brig lay +motionless. For the next two hours the closest watch was kept, but +nothing was seen of the pursuing vessels.</p> +<p>"I fancy the frigate must have altered her course more to the +south," the captain said, "thinking that, as the lugger was up +north, we should be likely to haul our wind in that direction. We +will wait another hour, and then get up sail again, and lay her +head for Cape Ortegal."</p> +<p>When the morning broke, the brig was steering west. No sign of +the lugger was visible but, from the tops, the upper sails of the +frigate could be seen, close under the land, away to the +southeast.</p> +<p>"Just as I thought," the captain said, rubbing his hands in high +glee. "She hauled her wind, as soon as it was dark, and stood in +for the coast, thinking we should do the same.</p> +<p>"We are well out of that scrape."</p> +<p>Two days later the brig dropped her anchor in the Tagus, where +three English ships of war were lying. A part of the cargo had to +be discharged, here; and the captain at once went ashore, to get a +spar to replace the topmast carried away in the gale.</p> +<p>"We may fall in with another Frenchman, before we are through +the Straits," he said, "and I am not going to put to sea again like +a lame duck."</p> +<p>Bob went ashore with the captain, and was greatly amused at the +scenes in the streets of Lisbon.</p> +<p>"You had better keep with me, as I shall be going on board, in +an hour. Tomorrow you can come ashore and see the sights, and spend +the day. I would let Joe come with you, but he will be too busy to +be spared, so you will have to shift for yourself."</p> +<p>Before landing in the morning, the captain advised him not to go +outside the town.</p> +<p>"You don't know the lingo, lad, and might get into trouble. You +see, there are always sailors going ashore from our ships of war, +and they get drunk and have sprees; and I don't fancy they are +favourites with the lower class, here, although the shopkeepers, of +course, are glad enough to have their money--but I don't think it +would be safe for a lad like you, who can't speak a word of the +language, to wander about outside the regular streets. There will +be plenty for you to see, without going further."</p> +<p>As Bob was a good deal impressed with the narrow escape he had +had from capture, he was by no means inclined to run any risk of +getting into a scrape, and perhaps missing his passage out. He +therefore strictly obeyed the captain's instructions; and +when--just as he was going down to the landing stage, where the +boat was to come ashore for him--he came upon a party of half +drunken sailors, engaged in a vigorous fight with a number of +Portuguese civil guards, he turned down a side street to avoid +getting mixed up in the fray--repressing his strong impulse to join +in by the side of his countrymen.</p> +<p>On his mentioning this to the captain, when he reached the brig, +the latter said:</p> +<p>"It is lucky that you kept clear of the row. It is all nonsense, +talking about countrymen. It wasn't an affair of nationality, at +all. Nobody would think of interfering, if he saw a party of +drunken sailors in an English port fighting with the constables. If +he did interfere, it ought to be on the side of the law. Why, then, +should anyone take the part of drunken sailors, in a foreign port, +against the guardians of the peace? To do so is an act of the +grossest folly.</p> +<p>"In the first place, the chances are in favour of getting your +head laid open with a sword cut. These fellows know they don't +stand a chance against Englishmen's fists, and they very soon whip +out their swords. In the second place, you would have to pass the +night in a crowded lockup, where you would be half smothered before +morning. And lastly, if you were lucky enough not to get a week's +confinement in jail, you would have a smart fine to pay.</p> +<p>"There is plenty of fighting to be done, in days like these; but +people should see that they fight on the right side, and not be +taking the part of every drunken scamp who gets into trouble, +simply because he happens to be an Englishman.</p> +<p>"You showed plenty of pluck, lad, when the balls were flying +about the other day; and when I see your uncle, I am sure he will +be pleased when I tell him how well you behaved, under fire; but I +am equally certain he would not have been, by any means, gratified +at hearing that I had had to leave you behind at Lisbon, either +with a broken head or in prison, through getting into a street row, +in which you had no possible concern, between drunken sailors and +the Portuguese civil guards."</p> +<p>Bob saw that the captain was perfectly right, and said so, +frankly.</p> +<p>"I see I should have been a fool, indeed, if I had got into the +row, captain; and I shall remember what you say, in future. Still, +you know, I didn't get into it."</p> +<p>"No, I give you credit for that, lad; but you acknowledge your +strong impulse to do so. Now, in future you had better have an +impulse just the other way and, when you find yourself in the midst +of a row in which you have no personal concern, let your first +thought be how to get out of it, as quickly as you can. I got into +more than one scrape, myself, when I was a young fellow, from the +conduct of messmates who had got too much liquor in them; but it +did them no good, and did me harm.</p> +<p>"So, take my advice: fight your own battles, but never interfere +to fight other people's, unless you are absolutely convinced that +they are in the right. If you are, stick by them as long as you +have a leg to stand upon."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch6" id="Ch6">Chapter 6</a>: The Rock Fortress.</h2> +<p>On the third day after her arrival at Lisbon, the Antelope's +anchor was hove up, and she dropped down the river. Half an hour +later, a barque and another brig came out and joined her; the three +captains having agreed, the day before, that they would sail in +company, as they were all bound through the Straits. Captain +Lockett had purchased two 14-pounder guns, at Lisbon; and the brig, +therefore, now carried three guns on each side, besides her long 18 +pounder. The barque carried fourteen guns, and the other brig ten; +so that they felt confident of being able to beat off any French +privateer they might meet, on the way.</p> +<p>One or two suspicious sails were sighted, as they ran down the +coast; but none of these approached within gunshot, the three craft +being, evidently, too strong to be meddled with. Rounding Cape St. +Vincent at a short distance, they steered for the mouth of the +Straits. After the bold cliffs of Portugal, Bob was disappointed +with the aspect of the Spanish coast.</p> +<p>"Ah! It is all very well," the first mate replied, when he +expressed his opinion. "Give me your low, sandy shores, and let +those who like have what you call the fine, bold rocks.</p> +<p>"Mind, I don't mean coasts with sandbanks lying off them; but a +coast with a shelving beach, and pretty deep water, right up to it. +If you get cast on a coast like that of Portugal, it is certain +death. Your ship will get smashed up like an eggshell, against +those rocks you are talking of, and not a soul gets a chance of +escape; while if you are blown on a flat coast, you may get carried +within a ship's length of the beach before you strike, and it is +hard if you can't get a line on shore; besides, it is ten to one +the ship won't break up, for hours.</p> +<p>"No, you may get a landsman to admire your bold cliffs, but you +won't get a sailor to agree with him."</p> +<p>"We seem to be going along fast, although there is not much +wind."</p> +<p>"Yes, there is a strong current. You see, the rivers that fall +into the Mediterranean ain't sufficient to make up for the loss by +evaporation, and so there is always a current running in here. It +is well enough for us, going east; but it is not so pleasant, when +you want to come out. Then you have got to wait till you can get a +breeze, from somewhere about east, to carry you out. I have been +kept waiting, sometimes, for weeks; and it is no unusual thing to +see two or three hundred ships anchored, waiting for the wind to +change."</p> +<p>"Are there any pirates over on that side?" Bob asked, looking +across at the African coast.</p> +<p>"Not about here. Ceuta lies over there. They are good friends +with us, and Gibraltar gets most of its supplies from there. But +once through the Straits we give that coast a wide berth; for the +Algerine pirates are nearly as bad as ever, and would snap up any +ship becalmed on their coast, or that had the bad luck to be blown +ashore. I hope, some day, we shall send a fleet down, and blow the +place about their ears. It makes one's blood boil, to think that +there are hundreds and hundreds of Englishmen working, as slaves, +among the Moors.</p> +<p>"There, do you see that projecting point with a fort on it, and +a town lying behind? That is Tarifa. That used to be a great place, +in the time when the Moors were masters in Spain."</p> +<p>"Yes," the captain, who had just joined them, said. "Tarif was a +great Moorish commander, I have heard, and the place is named after +him. Gibraltar is also named after a Moorish chief, called Tarik +ibn Zeyad."</p> +<p>Bob looked surprised.</p> +<p>"I don't see that it is much like his name, captain."</p> +<p>"No, Master Repton, it doesn't sound much like it, now. The old +name of the place was Gebel Tarik, which means Tank's Hill; and it +is easy to see how Gebel Tarik got gradually changed into +Gibraltar."</p> +<p>In another two hours the Straits were passed, and the Rock of +Gibraltar appeared, rising across a bay to the left.</p> +<a id="PicB" name="PicB"></a><center><img src="images/b.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: View of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean." +/><h4>View of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean.</h4></center> +<p>"There is your destination, lad," the captain said. "It is a +strong-looking place, isn't it?"</p> +<p>"It is, indeed, Captain," Bob said, taking the captain's glass +from the top of the skylight, and examining the Rock.</p> +<p>"You see," the captain went on, "the Rock is divided from the +mainland by that low spit of sand. It is only a few hundred yards +wide, and the sea goes round at the back of the Rock, and along the +other side of that spit--though you can't see it from here--so +anything coming to attack it must advance along the spit, under the +fire of the guns.</p> +<p>"There, do you see that building, standing up on the hill above +the town? That is the old Moorish castle, and there are plenty of +modern batteries scattered about near it, though you can't see +them. You see, the Rock rises sheer up from the spit; and it is +only on this side, close to the water's edge, that the place can be +entered.</p> +<p>"The weak side of the place is along this sea face. On the other +side, the Rock rises right out of the water; but on this side, as +you see, it slopes gradually down. There are batteries, all along +by the water's edge; but if the place were attacked by a fleet +strong enough to knock those batteries to pieces, and silence their +guns, a landing could be effected.</p> +<p>"At the southern end you see the rocks are bolder, and there is +no landing there. That is called Europa Point, and there is a +battery there, though you can't make it out, from here."</p> +<p>The scene was a very pretty one, and Bob watched it with the +greatest interest. A frigate, and two men-of-war brigs, were +anchored at some little distance from the Rock; and around them +were some thirty or forty merchantmen, waiting for a change in the +wind to enable them to sail out through the Straits. White-sailed +boats were gliding about among them.</p> +<p>At the head of the bay were villages nestled among trees, while +the country behind was broken and hilly. On the opposite side of +the bay was a town of considerable size, which the captain told him +was Algeciras. It was, he said, a large town at the time of the +Moors, very much larger and more important than Gibraltar. The +ground rose gradually behind it, and was completely covered with +foliage, orchards, and orange groves.</p> +<p>The captain said:</p> +<p>"You see that rock rising at the end of the bay from among the +trees, lads. That is called 'the Queen of Spain's Chair.' It is +said that, at a certain siege when the Moors were here, the then +Queen of Spain took her seat on that rock, and declared she would +never go away till Gibraltar was taken. She also took an oath never +to change her linen, until it surrendered. I don't know how she +managed about it, at last, for the place never did surrender. I +suppose she got a dispensation, and was able to get into clean +clothes again, some day.</p> +<p>"I have heard tell that the Spaniards have a colour that is +called by her name--a sort of dirty yellow. It came out at that +time. Of course, it would not have been etiquette for other ladies +to wear white, when her majesty was obliged to wear dingy garments; +so they all took to having their things dyed, so as to match hers; +and the tint has borne her name, ever since."</p> +<p>"It is a very nasty idea," Bob said; "and I should think she +took pretty good care, afterwards, not to take any oaths. It is hot +enough, now; and I should think, in summer, it must be baking +here."</p> +<p>"It is pretty hot, on the Rock, in summer. You know, they call +the natives of the place Rock scorpions. Scorpions are supposed to +like heat, though I don't know whether they do. You generally find +them lying under pieces of loose rock; but whether they do it for +heat, or to keep themselves cool, I can't say.</p> +<p>"Now, Mr. Probert, you may as well take some of the sail off +her. We will anchor inside those craft, close to the New Mole. They +may want to get her alongside, to unload the government stores we +have brought out; and the nearer we are in, the less trouble it +will be to warp her alongside, tomorrow morning. Of course, if the +landing place is full, they will send lighters out to us."</p> +<a id="PicC" name="PicC"></a><center><img src="images/c.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: View of Gibraltar from the Bay." +/><h4>View of Gibraltar from the Bay.</h4></center> +<p>The sails were gradually got off the brig, and she had but +little way on when her anchor was dropped, a cable's length from +the end of the Mole. Scarcely had she brought up when a boat shot +out from the end of the pier.</p> +<p>"Hooray!" Bob shouted. "There are my sister, and Gerald."</p> +<p>"I thought as much," the captain said. "We hoisted our number, +as soon as we came round the point; and the signal station, on the +top of the Rock, would send down the news directly they made out +our colours."</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, it gave me quite a turn," his sister said, after the +first greetings were over, "when we saw how the sails were all +patched, and everyone said that the ship must have been in action. +I was very anxious, till I saw your head above the bulwarks."</p> +<p>"Yes, we have been in a storm, and a fight, and we came pretty +near being taken. Did you get out all right?"</p> +<p>"Yes, we had a very quiet voyage."</p> +<p>The captain then came up, and was introduced.</p> +<p>"I have a box or two for you, madam, in addition to your +brother's kit. Mr. Bale sent them down, a couple of days before we +sailed.</p> +<p>"At one time, it didn't seem likely that you would ever see +their contents, for we had a very close shave of it. In the first +place, we had about as bad a gale as I have met with, in crossing +the bay; and were blown into the bight, with the loss of our +bowsprit, fore-topmast and four of our guns, that we had to throw +overboard to lighten her.</p> +<p>"Then a French lugger, that would have been a good deal more +than a match for her, at any time, came up. We might have out +sailed her, if we could have carried all our canvas; but with only +a jury topmast, she was too fast for us. As you may see by our +sails, we had a smart fight but, by the greatest good fortune, we +knocked the mainmast out of her.</p> +<p>"Then we were chased by a French frigate, with the lugger to +help her. However, we gave them the slip in the night, and here we +are.</p> +<p>"I am afraid you won't get your brother's boxes, till tomorrow. +Nothing can go ashore till the port officer has been on board, and +the usual formalities gone through. I don't know, yet, whether we +shall discharge into lighters, or go alongside; but I will have +your boxes all put together, in readiness for you, the first thing +in the morning, whichever way it is."</p> +<p>"We shall be very glad if you will dine with us, tomorrow," +Captain O'Halloran said. "We dine at one o'clock or, if that would +be inconvenient for you, come to supper at seven."</p> +<p>"I would rather do that, if you will let me," Captain Lockett +replied. "I shall be pretty busy tomorrow, and you military +gentlemen do give us such a lot of trouble--in the way of papers, +documents, and signatures--that I never like leaving the ship, till +I get rid of the last bale and box with the government brand on +it."</p> +<p>"Very well, then; we shall expect you to supper."</p> +<p>"I shall come down first thing in the morning, captain," Bob +said, "so I need not say goodbye to anyone, now."</p> +<p>"You had better bring only what you may want with you for the +night, Bob," his sister put in, as he was about to run below. "The +cart will take everything else up, together, in the morning."</p> +<p>"Then I shall be ready in a minute," Bob said, running below; +and it was not much more before he reappeared, with a small +handbag.</p> +<p>"I shall see you again tomorrow, Mr. Probert. I shall be here +about our luggage;" and he took his place in the boat beside the +others, who had already descended the ladder.</p> +<p>"And you have had a pleasant voyage, Bob?" Captain O'Halloran +asked.</p> +<p>"Very jolly, Gerald; first rate. Captain Lockett was as kind as +could be; and the first mate was very good, too, though I did not +think he would be, when I first saw him; and Joe Lockett, the +second mate, is a capital fellow."</p> +<p>"But how was it that you did not take that French privateer, +Bob? With a fellow like you on board--the capturer of a gang of +burglars, and all that sort of thing--I should have thought that, +instead of running away, you would have gone straight at her; that +you would have thrown yourself on her deck at the head of the +boarders, would have beaten the Frenchmen below, killed their +captain in single combat, and hauled down their flag."</p> +<p>"There is no saying what I might have done," Bob laughed, "if it +had come to boarding; but as it was, I did not feel the least wish +for a closer acquaintance with the privateer. It was too close to +be pleasant, as it was--a good deal too close. It is a pity you +were not there, to have set me an example."</p> +<p>"I am going to do that now, Bob, and I hope you will profit by +it.</p> +<p>"Now then, you jump out first, and give Carrie your hand. That +is it."</p> +<p>And, having settled with the boatman, Captain O'Halloran +followed the others' steps. It was a busy scene. Three ships were +discharging their cargoes, and the wharf was covered with boxes and +bales, piles of shot and shell, guns, and cases of ammunition. +Fatigue parties of artillery and infantry men were piling the +goods, or stowing them in handcarts. Goods were being slung down +from the ships, and were swinging in the air, or run down to the +cry of "Look below!"</p> +<p>"Mind how you go, Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said, "or you will +be getting what brains you have knocked out."</p> +<p>"If that is all the danger, Gerald," she laughed, "you are safe, +anyhow.</p> +<p>"Now, Bob, do look out!" she broke off as, while glancing round, +he tripped over a hawser and fell. "Are you hurt?"</p> +<p>"Never mind him, Carrie--look out for yourself. A boy never gets +hurt.</p> +<p>"Now, keep your eyes about you, Bob. You can come and look at +all this, any day."</p> +<p>At last they got to the end of the Mole. Then they passed under +an archway, with a massive gate, at which stood a sentry; then they +found themselves in a sort of yard, surrounded by a high wall, on +the top of which two cannon were pointed down upon them. Crossing +the yard, they passed through another gateway. The ground here rose +sharply, and a hundred yards further back stood another battery; +completely commanding the Mole, and the defences through which they +had passed.</p> +<p>The ground here was comparatively level, rising gradually to the +foot of the rock, which then rose steeply up. A few houses were +scattered about, surrounded by gardens. Hedges of cactus lined the +road. Parties of soldiers and sailors, natives with carts, and +women in picturesque costumes passed along. The vegetation on the +low ground was abundant, and Bob looked with delight at the +semi-tropical foliage.</p> +<p>Turning to the right they followed the road, passed under an +archway in a strong wall, and were in the town, itself.</p> +<p>"We are not living in barracks," Carrie said. "Fortunately there +was no room there, and we draw lodging allowance, and have taken +the upper portion of a Spanish house. It is much more pleasant. +Besides, if we had had to live in quarters, we should have had no +room for you."</p> +<p>"The streets are steep," Bob said. "I can't make out how these +little donkeys keep their feet on the slippery stones, with those +heavy loads.</p> +<p>"Oh! I say, there are two rum-looking chaps. What are +they--Moors?"</p> +<p>"Yes. You will see lots of them here, Bob. They come across from +Ceuta, and there are some of them established here, as traders. +What with the Moors, and Spaniards, and Jews, and the sailors from +the shipping, you can hear pretty nearly every European language +spoken, in one walk through the streets."</p> +<p>"Oh, I say, isn't this hot?" Bob exclaimed, mopping his face; +"and isn't there a glare from all these white walls, and houses! +How much higher is it?"</p> +<p>"About another hundred yards, Bob. There, you see, we are +getting beyond the streets now."</p> +<p>They had now reached a flat shoulder; and on this the houses +were somewhat scattered, standing in little inclosures, with hedges +of cactus and geranium, and embowered in shrubs and flowers.</p> +<p>"This is our house," Carrie said, stopping before a rickety +wooden gateway, hung upon two massive posts of masonry. "You see, +we have got a flight of steps outside, and we are quite cut off +from the people below."</p> +<p>They ascended the stairs. At the top there was a sort of wide +porch, with a wooden roof; which was completely covered with +creepers, growing from two wooden tubs. Four or five plants, +covered with blossoms, stood on the low walls; and two or three +chairs showed that the little terrace was used as an open-air +sitting room.</p> +<p>"In another hour, when the sun gets lower, Bob, we can come and +sit here. It is a lovely view, isn't it?"</p> +<p>"Beautiful!" Bob said, leaning on the wall.</p> +<p>Below them lay the sea front, with its gardens and bright +foliage and pretty houses, with Europa Point and the sea stretching +away beyond it. A little to the right were the African hills; and +then, turning slightly round, the Spanish coast, with Algeciras +nestled in foliage, and the bay with all its shipping. The head of +the bay was hidden, for the ground behind was higher than that on +which the house stood.</p> +<p>"Come in, Bob," Captain O'Halloran said. "You had better get out +of the sun. Of course, it is nothing to what it will be; but it is +hot now, and we are none of us acclimatized, yet."</p> +<p>The rooms were of a fair size, but the light-coloured walls gave +them a bare appearance, to Bob's eyes. They were, however, +comfortably furnished, matting being laid down instead of +carpets.</p> +<p>"It is cooler, and cheaper," Carrie said, seeing Bob looking at +them.</p> +<p>"This is your room, and this is the kitchen," and she opened the +door into what seemed to Bob a tiny place, indeed.</p> +<p>Across one end was a mass of brickwork, rather higher than an +ordinary table. Several holes, a few inches deep, were scattered +about over this. In some of these small charcoal fires were +burning, and pots were placed over them. There were small openings +from the front, leading to these tiny fireplaces; and a Spanish +girl was driving the air into one of these, with a fan, when they +entered.</p> +<p>"This is my brother, Manola," Mrs. O'Halloran said.</p> +<p>The girl smiled and nodded, and then continued her work.</p> +<p>"She speaks English?" Bob said, as they went out.</p> +<p>"She belongs to the Rock, Bob. Almost all the natives here talk +a little English."</p> +<p>"Where do these steps lead to? I thought we were at the top of +the house."</p> +<p>"Come up and see," Carrie said, leading the way.</p> +<p>Following her, Bob found himself on a flat terrace, extending +over the whole of the house. Several orange trees--in tubs--and +many flowers, and small shrubs in pots stood upon it; and three or +four light cane-work lounging chairs stood apart.</p> +<p>"Here is where we come when the sun is down, Bob. There is no +finer view, we flatter ourselves, anywhere in Gib. Here we receive +our guests, in the evening. We have only begun yet, but we mean to +make a perfect garden of it."</p> +<p>"It is splendid!" Bob said, as he walked round by the low +parapet, and gazed at the view in all directions; "and we can see +what everyone else is doing on their roofs, and no one can look +down on us--except from the rock over there, behind us, and there +are no houses there."</p> +<p>"No, the batteries commanding the neutral ground lie over that +crest, Bob. We are quite shut in, on two sides; but we make up for +it by the extent of our view, on the others. We are very lucky in +getting the place. A regiment went home in the transport that +brought us out. Gerald knew some of the officers, and one of them +had been staying here, and told Gerald of it; and we took it at +once. The other officers' wives are all quite jealous of me and, +though some of them have very nice quarters, it is admitted that, +as far as the view goes, this is by far the best. Besides, it is a +great thing being out of the town, and it does not take Gerald more +than three or four minutes longer to get down to the barracks.</p> +<p>"But now, let us go downstairs. I am sure you must want +something to eat, and we sha'n't have supper for another three +hours."</p> +<p>"I dined at twelve," Bob said, "just before we rounded the +point, and I could certainly hold on until supper time Still, I +daresay I could eat something, now."</p> +<p>"Oh, it is only a snack! It is some stewed chicken and some +fruit. That won't spoil your supper, Bob?"</p> +<p>"You will be glad to hear, Bob," Captain O'Halloran said, as the +lad was eating his meal, "that I have secured the services of a +Spanish professor for you. He is to begin next Monday."</p> +<p>Bob's face fell.</p> +<p>"I don't see that there was need for such a hurry," he said, +ruefully, laying down his knife and fork. "I don't see there was +need for any hurry, at all. Besides, of course, I want to see the +place."</p> +<p>"You will be able to see a good deal of it, in four days, Bob; +and your time won't be entirely occupied, when you do begin. The +days are pretty long here, everyone gets up early.</p> +<p>"He is to come at seven o'clock in the morning. You have a cup +of coffee, and some bread and butter and fruit, before that. He +will go at nine, then we have breakfast. Then you will have your +time to yourself, till dinner at half past two. The assistant +surgeon of our regiment--he is a Dublin man--will come to you for +Latin, and what I may call general knowledge, for two hours. That +is all; except, I suppose, that you will work a bit by yourself, of +an evening.</p> +<p>"That is not so bad, is it?"</p> +<p>"What sort of man is the assistant surgeon?" Bob replied, +cautiously. "It all depends how much he is going to give me to do, +in the evening."</p> +<p>"I don't think he will give you anything to do, in the evening, +Bob. Of course, the Spanish is the principal thing, and I told him +that you will have to work at that."</p> +<p>"I don't think you need be afraid, Bob," his sister laughed. +"You won't find Dr. Burke a very severe kind of instructor. Nobody +but Gerald would ever have thought of choosing him."</p> +<p>"Sure, and didn't you agree with me, Carrie," her husband said, +in an aggrieved voice, "that as we were not going to make the boy a +parson, and as it was too much to expect him to learn Spanish, and +a score of other things, at once; that we ought to get someone who +would make his lessons pleasant for him, and not be worrying his +soul out of his body with all sorts of useless balderdash?"</p> +<p>"Yes, we agreed that, Gerald; but there was a limit, and when +you told me you had spoken to Teddy Burke about it, and arranged +the matter with him, I thought you had gone beyond that limit, +altogether."</p> +<p>"He is just the man for Bob, Carrie. That boy will find it +mighty dull here, after a bit, and will want someone to cheer him +up. I promised the old gentleman I would find him someone who could +push Bob on in his humanities; and Teddy Burke has taken his degree +at Dublin, and I will venture to say will get him on faster than a +stiff starched man will do. Bob would always be playing tricks, +with a fellow like that, and be getting into rows with him. There +will be no playing tricks with Teddy Burke, for he is up to the +whole thing, himself."</p> +<p>"I should think he is, Gerald. Well, we will see how it works, +anyhow.</p> +<p>"Go on with your fowl, Bob. You will see all about it, in good +time."</p> +<p>Bob felt satisfied that the teacher his brother-in-law had +chosen for him was not a very formidable personage; and his +curiosity as to what he would be like was satisfied, that evening. +After he had finished his meal, he went for a stroll with Captain +O'Halloran through the town, and round the batteries at that end of +the Rock, returning to supper. After the meal was over, they went +up to the terrace above. There was not a breath of wind, and a lamp +on a table there burned without a flicker.</p> +<p>They had scarcely taken their seats when Manola announced Dr. +Burke, and a minute later an officer in uniform made his appearance +on the terrace. He wore a pair of blue spectacles, and advanced in +a stiff and formal manner.</p> +<p>"I wish you a good evening, Mrs. O'Halloran. So this is our +young friend!</p> +<p>"You are well, I hope, Master Repton; and are none the worse for +the inconveniences I hear you have suffered on your voyage?"</p> +<p>Carrie, to Bob's surprise, burst into a fit of laughter.</p> +<p>"What is the matter, Mrs. O'Halloran?" Dr. Burke asked, looking +at her with an air of mild amazement.</p> +<p>"I am laughing at you, Teddy Burke. How can you be so +ridiculous?"</p> +<p>The doctor removed his spectacles.</p> +<p>"Now, Mrs. O'Halloran," he said, with a strong brogue. "Do you +call that acting fairly by me? Didn't you talk to me yourself, half +an hour yesterday, and impress upon me that I ought to be grave and +steady, now that I was going to enter upon the duties of a +pedagogue; and ain't I trying my best to act up to your +instructions, and there you burst out laughing in my face, and +spoil it all, entirely?</p> +<p>"Gerald said to me, 'Now mind, Teddy, it is a responsible +affair. The boy is up to all sorts of divarsions, and divil a bit +will he attend to ye, if he finds that you are as bad, if not +worse, than he is himself.'</p> +<p>"'But,' said I, 'it's Latin and such like that you are wanting +me to teach him; and not manners at all, at all.'</p> +<p>"And he says, 'It is all one. It is quiet and well behaved that +you have got to be, Teddy. The missis has been houlding out about +the iniquity of taking a spalpeen, like yourself; and it is for you +to show her that she is mistaken, altogether.'</p> +<p>"So I said, 'You trust me, Gerald, I will be as grave as a +doctor of divinity.'</p> +<p>"So I got out these glasses--which I bought because they told me +that they would be wanted here, to keep out the glare of the +sun--and I came here, and spoke as proper as might be; and then, +Mrs. O'Halloran, you burst out laughing in my face, and destroy the +whole effect of these spectacles, and all.</p> +<p>"Well, we must make the best of a bad business; and we will try, +for a bit, anyhow. If he won't mind me, Gerald must go to the +chaplain, as he intended to; and I pity the boy, then. I would +rather be had up before the colonel, any day, than have any matter +in dispute with him."</p> +<p>"You are too bad, Teddy Burke," Mrs. O'Halloran said, still +laughing. "It was all very well for you to try and look sensible, +but to put on that face was too absurd. You know you could not have +kept it up for five minutes.</p> +<p>"No, I don't think it will do," and she looked serious now. "I +always thought that it was out of the question, but this bad +beginning settles it."</p> +<p>But Bob, who had been immensely amused, now broke in.</p> +<p>"Why not, Carrie? I am sure I should work better, for Dr. Burke, +than I should for anyone who was very strict and stiff. One is +always wanting to do something, with a man like that: to play +tricks with his wig or pigtail, or something of that sort. You +might let us try, anyhow; and if Dr. Burke finds that I am not +attentive, and don't mind him, then you can put me with somebody +else."</p> +<p>"Sure, we shall get on first rate, Mrs. O'Halloran. Gerald says +the boy is a sensible boy, and that he has been working very well +under an old uncle of yours. He knows for himself that it's no use +his having a master, if he isn't going to try his best to get on. +When I was at school, I used to get larrupped every day; and used +to think, to myself, what a grand thing it would be to have a +master just like what Dr. Burke, M.D., Dublin, is now; and I expect +it is just about the same, with him. We sha'n't work any the worse +because, maybe, we will joke over it, sometimes."</p> +<p>"Very well, then, we will try, Teddy; though I know the whole +regiment will think Gerald and I have gone mad, when they hear +about it. But I shall keep my eye upon you both."</p> +<p>"The more you keep your eye upon me, the better I shall be +plazed, Mrs. O'Halloran; saving your husband's presence," the +doctor said, insinuatingly.</p> +<p>"Do sit down and be reasonable, Teddy. There are cigars in that +box on the table."</p> +<p>"The tobacco here almost reconciles one to living outside +Ireland," Dr. Burke said, as he lit a cigar, and seated himself in +one of the comfortable chairs. "Just about a quarter the price they +are at home, and brandy at one shilling per bottle. It is lucky for +the country that we don't get them at that price, in Ireland; for +it is mighty few boys they would get to enlist, if they could get +tobacco and spirits at such prices, at home."</p> +<p>"I have been telling Gerald that it will be much better for him +to drink claret, out here," Mrs. O'Halloran said.</p> +<p>"And you are not far wrong," the doctor agreed; "but the native +wines here are good enough for me, and you can get them at sixpence +a quart. I was telling them, at mess yesterday, that we must not +write home and tell them about it; or faith, there would be such an +emigration that the Rock wouldn't hold the people--not if you were +to build houses all over it. Sixpence a quart, and good sound +tipple!</p> +<p>"Sure, and it was a mighty mistake of Providence that Ireland +was not dropped down into the sea, off the coast of Spain. What a +country it would have been!"</p> +<p>"I don't know, Teddy," Captain O'Halloran said. "As the people +don't kill themselves with overwork, now, I doubt if they would +ever work at all, if they had the excuse of a hot climate for doing +nothing."</p> +<p>"There would not have been so much need, Gerald. They needn't +have bothered about the thatch, when it only rains once in six +months, or so; while as for clothes, it is little enough they would +have needed. And the bogs would all have dried up, and they would +have had crops without more trouble than just scratching the +ground, and sowing in the seed; and they would have grown oranges, +instead of praties. Oh, it would have been a great country, +entirely!"</p> +<p>The doctor's three listeners all went off into a burst of +laughter, at the seriousness with which he spoke.</p> +<p>"But you would have had trouble with your pigs," Mrs. O'Halloran +said. "The Spanish pigs are wild, fierce-looking beasts, and would +never be content to share the cottages."</p> +<p>"Ah! But we would have had Irish pigs just the same as now. +Well, what do you think--" and he broke off suddenly, sitting +upright, and dropping the brogue altogether--"they were saying, at +mess, that the natives declare there are lots of Spanish troops +moving down in this direction; and that a number of ships are +expected, with stores, at Algeciras."</p> +<p>"Well, what of that?" Mrs. O'Halloran asked. "We are at peace +with Spain. What does it matter where they move their troops, or +land stores?"</p> +<p>"That is just the thing. We are at peace with them, sure enough; +but that is no reason why we should be always at peace. You know +how they hate seeing our flag flying over the Rock; and they may +think that, now we have got our hands full with France, and the +American colonists, it will be the right time for them to join in +the scrimmage, and see if they can't get the Rock back again."</p> +<p>"But they would never go to war, without any ground of +complaint!"</p> +<p>"I don't know, Mrs. O'Halloran. When one wants to pick a quarrel +with a man, it is always a mighty easy thing to do so. You can +tread on his toe, and ask him what he put it there for; or sit down +on his hat, and swear that he put it on the chair on purpose; or +tell him that you do not like the colour of his hair, or that his +nose isn't the shape that pleases you. It is the easiest thing in +the world to find something to quarrel about, when you have a mind +for it."</p> +<p>"Are you quite serious, Teddy?"</p> +<p>"Never more serious in my life.</p> +<p>"Have you heard about it, Gerald?"</p> +<p>"I heard them saying something about it, when we were waiting +for the colonel on parade, this morning; but I did not think much +of it."</p> +<p>"Well, of course, it mayn't be true, Gerald; but the colonel and +major both seemed to think that there was something in it. It +seems, from what they said, that the governor has had letters that +seemed to confirm the news that several regiments are on the march +south; and that stores are being collected at Cadiz, and some of +the other seaports. There is nothing, as far as we know, specially +said about Gibraltar; but what else can they be getting ready for, +unless it is to cross the Straits and attack the Moors--and they +are at peace with them, at present, just as they are with us? I +mean to think that they are coming here, till we are downright sure +they are not. The news is so good, I mean to believe that it is +true, as long as I can."</p> +<p>"For shame, Teddy!" Mrs. O'Halloran said. "You can't be so +wicked as to hope that they are going to attack us?"</p> +<p>"And it is exactly that point of wickedness I have arrived at," +the doctor said, again dropping into the brogue. "In the first +place, sha'n't we need something, to kape us from dying entirely of +nothing to do at all, at all, in this wearisome old place? We are +fresh to it, and we are not tired, yet, of the oranges and the wine +and the cigars, and the quare people you see in the streets; but +the regiments that have been here some time are just sick of their +lives. Then, in the second place, how am I going to learn my +profession, if we are going to stop here, quiet and peaceful, for +years? Didn't I come into the army to study gunshot wounds and, +barring duels, divil a wound have I seen since I joined. It's +getting rusty I am, entirely; and there is the elegant case of +instruments my aunt gave me, that have never been opened. By the +same token, I will have them out and oil them, in the morning."</p> +<p>"Don't talk in that way, Teddy. You ought to be ashamed of +yourself. It seems to me that you are making a great to-do about +nothing. Some soldiers have been marched somewhere in Spain, and +all this talk is made up about it. They must know, very well, they +can't take the Rock. They tried it once, and I should have thought +they would not be in a hurry to try it again. I shall believe in it +when I see it.</p> +<p>"You need not look so delighted, Bob. If there should be any +trouble--and it seems nonsense even to think about such a +thing--but if there should be any, we should put you on board the +very first vessel sailing for England, and get you off our +minds."</p> +<p>Bob laughed.</p> +<p>"I should go down and ship as a powder monkey, on one of the +ships of war; or enlist as a drummer, in one of the regiments; and +then I should be beyond your authority, altogether."</p> +<p>"I begin to think you are beyond my authority already, Bob.</p> +<p>"Gerald, I am afraid we did a very foolish thing in agreeing to +have this boy out here."</p> +<p>"Well, we have got him on our hands now, Carrie; and it is +early, yet, for you to find out your mistake.</p> +<p>"Well, if there should be a siege--"</p> +<p>"You know there is no chance of it, Gerald."</p> +<p>"Well, I only say if, and we are cut off from all the world, he +will be a companion to you, and keep you alive, while I am in the +batteries."</p> +<p>"I won't hear such nonsense talked any more, Gerald; and if +Teddy Burke is going to bring us every bit of absurd gossip that +may be picked up from the peasants, he can stay away, +altogether."</p> +<p>"Except when he comes to instruct his pupil, Mrs. +O'Halloran."</p> +<p>"Oh, that is not likely to last long, Dr. Burke!"</p> +<p>"That is to be seen, Mrs. O'Halloran. It is a nice example you +are setting him of want of respect for his instructor. I warn you +that, before another six months have passed, you will have to +confess that it has been just the very best arrangement that could +have been made; and will thank your stars that Dr. Edward Burke, +M.D., of Dublin, happened to be here, ready to your hand."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch7" id="Ch7">Chapter 7</a>: Troubles Ahead.</h2> +<p>When Dr. Burke had left, Bob broke into an Indian war dance, +expressive of the deepest satisfaction; and Captain O'Halloran +burst into a shout of laughter at the contrast between the boy's +vehement delight, and the dissatisfaction expressed in his wife's +face.</p> +<p>"I am not at all pleased, Gerald, not at all; and I don't see +that it is any laughing matter. I never heard a more ridiculous +thing. Uncle intrusted Bob to our care, believing that we should do +what was best for him; and here you go and engage the most +feather-headed Irishman in the garrison--and that is saying a good +deal, Gerald--to look after him."</p> +<p>It was so seldom that Carrie took matters seriously that her +husband ceased laughing, at once.</p> +<p>"Well, Carrie, there is no occasion to put yourself out about +it. The experiment can be tried for a fortnight; and if, at the end +of that time, you are not satisfied, we will get someone else. But +I am sure it will work well."</p> +<p>"So am I, Carrie," Bob put in. "I believe Dr. Burke and I will +get on splendidly. You see, I have been with two people, both of +whom looked as grave as judges, and one of them as cross as a bear; +and yet they were both first-rate fellows. It seems to me that Dr. +Burke is just the other way. He turns everything into fun; but I +expect he will be just as sharp, when he is at lessons, as anyone +else. At any rate, you may be sure that I will do my best with him; +so as not to get put under some stiff old fellow, instead of +him."</p> +<p>"Well, we shall see, Bob. I hope that it will turn out well, I +am sure."</p> +<p>"Of course it will turn out well, Carrie. Why, didn't your uncle +at first think I was the most harum-scarum fellow he ever saw; and +now he sees that I am a downright model husband, with only one +fault, and that is that I let you have your own way, +altogether."</p> +<p>"It looks like it, on the present occasion, Gerald," his wife +laughed. "I will give it, as you say, a fortnight's trial. I only +hope that you have made a better choice for Bob's Spanish +master."</p> +<p>"I hope so, my dear--that is, if it is possible. The professor, +as I call him, has been teaching his language to officers, here, +for the last thirty years. He is a queer, wizened-up little old +chap, and has got out of the way of bowing and scraping that the +senors generally indulge in; but he seems a cheery little old soul, +and he has got to understand English ways and, at any rate, there +is no fear of his leading Bob into mischief. The Spaniards don't +understand that; and if you were to ruffle his dignity, he would +throw up teaching him at once; and I have not heard of another man +on the Rock who would be likely to suit."</p> +<p>On the following Monday, Bob began work with the professor; who +called himself, on his card, Don Diaz Martos. He spoke English very +fairly and, after the first half hour, Bob found that the lessons +would be much more pleasant than he expected. The professor began +by giving him a long sentence to learn by heart, thoroughly; and +when Bob had done this, parsed each word with him, so that he +perfectly understood its meaning. Then he made the lad say it after +him a score of times, correcting his accent and inflection; and +when he was satisfied with this, began to construct fresh sentences +out of the original one, again making Bob repeat them, and form +fresh ones himself.</p> +<p>Thus, by the time the first lesson was finished the lad, to his +surprise, found himself able, without difficulty, to frame +sentences from the words he had learned. Then the professor wrote +down thirty nouns and verbs in common use.</p> +<p>"You will learn them this evening," he said, "and in the morning +we shall be able to make up a number of sentences out of them and, +by the end of a week, you will see we shall begin to talk to each +other. After that, it will be easy. Thirty fresh words, every day, +will be ample. In a month you will know seven or eight hundred; and +seven or eight hundred are enough for a man to talk with, on common +occasions."</p> +<p>"He is first rate," Bob reported to his sister, as they sat down +to dinner, at one o'clock. "You would hardly believe that I can say +a dozen little sentences, already; and can understand him, when he +says them. He says, in a week, we shall be able to get to talk +together.</p> +<p>"I wonder they don't teach Latin like that. Why, I shall know in +two or three months as much Spanish--and more, ever so much +more--than I do Latin, after grinding away at it for the last seven +or eight years."</p> +<p>"Well, that is satisfactory. I only hope the other will turn out +as well."</p> +<p>As Mrs. O'Halloran sat that evening, with her work in her hand, +on the terrace; with her husband, smoking a cigar, beside her. She +paused, several times, as she heard a burst of laughter.</p> +<p>"That doesn't sound like master and pupil," she said, sharply, +after an unusually loud laugh from below.</p> +<p>"More the pity, Carrie. Why on earth shouldn't a master be +capable of a joke? Do you think one does not learn all the faster, +when the lecture is pleasant? I know I would, myself. I never could +see why a man should look as if he was going to an execution, when +he wants to instil knowledge."</p> +<p>"But it is not usual, Gerald," Carrie remonstrated, no other +argument occurring to her.</p> +<p>"But that doesn't prove that it's wrong. Why a boy should be +driven worse than a donkey, and thrashed until his life is a burden +to him, and he hates his lessons and hates his master, beats me +entirely. Some day they will go more sensibly to work.</p> +<p>"You see, in the old times, Carrie, men used to beat their +wives; and you don't think the women were any the better for it, do +you?"</p> +<p>"Of course they weren't," Carrie said, indignantly.</p> +<p>"But it was usual, you know, Carrie, just as you say that it is +usual for masters to beat boys--as if they would do nothing, +without being thrashed. I can't see any difference between the two +things."</p> +<p>"I can see a great deal of difference, sir!"</p> +<p>"Well, what is the difference, Carrie?"</p> +<p>But Carrie disdained to give any answer. Still, as she sat +sewing and thinking the matter over, she acknowledged to herself +that she really could not see any good and efficient reason why +boys should be beaten, any more than women.</p> +<p>"But women don't do bad things, like boys," she said, breaking +silence at last.</p> +<p>"Don't they, Carrie? I am not so sure of that. I have heard of +women who are always nagging their husbands, and giving them no +peace of their lives. I have heard of women who think of nothing +but dress, and who go about and leave their homes and children to +shift for themselves. I have heard of women who spend all their +time spreading scandal. I have heard of--"</p> +<p>"There, that is enough," Carrie broke in hastily. "But you don't +mean to say that they would be any the better for beating, +Gerald?"</p> +<p>"I don't know, Carrie; I should think perhaps they might be, +sometimes. At any rate, I think that they deserve a beating quite +as much as a boy does, for neglecting to learn a lesson or for +playing some prank--which comes just as naturally, to him, as +mischief does to a kitten. For anything really bad, I would beat a +boy as long as I could stand over him. For lying, or thieving, or +any mean, dirty trick I would have no mercy on him. But that is a +very different thing to keeping the cane always going, at school, +as they do now.</p> +<p>"But here comes Bob. Well, Bob, is the doctor gone? Didn't you +ask him to come up, and have a cigar?"</p> +<p>"Yes; but he said he had got two or three cases at the hospital +he must see, and would wait until this evening."</p> +<p>"How have you got on, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Splendidly. I wonder why they don't teach at school, like +that."</p> +<p>"It didn't sound much like teaching," Carrie said, severely.</p> +<p>"I don't suppose it did, Carrie; but it was teaching, for all +that. Why, I have learned as much, this evening, as I did in a +dozen lessons, in school. He explains everything so that you seem +to understand it, at once; and he puts things, sometimes, in such a +droll way, and brings in such funny comparisons, that you can't +help laughing. But you understand it, for all that, and are not +likely to forget it.</p> +<p>"Don't you be afraid, Carrie. If Dr. Burke teaches me, for the +two years that I am going to be here, I shall know more than I +should have done if I had stopped at Tulloch's till I was an old +man. I used to learn lessons, there, and get through them, somehow, +but I don't think I ever understood why things were so; while Dr. +Burke explains everything so that you seem to understand all about +it, at once. And he is pretty sharp, too. He takes a tremendous lot +of pains, himself; but I can see he will expect me to take a +tremendous lot of pains, too."</p> +<p>At the end of a fortnight, Carrie made no allusion to the +subject of a change of masters. The laughing downstairs still +scandalized her, a little; but she saw that Bob really enjoyed his +lessons and, although she herself could not test what progress he +was making, his assurances on that head satisfied her.</p> +<p>The Brilliant had sailed on a cruise, the morning after Bob's +arrival; but as soon as he heard that she had again dropped anchor +in the bay, he took a boat and went out to her; and returned on +shore with Jim Sankey, who had obtained leave for the afternoon. +The two spent hours in rambling about the Rock, and talking of old +times at Tulloch's. Both agreed that the most fortunate thing that +ever happened had been the burglary at Admiral Langton's; which had +been the means of Jim's getting into the navy, and Bob's coming out +to Gibraltar, to his sister.</p> +<p>Jim had lots to tell of his shipmates, and his life on board the +Brilliant. He was disposed to pity Bob spending half his day at +lessons; and was astonished to find that his friend really enjoyed +it, and still more that he should already have begun to pick up a +little Spanish.</p> +<p>"You can't help it, with Don Diaz," Bob said. "He makes you go +over a sentence, fifty times, until you say it in exactly the same +voice he does--I mean the same accent. He says it slow, at first, +so that I can understand him; and then faster and faster, till he +speaks in his regular voice. Then I have to make up another +sentence, in answer. It is good fun, I can tell you; and yet one +feels that one is getting on very fast. I thought it would take +years before I should be able to get on anyhow in Spanish; but he +says if I keep on sticking to it, I shall be able to speak pretty +nearly like a native, in six months' time. I quite astonish +Manola--that is our servant--by firing off sentences in Spanish at +her. My sister Carrie says she shall take to learning with the Don, +too."</p> +<p>"Have you had any fun since you landed, Bob?"</p> +<p>"No; not regular fun, you know. It has been very jolly. I go +down with Gerald--Carrie's husband, you know--to the barracks, and +I know most of the officers of his regiment now, and I walk about a +bit by myself; but I have not gone beyond the Rock, yet."</p> +<p>"You must get a long day's leave, Bob; and we will go across the +neutral ground, into Spain, together."</p> +<p>"Gerald said that, as I was working so steadily, I might have a +holiday, sometimes, if I did not ask for it too often. I have been +three weeks at it, now. I am sure I can go for a day, when I like, +so it will depend on you."</p> +<p>"I sha'n't be able to come ashore for another four or five days, +after having got away this afternoon. Let us see, this is +Wednesday, I will try to get leave for Monday."</p> +<p>"Have you heard, Jim, there is a talk about Spanish troops +moving down here, and that they think Spain is going to join France +and try to take this place?"</p> +<p>"No, I haven't heard a word about it," Jim said, opening his +eyes. "You don't really mean it?"</p> +<p>"Yes, that is what the officers say. Of course, they don't know +for certain; but there is no doubt the country people have got the +idea into their heads, and the natives on the Rock certainly +believe it."</p> +<p>"Hooray! That would be fun," Jim said. "We have all been +grumbling, on board the frigate, at being stuck down here without +any chance of picking up prizes; or of falling in with a Frenchman, +except we go on a cruise. Why, you have seen twice as much fun as +we have, though you only came out in a trader. Except that we +chased a craft that we took for a French privateer, we haven't seen +an enemy since we came out from England; and we didn't see much of +her, for she sailed right away from us. While you have had no end +of fighting, and a very narrow escape of being taken to a French +prison."</p> +<p>"Too narrow to be pleasant, Jim. I don't think there would be +much fun to be got out of a French prison."</p> +<p>"I don't know, Bob. I suppose it would be dull, if you were +alone; but if you and I were together, I feel sure we should have +some fun, and should make our escape, somehow."</p> +<p>"Well, we might try," Bob said, doubtfully. "But you see, not +many fellows do make their escape; and as sailors are up to +climbing ropes, and getting over walls, and all that sort of thing, +I should think they would do it, if it could be managed +anyhow."</p> +<p>Upon the following day--when Bob was in the anteroom of the mess +with Captain O'Halloran, looking at some papers that had been +brought by a ship that had come in that morning--the colonel +entered, accompanied by Captain Langton. The officers all stood up, +and the colonel introduced them to Captain Langton--who was, he +told them, going to dine at the mess that evening. After he had +done this, Captain Langton's eye fell upon Bob; who smiled, and +made a bow.</p> +<p>"I ought to know you," the captain said. "I have certainly seen +your face somewhere."</p> +<p>"It was at Admiral Langton's, sir. My name is Bob Repton."</p> +<p>"Of course it is," the officer said, shaking him cordially by +the hand. "But what on earth are you doing here? I thought you had +settled down somewhere in the city; with an uncle, wasn't it?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir; but I have come out here to learn Spanish."</p> +<p>"Have you seen your friend Sankey?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir. I went on board the frigate to see him, yesterday +afternoon; and he got leave to come ashore with me, for two or +three hours."</p> +<p>"He ought to have let me know that you were here," the captain +said. "Who are you staying with, lad?"</p> +<p>"With Captain O'Halloran, sir, my brother-in-law," Bob said, +indicating Gerald, who had already been introduced to Captain +Langton.</p> +<p>"I daresay you are surprised at my knowing this young +gentleman," he said, turning to Colonel Cochrane, "but he did my +father, the admiral, a great service. He and three other lads, +under his leadership, captured four of the most notorious burglars +in London, when they were engaged in robbing my father's house. It +was a most gallant affair, I can assure you; and the four burglars +swung for it, a couple of months later. I have one of the lads as a +midshipman, on board my ship; and I offered a berth to Repton but, +very wisely, he decided to remain on shore, where his prospects +were good."</p> +<p>"Why, O'Halloran, you never told me anything about this," the +colonel said.</p> +<p>"No, sir. Bob asked me not to say anything about it. I think he +is rather shy of having it talked about; and it is the only thing +of which he is shy as far as I have discovered."</p> +<p>"Well, we must hear the story," the colonel said. "I hope you +will dine at mess, this evening, and bring him with you. He shall +tell us the story over our wine. I am curious to know how four boys +can have made such a capture."</p> +<p>After mess that evening Bob told the story, as modestly as he +could.</p> +<p>"There, colonel," Captain Langton said, when he had finished. +"You see that, if these stories I hear are true, and the Spaniards +are going to make a dash for Gibraltar, you have got a valuable +addition to your garrison."</p> +<p>"Yes, indeed," the colonel laughed. "We will make a volunteer of +him. He has had some little experience of standing fire, for +O'Halloran told me that the brig he came out in had fought a sharp +action with a privateer of superior force; and indeed, when she +came in here, her sails were riddled with shot holes."</p> +<p>"Better and better," Captain Langton laughed.</p> +<p>"Well, Repton, remember whenever you are disposed for a cruise, +I shall be glad to take you as passenger. Sankey will make you at +home in the midshipmen's berth. If the Spaniards declare war with +us, we shall have stirring times at sea, as well as on shore and, +though you won't get any share in any prize money we may win, while +you are on board, you will have part of the honour; and you see, +making captures is quite in your line."</p> +<p>The next day, Captain O'Halloran and Bob dined on board the +Brilliant. Captain Langton introduced the lad to his officers, +telling them that he wished him to be considered as being free on +board the ship, whether he himself happened to be on board or not, +when he came off.</p> +<p>"But you must keep an eye on him, Mr. Hardy, while he is on +board," he said to the first lieutenant.</p> +<p>"Mr. Sankey," and he nodded at Jim, who was among those invited, +"is rather a pickle, but from what I hear Repton is worse. So you +will have to keep a sharp eye upon them, when they are together; +and if they are up to mischief, do not hesitate to masthead both of +them. A passenger on board one of His Majesty's ships is amenable +to discipline, like anyone else."</p> +<p>"I will see to it, sir," the lieutenant said, laughing. "Sankey +knows the way up, already."</p> +<p>"Yes. I think I observed him taking a view of the shore from +that elevation, this morning."</p> +<p>Jim coloured hotly.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir," the lieutenant said. "The doctor made a complaint +that his leeches had got out of their bottle, and were all over the +ship; and I fancy one of them got into his bed, somehow. He had +given Mr. Sankey a dose of physic in the morning; and remembered +afterwards that, while he was making up the medicine, Sankey had +been doing something in the corner where his bottles were. When I +questioned Sankey about it, he admitted that he had observed the +leeches, but declined to criminate himself farther. So I sent him +aloft for an hour or two, to meditate upon the enormity of wasting +His Majesty's medical stores."</p> +<p>"I hope, Captain O'Halloran," the captain said, "that you have +less trouble with your brother-in-law than we have with his +friend."</p> +<p>"Bob hasn't had much chance, yet," Captain O'Halloran said, +laughing. "He is new to the place, as yet; and besides, he is +really working hard, and hasn't much time for mischief; but I don't +flatter myself that it is going to last."</p> +<p>"Well, Mr. Sankey, you may as well take your friend down, and +introduce him formally to your messmates," the captain said; and +Jim, who had been feeling extremely uncomfortable since the talk +had turned on the subject of mastheading, rose and made his escape +with Bob, leaving the elders to their wine.</p> +<p>The proposed excursion to the Spanish lines did not come off, as +the Brilliant put to sea again, on the day fixed for it. She was +away a fortnight and, on her return, the captain issued orders that +none of the junior officers, when allowed leave, were to go beyond +the lines; for the rumours of approaching troubles had become +stronger and, as the peasantry were assuming a somewhat hostile +attitude, any act of imprudence might result in trouble. Jim often +had leave to come ashore in the afternoon and, as this was the time +that Bob had to himself, they wandered together all over the Rock, +climbed up the flagstaff, and made themselves acquainted with all +the paths and precipices.</p> +<p>Their favourite place was the back of the Rock; where the cliff, +in many places, fell sheer away for hundreds of feet down into the +sea. They had many discussions as to the possibility of climbing up +on that side, though both agreed that it would be impossible to +climb down.</p> +<p>"I should like to try, awfully," Bob said, one day early in +June, as they were leaning on a low wall looking down to the +sea.</p> +<p>"But it would never do to risk getting into a scrape here. It +wouldn't, indeed, Bob. They don't understand jokes at Gib. One +would be had up before the big wigs, and court-martialled, and +goodness knows what. Of course, it is jolly being ashore; but one +never gets rid of the idea that one is a sort of prisoner. There +are the regulations about what time you may come off, and what time +the gate is closed and, if you are a minute late, there you are +until next morning. Whichever way one turns there are sentries; and +you can't pass one way, and you can't go back another way, and +there are some of the batteries you can't go into, without a +special order. It never would do to try any nonsense, here.</p> +<p>"Look at that sentry up there. I expect he has got his eye on +us, now; and if he saw us trying to get down, he would take us for +deserters and fire. There wouldn't be any fear of his hitting us; +but the nearest guard would turn out, and we should be arrested and +reported, and all sorts of things. It wouldn't matter so much for +you, but I should get my leave stopped altogether, and should get +into the captain's black books.</p> +<p>"No, no. I don't mind running a little risk of breaking my neck, +but not here on the Rock. I would rather get into ten scrapes, on +board the frigate, than one here."</p> +<p>"Yes, I suppose it can't be done," Bob agreed; "but I should +have liked to swing myself down to one of those ledges. There would +be such a scolding and shrieking among the birds."</p> +<p>"Yes, that would be fun; but as it might bring on the same sort +of row among the authorities, I would rather leave it alone.</p> +<p>"I expect we shall soon get leave to go across the lines again. +There doesn't seem to be any chance of a row with the dons; I +expect it was all moonshine, from the first. Why, they say Spain is +trying to patch up the quarrel between us and France. She would not +be doing that, if she had any idea of going to war with us, +herself."</p> +<p>"I don't know, Jim. Gerald and Dr. Burke were talking it over +last night, and Gerald said just what you do; and then Dr. Burke +said:</p> +<p>"'You are wrong, entirely, Gerald. That is just the dangerous +part of the affair. Why should Spain want to put a stop to the war +between us and the frog eaters? Sure, wouldn't she look on with the +greatest pleasure in life, while we cut each other's throats and +blew up each other's ships, and put all the trade of the +Mediterranean into her hands? Why, it is the very thing that suits +her best.'</p> +<p>"'Then what is she after putting herself forward for, Teddy?' +Gerald said.</p> +<p>"'Because she wants to have a finger in the pie, Gerald. It +wouldn't be dacent for her to say to England:</p> +<p>"'"It is in a hole you are, at present, wid your hands full; and +so I am going to take the opportunity of pitching into you."</p> +<p>"'So she begins by stipping forward as the dear friend of both +parties; and she says:</p> +<p>"'"What are you breaking each other's heads for, boys? Make up +your quarrel, and shake hands."</p> +<p>"'Then she sets to and proposes terms--which she knows mighty +well we shall never agree to, for the letters we had, the other day +said, that it was reported that the proposals of Spain were +altogether unacceptable--and then, when we refuse, she turns round +and says:</p> +<p>"'"You have put yourself in the wrong, entirely. I gave you a +chance of putting yourself in the right, and it is a grave insult +to me for you to refuse to accept my proposals. So there is nothing +for me to do, now, but just to join with France, and give you the +bating you desarve."'</p> +<p>"That is Teddy Burke's idea, Jim; and though he is so full of +fun, he is awfully clever, and has got no end of sense; and I'd +take his opinion about anything. You see how he has got me on, in +these four months, in Latin and things. Why, I have learnt more, +with him, than I did all the time I was at Tulloch's. He says most +likely the negotiations will be finished, one way or the other, by +the middle of this month; and he offered to bet Gerald a gallon of +whisky that there would be a declaration of war, by Spain, before +the end of the month."</p> +<p>"Did he?" Jim said, in great delight. "Well, I do hope he is +right. We are all getting precious tired, I can assure you, of +broiling down there in the harbour. The decks are hot enough to +cook a steak upon. When we started, today, we didn't see a creature +in the streets. Everyone had gone off to bed, for two or three +hours; and the shops were all closed, as if it had been two o'clock +at night, instead of two o'clock in the day. Even the dogs were all +asleep, in the shade. I think we shall have to give up our walks, +till August is over. It is getting too hot for anything, in the +afternoon."</p> +<p>"Well, it is hot," Bob agreed. "Carrie said I was mad, coming +out in it today; and should get sunstroke, and all sort of things; +and Gerald said at dinner that, if it were not against the +regulations, he would like to shave his head, instead of plastering +it all over with powder."</p> +<p>"I call it disgusting," Jim said, heartily. "That is the one +thing I envy you in. I shouldn't like to be grinding away at books, +as you do; and you don't have half the fun I do, on shore here +without any fellows to have larks with; but not having to powder +your hair almost makes up for it. I don't mind it, in winter, +because it makes a sort of thatch for the head; but it is awful, +now. I feel just as if I had got a pudding crust all over my +head."</p> +<p>"Well, that is appropriate, Jim," laughed Bob; and then Jim +chased him all along the path, till they got within sight of a +sentry in a battery; and then his dignity as midshipman compelled +them to desist, and the pair walked gravely down into the town.</p> +<p>That evening after lessons were over Dr. Burke, as usual, went +up on to the terrace to smoke a cigar with Captain O'Halloran.</p> +<p>"It is a pity altogether, Mrs. O'Halloran," he said, as he stood +by her side, looking over the moonlit bay, with the dark hulls of +the ships and the faint lights across at Algeciras, "that we can't +do away with the day, and have nothing but night of it, for four or +five months in the year. I used to think it must be mighty +unpleasant for the Esquimaux; but faith, I envy them now. Fancy +five or six months without catching a glimpse of that burning old +sun!"</p> +<p>"I don't suppose they think so," Mrs. O'Halloran laughed, "but +it would be pleasant here. The heat has been dreadful, all day; and +it is really only after sunset that one begins to enjoy life."</p> +<p>"You may well say that, Mrs. O'Halloran. Faith, I wish they +would let me take off my coat, and do my work in my shirtsleeves +down at the hospital. Sure, it is a strange idea these military men +have got in their heads, that a man isn't fit for work unless he is +buttoned so tightly up to the chin that he is red in the face. If +nature had meant it, we should have been born in a suit of scale +armour, like a crocodile.</p> +<p>"Well, there is one consolation--if there is a siege, I expect +there will be an end of hair powder and cravats. It's the gineral +rule, on a campaign; and it is worth standing to be shot at, to +have a little comfort in one's life."</p> +<p>"Do you think that there is any chance at all of the Spaniards +taking the place, if they do besiege us?" Bob asked, as Dr. Burke +took his seat.</p> +<p>"None of taking the place by force, Bob. It has been besieged, +over and over again; and it is pretty nearly always by hunger that +it has fallen. That is where the pinch will come, if they besiege +us in earnest: it's living on mice and grass you are like to be, +before it is over."</p> +<p>"But the fleet will bring in provisions, surely, Dr. Burke?"</p> +<p>"The fleet will have all it can do to keep the sea, against the +navies of France and Spain. They will do what they can, you may be +sure; but the enemy well know that it is only by starving us out +that they can hope to take the place, and I expect they will put +such a fleet here that it will be mighty difficult for even a boat +to find its way in between them."</p> +<p>"Do you know about the other sieges?" Mrs. O'Halloran asked. "Of +course, I know something about the last siege; but I know nothing +about the history of the Rock before that, and of course Gerald +doesn't know."</p> +<p>"And why should I, Carrie? You don't suppose that when I was at +school, at Athlone, they taught me the history of every bit of rock +sticking up on the face of the globe? I had enough to do to learn +about the old Romans--bad cess to them, and all their bothering +doings!"</p> +<p>"I can tell you about it, Mrs. O'Halloran," Teddy Burke said. +"Bob's professor, who comes to have a talk with me for half an hour +every day, has been telling me all about it; and if Gerald will +move himself, and mix me a glass of grog to moisten my throat, I +will give you the whole story of it.</p> +<p>"You know, no doubt, that it was called Mount Calpe, by Gerald's +friends the Romans; who called the hill opposite there Mount Abyla, +and the two together the Pillars of Hercules. But beyond giving it +a name, they don't seem to have concerned themselves with it; nor +do the Phoenicians or Carthaginians, though all of them had cities +out in the low country.</p> +<p>"It was when the Saracens began to play their games over here +that we first hear of it. Roderic, you know, was king of the Goths, +and seems to have been a thundering old tyrant; and one of his +nobles, Julian--who had been badly treated by him--went across with +his family into Africa, and put up Mousa, the Saracen governor of +the province across there, to invade Spain. They first of all made +a little expedition--that was in 711--with one hundred horse, and +four hundred foot. They landed over there at Algeciras and, after +doing some plundering and burning, sailed back again, with the news +that the country could be conquered. So next year twelve thousand +men, under a chief named Tarik, crossed and landed on the flat +between the Rock and Spain. He left a party here to build the +castle; and then marched away, defeated Roderic and his army at +Xeres, and soon conquered the whole of Spain, except the mountains +of the north.</p> +<p>"We don't hear much more of Gibraltar for another six hundred +years. Algeciras had become a fortress of great strength and +magnificence, and Gibraltar was a mere sort of outlying post. +Ferdinand the Fourth of Spain besieged Algeciras for years, and +could not take it; but a part of his army attacked Gibraltar, and +captured it. The African Moors came over to help their friends, and +Ferdinand had to fall back; but the Spaniards still held +Gibraltar--a chap named Vasco Paez de Meira being in command.</p> +<p>"In 1333 Abomelique, son of the Emperor of Fez, came across with +an army and besieged Gibraltar. Vasco held out for five months, and +was then starved into surrender, just as Alonzo the Eleventh was +approaching to his assistance. He arrived before the town, five +days after it surrendered, and attacked the castle; but the Moors +encamped on the neutral ground in his rear, and cut him off from +his supplies; and he was obliged at last to negotiate, and was +permitted to retire. He was not long away. Next time he attacked +Algeciras; which, after a long siege, he took in 1343.</p> +<p>"In 1349 there were several wars in Africa, and he took +advantage of this to besiege Gibraltar. He was some months over the +business, and the garrison were nearly starved out; when pestilence +broke out in the Spanish camp, by which the king and many of his +soldiers died, and the rest retired.</p> +<p>"It was not until sixty years afterwards, in 1410, that there +were fresh troubles; and then they were what might be called family +squabbles. The Africans of Fez had held the place, till then; but +the Moorish king of Grenada suddenly advanced upon it, and took it. +A short time afterwards, the inhabitants rose against the Spanish +Moors, and turned them out, and the Emperor of Morocco sent over an +army to help them; but the Moors of Grenada besieged the place, and +took it by famine.</p> +<p>"In 1435 the Christians had another slap at it; but Henry de +Guzman, who attacked by sea, was defeated and killed. In 1462 the +greater part of the garrison of Gibraltar was withdrawn to take +part in some civil shindy, that was going on at Grenada; and in +their absence the place was taken by John de Guzman, duke of +Medina-Sidonia, and son of the Henry that was killed. In 1540 +Gibraltar was surprised and pillaged by one of Barossa's captains; +but as he was leaving some Christian galleys met him, and the +corsairs were all killed or taken.</p> +<p>"This was really the only affair worth speaking of between 1462, +when it fell into the hands of the Spaniards, and 1704, when it was +captured by us. Sir George Rooke, who had gone out with a force to +attack Cadiz--finding that there was not much chance of success in +that direction--resolved, with Prince George of Hesse and +Darmstadt--who commanded the troops on board the fleet--to make an +attack on Gibraltar.</p> +<p>"On the 21st of July, 1704, the English and Dutch landed on the +neutral ground and, at daybreak on the 23rd, the fleet opened fire. +The Spaniards were driven from their guns on the Molehead Battery. +The boats landed, and seized the battery, and held it in spite of +the Spaniards springing a mine, which killed two lieutenants and +about forty men. The Marquis de Salines, the governor, was then +summoned, and capitulated. So you see, we made only a day's work of +taking a place which the Spaniards thought that they had made +impregnable. The professor made a strong point of it that the +garrison consisted only of a hundred and fifty men; which certainly +accounts for our success, for it is no use having guns and walls, +if you haven't got soldiers to man them.</p> +<p>"The Prince of Hesse was left as governor; and it was not long +before his mettle was tried for, in October, the Spanish army, with +six battalions of Frenchmen, opened trenches against the town. +Admiral Sir John Leake threw in reinforcements, and six months' +provisions. At the end of the month, a forlorn hope of five hundred +Spanish volunteers managed to climb up the Rock, by ropes and +ladders, and surprised a battery; but were so furiously attacked +that they were all killed, or taken prisoners. A heavy cannonade +was kept up for another week, when a large number of transports +with reinforcements and supplies arrived and, the garrison being +now considered strong enough to resist any attack, the fleet sailed +away.</p> +<p>"The siege went on till the middle of March, when Sir John Leake +again arrived, drove away the French fleet, and captured or burnt +five of them; and the siege was then discontinued, having cost the +enemy ten thousand men. So, you see, there was some pretty hard +fighting over it.</p> +<p>"The place was threatened in 1720 and, in the beginning of 1727, +twenty thousand Spaniards again sat down before it. The +fortifications had been made a good deal stronger, after the first +siege; and the garrison was commanded by Lieutenant Governor +Clayton. The siege lasted till May, when news arrived that the +preliminaries of a general peace had been signed. There was a lot +of firing; but the Spaniards must have shot mighty badly, for we +had only three hundred killed and wounded. You would think that +that was enough; but when I tell you that the cannon were so old +and rotten that seventy cannon, and thirty mortars, burst during +the siege, it seems to me that every one of those three hundred +must have been damaged by our own cannon, and that the Spaniards +did not succeed in hitting a single man.</p> +<p>"That is mighty encouraging for you, Mrs. O'Halloran; for I +don't think that our cannon will burst this time and, if the +Spaniards do not shoot better than they did before, it is little +work, enough, that is likely to fall to the share of the +surgeons."</p> +<p>"Thank you," Mrs. O'Halloran said. "You have told that very +nicely, Teddy Burke. I did not know anything about it, before; and +I had some idea that it was when the English were besieged here +that the Queen of Spain sat on that rock which is called after her; +but I see now that it was Ferdinand's Isabella, and that it was +when the Moors were besieged here, hundreds of years before.</p> +<p>"Well, I am glad I know something about it. It is stupid to be +in a place, and know nothing of its history. You are rising in my +estimation fast, Dr. Burke."</p> +<p>"Mistress O'Halloran," the doctor said, rising and making a deep +bow, "you overwhelm me, entirely; and now I must say goodnight, for +I must look in at the hospital, before I turn in to my +quarters."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch8" id="Ch8">Chapter 8</a>: The Siege Begins.</h2> +<p>On the 19th of June General Eliott, accompanied by several of +his officers, paid a visit to the Spanish lines to congratulate +General Mendoza, who commanded there, on the promotion that he had +just received. The visit lasted but a short time, and it was +remarked that the Spanish officer seemed ill at ease. Scarcely had +the party returned to Gibraltar than a Swedish frigate entered the +bay, having on board Mr. Logie, H.M. Consul in Barbary, who had +come across in her from Tangier. He reported that a Swedish brig +had put in there. She reported that she had fallen in with the +French fleet, of twenty-eight sail of the line, off Cape +Finisterre; and that they were waiting there to be joined by the +Spanish fleet, from Cadiz.</p> +<p>The news caused great excitement; but it was scarcely believed, +for the Spanish general had given the most amicable assurances to +the governor. On the 21st, however, the Spaniards, at their lines +across the neutral ground, refused to permit the mail to pass; and +a formal notification was sent in that intercourse between +Gibraltar and Spain would no longer be permitted. This put an end +to all doubt, and discussion. War must have been declared between +Spain and England, or such a step would never have been taken.</p> +<p>In fact, although the garrison did not learn it until some time +later, the Spanish ambassador in London had presented what was +virtually a declaration of war, on the 16th. A messenger had been +sent off on the same day from Madrid, ordering the cessation of +intercourse with Gibraltar and, had he not been detained by +accident on the road, he might have arrived during General Eliott's +visit to the Spanish lines; a fact of which Mendoza had been +doubtless forewarned, and which would account for his embarrassment +at the governor's call.</p> +<p>Captain O'Halloran brought the news home, when he returned from +parade.</p> +<p>"Get ready your sandbags, Carrie; examine your stock of +provisions; prepare a store of lint, and plaster."</p> +<p>"What on earth are you talking about, Gerald?"</p> +<p>"It is war, Carrie. The Dons have refused to accept our mail, +and have cut off all intercourse with the mainland."</p> +<p>Carrie turned a little pale. She had never really thought that +the talk meant anything, or that the Spaniards could be really +intending to declare war, without having any ground for quarrel +with England.</p> +<p>"And does it really mean war, Gerald?"</p> +<p>"There is no doubt about it. The Spaniards are going to fight +and, as their army can't swim across the Bay of Biscay, I take it +it is here they mean to attack us. Faith, we are going to have some +divarshun, at last."</p> +<p>"Divarshun! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Gerald."</p> +<p>"Well, my dear, what have I come into the army for? To march +about for four hours a day in a stiff stock, and powder and pigtail +and a cocked hat, and a red coat? Not a bit of it. Didn't I enter +the army to fight? And here have I been, without a chance of +smelling powder, for the last ten years. It is the best news I have +had since you told me that you were ready and willing to become +Mrs. O'Halloran."</p> +<p>"And to think that we have got Bob out here with us!" his wife +said, without taking any notice of the last words. "What will uncle +say?"</p> +<p>"Faith, and it makes mighty little difference what he says, +Carrie, seeing that he is altogether beyond shouting distance.</p> +<p>"As for Bob, he will be just delighted. Why, he has been working +till his brain must all be in a muddle; and it is the best thing in +the world for him, or he would be mixing up the Spaniards and the +Romans, and the x's and y's and the tangents, and all the other +things into a regular jumble--and it is a nice business that would +have been. It is the best thing in the world for him, always +supposing that he don't get his growth stopped, for want of +victuals."</p> +<p>"You don't mean, really and seriously, Gerald, that we are +likely to be short of food?"</p> +<p>"And that is exactly what I do mean. You may be sure that the +Dons know, mighty well, that they have no chance of taking the +place on the land side. They might just as well lay out their +trenches against the moon. It is just starvation that they are +going to try; and when they get the eighteen French sail of the +line that Mr. Logie brought news of, and a score or so of Spanish +men-of-war in the bay, you will see that it is likely you won't get +your mutton and your butter and vegetables very regularly across +from Tangier."</p> +<p>"Well, it is very serious, Gerald."</p> +<p>"Very serious, Carrie."</p> +<p>"I don't see anything to laugh at at all, Gerald."</p> +<p>"I didn't know that I was laughing."</p> +<p>"You were looking as if you wanted to laugh, which is just as +bad. I suppose there is nothing to be done, Gerald?"</p> +<p>"Well, yes, I should go down to the town, and lay in a store of +things that will keep. You see, if nothing comes of it we should +not be losers. The regiment is likely to be here three or four +years, so we should lose nothing by laying in a big stock of wine, +and so on; while, if there is a siege, you will see everything will +go up to ten times its ordinary price. That room through ours is +not used for anything, and we might turn that into a storeroom.</p> +<p>"I don't mean that there is any hurry about it, today; but we +ought certainly to lay in as large a store as we can, of things +that will keep. Some things we may get cheaper, in a short time, +than we can now. A lot of the Jew and native traders will be +leaving, if they see there is really going to be a siege; for you +see, the town is quite open to the guns of batteries, on the other +side of the neutral ground.</p> +<p>"It was a mighty piece of luck we got this house. You see that +rising ground behind will shelter us from shot. They may blaze away +as much as they like, as far as we are concerned.</p> +<p>"Ah! There is Bob, coming out of his room with the +professor."</p> +<p>"Well, take him out and tell him, Gerald. I want to sit down, +and think. My head feels quite in a whirl."</p> +<p>Bob was, of course, greatly surprised at the news; and the +professor, himself, was a good deal excited.</p> +<a id="PicD" name="PicD"></a><center><img src="images/d.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: The Professor gets excited." +/></center> +<p>"We have been living here for three hundred years," he said, "my +fathers and grandfathers. When the English came and took this +place--seventy-five years ago--my grandfather became a British +subject, like all who remained here. My father, who was then but a +boy, has told me that he remembers the great siege, and how the +cannons roared night and day. It was in the year when I was born +that the Spaniards attacked the Rock again; and a shell exploded in +the house, and nearly killed us all. I was born a British subject, +and shall do my duty in what way I can, if the place is attacked. +They call us Rock scorpions. Well, they shall see we can live under +fire, and will do our best to sting, if they put their finger on +us. Ha, ha!"</p> +<p>"The little man is quite excited," Captain O'Halloran said, as +the professor turned away, and marched off at a brisk pace towards +his home. "It is rather hard on these Rock people. Of course, as he +says, they are British subjects, and were born so. Still, you see, +in race and language they are still Spaniards; and their sympathies +must be divided, at any rate at present. When the shot and shell +come whistling into the town, and knocking their houses about their +ears, they will become a good deal more decided in their opinions +than they can be, now.</p> +<p>"Come along, Bob, and let us get all the news. I came off as +soon as I heard that our communication with Spain was cut off, and +therefore it was certain war was declared. There will be lots of +orders out, soon. It is a busy time we shall have of it, for the +next month or two."</p> +<p>There were many officers in the anteroom when they entered.</p> +<p>"Any fresh news?" Captain O'Halloran asked.</p> +<p>"Lots of it, O'Halloran. All the Irish officers of the garrison +are to be formed into an outlying force, to occupy the neutral +ground. It is thought their appearance will be sufficient to +terrify the Spaniards."</p> +<p>"Get out with you, Grant! If they were to take us at all, it +would be because they knew that we were the boys to do the +fighting."</p> +<p>"And the drinking, O'Halloran," another young officer put +in.</p> +<p>"And the talking," said another.</p> +<p>"Now, drop it, boys, and be serious. What is the news, +really?"</p> +<p>"There is a council of war going on, at the governor's, +O'Halloran. Boyd, of course, and De la Motte, Colonel Green, the +admiral, Mr. Logie, and two or three others. They say the governor +has been gradually getting extra stores across from Tangier, ever +since there was first a talk about this business; and of course +that is the most important question, at present. I hear that Green +and the Engineers have been marking out places for new batteries, +for the last month; and I suppose fatigue work is going to be the +order of the day. It is too bad of them choosing this time of the +year to begin, for it will be awfully hot work.</p> +<p>"Everyone is wondering what will become of the officers who are +living out with their families, at San Roque and the other villages +across the Spanish lines; and besides, there are a lot of officers +away on leave, in the interior. Of course they won't take them +prisoners. That would be a dirty trick. But it is likely enough +they may ship them straight back to England, instead of letting +them return here.</p> +<p>"Well, it is lucky that we have got a pretty strong garrison. We +have just been adding up the last field state. These are the +figures--officers, noncommissioned officers, and men--artillery, +485; 12th Regiment, 599; 39th, 586; 56th, 587; 58th, 605; 72nd, +1046; the Hanoverian Brigade--of Hardenberg's, Reden's, and De la +Motte's regiments--1352; and 122 Engineers under Colonel Green: +which makes up, altogether, 5382 officers and men.</p> +<p>"That is strong enough for anything, but it would have been +better if there had been five hundred more artillerymen; but I +suppose they will be able to lend us some sailors, to help work the +heavy guns.</p> +<p>"They will turn you into a powder monkey, Repton."</p> +<p>"I don't care what they turn me into," Bob said, "so long as I +can do something."</p> +<p>"I think it is likely," Captain O'Halloran said gravely, "that +all women and children will be turned out of the place, before +fighting begins; except, of course, wives and children of +officers."</p> +<p>There was a general laugh, at Bob.</p> +<p>"Well," he said quietly, "it will lessen the ranks of the +subalterns, for there must be a considerable number who are not +many months older than I am. I am just sixteen, and I know there +are some not older than that."</p> +<p>This was a fact, for commissions were--in those days--given in +the army to mere lads, and the ensigns were often no older than +midshipmen.</p> +<p>Late in the afternoon, a procession of carts was seen crossing +the neutral ground, from the Spanish lines; and it was soon seen +that these were the English officers and merchants from San Roque, +and the other villages. They had, that morning, received peremptory +orders to leave before sunset. Some were fortunate enough to be +able to hire carts, to bring in their effects; but several were +compelled, from want of carriage, to leave everything behind +them.</p> +<p>The guards had all been reinforced, at the northern batteries; +pickets had been stationed across the neutral ground; the guard, at +the work known as the Devil's Tower, were warned to be specially on +the alert; and the artillery in the battery, on the rock above it, +were to hold themselves in readiness to open fire upon the enemy, +should they be perceived advancing towards it.</p> +<p>It was considered improbable, in the extreme, that the enemy +would attack until a great force had been collected; but it was +possible that a body of troops might have been collected secretly, +somewhere in the neighbourhood, and that an attempt would be made +to capture the place by surprise, before the garrison might be +supposed to be taking precautions against attack.</p> +<p>The next morning orders were issued, and large working parties +were told off to go on with the work of strengthening the +fortifications; and notice was issued that all empty hogsheads and +casks in the town would be bought, by the military authorities. +These were to be filled with earth, and to take the places of +fascines, for which there were no materials available on the Rock. +Parties of men rolled or carried these up to the heights. Other +parties collected earth, and piled it to be carried up in sacks on +the back of mules--there being no earth, on the rocks where the +batteries would be established--a fact which added very largely to +the difficulties of the Engineers.</p> +<p>On the 24th the Childers, sloop of war, brought in two prizes +from the west; one of which, an American, she had captured in the +midst of the Spanish fleet. Some of the Spanish men-of-war had made +threatening demonstrations, as if to prevent the sloop from +interfering with her; but they had not fired a gun, and it was +supposed that they had not received orders to commence hostilities. +Two English frigates had been watching the fleet; and it was +supposed to be on its way to join the French fleet, off Cape +Finisterre.</p> +<p>The Spaniards were seen, now, to be at work dragging down guns +from San Roque to arm their two forts--Saint Philip and Saint +Barbara--which stood at the extremities of their lines: Saint +Philip on the bay, and Saint Barbara upon the seashore, on the +eastern side of the neutral side. In time of peace, only a few guns +were mounted in these batteries.</p> +<a id="Map1" name="Map1"></a><center><img src="images/1.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: The Rock and Bay of Gibraltar." +/></center> +<p>Admiral Duff moved the men-of-war under his command, consisting +of the Panther--of sixty guns--three frigates, and a sloop, from +their usual anchorage off the Water Port--where they were exposed +to the fire of the enemy's forts--to the New Mole, more to the +southward.</p> +<p>Bob would have liked to be out all day, watching the busy +preparations, and listening to the talk of the natives; who were +greatly alarmed at the prospect of the siege, knowing that the guns +from the Spanish forts, and especially from Fort Saint Philip, +could throw their shot and shell into the town. But Captain +O'Halloran agreed with his wife that it was much better he should +continue his lessons with Don Diaz, of a morning; for that it would +be absurd for him to be standing about in the sun, the whole day. +The evening lessons were, however, discontinued from the first; as +Dr. Burke had his hands full in superintending the preparations +making, at the hospitals, for the reception of large numbers of +wounded.</p> +<p>Bob did not so much mind this, for he had ceased to regard the +time spent with the professor as lessons. After he had once +mastered the conjugation of the verbs, and had learned an extensive +vocabulary by heart, books had been laid aside, altogether; and the +three hours with the professor had, for the last two months, been +spent simply in conversation. They were no longer indoors, but sat +in the garden on the shady side of the house; or, when the sky +happened to be clouded and the morning was cool, walked together +out to Europa Point; and would sit down there, looking over the +sea, but always talking. Sometimes it was history--Roman, English, +or Spanish--sometimes Bob's schooldays and life in London, +sometimes general subjects. It mattered little what they talked +about, so that the conversation was kept up.</p> +<p>Sometimes, when it was found that topics failed them, the +professor would give Bob a Spanish book to glance through, and its +subject would serve as a theme for talk on, the following day; and +as it was five months since the lad had landed, he was now able to +speak in Spanish almost as fluently as in English. As he had learnt +almost entirely by ear, and any word mispronounced had had to be +gone over, again and again, until Don Diaz was perfectly satisfied, +his accent was excellent; and the professor had told him, a few +days before the breaking out of the war, that in another month or +two he should discontinue his lessons.</p> +<p>"It would be well for you to have one or two mornings a week, to +keep up your accent. You can find plenty of practice talking to the +people. I see you are good at making friends, and are ready to talk +to labourers at work, to boys, to the market women, and to anyone +you come across; but their accent is bad, and it would be well for +you to keep on with me. But you speak, at present, much better +Spanish than the people here and, if you were dressed up as a young +Spaniard, you might go about Spain without anyone suspecting you to +be English."</p> +<p>Indeed, by the professor's method of teaching--assisted by a +natural aptitude, and three hours' daily conversation, for five +months--Bob had made surprising progress, especially as he had +supplemented his lesson by continually talking Spanish with Manola, +with the Spanish woman and children living below them, and with +everyone he could get to talk to.</p> +<p>He had seen little of Jim, since the trouble began; as leave +was, for the most part, stopped--the ships of war being in +readiness to proceed to sea, at a moment's notice, to engage an +enemy, or to protect merchantmen coming in from the attacks of the +Spanish ships and gunboats, across at Algeciras.</p> +<p>Bob generally got up at five o'clock, now, and went out for two +or three hours before breakfast; for the heat had become too great +for exercise, during the day. He greatly missed the market, for it +had given him much amusement to watch the groups of peasant +women--with their baskets of eggs, fowls, vegetables, oranges, and +fruit of various kinds--bargaining with the townspeople, and joking +and laughing with the soldiers. The streets were now almost +deserted, and many of the little traders in vegetables and fruit +had closed their shops. The fishermen, however, still carried on +their work, and obtained a ready sale for their catch. There had, +indeed, been a much greater demand than usual for fish, owing to +the falling off in the fruit and vegetable supplies.</p> +<p>The cessation of trade was already beginning to tell upon the +poorer part of the population; but employment was found for all +willing to labour either at collecting earth for the batteries, or +out on the neutral ground--where three hundred of them were +employed by the Engineers in levelling sand hummocks, and other +inequalities in the ground, that might afford any shelter to an +enemy creeping up to assault the gates by the waterside.</p> +<p>Dr. Burke came in with Captain O'Halloran to dinner, ten days +after the gates had been closed.</p> +<p>"You are quite a stranger, Teddy," Mrs. O'Halloran said.</p> +<p>"I am that," he replied; "but you are going to be bothered with +me again, now; we have got everything in apple pie order, and are +ready to take half the garrison under our charge. There has been +lots to do. All the medical stores have been overhauled, and lists +made out and sent home of everything that can be +required--medicines and comforts, and lint and bandages, and +splints and wooden legs; and goodness knows what, besides. We hope +they will be out in the first convoy.</p> +<p>"There is a privateer going to sail, tomorrow; so if you want to +send letters home, or to order anything to be sent out to you, you +had better take the opportunity. Have you got everything you want, +for the next two or three years?"</p> +<p>"Two or three years!" Carrie repeated, in tones of alarm. "You +mean two or three months."</p> +<p>"Indeed, and I don't. If the French and the Dons have made up +their mind to take this place, and once set to fairly to do it, +they are bound to stick to it for a bit. I should say you ought to +provide for three years."</p> +<p>"But that is downright nonsense, Teddy. Why, in three months +there ought to be a fleet here that would drive all the French and +Spaniards away."</p> +<p>"Well, if you say there ought to be, there ought," the doctor +said, "but where is it to come from? I was talking to some of the +naval men, yesterday; and they all say it will be a long business, +if the French and Spanish are in earnest. The French navy is as +strong as ours, and the Spaniards have got nearly as many ships as +the French. We have got to protect our coasts and our trade, to +convoy the East Indian fleets, and to be doing something all over +the world; and they doubt whether it would be possible to get +together a fleet that could hope to defeat the French and Spanish +navies, combined.</p> +<p>"Well, have you been laying in stores, Mrs. O'Halloran?"</p> +<p>"Yes, we have bought two sacks of flour, and fifty pounds of +sugar; ten pounds of tea, and a good many other things."</p> +<p>"If you will take my advice," the doctor said earnestly, "you +will lay in five times as much. Say ten sacks of flour, two +hundred-weight of sugar, and everything else in proportion. Those +sort of things haven't got up in price, yet; but you will see, +everything will rise as soon as the blockade begins in +earnest."</p> +<p>"No, the prices of those things have not gone up much; but fruit +is three times the price it was, a fortnight ago, and chickens and +eggs are double, and vegetables are hardly to be bought."</p> +<p>"That is the worst of it," the doctor said. "It's the vegetables +that I am thinking of."</p> +<p>"Well, we can do without vegetables," Mrs. O'Halloran laughed, +"as long as we have plenty of bread."</p> +<p>"It is just that you can't do. You see, we shall be cut off from +Tangier--maybe tomorrow, maybe a fortnight hence--but we shall be +cut off. A ship may run in sometimes, at night, but you can't count +upon that; and it is salt meat that we are going to live upon and, +if you live on salt meat, you have got to have vegetables or fruit +to keep you in health.</p> +<p>"Now, I tell you what I should do, Gerald, and I am not joking +with you. In the first place, I would make an arrangement with the +people downstairs, and I would hire their garden from them. I don't +suppose they would want much for it, for they make no use of it, +except to grow a few flowers. Then I would go down the town, and I +would buy up all the chickens I could get. There are plenty of them +to be picked up, if you look about for them, for most of the people +who have got a bit of ground keep a few fowls. Get a hundred of +them, if you can, and turn them into the garden. Buy up twenty +sacks, if you like, of damaged biscuits. You can get them for an +old song. The commissariat have been clearing out their stores, and +there are a lot of damaged biscuits to be sold, by auction, +tomorrow. You would get twenty sacks for a few shillings.</p> +<p>"That way you will get a good supply of eggs, if the siege lasts +ever so long; and you can fence off a bit of the garden, and raise +fowls there. That will give you a supply of fresh meat, and any +eggs and poultry you can't eat yourselves you can sell for big +prices. You could get a chicken, three weeks ago, at threepence. +Never mind if you have to pay a shilling for them, now; they will +be worth five shillings, before long.</p> +<p>"If you can rent another bit of garden, anywhere near, I would +take it. If not, I would hire three or four men to collect earth, +and bring it up here. This is a good, big place; I suppose it is +thirty feet by sixty. Well, I would just leave a path from the +door, there, up to this end; and a spare place, here, for your +chairs; and I would cover the rest of it with earth, nine inches or +a foot deep; and I would plant vegetables."</p> +<p>"Do you mane we are to grow cabbages here, Teddy?" Captain +O'Halloran asked, with a burst of laughter.</p> +<p>"No, I wouldn't grow cabbages. I would just grow mustard, and +cress, and radishes. If you eat plenty of them, they will keep off +scurvy; and all you don't want for yourselves, I will guarantee you +will be able to sell at any price you like to ask for them and, if +nobody else will buy them, the hospitals will. They would be the +saving of many a man's life."</p> +<p>"But they would want watering," Captain O'Halloran said, more +seriously, for he saw how much the doctor was in earnest.</p> +<p>"They will that. You will have no difficulty in hiring a man to +bring up water, and to tend to them and to look after the fowls. +Men will be glad enough to work for next to nothing.</p> +<p>"I tell you, Gerald, if I wasn't in the service, I should hire +every bit of land I could lay hands on, and employ as many +labourers as it required; and I should look to be a rich man, +before the end of the siege. I was speaking to the chief surgeon +today about it; and he is going to put the convalescents to work, +on a bit of spare ground there is at the back of the hospital, and +to plant vegetables.</p> +<p>"I was asking down the town yesterday and I found that, at +Blount's store, you can get as much vegetable seed as you like. You +lay in a stock, today, of mustard and cress and radish. Don't be +afraid of the expense--get twenty pounds of each of them. You will +be always able to sell what you don't want, at ten times the price +you give for it now. If you can get a piece more garden ground, +take it at any price and raise other vegetables; but keep the top +of the house here for what I tell you.</p> +<p>"Well, I said nine inches deep of earth; that is more than +necessary. Four and a half will do for the radishes, and two is +enough for the mustard and cress. That will grow on a blanket--it +is really only water that it wants."</p> +<p>"What do you think, Carrie?" Captain O'Halloran asked.</p> +<p>"Well, Gerald, if you really believe the siege is going to last +like that, I should think that it would be really worth while to do +what Teddy Burke advises. Of course, you will be too busy to look +after things, but Bob might do so."</p> +<p>"Of course I would," Bob broke in. "It will give me something to +do."</p> +<p>"Well, we will set about it at once, then. I will speak to the +man downstairs. You know he has got two or three horses and traps +down in the town, and lets them to people driving out across the +lines; but of course he has nothing to do, now, and I should think +that he would be glad enough to arrange to look after the fowls and +the things up here.</p> +<p>"The garden is a good size. I don't think anything could get out +through that prickly pear hedge but, anyhow, any gaps there are can +be stopped up with stakes. I think it is a really good idea and, if +I can get a couple of hundred fowls, I will. I should think there +was plenty of room for them, in the garden. I will set up as a +poultry merchant."</p> +<p>"You might do worse, Gerald. I will bet you a gallon of whisky +they will be selling at ten shillings a couple, before this +business is over; and there is no reason in the world why you +should not turn an honest penny--it will be a novelty to you."</p> +<p>"Well, I will go down the town, at once," Gerald said, "and get +the seeds and the extra stores you advise, Teddy; and tomorrow I +will go to the commissariat sale, and buy a ton or two of those +damaged biscuits. We will take another room from them, downstairs, +as a storeroom for that and the eggs; and I will get a carpenter to +come up and put a fence, and make some runs and a bit of a shelter +for the sitting hens, and the chickens. Bob shall do the +purchasing.</p> +<p>"You had better get a boy with a big basket to go with you, Bob; +and go round to the cottages, to buy up fowls. Mind, don't let them +sell you nothing but cocks--one to every seven or eight hens is +quite enough; and don't let them foist off old hens on you--the +younger they are, the better. I should say that, at first, you had +better take Manola with you, if Carrie can spare her; then you +won't get taken in, and you will soon learn to tell the difference +between an old hen and a young chicken."</p> +<p>"When you are buying the seed, O'Halloran," said Dr. Burke, "you +would do well to get a few cucumbers, and melons, and pumpkins. +They will grow on the roof, splendidly. And you can plant them near +the parapet, where they will grow down over the sides, so they +won't take up much room; and you can pick them with a ladder. The +pumpkin is a good vegetable, and the fowls will thank you for a bit +to pick, when you can spare one. They will all want manure, but you +get plenty of that, from the fowl yard."</p> +<p>"Why, Teddy, there seems no end to your knowledge," Mrs. +O'Halloran said. "First of all, you turn out to be a schoolmaster; +and now you are a gardener, and poultry raiser. And to think I +never gave you credit for knowing anything, except medicine."</p> +<p>"You haven't got to the bottom of it yet, Mrs. O'Halloran. My +head is just stored with knowledge, only it isn't always that I +have a chance of making it useful. I would be just the fellow to be +cast on a desert island. There is no saying what I wouldn't do +towards making myself comfortable there.</p> +<p>"But I do know about scurvy, for I made a voyage in a whaler, +before I got His Majesty's commission to kill and slay in the army; +and I know how necessary vegetables are. I only wish we had known +what the Spaniards were up to, a month since. We would have got a +cargo of oranges and lemons. They would have been worth their +weight in silver."</p> +<p>"But they wouldn't have kept, Teddy."</p> +<p>"No, not for long; but we would have squeezed them, and put +sugar into the juice, and bottled it off. If the general had +consulted me, that is what he would have been after, instead of +seeing about salt meat and biscuits. We shall get plenty of them, +from ships that run in--I have no fear of that--but it is the acids +will be wanting."</p> +<p>As soon as dinner was over, Captain O'Halloran went downstairs; +and had no difficulty in arranging, with the man below, for the +entire use of his garden. An inspection was made of the hedge, and +the man agreed to close up all gaps that fowls could possibly creep +through. He was also quite willing to let off a room for storage, +and his wife undertook to superintend the management of the young +broods, and sitting hens. Having arranged this, Captain O'Halloran +went down into the town to make his purchases.</p> +<p>A quarter of an hour later Bob started with Manola, carrying a +large basket, and both were much amused at their errand. Going +among the cottages scattered over the hill above the town, they had +no difficulty in obtaining chickens and fowls--the former at about +five pence apiece, the latter at seven pence--such prices being +more than double the usual rates. Manola's basket was soon full +and, while she was taking her purchases back to the house, Bob +hired two boys with baskets and, before evening, nearly a hundred +fowls were running in the garden.</p> +<p>The next day Bob was considered sufficiently experienced to +undertake the business alone and, in two more days, the entire +number of two hundred had been made up. Three of the natives had +been engaged in collecting baskets of earth among the rocks and, in +a week, the terrace was converted into a garden ready for the +seeds. As yet vegetables, although very dear, had not risen to +famine prices; for although the town had depended chiefly upon the +produce of the mainland, many of the natives had grown small +patches of vegetables in their gardens for their own use, and these +they now disposed of at prices that were highly satisfactory to +themselves.</p> +<p>O'Halloran's farm--as they called it, as soon as they heard, +from him, what he was doing--became quite a joke in the regiment; +but several of the other married officers, who had similar +facilities for keeping fowls, adopted the idea to some extent, and +started with a score or so of fowls.</p> +<p>"I wonder you didn't think of pigs, O'Halloran," one of the +captains said, laughing, as they were talking over the farm in the +mess anteroom; "pigs and potatoes. The idea of you and Burke, both +from the sod, starting a farm; and not thinking, first, of the two +chief national products."</p> +<p>"There is not room for praties, Sinclair; and as for pigs, there +are many reasons against it. In the first place, I doubt whether I +could buy any. In the second, there isn't room for them. In the +third, what should I give them to keep them alive? In the fourth, +pigs are illigant bastes but, in a hot country like this, I should +not care for a stye of them under my drawing room window. In the +fifth--"</p> +<p>"That will do, that will do, O'Halloran. We give way. We allow +that you could not keep pigs, but it is a pity."</p> +<p>"It is that, Sinclair. There is nothing would please me better +than to see a score of nice little pigs, with a nate stye, and a +magazine of food big enough to keep them, say, for a year."</p> +<p>"Three months, O'Halloran, would be ample."</p> +<p>"Well, we shall see, Sinclair. Teddy Burke says three years, but +I do hope it is not going to be as long as that."</p> +<p>"Begorra!" another Irish officer, Captain O'Moore, exclaimed; +"if it is three years we are going to be here, we had best be +killed and buried at once. I have been all the morning in the +Queen's Battery, where my company has been slaving like haythens, +with the sun coming down as if it would fry your brain in your +skull pan; and if that is to go on, day after day, for three years, +I should be dead in a month!"</p> +<p>"That is nothing, O'Moore. If the siege goes on, they say the +officers will have to help at the work."</p> +<p>"I shall protest against it. There is not a word in the articles +of war about officers working. I am willing enough to be shot by +the Spaniards, but not to be killed by inches. No, sir, there is +not an O'Moore ever did a stroke of work, since the flood; and I am +not going to demean myself by beginning.</p> +<p>"What are you laughing at, young Repton?"</p> +<p>"I was only wondering, Captain O'Moore, how your ancestors got +through the flood. Unless, indeed, Noah was an O'Moore."</p> +<p>"There is reason to believe that he was," the captain said, +seriously. "It must have been that, if he hadn't a boat of his own, +or found a mountain that the water didn't cover. I have got the +tree of the family at home; and an old gentleman who was learned in +these things came to the house, when I was a boy; and I remember +right well that he said to my father, after reckoning them up, that +the first of the house must have had a place there in Ireland +well-nigh a thousand years before Adam.</p> +<p>"I don't think my father quite liked it but, for the life of me, +I couldn't see why. It was just what I should expect from the +O'Moores. Didn't they give kings to Ireland, for generations? And +what should they want to be doing, out among those rivers in the +East, when there was Ireland, ready to receive them?"</p> +<p>Captain O'Moore spoke so seriously that Bob did not venture to +laugh, but listened with an air of gravity equal to that of the +officer.</p> +<p>"You will kill me altogether, Phelim!" Captain O'Halloran +exclaimed; amid a great shout of laughter, in which all the others +joined.</p> +<p>The O'Moore looked round, speechless with indignation.</p> +<p>"Gentlemen," he said, "I shall expect satisfaction for this +insult. The word of an O'Moore has never been doubted.</p> +<p>"Captain O'Halloran, my friend will call upon you, first."</p> +<p>"He may call as often as he likes, O'Moore, and I shall be happy +to converse with any friend of yours but, at present, that is all +the satisfaction you will get out of me. Duelling is strictly +forbidden on the Rock, and there is no getting across the Spanish +lines to fight--unless, indeed, you can persuade the governor to +send out a flag of truce with us. So we must let the matter rest, +till the siege is over; and then, if both of us are alive, and you +have the same mind, we will talk about it."</p> +<p>"I think, O'Moore," Dr. Burke, who had entered the room two or +three minutes before, said persuasively, "you will see that you are +the last man who ought to maintain that the first of your race +lived here, as far back as Adam. You see, we are all direct +descendants of Adam--I mean, all the rest of us."</p> +<p>"No doubt you are," Captain O'Moore said, stiffly.</p> +<p>"And one has just as much right as another to claim that he is +the heir, in a direct line."</p> +<p>"I suppose so, Burke," the officer said, "though, for the life +of me, I can't see what you are driving at."</p> +<p>"What I mean is this. Suppose Adam and the O'Moore started at +the same time, one in Ireland and the other in Eden; and they had +an equal number of children, as was likely enough. Half the people +in the world would be descendants of Adam, and the other half of +the O'Moore and, you see, instead of your being the O'Moore--the +genuine descendant, in the direct line, from the first of the +family--half the world would have an equal claim to the title."</p> +<p>Captain O'Moore reflected for a minute or two.</p> +<p>"You are right, Dr. Burke," he said. "I never saw it in that +light. It is clear enough that you are right, and that the less we +say about the O'Moores before the first Irish king of that name, +the better. There must have been some mistake about that tree I +spoke of.</p> +<p>"Captain O'Halloran, I apologize. I was wrong."</p> +<p>The two officers shook hands, and peace was restored; but +Captain O'Moore was evidently a good deal puzzled, and mortified, +by the problem the doctor had set before him and, after remaining +silent for some time, evidently in deep thought, he left the room. +Some of the others watched him from the window, until he had +entered the door of his own quarters; and then there was a general +shout of laughter.</p> +<p>"The O'Moore will be the death of me!" Teddy Burke exclaimed, as +he threw himself back in a chair, exhausted. "He is one of the best +fellows going, but you can lead him on into anything. I don't +suppose he ever gave a thought to the O'Moores, anywhere further +back than those kings. He had a vague idea that they must have been +going on, simply because it must have seemed to him that a world +without an O'Moore in it would be necessarily imperfect. It was Bob +Repton's questions, as to what they were doing at the time of the +flood, that brought him suddenly up; then he didn't hesitate for a +moment in taking them back to Adam, or before him. Just on the +ancestry of the O'Moores, Phelim has got a tile a little loose; but +on all other points, he is as sensible as anyone in the +regiment."</p> +<p>"I wonder you didn't add, 'and that is not saying much,' +doctor," one of the lieutenants said.</p> +<p>"I may have thought it, youngster; but you see, I must have made +exceptions in favour of myself and the colonel, so I held my +tongue. The fact that we are all here, under a sun hot enough to +cook a beefsteak; and that for the next two or three years we are +going to have to work like niggers, and to be shot at by the +Spaniards, and to be pretty well--if not quite--starved, speaks for +itself as to the amount of sense we have got between us.</p> +<p>"There go the drums! Now, gentlemen, you have got the pleasure +of a couple of hours' drill before you, and I am due at the +hospital."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch9" id="Ch9">Chapter 9</a>: The Antelope.</h2> +<p>On the 3rd of July, a hundred and eighty volunteers from the +infantry joined the artillery, who were not numerous enough to work +all the guns of the batteries; and two days later a Spanish +squadron of two men-of-war, five frigates, and eleven smaller +vessels hove in sight from the west, and lay to off the entrance to +the bay. Three privateers came in, and one of the Spanish schooners +stood across to reconnoitre them; and a shot was fired at her from +the batteries on Europa Point.</p> +<p>The Enterprise, frigate, had gone across to Tetuan to bring Mr. +Logie over again. On her return, she was chased by the enemy's +squadron; but succeeded in giving them the slip, in the dark. As +she neared the Rock the captain, fearing to be discovered by the +enemy, did not show the usual lights; and several shots were fired +at the ship, but fortunately without effect.</p> +<p>On the following day letters were received from England, with +the official news that hostilities had commenced between Great +Britain and Spain; and the same evening a proclamation was +published authorizing the capture of Spanish vessels, and letters +of marque were given to the privateers in the bay, permitting them +to capture Spanish as well as French vessels.</p> +<p>Among the privateers was the Antelope, which was one of those +that had come in on the previous afternoon. Bob had not heard of +her arrival, when he ran against Captain Lockett in the town, next +morning. They had not met since Bob had landed, six months +before.</p> +<p>"Well, Master Repton," the captain said, after they had shaken +hands, "I was coming up to see you, after I had managed my +business. I have letters, from Mr. Bale, for you and Mrs. +O'Halloran."</p> +<p>"You are all well on board, I hope, captain?"</p> +<p>"Joe is well. He is first mate, now. Poor Probert is on his back +in hospital, at Portsmouth. We had a sharp brush with a French +privateer, but we beat her off. We had five men killed, and Probert +had his leg taken off by an eighteen pound shot. We clapped on a +tourniquet, but he had a very narrow escape of bleeding to death. +Fortunately it was off Ushant and, the wind being favourable, we +got into Portsmouth on the following morning; and the doctors think +that they will pull him round.</p> +<p>"You have grown a good bit, since I saw you last."</p> +<p>"Not much, I am afraid," Bob replied dolefully, for his height +was rather a sore point with him. "I get wider, but I don't think I +have grown half an inch, since I came here."</p> +<p>"And how goes on the Spanish?"</p> +<p>"First rate. I can get on in it almost as well as in +English."</p> +<p>"So you are in for some more fighting!"</p> +<p>"So they say," Bob replied, "but I don't think I am likely to +have as close a shave, of a Spanish prison, as I had of a French +one coming out here."</p> +<p>"No; we had a narrow squeak of it, that time."</p> +<p>"Was war declared when you came away?"</p> +<p>"No; the negotiations were broken off, and everyone knew that +war was certain, and that the proclamation might be issued at any +hour. I have not had a very fast run, and expected to have learned +the news when I got here; but you are sure to hear it, in a day or +two. That was why I came here. Freights were short for, with the +ports of France and Spain both closed, there was little enough +doing; so the owners agreed to let me drop trading and make +straight for Gibraltar, so as to be ready to put out as soon as we +get the declaration of war.</p> +<p>"There ought to be some first-rate pickings, along the coast. It +isn't, here, as it is with France; where they have learned to be +precious cautious, and where one daren't risk running in close to +their coast on the chance of picking up a prize, for the waters +swarm with their privateers. The Spaniards are a very slow set, and +there is not much fear of their fitting out many privateers, for +months to come; and the coasters will be a long time before they +wake up to the fact that Spain is at war with us, and will go +lumbering along from port to port, without the least fear of being +captured. So it is a rare chance of making prize money.</p> +<p>"If you like a cruise, I shall be very happy to take you with +me. I have seen you under fire, you know, and know that you are to +be depended upon."</p> +<p>"I should like to go, above all things," Bob said; "but I don't +know what my sister would say. I must get at her husband, first. If +I can get him on my side, I think I shall be able to manage it with +her.</p> +<p>"Well, will you come up to dinner?"</p> +<p>"No, I shall be busy all day. Here are the letters I was +speaking of."</p> +<p>"Well, we have supper at seven. Will you come then?"</p> +<p>"With pleasure."</p> +<p>"Will Joe be able to come, too?"</p> +<p>"No; it wouldn't do for us both to leave the brig. The Spanish +fleet may be sending in their boats, to try and cut some of our +vessels out, and I should not feel comfortable if we were both +ashore; but he will be very glad to see you, on board. We are +anchored a cable length from the Water Port. You are pretty sure to +see one of our boats alongside.</p> +<p>"The steward came off with me, to buy some soft tack and fresh +meat. I saw him just before I met you. He told me he had got some +bread, but that meat was at a ruinous price. I told him that he +must get it, whatever price it was, and I expect by this time he +has done so; so if you look sharp, you will get to the boat before +it puts off with him."</p> +<p>The steward was in the act of getting into the boat, as Bob ran +down.</p> +<p>"Glad to see you, Mister Repton," the man said, touching his +hat. "Have you seen the captain, sir?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I have just left him. He told me I should catch you +here."</p> +<p>"Thinking of having another cruise with us, sir?"</p> +<p>"I am thinking about it, Parker, but I don't know whether I +shall be able to manage it."</p> +<p>They were soon alongside the Antelope.</p> +<p>"I thought it was you, Mister Repton, when I saw you run down to +the boat," Joe Lockett said, as he shook hands with Bob.</p> +<p>"I am glad to see you again, Joe, and I am glad to hear you are +first mate now; though of course, I am sorry for Mr. Probert."</p> +<p>"Yes, a bad job for him, a very bad job; but it won't be so bad, +in his case, as in some. He has been talking, for the last two or +three voyages, of retiring. An old uncle of his died, and left him +a few acres of land down in Essex; and he has saved a bit of money +out of his pay, and his share of the prizes we have made; and he +talked about giving up the sea, and settling down on shore. So now, +he will do it. He said as much as that, the night he was +wounded.</p> +<p>"'Well,' he said, 'there won't be any more trouble about making +up my mind, Joe. If I do get over this job, I have got to lay up as +a dismantled hulk, for the rest of my life. I have been talking of +it to you, but I doubt whether I should ever have brought myself to +it, if it had not been for them Frenchmen's shot.'</p> +<p>"Well, will you come into the cabin, and take something?"</p> +<p>"No, thank you, Joe."</p> +<p>"Have they got the news about the declaration of war yet, Mister +Repton?"</p> +<p>"No, it hasn't arrived yet."</p> +<p>"I expect we shall get some good pickings along the coast, +directly it comes. We have been trading regularly, this last year; +and we all of us want the chance of earning a bit of prize money. +So I can tell you, we were very glad when we heard that we were +going to take to that again, for a bit."</p> +<p>"Yes, the captain was telling me about it, and he has asked me +to go for a trip with you."</p> +<p>"Well, I hope that you will be able to come, Mister Repton."</p> +<p>"I hope so, Joe. But there is one thing--if I do come, you must +call me Bob. I hate being called Mister Repton."</p> +<p>"Well, it would be different if you come with us like that," the +young mate said. "You see, you were a passenger, before; but if you +came like this, you will be here as a friend, like. So it will come +natural to call you Bob.</p> +<p>"And how do you like the place?"</p> +<p>"Oh, I like it well enough! I have been working very hard--at +least, pretty hard--so I haven't had time to feel it dull; and of +course I know all the officers in my brother-in-law's regiment. But +I shall be very glad, indeed, of a cruise; especially as we are +likely presently, by all they say, to be cut off here--some say for +months, some say for years."</p> +<p>"But still, I expect there will be some lively work," the mate +said, "if the Spaniards really mean to try and take this +place."</p> +<p>"They will never take it," Bob said, "unless they are able to +starve us out; and they ought not to be able to do that. Ships +ought to be able to run in from the east, at any time; for the +Spaniards dare not come across within range of the guns and, if the +wind was strong, they could not get out from their side of the +bay."</p> +<p>"That is true enough, and I expect you will find fast-sailing +craft--privateers, and such like--will dodge in and out; but a +merchantman won't like to venture over this side of the Straits, +but will keep along the Moorish coasts. You see, they can't keep +along the Spanish side without the risk of being picked up, by the +gunboats and galleys with the blockading fleet. There are a dozen +small craft lying over there, now, with the men-of-war.</p> +<p>"Still, I don't say none of them will make their way in here, +because I daresay they will. They well know they will get big +prices for their goods, if they can manage to run the blockade. We +are safe to pick up some of the native craft, and bring them in; +and so will the other privateers. I expect there will be a good +many down here, before long. The worst of it is, there won't be any +sale for the craft we capture."</p> +<p>"Except for firewood, Joe. That is one of the things I have +heard we are sure to run very short of, if there is a long +siege."</p> +<p>"Well, that will be something and, of course, any prizes we take +laden with things likely to be useful, and sell here, we shall +bring in; but the rest we shall have to send over to the other +side, so as to be out of sight of their fleet, and then take them +straight back to England.</p> +<p>"You see, we have shipped twice as many hands as we had on the +voyage when you were with us. We had only a trader's crew, then; +now we have a privateer's.</p> +<p>"Look there! There is a craft making in from the south. It is +like enough she has got the despatches on board. There are two or +three of those small Spanish craft getting under sail, to cut her +off; but they won't do it. They could not head her, without getting +under the fire of the guns of those batteries, on the point."</p> +<p>"Well, I will go ashore now, Joe, if you will let me have the +boat. The captain is going to have supper with us, tonight. I +wanted you to come too, but he said you could not both come on +shore, together. I hope we shall see you tomorrow."</p> +<p>On landing, Bob made his way to the barrack, so as to intercept +Gerald when he came off duty.</p> +<p>"Look here, Gerald," he said, when Captain O'Halloran came out +of the orderly room, "I want you to back me up."</p> +<p>"Oh, you do? Then I am quite sure that you are up to some +mischief or other, Bob, or you wouldn't want me to help you with +Carrie."</p> +<p>"It is not mischief at all, Gerald. The Antelope came in last +night, and I saw Captain Lockett this morning, and I have asked him +to come to supper."</p> +<p>"Well, that is all right, Bob. We have plenty of food, at +present."</p> +<p>"Yes, but that is not it, Gerald. He has invited me to go for a +cruise with him. He is going to pick up some prizes, along the +Spanish coast."</p> +<p>"Oh, that is it, is it? Well, you know very well Carrie won't +let you go."</p> +<p>"Well, why shouldn't I, Gerald? You know that I have been +working very well, here; and I am sure I have learnt as much +Spanish, in six months, as uncle expected me to learn in two +years--besides lots of Latin, and other things, from the doctor. +Now, I do think that I have earned a holiday. A fellow at school +always has a holiday. I am sure I have worked as hard as I did at +school. I think it only fair that I should have a holiday. Besides, +you see, I am past sixteen now and, being out here, I think I ought +to have the chance of any fun there is; especially as we may be +shut up here for ever so long."</p> +<p>"Well, there may be something in that, Bob. You certainly have +stuck at it well; and you have not got into a single scrape since +you came out, which is a deal more than I expected of you."</p> +<p>"Besides, you see, Gerald, if I had not made up my mind to stick +to uncle's business, I might have been on board the Brilliant now, +with Jim Sankey; and I think, after my giving up that chance, it +would be only fair that I should be allowed to have a cruise, now +that there is such a splendid opportunity."</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, I will do my best to persuade Carrie to let you go; +but as far as you are concerned, you know, she is commanding +officer."</p> +<p>Bob laughed, for he knew well enough that, not only in that but +in all other matters, his sister generally had her own way.</p> +<p>"Well, I am very much obliged to you, Gerald. I am sure I should +enjoy it, awfully."</p> +<p>"Don't thank me too soon, Bob. You have your sister to manage +yet."</p> +<p>"Oh, we ought to be able to manage her, between us!" Bob said, +confidently. "Look how you managed to have Dr. Burke for me, and +you know how well that turned out."</p> +<p>"Yes, that was a triumph, Bob. Well, we will do our best."</p> +<p>"Why, Bob, where have you been all the morning?" his sister +said. "The professor came at ten o'clock. He said he had arranged +with you that he should be an hour later than usual, as he had +another engagement, early."</p> +<p>"I forgot all about him, Carrie. He never came into my mind +once, since breakfast. I met Captain Lockett down in the town, as +soon as I went out, and I wanted him to come here to dinner. I knew +you would be glad to see him, for you said you liked him very much; +but he said he should be too busy, but he is coming up to supper, +at seven. Then I went on board the Antelope and had a chat with his +cousin Joe, who is first mate now."</p> +<p>When dinner was finished, Bob said:</p> +<p>"Don't you think, Carrie, I am looking pale? What with the heat, +and what with my sticking in and working so many hours a day, I +begin to feel that it is too much for me."</p> +<p>His sister looked anxiously at him.</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, you are looking a little pale, but so is everybody +else; and no wonder, with this heat. But I have not been noticing +you, particularly. What do you feel, Bob?"</p> +<p>"I think Bob feels as if he wants a holiday," Captain O'Halloran +put in.</p> +<p>"Well, then, we must tell the professor that we don't want him +to come, for a bit. Of course, Teddy Burke has given up coming, +already.</p> +<p>"But if you have a holiday, Bob, what will you do with +yourself?"</p> +<p>"I don't think I shall get any better here, Carrie. I think I +want change of air."</p> +<p>"Nonsense, Bob! You can't be as bad as all that; and you never +said anything about it, before.</p> +<p>"If he is not well, you must ask Teddy Burke to come up to see +him, Gerald. Besides, how can he have change of air? The only place +he could go to would be Tetuan, and it would be hotter there than +it is here."</p> +<p>"I think, Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said, "I can prescribe for +him without calling Teddy Burke in. I fancy the very thing that +would get Bob set up would be a sea voyage."</p> +<p>"A sea voyage!" his wife repeated. "Do you mean that he should +go back to England? I don't see anything serious the matter with +him. Surely there cannot be anything serious enough for that."</p> +<p>"No, not so serious as that, Carrie. Just a cruise for a bit--on +board the Antelope, for example."</p> +<p>Mrs. O'Halloran looked from one to the other; and then, catching +a twinkle in Bob's eye, the truth flashed across her.</p> +<p>"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Gerald," she said, +laughing in spite of herself. "You have quite frightened me. I see +now. Captain Locket has invited Bob to go for a cruise with him, +and all this about his being ill is nonsense, from beginning to +end. You don't mean to say that you have been encouraging Bob in +this ridiculous idea!"</p> +<p>"I don't know about encouraging, Carrie; but when he put it to +me that he had been working very steadily, for the last six months; +and that he had got into no scrapes; and that he had really earned +a holiday, and that this would be a very jolly one; I did not see +any particular reason why he shouldn't have it."</p> +<p>"No particular reason! Why, the Antelope is a privateer; and if +she is going to cruise about, that means that she is going to +fight, and he may get shot."</p> +<p>"So he may here, Carrie, if a ball happens to come the right +way.</p> +<p>"I think Bob certainly deserves a reward for the way he has +stuck to his lessons. You know you never expected he would do as he +has done; and I am sure his uncle would be delighted, if he heard +how well he speaks Spanish.</p> +<p>"As to his health, the boy is well enough; but there is no +denying that this hot weather we are having takes it out of us all, +and that it would be a mighty good thing if every soul on the Rock +had the chance of a month's cruise at sea, to set him up.</p> +<p>"But seriously, Carrie, I don't see any reason, whatever, why he +should not go. We didn't bring the boy out here to make a +mollycoddle of him. He has got to settle down, some day, in a musty +old office; and it seems to me that he ought to have his share in +any fun and diversion that he has a chance of getting at, now. As +to danger, sure you are a soldier's wife; and why shouldn't he have +a share of it, just the same as if he had gone into the navy? You +wouldn't have made any hullabaloo about it, if he had done +that.</p> +<p>"This is Bob's good time, let him enjoy it. You are not going to +keep a lad of his age tied to your apron strings. He has just got +the chance of having two or three years of fighting, and adventure. +It will be something for him to talk about, all his life; and my +opinion is, that you had best let him go his own way. There are +hundreds and hundreds of lads his age knocking about the world, and +running all sorts of risks, without having elder sisters worrying +over them."</p> +<p>"Very well, Gerald, if you and Bob have made up your minds about +it, it is no use my saying no. I am sure I don't want to make a +mollycoddle, as you call it, of him. Of course, uncle will blame +me, if any harm comes of it."</p> +<p>"No, he won't, Carrie. Your uncle wants the boy to be a +gentleman, and a man of the world. If you had said that a year ago, +I would have agreed with you; but we know him better, now, and I +will be bound he will like him to see as much life as he can, +during this time. He has sent him out into the world.</p> +<p>"I will write to your uncle, myself, and tell him it is my doing +entirely; and that I think it is a good thing Bob should take every +chance he gets, and that I will answer for it that he won't be any +the less ready, when the time comes, for buckling to at +business."</p> +<p>"Well, if you really think that, Gerald, I have nothing more to +say. You know I should like Bob to enjoy himself, as much as he +can; only I seem to have the responsibility of him."</p> +<p>"I don't see why you worry about that, Carrie. If he had gone +out to Cadiz or Oporto, as your uncle intended, you don't suppose +the people there would have troubled themselves about him. He would +just have gone his own way. You went your own way, didn't you? And +it is mighty little you troubled yourself about what your uncle was +likely to say, when you took up with an Irishman in a marching +regiment; and I don't see why you should trouble now.</p> +<p>"The old gentleman means well with the boy but, after all, he is +not either his father or his mother. You are his nearest relation +and, though you are a married woman, you are not old enough, yet, +to expect that a boy of Bob's age is going to treat you as if you +were his mother, instead of his sister. There is not one boy in +fifty would have minded us as he has done."</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, there is nothing more for me to say, after that," +Carrie said, half laughing--though there were tears in her +eyes.</p> +<p>"No, no, Carrie; I won't go, if you don't like," Bob said, +impetuously.</p> +<p>"Yes, you shall go, Bob. Gerald is quite right. It is better you +should begin to think for yourself; and I am sure I should like you +to see things, and to enjoy yourself as much as you can. I don't +know why I should fidget about you, for you showed you had much +more good sense than I credited you with, when you gave up your +chance of going to sea and went into uncle's office.</p> +<p>"I am sure I am the last person who ought to lecture you, after +choosing to run about all over the world, and to take the risk of +being starved here," and she smiled at her husband.</p> +<p>"You do as you like, Bob," she went on. "I won't worry about +you, in future--only if you have to go back to England without a +leg, or an arm, don't blame me; and be sure you tell uncle that I +made as good a fight against it as I could."</p> +<p>And so it was settled.</p> +<p>"By the way," Bob exclaimed, presently, "I have got a letter +from uncle to you, in my pocket; and one for myself, also. Captain +Lockett gave them to me this morning, but I forgot all about +them."</p> +<p>"Well, you are a boy!" his sister exclaimed.</p> +<p>"This is a nice sample, Gerald, of Bob's thoughtfulness.</p> +<p>"Well, give me the letter. Perhaps he writes saying you had +better be sent home, by the first chance that offers itself."</p> +<p>Bob's face fell. He had, indeed, himself had some misgiving, +ever since the troubles began, that his uncle might be writing to +that effect.</p> +<p>"Well, look here, Carrie," he said, "here is the letter; but I +think you had better not open it, till I have started on this +cruise. Of course, if he says I must go back, I must; but I may as +well have this trip, first."</p> +<p>Carrie laughed.</p> +<p>"What do you think, Gerald, shall I leave it till Bob has +gone?"</p> +<p>"No, open it at once, Carrie. If he does say, 'send Bob on by +the first vessel,' there is not likely to be one before he goes in +the Antelope. Besides, that is all the more reason why he should go +for a cruise, before he starts back for that grimy old place in +Philpot Lane. We may as well see what the old gentleman says."</p> +<p>"I won't open mine till you have read yours, Carrie," Bob said. +"I mean to go the cruise, anyhow; but if he says I must go after +that, I will go. If he had been the old bear I used to think him, I +would not mind it a snap; but he has been so kind that I shall +certainly do what he wants."</p> +<p>Bob sat, with his hands deep in his pockets, watching his +sister's face with the deepest anxiety as she glanced through the +letter; Gerald standing by, and looking over her shoulder.</p> +<a id="PicE" name="PicE"></a><center><img src="images/e.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: 'The old gentleman is a brick,' exclaimed Gerald." +/></center> +<p>"The old gentleman is a brick!" Gerald, who was the first to +arrive at the end, exclaimed. "I wish I had had such a sensible old +relative, myself, but--barring an aunt who kept three parrots and a +cat, and who put more store on the smallest of them than she did on +me--never a relative did I have, in the world."</p> +<p>"Oh, tell me that afterwards!" Bob broke in.</p> +<p>"Do tell me what uncle says, Carrie."</p> +<p>His sister turned to the beginning again and read aloud:</p> +<p>"My dear niece--"</p> +<p>"Where does he write from?" Bob interrupted. "Is it from Philpot +Lane, or from somewhere else?"</p> +<p>"He writes from Matlock, Derbyshire."</p> +<p>"That is all right," Bob said. "I thought, by what Gerald said, +he could not have written from Philpot Lane."</p> +<p>"My dear niece," Carrie began again, "I duly received your +letter, saying that Bob had arrived out safely; and also his more +lengthy epistle, giving an account of the incidents of the voyage. +I should be glad if you would impress upon him the necessity of +being more particular in his punctuation, as also in the crossing +of his t's and the dotting of his i's. I have also received your +letter bearing date June 1st; and note, with great satisfaction, +your statement that he has been most assiduous in his studies, and +that he is already able to converse with some fluency in +Spanish.</p> +<p>"Since that time the state of affairs between the two countries +has much occupied my attention--both from its commercial aspect, +which is serious, and in connection with Bob. As the issue of a +declaration of war is hourly expected, as I write, the period of +uncertainty may be considered as over, and the two countries may be +looked upon as at war. I have reason to congratulate myself upon +having followed the advice of my correspondent, and of having laid +in a very large supply of Spanish wine; from which I shall, under +the circumstances, reap considerable profits. I have naturally been +debating, with myself, whether to send for Bob to return to +England; or to proceed to Lisbon, and thence to Oporto, to the care +of my correspondent there. I have consulted in this matter my +junior partner, Mr. Medlin, who is staying with me here for a few +days; and I am glad to say that his opinion coincides with that at +which I had finally arrived--namely, to allow him to remain with +you.</p> +<p>"His conduct when with me, and the perseverance with which--as +you report--he is pursuing his studies, has shown me that he will +not be found wanting in business qualities, when he enters the +firm. I am, therefore, all the more willing that he should use the +intervening time in qualifying himself, generally, for a good +position in the city of London; especially for that of the head of +a firm in the wine trade, in which an acquaintance with the world, +and the manners of a gentleman, if not of a man of fashion--a +matter in which my firm has been very deficient, heretofore--are +specially valuable. It is probable, from what I hear, that +Gibraltar will be besieged; and the event is likely to be a +memorable one. It will be of advantage to him, and give him a +certain standing, to have been present on such an occasion.</p> +<p>"And if he evinces any desire to place any services he is able +to render, either as a volunteer or otherwise, at the disposal of +the military authorities--and I learn, from Mr. Medlin, that it is +by no means unusual for the civil inhabitants of a besieged town to +be called upon, to aid in its defence--I should recommend that you +should place no obstacle in his way. As a lad of spirit, he would +naturally be glad of any opportunity to distinguish himself. I +gathered, from him, that one of his schoolfellows was serving as a +midshipman in a ship of war that would, not improbably, be +stationed at Gibraltar; and Bob would naturally dislike remaining +inactive, when his schoolfellow, and many other lads of the same +age, were playing men's parts in an historical event of such +importance. Therefore you will fully understand that you have my +sanction, beforehand, to agree with any desire he should express in +this direction, if it seems reasonable and proper to you and +Captain O'Halloran.</p> +<p>"As it is probable that the prices of food, and other articles, +will be extremely high during the siege, I have written, by this +mail, to Messieurs James and William Johnston, merchants of +Gibraltar--with whom I have had several transactions--authorizing +them to honour drafts duly drawn by Captain O'Halloran, upon me, to +the extent of 500 pounds; such sum being, of course, additional to +the allowance agreed upon between us for the maintenance and +education of your brother.</p> +<p>"I remain, my dear niece, your affectionate uncle, John +Bale."</p> +<p>"Now I call that being a jewel of an uncle," Captain O'Halloran +said, while Bob was loud in his exclamations of pleasure.</p> +<p>"Now you see what you brought on yourself, Bob, by your +forgetfulness. Here we have had all the trouble in life to get +Carrie to agree to your going while, had she read this letter +first, she would not have had a leg to stand upon--at least, +metaphorically speaking; practically, no one would doubt it, for a +minute."</p> +<p>"Practically, you are a goose, Gerald; metaphorically, uncle is +an angel. But I am very, very glad. That has relieved me from the +responsibility, altogether; and you know, at heart, I am just as +willing that Bob should enjoy himself as you are.</p> +<p>"Now, what does your uncle say to you, Bob?"</p> +<p>Bob opened and read his uncle's letter, and then handed it to +his sister.</p> +<p>"It is just the same sort of thing, Carrie. I can see Mr. +Medlin's hand in it, everywhere. He says that, for the time, I must +regard my connection with the firm as of secondary importance; and +take any opportunity that offers to show the spirit of an English +gentleman, by doing all in my power to uphold the dignity of the +British flag; and taking any becoming part that may offer, in the +defence of the town. Of course he says he has heard, with pleasure, +of my progress in Spanish; and that he and his junior partner look +forward, with satisfaction, to the time when I shall enter the +firm.'</p> +<p>"My dear Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said, "I will get a bottle +of champagne from the mess; and this evening, at supper, we will +drink your excellent uncle's health, with all the honours. I will +ask Teddy Burke to come up and join us."</p> +<p>"Then I think, Gerald," his wife said, smiling, "that as Captain +Lockett will be here, too, one bottle of champagne will not go very +far."</p> +<p>"I put it tentatively, my dear; We will say two bottles, and we +will make the first inroad on our poultry yard. We had twenty eggs, +this morning; and the woman downstairs reports that two of the hens +want to sit, though how they explained the matter to her is more +than I know; anyhow, we can afford a couple of chickens."</p> +<p>It was a very jovial supper, especially as it was known that the +news of the proclamation of war had been brought in, by the ship +that had arrived that morning.</p> +<p>"By the way, Mrs. O'Halloran," Captain Lockett said, "I have a +consignment for you. I will land it, the first thing in the +morning, for I shall sail in the evening. We are to get our letters +of marque, authorizing the capture of Spanish vessels, at ten +o'clock in the morning."</p> +<p>"What is the consignment, captain?"</p> +<p>"It is from Mr. Bale, madam. I saw him in town, a week before I +sailed, and told him I was likely to come on here, direct; and he +sent off at once three cases of champagne, and six dozen of port, +directed to you; and an eighteen gallon cask of Irish whisky, for +Captain O'Halloran."</p> +<p>"My dear," Captain O'Halloran said solemnly, "I believe that you +expressed, today, the opinion that your uncle was, metaphorically, +an angel. I beg that the word metaphorically be omitted. If there +was ever an angel in a pigtail, and a stiff cravat, that angel is +Mr. John Bale, of Philpot Lane."</p> +<p>"It is very good of him," Carrie agreed. "We could have done +very well without the whisky, but the port wine and the champagne +may be very useful, if this siege is going to be the terrible thing +you all seem to fancy."</p> +<p>"A drop of the craytur is not to be despised, Mrs. O'Halloran," +Dr. Burke said; "taken with plenty of water it is a fine digestive +and, when we run short of wine and beer, you will not be despising +it, yourself."</p> +<p>"I did not know, Teddy Burke, that you had any experience, +whatever, of whisky mixed with plenty of water."</p> +<p>"You are too hard on me, altogether," the doctor laughed. "There +is no soberer man in the regiment than your humble servant."</p> +<p>"Well, it will do you all good, if you get on short allowance of +wine, for a time. I can't think why men want to sit, after dinner, +and drink bottle after bottle of port wine. It is all very well to +say that everyone does it, but that is a very poor excuse. Why +should they do it? Women don't do it, and I don't see why men +should. I hope the time will come when it is considered just as +disgraceful, for a man to drink, as it is for a woman.</p> +<p>"And now, Captain Lockett, about Bob. What time must he be on +board?"</p> +<p>"He must be on board before gunfire, Mrs. O'Halloran, unless you +get a special order from the town major. I was obliged to get one, +myself, for this evening. The orders are strict, now; all the gates +are closed at gunfire."</p> +<p>"Yes, and mighty strict they are," Captain O'Halloran said. +"There was Major Corcoran, of the 72nd, and the doctor of the +regiment were out fishing yesterday; and the wind fell, and the gun +went just as they were landing, and divil a bit could they get in. +The major is a peppery little man, and I would have given anything +to have seen him. One of the Hanoverian regiments furnished the +guard, at the water batteries; and the sentry told him, if he came +a foot nearer in the boat they would fire and, in the end, he and +the doctor had to cover themselves up with a sail, and lie there +all night. I hear the major went to lodge a complaint, when he +landed; but of course the men were only doing their duty, and I +hear Eliott gave him a wigging, for endeavouring to make them +disobey orders."</p> +<p>"I will be on board before gunfire, Captain Lockett. There is no +fear of my missing it."</p> +<p>"How long do you expect to be away, Captain Lockett?" Mrs. +O'Halloran asked.</p> +<p>"That depends on how we get on. If we are lucky, and pick up a +number of prizes, we may bring them in in a week; if not we may be +three weeks, especially if this calm weather lasts."</p> +<p>"I am sure I hope you won't be too lucky, at first, captain," +Bob put in. "I don't want the cruise to finish in a week."</p> +<p>"Oh, I sha'n't consider the cruise is finished, merely because +we come in, Bob!" the captain said. "We shall be going out again, +and only put in here to bring in our prizes. The cruise will last +as long as Captain O'Halloran and your sister will allow you to +remain on board.</p> +<p>"I expect that I shall be able to make you very useful. I shall +put you down in the ship's books as third mate. You won't be able +to draw prize money, as an officer, because the number of officers +entitled to prize money was entered when the crew signed articles; +but if I put you down as supercargo you will share, with the men, +in any prizes we take while you are away with us."</p> +<p>"That will be jolly, captain; not because of the money, you +know, but because it will give one more interest in the cruise. +Besides, I shall like something to do."</p> +<p>"Oh, I will give you something to do! I shall put you in Joe's +watch, and then you will learn something. It is always as well to +pick up knowledge, when you get a chance; and if we do take any +prizes it will be your duty, as supercargo, to take an inventory of +what they have on board."</p> +<p>The next morning Bob packed his trunks, the first thing; then he +went round to the professor's, and told him that he was going away, +for a fortnight or so, for a cruise; then he went down to the port, +and met Joe Lockett when he landed, and brought him up to +breakfast, as had been arranged with the captain the night before. +After that, he went with him up the Rock to look at the +Spaniards--whose tents were a good deal more numerous than they had +been, and who were still at work, arming the forts.</p> +<p>"If I were the general," Joe said, "I would go out at night, +with two or three regiments, and spike all those guns, and blow up +the forts. The Dons wouldn't be expecting it; and it would be a +good beginning, and would put the men in high spirits.</p> +<p>"Do you see, the Spanish fleet has drifted away almost out of +sight, to the east. I thought what it would be, at sunset +yesterday, when I saw that they did not enter the bay; for the +current would be sure to drive them away, if the wind didn't spring +up.</p> +<p>"Well, I hope we shall get a little, this evening. And now I +must be going down, for there is a good deal to do, before we +sail."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch10" id="Ch10">Chapter 10</a>: A Cruise In A +Privateer.</h2> +<p>Bob was on board the Antelope a quarter of an hour before +gunfire. No movement was made until after sunset, for some of the +gunboats over at Algeciras might have put out, had they seen any +preparations for making sail; but as soon as it became dark the +anchor was hove, the sails dropped and sheeted home, and the brig +began to move slowly through the water. As she breasted Europa +Point, her course was altered to east by north, and the Rock faded +from sight in the darkness.</p> +<p>The first mate was on watch, and Bob walked up and down the deck +with him.</p> +<p>"There is no occasion for you to keep up," Joe Lockett said. +"You may just as well turn."</p> +<p>"Oh no, I mean to keep the watch with you!" Bob said. "The +captain said that I was to be in your watch, and I want you to +treat me just the same way as if I were a midshipman under +you."</p> +<p>"Well, if you were a midshipman, there wouldn't be anything for +you to do, now: still, if you like to keep up, of course you can do +so. I shall be glad of your company, and you will help keep a sharp +lookout for ships."</p> +<p>"There is no chance of our coming across any Spanish traders +tonight, I suppose, Joe?"</p> +<p>"Not in the least. They would keep a deal farther out than we +shall, if they were bound either for Algeciras or through the +Straits. We are not likely to meet anything, till we get near +Malaga. After that, of course, we shall be in the line of coasters. +There are Almeria, and Cartagena, and Alicante, and a score of +small ports between Alicante and Valencia."</p> +<p>"We don't seem to be going through the water very fast, +Joe."</p> +<p>"No, not more than two or two and a half knots an hour. However, +we are in no hurry. With a light wind like this, we don't want to +get too close to the shore, or we might have some of their gunboats +coming out after us. I expect that in the morning, if the wind +holds light, the captain will take in our upper sails, and just +drift along. Then, after it gets dark, he will clap on everything; +and run in so as to strike the coast a few miles above Malaga. Then +we will take in sail, and anchor as close in as we dare. Anything +coming along, then, will take us for a craft that has come out from +Malaga."</p> +<p>At midnight the second mate, whose name was Crofts, came up to +relieve watch; and Bob, who was beginning to feel very sleepy, was +by no means sorry to turn in. It hardly seemed to him that he had +closed an eye, when he was aroused by a knocking at the cabin +door.</p> +<p>"It's two bells, sir, and Mr. Lockett says you are to turn +out."</p> +<p>Bob hurried on his things and went up, knowing that he was an +hour late.</p> +<p>"I thought you wanted to keep watch, Bob. You ought to have been +on deck at eight bells."</p> +<p>"So I should have been, if I had been woke," Bob said, +indignantly. "I am not accustomed to wake up, just after I go to +sleep. It doesn't seem to me that I have been in bed five minutes. +If you wake me, tomorrow morning, you will see I will be up, sharp +enough.</p> +<p>"There is hardly any wind."</p> +<p>"No, we have been only crawling along all night. There is Gib, +you see, behind us."</p> +<p>"Why, it doesn't look ten miles off," Bob said, in surprise.</p> +<p>"It is twice that. It is two or three and twenty, I should +say.</p> +<p>"Now, the best thing you can do is to go down to the waist, slip +off your togs, and have a few buckets of water poured over you. +That will wake you up, and you will feel ever so much more +comfortable, afterwards. I have just told the steward to make us a +couple of cups of coffee. They will be ready by the time you have +had your wash."</p> +<p>Bob followed the advice and, after a bath, a cup of coffee, and +a biscuit, he no longer felt the effects from the shortness of the +night. The sun had already risen, and there was not a cloud upon +the sky.</p> +<p>"What are those, over there?" he asked, pointing to the +southeast. "They look like sails."</p> +<p>"They are sails. They are the upper sails of the Spanish fleet. +I expect they are trying to work back into the bay again, but they +won't do it, unless they get more wind. You see, I have taken the +topgallant sails off the brig, so as not to be seen.</p> +<p>"There is the Spanish coast, you see, twelve or fourteen miles +away, to port. If you like, you can take the glass and go up into +the maintop, and see if you can make anything out on shore."</p> +<p>Bob came down in half an hour.</p> +<p>"There are some fishing boats," he said, "at least, they look +like fishing boats, close inshore, just abreast of us."</p> +<p>"Yes, there are two or three little rivers on this side of +Malaga. There is not water in them for craft of any size, but the +fishing boats use them. There is a heavy swell sets in here, when +the wind is from the east with a bit south in it, and they run up +there for shelter."</p> +<p>Captain Lockett now came up on deck.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Bob! I did not see you here, when watch was +changed."</p> +<p>"No, sir, I wasn't woke; but I mean to be up another +morning."</p> +<p>"That is right, Bob. Joe and I agreed to give you an extra hour, +this morning. Four hours are very short measure, to one who is not +accustomed to it; but you will soon find that you can turn in and +get a sleep, when your watch is over, whatever the time of +day."</p> +<p>"It seems to me that this watch has the worst of it, Captain +Lockett. We had from eight to twelve, and now from four to eight; +and the other had only four hours on deck."</p> +<p>"Yours is considered the best watch, Bob. The middle watch, as +the one that comes on at twelve o'clock is called, is always the +most disliked. You see, at eight bells you go off and have your +breakfast comfortably, and can then turn in till twelve o'clock; +and you can get another caulk, from five or six till eight in the +evening. Of course, if there is anything to do, bad weather or +anything of that sort, both watches are on deck, all day."</p> +<p>"Well, I am almost sure I should like the other watch best," Bob +said.</p> +<p>"You are wrong, lad, especially in summer. You see, it is not +fairly dark till nine, and you wouldn't turn in till ten, anyhow; +so that, really, you are only kept two hours out of your bunk, at +that watch. It is getting light when you come up, at four; and at +five we begin to wash decks, and there is plenty to occupy you, so +that it doesn't seem long till eight bells. The others have to turn +out at twelve o'clock, just when they are most sleepy; and to be on +watch for the four dark hours, and then go down just as it is +getting light.</p> +<p>"On a cold night in winter, in the channel, I think perhaps the +advantage is the other way. But, in fact, men get so accustomed to +the four hours in, and the four hours out, that it makes very +little difference to them how it goes."</p> +<p>All day the brig kept on the same course, moving very slowly +through the water, and passing the coast as much by aid of the +current as by that of her sails.</p> +<p>"We are pretty well off Malaga," Captain Lockett said, in the +afternoon. "If there had been any wind, we should have had a chance +of picking up something making from there to the Straits; but there +is no chance of that, today. People like making quick voyages, when +there is a risk of falling in with an enemy; and they won't be +putting out from port until there is some change in the weather. +However, it looks to me as if there is a chance of a little breeze, +from the south, when the sun goes down. I have seen a flaw or two +on the water, that way."</p> +<p>"Yes, it seems to me darker over there," the mate said. "I will +go up and have a look round.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir, there is certainly a breeze stirring, down to the +south," he shouted, from aloft.</p> +<p>"That will just suit us," the captain said. "We must be twenty +miles off the coast at least and, even if they had noticed us from +above the town, we are too far off for them to make us out, at all; +so it will be safe for us to run in to the land.</p> +<p>"We shall rely upon you, Bob, if we are hailed."</p> +<p>"I will do my best to throw dust in their eyes, captain. You +must tell me, beforehand, all particulars; so that I can have the +story pat."</p> +<p>"We will wait till we see what sort of craft is likely to hail +us. A tale may be good enough, for the skipper of a coaster, that +might not pass muster with the captain of a gunboat."</p> +<p>"What are the coasters likely to be laden with?"</p> +<p>"There is never any saying. Mostly fruit and wine, grain and +olives. Then some of them would be taking goods, from the large +ports, to the small towns and villages along the coast. Some of the +coasters are well worth picking up; but of course, the craft we +shall be chiefly on the lookout for will be those from abroad. Some +of these have very valuable cargoes. They bring copper and lead, +and sometimes silver from the mines of Mexico and South America. +Some of them carry a good lot of silver, but it is too much to hope +that we should run across such a prize as that. They bring over +hides, too; they are worth money. Then, of course, there are ships +that have been trading up the Mediterranean with France and Italy +or the Levant.</p> +<p>"So, you see, there is a considerable variety in the chances of +what we may light upon. Coasters are, of course, the staple, so to +speak. If we have anything like luck, we shall not do badly, with +them. The others we must look upon as the prizes in the +lottery."</p> +<p>Before the sun set the breeze came up to them, and the brig was +at once headed for the land. At ten o'clock the lights of Malaga +were made out on the port beam, and the brig bore away a little to +the east. Two hours later the land was looming, not far ahead.</p> +<p>Sail was got off her, and a man placed in the chains, and +soundings taken. This was continued until the water shoaled to +eight fathoms, when the brig was brought up, head to wind, and the +anchor let go. Then an anchor watch of four men was set, and the +rest of the crew allowed to turn in.</p> +<p>At daybreak the officers were out again, and it was found that +the brig was lying within a quarter of a mile of the land, in a +slight indentation of the coast. The wind had died away, and the +sails were loosed, and suffered to fall against the masts.</p> +<p>"It could not be better," Captain Lockett said. "We look, now, +as if we had been trying to make up or down the coast, and had been +forced to come to anchor here. Fortunately there don't seem to be +any villages near, so we are not likely to have anyone coming out +to us."</p> +<p>"How far do you think we are from Malaga, captain?"</p> +<p>"About ten miles, I should say, Bob. Why do you ask?"</p> +<p>"I was only thinking whether it would be possible for me to make +my way there, and find out what vessels there are in harbour, and +whether any of them are likely to be coming this way. But if it is +ten miles, I am afraid it is too far. I should have to pass through +villages; and I might be questioned where I came from, and where I +was going. I don't know that my Spanish would pass muster, if I +were questioned like that.</p> +<p>"I should be all right, if I were once in a seaport. No one +would be likely to ask me any questions. Then I could stroll about, +and listen to what was said and, certainly, I could talk quite well +enough to go in and get a meal, and all that sort of thing."</p> +<p>"I couldn't let you do that, Bob," the captain said. "It is a +very plucky idea, but it wouldn't be right to let you carry it out. +You would get hung as a spy, if you were detected."</p> +<p>"I don't think there is the least fear in the world of my being +detected, in a seaport," Bob said, "and I should think it great +fun; but I shouldn't like to try to cross the country. Perhaps we +may have a better chance, later on."</p> +<p>The captain shook his head.</p> +<p>"You might go on board some ship, if one brings up at anchor +anywhere near us, Bob. If you got detected, there, we would take +her and rescue you. But that is a different thing to letting you go +ashore."</p> +<p>Presently the sails of two fishing boats were seen, coming out +from beyond a low point, three miles to the east.</p> +<p>"I suppose there is a fishing village, there," the mate said. "I +am glad they are no nearer."</p> +<p>He examined the boats with a glass.</p> +<p>"They are working out with sweeps. I expect they hope to get a +little wind, when they are in the offing."</p> +<p>Just as they were at breakfast the second mate, who was on deck, +called down the skylight:</p> +<p>"There are three craft to the west, sir. They have just come out +from behind the point there. They are bringing a little breeze with +them."</p> +<p>"What are they like, Mr. Crofts?"</p> +<p>"One is a polacre, another a xebec, and the third looks like a +full-rigged craft; but as she is end on, I can't say for +certain."</p> +<p>"All right, Mr. Crofts! I will be up in five minutes. We can do +nothing until we get the wind, anyhow."</p> +<p>Breakfast was speedily finished, and they went on deck. The +Spanish flag was already flying from the peak. The three craft were +about two miles away.</p> +<p>"How are they sailing, Mr. Crofts?"</p> +<p>"I fancy the xebec is the fastest, sir. She was astern just now, +and she is abreast of the polacre now, as near as I can make out. +The ship, or brig--whichever it is--seems to me to be dropping +astern."</p> +<p>"Heave away at the anchor, Joe. Get in all the slack, so as to +be ready to hoist, as soon as the breeze reaches us. I don't want +them to come up to us. The line they are taking, now, will carry +them nearly half a mile outside us, which is fortunate. Run in six +of the guns, and throw a tarpaulin over the eighteen pounder. Three +guns, on each side, are about enough for us to show."</p> +<p>The breeze caught them when the three Spanish craft were nearly +abeam.</p> +<p>"They have more wind, out there, than we shall have here," the +captain said; "which is an advantage, for I don't want to run away +from them.</p> +<p>"Now, get up the anchor, Joe. Don't take too many hands."</p> +<p>The watch below had already been ordered to sit down on the +deck, and half the other watch were now told to do the same.</p> +<p>"Twelve or fourteen hands are quite enough to show," the captain +said.</p> +<p>"The anchor's up, sir," Joe shouted.</p> +<p>"Let it hang there. We will get it aboard, presently.</p> +<p>"Now haul that fore-staysail across, ease off the spanker +sheet.</p> +<p>"Now, as she comes round, haul on the braces and sheets, one by +one. Do it in as lubberly a way as you can."</p> +<p>The brig, which had been riding with her head to the west, came +slowly round; the yards being squared in a slow fashion, in strong +contrast to the active way in which they were generally handled. +The captain watched the other craft, carefully.</p> +<p>"The xebec and polacre are gaining on us, but we are going as +fast through the water as the three master. When we get the wind a +little more, we shall have the heels of them all.</p> +<p>"Get a sail overboard, Joe, and tow it under her port quarter. +Don't give her too much rope, or they might catch sight of it, on +board the ship. That will bring us down to her rate of sailing.</p> +<p>"I want to keep a bit astern of them. We dare not attack them in +the daylight; they mount too many guns for us, altogether. That big +fellow has got twelve on a side, the polacre has eight, and the +xebec six, so between them they have fifty-two guns. We might try +it, if they were well out at sea; but it would never do, here. +There may be galleys or gunboats within hearing, so we must bide +our time.</p> +<p>"I think we are in luck, this time, Joe. That ship must have +come foreign; at least, I should say so by her appearance, though +she may be from Cadiz. As to the other two, they may be anything. +The xebec, no doubt, is a coast trader. The polacre may be one +thing, or another, but I should hardly think she has come across +the Atlantic. Likely enough she is from Bilbao or Santander. The +ship is the fellow to get hold of, if we get a chance. I shall be +quite content to leave the others alone."</p> +<p>"I should think so," Joe agreed. "The ship ought to be a +valuable prize, wherever she comes from. If she is sound, and +pretty new, she would fetch a good sum, if we can get her into an +English port."</p> +<p>The wind continued to hold light, and the four vessels made but +slow progress through the water. The two leaders, however, +gradually improved their position. They were nearly matched, in +point of sailing; and their captains were evidently making a race +of it, hoisting every stitch of canvas they were able to show. By +the afternoon they were fully two miles ahead of the ship, which +was half a mile on the starboard bow of the brig.</p> +<p>The wind died away to nothing, as the sun set. The three Spanish +vessels had all been edging in towards shore, and the polacre +anchored just before sunset. The ship held on for another hour, but +was a mile astern of the other two when she, also, dropped her +anchor.</p> +<p>The sail, that had been towing overboard from the brig, had been +got on board again when the wind began to drop; and she had come up +to within little more than a quarter of a mile of the ship. The +anchor was let go, as soon as it was seen that the crew of the ship +were preparing to anchor, so that the brig should be first to do +so. Whether there had been any suspicions, on board the Spaniards, +as to the character of the brig, they could not tell but, watching +her closely, Captain Lockett saw that the order to anchor was +countermanded, as soon as it was seen that the brig had done +so.</p> +<p>A few minutes after the men again went forward, and the anchor +was dropped; for the vessel was making no way whatever, through the +water.</p> +<p>"Well, Joe, there we are, close to her, now. The question is, +what are we to do next? If there was any wind, it would be simple +enough. We would drop alongside, in the middle watch; and carry her +by boarding, before the Dons had time to get out of their hammocks. +But as it is, that is out of the question and, of course, we can't +think of towing her up. On such a still night as this will be, they +would hear the slightest noise."</p> +<p>"We might attack her in the boats," the mate said.</p> +<p>"Yes, that would be possible; but their watch would hear the +oars, the instant we began to row. You see, by the number of guns +she carries, she must be strongly manned."</p> +<p>"I expect most of them are small," Joe said, "and meant for +show, rather than use. It is likely enough she may have taken half +of them on board at Cadiz, or Malaga, so as to give her a +formidable appearance, in case she should fall in with any craft of +our description. If she has come across the Atlantic, she would +never have carried anything like that number of guns, for Spain was +not at war with anyone."</p> +<p>"No; but craft flying the black flag are still to be found in +those waters, Joe, and she might carry her guns for defence against +them. But it is not a question of guns, at present, it is a +question of the crew. It isn't likely that she carries many more +than we do and, if we could but get alongside her, there would be +no fear about it, at all; but I own I don't like the risk of losing +half my men, in an attack on a craft like that, unless we can have +the advantage of a surprise."</p> +<p>"What do you say to my swimming off to her, as soon as it gets +quite dark, captain?" Bob said. "I am a very good swimmer. We used +to bathe regularly at Putney, where I was at school; and I have +swum across the Thames and back, lots of times. There is sure to be +a little mist on the water, presently, and they won't be keeping a +very sharp lookout till it gets later. I can get hold of a cable +and climb up; and get in over the bow, if there is no lookout +there, and see what is going on. There is no danger in the thing +for, if I am discovered, I have only got to dive and swim back +again. There is no current to speak of, here; and there wouldn't be +the least chance of their hitting me, in the dark. I should +certainly be able to learn something, by listening to their +talk."</p> +<p>"It would be a very risky thing, Bob," Captain Lockett said, +shaking his head. "I shouldn't like to let you do it; though of +course it would be a great thing, if we could learn something about +her. I own I don't like her appearance, though I can't say why. +Somehow or other, I don't think she is all right. Either all those +guns are a mere pretence, and she is weak handed, or she must carry +a very big crew."</p> +<p>"Well, I don't see there can be any possible harm in my trying +to get on board her, captain. Of course, if I am hailed as I +approach her, I shall turn and come back again. The night will be +dark, but I shall have no difficulty in finding her, from the +talking and noise on board.</p> +<p>"Well, Joe, what do you think?" the captain said, +doubtfully.</p> +<p>"I think you might let Bob try," Joe said. "I should not mind +trying at all but, as I can't speak Spanish, I should be able to +learn nothing. They are not likely to be setting a watch, and +keeping a sharp lookout, for some time; and I should think that he +might, possibly, get on board unobserved. If they do make him out, +he has only to keep on diving and, in the dark, there would be +little chance of their hitting him. Besides, they certainly +couldn't make out that it was a swimmer. If they noticed a ripple +in the water, they would be sure to think it was a fish of some +sort."</p> +<p>Bob continued to urge that he should be allowed to try it and, +at last, Captain Lockett agreed to his doing so. It was already +almost dark enough for the attempt to be made, and Bob prepared at +once for the swim. He took off his coat, waistcoat, and shirt; and +put on a dark knitted jersey, fastened a belt tightly round his +waist, over his breeches, and took off his shoes.</p> +<p>"If I am seen," he said, "you are sure to hear them hailing, or +shouting; and then please show a lantern over the stern," for, +slight as the current was, it sufficed to make the vessel swing +head to west.</p> +<p>A rope was lowered over the side and, by this, he slipped down +quietly into the water, which was perfectly warm. Then he struck +off noiselessly, in the direction of the ship. He kept the two +masts of the brig in one, as long as he could make them out but, +owing to the mist on the water, he soon lost sight of her; but he +had no difficulty in keeping a straight course, as he could plainly +hear the sound of voices, ahead of him. Taking the greatest pains +to avoid making the slightest splash, and often pausing to listen, +Bob swam on until he saw a dark mass looming up in front of +him.</p> +<a id="PicF" name="PicF"></a><center><img src="images/f.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: Bob swims off to the Spanish Warship." +/></center> +<p>He now did little more than float, giving a gentle stroke, +occasionally, and drifting towards it until he grasped the +cable.</p> +<p>He now listened intently. There were voices on the fo'castle, +above him; and he determined, before trying to climb up there, to +swim round the vessel--keeping close to her side, so that he could +not be seen, unless someone leaned far over the bulwark. Halfway +along he came upon a projection and, looking up, saw that slabs of +wood, three inches wide, were fixed against the side, at intervals +of a foot apart; so as to form an accommodation ladder, when it was +not considered necessary to lower a gangway. Two hand ropes hung by +the side of it.</p> +<p>His way was now easy. He drew himself out of the water by the +ropes, and ascended the ladder; then crawled along outside the +bulwark until he came to a porthole, from which a gun projected; +then he crawled in there, and lay under the cannon.</p> +<p>Two or three lanterns were suspended above the deck and, by +their light, Bob could at once see that he was on board a ship of +war. Groups of sailors were sitting on the deck, among the guns; +and he saw that most of these were run in, and that they were of +heavy calibre, several of them being 32-pounders.</p> +<p>As the captain and Joe had both agreed that the guns were only +14-pounders, Bob had no difficulty in arriving at the fact that +these must have been mere dummies, thrust out of the portholes to +deceive any stranger as to her armament. He lay listening, for some +time, to the talk of the sailors; and gathered that the ship had +been purposely disguised, before putting out from Malaga, in order +to deceive any English privateers she might come across as to her +strength. He learned also that considerable doubts were +entertained, as to the brig; and that the xebec and polacre had +been signalled to go on ahead, so as to induce the brig--if she +should be an enemy--to make an attack.</p> +<p>The reason why she had not been overhauled, during the day, was +that the captain feared she might escape him in a light wind; for +the watch had been vigilant, and had made out that she was towing +something, to deaden her way. It was considered likely that, taking +the ship for a merchantman, an attack would be made in boats during +the night; and the men joked as to the surprise their assailants +would get. Boarding pikes were piled in readiness; shot had been +placed in the racks, ready to throw down into the boats as they +came alongside; and the ship's boats had been swung out, in +readiness for lowering--as it was intended to carry the brig, by +boarding, after the repulse and destruction of her boats.</p> +<p>"We have had a narrow escape of catching a tartar," Bob said, to +himself. "It is very lucky I came on board to reconnoitre. The +Spaniards are not such duffers as we thought them. We fancied we +were taking them in, and very nearly fell into a trap, +ourselves."</p> +<p>Very quietly he crawled back under the porthole, made his way +along outside the bulwark until his hand touched the rope, and then +slid down by it into the water. As he knew there was more chance of +a sharp watch being kept, in the eyes of the ship, than elsewhere, +he swam straight out from her side until she became indistinct, and +then headed for the brig. The lights on board the Spaniard served +as a guide to him, for some time; but the distance seemed longer to +him than it had before, and he was beginning to fancy he must have +missed the brig, when he saw her looming up on his right. In three +or four minutes he was alongside.</p> +<p>"The brig there!" he hailed. "Drop me a rope overboard."</p> +<p>There was a stir overhead, at once.</p> +<p>"Where are you, Bob?" Captain Lockett asked, leaning over the +side.</p> +<p>"Just below you, sir."</p> +<p>A rope was dropped. Bob grasped it, and was hauled up.</p> +<p>"Thank God you are back again!" the captain said. "I have been +blaming myself, ever since you started; though, as all was quiet, +we felt pretty sure they hadn't made you out. Well, have you any +news? Did you get on board?"</p> +<p>"You will get no prize money this time, captain. The Spaniard is +a ship of war, mounting twenty-four guns; none of them smaller than +eighteens, and ten of them thirty-twos."</p> +<p>"Impossible, Bob! We could not have been so mistaken. Joe and I +were both certain that they were fourteens."</p> +<p>"Yes, sir; but those things you saw were dummies. The guns, +themselves, are almost all drawn in. All the thirty-twos are, and +most of the eighteens. She has been specially disguised, at Malaga, +in hopes of tempting a craft like yours to attack her and, what is +more, she has a shrewd suspicion of what you are;" and he related +the whole of the conversation he had heard, and described the +preparations for repulsing a boat attack and, in turn, carrying the +brig in the ship's boats.</p> +<p>Captain Lockett was thunderstruck.</p> +<p>"The Spanish officer who commands her must be a smart fellow," +he said, "and we have had a narrow escape of running our head into +a noose--thanks to you, Bob; for Joe and I had quite made up our +minds to attack her, in the middle watch.</p> +<p>"Well, the only thing for us to do is to get away from here, as +soon as we can. If she finds we don't attack her, tonight, she is +sure to send a boat to us, in the morning; and then, if we have an +engagement, we could hardly hope to get off without losing some of +our spars--even if we were not sunk--with such heavy metal as she +carries. We should have the other two craft down on us, too, and +our chances of getting away would be worth nothing.</p> +<p>"Well, I suppose, Joe, our best plan will be to tow her +away?"</p> +<p>"I should think so, sir. When they hear us at it, they may send +their boats out after us, but we can beat them off; and I should +hardly think that they would try it, for they will be sure that, if +we are a privateer, we have been playing the same game as they +have, and hiding our guns, and will guess that we carry a strong +crew."</p> +<p>"Send the crew aft, Joe. I will tell them how matters stand.</p> +<p>"We have had a narrow escape of catching a tartar, my lads," he +said, when the men went aft. "You all know Mr. Repton swam off, an +hour ago, to try and find out what the ship was like. Well, he has +been on board, and brings back news that she is no trader, but a +ship of war, disguised; and that she carries twenty-four +guns--eighteen-pounders and thirty-twos. If we met while out at +sea, we might make a fight of it; but it would never do, here, +especially as her two consorts would be down upon us. She suspects +what we are, although she is not certain; and everything is in +readiness to repel a boat attack--her captain's intention being, if +we tried, to sink or cripple the boats, and then to attack us with +her guns.</p> +<p>"So you may thank Mr. Repton that you have had a narrow escape +of seeing the inside of a Spanish prison.</p> +<p>"Now, what I propose to do is to tow her out. Get the four boats +in the water, as quietly as you can. We have greased the falls, +already. We will tow her straight ahead, at any rate for a bit. +That craft won't be able to bring any guns to bear upon us, except +perhaps a couple of bow chasers; and as she won't be able to see +us, there is not much chance of our being hit. Pass the hawser +along, from boat to boat, and row in a line ahead of her. The hull +will shelter you. Then lay out heartily; but be ready, if you are +hailed, to throw off the hawser and get back on board again, as +soon as you can, for they may send their boats out after us. We +shall get a start anyhow for, when they hear you rowing, they will +think you are putting off to attack them; and it will be some +minutes before they will find out their mistake.</p> +<p>"Joe, do you go in charge of the boats. I will take the helm. +You must cut the cable. They would hear the clank of the +windlass."</p> +<p>The operation of lowering boats was conducted very silently. Bob +had taken his place at the taffrail, and stood listening for any +sound that would show that the Spaniards had heard what was doing. +The oars were scarcely dipped in the water, when he heard a sudden +lull in the distant talking. A minute later, it broke out +again.</p> +<p>"They have orders to pay no attention to the noises," Captain +Lockett said, "so as to lead us to think that we shall take them +unawares.</p> +<p>"There, she is moving now," he added, as he looked down into the +water.</p> +<p>Four or five minutes elapsed; and then, in the stillness of the +evening, they could hear a loud hail, in Spanish:</p> +<p>"What ship is that? Cease rowing, or we will sink you!"</p> +<p>"Don't answer," Captain Lockett said. "They have nothing but the +confused sound of the oars to tell them where we are."</p> +<p>The hail was repeated and, a minute later, there was the flash +of a gun in the darkness, and a shot hummed through the air.</p> +<p>"Fire away!" the captain muttered. "You are only wasting +ammunition."</p> +<p>For some minutes the Spaniard continued to fire her two bow +guns. Then, after a pause, there was a crash; and twelve guns were +discharged, together.</p> +<p>"We are getting farther off, every minute," the captain said, +"and unless an unlucky shot should strike one of her spars, we are +safe."</p> +<p>The broadside was repeated four times, and then all was +silent.</p> +<p>"We are a mile away from them now, Bob; and though, I daresay, +they can hear the sound of the oars, it must be mere guesswork as +to our position."</p> +<p>He went forward to the bows, and hailed the boats.</p> +<p>"Take it easy now, Mr. Lockett. I don't think she will fire any +more. When the men have got their wind, row on again. I shall head +her out, now. We must give her a good three miles offing, before we +stop."</p> +<p>The men in the four boats had been exerting themselves to their +utmost, and it was five minutes before they began rowing again. For +an hour and a half they continued their work, and then Captain +Lockett said to the second mate:</p> +<p>"You can go forward, and hail them to come on board. I think we +have been moving through the water about two knots an hour, so we +must be three miles seaward of him."</p> +<p>As soon as the men came on board, a tot of grog was served out, +all round. Then the watch below turned in.</p> +<p>"You won't anchor, I suppose, captain?"</p> +<p>"No, there is a considerable depth of water here, and a rocky +bottom. I don't want to lose another anchor, and it would take us +something like half an hour to get it up again; besides, what +current there is will drift us eastward.</p> +<p>"There is more of it, here, than we had inshore. I should say +there must be nearly a knot an hour, which will take us a good +distance away from those gentlemen, before morning.</p> +<p>"Now, Bob, you had better have a glass of grog, and then turn +in. Joe will excuse you keeping watch, tonight."</p> +<p>"Oh, I feel all right!" Bob said. "The water was quite warm, and +I slipped down and changed my clothes, directly they left off +firing."</p> +<p>"Never mind, you turn in as you are told. You have done us good +service, tonight; and have earned your keep on board the brig, if +you were to stop here till she fell to pieces of old age."</p> +<p>When Bob went up in the morning, at five o'clock, the three +Spanish vessels were still lying at anchor under the land, seven or +eight miles away.</p> +<p>"There is a breeze coming," Joe said, "and it is from the south, +so we shall get it long before they do. We shall see no more of +them."</p> +<p>As soon as the breeze reached them, the sails were braced aft; +and the brig kept as close to the wind as she would sail, lying +almost directly off from the land.</p> +<p>"I want them to think that we are frightened," Captain Lockett +said, in answer to a question from Bob as to the course, "and that +we have decided to get away from their neighbourhood, altogether. I +expect they are only going as far as Alicante. We will run on till +we are well out of sight, then hold on for the rest of the day east +and, in the night, head for land again, beyond Alicante. It would +never do to risk those fellows coming upon us, again, when we are +quietly at anchor. We might not be so lucky, next time."</p> +<p>An hour later the lookout in the top hailed the deck, and said +that there was a sail in sight.</p> +<p>"What does she look like, Halkett?" Joe Lockett shouted, for the +captain was below.</p> +<p>"As far as I can make out she is a two master--I should say, a +brig."</p> +<p>"How is she heading?"</p> +<p>"About northeast, sir. I should say, if we both hold on our +courses, she will pass ahead of us."</p> +<p>The captain was now on deck, and he and the first mate went up +to the top.</p> +<p>"Starboard your helm a bit!" the captain shouted, after +examining the distant sail through his telescope. "Keep her about +east."</p> +<p>"What do you think she is, captain?" Bob asked, when the two +officers came down again to the poop.</p> +<p>"I should say that she was a craft about our own size, Bob; and +I fancy she has come through the Straits, keeping well over the +other side, so as to avoid our cruisers from Gib; and is now +heading for Alicante. Now we are on our course again, parallel to +the coast, there is no reason why she should suspect us of being +anything but a trader. If she doesn't take the alarm, I hope we +shall be alongside her in a few hours."</p> +<h2><a name="Ch11" id="Ch11">Chapter 11</a>: Cutting Out A +Prize.</h2> +<p>The distant sail was anxiously watched from the Antelope. It +closed in with them fast, running almost before the wind. In two +hours, her hull could be seen from the deck.</p> +<p>Efforts had been made, by slacking the ropes and altering the +set of the sails, to give the brig as slovenly an appearance as +possible. The guns had been run in and the portholes closed and, as +the Spaniard approached, the crew--with the exception of five or +six men--were ordered to keep below the bulwarks.</p> +<p>The course that the Spaniard was taking would have brought her +just under the stern of the Antelope when, suddenly, she was seen +to change her course, and to bear up into the wind.</p> +<p>"Too late, my lady," the captain said; "you have blundered on +too long.</p> +<p>"There is something in our cut that she doesn't like. Haul down +that Spanish flag, and run the Union Jack up.</p> +<p>"Open ports, lads, and show them our teeth. Fire that bow gun +across her forefoot!"</p> +<p>The guns were already loaded; and as soon as they were run out a +shot was fired, as a message to the Spaniard to heave to. A minute +later, as she paid no attention, a broadside followed. Three of the +shots went crashing into the side of the Spaniard, and one of her +boats was smashed.</p> +<p>A moment later the Spanish flag fluttered down, and a hearty +cheer broke from the crew of the Antelope. The Spaniard was thrown +up into the wind and, in a few minutes, the brig ranged up +alongside, within pistol shot. The gig was lowered; and the captain +rowed alongside her, taking Bob with him as interpreter.</p> +<p>The prize proved to be a brig, of about the same tonnage as the +Antelope. She was from Cadiz, bound first to Alicante, and then to +Valencia. She carried only six small guns, and a crew of eighteen +men. Her cargo consisted of grain and olive oil.</p> +<p>"Not a bad prize," Captain Lockett said, as Bob read out the +items of her bill of lading. "It is a pity that it is not full up, +instead of only half laden. Still, it is not a bad beginning; and +the craft herself is of a handy size and, if she won't sell at +Gibraltar, will pay very well to take on to England. I should say +she was fast."</p> +<p>An hour later the two brigs parted company, the second mate and +twelve hands being placed on board the Spaniard. There was some +discussion as to the prisoners, but it was finally agreed to leave +them on board their ship.</p> +<p>"Keep them down in the hold, Mr. Crofts. See that you don't +leave any knives with them. Keep a couple of sentries over the +hatchway. If the wind holds, you will be in the bay by tomorrow +evening. Keep pretty well inshore, and slip in as close to the +point as you can. If you do that, you need not have much fear of +their gunboats.</p> +<p>"I don't suppose the authorities will want to keep the +prisoners, but of course you will report them on your arrival; and +can give them one of the boats, to land across the bay, if they are +not wanted. If the governor wants to buy the cargo for the +garrison, let him have it, at once. Don't stand out for exorbitant +terms, but take a fair price. It is just as well to be on good +terms with the authorities. We might have to put in to refit, and +want spars, etc., from the naval yard. If the governor doesn't want +the cargo, don't sell it to anyone else till we return. There is no +fear of prices going down. The longer we keep it, the more we shall +get for it."</p> +<p>"Hadn't I better bring the ship's papers on board with us, +Captain Lockett?"</p> +<p>"What for, Bob? I don't see that they would be any use to us, +and the bills of lading will be useful for selling the cargo."</p> +<p>"I can copy them, sir, for Mr. Crofts.</p> +<p>"What I thought was this: the brig is just our own size and, if +we should get becalmed anywhere near the shore, and a boat put off, +we might possibly be able to pass, with her papers."</p> +<p>"That is a capital idea, Bob; capital! I will have a bit of +canvas painted 'Alonzo, Cadiz,' in readiness to nail over our +stern, should there be any occasion for it.</p> +<p>"Well, goodbye Mr. Crofts, and a safe journey to you. I needn't +tell you to keep a sharp lookout."</p> +<p>"You may trust us for that, sir. We have no desire to rot in one +of their prisons, till the end of the war."</p> +<p>The captain's gig took him back to the Antelope. The weather +sheets of the fore-staysail were eased off, and the square sails +swung round. As they drew, the two brigs got under way, heading in +exactly opposite directions.</p> +<p>Before nightfall the captain pronounced that they were now +abreast of Alicante and, under easy sail, the vessel's head was +turned towards the land; and the next morning she was running along +the shore, at a distance of three miles. Beyond fishing boats, and +small craft hugging the land, nothing was met with, until they +neared Cartagena. Then the sound of firing was heard ahead and, on +rounding a headland, they saw a vessel of war chasing some five or +six craft, nearer inshore.</p> +<p>"That is a British frigate," the captain exclaimed; "but I don't +think she will get them. There is Cartagena only three or four +miles ahead, and the frigate will not be able to cut them off, +before they are under the guns of the batteries."</p> +<p>"They are not above a mile ahead of her," the first mate said. +"If we could knock away a spar, with our long eighteen, we might +get one of them."</p> +<p>"We shouldn't make much prize money, if we did, Joe; for the +frigate would share and, as she has five or six times as many men +and officers as we have got, it is not much we should get out of +it.</p> +<p>"Hallo!" he broke out, as a shot came ricochetting along the +water, "she is trying a shot at us. I forgot we had the Spanish +colours up.</p> +<p>"Get that flag down, and run up the Union Jack, Joe."</p> +<p>"One moment, captain," Bob said.</p> +<p>"Well, what is it, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Well, it seems to me, sir, that if we keep the Spanish flag +up--"</p> +<p>"We may be sunk," the captain broke in.</p> +<p>"We might, sir, but it is very unlikely, especially if we run in +more to the shore; but you see, if we are fired at by the frigate, +it will never enter the minds of the Spaniards that we are anything +but what we seem and, if we like, we can anchor right under their +batteries, in the middle of their craft. It will be dark by the +time we get in, and we might take our pick of them."</p> +<p>"That is a splendid idea, Bob!</p> +<p>"This boy is getting too sharp for us, altogether, Joe. He is as +full of ideas as a ship's biscuit is of weevils.</p> +<p>"Keep her off, helmsman. That will do."</p> +<p>Again and again the frigate fired, but she was two miles away +and, though the shot went skipping over the water near the brig, +none of them struck her. The men, unable to understand why they +were running the gauntlet of the frigate's fire, looked inquiringly +towards the poop.</p> +<p>"It is all right, lads," the captain said. "There is not much +fear of the frigate hitting us, and it is worth risking it. The +Spaniards on shore will never dream that we are English, and we can +bring up in the thick of them."</p> +<p>There was a good deal of laughing and amusement, among the men, +as they understood the captain's motive in allowing the brig to be +made a target of. As she drew in towards shore the frigate's fire +ceased, and her course was changed off shore.</p> +<p>"No nearer," the captain said to the helmsman. "Keep her a +little farther off shore.</p> +<p>"There is not much water here, Joe," for a man had been heaving +the lead, ever since they had changed their course. "We have not +got a fathom under her keel. You see, the frigate did not like to +come any closer. She would have cut us off, if there had been deep +water right up."</p> +<p>An hour later the brig dropped anchor off Cartagena, at little +more than a quarter of a mile from one of the batteries that +guarded the entrance to the port, and close to two or three of the +craft that had been first chased by the frigate. These, as they +were going on in the morning, had not entered the harbour with +their consorts; for it was already getting dusk.</p> +<p>"Not much fear of their coming to ask any questions, this +evening," Joe Lockett said. "The Spaniards are not given to +troubling themselves unnecessarily and, as we are outside the port, +we are no one's business in particular."</p> +<p>At this moment a hail came from the vessel anchored ahead of +them. Bob went to the bulwark. The brig had swung head to wind, and +was broadside on with the other craft.</p> +<p>"You have not suffered from the fire of that accursed ship, I +hope?" the captain of the barque shouted.</p> +<p>"No, senor; not a shot struck us."</p> +<p>"You were fortunate. We were hulled twice, and had a man killed +by a splinter.</p> +<p>"This is a rough welcome home to us. We have just returned from +Lima, and have heard nothing about the war till we anchored off +Alicante, yesterday. We heard some firing as we came through the +Straits; but thought it was only one of the ships, or forts, +practising at a mark. It was lucky we put in at Alicante; or we +should have had no suspicion, and should have let that frigate sail +up alongside of us, without trying to escape."</p> +<p>"You were fortunate, indeed," Bob shouted back "We had, +ourselves, a narrow escape of being captured by a ship of war, near +Malaga. The Alonzo is only from Cadiz, with grain and olive +oil."</p> +<p>"Do you think there is any fear of that rascally Englishman +trying to cut us out with his boats, tonight?"</p> +<p>"Not the slightest," Bob replied, confidently. "They would never +venture on that. Those batteries on shore would blow them out of +the water, and they would know very well they would not have a +shadow of chance of taking us out for, even if they captured us, +the batteries would send us to the bottom, in no time. Oh, no! you +are perfectly safe from the frigate, here."</p> +<p>The Spanish captain raised his hat. Bob did the same, and both +left the side of their ships.</p> +<p>"Well, what does he say, Bob?" the captain asked.</p> +<p>"I think you are in luck this time, captain, and no +mistake."</p> +<p>"How is that, Bob?"</p> +<p>"She is from Lima."</p> +<p>"You don't say so!" the captain and Joe exclaimed, +simultaneously. "Then she is something like a prize. She has got +hides, no doubt; but the chances are she has a lot of lead, too, +and maybe some silver.</p> +<p>"Ah! He is getting one of his boats in the water. I hope he is +not coming off here.</p> +<p>"If he does, Joe, Bob must meet him at the gangway, and take him +into the cabin. As he comes in, you and I will catch him by the +throat, gag, and bind him; and then Bob must go and tell the men to +return to their ship, that the captain is going to spend the +evening with us, and that we will take him back in our boat."</p> +<p>"That would be the best thing that could happen," Joe said, "for +in that way we could get alongside, without suspicion."</p> +<p>"So we could, Joe. I didn't think of that. Yes, I hope he is +coming, now."</p> +<p>They saw, however, the boat row to a large polacre lying next to +the Spaniard, on the other side. It remained there two or three +minutes, and then rowed away towards the mouth of the harbour.</p> +<p>"Going to spend the evening on shore," the captain observed. "I +am not surprised at that. It is likely enough they have been six +months on their voyage from Lima. It is unlucky, though; I wish he +had come here.</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, as you have got the best head among us, what scheme +do you suggest for our getting on board that craft?"</p> +<p>"I think we could carry out Joe's idea, though in a different +way," Bob said. "I should say we had better get a boat out; and +put, say, twenty men on board. It is getting dark, but they might +all lie down in the bottom, except six oarsmen. Then we should pull +in towards the mouth of the harbour, just as they have done, and +lay up somewhere under the rocks for a couple of hours; then row +off again, and make for the barque. Of course, they would think it +was the captain returning.</p> +<p>"Then ten of the men should spring on board, and they ought to +be able to silence any men on deck before they could give the +alarm. Directly the ten men got out, the boat would row across to +the polacre; as there is no doubt her captain went ashore with the +other. They would take her in the same way."</p> +<p>"You ought to be made Lord High Admiral of the Fleet, Bob! That +will succeed, if anything will; only we must be sure to put off +again before the Spaniards do.</p> +<p>"Well, Joe, you had better take charge of this expedition. You +see, however quietly it is done, there is almost sure to be some +shouting; and they will take the alarm at the batteries and, when +they make out three of us suddenly getting up sail, they will be +pretty certain that something is wrong, and will open fire on us. +That, of course, we must risk; but the thing to be really afraid of +is their gunboats. They are sure to have a couple of them in the +port. They may be some little time in getting out, but they will +come out."</p> +<p>The wind has died away, now, but the land breeze is just +springing up; but we shall hardly get off before the gunboats can +come to us. They row a lot of oars, you know. You must clap on all +sail, on the prizes; and I shall hang behind a bit, and tackle the +gunboats. You will see what guns there are on board the prizes; and +may, perhaps, be able to lend me a hand; but that you will see. Of +course you will take Bob with you, to answer the hails from the two +Spaniards.</p> +<p>"Be careful when you bring up ashore. Let the men row very +gently, after they once get away, so as not to attract any +attention. Let them take cutlasses, but no pistols. If a shot were +fired the batteries would be sure, at once, there was some mischief +going on. A little shouting won't matter so much; it might be +merely a quarrel. Of course, the instant you are on board you will +cut the cables, and get up sail.</p> +<p>"You will remain on board the barque, Joe. Bob will have command +of the party that attack the polacre. You had better take the jolly +boat, and pick out twenty active fellows. Tell them to leave their +shoes behind them; the less trampling and noise there is, the +better. Tell them not to use their cutlasses, unless driven to it. +There are not likely to be above four or five men on deck. They +ought to be able to knock them down, and bind them, almost before +they know what has happened."</p> +<p>In a few minutes the boat was lowered, and manned, and rowed +away for the shore. As soon as they got well past the ships, the +men were ordered to row as quietly and noiselessly as possible. Joe +had brought with him six strips of canvas; and handed these to the +men, and told them to wrap them round the oars, so as to muffle +them in the rowlocks.</p> +<p>This was done, and the boat glided along silently. Keeping in +the middle of the channel, they passed through the passage between +the shore and the rocky island that protects the harbour; and then, +sweeping round, stole up behind the latter and lay to, close to the +rocks.</p> +<p>"So far, so good," Joe said, in a low voice. "I don't think the +sharpest eyes could have seen us. Now the question is, how long to +wait here. The longer we wait, the more of the Spaniards will have +turned into their bunks but, upon the other hand, there is no +saying how long the captains will remain on shore.</p> +<p>"There is a heavy dew falling, and that will help to send the +sailors below. I should think an hour would be about the right +time. The Dons are not likely to be off again, before that. It is +some distance up the harbour to the landing place, and they would +hardly have taken the trouble to go ashore, unless they meant to +stay a couple of hours.</p> +<p>"What time is it now, Bob?"</p> +<p>Bob opened his watch case, and felt the hands.</p> +<p>"It is just a quarter past nine."</p> +<p>"Well, we will move at ten," Joe said.</p> +<p>The three-quarters of an hour passed very slowly, and Bob +consulted his watch several times, before the minute hand got to +twelve.</p> +<p>"Ten o'clock," he said, at last.</p> +<p>The oars had not been got in, so the boat glided off again, +noiselessly, out through the entrance. There were lights burning at +the sterns of the two Spanish ships, as a guide to the boat coming +off and, when the boat had traversed half the distance, Joe ordered +the oars to be unmuffled, and they rowed straight for the barque. +There was no hail at their approach, but a man appeared at the top +of the ladder.</p> +<p>As the boat came alongside, ten of the men rose noiselessly from +the bottom of the boat, and followed the first mate up the ladder. +As he reached the top, Joe sprang on the Spanish sailor, and seized +him by the throat. The two sailors following thrust a gag into the +man's mouth, bound his arms, and laid him down.</p> +<p>This was effected without the slightest noise. The other sailors +had, by this time, clambered up from the boat and scattered over +the deck. A group of seven or eight Spaniards were seated on the +deck, forward; smoking by the light of a lantern, which hung above +the fo'castle. They did not notice the approach of the sailors, +with their naked feet; and the latter sprang upon them, threw them +down, bound, and gagged them, without a sound--save a few short +exclamations of surprise being uttered.</p> +<a id="PicG" name="PicG"></a><center><img src="images/g.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: They found the two Spanish mates playing at cards." +/></center> +<p>Three or four of the sailors now coiled a rope against the +fo'castle door, to prevent its being opened. In the meantime Joe, +with two men, entered the cabin aft, where they found the two +Spanish mates playing at cards. The sudden apparition of three men, +with drawn cutlasses, took them so completely by surprise that they +were captured without any attempt at resistance; and were, like the +rest, bound and gagged.</p> +<p>"You take the helm, Halkett," Joe said, and then hurried +forward.</p> +<p>"Have you got them all?" he asked, as he reached the +fo'castle.</p> +<p>"Every man Jack," one of the sailors said.</p> +<p>"Is there nobody on watch in the bows?"</p> +<p>"No, sir, not a man."</p> +<p>"Very well. Now then, to work.</p> +<p>"Cut the cable, Thompson.</p> +<p>"The rest of you, let fall the sails."</p> +<p>As these had only been loosely furled, when the vessel came to +anchor, this was done in a very short time; and the vessel began to +move through the water before the light breeze, which was dead +aft.</p> +<p>The capture of the polacre had not been effected so silently. +Bob had allowed the boatswain, who accompanied him, to mount the +ladder first; but the man at the top of the gangway had a lantern +and, as its light fell upon the sailor's face, he uttered an +exclamation of surprise; which called the attention of those on +deck and, as the sailors swarmed up the ladder, shouts of alarm +were raised. But the Spaniards could not withstand the rush of the +English, who beat them to the deck before they had time to seize +their arms.</p> +<p>The noise, however, alarmed the watch below; who were just +pouring up from the hatchway when they were attacked by the sailors +with drawn cutlasses, and were speedily beaten below, and the +hatches secured over them. Bob had posted himself, with two of the +men, at the cabin door; and as the officers rushed out, on hearing +the noise, they were knocked down and secured. As soon as this was +effected, Bob looked round over the side.</p> +<p>"Hurrah!" he said, "the barque is under way already. Get the +sails on her, lads, and cut the cable."</p> +<p>While this was being done Bob mounted the poop, placed one of +the sailors at the helm, and then turned his eyes towards the +battery, astern. He heard shouts, and had no doubt that the sound +of the scuffle had been heard. Then lights appeared in several of +the casements and, just as the sails were sheeted home, and the +polacre began to move through the water, a rocket whizzed up from +the battery, and burst overhead. By its light Bob saw the Antelope +and the Spanish barque, two or three hundred yards ahead; with +their crews getting up all sail, rapidly.</p> +<p>A minute later, twelve heavy guns flashed out astern, one after +another. They were pointed too high, and the shot flew overhead, +one or two passing through the sails. The boatswain's voice was +heard, shouting:</p> +<p>"Never mind the shot, lads! Look alive! Now then, up with those +topgallant sails! The quicker you get them up, the quicker we shall +be out of range!"</p> +<p>Another battery, higher up, now opened fire; but the shot did +not come near them. Then rocket after rocket was sent up, and the +battery astern again fired. One of the shot cut away the +main-topsail yard; another struck the deck abreast of the foremast, +and then tore through the bulwarks; but the polacre was now making +good way. They felt the wind more, as they got farther from the +shore; and had decreased their distance from the craft ahead.</p> +<p>The boatswain now joined Bob upon the poop.</p> +<p>"We have got everything set that will draw, now," he said. "She +is walking along well. Another ten minutes and we shall be safe, if +they don't knock away a spar.</p> +<p>"She is a fast craft, Mr. Repton. She is overhauling the other +two, hand over hand."</p> +<p>"We had better bear away a bit, boatswain. The captain said we +were to scatter as much as we could, so as to divide their +fire."</p> +<p>"All right, sir!" and the boatswain gave the orders to the +helmsman, and slightly altered the trim of the sails.</p> +<p>"I suppose we can do nothing with that broken yard, +boatswain?"</p> +<p>"No, sir; and it don't matter much, going pretty nearly before +the wind, as we are. The sails on the foremast draw all the better, +so it don't make much difference.</p> +<p>"Look out, below!" he shouted, as there was a crash above; and +the mizzenmast was cut in sunder, by a shot that struck it just +above the topsail blocks; and the upper part came toppling down, +striking the bulwark and falling overboard.</p> +<p>"Lay aft, lads, and out knives!" the boatswain shouted. "Cut +away the wreck!</p> +<p>"It is lucky it wasn't two feet lower," he said to Bob, "or it +would have brought the topsail down; and that would have been a +serious loss, now the main-topsail is of no use."</p> +<p>He sprang to assist the men, when a round shot struck him, and +almost carried off his head. Bob caught at the knife that fell from +his hand, and set to work with the men.</p> +<p>"That is it, lads, cut away!" he shouted. "We sha'n't have many +more of them on board. We are a good mile away, now."</p> +<p>Just as the work of getting rid of the wreck was accomplished, +one of the men said, as a rocket burst overhead:</p> +<p>"There are two of their gunboats coming out of the harbour, +sir."</p> +<p>"We had better close with the others, then," Bob said. "The brig +will engage them, when they come up. We shall be well beyond reach +of the batteries, before they do.</p> +<p>"Now, lads, see what guns she carries. Break open the magazine, +and get powder and ball up. We must lend the captain a hand, if we +can."</p> +<p>The polacre mounted eight guns, all 14 pounders; and in a few +minutes these were loaded. The batteries continued to fire; but +their shooting was no longer accurate and, in another ten minutes, +ceased altogether. The craft had now closed to within hailing +distance of the brig.</p> +<p>"Hallo, the polacre!" Captain Lockett shouted. "What +damages?"</p> +<p>"The boatswain is killed, sir," Bob shouted back, "and we have +lost two spars but, in spite of that, I think we are sailing as +fast as you."</p> +<p>"What guns have you got?"</p> +<p>"Eight fourteen-pounders, sir. We are loaded and ready."</p> +<p>"Keep a little ahead of me," the captain shouted. "I am going to +shorten sail a bit. We have got to fight those gunboats."</p> +<p>As he spoke, a heavy gun boomed out from the bow of one of the +gunboats, and the shot went skipping between the two vessels. +Directly after, the other gunboat fired, and the shot struck the +quarter of the brig. Then there was a creaking of blocks as the +sheets were hauled upon and, as the yards swung round, she came up +into the wind, and a broadside was fired at the two gunboats. Then +the helm was put down, and she payed off before the wind again.</p> +<p>The gunboats ceased rowing, for a minute. The discharge had +staggered them, for they had not given the brig credit for carrying +such heavy metal.</p> +<p>Then they began to row again. The swivel gun of the brig kept up +a steady fire on them. Two of the guns of the polacre had been, by +this time, shifted to the stern; and these opened fire, while the +first mate's crew on board the barque were also at work. A +fortunate shot smashed many of the oars of one of the gunboats and, +while she stopped rowing in disorder, the brig was again rounded to +and opened a steady fire, with her broadside guns, upon them.</p> +<p>As the gunboats were now little more than a quarter of a mile +away, the effect of the brig's fire, aided by that of the two +prizes, was very severe and, in a short time, the Spaniards put +round and rowed towards the shore; while a hearty cheer broke from +the brig, and her prizes.</p> +<p>There had been no more casualties on board the polacre, the fire +of the gunboats having been directed entirely upon the brig; as the +Spaniards knew that, if they could but destroy or capture her, they +would be able to recover the prizes. The polacre was soon brought +close alongside of the brig.</p> +<p>"Have you suffered much, Captain Lockett?"</p> +<p>"I am sorry to say we have had six men killed, and five wounded. +We have got a dozen shot in our stern. They were evidently trying +to damage the rudder but, beyond knocking the cabin fittings to +pieces, there is no more harm done than the carpenter can repair, +in a few hours' work.</p> +<p>"You have not been hit again, have you?"</p> +<p>"No, sir; none of their shots came near."</p> +<p>"Well, examine the papers, and have a talk with the officers you +made prisoners, and then come on board to report. I shall want you +to go on board the barque with me, and see what she is laden +with."</p> +<p>Bob went below. The two Spanish mates were unbound.</p> +<p>"I am sorry, senors," Bob said, "that we were obliged to treat +you rather roughly; but you see, we were in a hurry, and there was +no time for explanations. I shall be obliged if you will show me +which is the captain's cabin, and hand me over the ship's papers +and manifesto. What is her name?"</p> +<p>"The Braganza."</p> +<p>"Where are you from? And what do you carry?"</p> +<p>"We are from Cadiz, and are laden principally with wine. We were +bound for Barcelona.</p> +<p>"You took us in nicely, senor. Who could have dreamt that you +were English, when that frigate chased you under the guns of the +battery?"</p> +<p>"She thought we were Spanish, as you did," Bob said.</p> +<p>By this time the other Spaniard had brought the papers out of +the captain's cabin. Bob ran his eye down over the bill of lading, +and was well satisfied with the result. She contained a very large +consignment of wine.</p> +<p>"I am going on board the brig," he said, as he put the papers +together. "I must ask you to give me your parole not to leave the +cabin, until I return. I do not know whether my captain wishes you +to remain here, or will transfer you to his own craft."</p> +<p>"Well, Master Bob, what is your prize?" the captain asked.</p> +<p>"It is a valuable one, sir. The polacre herself is, as I see by +her papers, only two years old, and seems a fine craft. She is +laden with wine, from Cadiz, to Barcelona."</p> +<p>"Capital, Bob; we are in luck, indeed! How many prisoners have +you got?"</p> +<p>"The crew is put down at eighteen, sir; and there are the two +mates."</p> +<p>"You had better send them on board here, presently. Where are +they now?"</p> +<p>"They are in the cabin, captain. They gave me their promise not +to leave it, till I return; but I put a man on sentry, outside, so +as to make sure of them."</p> +<p>"Well, perhaps you had better go back again now; and we will +shape our course for Gibraltar, at once. All this firing would have +attracted the attention of any Spanish war vessel there might be +about. We must leave the barque's manifesto till the morning.</p> +<p>"As you have lost the boatswain, I will send one of my best +hands back with you, to act as your first mate. He must get that +topsail yard of yours repaired, at once. It does not matter about +the mizzenmast, but the yard is of importance. We may meet with +Spanish cruisers, outside the Rock, and may have to show our +heels."</p> +<p>"Yes, I shall be glad of a good man, captain. You see, I know +nothing about it, and don't like giving any orders. It was all very +well getting on board, and knocking down the crew; but when it +comes to sailing her, it is perfectly ridiculous my giving orders, +when the men know that I don't know anything about it."</p> +<p>"The men know you have plenty of pluck, Bob; and they know that +it was entirely due to your swimming off to that Spanish ship that +we escaped being captured, before; and they will obey you +willingly, as far as you can give them orders. Still, of course, +you do want somebody with you, to give orders as to the setting and +taking in of the sails."</p> +<p>As soon as the last gun had been fired, the three vessels had +been laid head to wind but, when Bob's boat reached the side of the +polacre, they were again put on their course and headed southwest, +keeping within a short distance of each other.</p> +<p>Bob's new first mate, an old sailor named Brown, at once set the +crew to work to get up a fresh spar, in place of the broken yard. +The men all worked with a will. They were in high spirits at the +captures they had made; and the news which Brown gave them, that +the polacre was laden with wine, assured to each of them a +substantial sum in prize money.</p> +<p>Before morning the yard was in its place and the sail set and, +except for the shortened mizzen, and a ragged hole through the +bulwark, forward, the polacre showed no signs of the engagement of +the evening before. Two or three men were slung over the stern of +the brig; plugs had been driven through the shot holes and, over +these, patches of canvas were nailed, and painted black.</p> +<p>Nothing, however, could be done with the sails, which were +completely riddled with holes. The crew were set to work to shift +some of the worst; cutting them away from the yards, and getting up +spare sails from below. Bob had put a man on the lookout, to give +him notice if any signal was made to him from the brig; which was a +quarter of a mile ahead of him, the polacre's topgallant sails +having been lowered after the main-topsail had been hoisted, as it +was found that, with all sail set, she sailed considerably faster +than the brig.</p> +<p>Presently the man came aft, and reported that the captain was +waving his hat from the taffrail.</p> +<p>"We had better get up the main-topgallant sail, Brown, and run +up to her," Bob said.</p> +<p>The sail was soon hoisted and, in a quarter of an hour, they +were alongside the brig.</p> +<p>"That craft sails like a witch," Captain Lockett said, as they +came abreast of him.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir, she seems very fast."</p> +<p>"It is a pity she is rigged as she is," the captain said. "It is +an outlandish fashion. If she were barque rigged, I should be +tempted to shift on board her.</p> +<p>"We will leave the barque alone, at present, Mr. Repton. Our +curiosity must keep a bit. I don't want to lose any of this breeze. +We will keep right on, as long as it lasts. If it drops, we will +overhaul her."</p> +<p>The barque was the slowest craft of the three, and Joe Lockett +had every stitch of canvas set, to enable him to keep up with the +others. At noon, a large craft was seen, coming off from the land. +Bob examined her with the telescope, and then handed the glass to +Brown.</p> +<p>"She is a frigate," the sailor said. "It's the same that blazed +away at us, yesterday. It's the Brilliant, I think."</p> +<p>"You are sure she is the same that chased us, yesterday?"</p> +<p>"Quite sure."</p> +<p>Captain Lockett was evidently of the same opinion, as no change +was made in the course he was steering.</p> +<p>"We may as well speak the captain again," Bob said, and the +polacre closed again with the brig.</p> +<p>"Brown says that is the same frigate that fired at us, +yesterday, Captain Lockett," Bob said, when they were within +hailing distance.</p> +<p>"Yes, there is no doubt about that. I don't want to lose time, +or I would stand out and try our speed with her."</p> +<p>"Why, sir?"</p> +<p>"Because I am afraid she will want to take some of our hands. +Those frigates are always short of hands. Still, she may not, as we +have got twelve men already away in a prize, and ten in each of +these craft."</p> +<p>"I don't think you need be uneasy, sir. I know the captain of +the Brilliant, and all the officers. If you like, I will keep the +polacre on that side, so that they will come up to us first; and +will go on board, and speak to the captain. I don't think, then, he +would interfere with us."</p> +<p>"Very well, Mr. Repton; we will arrange it so."</p> +<p>The polacre had now taken its place to leeward of the other two +vessels, and they held on in that order until the frigate was +within half a mile; when she fired a gun across their bows, as +signal for them to heave to. The brig was now flying the British +colours; her prizes the British colours, with the Spanish +underneath them. At the order to heave to, they were all thrown up +into the wind.</p> +<p>The frigate reduced her sail as she came up and, as she neared +the polacre, the order was shouted:</p> +<p>"Send a boat alongside!"</p> +<p>The boat was already prepared for lowering. Four seamen got into +her, and rowed Bob alongside the frigate. The first person he +encountered, as he stepped on to the deck, was Jim Sankey; who +stared at him in astonishment.</p> +<p>"Hullo, Bob! What in the world are you doing here?"</p> +<p>"I am in command of that polacre, Mr. Sankey," Bob replied.</p> +<p>"Eh--what?" Jim stammered, in astonishment; when the captain's +voice from the quarterdeck came sharply down:</p> +<p>"Now, Mr. Sankey, what are you waiting for? Bring that gentleman +here."</p> +<p>Jim led the way up to the poop.</p> +<p>Bob saluted.</p> +<p>"Good morning, Captain Langton."</p> +<p>"Why, it's Repton!" the captain exclaimed, in surprise. "Why, +where do you spring from, and what craft are these?"</p> +<p>"I am in command, at present, sir, of the polacre; which, with +the barque, is a prize of the brig the Antelope, privateer."</p> +<p>"But what are you doing on board, Repton? And how is it that you +are in command?"</p> +<p>"Well, sir, I was out on a cruise in the Antelope. The second +mate was sent, with a prize crew, back to Gibraltar, in a craft we +picked up off Malaga. We cut out the other two prizes from under +the guns of Cartagena. The first mate was in command of the party +that captured the barque and, as there was no one else to send, the +captain put me in command of the party that captured the +polacre."</p> +<p>"But how on earth did you manage it?" the captain asked. "I see +the brig has been cut up a good deal, about the sails and rigging. +You don't mean to say that she sailed right into Cartagena? Why, +they would have blown her out of the water!"</p> +<p>"We didn't go in, sir. We anchored outside the port. We were not +suspected, because one of His Majesty's frigates fired at us, as we +were going in; and the consequence was the Dons never suspected +that we were anything but a Spanish trader."</p> +<p>"Why, you don't mean to say," the captain exclaimed, "that this +was the brig, flying Spanish colours, which we chased in under the +guns of Cartagena, yesterday?"</p> +<p>"It is, sir," Bob said, smiling. "You did us a very good turn, +although your intentions were not friendly. We were under Spanish +colours, when you made us out; and it struck us that running the +gauntlet of your fire, for a little while, would be an excellent +introduction for us to the Spaniards.</p> +<p>"So it proved. We brought up close to those other two vessels, +and I had a talk with the captain of one of them. The two captains +both went ashore, after dark; so we put twenty men into a boat, and +rowed in to the mouth of the port; waited there for a bit, and then +rowed straight out to the ships. They thought, of course, it was +their own officers returning; so we took them by surprise, and +captured them pretty easily.</p> +<p>"Unfortunately there was some noise made, and they took the +alarm on shore. However, we were under way before the batteries +opened. It was rather unpleasant, for a bit, but we got safely out. +Two gunboats came out after us; but the brig beat them off, and we +helped as well as we could. The brig had five men killed, we had +one, and there are several wounded."</p> +<p>"Well, it was a very dashing affair," the captain said; "very +creditable, indeed. I hope you will get a share of the prize +money."</p> +<p>"I only count as a hand," Bob said, laughing; "and I am sure +that is as much as I deserve.</p> +<p>"But here comes the captain, sir. He will tell you more about +it."</p> +<p>Captain Lockett now came on board; and Bob, seeing that he was +not farther required, went off with Jim down to the cockpit. The +captain had a long talk with Captain Lockett. When the latter had +related, in full, the circumstances of his capture of his two +prizes, he said:</p> +<p>"There is a Spanish ship of war, sir, somewhere off Alicante, at +present. She is got up as a merchantman, and took us in thoroughly; +and we should probably have been caught, if it had not been for Mr. +Repton," and he then related how Bob had swum on board, and +discovered the supposed merchantman to be a ship of war.</p> +<p>"Thank you, Captain Lockett. I will go in and have a look after +her. It is fortunate that you told me for, if I had seen her lying +at anchor, under the land, I might have sent some boats in to cut +her out; and might, as you nearly did, have caught a tartar.</p> +<p>"He is an uncommonly sharp young fellow, that Repton. I offered +him a midshipman's berth here, when I first came out, but he +refused it. By what you say, he must be a good officer lost to the +service."</p> +<p>"He would have made a good officer, sir; he has his wits about +him so thoroughly. It was his doing, our keeping the Spanish flag +flying when you came upon us. I had ordered the colours to be run +down, when he suggested our keeping them up, and running boldly in +to Cartagena."</p> +<p>"I suppose you can't spare us a few hands, Captain Lockett?"</p> +<p>"Well, sir, I shall be very short, as it is. You see, I have a +score away in a prize, I have had six killed, and some of the +wounded won't be fit for work, for some time; and I mean to take +these two prizes back with me, to England. They are both valuable, +and I should not get anything like a fair price for them, at +Gibraltar. I don't want to run the risk of their being picked up by +privateers, on the way back, so I shall convoy them; and I +certainly sha'n't have a man too many to fight my guns, when I have +put crews on board them."</p> +<p>"No, I suppose not," the captain said. "Well, I must do without +them, then.</p> +<p>"Now, as I suppose you want to be on your way, I will not detain +you any longer."</p> +<p>Bob was sent for.</p> +<p>"Captain Lockett has been telling me that you were the means of +preventing his getting into a nasty scrape, with that Spanish +man-of-war, Mr. Repton. I consider there is great credit due to +you. It is a pity you didn't come on to my quarterdeck."</p> +<p>"I should not have got the chances then, sir," Bob said.</p> +<p>"Well, no, I don't know that you would, lad; there is something +in that.</p> +<p>"Well, goodbye. I shall write and tell the admiral all about it. +I know he will be glad to hear of your doings."</p> +<p>A few minutes later, the privateer and her prizes were on their +way towards Gibraltar; while the frigate was standing inshore +again, to search for the Spanish ship of war.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch12" id="Ch12">Chapter 12</a>: A Rich Prize.</h2> +<p>In the evening the wind died away, and the three vessels were +becalmed. Captain Lockett rowed to the polacre, and examined his +prize; and then, taking Bob in his boat, rowed to the barque.</p> +<p>"Well, Joe, have you made out what you have got on board?" the +captain said, when he reached the deck.</p> +<p>"No, sir. Neither of the officers can speak a word of English. I +have opened the hatches, and she is chock-full of hides; but what +there is, underneath, I don't know."</p> +<p>"Come along, Bob, we will overhaul the papers," the captain said +and, going to the cabin, they examined the bill of lading.</p> +<p>"Here it is, sir," Bob said, triumphantly. "Two hundred tons of +lead."</p> +<p>"Splendid!" the captain exclaimed. "That is a prize worth +having. Of course, that is stowed away at the bottom; and then she +is filled up with hides, and they are worth a lot of money--but the +lead, alone, is worth six thousand pounds, at twenty pounds per +ton.</p> +<p>"Is there anything else, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir. There are fifty boxes. It doesn't say what is in +them."</p> +<p>"You don't say so, Bob! Perhaps it is silver. Let us ask the +officers."</p> +<p>The Spanish first mate was called down.</p> +<p>"Where are these boxes?" Bob asked, "and what do they +contain?"</p> +<p>"They are full of silver," the man said, sullenly. "They are +stowed in the lazaretto, under this cabin."</p> +<p>"We will have one of them up, and look into it," the captain +said.</p> +<p>"Joe, call a couple of hands down."</p> +<p>The trapdoor of the lazaretto was lifted. Joe and the two +sailors descended the ladder and, with some difficulty, one of the +boxes was hoisted up.</p> +<p>"That weighs over two hundredweight, I'm sure," Joe said.</p> +<a id="PicH" name="PicH"></a><center><img src="images/h.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: They find Boxes of Silver in the Lazaretto." +/></center> +<p>The box was broken open, and it was found to be filled with +small bars of silver.</p> +<p>"Are they all the same size, Joe?" the captain asked.</p> +<p>"Yes, as far as I can see."</p> +<p>The captain took out his pocketbook, and made a rapid +calculation.</p> +<p>"Then they are worth between thirty-two and thirty-three +thousand pounds, Joe.</p> +<p>"Why, lad, she is worth forty thousand pounds, without the hides +or the hull. That is something like a capture," and the two men +shook hands, warmly.</p> +<p>"The best thing to do, Joe, will be to divide these boxes +between the three ships; then, even if one of them gets picked up +by the Spaniards or French, we shall still be in clover."</p> +<p>"I think that would be a good plan," Joe agreed.</p> +<p>"We will do it at once. There is nothing like making matters +safe. Just get into the boat alongside, and row to the brig; and +tell them to lower the jolly boat and send it alongside. We will +get some of the boxes up, by the time you are back."</p> +<p>In an hour the silver was divided between the three ships; and +the delight of the sailors was great, when they heard how valuable +had been the capture.</p> +<p>"How do you divide?" Bob asked Captain Lockett, as they were +watching the boxes lowered into the boat.</p> +<p>"The ship takes half," he said. "Of the other half I take twelve +shares, Joe eight, the second mate six, the boatswain three, and +the fifty hands one share each. So you may say there are eighty +shares and, if the half of the prize is worth twenty thousand +pounds, each man's share will be two hundred and fifty.</p> +<p>"It will be worth having, Bob; though it is a great shame you +should not rate as an officer."</p> +<p>"I don't want the money," Bob laughed. "I should have no use for +it, if I had it. My uncle has taken me in hand, and I am provided +for."</p> +<p>"Yes, I understand that," the captain said. "If it were not so, +I should have proposed to the crew that they should agree to your +sharing the same as the second officer. I am sure they would have +agreed, willingly; seeing that it is due to you that we were not +captured, ourselves, in the first place; and entirely to your +suggestion, that we should keep the Spanish flag flying and run +into Cartagena, that we owe the capture of the prizes."</p> +<p>"Oh, I would much rather not, captain. I only came for a cruise, +and it has been a splendid one; and it seems to be quite absurd +that I should be getting anything at all. Still, it will be jolly, +because I shall be able to make Carrie and Gerald nice presents, +with my own money; and to send some home to Mr. Medlin and his +family, and something to uncle, too, if I can think of anything he +would like."</p> +<p>"Yes, it is all very well, Bob, for you; but I feel that it is +not fair. However, as you really don't want the money, and are well +satisfied, we will say nothing more about it, now."</p> +<p>The ships lay becalmed all night, but a brisk breeze from the +east sprang up in the morning and, at noon, the Rock was visible in +the distance. They held on for four hours; and then lay to, till +after midnight. After that sail was again made and, soon after +daybreak, they passed Europa Point, without having been seen by any +of the Spanish cruisers. They were greeted by a hearty cheer from +the vessels anchored near the new Mole, as they brought up amongst +them with the British flags flying, above the Spanish, on board the +prizes.</p> +<p>As soon as the morning gun was fired, and the gates opened, Bob +landed and hurried up to his sister's. She and her husband were +just partaking of their early coffee.</p> +<p>"Hallo, Bob!" Captain O'Halloran exclaimed. "What, back again? +Why, I didn't expect you for another fortnight. You must have +managed very badly, to have brought your cruise to an end, so +soon."</p> +<p>"Well, I am very glad you are back, Bob," his sister said. "I +have been fidgetting about you, ever since you were away."</p> +<p>"I am as glad to see you as your sister can be," Gerald put in. +"If she has fidgetted, when you had only gone a week; you can +imagine what I should have to bear, before the end of a month. I +should have had to move into barracks. Life would have been +insupportable, here."</p> +<p>"I am sure I have said very little about it, Gerald," his wife +said, indignantly.</p> +<p>"No, Carrie, you have not said much, but your aspect has been +generally tragic. You have taken but slight interest in your fowls, +and there has been a marked deterioration in the meals. My remarks +have been frequently unanswered; and you have got into a Sister +Anne sort of way of going upon the roof, and staring out to +sea.</p> +<p>"Your sister is a most estimable woman, Bob--I am the last +person who would deny it--but I must admit that she has been a +little trying, during the last week."</p> +<p>Carrie laughed.</p> +<p>"Well, it is only paying you back a little, in your own coin, +Gerald.</p> +<p>"But what has brought you back so soon, Bob? We heard of you, +three days ago; for Gerald went on board a brig that was brought +in, as he heard that it was a prize of the Antelope's; and the +officer told him about your cruise, up to when he had left +you."</p> +<p>"Well, there wasn't much to tell, up till then," Bob said, +"except that I was well, and my appetite was good. But there has +been a good lot, since. We have come in with two more good prizes, +this morning, and the brig is going to convoy them back to +England."</p> +<p>"Oh, that is all right," Carrie said in a tone of pleasure.</p> +<p>So far, she had been afraid that Bob's return was only a +temporary one; and that he might be setting out again, in a day or +two.</p> +<p>"Well, let us hear all about it, Bob," her husband said. "I +could see Carrie was on thorns, lest you were going off again. Now +that she is satisfied, she may be able to listen to you, +comfortably."</p> +<p>"Well, we really had some adventures, Gerald. We had a narrow +escape from being captured by a Spanish ship of war, ever so much +stronger than we were. She was got up as a merchantman, and +regularly took us in. We anchored close to her, intending to board +her in the dark. I thought I would swim off and reconnoitre a bit, +before we attacked her; and, of course, I saw at once what she was, +and we cut our cable, and were towed out in the dark. She fired +away at us, but didn't do us any damage.</p> +<p>"The next day, late in the afternoon, we came upon the Brilliant +chasing some Spanish craft into Cartagena and, as we had Spanish +colours up, she took us for one of them, and blazed away at +us."</p> +<p>"But why didn't you pull down the Spanish colours, at once, Bob? +I never heard of anything so silly," Carrie said, indignantly.</p> +<p>"Well, you see, Carrie, they were some distance off, and weren't +likely to damage us much; and we ran straight in, and anchored with +the rest under the guns of the battery, outside Cartagena. Seeing +us fired at, of course, they never suspected we were English. Then, +at night, we captured the two vessels lying next to us, and put out +to sea. The batteries blazed away at us, and it was not very +pleasant till we got outside their range. They did not do us very +much damage. Two gunboats came out after us, but the brig beat them +back, and we helped."</p> +<p>"Who were we?" Captain O'Halloran asked.</p> +<p>"We were the prizes, of course. I was in command of one."</p> +<p>"Hooray, Bob!" Gerald exclaimed, with a great laugh, while +Carrie uttered an exclamation of horror.</p> +<p>"Well, you see, the second mate had been sent off in the first +prize, and there was only Joe Lockett and me; so he took the +biggest of the two ships we cut out, and the captain put me in +command of the men that took the other. I had the boatswain with me +and, of course, he was the man who really commanded, in getting up +the sails and all that sort of thing. He was killed by a shot from +the battery, and was the only man hit on our vessel; but there were +five killed, on board the brig, in the fight with the gunboats.</p> +<p>"We fell in with the Brilliant, on the way back, and I went on +board; and you should have seen how Jim Sankey opened his eyes, +when I said that I was in command of the prize. They are awfully +good prizes, too, I can tell you. The one I got is laden with wine; +and the big one was a barque from Lima, with hides, and two hundred +tons of lead, and fifty boxes of silver--about thirty-three +thousand pounds' worth.</p> +<p>"Just think of that! The captain said she was worth, altogether, +at least forty thousand pounds. That is something like a prize, +isn't it?"</p> +<p>"Yes, that is.</p> +<p>"What do you think, Carrie? I propose that I sell my commission, +raise as much as I can on the old place in Ireland, and fit out a +privateer. Bob will, of course, be captain; you shall be first +mate; and I will be content with second mate's berth; and we will +sail the salt ocean, and pick up our forty-thousand-pound +prizes."</p> +<p>"Oh, what nonsense you do talk, to be sure, Gerald! Just when +Bob's news is so interesting, too."</p> +<p>"I have told all my news, Carrie. Now I want to hear yours. The +Spaniards haven't began to batter down the Rock, yet?"</p> +<p>"We have been very quiet, Bob. On the 11th a great convoy, of +about sixty sail--protected by five xebecs, of from twenty to +thirty guns each--came along. They must have come out from Malaga, +the very night you passed there. They were taking supplies, for the +use of the Spanish fleet; and the privateers captured three or four +small craft; and the Panther, the Enterprise, and the Childers were +kept at their anchor, all day. Why, no one but the admiral could +say. We were all very much disappointed, for everyone expected to +see pretty nearly all the Spanish vessels brought in."</p> +<p>"Yes," Captain O'Halloran said, "it has caused a deal of talk, I +can tell you. The navy were furious. There they were, sixty +vessels, all laden with the very things we wanted; pretty well +becalmed, not more than a mile off Europa Point, with our batteries +banging away at them; and nothing in the world to hinder the +Panther, and the frigates, from fetching them all in. Half the town +were out on the hill, and every soul who could get off duty at the +Point; and there was the admiral, wasting the whole mortal day in +trying to make up his mind. If you had heard the bad language that +was used in relation to that old gentleman, it would have made your +hair stand on end.</p> +<p>"Of course, just as it got dark the ships of war started; and +equally, of course, the convoy all got away in the dark, except six +bits of prizes, which were brought in in the morning. We have +heard, since, that it was on purpose to protect this valuable fleet +that the Spanish squadron arrived, before you went away; but as it +didn't turn up, the squadron went off again, and we had nothing to +do but just to pick it up."</p> +<p>After breakfast, Captain O'Halloran went off with Bob to the +Antelope. He found all hands busy, bending on sails in place of +those that had been damaged, taking those of the brig first +captured for the purpose.</p> +<p>"They fit very well," Joe Lockett said, "and we have not time to +lose. We sail again, this afternoon. The captain says there is +nothing to prevent our going out, now; and as the Spanish squadron +may be back any day, we might have to run the gauntlet to get out, +if we lost the present chance. So he is not going to waste an +hour.</p> +<p>"Crofts has already sold the grain, and discharged it. The hull +is worth but little; and the captain has sold her, as she stands, +to a trader for two hundred pounds. I expect he has bought her to +break up for firewood, if the siege goes on. If it doesn't, he will +sell her again, afterwards, at a good profit. Of course, it is a +ridiculous price; but the captain wanted to get her off his hands, +and would have taken a ten pound note, rather than be bothered with +her.</p> +<p>"So by tonight we shall be across at Ceuta and, if the wind +holds east but another day, we shall be through the Straits on our +way home.</p> +<p>"They are going to shift two of our 18 pounders on board the +barque, and I am going to command her, and to have fifteen men on +board. Crofts commands the poleacre, with ten men. The rest, of +course, go in the brig. We shall keep together, and steer well out +west into the Atlantic, so as to give as wide a berth as possible +to Spaniards and Frenchmen. If we meet with a privateer, we ought +to be able to give a good account of him; if we run across a +frigate, we shall scatter; and it will be hard luck if we don't +manage to get two out of the three craft into port.</p> +<p>"We have been shifting some more of the silver again, this +morning, from the barque into the other two vessels; otherwise, as +she has the lead on board, she would be the most valuable prize. As +it is now, the three are of about equal value."</p> +<p>"Well, we wish you a pleasant voyage," Captain O'Halloran said. +"I suppose we shall see you back here again, before long."</p> +<p>"Yes, I should think so; but I don't know what the captain means +to do. We have had no time to talk, this morning. I daresay you +will meet him, on shore; he has gone to the post office, to get his +papers signed. We have been quite pestered, this morning, by men +coming on board to buy wine out of the polacre; but the captain +wouldn't have the hatches taken off. The Spaniards may turn up, at +any moment; and it is of the greatest importance our getting off, +while the coast is clear. It is most unfortunate, now, that we did +not run straight in, yesterday; instead of laying to, to wait for +night."</p> +<p>They did not meet the captain in the town and, from the roof, +Bob saw the three vessels get up sail, early in the afternoon, and +make across for the African coast.</p> +<p>The doctor came in, in the evening.</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, so I hear you have been fighting, and commanding +ships, and doing all sorts of things. I saw Captain Lockett in the +town and, faith, if you had been a dozen admirals, rolled into one, +he couldn't have spoken more highly of you.</p> +<p>"It seems, Mrs. O'Halloran, that Bob has been the special angel +who has looked after poor Jack, on board the Antelope."</p> +<p>"What ridiculous nonsense, doctor!" Bob exclaimed, hotly.</p> +<p>"Not at all, Bob; it is too modest you are, entirely. It is +yourself is the boy who has done the business, this time; and it is +a silver tay service, or some such trifle as that, that the owners +will be sending you, and small blame to them. Captain Lockett tells +me he owns a third of the ship; and he reckons the ship's share of +what they have taken, this little cruise, won't be less than +five-and-twenty thousand.</p> +<p>"Think of that, Mrs. O'Halloran, five-and-twenty thousand +pounds! And here is Edward Burke, M.D., working his sowl out, for a +miserable eight or ten shillings a day."</p> +<p>"But what has Bob done?"</p> +<p>"I hadn't time to learn it all, Mrs. O'Halloran, for the captain +was in a hurry. It seems to me that the question ought to be, what +is it that he hasn't done?</p> +<p>"It all came in a heap, together, and I am not sure of the exact +particulars; but it seems to me that he swam out and cut the cable +of a Spanish sloop of war, and took the end in his mouth and towed +her out to sea, while the guns were blazing in all directions at +him. Never was such an affair!</p> +<p>"Then he humbugged the captain of an English frigate, and the +commander of the Spanish forts, and stole a vessel chock full of +silver; and did I don't know what, besides."</p> +<p>Bob went off into a shout of laughter, in which the others +joined.</p> +<p>"But what is the meaning of all this nonsense, Teddy?" Carrie +asked, as soon as she recovered her composure. "Is there anything +in it, or is it all pure invention?"</p> +<p>"Is there anything in it? Haven't I been telling you that there +is twenty-five thousand pounds in it, to the owners, and as much +more to the crew; and didn't the captain vow and declare that, if +it hadn't been for Bob, instead of going home to divide all this +treasure up between them, every man Jack of them would be, at this +moment, chained by the leg in a dirty Spanish prison, at +Malaga!"</p> +<p>"Well, what does it all mean, Bob? There is no getting any sense +out of Dr. Burke."</p> +<p>"It is exactly what I told you, Carrie. We anchored close to a +craft that we thought was a merchantman, and that we meant to +attack in our boats. I swam on board her in the dark--to see if +they were keeping a good watch, and that sort of thing--and when I +got on board, I found she was a ship of war, with a lot of heavy +guns, and prepared to take us by surprise when we attacked her; so +of course, when I swam back again with the news, Captain Lockett +cut his cable and towed the brig out in the dark.</p> +<p>"As to the other affair that the doctor is talking about, I told +you that, too; and it is exactly as I said it was. The only thing I +had to do with it was that it happened to be my idea to keep the +Spanish colours flying, and let the frigate keep on firing at us. +The idea turned out well; but of course, if I had not thought of it +somebody else would, so there was nothing in it, at all."</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, you may say what you like," Doctor Burke said, "but +it is quite evident that the captain thought there was a good deal +in it.</p> +<p>"And I think really, Gerald, that you and Mrs. O'Halloran have +good reason to feel quite proud of him. I am not joking at all, +when I say that Captain Lockett really spoke as if he considered +that the good fortune they had had is very largely due to him. He +said he hoped he should have Bob on board for another cruise."</p> +<p>"I certainly shall not go any more with him," Bob said, +indignantly, "if he talks such nonsense about me, afterwards. As if +there was anything in swimming two or three hundred yards, on a +dark night; or in suggesting the keeping a flag up, instead of +pulling it down."</p> +<p>When the Brilliant, however, came in two days later, Captain +Langton called upon Mrs. O'Halloran; and told her that he did so in +order to acquaint her with the extremely favourable report Captain +Lockett had made, to him, of Bob's conduct; and that, from what he +had said, it was evident that the lad had shown great courage in +undertaking the swim to the Spanish vessel, and much promptness and +ready wit in suggesting the device that had deceived him, as well +as the Spaniards.</p> +<p>Captain Langton told the story, that evening, at General +Eliott's dinner table; and said that although it was certainly a +good joke, against himself, that he should have thus assisted a +privateer to carry off two valuable prizes that had slipped through +the frigate's hands, the story was too good not to be told. Thus, +Bob's exploit became generally known among the officers of the +garrison; and Captain O'Halloran was warmly congratulated upon the +sharpness, and pluck, of his young brother-in-law.</p> +<p>Captain Lockett's decision, to be off without any delay, was +fully justified by the appearance of a Spanish squadron in the bay, +three days after his departure. It consisted of two seventy-fours, +two frigates, five xebecs, and a number of galleys and small armed +vessels. The men-of-war anchored off Algeciras; while the rest of +the squadron kept a vigilant patrol at the mouth of the bay, and +formed a complete blockade.</p> +<p>Towards the end of the month, the troops were delighted by the +issue of an order that the use of powder for the hair was, +henceforth, to be abandoned.</p> +<p>Vessels were now continually arriving from Algeciras, with +troops and stores; and on the 26th the Spaniards began to form a +camp, on the plain below San Roque, three miles from the garrison. +This increased in size, daily, as fresh regiments arrived by +land.</p> +<p>Orders were now issued that all horses in the garrison, except +those whose owners had a store of at least one thousand pounds of +grain, were either to be shot or turned out through the gates.</p> +<p>There was much excitement when two Dutch vessels, laden with +rice and dried fruit, made their way in at night through the +enemy's cruisers. Their cargoes were purchased for the troops; and +these vessels, and a Venetian that had also got through, carried +off with them a large number of Jewish, Genoese, and other traders, +with their families, to ports in Barbary or Portugal. Indeed, from +this time every vessel that went out carried away some of the +inhabitants.</p> +<p>The position of these poor people was indeed serious. The +standing order on the Rock was that every inhabitant, even in time +of peace, should have in store six months' provisions; but the +order had never been enforced, and few of them had any supplies of +consequence. As they could not expect to be supplied from the +garrison stores, the greater number had no resource but to leave +the place. Some, however, who were better provided, obtained leave +to erect wooden huts at the southern end of the Rock, so as to have +a place of shelter to remove to, in case the enemy bombarded the +town.</p> +<p>The Spaniards had, by this time, mounted their cannon in forts +St. Philip and St. Barbara. Vast quantities of stores were landed +at Point Mala, at the end of the bay. Some fifteen thousand men +were under canvas, in their camp; and strong parties were +constantly employed in erecting works near their forts. The +garrison on their side were continually strengthening and adding to +their batteries, erecting palisades and traverses, filling the +magazines in the works, and preparing for an attack; and on the +11th of September some of the guns were opened upon the enemy's +working parties and, for a time, compelled them to desist.</p> +<p>From the upper batteries on the Rock, a complete view was +obtainable of all the enemy's operations and, as they were seen to +be raising mortar batteries, preparations were made to diminish the +effects of a bombardment of the town. For this purpose the pavement +of the streets was removed, and the ground ploughed up; the towers +and most conspicuous buildings taken down; and traverses carried +across the streets, to permit communications to be carried on.</p> +<p>Early in October the Engineers and Artillery managed, with +immense labour, to mount a gun on the summit of the Rock; and as, +from this point, an almost bird's-eye view was obtained of the +Spanish works, the fire of the gun annoyed them greatly at their +work. This was maintained, however, steadily but, in spite of this +interference with their operations, the Spaniards on the 20th of +October opened thirty-five embrasures, in three batteries, in a +line between their two forts.</p> +<p>Provisions of every kind were now becoming very dear. Fresh meat +was from three to four shillings a pound, chickens twelve shillings +a couple, ducks from fourteen to eighteen. Fish was equally dear; +and vegetables hardly to be bought, at any price. Flour was running +very short, and rice was served out instead of it.</p> +<p>On the 14th of November the privateer Buck, armed with +twenty-four 9 pounders, was seen making into the bay. Two Spanish +ships of the line, a frigate, two xebecs, and twenty-one small +craft set out to intercept her. The cutter--seeing a whole Spanish +squadron coming out--tacked and stood across towards the Barbary +shore, pursued by the Spaniards. The wind was from the west; but +the cutter, lying close hauled, was able just to stem the current, +and hold her position; while the Spaniards, being square rigged and +so unable to stand near the wind, drifted bodily away to leeward +with the current; but the two men-of-war, perceiving what was +happening, managed to make back into the bay.</p> +<p>As soon as the privateer saw the rest of the squadron drift away +to leeward, she again headed for the Rock. The Spanish admiral, +Barcelo, in a seventy-four gun ship, endeavoured to cut her +off--firing two broadsides of grape and round shot at her--but, +with the other man-of-war, was compelled to retire by the batteries +at Europa; and the cutter made her way in triumphantly, insultingly +returning the Spanish admiral's fire with her two little stern +guns. The Spanish men-of-war drifted away after their small craft; +and thus for the time the port was open again, thanks to the pluck +of the little privateer--which had, it was found on her arrival, +been some time at sea, and simply came in to get provisions.</p> +<p>As it could be seen, from the African coast, that the port was +again open, two or three small craft came across, with bullocks and +sheep. Four days later--the wind veering round to the +southward--Admiral Barcelo, with his fleet, returned to the bay; +and the blockade was renewed.</p> +<p>Already, Captain O'Halloran and his wife had the most ample +reasons for congratulating themselves that they had taken Dr. +Burke's advice, in the matter of vegetables and fowls. The little +garden on the roof was the envy of all Carrie's female +friends--many of whom, indeed, began imitations of it, on a small +scale. Under the hot sun, and with careful watering, everything +made astonishing progress. The cutting of the mustard and cress +had, of course, begun in little more than a week from the time when +the garden had been completed, and the seeds sown. The radishes +were fit for pulling three weeks later and, as constant successions +were sown, they had been amply supplied with an abundance of salad +and, each morning, a trader in town came up and took all that they +could spare--at prices that would, before the siege began, have +appeared fabulous.</p> +<p>Along the edge of the parapet, and trailing over almost to the +ground--covering the house in a bower of rich green foliage--the +melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins blossomed and fruited luxuriantly +and, for these, prices were obtained as high as those that the +fruit would fetch, in Covent Garden, when out of season. But as +melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins alike produce great quantities of +seed, by the end of the year they were being grown, on a +considerable scale, by all who possessed any facilities for +cultivating them.</p> +<p>Later on, indeed, the governor--hearing, from the principal +medical officer, how successful Captain O'Halloran had been--issued +an order recommending all inhabitants to grow vegetables, and +granting them every facility for so doing. All who chose to do so +were allowed to fence in any little patches of earth they could +discover, among the rocks or on unused ground; and it was not long +before the poorer inhabitants spent much of their time in +collecting earth, and establishing little garden plots, or in doing +so for persons who could afford to pay for their labour.</p> +<p>The poultry venture was equally satisfactory. Already a +considerable piece of rough and rocky ground, next to the garden, +had been enclosed; thereby affording a much larger run for the +fowls, and enabling a considerable portion of the garden to be +devoted to the young broods. The damaged biscuits had been sold at +a few shillings a ton and, at this price, Captain O'Halloran had +bought the whole of the condemned lot--amounting to about ten +tons--and there was, consequently, an ample supply of food for +them, for an almost indefinite time. After supplying the house +amply, there were at least a hundred eggs, a day, to sell; and +Carrie, who now took immense interest in the poultry yard, +calculated that they could dispose of ten couple a week, and still +keep up their number from the young broods.</p> +<p>"The only thing you have to be afraid of is disease, Mrs. +O'Halloran," said the doctor, who was her greatest adviser; "but +there is little risk of that. Besides, you have only to hire one or +two lads, of ten or twelve years old; and then you can put them +out, when you like, from the farther inclosure, and let them wander +about."</p> +<p>"But people don't generally watch fowls," Mrs. O'Halloran said. +"Surely they would come back, at night, to roost."</p> +<p>"I have no doubt they would. When chickens are well fed, they +can be trusted to find their way home at night. But you must +remember that they are worth from twelve to fourteen shillings a +couple, and what with the natives, and what with soldiers off duty, +you would find that a good many would not turn up at all, unless +they were watched. A couple of boys, at sixpence a day each, would +keep them from straying too far, and prevent their being stolen, +and would relieve you of a lot of anxiety about them."</p> +<p>So, after this, the fowls were turned out on to the Rock; where +they wandered about, narrowly watched by two native boys, and were +able to gather no small store of sustenance from the insects they +found among the rocks, or on the low shrubs that grew among +them.</p> +<p>Bob had, after his return from his cruise, fallen into his +former habits; spending two hours every morning with Don Diaz, and +reading for an hour or two in the evening with the doctor. It was +now cool enough for exercise and enjoyment, in the day; and there +were few afternoons when he did not climb up to the top of the +Rock, and watch the Spanish soldiers labouring at their batteries, +and wondering when they were going to begin to do something.</p> +<p>Occasionally they obtained news of what was passing in the +enemy's lines, and the Spaniards were equally well informed of what +was going on in the fortress, for desertions from both sides were +not infrequent. Sometimes a soldier with the working parties, out +in the neutral ground, would steal away and make for the Spanish +lines; pursued by a musketry fire from his comrades, and saluted, +perhaps, with a round or two of shot from the batteries above. But +more frequently they made their escape from the back of the Rock, +letting themselves down by ropes; although at least half the number +who made the attempt were dashed to pieces among the +precipices.</p> +<p>The majority of the deserters belonged to the Hanoverian +regiments, but a good many British soldiers also deserted. In all +cases these were reckless men who, having been punished for some +offence or other, preferred risking death to remaining in the +garrison. Some were caught in the attempt; while several, by +getting into places where they could neither descend further nor +return, were compelled at last, by hunger and thirst, to shout for +assistance--preferring death by hanging to the slower agony of +thirst.</p> +<p>The deserters from the Spanish lines principally belonged to the +Walloon regiments in the Spanish service, or to regiments from +Biscaya and other northern provinces. The troops were raised on the +principle of our own militia, and objected strongly to service +outside their own provinces; and it was this discontent that gave +rise to their desertions to us. Some of them made their way at +night, from the works where they were employed, through the lines +of sentries. Others took to the water, either beyond Fort Barbara +or at the head of the bay, and reached our lines by swimming.</p> +<p>Bob heartily congratulated himself, when he heard of the fate of +some of the deserters who tried to make their way down at the back +of the Rock, that he and Jim Sankey had not carried out their +scheme of descending there, in search of birds. By this time he had +come to know most of the young officers of the garrison and, +although the time passed without any marked events, he had plenty +of occupation and amusement. Sometimes they would get up fishing +parties and, although they could not venture very far from the +Rock, on account of the enemy's galleys and rowboats, they had a +good deal of sport; and fish were welcome additions to the food, +which consisted principally of salt rations--for Bob very soon +tired of a diet of chicken.</p> +<p>There were some very heavy rains, in the last week of the year. +These, they learned from deserters, greatly damaged the enemy's +lines--filling their trenches, and washing down their banks. One +advantage was that a great quantity of wood, cork, and other +floating rubbish was washed down, by the rain, into the two rivers +that fell into the bay and, as the wind was from the south, this +was all blown over towards the Rock; where it was collected by +boats, affording a most welcome supply of fuel, which had been, for +some time, extremely scarce.</p> +<p>On the 8th of January a Neapolitan polacre was driven in under +the guns, by the wind from the other side of the bay, and was +obliged to drop anchor. Six thousand bushels of barley were found +on board her, which was of inestimable value to the inhabitants, +who were now suffering extremely; as were also the wives and +children of the soldiers, whose rations--scanty for one--were +wholly insufficient for the wants of a family. Fowls had now risen +to eighteen shillings a couple, eggs were six pence each, and small +cabbages fetched eighteen pence.</p> +<p>On the 12th the enemy fired ten shots into the town from Fort +Saint Philip; causing a panic among the inhabitants, who at once +began to remove to their huts at the other end of the Rock. A woman +was wounded by a splinter of stone from one of the houses, being +the first casualty that had taken place through the siege. The next +day the admiral gave orders to the men-of-war that they should be +in readiness, in case a convoy appeared, to afford protection to +any ships that might attempt to come in. This order caused great +joy among the garrison and inhabitants, as it seemed to signify +that the governor had received information, in some manner, that a +convoy was on its way out to relieve the town.</p> +<p>Two days later a brig, that was seen passing through the Straits +to the east, suddenly changed her course and made for the Rock and, +although the enemy tried to cut her off, she succeeded in getting +into port. The welcome news soon spread that the brig was one of a +large convoy that had sailed, late in December, for the relief of +the town. She had parted company with the others in the Bay of +Biscay and, on her way, had seen a Spanish squadron off Cadiz, +which was supposed to be watching for the convoy. This caused much +anxiety; but on the 16th a brig laden with flour arrived, with the +news that Sir George Rodney had captured, off the coast of +Portugal, six Spanish frigates, with seventeen merchantmen on their +way from Bilbao to Cadiz; and that he had with him a fleet of +twenty-one sail of the line, and a large convoy of merchantmen and +transports.</p> +<p>The next day one of the prizes came in, and the midshipman in +charge of her reported that, when he had left the convoy on the +previous day, a battle was going on between the British fleet and +the Spanish squadron. Late in the evening the convoy was in sight; +and the Apollo, frigate, and one or two merchantmen got in, after +dark, with the news that the Spaniards had been completely +defeated--their admiral's flagship, with three others, captured; +one blown up in the engagement, another driven ashore, and the rest +dispersed.</p> +<p>The preparations for relieving the town had been so well +concealed that the Spaniards had believed that the British +men-of-war were destined for the West Indies, and had thought that +the merchantmen would have fallen easy prizes to their squadron, +which consisted of eleven men-of-war.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch13" id="Ch13">Chapter 13</a>: Oranges And Lemons.</h2> +<p>There was great anxiety in Gibraltar that night, for the wind +was very light and from the wrong direction and, in the morning, it +was seen that the greater portion of the convoy had drifted far +away to the east. Soon after noon, however, the Edgar managed to +get in with the Spanish admiral's flagship--the Phoenix, of eighty +guns--and in the evening the Prince George, with eleven or twelve +ships, worked in round Europa Point; but Admiral Rodney, with the +main body of the fleet and the prizes, was forced to anchor off +Marbella--a Spanish town--fifteen leagues east of Gibraltar. It was +not until seven or eight days later that the whole of the fleet and +convoy arrived in the port.</p> +<p>On the 29th a transport came in with the 2nd battalion of the +73rd Regiment, with 944 rank and file. A large number of heavy +cannon, from the prizes, were landed; and several hundreds of +barrels of powder, in addition to those brought out with the +convoy. Great stores of salt provisions and supplies of flour had +been brought out but, unfortunately, little could be done towards +providing the garrison with a supply of fresh meat. Had Admiral +Rodney been able to remain with his fleet at Gibraltar, supplies +could have been brought across from the African coast; but the +British fleet was required elsewhere, and the relief afforded was a +temporary one. The garrison was, however, relieved by a large +number of the soldiers' wives and children being put on board the +merchantmen, and sent home to England. Many of the poor inhabitants +were also taken, either to Barbary or Portugal.</p> +<p>While the fleet was in port, the Spanish blockading squadron was +moored close under the guns of Algeciras; and booms were laid round +them, to prevent their being attacked by the boats of the British +fleet. An opportunity was taken, of the presence of the Spanish +admiral in Gibraltar, to arrange for an exchange of prisoners; and +on the 13th of February the fleet sailed away, and the blockade was +renewed by the Spaniards.</p> +<p>After the departure of the fleet, many months passed +monotonously. The enemy were ever increasing and strengthening +their works, which now mounted a great number of cannon; but beyond +an occasional interchange of a few shots, hostilities were carried +on languidly. The enemy made two endeavours to burn the British +vessels, anchored under the guns of the batteries, by sending fire +ships down upon them; but the crews of the ships of war manned the +boats and, going out to meet them, towed them ashore; where they +burned out without doing damage, and the hulls, being broken up, +afforded a welcome supply of fuel.</p> +<p>The want of fresh meat and vegetables operated disastrously upon +the garrison. Even before the arrival of the relieving fleet, +scurvy had shown itself; and its ravages continued, and extended, +as months went on. The hospitals became crowded with sufferers--a +third of the force being unfit for any duty--while there were few +but were more or less affected by it.</p> +<p>As soon as it became severe, Captain O'Halloran and his wife +decided to sell no more vegetables; but sent the whole of their +supply, beyond what was needed for their personal consumption, to +the hospitals.</p> +<p>During these eight months, only a few small craft had managed to +elude the vigilance of the enemy's cruisers and, frequently, for +many weeks at a time, no news of any kind from without reached the +besieged. The small supplies of fresh meat that had, during the +early part of the siege, been brought across in small craft from +Barbary, had for some time ceased altogether; for the Moors of +Tangiers had, under pressure of the Spaniards, broken off their +alliance with us and joined them and, in consequence, not only did +supplies cease to arrive, but English vessels entering the Straits +were no longer able to anchor, as they had before done, under the +guns of the Moorish batteries for protection from the Spanish +cruisers.</p> +<p>Several times there were discussions between Bob, his sister, +and Captain O'Halloran as to whether it would not be better for him +to take the first opportunity that offered of returning to England. +Their argument was that he was wasting his time, but to this he +would not at all agree.</p> +<p>"I am no more wasting it, here, than if I were in Philpot Lane," +he said. "It will be plenty of time for me to begin to learn the +routine of the business, when I am two or three and twenty. Uncle +calculated I should be four years abroad, learning the languages +and studying wines. Well, I can study wines at any time; besides, +after all, it is the agents out here that choose them. I can speak +Spanish, now, like a native, and there is nothing further to be +done in that way; I have given up lessons now with the doctor, but +I get plenty of books from the garrison library, and keep up my +reading. As for society, we have twenty times as much here, with +the officers and their families, as I should have in London; and I +really don't see there would be any advantage, whatever, in my +going back.</p> +<p>"Something must be done here, some day. And after all, the siege +does not make much difference, in any way, except that we don't get +fresh meat for dinner. Everything goes on just the same only, I +suppose, in peace time we should make excursions, sometimes, into +Spain. The only difference I can make out is that I am able to be +more useful to you, now, with the garden and poultry, than I could +have been if there had been no siege."</p> +<p>There was indeed no lack of society. The O'Hallorans' was +perhaps the most popular house on the Rock. They were making quite +a large income from their poultry, and spent it freely. Presents of +eggs, chicken, and vegetables were constantly being sent to all +their friends, where there was any sickness in the family; and as, +even at the high prices prevailing, they were able to purchase +supplies of wine, and such other luxuries as were obtainable, they +kept almost open house and, twice a week, had regular gatherings +with music; and the suppers were vastly more appreciated, by their +guests, than is usually the case at such entertainments.</p> +<p>Early in September, when scurvy was still raging, the doctor +was, one day, lamenting the impossibility of obtaining oranges and +lemons.</p> +<p>"It makes one's heart ache," he said, "to see the children +suffer. It is bad enough that strong men should be scarcely able to +crawl about; but soldiers must take their chances, whether they +come from shot or from scurvy; but it is lamentable to see the +children fading away. We have tried everything--acids and drugs of +all sorts--but nothing does any good. As I told you, I saw the +scurvy on the whaling trip I went, and I am convinced that nothing +but lemon juice, or an absolutely unlimited amount of vegetables, +will do any good."</p> +<p>A week previously, a small privateer had come in with some +mailbags, which she had brought on from Lisbon. Among them was a +letter to Bob from the owners of the Antelope. It had been written +months before, after the arrival of the brig and her two prizes in +England. It said that the two vessels and their cargoes had been +sold, and the prize-money divided; and that his share amounted to +three hundred and thirty-two pounds, for which sum an order upon a +firm of merchants at Gibraltar was inclosed. The writers also said +that, after consultation with Captain Lockett, from whom they had +heard of the valuable services he had rendered, the owners of the +Antelope had decided--as a very small mark of their appreciation, +and gratitude--to present him with a service of plate, to the value +of five hundred pounds, and in such form as he might prefer on his +return to England.</p> +<p>He had said nothing to his sister of this letter, as his +intention was to surprise her with some present. But the doctor's +words now determined him to carry into effect an idea that had +before occurred to him, upon seeing so many sickly children among +the families of the officers of their acquaintance.</p> +<p>"Look here, doctor," he said, "I mean to go out and try and get +a few boxes of oranges and lemons; but mind, nobody but you and I +must know anything about it."</p> +<p>"How on earth do you mean to do it, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Well, I have not settled, yet; but there can't be any +difficulty about getting out. I might go down to the Old Mole, and +swim from there to the head of the bay; or I might get some of the +fishermen to go round the point, and land me to the east, well +beyond the Spanish lines."</p> +<p>"You couldn't do that, Bob; there is too sharp a lookout kept on +the batteries. No craft is allowed to go any distance from the +Rock, as they are afraid of the Spaniards learning the state to +which we are reduced, by illness. If you did swim to the head of +the bay, as you talk about, you would be certain to be captured at +once, by the Spaniards; and in that case you would, as likely as +not, be shot as a spy."</p> +<p>"Still, deserters do get out, you know, doctor. There is +scarcely a week that two or three don't manage to get away. I mean +to try, anyhow. If you like to help me, of course it will make it +easier; if not, I shall try by myself."</p> +<p>"Gerald and your sister would never forgive me, if anything +happened to you, Bob."</p> +<p>"There is no occasion for them to know anything about it. +Anyhow, I shall say nothing to them. I shall leave a note behind +me, saying that I am going to make an attempt to get out, and bring +back a boat full of oranges and lemons. I am past seventeen, now; +and am old enough to act for myself. I don't think, if the thing is +managed properly, there is any particular risk about it. I will +think it over, by tomorrow, and tell you what plan I have fixed +on."</p> +<p>On the following day, Bob told the doctor that there were two +plans.</p> +<p>"The first is to be lowered by a rope, down at the back of the +Rock. That is ever so much the simplest. Of course, there is no +difficulty about it if the rope is long enough. Some of the +deserters have failed because the rope has been too short, but I +should take care to get one long enough. The only fear is the +sentries; I know that there are lots of them posted about there, on +purpose to prevent desertion."</p> +<p>"Quite so, Bob; and no one is allowed to go along the paths +after dark, except on duty."</p> +<p>"Yes.</p> +<p>"Well, the other plan is to go out with the party that furnishes +the sentries, down on the neutral ground; choose some dark night, +manage to get separated from them, as they march out, and then make +for the shore and take to the water. Of course, if one could +arrange to have the officer with the party in the secret, it would +make it easy enough."</p> +<p>"It might be done, that way," the doctor said, thoughtfully. +"Have you quite made up your mind to do this thing, Bob?"</p> +<p>"I have quite made up my mind to try, anyhow."</p> +<p>"Well, if you mean to try, Bob, it is just as well that you +shouldn't get shot, at the start. I have just been round to the +orderly room. Our regiment furnishes the pickets on the neutral +ground, tonight. Captain Antrobus commands the party. He is a good +fellow and, as he is a married man, and all four of his children +are bad with scurvy, he would feel an interest in your attempt.</p> +<p>"You know him as well as I do. If you like, I will go with you +to his quarters, and see what we can do with him."</p> +<p>They at once set out.</p> +<p>"Look here, Antrobus," the doctor said, after asking that +officer to come out for a chat with him, "if we don't get some +lemon juice, I am afraid it will go very hard with a lot of the +children."</p> +<p>"Yes, we have known that for some time, doctor."</p> +<p>"Well, Repton here has made up his mind to try to get out of the +place, and make his way to Malaga, and get a boatload of fruit and +try to bring it in. Of course he will go dressed as a native, and +he speaks Spanish well enough to pass anywhere, without suspicion. +So, once beyond the lines, I don't see much difficulty in his +making his way to Malaga. Whether he will get back again is another +matter, altogether. That is his business. He has plenty of money to +purchase the fruit, when he arrives there; and to buy a boat, and +all that sort of thing.</p> +<p>"The difficulty is in getting out. Now, nobody is going to know +how he does this, except our three selves."</p> +<p>"But why do you come to me, Burke?"</p> +<p>"Because you command the guard, tonight, on the neutral ground. +What he proposes is that he should put on a soldier's greatcoat and +cap, and take a firelock and, in the dark, fall in with your party. +When you get well out on the neutral ground, he could either slip +away and take his chance or, what would be better still, he might +be in the party you take forward to post as sentries, and you could +take him along with you, so that he would go with you as far as the +shore; and could then slip away, come back a bit, so as to be out +of sight of the farthest sentry, and then take to the water.</p> +<p>"He can swim like a fish, and what current there is will be with +him; so that, before it began to be light, he could land two or +three miles beyond the Spanish lines. He is going to leave a note +behind, for O'Halloran, saying he has left; but no one will know +whether he got down at the back of the Rock, or swam across the +bay, or how he has gone.</p> +<p>"I have tried to dissuade him; but he has made up his mind to +try it and, seeing that--if he succeeds--it may save the lives of +scores of children, I really cannot refuse to help him."</p> +<p>"Well, I don't know," Captain Antrobus said. "There certainly +does not seem much risk in his going out, as you say. I should get +a tremendous wigging, no doubt, if he is discovered, and it was +known that I had a hand in it; but I would not mind risking that, +for the sake of the children.</p> +<p>"But don't take a firelock, Repton. The sergeants would be sure +to notice that there was an extra man. You had better join us, just +as we set out. I will say a word or two to you, then do you follow +on, in the dark. The men will suppose you are one of the drummers I +am taking with me, to serve as a messenger, or something of that +sort. That way you can follow close behind me, while I am posting +the sentries after leaving the main body at the guardhouse. After +posting the last man at the seashore, I can turn off with you for a +few yards, as if giving you an order.</p> +<p>"Then I will go back and stay for a time with the last sentry, +who will naturally think that the drummer has been sent back to the +guardhouse. I will recommend him to be vigilant, and keep by him +for some time, till I am pretty sure you have taken to the water +and swam past; so that if the sentry should hear a splash, or +anything, I can say it can only be a fish; and that, at any rate, +it would not do to give an alarm, as it cannot be anything of +consequence.</p> +<p>"You see, you don't belong to the garrison, and it is no +question of assisting a deserter to escape. Anyhow, I will do +it."</p> +<p>Thanking Captain Antrobus greatly, for his promise of +assistance, Bob went off into the town; where he bought a suit of +Spanish clothes, such as would be appropriate for a small farmer or +trader. He then presented his letter of credit at the merchant's, +and drew a hundred pounds, which he obtained in Spanish gold. This +money and the clothes he put in an oilskin bag, of which the mouth +was securely closed. This he left at the doctor's.</p> +<p>As soon as it became dark he went down again. The doctor had a +greatcoat and hat in readiness for him--there being plenty of +effects of men who had died in the hospital--and as soon as Bob had +put them on, walked across--with Bob following him--to the spot +where Captain Antrobus' company were falling in. Just as they were +about to march, the doctor went up to the captain; who after a word +or two with him said to Bob, in a voice loud enough to be heard by +the noncommissioned officer, close to him:</p> +<p>"Well, you will keep by me."</p> +<p>The night was a dark one, and the party made their way down to +the gate, where the passwords were exchanged; and the company then +moved along by the narrow pathway between the artificial inundation +and the foot of the Rock. They continued their way until they +arrived at the building that served as the main guard of the +outlying pickets. Here two-thirds of the company were left; and the +captain led the others out, an officer belonging to the regiment +whose men he was relieving accompanying him. As the sentries were +posted the men relieved fell in, under the orders of their officer +and, as soon as the last had been relieved, they marched back to +the guardhouse.</p> +<p>A minute later, Captain Antrobus turned to Bob.</p> +<p>"You need not wait," he said. "Go back to the guardhouse. Mind +how you go."</p> +<p>Bob saluted and turned off, leaving the officer standing by the +sentry. He went some distance back, then walked down the sand to +the water's edge, and waded noiselessly into the water. The oilskin +bag was, he knew, buoyant enough to give him ample support in the +water.</p> +<p>When he was breast deep, he let his uniform cloak slip off his +shoulders; allowed his shoes to sink to the bottom, and his +three-cornered hat to float away. The doctor had advised him to do +this.</p> +<p>"If you leave the things at the edge of the water, Bob, it will +be thought that somebody has deserted; and then there will be a lot +of questions, and inquiries. You had better take them well out into +the sea with you, and then let them go. They will sink, and drift +along under water and, if they are ever thrown up, it will be far +beyond our lines. In that way, as the whole of the guard will +answer to their names, when the roll is called tomorrow, no one +will ever give a thought to the drummer who fell in at the last +moment; or, if one of them does think of it, he will suppose that +the captain sent him into the town, with a report."</p> +<p>The bag would have been a great encumbrance, had Bob wanted to +swim fast. As it was, he simply placed his hands upon it, and +struck out with his feet, making straight out from the shore. This +he did for some ten minutes; and then, being certain that he was +far beyond the sight of anyone on shore, he turned and, as nearly +as he could, followed the line of the coast. The voices of the +sentries calling to each other came across the sea, and he could +make out a light or two in the great fort at the water's edge.</p> +<p>It was easy work. The water was, as nearly as possible, the +temperature of his body; and he felt that he could remain for any +time in it, without inconvenience. The lights in the fort served as +a mark by which he could note his progress; and an hour after +starting he was well abreast of them, and knew that the current +must be helping him more than he had expected it would do.</p> +<p>Another hour, and he began to swim shorewards; as the current +might, for aught he knew, be drifting him somewhat out into the +bay. When he was able to make out the dark line ahead of him, he +again resumed his former course. It was just eight o'clock when the +guard had passed through the gate. He had started half an hour +later. He swam what seemed to him a very long time, but he had no +means of telling how the time passed.</p> +<p>When he thought it must be somewhere about twelve o'clock, he +made for the shore. He was sure that, by this time, he must be at +least three miles beyond the fort; and as the Spanish camps lay +principally near San Roque, at the head of the bay, and there were +no tents anywhere by the seashore, he felt sure that he could land, +now, without the slightest danger.</p> +<p>Here, then, he waded ashore, stripped, tied his clothes in a +bundle, waded a short distance back again, and dropped them in the +sea. Then he returned, took up the bag, and carried it up the sandy +beach. Opening it, he dressed himself in the complete set of +clothes he had brought with him, put on the Spanish shoes and round +turned-up hat, placed his money in his pocket; scraped a shallow +hole in the sand, put the bag in it and covered it, and then +started walking briskly along on the flat ground beyond the sand +hills He kept on until he saw the first faint light in the sky; +then he sat down among some bushes, until it was light enough for +him to distinguish the features of the country.</p> +<p>Inland, the ground rose rapidly into hills--in many places +covered with wood--and half an hour's walking took him to one of +these. Looking back, he could see the Rock rising, as he judged, +from twelve to fourteen miles away. He soon found a place with some +thick undergrowth and, entering this, lay down and was soon sound +asleep.</p> +<p>When he woke it was already late in the afternoon. He had +brought with him, in the bag, some biscuits and hardboiled eggs; +and of a portion of these he made a hearty meal. Then he pushed up +over the hill until, after an hour's walking, he saw a road before +him. This was all he wanted, and he sat down and waited until it +became dark. A battalion of infantry passed along as he sat there, +marching towards Gibraltar. Two or three long lines of laden carts +passed by, in the same direction.</p> +<p>He had consulted a map before starting, and knew that the +distance to Malaga was more than twenty leagues; and that the first +place of any importance was Estepona, about eight leagues from +Gibraltar, and that before the siege a large proportion of the +supplies of fruit and vegetables were brought to Gibraltar from +this town. Starting as soon as it became dark, he passed through +Estepona at about ten o'clock; looked in at a wine shop, and sat +down to a pint of wine and some bread; and then continued his +journey until, taking it quietly, he was in sight of Marbella.</p> +<p>He slept in a grove of trees until daylight, and then entered +the town, which was charmingly situated among orange groves. Going +into a fonda--or tavern--he called for breakfast. When he had eaten +this, he leisurely strolled down to the port and, taking his seat +on a block of stone, on the pier, watched the boats. As, while +walking down from the fonda, he had passed several shops with +oranges and lemons, it seemed to him that it would in some respects +be better for him to get the fruit here, instead of going on to +Malaga.</p> +<p>In the first place, the distance to return was but half that +from Malaga; and in the second it would probably be easier to get +out, from a quiet little port like this, than from a large town +like Malaga. The question which puzzled him was how was he to get +his oranges on board. Where could he reasonably be going to take +them?</p> +<p>Presently, a sailor came up and began to chat with him.</p> +<p>"Are you wanting a boat, senor?"</p> +<p>"I have not made up my mind, yet," he said. "I suppose you are +busy here, now?"</p> +<p>"No, the times are dull. Usually we do a good deal of trade with +Gibraltar but, at present, that is all stopped. It is hard on us +but, when we turn out the English hereticos, I hope we shall have +better times than ever. But who can say? They have plenty of money, +the English; and are ready to pay good prices for everything."</p> +<p>"But I suppose you take things to our camp?"</p> +<p>The fisherman shook his head.</p> +<p>"They get their supplies direct from Malaga, by sea. There are +many carts go through here, of course; but the roads are heavy, and +it is cheaper to send things by water. If our camp had been on the +seashore, instead of at San Roque, we might have taken fish and +fruit to them; but it is a long way across and, of course, in small +boats we cannot go round the great Rock, and run the risk of being +shot at or taken prisoners.</p> +<p>"No; there is nothing for us to do here, now, but to carry what +fish and fruit we do not want at Marbella across to Malaga; and we +get poor prices, there, to what we used to get at Gibraltar; and no +chance of turning an honest penny by smuggling away a few pounds of +tobacco, as we come back. There was as much profit, in that, as +there was in the sale of the goods; but one had to be very sharp, +for they were always suspicious of boats coming back from there, +and used to search us so that you would think one could not bring +so much as a cigar on shore. But you know, there are ways of +managing things.</p> +<p>"Are you thinking of going across to Malaga, senor?"</p> +<p>"Well, I have a little business there. I want to see how the new +wines are selling; and whether it will be better for me to sell +mine, now, or to keep them in my cellars for a few months. I am in +no hurry. Tomorrow is as good as today. If there had been a boat +going across, I might have taken a passage that way, instead of +riding."</p> +<p>"I don't know, senor. There was a man asking, an hour ago, if +anyone was going. He was wanting to take a few boxes of fruit +across, but he did not care about hiring my boat for himself. That, +you see, was reasonable enough; but if the senor wished to go, too, +it might be managed if you took the boat between you. I would carry +you cheaply, if you would be willing to wait for an hour or two; so +that I could go round to the other fishermen, and get a few dozen +fish from one and a few dozen from another, to sell for them over +there. That is the way we manage."</p> +<p>"I could not very well go until the afternoon," Bob said.</p> +<p>"If you do not go until the afternoon, senor, it would be as +well not to start until evening. The wind is very light, and we +should have to row. If you start in the afternoon, we should get to +Malaga at two or three o'clock in the morning, when everyone was +asleep; but if you were to start in the evening, we should be in in +reasonable time, just as the people were coming into the markets. +That would suit us for the sale of our fish, and the man with his +fruit. The nights are warm and, with a cloak and an old sail to +keep off the night dew, the voyage would be more pleasant than in +the heat of the day."</p> +<p>"That would do for me, very well," Bob said. "Nothing could be +better. What charge would you make, for taking me across and +bringing me back, tomorrow?"</p> +<p>"At what time would you want to return, senor?"</p> +<p>"It would matter little. I should be done with my business by +noon, but I should be in no hurry. I could wait until evening, if +that would suit you better."</p> +<p>"And we might bring other passengers back, and any cargo we +might pick up?"</p> +<p>"Yes, so that you do not fill the boat so full that there would +be no room for me to stretch my legs."</p> +<p>"Would the senor think four dollars too much? There will be my +brother and myself, and it will be a long row."</p> +<p>"It is dear," Bob said, decidedly; "but I will give you three +dollars and, if everything passes to my satisfaction, maybe I will +make up the other dollar."</p> +<p>"Agreed, senor. I will see if I can find the man who was here, +asking for a boat for his fruit."</p> +<p>"I will come back in an hour, and see," Bob said, getting up and +walking leisurely away.</p> +<p>The fisherman was waiting for him.</p> +<p>"I can't find the man, senor, though I have searched all through +the town. He must have gone off to his farm again."</p> +<p>"That is bad. How much did you reckon upon making from him?"</p> +<p>"I should have got another three dollars from him."</p> +<p>"Well, I tell you what," Bob said; "I have a good many friends, +and people are always pleased with a present from the country. A +box of fruit from Marbella is always welcome, for their flavour is +considered excellent. It is well to throw a little fish, to catch a +big one; and a present is like oil on the wheels of business. How +many boxes of fruit will your boat carry? I suppose you could take +twenty, and still have room to row?"</p> +<p>"Thirty, sir; that is the boat," and he pointed to one moored +against the quay.</p> +<p>She was about twenty feet long, with a mast carrying a +good-sized sail.</p> +<p>"Very well, then. I will hire the boat for myself. I will give +you six dollars, and another dollar for drink money, if all goes +pleasantly. You must be ready to come back, tomorrow evening; or +the first thing next morning, if it should suit you to stay till +then. You can carry what fish you can get to Malaga, and may take +in a return cargo if you can get one. That will be extra profit for +yourselves. But you and your brother must agree to carry down the +boxes of fruit, and put them on board here. I am not going to pay +porters for that.</p> +<p>"At what time will you start?"</p> +<p>"Shall we say six o'clock, senor?"</p> +<p>"That will suit me very well. You can come up with me, now, and +bring the fruit down, and put it on board; or I will be down here +at five o'clock, and you can go up and get it, then."</p> +<p>The man thought for a moment.</p> +<p>"I would rather do it now, senor, if it makes no difference to +you. Then we can have our evening meals at home with our families, +and come straight down here, and start."</p> +<p>"Very well; fetch your brother, and we will set about the matter +at once; as I have to go out to my farm and make some arrangements, +and tell them they may not see me again for three days."</p> +<p>In two or three minutes the fisherman came back, with his +brother. Bob went with them to a trader in fruit, and bought twenty +boxes of lemons and ten of oranges, and saw them carried down and +put on board. Then he handed a dollar to the boatman.</p> +<p>"Get a loaf of white bread, and a nice piece of cooked meat, and +a couple of bottles of good wine, and put them on board. We shall +be hungry, before morning. I will be here at a few minutes before +six."</p> +<p>Highly satisfied with the good fortune that had enabled him to +get the fruit on board without the slightest difficulty, Bob +returned into the town. It was but eleven o'clock now so--having +had but a short sleep the night before, and no prospect of sleep +the next night--he walked a mile along the road by the sea, then +turned off among the sand hills and slept, till four in the +afternoon; after which he returned to Marbella, and partook of a +hearty meal.</p> +<p>Having finished this he strolled out, and was not long in +discovering a shop where arms were sold. Here he bought a brace of +long, heavy pistols, and two smaller ones; with powder and bullets, +and also a long knife. They were all made into a parcel together +and, on leaving the shop, he bought a small bag. Then he went a +short distance out of the town again, carefully loaded the four +pistols, and placed them and the knife in the bag.</p> +<p>As he went back, the thought struck him that the voyage might +probably last longer than they expected and, buying a basket, he +stored it with another piece of meat, three loaves, and two more +bottles of wine, and gave it to a boy to carry down to the +boat.</p> +<p>It was a few minutes before six when he got there. The two +sailors were standing by the boat, and a considerable pile of fish +in the bow showed that they had been successful in getting a +consignment from the other fishermen of the port. They looked +surprised at the second supply of provisions.</p> +<p>"Why, senor, we have got the things you ordered."</p> +<p>"Yes, yes, I do not doubt that; but I have heard, before now, of +headwinds springing up, and boats not being able to make their +passage, and being blown off land; and I am not fond of fasting. I +daresay you won't mind eating, tomorrow, anything that is not +consumed by the time we reach port."</p> +<p>"We will undertake that, senor," the man said, laughing, highly +satisfied at the liberality of their employer.</p> +<p>"Is there wind enough for the sail?" Bob asked, as he stepped +into the stern of the boat.</p> +<p>"It is very light, senor, but I daresay it will help us a bit. +We shall get out the oars."</p> +<p>"I will take the helm, if you sail," Bob said. "You can tell me +which side to push it. It will be an amusement, and keep me +awake."</p> +<p>The sun was just setting, as they started. There was scarcely a +breath of wind. The light breeze that had been blowing, during the +day, had dropped with the sun; and the evening breeze had not yet +sprung up. The two fishermen rowed, and the boat went slowly +through the water; for the men knew that they had a long row before +them, and were by no means inclined to exert themselves--especially +as they hoped that, in a short time, they would get wind enough to +take them on their way, without the oars.</p> +<p>Bob chatted with them until it became dark. As soon as he was +perfectly sure that the boat could not be seen from the land, he +quietly opened his bag, and changed the conversation.</p> +<p>"My men," he said, "I wonder that you are content with earning +small wages, here, when you could get a lot of money by making a +trip, occasionally, round to Gibraltar with fruit. It would be +quite easy; for you could keep well out from the coast till it +became dark, and then row in close under the Rock; and keep along +round the Point, and into the town, without the least risk of being +seen by any of our cruisers. You talked about making money by +smuggling in tobacco from there, but that is nothing to what you +could get by taking fruit into Gibraltar. These oranges cost a +dollar and a half, a box; and they would fetch ten dollars a box, +easily, there. Indeed, I think they would fetch twenty dollars a +box. Why, that would give a profit, on the thirty boxes, of six or +seven hundred dollars. Just think of that!"</p> +<p>"Would they give such a price as that?" the men said, in +surprise.</p> +<p>"They would. They are suffering from want of fresh meat, and +there is illness among them; and oranges and lemons are the things +to cure them. It is all very well for men to suffer, but no one +wants women and children to do so; and it would be the act of good +Christians to relieve them, besides making as much money, in one +little short trip, as you would make in a year's work."</p> +<p>"That is true," the men said, "but we might be sunk by the guns, +going there; and we should certainly be hung, when we got back, if +they found out where we had been."</p> +<p>"Why should they find out?" Bob asked. "You would put out +directly it got dark, and row round close under the Rock, and then +make out to sea; and in the morning you would be somewhere off +Marbella, but eight or ten miles out, with your fishing nets down; +and who is to know that you have been to Gibraltar?"</p> +<p>The men were silent. The prospect certainly seemed a tempting +one. Bob allowed them to turn it over in their minds for a few +minutes, and then spoke again.</p> +<p>"Now, my men, I will speak to you frankly. It is just this +business that I am bent upon, now. I have come out from Gibraltar +to do a little trade in fruit. It is sad to see women and children +suffering; and there is, as I told you, lots of money to be made +out of it. Now, I will make you a fair offer. You put the boat's +head round, now, and sail for Gibraltar. If the wind helps us a +bit, we shall be off the Rock by daylight. When we get there, I +will give you a hundred dollars, apiece."</p> +<p>"It is too much risk," one of the men said, after a long +pause.</p> +<p>"There is no risk at all," Bob said, firmly. "You will get in +there tomorrow, and you can start again, as soon as it becomes +dark; and in the morning you will be able to sail into Marbella, +and who is to know that you haven't been across to Malaga, as you +intended?</p> +<p>"I tell you what, I will give you another fifty dollars for your +fish; or you can sell them there, yourselves--they will fetch you +quite that."</p> +<p>The men still hesitated, and spoke together in a low voice.</p> +<p>"Look here, men," Bob said, as he took the two heavy pistols +from his bag, "I have come out from the Rock to do this, and I am +going to do it. The question is, 'Which do you choose--to earn two +hundred and fifty dollars for a couple of days' work, or to be shot +and thrown overboard?' This boat is going there, whether you go in +her or not. I don't want to hurt you--I would rather pay the two +hundred and fifty dollars--but that fruit may save the lives of +many women, and little children, and I am bound to do it.</p> +<p>"You can make another trip or not, just as you please. Now, I +think you will be very foolish, if you don't agree; for you will +make three times as much as I offer you, every thirty boxes of +fruit that you can take in there; but the boat has got to go there +now, and you have got to take your choice whether you go in her, or +not."</p> +<p>"How do we know that you will pay us the money, when we get +there?" one of the Spaniards asked.</p> +<p>Bob put his hand into his pocket.</p> +<p>"There," he said. "There are twenty gold pieces, that is, a +hundred dollars. That is a proof I mean what I say. Put them into +your pockets. You shall have the rest, when you get there. But +mind, no nonsense; no attempts at treachery. If I see the smallest +sign of that, I will shoot you down without hesitation.</p> +<p>"Now, row, and I'll put her head round."</p> +<p>The men said a few words in an undertone to each other.</p> +<p>"You guarantee that no harm shall come to us at Gibraltar, and +that we shall be allowed to leave again?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I promise you that, faithfully.</p> +<p>"Now, you have got to row a good bit harder than you have been +rowing, up till now. We must be past Fort Santa Barbara before +daylight."</p> +<p>The boat's head was round, by this time, and the men began to +row steadily. At present, they hardly knew whether they were +satisfied, or not. Two hundred and fifty dollars was, to them, an +enormous sum; but the risk was great. It was not that they feared +that any suspicion would fall upon them, on their return. They had +often smuggled tobacco from Gibraltar, and had no high opinion of +the acuteness of the authorities. What really alarmed them was the +fear of being sunk, either by the Spanish or British guns. However, +they saw that, for the present at any rate, they had no option but +to obey the orders of a passenger possessed of such powerful +arguments as those he held in his hands.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch14" id="Ch14">Chapter 14</a>: A Welcome Cargo.</h2> +<p>After the men had been rowing for an hour, Bob felt a slight +breeze springing up from off the land, and said:</p> +<p>"You may as well get up the sail. It will help you along a +bit."</p> +<p>The sail was a large one, for the size of the boat; and Bob felt +a distinct increase in her pace, as soon as the men began to row +again. He could make out the line of the hills against the sky; and +had, therefore, no difficulty in keeping the course. They were soon +back opposite Marbella, the lights of which he could clearly make +out. Little by little the breeze gathered strength, and the rowers +had comparatively easy work of it, as the boat slipped away lightly +before the wind.</p> +<p>"What do you make it--twelve leagues from Marbella to the +Rock?"</p> +<p>"About that," the man replied. "If the wind holds like this, we +shall not be very far from the Rock by daylight. We are going along +about a league an hour."</p> +<p>"Well, stretch out to it, lads, for your own sakes. I have no +fear of a shot from Santa Barbara. The only thing I am afraid of is +that we should be seen by any Spanish boats that may be cruising +round that side, before we get under shelter of the guns of the +Rock."</p> +<p>The fishermen needed no warning as to the danger of being +caught, and bent again more strongly to their oars. After they had +rowed two hours longer, Bob told them to pull the oars in.</p> +<p>"You had better have a quarter of an hour's rest, and some +supper and a bottle of wine," he said. "You have got your own +basket, forward. I will take mine out of this by my side."</p> +<p>As their passenger had paid for it, the boatmen had got a very +superior wine to that they ordinarily drank. After eating their +supper--bread, meat, and onions--and drinking half a bottle of +wine, each, they were disposed to look at the situation in a more +cheerful light. Two hundred and fifty dollars was certainly well +worth running a little risk for. Why, it would make them +independent of bad weather; and they would be able to freight their +boat themselves, with fish or fruit, and to trade on their own +account.</p> +<p>They were surprised at the enterprise of this young trader, whom +they supposed to be a native of Gibraltar; for Bob thought that it +was as well that they should remain in ignorance of his +nationality, as they might have felt more strongly that they were +rendering assistance to the enemy, did they know that he was +English.</p> +<p>Hour after hour passed. The wind did not increase in force nor, +on the other hand, did it die away. There was just enough to keep +the sail full, and take much of the weight of the boat off the arms +of the rowers. The men, knowing the outline of the hills, were able +to tell what progress they were making; and told Bob when they were +passing Estepona. Two or three times there was a short pause, for +the men to have a draught of wine. With that exception, they rowed +on steadily.</p> +<p>"It will be a near thing, senor," one of them said, towards +morning. "The current counts for three or four miles against us. If +it hadn't been for that, we should certainly have done it. As it +is, it is doubtful."</p> +<p>"I think we are about a mile off shore, are we not?" Bob asked. +"That is about the distance I want to keep. If there are any +cruisers, they are sure to be further out than that; and as for +Santa Barbara, if they see us and take the trouble to fire at us, +there is not much chance of their hitting such a mark as this, a +mile away. Besides, almost all their guns are on the land +side."</p> +<p>The men made no reply. To them, the thought of being fired at by +big guns was much more alarming than that of being picked up by a +cruiser of their own nation; although they saw there might be a +good deal of difficulty in persuading the authorities that they had +taken part, perforce, in the attempt to get fruit into the +beleaguered garrison. Daylight was just beginning to break, when +one of the fishermen pointed out a dark mass inshore, but somewhat +ahead of them.</p> +<p>"That is Santa Barbara," he said.</p> +<p>They had already, for some time, made out the outline of the +Rock; and Bob gazed anxiously seaward but could, as yet, see no +signs of the enemy's cruisers.</p> +<p>"Row away, lads," he said. "They won't see us for some time and, +in another half hour, we shall be safe."</p> +<p>The Spaniards bent to their oars with all their strength, now; +from time to time looking anxiously over their shoulders at the +fort. Rapidly the daylight stole across the sky, and they were just +opposite Santa Barbara when a gun boomed out, and a shot flew over +their heads and struck the water, a quarter of a mile beyond them. +With a yell of fear, the two Spaniards threw themselves at the +bottom of the boat.</p> +<p>"Get up, you fools!" Bob shouted. "You will be no safer, down +there, than if you were rowing. If a shot strikes her she will be +smashed up, whether you are rowing or lying down. If you stay +there, it will be an hour before we get out of range of their guns +while, if you row like men, we shall get further and further away +every minute, and be safe in a quarter of an hour."</p> +<p>It was only, however, after he threatened to shoot them, if they +did not set to work again, that the Spaniards resumed their oars; +but when they did they rowed desperately. Another shot from the +fort struck the water a short distance astern, exciting a fresh +yell of agony from the men.</p> +<p>"There, you see," Bob said; "if you hadn't been sending her +faster through the water, that would have hit us.</p> +<p>"Ah! They are beginning from that sloop, out at sea."</p> +<p>This was a small craft that Bob had made out, as the light +increased, a mile and a half seaward. She had changed her course, +and was heading in their direction.</p> +<p>Retaining his hold of his pistols Bob moved forward, put out a +spare oar, and set to to row. Shot after shot came from the fort, +and several from the sloop; but a boat, at that distance, presents +but a small mark and, although a shot went through the sail, none +struck her. Presently a gun boomed out ahead of them, high in the +air; and a shot fell near the sloop, which at once hauled her wind, +and stood out to sea.</p> +<p>"We have got rid of her," Bob said, "and we are a mile and a +half from the fort, now. You can take it easy, men. They won't +waste many more shot upon us."</p> +<p>Indeed, only one more gun was fired by the Spaniards; and then +the boat pursued her course unmolested, Bob returning to his seat +at the helm.</p> +<p>"They will be on the lookout for us, as we go back," one of the +Spaniards said.</p> +<p>"They won't see you in the dark," Bob replied. "Besides, as +likely as not they will think that you are one of the Rock fishing +boats, that has ventured out too far, and failed to get back by +daylight."</p> +<p>Once out of reach of the shot from the fort, the sailors laid in +their oars--having been rowing for more than ten hours--and the +boat glided along quietly, at a distance of a few hundred feet from +the foot of the cliff.</p> +<p>"Which are you going to do?" Bob asked them; "take fifty dollars +for your fish, or sell them for what you can get for them?"</p> +<p>The fishermen at once said they would take the fifty dollars +for, although they had collected all that had been brought in by +the other fishermen--amounting to some five hundred pounds in +weight--they could not imagine that fish, for which they would not +have got more than ten dollars--at the outside--at Malaga, could +sell for fifty at Gibraltar.</p> +<p>As they rounded Europa Point there was a hail from above and, +looking up, Bob saw Captain O'Halloran and the doctor.</p> +<p>"Hulloa, Bob!"</p> +<p>"Hulloa!" Bob shouted back, and waved his hat.</p> +<p>"All right, Bob?"</p> +<p>"All right. I have got thirty boxes!"</p> +<p>"Hurrah!" the doctor shouted, waving his hat over his head. "We +will meet you at the New Mole.</p> +<p>"That is something like a boy, Gerald!"</p> +<p>"It is all very well for you," Captain O'Halloran said. "You are +not responsible for him, and you are not married to his +sister."</p> +<p>"Put yourself in the way of a cannonball, Gerald, and I will be +married to her a week after--if she will have me."</p> +<p>His companion laughed.</p> +<p>"It is all very well, Teddy; but it is just as well, for you, +that you did not show your face up at the house during the last +three days. It is not Bob who has been blamed. It has been entirely +you and me, especially you. The moment she read his letter, she +said at once that you were at the bottom of it, and that it never +would have entered Bob's mind to do such a mad thing, if you had +not put him up to it; and of course, when I came back from seeing +you, and said that you admitted that you knew what he was doing, it +made the case infinitely worse. It will be a long time before she +takes you into favour again."</p> +<p>"About an hour," the doctor said, calmly. "As soon as she finds +that Bob has come back again, with the fruit; and that he has as +good as saved the lives of scores of women and children; she will +be so proud of him that she will greet me as part author of the +credit he has gained--though really, as I told you, I had nothing +to do with it except that, when I saw that Bob had made up his mind +to try, whether I helped him or not, I thought it best to help him, +as far as I could, to get away.</p> +<p>"Now, we must get some porters to carry the boxes up to your +house, or wherever he wants them sent.</p> +<p>"Ah! Here is the governor. He will be pleased to hear that Bob +has got safely back."</p> +<p>Captain O'Halloran had, when he found Bob's letter in his room +on the morning after he had left, felt it his duty to go to the +town major's office to mention his absence; and it had been +reported to the general, who had sent for Gerald to inquire about +the circumstances of the lad's leaving. Captain O'Halloran had +assured him that he knew nothing, whatever, of his intention; and +that it was only when he found the letter on his table, saying that +he had made up his mind to get beyond the Spanish lines, somehow, +and to bring in a boatload of oranges, for the use of the women and +children who were suffering from scurvy, that he knew his +brother-in-law had any such idea in his mind.</p> +<p>"It is a very gallant attempt, Captain O'Halloran--although, of +course, I should not have permitted it to be made, had I been aware +of his intentions."</p> +<p>"Nor should I, sir," Captain O'Halloran said. "My wife is, +naturally, very much upset."</p> +<p>"That is natural enough," the governor said. "Still, she has +every reason to be proud of her brother. A man could risk his life +for no higher object than that for which Mr. Repton has undertaken +this expedition.</p> +<p>"How do you suppose he got away?"</p> +<p>"I have no idea, sir. He may have got down by ropes, from the +back of the Rock--the way the deserters generally choose."</p> +<p>"Yes; but if he got down without breaking his neck, he would +still have to pass our line of sentries, and also through the +Spaniards."</p> +<p>"He is a very good swimmer, general; and may have struck out, +and landed beyond the Spanish forts. Of course, he may have started +from the Old Mole, and swam across to the head of the bay. He is +sure to have thought the matter well out. He is very sharp and, if +anyone could get through, I should say Bob could. He speaks the +language like a native."</p> +<p>"I have heard of him before," the governor said, smiling. +"Captain Langton told us of the boy's doings, when he was away in +that privateer brig; and how he took in the frigate, and was the +means of the brig capturing those two valuable prizes, and how he +had swam on board a Spanish sloop of war. He said that no officer +could have shown greater pluck, and coolness.</p> +<p>"I sincerely hope that no harm will come to him; but how--even +if he succeeds in getting through the Spanish lines--he can manage, +single handed, to get back here in a boat, is more than I can see. +Well, I sincerely trust that no harm will come to him."</p> +<p>As the governor, with two or three of his staff, now came along, +Captain O'Halloran went up to him.</p> +<p>"I am glad to say, sir," he said, "that young Repton has just +returned, and that he has brought in thirty cases of fruit."</p> +<p>"I am extremely glad to hear it, Captain O'Halloran," the +governor said, warmly. "When it was reported to me, an hour since, +that the Spanish fort and one of their cruisers were firing at a +small boat, that was making her way in from the east, the thought +struck me that it might be your brother-in-law.</p> +<p>"Where is he?"</p> +<p>"He is just coming round to the Mole, sir. Doctor Burke and +myself are going to meet him."</p> +<p>"I will go down with you," the governor said. "Those oranges are +worth a thousand pounds a box, to the sick."</p> +<p>The party reached the Mole before the boat came in; for after +rounding the Point she had been becalmed, and the fishermen had +lowered the sail and betaken themselves to their oars again. Bob +felt a little uncomfortable when, as the boat rowed up to the +landing stairs, he saw General Eliott, with a group of officers, +standing at the top. He was relieved when, on ascending the steps, +the governor stepped forward and shook him warmly by the hand.</p> +<p>"I ought to begin by scolding you, for breaking out of the +fortress without leave; but I am too pleased with the success of +your venture, and too much gratified at the spirit that prompted +you to undertake it, to say a word. Captain O'Halloran tells me +that you have brought in thirty cases of fruit."</p> +<p>"Yes, sir. I have ten cases of oranges, and twenty of lemons. I +propose, with your permission, to send half of these up to the +hospitals, for the use of the sick there. The others I intend for +the use of the women and children of the garrison, and townspeople. +Doctor Burke will see for me that they are distributed where they +will do most good."</p> +<p>"Well, my lad, I thank you most cordially for your noble gift to +the troops; and there is not a man here who will not feel grateful +to you, for the relief it will afford to the women and children. I +shall be very glad if you will dine with me, today; and you can +then tell me how you have managed what I thought, when I first +heard of your absence, was a sheer impossibility.</p> +<p>"Captain O'Halloran, I trust that you and Mrs. O'Halloran will +also give me the pleasure of your company, at dinner, today."</p> +<p>"If you please, sir," Bob said, "will you give these two boatmen +a pass, permitting them to go out after dark, tonight. I promised +them that they should not be detained. It is of the greatest +importance to them that they should get back before their absence +is discovered."</p> +<p>"Certainly," the governor said; and at once ordered one of the +officers of the staff to see that the pass was given; and orders +issued, to the officers of the batteries, to allow the boat to pass +out in the dark, unquestioned.</p> +<p>As soon as the governor walked away, with his staff, Bob was +heartily greeted by Captain O'Halloran and the doctor.</p> +<p>"You have given us a fine fright, Bob," the former said, "and +your sister has been in a desperate way about you. However, now +that you have come back safe, I suppose she will forgive you.</p> +<p>"But what about all those fish? Are they yours? Why, there must +be half a ton of them!"</p> +<p>"No; the men say there are five or six hundred pounds.</p> +<p>"Yes, they are mine. I thought of keeping a few for ourselves, +and dividing the rest between the ten regiments; and sending them +up, with your compliments, to their messes."</p> +<p>"Not with my compliments, Bob; that would be ridiculous. Send +them up with your own compliments. It will be a mighty acceptable +present. But you had better pick out two or three of the finest +fish, and send them up to the governor.</p> +<p>"Now then, let us set to work. Here are plenty of porters but, +first of all, we had better get ten men from the officer of the +guard here; and send one off, with each of the porters with the +fish, to the regiments--or the chances are that these baskets will +be a good bit lighter, by the time they arrive there, than when +they start. I will go and ask the officer; while you are getting +the fish up here, and divided."</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour the ten porters started, each with about +half a hundredweight, and under the charge of a soldier. The doctor +took charge of the porters with the fifteen boxes of fruit, for the +various hospitals; and then--after Bob had paid the boatmen the two +hundred and fifty dollars due to them, and had told them they would +get the permit to enable them to sail again, as soon as it became +dark--he and Captain O'Halloran started for the house, with the men +in charge of the other fifteen boxes, and with one carrying the +remaining fish--which weighed about the same as the other +parcels.</p> +<p>"How did you and the doctor happen to be at Europa Point, +Gerald?" Bob asked, as they went along.</p> +<p>"The doctor said he felt sure that whenever you did come--that +is, if you came at all--you would get here somewhere about +daylight; and he arranged with the officer in charge of the upper +battery to send a man down, with the news, if there was a boat in +sight. Directly he heard that the Spaniards were firing at a boat, +he came over and called me; and we went round to the back of the +Rock. We couldn't be sure that it was you from that height but, as +we could make out the boxes, we thought it must be you; and so +walked down to the Point, to catch you there."</p> +<p>"Does Carrie know that a boat was in sight?"</p> +<p>"No, I wouldn't say anything to her about it. She had only just +dropped off to sleep, when I was called. She woke up, and asked +what it was; but I said that I supposed I was wanted on duty, and +she went off again before I was dressed. I was glad she did, for +she hadn't closed her eyes before, since you started."</p> +<p>Carrie was on the terrace when she saw Bob and Gerald, followed +by a procession of porters, coming up the hill. With a cry of joy +she ran down into the house, and out to meet them.</p> +<p>"You bad boy!" she cried, as she threw her arms round Bob's +neck. "How could you frighten us so? It is very cruel and wicked of +you, Bob, and I am not going to forgive you; though I can't help +being glad to see you, which is more than you deserve."</p> +<p>"You mustn't scold him, Carrie," her husband said. "Even the +governor didn't scold him; and he has thanked him, in the name of +the whole garrison, and he has asked him to dine with him; and you +and I are to dine there too, Carrie. There is an honour for you! +But what is better than honour is that there isn't a woman and +child on the Rock who won't be feeling deeply grateful to Bob, +before the day is over."</p> +<p>"Has he really got some fruit?"</p> +<p>"Yes. Don't you see the boxes, Carrie?"</p> +<p>"Oh, I saw something coming along, but I didn't see anything +clearly but Bob. What are these boxes--oranges?"</p> +<p>"Oranges and lemons--five of oranges and ten of lemons--and +there are as many more that have gone up to the hospital, for the +use of the men.</p> +<p>"There, let us see them taken into the storeroom. You can open +two of them at once, and send Manola off with a big basket; and +tell her to give half a dozen of each, with your love, to each of +the ladies you know. The doctor will take charge of the rest, and +see about their division among all the women on the Rock. It will +be quite a business, but he won't mind it."</p> +<p>"What is all this--fish?"</p> +<p>"Well, my dear, you are to take as much as you want; and you are +to pick out two or three of the best, and send them to the +governor, with your compliments; and the rest you can divide and +send out, with the fruit, to your special friends."</p> +<p>"But how has Bob done it?" Carrie asked, quite overwhelmed at +the sight of all those welcome stores.</p> +<p>"Ah, that he must tell you, himself. I have no more idea than +the man in the moon."</p> +<p>"It has all been quite simple," Bob said. "But see about sending +these things off first, Carrie. Doctor Burke will be here, after he +has seen the others taken safely to the hospital; and I shall have +to tell it all over again, then."</p> +<p>"I am very angry with the doctor," Mrs. O'Halloran said.</p> +<p>"Then the sooner you get over being angry, the better, Carrie. +The doctor had nothing whatever to do with my going; but when he +saw that I had made up my mind to go, he helped me, and I am +extremely obliged to him. Now, you may have an orange for yourself, +if you are good."</p> +<p>"That I won't," Carrie said. "Thanks to our eggs and vegetables +we are perfectly well and, when there are so many people really in +want of the oranges, it would be downright wicked to eat them +merely because we like them."</p> +<p>In a short time Manola--with two of the children from +downstairs, carrying baskets--started, with the presents of fruit +and fish, to all the ladies of Carrie's acquaintance. Soon after +she had left, Doctor Burke arrived.</p> +<p>"I was not going to speak to you, Teddy Burke," Mrs. O'Halloran +said, shaking her head at him. "I had lost confidence in you; but +with Bob back again, and all this fruit for the poor creatures who +want it, I will forgive you."</p> +<p>"I am glad you have grace enough for that, Mrs. O'Halloran. It +is down on your knees you ought to go, to thank me, if I had my +rights. Isn't Bob a hero? And hasn't he received the thanks of the +governor? And hasn't he saved scores of lives, this blessed day? +And although it is little enough I had to do with it, isn't it the +thanks of the whole garrison ought to be given me, for even the +little bit of a share I had in it?"</p> +<p>"We have been waiting for you to come, Teddy," Captain +O'Halloran said, "to hear Bob's story."</p> +<p>"Well then, you will have to wait a bit longer," the doctor +said. "I have sent orderlies from the hospital to all the +regiments--including, of course, the Artillery and +Engineers--asking them to send me lists of the numbers of the women +and children of the noncommissioned officers and privates, and also +of officers' wives and families; and to send with the lists, here, +two orderlies from each regiment, with baskets. I have been down to +the town major, and got a list of the number of women and children +in the town. When we get the returns from the regiments, we will +reckon up the totals; and see how many there will be, for each. I +think that each of the boxes holds about five hundred."</p> +<p>The work of counting out the oranges and lemons for the various +regiments, and the townspeople, occupied some time; and it was not +until the orderlies had started, with their supplies, that Bob sat +down to tell his story.</p> +<p>"Nothing could have been easier," he said, when he finished.</p> +<p>"It was easy enough, as you say, Bob," the doctor said; "but it +required a lot of coolness, and presence of mind. Events certainly +turned out fortunately for you, but you took advantage of them. +That is always the point. Nobody could have done it better, and +most people would have done worse. I have been wondering myself a +great deal, since you have been gone, what plan you could possibly +hit on to get the oranges into a boat; and how, when you had got +them in, you would manage to get them here. It seems all easy +enough, now you have done it; but that is all the more creditable +to you, for hitting on a plan that worked so well."</p> +<p>Similar praise was given to Bob when he had again to tell his +story, at the governor's.</p> +<p>"So you managed, you say, to slip out with the reliefs?" the +governor said.</p> +<p>"Yes, sir. I had got a military cloak, and hat."</p> +<p>"Still, it is curious that they did not notice an addition to +their party. I fancy you must have had a friend there?"</p> +<p>"That, general, is a point that I would rather not say anything +about. That is the way that I did go out and, when I took to the +water, I let the coat and hat float away for, had they been found, +it might have been supposed that somebody had deserted."</p> +<p>"I wish you could have brought in a shipload, instead of a +boatload, of fruit, Mr. Repton. They will be of immense benefit to +the sick but, unfortunately, there is scarcely a person on the Rock +that is not more or less affected and, if your thirty boxes were +multiplied by a hundred, it would be none too much for our +needs."</p> +<p>The oranges and lemons did, however, for a time have a marked +effect in checking the progress of the scurvy--especially among the +children, who came in for a larger share than that which fell to +the sick soldiers--but in another month the condition of those in +hospital, and indeed of many who still managed to do duty, was +again pitiable.</p> +<p>On the 11th of October, however, some of the boats of the fleet +went out, during a fog, and boarded a Danish craft from +Malaga--laden with oranges and lemons--and brought her in. The +cargo was at once bought by the governor, and distributed.</p> +<p>The beneficial effects were immediate. Cases which had, but a +few days before, appeared hopeless were cured, as if by magic; and +the health of the whole garrison was reestablished. Heavy rains +setting in at the same time, the gardens--upon which, for months, +great attention had been bestowed--came rapidly into bearing and, +henceforth, throughout the siege the supply of vegetables, if not +ample for the needs of the garrison and inhabitants, was sufficient +to prevent scurvy from getting any strong hold again.</p> +<p>A few days after the ship with oranges was brought in, an +orderly came in to Captain O'Halloran with a message that the +governor wished to speak to Mr. Repton. Bob was out at the time, +but went up to the castle as soon as he returned, and was at once +shown in to the governor.</p> +<a id="PicI" name="PicI"></a><center><img src="images/i.jpg" alt= +"Illustration: Bob receives a Commission from the Governor." +/></center> +<p>"Mr. Repton," the latter began, "after the spirit you showed, +the other day, I shall be glad to utilize your services still +farther, if you are willing."</p> +<p>"I shall be very glad to be useful in any work upon which you +may think fit to employ me, sir."</p> +<p>"I wish to communicate with Mr. Logie, at Tangiers," the +governor said. "It is a month, now, since we have had any news from +him. At the time he last wrote, he said that the Emperor of Morocco +was manifesting an unfriendly spirit towards us; and that he was +certainly in close communication with the Spaniards, and had +allowed their ships to take more than one English vessel lying +under the guns of the town. His own position was, he said, little +better than that of a prisoner--for he was closely watched.</p> +<p>"He still hoped, however, to bring the emperor round again to +our side; as he had, for years, exercised a considerable influence +over him. If he would grant him an interview, Mr. Logie thought +that he might still be able to clear up any doubts of us that the +Spaniards might have infused in his mind. Since that letter we have +heard nothing from him, and we are ignorant how matters stand, over +there.</p> +<p>"The matter is important; for although, while the enemy's +cruisers are as vigilant as at present, there is little hope of our +getting fresh meat over from there, I am unable to give any +directions to such privateers, or others, as may find their way in +here. It makes all the difference to them whether the Morocco ports +are open to them, or not. Until lately, when chased they could run +in there, wait for a brisk east wind, and then start after dark, +and be fairly through the Straits before morning.</p> +<p>"I am very desirous, therefore, of communicating with Mr. Logie. +I am also anxious, not only about his safety, but of that of +several English families there; among whom are those of some of the +officers of the garrison who--thinking that they would be perfectly +safe in Tangiers, and avoid the hardships and dangers of the +siege--despatched them across the Straits by the native craft that +came in, when first the port was closed.</p> +<p>"Thinking it over, it appeared to me that you would be far more +fitted than most for this mission, if you would accept it. You have +already shown yourself able to pass as a Spaniard and, should you +find that things have gone badly in Tangiers, and that the Moors +have openly joined the Spaniards; you might be able to get a +passage to Lisbon, in a neutral ship, and to return thence in the +first privateer, or ship of war, bound for this port. I would of +course provide you with a document, requesting the officer in +command of any such ship to give you a passage. Should no such +neutral ship come along, I should trust to you to find your way +across to Tarifa or Algeciras; and thence to manage in some way, +which I must leave to your own ingenuity, to make your way in.</p> +<p>"I do not disguise from you that the commission is a very +dangerous, as well as an honourable one; as were you, an +Englishman, detected on Spanish soil, you would almost certainly be +executed as a spy."</p> +<p>"I am ready to undertake the commission, sir, and I am much +obliged to you for affording me the opportunity of being of +service. It is irksome for me to remain here, in idleness, when +there are many young officers of my own age doing duty in the +batteries. As to the risk, I am quite prepared to run it. It will +be exactly such an adventure as I should choose."</p> +<p>"Very well, Mr. Repton. Then I will send you the despatches, +this evening; together with a letter recommending you to all +British officers and authorities. Both will be written on the +smallest pieces of paper possible, so that you may conceal them +more easily.</p> +<p>"Now, as to the means. There are many of the fishermen here +would be glad to leave. The firing in the bay has frightened the +greater part of the fish away and, besides, the boats dare not go +any distance from the Rock. I have caused inquiries to be made, and +have given permits to three men to leave the Rock in a boat, after +nightfall, and to take their chance of getting through the enemy's +cruisers. It is likely to be a very dark night. I have arranged +with them to take a passenger across to Tangiers, and have given +them permission to take two others with them. We know that there +are many Jews, and others, most anxious to leave the town before +the enemy begin to bombard it; and the men will doubtless get a +good price, from two of these, to carry them across the +Straits.</p> +<p>"You will form an idea, for yourself, whether these boatmen are +trustworthy. If you conclude that they are, you can make a bargain +with them, or with any others, to bring you back direct. I +authorize you to offer them a hundred pounds for doing so.</p> +<p>"Come up here at eight o'clock this evening. I will have the +despatches ready for you then. You will understand that if you find +the Moors have become absolutely hostile, and have a difficulty in +getting at Mr. Logie, you are not to run any risk in trying to +deliver the despatches; as the information you will be able to +obtain will be sufficient for me, without any confirmation from +him."</p> +<p>After further conversation, Bob took his leave of the governor. +On his return home, Carrie was very vexed, when she heard the +mission that Bob had undertaken and, at first, it needed all her +husband's persuasions to prevent her going off to the governor's, +to protest against it.</p> +<p>"Why, my dear, you would make both yourself and Bob ridiculous. +Surely he is of an age, now, to go his own way without petticoat +government. He has already gained great credit, both in his affair +with the privateer, and in fetching in the oranges the other day. +This is far less dangerous. Here he has only got to smuggle himself +in, there he had to bring back something like a ton of oranges. It +is a great honour for the governor to have chosen him. And as to +you opposing it, the idea is absurd!"</p> +<p>"I shall go round to Major Harcourt," Bob said. "Mrs. Harcourt +is terribly anxious about her daughter, and I am sure she will be +glad to send a letter over to her."</p> +<p>"Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said gravely, "I have become a +sudden convert to your opinion regarding this expedition. Suppose +that Bob, instead of coming back, were to carry Amy Harcourt off to +England? It would be terrible! I believe that Mr. Logie, as His +Majesty's consul, could perform the necessary ceremony before they +sailed."</p> +<p>Bob laughed.</p> +<p>"I should doubt whether Mr. Logie would have power to officiate, +in the case of minors. Besides, there is an English church, where +the banns could be duly published. No, I think we must put that +off, Gerald."</p> +<p>Amy Harcourt was the daughter of one of the O'Hallorans' most +intimate friends: and the girl, who was about fifteen years old, +was often at their house with her mother. She had suffered much +from the heat, early in June; and her parents had, at a time when +the Spanish cruisers had somewhat relaxed their vigilance, sent her +across to Tangiers in one of the traders. She was in the charge of +Mrs. Colomb, the wife of an officer of the regiment, who was also +going across for her health. They intended to stay at Tangiers only +for a month, or six weeks; but Mrs. Colomb had become worse, and +was, when the last news came across, too ill to be moved.</p> +<p>Major and Mrs. Harcourt had consequently become very anxious +about Amy, the feeling being much heightened by the rumours of the +hostile attitude of the emperor towards the English. Mrs. Harcourt +gladly availed herself of the opportunity that Bob's mission +offered.</p> +<p>"I shall be glad, indeed, if you will take a letter, Mr. Repton. +I am in great trouble about her. If anything should happen to Mrs. +Colomb, her position would be extremely awkward. I know that Mr. +Logie will do the best he can for her but, for aught we know, he +and all the English there may, at present, be prisoners among the +Moors. I need not say how bitterly her father and I have regretted +that we let her go; and yet, it seemed by far the best thing, at +the time, for she would get an abundance of fresh meat, food and +vegetables.</p> +<p>"Of course, you will see how she is situated, when you get +there; and I am sure you will give her the best advice you can, as +to what she is to do. Not knowing how they are placed there, we can +do literally nothing; and you managed that fruit business so +splendidly that I feel very great confidence in you."</p> +<p>"I am sure I shall be glad to do anything that I can, Mrs. +Harcourt; and if it had been a boy, I daresay we could have managed +something between us--but you see, girls are different."</p> +<p>"Oh, you won't find any difficulty with her. I often tell her +she is as much of a boy, at present, as she is a girl. Amy has +plenty of sense. I shall tell her, in my letter, about your going +out to fetch in the fruit for the women and children. She is +inclined to look up to you very much, already, owing to the share +you had in the capture of those Spanish vessels; and I am sure she +will listen to any advice you give her."</p> +<p>"Well, I will do my best, Mrs. Harcourt," Bob said, meekly; "but +I have never had anything to do with girls, except my sister; and +she gives the advice, always, and not me."</p> +<p>"By what she says, Bob, I don't think you always take it," Mrs. +Harcourt said, smiling.</p> +<p>"Well, not quite always," Bob admitted. "Women are constantly +afraid that you are going to hurt yourself, or something, just as +if a boy had got no sense.</p> +<p>"Well, I will do what I can, Mrs. Harcourt. I am sure I hope +that I shall find them all right, over there."</p> +<p>"I hope so, too," Mrs. Harcourt said. "I will see Captain +Colomb. He will be sure to give you a letter for his wife. I shall +talk it over with him and, if he thinks that she had better go +straight home, if any opportunity offers, I shall tell Amy to go +with her; and stay with my sister, at Gloucester, till the siege is +over, and then she can come out again to us. I will bring you down +the letters, myself, at seven o'clock."</p> +<p>From her, Bob went to Dr. Burke.</p> +<p>"I have just come from your house, Bob. I found your sister in a +despondent state about you. I assured her you had as many lives as +a cat; and could only be considered to have used up two or three of +them, yet, and were safe for some years to come. I hinted that you +had more to fear from a rope than either drowning or shooting. That +made her angry, and did her good. However, it was better for me to +be off; and I thought, most likely, that you would be coming round +for a talk.</p> +<p>"So you are going officially, this time. Well, what disguise are +you going to take?"</p> +<p>"That is what I have been thinking of. What would you recommend, +doctor?"</p> +<p>"Well, the choice is not a very extensive one. You can hardly go +as you are because, if the Moors have joined the Spaniards, you +would be arrested as soon as you landed. Gerald tells me that, +probably, two of the Jew traders will go away with you. If so, I +should say you could not do better than dress in their style. There +are many of them Rock scorpions, and talk Spanish and English +equally well; but I should say that you had better take another +disguise."</p> +<p>"That is what I was thinking," Bob said. "The boatman will know +that I have something to do with the governor, and the two Jews +will certainly know that I don't belong to the Rock. If they find +that the Moors have joined the Spaniards, these Jews may try to get +through, themselves, by denouncing me. I should say I had better +get clothes with which I can pass as a Spanish sailor, or +fisherman. There are almost sure to be Spanish ships, in there. +There is a good deal of trade between Tangiers and Spain.</p> +<p>"Then again, I shall want my own clothes if I have to take +passage in a neutral, to Lisbon. So I should say that I had better +go down to the town, and get a sort of trader's suit, and a +fisherman's, at one of the low slop shops. Then I will go as a +trader, to start with; and carry the other two suits in a bag."</p> +<p>"That will be a very good plan, Bob. You are not likely to be +noticed much, when you land. There are always ships anchored there, +waiting for a wind to carry them out. They must be accustomed to +sailors, of all sorts of nationalities, in the streets. However, I +hope you will find no occasion for any clothes, after you land, but +your own. The Moors have always been good friends of ours; and the +emperor must know that the Spaniards are very much more dangerous +neighbours than we are, and I can hardly believe he will be fool +enough to throw us over.</p> +<p>"I will go down with you, to buy these things."</p> +<p>Bob had no difficulty in procuring the clothes he required at a +secondhand shop, and then took the lot home with him. Carrie had, +by this time, become more reconciled to what could not be avoided; +and she laughed when Dr. Burke came in.</p> +<p>"You are like a bad penny, Teddy Burke. It is no use trying to +get rid of you."</p> +<p>"Not the least bit in the world, Mrs. O'Halloran. Fortunately, I +know that, however hard you are upon me, you don't mean what you +say."</p> +<p>"I do mean it, very much; but after you are gone I say to +myself, 'It is only Teddy Burke,' and think no more of it."</p> +<p>That evening, at nine o'clock, Bob embarked on board the fishing +boat, at the New Mole. One of the governor's aides-de-camp +accompanied him, to pass him through all the guards; and orders had +been sent, to the officers in command of the various batteries, +that the boat was not to be challenged. It was to show a light from +a lantern, as it went along, in order that it might be known. The +other two passengers and the boatmen had been sitting there since +before gunfire, and they were glad enough when Bob came down and +took his seat in the stern, taking the tiller ropes.</p> +<p>The oars had been muffled, and they put off noiselessly. When +they got past Europa Point they found a light breeze blowing, and +at once laid in their oars, and hoisted sail. A vigilant lookout +was kept. Once or twice they thought they made out the hulls of +anchored vessels, but they gave these a wide berth and, when the +morning broke, were halfway across the Strait, heading directly for +Tangiers. In another six hours they entered the port. There were +half a dozen vessels lying in the harbour. Four of these were +flying Spanish colours, one was a Dane, and the other a +Dutchman.</p> +<p>From the time morning broke, Bob had been narrowly examining his +fellow passengers, and the boatmen; and came to the conclusion that +none of them were to be trusted. As soon as he stepped ashore, with +his bag in his hand, he walked swiftly away and, passing through +the principal streets, which were crowded with Moors, held steadily +on, without speaking to anyone, until he reached the outskirts of +the town; and then struck off among the hedges and gardens.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch15" id="Ch15">Chapter 15</a>: Bob's Mission.</h2> +<p>As soon as he found a secluded spot, he stripped off the clothes +he wore and put on those of a Spanish sailor; and then, placing the +others in the bag, buried it in the sandy soil--taking particular +note of its position, in regard to trees and surrounding objects, +so as to be able to find it again. Then he turned to the right, and +skirted the town till he came down to the seashore again; and then +strolled quietly back to the quays. In passing by the ships at +anchor he had noticed the names of the four Spaniards and, after +wandering about for a short time, he entered a wine shop and seated +himself at a table, near one at which three Spanish sailors sat +drinking.</p> +<p>From their talk, he learned that the British were shortly to be +turned out of Tangiers; that the town was to be given up to the +Spaniards; and that the British consul had, the day before, been +taken to Sallee, where the emperor now was. The English in the town +had not yet been made prisoners, but it was believed that they +would be seized and handed over to the Spaniards, without +delay.</p> +<p>Having obtained this information, Bob saw that--at any rate, for +the present--he might, if he chose, appear in his own character; +and regretted that he had buried his clothes, before knowing how +matters stood. However, there was no help for it but to go back +again, to the place where he had hidden them. This he did and, +having put on his own clothes, he went straight to the consulate, +which was a large house facing the port. A clerk was sitting in the +office.</p> +<p>"I understand Mr. Logie is away," Bob said.</p> +<p>The clerk looked surprised, for he knew the whole of the small +body of British residents well, and he could not understand how Bob +could have arrived.</p> +<p>"I am the bearer of letters to him, from Governor Eliott," Bob +said. "I came across by boat, and landed two hours ago; but I was +in disguise, not knowing how matters stood here, and have but now +ascertained that, so far, the English are not prisoners."</p> +<p>"Not at present," the clerk said. "But will you come into the +house, sir? We may be disturbed here."</p> +<p>"In the first place," Bob asked, when they were seated in an +inner room, "when do you expect Mr. Logie back, and what is the +real situation? My orders are, if I cannot see Mr. Logie himself, +that I am to obtain as accurate a statement as possible as to how +matters are going on here; as it is important that the governor +should be able to inform vessels sailing from Gibraltar, east, +whether they can or can not put safely into the Moorish ports. Of +course, we know that vessels have been several times taken by the +Spaniards, while at anchor close to the towns; but they might risk +that, if there were no danger from the Moors, themselves. But if +the reports last sent by Mr. Logie are confirmed, the Moors would +be openly at war with us; and would, themselves, seize and make +prizes of vessels anchoring. The danger would, of course, be vastly +greater than that of merely running the risk of capture, if a +Spanish vessel of war happened to come into a port where they were +at anchor. Of course, I am merely expressing the views of the +governor."</p> +<p>"I am sorry to say," the clerk said, "that there is no doubt the +Moors are about to join the Spaniards in formal alliance against +us. Englishmen are liable to insult as they go through the street. +This, however, would not go for much, by itself; but last week a +number of soldiers rushed into the office, seized Mr. Logie, +violently assaulted him, spat upon him, and otherwise insulted +him--acting, as they said, by the express order of the emperor, +himself. He is now practically a prisoner, having been taken under +an escort to Sallee and, at any moment, the whole of the British +colony here may be seized, and thrown into prison; and if you know +what Moorish prisons are, you would know that that would mean death +to most of them--certainly, I should say, to all the ladies."</p> +<p>"But can they not leave, in neutral vessels?"</p> +<p>"No. The strictest orders have been issued against any +Englishman leaving; they are, in fact, so far prisoners, although +nominally at liberty to move about the town.</p> +<p>"I believe that the greater part of the Moors regret, extremely, +the course their emperor has taken. Many have come in here, after +dark, to assure Mr. Logie how deeply averse they were to this +course; for that the sympathies of the population, in general, were +naturally with the English in their struggle against the Spaniards +who had, for all time, been the deadly foe of the Moors. +Unfortunately, the emperor has supreme power, and anyone who +ventured to murmur against his will would have his head stuck up +over a gate, in no time; so that the sympathy of the population +does not count for much."</p> +<p>"How many English are there, altogether?"</p> +<p>"A hundred and four. We made up the list last week. Of course +that includes men, women, and children. There are some ten +merchants, most of whom have one or two clerks. The rest of the men +are small traders, and shopkeepers. Some of them make their living +by supplying ships that put in here with necessaries. A few, at +ordinary times, trade with the Rock in livestock. Half a dozen or +so keep stores, where they sell English goods to the natives."</p> +<p>"I have a mission to discharge to a Mrs. Colomb, or at least to +a young lady living with her."</p> +<p>"Mrs. Colomb, I regret to say, died three weeks ago," the clerk +said. "Miss Harcourt--who is, I suppose, the young lady you +mean--is now, with Mrs. Colomb's servant, staying here. Mr. Logie +had placed them in lodgings in the house of a Moorish trader, just +outside the town; but the young lady could not remain there, alone, +after Mrs. Colomb's death. I will ring the bell, and tell the +servant to inform her that you are here."</p> +<p>Two minutes later, Bob was shown into a large sitting room on +the first floor, with a verandah overlooking the sea.</p> +<p>"Oh, Bob Repton, I am glad to see you!" Amy Harcourt exclaimed, +coming forward impulsively, with both hands held out. "It is +dreadfully lonely here. Mr. Logie is away, and poor Mrs. Colomb is +dead and, as for Mrs. Williams, she does nothing but cry, and say +we are all going to be shut up, and starved, in a Moorish +prison.</p> +<p>"But first, how are father and mother, and everyone at the +Rock?"</p> +<p>"They are all quite well, Amy; though your mother has been in a +great state of anxiety about you, since she got your letter saying +how ill Mrs. Colomb was. Here is a letter she has given me, for +you."</p> +<p>He handed the girl the letter, and went out on to the verandah +while she read it.</p> +<p>"Mamma says I am to act upon Mr. Logie's advice; and that, if by +any means he should not be in a position to advise me, I am to take +your advice, if Mrs. Colomb is dead."</p> +<p>"I don't think I am in a position to give you advice, Amy. What +did Mr. Logie say about the state of affairs, before he went +away?"</p> +<p>"He seemed to think things were going on very badly. You know +the soldiers rushed in here and assaulted him, one day last week. +They said they had orders from the emperor to do so; and Mr. Logie +said they certainly would not have dared to molest the British +consul, if it hadn't been by the emperor's orders. He was talking +to me about it, the day before they took him away to Sallee; and he +said he would give anything, if he could get me away to the Rock, +for that the position here was very precarious; and that the +emperor might, at any moment, order all the English to be thrown +into prison, and I know that the servants expect we shall all be +killed, by the populace.</p> +<p>"They have frightened Mrs. Williams nearly out of her senses. I +never saw such a foolish woman. She does nothing but cry. She is +the wife, you know, of Captain Colomb's soldier servant.</p> +<p>"Well, what do you advise, Bob?"</p> +<p>"I am sure I don't know what to advise, Amy. This seems a +regular fix, doesn't it?"</p> +<p>"But you are just as badly off as I am," she said. "If they +seize everyone else, of course they will seize you, now you are +here."</p> +<p>"Oh, I could get away, easily enough," Bob said. "I should dress +myself up as a Spanish sailor. I have got the clothes here, and +should boldly go on board one of the Spanish ships, and take +passage across to any port they are going to; and then manage to +work round into Gibraltar, again. But of course, you can't do +that."</p> +<p>"I couldn't go as a Spanish sailor, of course," the girl said, +"but I might dress up and go, somehow. Anything would be better +than waiting here, and then being thrown into one of their dreadful +prisons. They say they are awful places.</p> +<p>"Do take me, Bob Repton. I do so want to get back to father and +mother again, and I am quite well and strong now--as well as ever I +was."</p> +<p>Bob looked at the girl, with a puzzled expression of face. He +had promised her mother to do the best thing he could for her. The +question was, 'What was the best thing?' It certainly seemed that +the position here was a very perilous one. If he left her here, and +harm befell her, what would her parents say to him? But, on the +other hand, how on earth was he to get her away?</p> +<p>"I tell you what, Amy," he said, after a time. "Who were the +ladies Mrs. Colomb saw most of? I suppose she knew some of the +people here?"</p> +<p>"Oh, yes, she knew several; but she was most intimate with Mrs. +Hamber. She is the wife of one of the principal merchants, and is +very kind. She offered to take me in, when Mrs. Colomb died; but +her husband lives out of the town, and Mr. Logie had promised Mrs. +Colomb that he would look after me, until he could send me +across--besides, Mrs. Hamber's child is very ill, with fever--and +so he brought me here."</p> +<p>"Well, I will go and consult her," Bob said. "I daresay the +clerk downstairs will send a man with me, to show me her +house."</p> +<p>Mrs. Hamber listened to Bob's account of his mission; asking a +question now and again, in a straightforward and decided way, which +gave Bob an idea that she was a resolute sort of woman, with plenty +of common sense.</p> +<p>"Well, Mr. Repton," she said, when he had finished, "it is a +difficult matter for anyone but the girl's mother to form an +opinion upon. I remember hearing, from Mrs. Colomb, about your +going out and bringing in fruit when the scurvy was so bad, two +months ago. She had received the news, no doubt, from her husband +and, therefore, it seems to me that you must be a very capable +young gentleman, with plenty of courage and coolness. The fact that +Mrs. Harcourt gave you such a message as she did, regarding her +daughter, shows that she has every confidence in you. If the girl +were a year or two older, I should say it would be quite out of the +question for her to attempt to make her way back to Gibraltar, +under your protection; but as she is still a mere child, and as you +possess her mother's confidence, I don't see that this matters so +much.</p> +<p>"If you are both taken prisoners, there is no reason for +supposing that she would not be treated honourably by the +Spaniards. They must have taken numbers of women, in the vessels +they have captured lately, and I suppose the girl would be placed +with them. She would, at any rate, be far better off in a Spanish +prison than in a Moorish one. Besides, I really consider that all +our lives are in danger, here. After the assault on Mr. Logie, it +is just as likely the emperor may order us all to be massacred, as +thrown into prison; or he might sell us as slaves, as they do at +Algiers. There is no saying. I think that, if I were in the +position of the girl's mother at Gibraltar, I should say that it +was better for her to run the risk of capture, with you; than to +remain here, where there is no saying what may happen--she having +every confidence in your honour, young gentleman."</p> +<p>"I thank you, Mrs. Hamber. I have no idea, at present, what plan +I shall form. I may not see any possible way of getting out but, if +I do, we will certainly attempt it. Major Harcourt belongs to the +same regiment as my brother-in-law, and his wife and my sister are +great friends; which is why, I suppose, she has confidence in me. I +have known Amy, now, for a year and a half; and she is very often +at my sister's. I will take care of her just the same as if she +were a young sister of my own. I don't see how I could go back and +tell her mother that I left her here, with things in the state they +are. I only hope they may not turn out so badly as you fear; and +that, at the worst, the Moors will only hand you over as prisoners +to the Spaniards."</p> +<p>Bob went back to the consulate, and told Amy the result of his +conversation with Mrs. Hamber.</p> +<p>"I consider that has taken the responsibility off my shoulders, +Amy. You referred me to Mrs. Hamber as the lady you knew best here. +She is of opinion that, if she were your mother, she would advise +your trying to get away with me. So, now, we have only to decide +how it is to be done--that is, if you still wish to try."</p> +<p>"Certainly I do," the girl said. "Anything is better than +waiting here; expecting the Moors to rush in, as they did the other +day, and carry one off to prison, or kill one.</p> +<p>"Mr. Parrot--that is the gentleman you saw downstairs--said that +you would stay here, and ordered a room to be prepared for you; and +dinner is ready. I am sure you must be terribly hungry."</p> +<p>Bob remembered, now, that he had had nothing to eat--save some +biscuits on board the boat, and a piece of bread at the wine +shop--since he left Gibraltar, and that he really was desperately +hungry. Amy had already had her dinner; but she sat by him, and +they talked about their friends at the Rock.</p> +<p>"Now," he said, when he had finished, "let us have a regular +council of war. It was my intention to get a passage to Malaga, if +I could, because I know something of the road back from there; but +I could not do that, with you."</p> +<p>"Why not, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Because the voyage is too long. Someone would be certain to +speak to you before you got across and, as you can't talk Spanish, +the cat would be out of the bag, directly. If possible, we must +manage to cross to Tarifa. It is only a few hours across to there, +even if we go in an open boat and, now that the Spaniards are +friends with the Moors, there ought to be no difficulty in getting +a passage across there, or to Algeciras.</p> +<p>"Of course, you can't go as you are," he said, looking at her +rather ruefully.</p> +<p>"No, of course not," she said. "I am not so silly as that. I +should think I had better dress up like a boy, Bob."</p> +<p>"That would be a great deal the best plan, if you would not mind +it," Bob said, greatly relieved that the suggestion came from her. +"It is the only thing that I can think of. There didn't seem any +story one could invent, to account for a Spanish girl being over +here; but a ship's boy will be natural enough. If asked questions, +of course, our story will be that we had been left behind here. +There could be lots of reasons for that. Either we might have been +on shore, and the vessel gone on without us; or you might have been +sent ashore ill, and I might have been left to nurse you. That +wouldn't be a bad story.</p> +<p>"What we must do, when we get to the other side, must depend +upon where we land. I mean, whether we try to get straight in by +boat, or to wait about until a chance comes. Once over there, you +will have to pretend to be deaf and dumb; and then you can dress up +as a Spanish girl--of course, a peasant--which will be much more +pleasant than going about as a boy, and better in lots of ways. So +if I were you, I should take a bundle of things with me, so that we +should have nothing to buy there. It is all very well buying +disguises for myself, but I could never go into a shop to ask for +all sorts of girls' clothes."</p> +<p>Amy went off in a fit of laughter, at the thought of Bob having +to purchase feminine garments.</p> +<p>"It is all very well to laugh," Bob said. "These are the sort of +little things that are so difficult to work in. It is easy enough +to make a general plan, but the difficulty is to get everything to +fit in.</p> +<p>"I will have a talk with Mr. Parrot, in the morning, about the +boats. He will know what boats have been trading with the Rock, and +what men to trust."</p> +<p>"You can talk to him now, if you like," the girl said. "He and +Mr. Logie's other clerk have the top storey of the house."</p> +<p>"Oh, then I will go up and see him, at once; the sooner it is +arranged, the better. If things are in the state that everyone +says, you might all be seized and imprisoned, any day."</p> +<p>Bob went up at once to Mr. Parrot's rooms, and had a long talk +with him. The clerk quite agreed that anything would be better than +for a young girl to be shut up in a Moorish prison, but he did not +see how it was possible for them to find their way across to +Gibraltar.</p> +<p>"Many of our fishermen are most courageous fellows, and have run +great risks in taking letters from Mr. Logie across to Gibraltar. I +do not suppose that the blockade is very much more strict than it +was; and indeed, the fact that you got through shows that, with +good luck, the thing is possible enough. But that is not the +difficulty. The strictest order has been issued that no boat is to +take Englishmen across to the Rock, or is to cross the Straits on +any pretence, whatever; and that anyone evading this law will be +executed, and his goods forfeited to the state. That is how it is +Mr. Logie has been able to send no letters, for the last month; and +why none of the merchants, here, have tried to get across to the +Rock. No bribe would be sufficient to tempt the boatmen. It would +mean not only death to themselves, if they ever returned; but the +vengeance of the authorities would fall on their relations, here. I +am afraid that there is nothing to be done, that way, at all."</p> +<p>"There are the three men who brought me across, this morning," +Bob said. "They might be bribed to take us back. The governor +authorized me to offer a hundred pounds. I own that I don't like +their looks."</p> +<p>"You would have some difficulty in finding them, to begin with," +Mr. Parrot said; "and I don't think a hundred pounds would be +likely to tempt them to run the risk."</p> +<p>"I would not mind giving them two hundred more," Bob said. "I +have got that money, of my own, at Gibraltar; and I am sure, if it +were necessary, Major Harcourt would gladly pay as much more to get +his daughter back."</p> +<p>"Three hundred would be ample. If they would not run the risk +for a hundred apiece, nothing would tempt them. I should say your +best plan would be to go down, early tomorrow, and see if you can +find one of them. They are likely to be loitering about by the +quays, as they have their boat there.</p> +<p>"The question is, are they to be trusted? They know that you +have been sent out by the governor, and that you are here on some +special business; and they may very well think that the Spaniards +will give a higher reward, for you, than you can give to be taken +back. They will, by this time, know of the order against boats +crossing; and might betray you to the Moors. If you were going by +yourself, of course, you could take all sorts of risks; but with +this young lady under your protection, it would be different."</p> +<p>"Yes, I see that, Mr. Parrot. Rather than run any risk, I should +prefer being put ashore at any Spanish port, by one of the ships in +the harbour. If you give me the name of any Spanish merchantman who +was here, say, a fortnight ago; my story that we were left behind, +owing to one of us being ill, would be so simple that there need be +no suspicion, whatever, excited. Tarifa or Algeciras would, of +course, be the best places, as we should only be on board a few +hours; and Miss Harcourt could very well pretend to be still ill +and weak, and could lie down in a corner, and I could cover her up +with a blanket till we got there.</p> +<p>"Once across, I don't so much mind. Even if we were detected, we +should simply be two fugitives from here, trying to make our way to +Gibraltar; and I don't think there would be any question of my +being a spy. We should probably be sent to wherever they keep the +English prisoners they have taken in ships; and there would be +nothing very dreadful in that, even for her. We should probably be +exchanged, before long. There have been several batches sent in to +the Rock, in exchange for prisoners taken in prizes brought in by +privateers."</p> +<p>"Well, I really think that that would be the best way, Mr. +Repton. As you say, there will be nothing very dreadful in +detention for a while, with the Spaniards; while there is no saying +what may happen here. If you like, I will send one of the consulate +servants out, the first thing in the morning, to inquire what ports +the Spanish craft are bound for, and when they are likely to sail. +They seldom stop more than two or three days, here. Most of them +are taking livestock across for the use of the Spanish army and, +though Algeciras would be an awkward place for you to land at +because, if detected there, you would be more likely to be treated +as a spy; still, in a busy place like that, no one would notice a +couple of young sailors, and it would be no great distance for you +to walk over to Tarifa, or any of the villages on the Straits.</p> +<p>"But how do you propose to get in from there? That is what seems +to me the great difficulty."</p> +<p>"Well, I got in before," Bob said, "and do not think that there +ought to be much difficulty in getting hold of a boat. If I did, I +should sail round the Point and, keeping well outside the line of +cruisers, come down on the coast the other side of Gibraltar; and +so work along at night, just as I did before. If I found it +absolutely impossible to get a boat, of course, I could not--with +the girl with me--try to swim across from the head of the bay to +the Rock; which is what I should have done, had I been alone. So I +should then go to the authorities and give myself up; and say that, +being afraid that the Moors intend to massacre all the English at +Tangiers, I had come across with this young lady, who is the +daughter of an officer of the garrison, to put her into Spanish +hands; knowing that there she would receive honourable treatment, +till she could be passed in at the next exchange of prisoners."</p> +<p>"I think that would be your very best course to pursue, unless +you find everything turn out just as you would wish, Mr. +Repton."</p> +<p>When Bob came down in the morning, he at once went into the +office below; and Mr. Parrot told him that one of the Spanish craft +would start for Algeciras, at noon.</p> +<p>"Then I must ask you to send one of the servants out, to buy +some clothes such as are worn by a Spanish sailor boy, Mr. Parrot. +I have my own suit upstairs, and will go off and arrange for a +passage across, directly after breakfast."</p> +<p>"I will see to it," Mr. Parrot said. "The ship's decks will be +crowded up with cattle. She is a small craft, and I hear she will +take as many as can be packed on her deck. She is alongside now, +taking them in. There is not much likelihood of any attention, +whatever, being paid to you and your companion."</p> +<p>Amy turned a little pale, when Bob told her that the attempt was +to be made at once; but she said bravely:</p> +<p>"I am glad there is to be no waiting. I do so long to be out of +this town. I daresay I shall be a little nervous at first, but I +shall try not to show it; and I sha'n't be really frightened, for I +know that you will take care of me."</p> +<p>As soon as breakfast was over, Bob changed his things and went +down to the quay. He stopped at the vessel taking cattle on board. +She was a polacre brig, of about a hundred and fifty tons. The +captain was smoking a cigar, aft; while the mate was seeing to the +storing of the cattle. Bob went on board, and told his story to the +captain.</p> +<p>"I was left behind in charge of a cabin boy from the Esmeralda, +a fortnight ago. The boy had fever, and the captain thought it +might be infectious, and put him ashore; but he soon got well. We +want to be taken across, as our friends live not many miles from +Tarifa. We will pay a dollar, apiece, for our passage."</p> +<p>The captain nodded.</p> +<p>"Be on board by noon; we shall not be a minute later."</p> +<p>Bob went ashore, and told Amy that everything was arranged, +without the slightest difficulty. He then went down to inspect the +clothes.</p> +<p>"They will do very well," he said, "except that they are a great +deal cleaner than anything ever seen on a Spanish sailor. Those +canvas trousers will never do, as they are."</p> +<p>He accordingly took some ashes, and rubbed them well into the +canvas; got some grease from the kitchen, and poured two or three +large patches over the trousers.</p> +<p>"That is more like it," he said. "The shirt will do well enough, +but there must be a patch or two of grease upon the jacket, and +some smears of dirt, of some kind."</p> +<p>When he had done them to his satisfaction, he took them +upstairs.</p> +<p>"What horrid, dirty looking things!" Amy exclaimed, in +disgust.</p> +<p>"They are clean enough inside, child. They are quite new; but I +have been dirtying them, outside, to make them look natural.</p> +<p>"You must be dressed by half past eleven, and you can tuck your +hair up under that red nightcap; but you must manage to dirty your +face, neck, and hands. You really ought to have some brown stain, +but I don't suppose it is to be got. I will speak to Mr. +Parrot."</p> +<p>"There is no stain, that I know of," Mr. Parrot said; "but I +know Mr. Logie paints a little. I think you will find a box of +colours, upstairs. If you mix some Vandyke brown in water, and +paint her with it, and let it dry on, I should think it would do +very well; though of course, it wouldn't stand washing."</p> +<p>Bob found the paintbox, and soon mixed some paint. At half past +eleven Amy came into the room, laughing a little shyly.</p> +<p>"That will do very well," Bob said, encouragingly, "except that +you are a great deal too fair and clean.</p> +<p>"Look here, I have been mixing some paint. I think a wash of +that will make all the difference. Now, sit down while I colour +you.</p> +<p>"That will do capitally!" he said, when he finished. "I think, +when it dries, it will be just about the right shade for a Spanish +sailor boy.</p> +<p>"Have you got your bundle?</p> +<p>"That is right. Now here is my bag, and a couple of black +Moorish blankets. I will bring Mr. Parrot up, to say goodbye.</p> +<p>"Have you told your servant?"</p> +<p>"No, I said nothing to her about it. She would make such a +terrible fuss, there would be no getting away from her. We must ask +Mr. Parrot to tell her, after the vessel has set sail."</p> +<p>Mr. Parrot pronounced the disguise excellent, and said that he +should not have the slightest suspicion that she was anything but +what she seemed to be. Amy felt very shy, as she sallied out with +Bob; but she gained courage as she saw that no one noticed her.</p> +<p>When they arrived at the brig, the cattle were nearly all on +board. Bob led the way across the gangway, and went up on to the +fo'castle. There he laid one of the blankets down against a +stanchion; wrapped Amy in the other, so that her face was almost +hidden; and told her to sit down and close her eyes, as if weak or +asleep. Then he took up his post beside her.</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour the last bullock was on board. The +gangway was at once hauled in, the hawsers thrown off, and the +sails let drop and, in another minute, the vessel was gliding away +from the wharf. The wind was nearly due west, and the sheets were +hauled in as she was headed across the Straits. It was half an hour +before the sailors' work was all done. Several of them came up on +to the fo'castle and began twisting cigarettes, and one at once +entered into conversation with Bob.</p> +<p>"Is the boy ill?" he said.</p> +<p>"Yes, he has been ill, but is better now. It would have been +better if he could have stopped a few days longer, but he was +pining to get home. He won't have far to go when we get to +Algeciras and, no doubt, I shall be able to get him a lift in some +cart that will be bringing provisions to the camp."</p> +<p>The talk at once turned on the siege, the sailors expressing +their certainty that the Rock would soon be taken. Bob had moved +away from Amy, as if to allow her to sleep, undisturbed by the +conversation.</p> +<p>"There is a brig running down the Straits, at a good speed," one +of the sailors said, when they were half way across. "It is a nice +breeze for her."</p> +<p>Bob looked at the craft. She was about a mile away, and by the +course they were steering--almost at right angles--would come very +near to them. There was something familiar in her appearance, and +he looked at her intently, examining every sail and shroud. Then +doubt became certainty, as his eye fell upon a small patch in one +of the cloths of the topgallant sail.</p> +<p>It was the Antelope. One of the Spanish shot had passed through +the topgallant sail and--as that was the only injury that sail had +received--the bit had been cut out, and a fresh one put in, before +she sailed again from Gibraltar. She was flying Spanish +colours.</p> +<p>His heart beat fast. Would she overhaul them, or pass without +taking notice of them--seeing that the polacre was a small one, and +not likely to be a valuable prize?</p> +<p>The vessels approached each other quickly. The course the +Antelope was taking would carry her some length or two behind the +Spaniard. Bob hesitated whether to hail her, as she came along. If +his hail was not heard he would, of course, be detected, and his +plans entirely spoilt; and with the wind blowing straight across, +and he in the bow, it would be by no means certain that his hail +would be distinguished. Suddenly, to his delight, when the brig was +within a hundred yards of the polacre he saw her head come up, +while the crew began to haul upon the sheets.</p> +<p>An exclamation of surprise and alarm broke from the Spaniards +as, in another minute, the Antelope was running parallel with them, +a cable's length to windward. Then the portholes were opened, and +eight guns run out. The Spanish flag was run down and the British +hoisted to the peak; and a summons to strike their flag shouted to +the Spaniards. As the latter carried only four small guns, +resistance was out of the question. The Spanish flag was lowered +and, in obedience to the gesticulations, rather than the words, of +an officer on board the English brig, the halliards were thrown +off, and the sails came down with a run.</p> +<p>The Spanish sailors were frantic with rage, swearing by all the +saints in the calendar. Bob had moved, at once, across to Amy.</p> +<p>"Lie still, Amy. We are going to be captured by an English ship. +It is the same privateer that I was in before. Don't make any sign, +until they come on board. In the fury that these Spaniards are in, +they might stick their knives into us, if they knew we were +English."</p> +<p>The brig had been thrown up into the wind as soon as the +polacre's sails had been lowered and, in three minutes, a boat came +alongside. Then Joe Lockett, followed by half a dozen sailors armed +with pistol and cutlass, scrambled on board.</p> +<p>"Now, follow me, Amy," and, descending the ladder, Bob made his +way along the narrow gangway between the lines of cattle, and then +mounted to the poop.</p> +<p>"Well, Joe, how are you?"</p> +<p>The first mate of the Antelope started back, in +astonishment.</p> +<p>"Why, Bob Repton!" he exclaimed. "What on earth are you doing +here, masquerading as a Spanish sailor?"</p> +<p>"I am trying to get across to Gibraltar," he said.</p> +<p>"Why, is this fellow bound for Gibraltar? In that case we have +not got a prize, as we fancied."</p> +<p>"She is a fair prize, Joe; she is bound for Algeciras. I was +going to make my way in from there, as best I could."</p> +<p>"That is all right then. What has she got on board?"</p> +<p>"Nothing beyond these cattle, and some vegetables, I expect; but +they are worth a lot of money, on the Rock."</p> +<p>"Well, you will be able to tell us all about things, Bob. I will +hail the captain to send Crofts on board, with a dozen men to take +charge, here; and then I will take you on board."</p> +<p>"I have a friend here," Bob said, turning to Amy, who was +standing timidly behind him, "so you must take him with me."</p> +<p>"All right!" Joe said, carelessly.</p> +<p>In five minutes, Bob stood again on the deck of the Antelope, +and a hearty greeting was exchanged between him and Captain +Lockett.</p> +<p>"Before I tell you anything, Captain, which cabin am I to have? +I will tell you why, afterwards. I suppose it will be my old +one?"</p> +<p>"Yes; that is our one spare cabin, Bob. But I don't know why you +are in such a hurry about it."</p> +<p>"I will tell you presently," Bob laughed, and led the way +below.</p> +<p>"There, Amy," he said, "you can go in there, and put on your own +things again. I thought it would be more comfortable, for you, for +them not to know it until you are properly dressed, in your own +clothes. You have brought a frock, of course?"</p> +<p>"Yes; I thought I had better bring one, in case we should be +made prisoners."</p> +<p>"That is all right. When you are dressed, come upon deck. I will +explain all about it, before you appear."</p> +<p>Bob, as briefly as possible, told his story to Captain Lockett +and Joe; who were much amused to find that Bob's friend was a young +lady.</p> +<p>"You are coming out in quite a new light, Bob, as a squire of +dames. But I won't laugh at you, now; I want to hear the last news. +I overhauled that craft, not so much to capture her, as to get the +last news. There were reports, before I started, that the Moors +were joining the Spaniards, and that their ports were closed to us; +and what you say confirms that. That was one of the points I wanted +to know, as I could not tell whether I could run in there safely, +were I chased. Now, as to getting into the Rock, are their cruisers +active, at present?"</p> +<p>"Well, there are lots of them about. I think your best plan will +be to run in close to the Point, and hold on as if you were going +into Algeciras. In that way, they won't suspect you. Then, when you +get right up the bay, haul across to the town. The wind is in your +favour, because you will have to tack to work up the bay and, if +you make pretty long tacks, they won't suspect you, when you start +across, until you have got pretty well away and, with this breeze, +there will be no chance of their catching you before you are under +our guns."</p> +<p>"That seems hopeful enough. At any rate, we will try it. I will +send six more men on board the polacre. They will want to be handy +with her sails. I will go myself, and give Crofts orders. He had +better keep ahead of us for, if we are chased by their gunboats, we +can protect him."</p> +<p>Just as sail was again got up, and the two vessels were under +way, Amy Harcourt came on deck; and was soon laughing and chatting +merrily with the captain. At four in the afternoon they rounded the +Point, the polacre a few hundred yards ahead, and both flying +Spanish colours. There were several Spanish cruisers, and some +gunboats, outside them; but these paid no attention to their +movements, and both beat up the bay, keeping close into the Spanish +shore, but holding somewhat farther out, at each tack.</p> +<p>"Now," Captain Lockett, said when they were within half a mile +of Algeciras, "we will run out this tack. There are two gunboats in +our way, I see, but we must take our chance of them.</p> +<p>"Go and wave a handkerchief from the bow, Joe. Mr. Crofts will +be on the lookout for the signal."</p> +<p>The two vessels held away on the port tack. As the polacre +approached the gunboats, a sudden bustle was observed on board +them.</p> +<p>"They begin to smell a rat," Captain Lockett said.</p> +<p>"Hoist the topgallant sails," for the brig had been under easy +sail, to enable her to hold her place with the polacre.</p> +<p>The men were already at quarters, and the ports were opened and +the guns run out. Just as the gunboat nearest the polacre--finding +the hail, for her to bring to, unheeded--fired a shot into her, the +brig's head paid off, and she poured a broadside into the two +gunboats. One of them was struck amidships. For a minute there was +great confusion on board, and then she made for her companion, +evidently in a sinking condition.</p> +<p>Several shots were now fired from the forts but, though they +fell near, the brig was uninjured. The second gunboat did not +venture to attack so formidable an opponent and, half an hour +later, the Antelope and her prize dropped anchor off the Mole.</p> +<p>Bob had already run down and put on his usual clothes, and he +and Amy were at once rowed ashore, and made their way to Major +Harcourt's quarters. The delight of Amy's father and mother, as she +rushed into the room, was extreme. Bob did not enter with her, but +left her to tell her own story; and proceeded straight to the +governor's, to whom he reported the state of affairs at +Tangier.</p> +<p>"It is bad news," the governor said. "However, I am extremely +obliged to you, for the valuable service that you have rendered +and, as I had the pleasure of before doing, when you brought in the +oranges, I shall place your name in the orders of the day for +having, as a volunteer, rendered signal service by carrying +despatches, at great risk, across to the Barbary coast."</p> +<p>Bob then returned home. Captain Lockett had already been to the +house, and informed the O'Hallorans of his arrival.</p> +<p>"There you see, Carrie," Bob said, after his sister's first +greetings were over; "there was nothing to have been so terribly +alarmed about."</p> +<p>"It isn't because you got through it safely, Bob, that there was +no danger," his sister replied. "It was a very foolish thing to do, +and nothing will change my opinion as to that.</p> +<p>"Captain Lockett tells me you brought Amy Harcourt back with +you, dressed up as a boy. I never heard of such a thing, Bob! The +idea of a boy like you--not eighteen yet--taking charge, in that +way, of a young girl!"</p> +<p>"Well, there was nothing else to do, Carrie, that I could see. I +went to Mrs. Hamber, who was Mrs. Colomb's most intimate friend, +and asked her opinion as to what I had better do; and she advised +me to get Amy away, if I possibly could do so. I can't see what +difference it makes, whether it is a boy or a girl. It seems to me +that people are always so stupid about that sort of thing."</p> +<p>Carrie laughed.</p> +<p>"Well, never mind, Bob. Amy Harcourt is a very nice girl. A +little too boyish, perhaps; but I suppose that is natural, being +brought up in the regiment. I am very glad that you have brought +her back again, and it will be an immense relief to her father and +mother. Her mother has been here three or four times, during these +two days you have been away; and I am in no way surprised at her +anxiety. They will be in here this evening, certainly, to thank +you."</p> +<p>"Very well; then I shall be round smoking a cigar, with the +doctor," Bob said. "I am very glad to have been of use to them, and +to have got Amy back again; but I don't want to be thanked, and you +tell them so. I hate being made a fuss about."</p> +<p>And so, beyond a warm grasp of the hand, on the part of Major +Harcourt; and two or three words of hearty thanks, on that of his +wife, the next time they met; Bob escaped any expression of +gratitude. But the occurrence drew the two families together more +closely, and Amy often came round with her father and mother, in +the evening; and there were many little confidential talks between +Carrie and Mrs. Harcourt.</p> +<p>It was some time before the anxiety as to the fate of the +English inhabitants, at Tangier, was allayed. They were, at the +beginning of December, forced to remove to Marteen, a few miles +from Tetuan--abandoning their houses and all their property, which +was estimated at the value of sixty thousand pounds--and, three +days afterwards, were handed over as prisoners to the Spaniards. +They were then put on board a ship, and taken to Algeciras--where +they were kept, for nearly a month, prisoners on board ship--but +were, on the 11th of January, 1781, sent across to Gibraltar.</p> +<p>The next five months passed slowly and heavily. Occasionally, +privateers and other craft ran through the blockade of the Spanish +cruisers, and succeeded in getting into port. Some of these brought +wine and sugar--of both of which the garrison were extremely +short--and occasionally a few head of cattle and other provisions. +All of these were sold by public auction, the governor considering +that to be the fairest way of disposing of them.</p> +<p>On the 12th of April another great convoy, under Admiral Darby, +entered the port. It consisted of about a hundred merchantmen, +under the protection of a powerful fleet. The joy of the garrison +and inhabitants was intense although, among the latter, this was +mingled with a certain feeling of uneasiness. Deserters had at +various times brought in reports that, should Gibraltar be again +relieved, it was the purpose of the Spaniards to bombard the town. +Hopes were entertained that so wanton an act of cruelty would not +be carried out, for the entire destruction of the town would not +advance, in the smallest degree, the progress of the siege.</p> +<p>At a quarter to eleven, just as the van of the convoy came to an +anchor off the New Mole, Fort San Philip opened fire upon the town +and, at the signal, the whole of the batteries in the forts and +lines followed suit. A hundred and fourteen guns and mortars rained +their shot and shell upon the town, and the guns of the batteries +of the garrison at once responded.</p> +<p>Several of the officers of the 58th, and their wives, had come +up to Captain O'Halloran's to enjoy, from the terrace, the view of +the great convoy entering the port. All were in the highest +spirits, at the thought of the abundant supplies that would now be +at their disposal; and in the belief that the Spaniards, seeing +that the garrison was again amply provisioned, would abandon the +siege, which had now lasted for twenty-two months. Suddenly there +came upon the air the deep sound of the guns of San Philip, +followed by a prolonged roar as the whole of the Spanish batteries +opened fire. The hum of shot could be heard, followed by the +explosion of shells, the fall of masonry, and screams and +cries.</p> +<p>"The bombardment has begun, at last!" Captain O'Halloran +exclaimed.</p> +<p>The greatest consternation reigned among the ladies. Several of +them had left children in their quarters and, although the barracks +were so placed as to be, to a great extent, sheltered from the +enemy's fire from the land side, they were still terribly anxious +as to their safety. Two of them had, like the O'Hallorans, quarters +in the town itself; and the husbands of these ladies, accompanied +by Captain O'Halloran and Bob, at once set out to bring the +children up to the house, which was perfectly sheltered.</p> +<p>The scene in the town was a pitiful one. Men, women, and +children were flying, in the wildest alarm, towards the gate +looking south; and thence out to the huts that the more prudent +ones had erected, many months before, near Europa Point. Shot and +shell were raining down, while chimneys and portions of masonry +fell clattering in the streets. Sick people were being carried out, +on doors or planks; and most of the inhabitants were laden with +what few articles of value they could snatch up, at the first +alarm. The children were soon brought up to the O'Hallorans' and +then, for a time, there was nothing to do but to listen to the roar +of artillery.</p> +<p>The officers and Bob ascended the Rock, to a point near one of +the batteries, whence they could command a view of the Spanish +lines. The flashes of smoke were bursting forth almost incessantly; +but were answered shot for shot from the English batteries, which +had already almost silenced the San Carlos Battery, which mounted a +large number of mortars, and against which the fire of the English +guns was concentrated.</p> +<p>Between one and two o'clock the Spanish fire abated, and soon +ceased altogether. The inhabitants took advantage of the lull to +hurry back to their houses, whence they removed the lighter and +more portable articles; but the heavy stores--of which it now +appeared many of them had large quantities concealed--they were, of +course, unable to take away.</p> +<p>The discovery of these stores excited much indignation among the +troops. The inhabitants had been constantly representing themselves +as reduced to the last point of hunger, and had frequently received +provisions from the scanty supplies of the garrison; and the +soldiers were exasperated on finding that, all this time, they +possessed great stores of wine, flour, and other articles; which +they were hoarding to produce, and sell, when prices should rise to +even more exorbitant heights than they had already reached.</p> +<p>At five o'clock the enemy's batteries opened again; and the +firing continued, without intermission, all that night. As several +casualties had taken place, in the barracks and quarters; marquees +were, on the following morning, served out to all the officers +whose quarters were exposed to fire, and these were pitched near +Europa Point, as were also a large number of tents for the use of +the inhabitants.</p> +<p>A considerable body of troops were kept under arms, near the +northern gate, in case the Spaniards should attempt to make an +assault under cover of their fire; and five hundred officers and +men were told off, to assist in the work of getting the supplies up +from the wharves, as fast as they were landed from the +transports.</p> +<p>The bombardment continued during the whole of the next two days. +The mortars still poured their shells upon the town; but the guns +were now directed at our batteries, and their fire was remarkably +accurate.</p> +<p>On the 14th the unloading parties were increased to a thousand +men, and strong detachments of troops were told off to extinguish +the fires in the town; as the enemy were now discharging shell +filled with a composition that burned with great fury, igniting +everything with which it came in contact. The troops engaged upon +this duty were not long in broaching the casks of wine found, in +such abundance, in many of the ruined houses. For two years they +had been living almost entirely on salt provisions, and wine had +been selling at prices vastly beyond their means. It was scarcely +surprising, then, that they should take advantage of this +opportunity.</p> +<p>The stores were practically lost, for the whole town was +crumbling to pieces beneath the fire of the enemy's mortars, and +was on fire in several places; and little, if any, of the liquor +and stores consumed could, in any case, have been saved. However, +for a time insubordination reigned. The troops carried off liquor +to their quarters, barricaded themselves there, and got drunk; and +it was two or three days before discipline was restored. Up to this +time the conduct of the soldiers had been most exemplary, and they +had borne their prolonged hardships without a murmur; and this +outbreak was due as much to a spirit of revenge against the +inhabitants, for hiding away great stores of provisions and liquor, +with a view to making exorbitant profits, as from a desire to +indulge in a luxury of which they had been so long deprived.</p> +<p>On the 15th the enemy's fire was hotter than ever; and the guns +were withdrawn from our batteries, as they produced but little +effect upon the Spanish batteries, and the men working them +suffered a good deal from the besiegers' fire. Two officers were +dangerously wounded, in one of the casemates of the King's Bastion; +and the fire was so heavy, around some of the barracks, that all +the troops who could not be disposed of, in the casemates and +bomb-proofs, were sent out of the town and encamped southward and, +the next day, all the women and children who had gone with their +husbands and fathers into the casemates were also removed, and +placed under canvas. All this gave incessant work to the troops, +for there was no level ground upon which the tents could be pitched +and, as it was therefore necessary to level all the ground into +terraces, it was some days before the camps were ranged in anything +like order.</p> +<p>Each day the enemy sent out their gunboats to harass the +merchantmen, but these were always driven back by the guns of the +fleet. On the 17th the besiegers' shells set fire to the Spanish +church, which had been used as a storehouse. Strong parties were +sent down to remove the provisions, which consisted largely of +barrels of flour. These were carried up and piled, so as to afford +protection to the casemates, which had been frequently entered by +the enemy's shots--several men having been killed there. They +proved a valuable defence; and afforded, moreover, great amusement +to the soldiers who, whenever a barrel was smashed by a shell, +carried off the contents and quickly converted them into pancakes, +until so many casks had been emptied that the whole structure came +toppling down.</p> +<p>On the 18th a shell came through the arch of one of the +casemates, killing two and wounding four men and, in consequence, a +good many more of the troops were sent under canvas.</p> +<p>On the 20th the work of unloading the greater portion of the +transports was completed; and the admiral, who was most anxious to +take advantage of the easterly wind, that was blowing, to sail out +of the Straits, gave the signal for departure. Many of the +merchantmen, whose cargoes were consigned to merchants and traders +on the Rock, carried them back to England; as the merchants, having +no place, whatever, in which to store goods--for the town was now +almost entirely destroyed--refused to accept them. The transports, +with ordnance stores, were brought in behind the New Mole to be +discharged at leisure; while several colliers were run close in, +and scuttled, so that their cargoes could be removed as +required.</p> +<p>A great many of the inhabitants, and of the officers' wives and +families, embarked on board the fleet before it left. The enemy's +fire still continued very heavy; and their guns and mortar boats, +on the 23rd, came boldly out and opened fire upon the working +parties, who were stacking the barrels and stores at the south end +of the Rock. The wife of a soldier was killed, and several men +wounded.</p> +<p>On the 26th the governor determined sternly to repress the +drunkenness that still prevailed, owing to the soldiers going down +among the ruins of the town, where they occasionally discovered +uninjured casks of wine. An order was therefore issued, on that +day, that any soldier convicted of being drunk, asleep at his post, +or marauding, should be immediately shot.</p> +<p>On the 27th a convoy of twenty ships, in charge of the Brilliant +and three other frigates, came in from Minorca; where the governor +had ordered provisions to be purchased, in case the convoy expected +from England did not arrive. The arrival of these ships largely +added to the stores at the disposal of the garrison.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch16" id="Ch16">Chapter 16</a>: A Cruise In The +Brilliant.</h2> +<p>While the bombardment continued, Bob had been constantly +occupied. He had, some time before, put down his name as a +volunteer for service, if required; and he and several others, who +had similarly enrolled themselves, had been appointed to assist in +looking after the removal of the soldiers' wives and children to +the tents erected for them, and to seeing to their comfort there. +He had also been in charge of bodies of labourers, employed by the +governor in the work of levelling the ground and transporting +stores.</p> +<p>Captain O'Halloran was constantly away on duty and, soon after +the bombardment began, it was found necessary to drive the whole of +the poultry into the lower part of the house; the Spaniards +retaining only one room for their own accommodation. Had not this +step been taken, the chickens would speedily have been stolen by +marauders as, in the absence of Captain O'Halloran and Bob, there +was no one to protect them. After the issue of the governor's +proclamation, discipline was speedily restored, and there was no +longer any occasion to keep them under shelter.</p> +<p>The bombardment was followed by heavy rains, which caused very +great discomfort to the troops. The water, pouring in torrents down +the face of the hills, swept away the newly raised banks; and +brought down the tents, the soldiers having to turn out in the +wet--and as the troops, owing to their heavy duties, were only one +night out of three in bed, the discomfort and annoyance were very +great. Great quantities of the provisions, too, were damaged; as +these were all stacked in the open air, with no other covering than +that afforded by the sails of the colliers, which were cut off and +used for the purpose. Until the end of the month the downfall of +rain was incessant, and was accompanied with heavy storms of +thunder and lightning. The batteries required constant repair, and +the labours of the troops were very severe.</p> +<p>Since the departure of Admiral Darby's fleet, the enemy appeared +to have given up all hopes of compelling the place to surrender by +hunger. The convoy from Minorca had not been interfered with and, +on the 2nd of May, two native craft came in from Algiers with +sheep, wine, and brandy, unmolested by the enemy's cruisers.</p> +<p>The enemy's fire had never entirely ceased, since the +commencement of the bombardment, and now amounted to about fifteen +hundred rounds, every twenty-four hours; the gunboats generally +coming out, every day, and sending their missiles into the town and +batteries--the latter being specially the mark of the enemy's land +guns, which reached even the highest batteries on the Rock. All +through May and June the enemy's fire continued; dropping, towards +the end of the latter month, to about five hundred shot and shell a +day. The gunboats were specially annoying, directing their fire +against the south end of the Rock, and causing great alarm and +distress among the fugitives from the town encamped there. +Occasionally they directed their fire towards the houses that had +escaped the fire of the land batteries; and several shot and shell +fell near the O'Hallorans' but, fortunately, without hitting the +house.</p> +<p>The volunteers had now been released from duty, and Bob was free +to wander about as he pleased. As, since his exploit in fetching in +the fruit, he had become known to every officer in the garrison; he +was a privileged person, and was able to enter any of the +batteries, and to watch the effects of their fire against the +enemy's forts and lines. He often spent the day on board the +Brilliant. At the end of June the frigate went away for a +fortnight's cruise, and the captain invited Bob to accompany +them.</p> +<p>"We shall all expect great things from you, Mr. Repton. As you +managed to capture some fifty thousand pounds' worth of prizes, +when you were on board that privateer brig, you ought to put the +frigate into the way of taking at least four times as much."</p> +<p>"It is easy to turn a brig into anything, Captain Langton; but +there is no making one of His Majesty's frigates look other but +what she is. The mere sight of your topsails is enough to send +every Spanish craft into port."</p> +<p>For three or four days the frigate sailed along the coast; +keeping well out during the day, and closing with the land in the +evening. Two or three small coasters were picked up by the boats, +but they were scarcely worth sending into Gibraltar. On the fifth +day a large barque was seen, making in from the south. All sail was +made, but the barque had the weather gage and, crossing her, ran +into the shore and anchored under the shelter of a battery.</p> +<p>"That would be a prize worth having, Bob," Jim Sankey said. "I +wonder what she has got on board? Perhaps she is like that craft +you captured, choke-full of lead and silver, from Lima."</p> +<p>"I think I can tell you what she is full of," Bob, who had been +examining her through a glass he had borrowed from the third +lieutenant, replied.</p> +<p>"How do you mean you can tell, Bob? She has not got her bill of +lading stuck upon her broadside, I suppose?"</p> +<p>"She has not, Jim. But I can tell you, without that."</p> +<p>"Well, what has she got on board?"</p> +<p>"She has got a very strong crew, Jim, and twenty-four guns."</p> +<p>"Why, how on earth did you know that, Bob?" he asked, staring at +his friend in surprise.</p> +<p>"Because, Jim, I have been on board, and counted the guns. That +is the craft I swam off to, nearly two years ago. You hunted for +her, then, you know; but I suppose she had gone into one of the +ports. But that is her, I can almost swear.</p> +<p>"I don't know whether there is a better glass than this on board +but, if there is, I should be glad to have a look through it. Yet I +feel certain, without that. Her stern is of rather peculiar shape, +and that stern gallery looks as if it was pinched out of her, +instead of being added on. We particularly noticed that, when we +were sailing with her. I can't be mistaken about it."</p> +<p>"I think the captain ought to know, then," Jim said. "I will +speak to Mr. Rawdon. He is in charge of the watch."</p> +<p>Jim went up on to the quarterdeck, touched his hat, and informed +the second lieutenant what Bob had told him. Mr. Rawdon went up at +once to the captain, who was talking to the first lieutenant, and +examining the barque and battery through his glass.</p> +<p>"Mr. Sankey has reported to me, sir, that Mr. Repton is very +strongly of opinion that the barque, there, is the Spanish ship of +war he boarded by night, just after the beginning of hostilities. +He told us about it, sir, and we spent two or three days in looking +for her."</p> +<p>"Of course I remember," the captain said. "Have the kindness to +pass the word for Mr. Repton to come aft."</p> +<p>Bob soon stood before the captain.</p> +<p>"Mr. Rawdon tells me that you are of opinion that the barque, in +there, is the disguised Spanish sloop you boarded, two years +ago?"</p> +<p>"Yes, sir, I am almost sure of it; but I should like to have +another look at her, through your glass, before I speak with +certainty."</p> +<p>The captain handed his glass, which was a remarkably good one, +to Bob.</p> +<p>"That is her," Bob said, after a minute's examination. "I could +swear to her, anywhere;" and he then pointed out, to the captain, +the peculiarities he had noticed.</p> +<p>"I can make out her figurehead, too," he said. "It is a saint, +though I don't know what saint; but if you notice, sir, you will +see that, instead of standing nearly upright, he leans much more +forward than usual. I remember the captain saying he looked as if +he was going to take a header. So with that, and the stern gallery, +there is no possibility of mistaking her."</p> +<p>The captain again examined the barque through his glass.</p> +<p>"Yes, I notice both the points you mention. Well, I am much +obliged to you for the news. It is very important. I was thinking +of cutting her out, tonight; and should have fallen into the same +error you so nearly did, in the privateer."</p> +<p>Bob bowed and retired.</p> +<p>"We should have caught a tartar, Mr. Lyons, if we had sent the +force we were talking about to cut her out; but I think we must +have her, somehow."</p> +<p>"I hope so, sir. We have had a very dull time of it; with +nothing to do but to exchange shots, occasionally, with those +gunboats; and to get under sail, now and then, to escort some craft +or other into port. The navy hasn't done much to boast of, during +this siege; and it has been very hard on us, being cooped up there +in Gibraltar, while the fleet all over the world are picking up +prizes, and fighting the French and Spanish. Why, we haven't made +enough prize money, in the last two years, to pay for pipe clay and +powder."</p> +<p>"Yes, we all feel that, Mr. Lyons. We have certainly been +terribly out of luck. That privateer Mr. Repton was on board did +more, in her week's cruise, than all His Majesty's ships in +Gibraltar have done, in the last two years.</p> +<p>"We must take that craft, inshore, if we can. There is no doubt +she is ably commanded, for she is so well disguised that we never +suspected her for a moment; therefore there is not the least chance +of our catching her napping. She is a formidable craft to cut out +with the boats, even if she hadn't the aid of the battery."</p> +<p>"There is no doubt about that, sir. I think Mr. Repton reported, +before, that she carried twenty-four guns, and all heavy metal. As +far as I can make out, with the glass, the battery mounts twelve +guns."</p> +<p>"Yes, that is the number. Besides, you see, we dare not take the +frigate in nearer than a mile; and a mile and a quarter would be +safer. So that we could not be of any assistance, beyond annoying +the battery with long shot. It seems to me that there is only one +chance."</p> +<p>"What is that, sir?"</p> +<p>"We must land a strong party, some distance along the shore; and +make an attack upon the battery, and carry it by surprise. I can +make out some huts behind it. I suppose they wouldn't have less +than a hundred soldiers there--perhaps a hundred and fifty. If we +can drive them off, and capture the battery, we can open fire down +upon the ship. At that distance, we could fairly sweep her deck +with grape.</p> +<p>"The rest of our boats would be lying ahead and astern of her +and, as soon as the battery opened, they could make a dash for her. +The crew of the barque would be so disorganized, by the fire of the +battery, that they should hardly be able to make very much of a +fight of it."</p> +<p>"That seems a capital plan, sir. The only question is the number +of hands. Suppose you send eighty to take the battery; we should +only have as many more to spare, for the boat attack on the ship; +and that would leave us with only a hundred, on board. I should +think she would carry a fighting crew of two hundred, at least. +These Spaniards are always very strongly manned."</p> +<p>"I should think that would be about it. They are long odds, but +not too long, I think, Mr. Lyons. At any rate, we will try.</p> +<p>"Lay her off the land, Mr. Lyons, then we will go into my cabin, +and make all the arrangements."</p> +<p>There was much talk and excitement among the crew, for the +general opinion was that the captain would try to cut out the craft +lying under the Spanish battery. The navy had, for a long time, +been very sore at their inactivity; and had fretted that no +attempts had been made to cut out the Spanish vessels, across the +bay. The admiral had steadily set his face against all such +attempts, considering that the benefits to be gained did not +justify the risks; for, had any of his small squadron been damaged, +or sunk, by the guns of the batteries, the consequences would have +been very serious, as the Spanish gunboats would then have been +able to carry on their operations, without check, and it would have +been next to impossible for vessels to run the blockade.</p> +<p>The information Bob had given was soon known to all the +officers, and was not long before it permeated through the crew, +and added to their anxiety to cut the Spaniard out; for although +the prize money would be less than if she had been a richly laden +merchantman, the honour and glory was proportionately greater. The +undertaking would be a serious one, but the prospect of danger is +never deterrent to a British sailor.</p> +<p>There was great satisfaction when, presently, it became known +that the crews of the whole of the boats were to muster. Arms were +inspected, cutlasses ground, and everything prepared. It was early +in the morning when the Spanish barque had been first discovered; +and ten o'clock when the frigate had sailed away from land, as if +considering the Spanish craft too strongly protected to be +attacked. When five miles away from land, her course was laid east +and, under easy sail, she maintained the same distance on the +coast.</p> +<p>The plan of operations was that the first lieutenant, with +thirty marines and as many sailors, should land at a spot some two +miles from the battery; and should make their way inland, and come +down upon the position from the rear. A hundred men, in the rest of +the boats, should make for the barque, direct. This party was to +act in two divisions, under the second and third lieutenants, +respectively; and were to lie, one to the east and the other to the +west of the barque, and remain there until the guns of the battery +opened upon her. Then they were to row for her at all speed; a blue +light being burned, by each division, when they were within a +hundred yards of the enemy, as a warning to their friends in the +battery; who were then to fire round shot, instead of grape. The +frigate was to venture in as closely as she dared, anchor broadside +on, and open fire at the enemy.</p> +<p>Jim Sankey was told off to the landing party, and Bob went up to +the captain, and requested leave to accompany him, as a +volunteer.</p> +<p>"You see, sir," he said, "we may fall in with peasants, or be +challenged by sentries, as we approach the battery, and my ability +to speak Spanish might be an advantage."</p> +<p>"It would, undoubtedly," the captain said. "Well, Mr. Repton, I +shall be very glad to accept your services."</p> +<p>At four in the afternoon, the frigate's head was again turned +west and, at ten o'clock, the boats for the landing party were +lowered and, the men taking their places in them, rowed away for +the shore, which was some two miles distant. The night was dark; +but Mr. Lyons had with him a pocket compass and had, before +embarking, taken the exact bearings of the battery, from the spot +where they would land. He was therefore able to shape his course to +a point half a mile in its rear.</p> +<p>The strictest silence had been enjoined, and the little body of +sailors made their way inland, until they came upon a road running +parallel with the shore. They followed this for about half a mile, +and then struck off inland, again. The country was highly +cultivated, with orchards, vineyards, and orange groves. Their +progress was slow; for they had, many times, to cut a passage +through the hedges of prickly pear. At last, they reached a spot +where they believed themselves to be directly behind the battery. +Here there was a path, leading in the direction which they wished +to follow.</p> +<p>In a quarter of an hour they made out some lights ahead of them, +and the lieutenant halted his men, and again repeated the orders +they had before received.</p> +<p>"You are to go straight at the huts. As you approach them you +are to break up into parties of ten, as already formed. Each party +is to attack one hut, cut down all who resist, seize and carry away +all arms. Never mind the men, if you have once got their arms. They +cannot trouble us, afterwards. Waste no time but, directly you have +got all the firelocks in one hut, make for another. As soon as all +have been cleared out, make for the battery.</p> +<p>"Now, let the officers told off to command parties each fall in, +at the head of his ten men.</p> +<p>"Mr. Repton, you will keep beside me, to answer a +challenge."</p> +<p>They were within fifty yards of the huts when a sentinel +challenged:</p> +<p>"Who goes there?"</p> +<p>"Soldiers of the king," Bob answered, in Spanish, "with +reinforcements for you."</p> +<p>"Halt till I call an officer," the sentry said.</p> +<p>But the lieutenant gave the word, and the whole party dashed +forward at a run. The sentry hesitated in surprise, for a moment, +and then discharged his piece. The sailors gave a cheer, and rushed +at the huts. Taken utterly by surprise, the Spaniards at first +offered no resistance, whatever, as the sailors rushed in. Indeed, +few of them attempted to get out of bed. The blue lights, with +which one man in each party was provided, were lighted as they +entered; and the arms were collected without a moment's delay, and +they were off again before the Spaniards were fairly awake to what +had happened.</p> +<p>There were ten huts, each containing twenty men. Two or three +shots were fired, as they entered the last two huts; but the +Spaniards were overpowered in an instant, as they were here vastly +outnumbered. The officers were made prisoners and, ten men being +placed over them, the rest of the force, now carrying three muskets +each, ran down into the battery. The sentries here threw down their +arms, at once, and were allowed to go where they pleased.</p> +<p>"Pile the arms you have captured!" Lieutenant Lyons ordered. +"Run the ramrods down them, and see if they are loaded. The +Spaniards are not likely to rally but, if they do, we can give them +a hot reception.</p> +<p>"Now, gunner, break open the magazine, there, and load with +grape."</p> +<p>By this time the drum was beating to arms, in the vessel +below--the shots fired having given the alarm--and lights were seen +to flash along the deck. In two minutes the guns were loaded; and +these opened with a fire of grape upon the deck of the vessel, +which was near enough to be distinctly seen, by the glare of the +blue lights. As the first gun was fired, an answering flash came +from sea, as the frigate also opened fire. For five minutes the +guns were worked fast, then two lights burst out in close +succession, ahead and astern of the barque.</p> +<p>"Cease firing grape. Load with round shot!" the lieutenant +shouted but, a moment later, a loud cheer broke from the sailors +as, by the lights in the boats, the Spanish ensign was seen to run +up to the peak of the barque, and then at once to fall again to the +deck. The barque had surrendered.</p> +<p>"Now, gunner, spike the guns," the lieutenant ordered, "and then +tumble them off the carriages."</p> +<p>This was soon done.</p> +<p>"Now let each man take one of the muskets, and throw the rest of +them over the parapet down the rocks.</p> +<p>"That is right. Now, fall in!"</p> +<p>The sailors fell in, and marched back to the huts. The Spanish +officers were placed in the midst, and twenty men were told off to +fire the huts. This was soon done. The lieutenant waited until they +were well alight, and then gave the order to march. They took the +coast road, this time, for two miles; and then struck off to the +shore and saw, a few hundred yards away, the lantern that had been +hoisted on one of the boats, as a signal.</p> +<p>They were challenged by the boat keeper, who had moored the +boats twenty yards from the shore. A cheer broke out, as the answer +was given. The grapnels were pulled up, and the boats were soon +alongside. The party, embarking, rowed out in the direction where +they knew the frigate to be and, as soon as they were fairly out +from the shore, they saw the three lights she had hoisted as a +signal. In half an hour they were alongside.</p> +<p>"I need not ask if you have succeeded, Mr. Lyons," the captain +said, as the boats came up, "for we have seen that. You have not +had many casualties, I hope?"</p> +<p>"Only one, sir. One of the marines has a ball in his shoulder. +There were only five or six shots fired, in all, and no one else +has as much as a scratch."</p> +<p>"I am truly glad to hear it," the captain said. "It has been a +most successful surprise. I don't think the boats can have +suffered, either."</p> +<p>"I don't think there was a shot fired at them, sir," the +lieutenant said. "The Spaniard ran up his colours and dropped them +again, directly the boats showed their lights. I fancy they must +have suffered very heavily from our fire. You see, they were almost +under our guns, and we must have pretty well torn up their +decks."</p> +<p>"We shall soon hear," the captain said. "The boats are towing +the Spaniard out. She will be alongside in a few minutes."</p> +<p>The wind had entirely dropped now and, in a short time, the +Spaniard was brought close alongside the frigate, and Mr. Rawdon +came on board to report.</p> +<p>"The ship is the San Joaquin, mounting twenty-four guns, with a +crew of two hundred and twenty men, sir. Her casualties are very +heavy. The men had just poured up on deck, it seems, when the +battery opened fire. The captain, first lieutenant, and fifty-six +men are killed, and there are forty-three wounded. We have no +casualties. Their flag came down, just as we got alongside."</p> +<p>"Then, as far as we are concerned," the captain said, "this is +one of the most bloodless victories on record. There will be no +death promotions this time, gentlemen, but I am sure you won't mind +that. It has been a most admirably managed affair, altogether; and +I am sure that it will be appreciated by my lords of the +admiralty.</p> +<p>"You will take command of her at present, Mr. Lyons, with the +crew now on board. Dr. Colfax and his assistant will go off with +you, to attend to the wounded, and will remain on board until we +get into Gibraltar.</p> +<p>"Mr. Rawdon, you will be acting first, and I can only say that I +hope you will be confirmed."</p> +<p>The frigate and her prize at once sailed for Gibraltar. On their +arrival there, the captain took some pains--by sending up larger +yards, and by repainting the broad white streaks showing the +portholes--to restore the prize to its proper appearance as a ship +of war.</p> +<p>"We should not get half so much credit for her capture, if you +took her into Portsmouth looking like a lubberly merchantman," the +captain said to Mr. Lyons. "I don't care about patching up all +those shot holes in the bulwarks. That gives her the appearance of +having been taken after a sharp action, and the deck looks almost +like a ploughed field.</p> +<p>"I shall give you fifty men, Mr. Lyons, I can't spare more than +that."</p> +<p>"That will do, sir. Nothing smaller than ourselves is likely to +interfere with us and, if a large frigate engaged us, we should not +have more chance with a hundred men on board than with fifty. In +that case we shall have to trust to our legs. Of course, if we fall +in with two or three of the enemy's ships, I should run up the +Spanish flag. I will find out if I can, from the prisoners, what is +her private number. If I hoist that, and a Spanish flag, it ought +to deceive them. I will get her back to England, if possible, +sir."</p> +<p>"You will, of course, take home my report, Mr. Lyons. It is sure +to give you your step, I think."</p> +<p>Next day the San Joaquin sailed and, six weeks later, a sloop of +war brought despatches to the admiral. Among them was a letter from +the admiralty to Captain Langton, expressing their gratification at +the very able arrangements by which he had captured and silenced a +Spanish battery; and cut out the sloop of war, San Joaquin, +anchored under its guns, without any loss of life. It was, they +said, a feat almost without parallel. They stated that they had, in +accordance with his recommendation, promoted Mr. Lyons to the rank +of commander; and they confirmed Mr. Rawdon in rank of first +lieutenant, the third lieutenant becoming second, and the senior +passed midshipman, Mr. Outram, being promoted to that of third +lieutenant.</p> +<p>No change of any importance had taken place at Gibraltar, during +the absence of the Brilliant; except that the governor had +determined to retaliate for the nightly annoyance of the gunboats +and, accordingly, six guns were fixed at a very considerable +elevation behind the Old Mole, and shells fired from them. These +reached the enemy's camp; and caused, as could be seen from the +heights, great alarm and confusion. It was determined that in +future, when the enemy's gunboats bombarded our camps and huts, we +should retaliate by throwing shells into their camp.</p> +<p>The day after the Brilliant returned the Helena, sloop of +war--with fourteen small guns--was seen working in towards the +Rock. The wind, however, was so light that she scarcely moved +through the water. Fourteen Spanish gunboats came out to cut her +off. For a time she maintained a gallant contest, against odds that +seemed overwhelming; although the garrison gave her up as lost. But +when the wind suddenly freshened, she sailed through her opponents +into the port; where she was received, with ringing cheers, by the +soldiers lining the batteries.</p> +<p>Week after week passed in minor hostilities. There was a +constant exchange of fire between our batteries and those of the +enemy. The gunboats continued their operations; and we, in return, +shelled their camp. Fresh works were erected, on both sides. +Casualties took place almost daily, but both troops and inhabitants +were now so accustomed to the continual firing that they went about +their ordinary avocations, without paying any attention to the shot +and shell, unless one of the latter fell close at hand.</p> +<p>November came in and, in spite of the heavy fire maintained by +our batteries, the enemy's works continually advanced towards the +Rock; and when, in the middle of the month, it was seen that the +new batteries were being armed and placed in readiness to open +fire, the governor determined to take the offensive. Accordingly, +after gunfire on the evening of the twenty-sixth, an order was +issued for all the grenadier and light infantry companies--with the +12th, and Hardenberg's Regiment--to assemble, at twelve o'clock at +night--with a party of Engineers, and two hundred workmen from the +line regiments--for a sortie upon the enemy's batteries. The 39th +and 59th Regiments were to parade, at the same hour, to act as +support to the attacking party. A hundred sailors from the ships of +war were to accompany them. The attacking party numbered 1014 rank +and file, besides officers and noncommissioned officers. This was +exclusive of the two regiments forming the supports. The attacking +force was divided into three columns.</p> +<p>At a quarter to three in the morning, the column moved out. The +enemy's pickets discovered the advance, as soon as it passed the +outlying work known as Forbes' Barrier and, after firing, fell +back. Lieutenant Colonel Hugo's column, which was in front, pushed +on rapidly; and entered the enemy's lines without opposition, when +the pioneers began to dismantle the work. Hardenberg's Regiment and +the central column attacked and carried the tremendous work known +as the San Carlos Battery. The enemy were unable to withstand, for +a moment, the fierce attack of the troops and, in a very short +time, the whole of the advanced works were in our hands.</p> +<p>The leading corps formed up, to resist any attempt the enemy +might make to repel the sortie; and the working parties began to +destroy the enemy's work. Faggots dipped in tar were laid against +the fascines and gabions and, in a short time, columns of fire and +smoke rose from all parts of the works occupied. In an hour, the +object of the sortie was effected. Trains were laid to the +magazines, and the troops fell back. Just as they reached the town, +the principal magazine blew up, with a tremendous explosion.</p> +<p>The enemy appeared to have been wholly confounded, at this +sudden attack upon their advanced works--the fugitives from which +created a panic throughout the whole army--and although the main +Spanish lines, mounting a hundred and thirty-five heavy pieces of +artillery, were but a few hundred yards behind the works attacked, +not a single shot was fired at the troops engaged. The batteries +continued burning for three days and, when they ceased to smoke, +nothing but heaps of sand remained of the works that had cost the +enemy months of labour to erect.</p> +<p>It was some days before the Spaniards appeared to come to any +definite conclusion as to their next step. Then large numbers of +men set to work, to reestablish their batteries; and things fell +into their old routine, again. Every day shots were exchanged, +occasionally. Vessels made their way in and out; being sometimes +briskly chased by the enemy's gunboats, sometimes passing in with +little interference--for, by this time, the Spaniards must have +recognized that there was no hope, whatever, of reducing Gibraltar +by blockade. There was a great deal of sickness in the garrison; +but comparatively little of this was due to scurvy, for every +available corner of ground was now cultivated, and the supply of +vegetables--if not absolutely sufficient to counteract the effects +of so long and monotonous a diet of salt meat--was yet ample to +prevent any serious outbreak of scurvy recurring.</p> +<p>In February, fresh activity was manifested among the besiegers. +Vast numbers of mules were seen, bringing fascines to their works. +At the end of March the Vernon store ship arrived and, a few hours +later, four transports with the 97th Regiment, under the convoy of +two frigates, came in.</p> +<p>A singular series of casualties was caused by a single shot, +which entered an embrasure in Willis's Battery, took both legs off +two men, one leg off another, and wounded another man in both legs; +thus four men had seven legs taken off, or wounded, by one shot. +These casualties were caused by the inattention of the men to the +warning of a boy who was looking out for shot. There were two boys +in the garrison whose eyesight was so keen that they could see the +enemy's shot coming, and both were employed in the batteries +especially exposed to the enemy's fire, to warn the men to withdraw +themselves into shelter, when shot were coming.</p> +<p>This quickness of eyesight was altogether exceptional. Standing +behind a gun--and knowing, therefore, the exact course the shot +will take--it is comparatively easy for a quick-sighted man to +follow it; but there are few, indeed, who can see a shot coming +towards them. In this respect, the ear is a far better index than +the eye. A person possessed of a fair amount of nerve can judge, to +within a few yards, the line that a shot coming towards him will +take. When first heard, the sound is as a faint murmur; increasing, +as it approaches, to a sound resembling the blowing off of steam by +an express engine, as it rushes through a station. At first, the +keenest ear could not tell the direction in which the shot is +travelling but, as it approaches, the difference in the angle +becomes perceptible to the ear, and a calm listener will +distinguish whether it will pass within twenty or thirty yards, to +the right or left. It would require an extraordinary acute ear to +determine more closely than this, the angle of flight being so very +small, until the shot approaches almost within striking +distance.</p> +<p>The garrison had been trying experiments with carcasses and +red-hot shot. A carcass is a hollow shot, or shell, pierced with +holes; but instead of being charged with powder, to explode it +either by means of a fuse or by percussion, it is filled with a +fierce-burning composition so that, upon falling, it will set on +fire anything inflammable near it. Red-hot shot are fired by +putting a wet wad in over the dry wad, next to the powder. The +red-hot shot is then run into the gun, and rammed against the wet +wad; and the gun fired in the usual way. The carcasses several +times set fire to the enemy's works, but the use of the red-hot +shot was reserved for a pressing emergency. A number of furnaces +were constructed, in the various batteries, for heating the shot; +which necessarily required a considerable amount of time, to bring +them to a white heat.</p> +<p>News came, in April, that great preparations were making, at +Cadiz and other Mediterranean ports, for a fresh and vigorous +attack on Gibraltar; and that the Duc de Crillon--who had lately +captured Minorca--would bring twenty thousand French and Spanish +troops, in addition to those at present engaged in the siege; that +a large fleet would also be present, and that the principal attack +would be made by means of ships turned into floating batteries, and +protected by an immense thickness of cork, or other wood.</p> +<p>On the 9th of May, the ships began to arrive. Among them were +seven large vessels, which appeared to be old men-of-war. A large +number of workmen immediately went on board them, and began to +lower the topmasts. This confirmed the news in respect to the +floating batteries.</p> +<p>About this time, three store ships fortunately arrived from +England, with powder, shell, and other stores. As there could be no +longer any doubt that the attack was, this time, to be delivered on +the sea face; strong working parties were employed in strengthening +the water batteries, in erecting lines of palisades, to prevent a +landing from boats, and in building furnaces for the heating of +shot in these batteries, also. At this time the Engineers began to +drive a gallery through the Rock, facing the neutral ground, in +order to place guns there. This work was carried on to the end of +the siege, and the batteries thus erected are now among the +strongest of the defences of Gibraltar.</p> +<p>At the end of the month a great fleet, consisting of upwards of +a hundred sail, entered the bay and anchored off Algeciras. Some +nine or ten thousand troops were landed and, from that time, scarce +a day passed without fresh vessels, laden with stores and materials +for the siege, arriving in the bay.</p> +<p>Early in May twelve gunboats, that had been sent out in pieces +from England, were completed and launched. Each carried one gun, +and was manned by twenty-one men. Six of these drew their crews +from the Brilliant, five from the Porcupine, and one from the +Speedwell, cutter. These craft had been specially designed for the +purpose of engaging the enemy's gunboats, and for convoying ships +into the port.</p> +<p>On the 11th of June a shell from the enemy burst, just at the +door of one of the magazines of Willis's Battery. This instantly +blew up, and the explosion was so violent that it seemed to shake +the whole Rock. Fourteen men were killed, and fifteen wounded, and +a great deal of injury done to the battery; but strong parties at +once set to work to repair it. A few days later a French convoy of +sixty sail and three frigates anchored in the bay and, from these, +another five thousand French troops landed.</p> +<p>At the end of the month the Duc de Crillon arrived, and took +command of the besiegers. A private letter, that was brought in by +a privateer that had captured a merchantman, on her way, gave the +garrison an idea of the method in which the attack was to be made. +It stated that ten ships were to be fortified, six or seven feet +thick, with green timber bolted with iron, and covered with cork, +junk, and raw hides. They were to carry guns of heavy metal, and to +be bombproof on the top, with a descent for the shells to slide +off. These vessels, which they supposed would be impregnable, were +to be moored within half gunshot of the walls with iron chains; and +large boats, with mantlets, were to lie off at some distance, full +of troops ready to take advantage of occurrences; that the mantlets +of these boats were to be formed with hinges, to fall down to +facilitate their landing. There would, by that time, be forty +thousand men in camp, but the principal attack was to be made by +sea, to be covered by a squadron of men-of-war with bomb ketches, +floating batteries, gun and mortar boats, etc.; and that the Comte +D'Artois--brother to the King of France--with other great +personages, was to be present at the attack.</p> +<p>At this time the enemy fired but little, and the garrison were +able to turn their whole attention to strengthen the points most +threatened. The activity of the enemy on their offensive works on +the neutral ground continued and, in one night, a strong and lofty +work, five hundred yards long, with a communication thirteen +hundred yards long to the works, was raised. It was calculated that +ten thousand men, at least, must have been employed upon it; and no +less than a million and a half sandbags used in its +construction.</p> +<p>There could be no doubt, now, that the critical moment was +approaching; and that, ere long, the garrison would be exposed to +the most tremendous fire ever opened upon a besieged place.</p> +<h2><a name="Ch17" id="Ch17">Chapter 17</a>: The Floating +Batteries.</h2> +<p>In spite of the unremitting work, of the daily cannonade, of +illness and hardship, life on the Rock had not been unpleasant to +the O'Hallorans. Although many of the officers' wives had, at one +time or another, taken advantage of ships sailing from the port to +return home--or rather, to endeavour to do so, for a considerable +number of the vessels that left were captured by the Spaniards, +before getting through the Straits--there still remained sufficient +for agreeable society; and the O'Hallorans' was, more than any +other house, the general meeting place.</p> +<p>From its position in the hollow, it was sheltered from the fire +of all the shore batteries--whose long distance shots searched all +the lower parts of the Rock--while the resources of the +establishment enabled the O'Hallorans to afford an open-handed +hospitality that would have been wholly beyond the means of others. +They had long since given up selling any of their produce, +distributing all their surplus eggs among families where there was +illness, or sending them up to the hospitals; and doing the same +with their chickens, and vegetables. The greatest care was bestowed +upon the poultry, fresh broods being constantly raised, so that +they could kill eight or ten couple a week, and still keep up their +stock to its full strength. Thus, with gatherings two evenings a +week at their own house, and usually as many at the houses of their +friends; while Captain O'Halloran and Bob frequently dined at the +mess of their own, or other regiments, the time passed +pleasantly.</p> +<p>While Carrie was fully occupied with the care of the house, and +a general superintendence of what they called their farm; Bob was +never at a loss for amusement. There was always something to see, +some fresh work being executed, some fresh development in the +defences; while he was on terms of friendship with almost every +officer in the garrison. It was two years and a half since he had +come out, and he was now eighteen. His constant intercourse with +people older than himself, and with the officers of the garrison, +together with the exceptional position in which he found himself, +made him in some respects seem older than he was; but he still +retained his liveliness, and love of fun. His spirits never +flagged, and he was a general favourite with all who knew him.</p> +<p>On the 19th of August, a boat with a flag of truce brought in a +complimentary letter from the Duc de Crillon to the governor, +informing him of the arrival of the Comte D'Artois and the Duc de +Bourbon in his camp, and sending him a present of ice, fruit, +partridges, and other delicacies. The governor returned a letter in +similar complimentary terms, thanking the Duke for his letter and +the presents; but declining with thanks the supplies that had been +offered, saying that he never received, for himself, anything +beyond what was common to the garrison.</p> +<p>The sailors of the ships of war now pitched tents ashore, for +their use when they should be ordered to land to take part in the +defence; and the heavy guns were, for the most part, moved down +from the upper batteries to the sea lines. Day after day passed, +the bombardment being constantly expected; but the damage +inflicted, by fire, on the enemy's works by our carcasses delayed +the attack.</p> +<p>On the 8th of September a tremendous fire was suddenly opened, +with red hot shot and carcasses, upon the enemy's works. The Mahon +Battery was burned, while the San Carlos and San Marten Batteries +were so damaged that they had almost to be rebuilt. The enemy, as +on previous occasions, showed extreme bravery in their efforts to +extinguish the fire and to repair damages; and it was afterwards +known that the French troops, alone, had a hundred and forty killed +and wounded. The damage done probably convinced the Duc de Crillon +that no advantage could be hoped for by trying further to increase +his works and, at half past five next morning, a volley of sixty +shells was fired by their mortar batteries, followed by the +discharge of one hundred and seventy pieces of heavy artillery.</p> +<p>This tremendous fire was kept up for some time, while nine +line-of-battle ships, supported by fifteen gun and mortar boats, +passed to and fro along the sea face, pouring in their fire upon +us. At nightfall the enemy's guns ceased firing, but their mortars +kept up their shell fire all night. The next day the ships of war +renewed their attack, as did the land batteries. In the course of +the day the Brilliant and Porcupine frigates were scuttled by the +navy, alongside the New Mole, and their crews landed.</p> +<p>On the following day the enemy's fire was principally directed +against the barrier and chevaux de frise in front of the land port +and, in the afternoon, these barriers and palisades were all in +flames; and the troops at that end of the Rock got under arms, in +case an attack should be made.</p> +<p>On the morning of the 12th the combined fleets of France and +Spain, consisting of thirty-eight men-of-war, three frigates, and a +number of smaller craft, sailed into the bay and anchored near +Algeciras. Their fleet now consisted of forty-seven men-of-war, ten +battering ships--considered invincible, and carrying two hundred +and twelve guns--and innumerable frigates and small ships of war; +while on the land side were batteries mounting two hundred heavy +guns, and an army of forty thousand men. Tremendous odds, indeed, +against a fortress whose garrison consisted of seven thousand +effective men, including the Marine Brigade.</p> +<p>For some days past Bob had been engaged, with their landlord and +some hired labourers, in bringing in earth and filling up the lower +rooms four feet deep, in order to render the cellars bomb proof. +Some beds and furniture were taken below, so that Carrie, the +servants, and the Spanish family could retire there, in case the +enemy's shells fell thickly round the house.</p> +<p>It was noticed as a curious incident that, just as the combined +fleet entered the bay an eagle, after circling round it, perched +for a few minutes upon the summit of the flag post, on the highest +point of the Rock; an omen of victory which would have been +considered decisive, by the Romans, and which did, in fact, help to +raise the spirits and confidence of the garrison.</p> +<p>On the morning of the 13th the enemy's battering ships got under +way, with a gentle breeze from the northwest and, at a little past +nine o'clock anchored, in admirable order, in line of the sea face. +The nearest was about nine hundred yards from the King's Bastion, +the most distant being about eleven hundred yards. Not a shot was +fired before the enemy anchored, and then the whole of the +batteries that commanded them opened fire, to which the battering +ships and the artillery in their lines at once replied.</p> +<p>Bob was standing on the roof of the house, with his sister.</p> +<p>"What a magnificent sight, Carrie!" he exclaimed. "It is well +worth all the waiting, to be here to see it."</p> +<p>"It is terrible!" Carrie said. "It is like one great roar of +thunder. How awfully the men must be suffering, in the +batteries!"</p> +<p>"I don't suppose it is as bad as it looks," Bob said. "At any +rate, you needn't be uneasy about Gerald. All the troops except +those working the guns are in shelter, and won't be called out +unless the enemy attempt to land.</p> +<p>"I wonder their fleet don't come across, to help their +batteries. I suppose they are afraid of the carcasses, and red hot +shot.</p> +<p>"Well, there is one comfort, Carrie: none of their shot are +coming this way. Their floating batteries, evidently, are firing +only at our batteries by the water. As to the others, we know that +we are safe enough from them though, certainly, the shot do make a +most unpleasant noise as they fly overhead.</p> +<p>"I wish there was a little more wind, to blow away the smoke, so +that we could see what effect our fire is having on those hulks. I +shouldn't think that we had begun with red hot shot, yet. It takes +three hours to get them hot enough. As far as I can see, whenever +the wind blows the smoke away a little, our shot and shell roll off +the roofs and sides, without doing any damage to speak of."</p> +<p>About noon the enemy's mortar boats and ketches attempted to +come across, and assist their battering ships; but the wind had +changed and had worked round to the southwest, blowing a smart +breeze and bringing in a heavy swell, so that they were prevented +from taking part in the action. Our own gunboats were hindered, by +the same cause, from putting out and opening a flanking fire upon +the battering ships.</p> +<p>The northern batteries, by the water, suffered heavily from the +fire of the Spanish lines; which took them in flank and, indeed, +some of the batteries in reverse, causing many casualties. The +Artillery, however, refused to let their attention be diverted from +the battering ships.</p> +<p>By two o'clock the furnaces had heated the shot in all the +batteries and, although some of them had been firing these missiles +for upwards of an hour, it was not until two that their use became +general. Soon afterwards--when the wind cleared away the smoke from +the ships--men could be seen on their sloping roofs, directing +streams of water from the pumps upon small wreaths of smoke that +curled up, here and there. Up to this time, the defenders had begun +to fear that the craft were indeed as invulnerable as the Spaniards +believed them to be; but these evidences that the red hot shot were +doing their work greatly roused their spirits, and cheers +frequently rose, as the men toiled at their heavy guns.</p> +<p>As the afternoon went on, the smoke from the upper part of the +Spanish admiral's flagship rose more and more thickly and, although +numbers of men continued to bring up and throw water over the +roof--working with extraordinary bravery, in spite of the hail of +projectiles poured upon them--it was clear that the fire was making +steady progress.</p> +<p>Bob had, long before this, gone down to the works by the sea +face--where considerable bodies of troops were lying, in the +bombproof casemates, in readiness for action if called upon--and +from time to time he went out with Captain O'Halloran, and other +officers, to see how matters were going on.</p> +<p>In sheltered places behind the batteries, some of the surgeons +were at work; temporarily binding up the wounds of artillerymen +struck with shell, or splinters; after which they were carried, by +stretcher parties of the infantry, up to the hospitals. Dr. Burke +was thus engaged, in the battery where his regiment was stationed. +He had, since the first bombardment commenced, ceased to complain +of the want of opportunities for exercising himself in his +professional work; and had been indefatigable in his attendance on +the wounded. Among them he was an immense favourite. He had a word, +and a joke, for every man who came under his hands; while his +confident manner and cheery talk kept up the spirits of the men. He +was, too, a very skilful operator; and many of the poor fellows in +hospital had urgently requested that, if they must lose a limb, it +should be under the hands of Dr. Burke.</p> +<p>"It is much better to make men laugh, than to make them cry," he +would say to Bob. "It is half the battle gained, when you can keep +up a patient's spirit. It is wonderful how some of them stand pain. +The hard work they have been doing is all in their favour."</p> +<p>Bob several times went out to him, and assisted him as far as he +could, by handing him bandages, sponges, etc.</p> +<p>"You ought to have been an assistant, from the beginning, Bob," +he said. "By this time you would have been quite a decent +surgeon--only you have a silly way of turning pale. There, hand me +that bandage.</p> +<p>"All right, my man! We will have you patched up in no time.</p> +<p>"No, I don't think you can go back to your gun again. You will +have to eat and drink a bit, and make fresh blood, before you will +be much use at a thirty-two pounder again.</p> +<p>"What is this--a scalp wound? Splinter of a shell, eh? Well, it +is lucky for you, lad, that you have been hardening your skull a +bit, before you enlisted. A few clips from a blackthorn are capital +preparation. I don't think you will come to much harm. You are not +more hurt than you would be in a good, lively faction fight.</p> +<p>"There, you had better put down that sponge, Bob, and go into +the casemate, for a bit. You are getting white again.</p> +<p>"I think we are over the worst now; for if, as you tell me, the +smoke is beginning to come up from some of those floating +batteries, their fire will soon slacken a bit. As long as they keep +out the shot, those defences of theirs are first rate but, as soon +as the shot begin to embed themselves in the roof, they are worse +than nothing--for they can neither dig out the shot, nor get at +them with the water. Once establish a fire, and it is pretty sure +to spread."</p> +<p>Bob was glad to get back again into the bombproof casemates; for +there was comparative quiet while, outside, the constant roar of +the guns, the howl of shot, the explosion of shell, and the crash +of masonry created a din that was almost bewildering.</p> +<p>Presently a cheer was heard in the battery, and Bob went out to +see what it was; and returned with the news that the ship next to +the Spanish admiral's was also smoking, in several places. As the +afternoon went on, confusion was apparent on board several of the +battering ships and, by the evening, their fire had slackened +considerably. Before eight o'clock it had almost entirely ceased, +except from one or two ships to the northward of the line which, +being somewhat farther from the shore, had suffered less than the +others.</p> +<p>At sunset the Artillery in our batteries were relieved--the +Naval Brigade taking their place--and the fire was continued, +without relaxation. As soon as it became dark, rockets were fired +by several of the battering ships. These were answered by the +Spanish men-of-war, and many boats rowed across to the floating +batteries. By ten o'clock the flames began to burst out from the +admiral's battering ship and, by midnight, she was completely in +flames. The light assisted our gunners--who were able to lay their +cannon with as much accuracy as during the daytime--and the whole +Rock was illuminated by the flames. These presently burst out, +vigorously, from the next ship and, between three and four o'clock, +points of light appeared upon six of the other hulks.</p> +<p>At three o'clock Brigadier Curtis--who commanded the Naval +Brigade encamped at Europa Point--finding that the sea had gone +down, manned the gunboats and, rowing out for some distance, opened +a heavy flanking fire upon the battering ships; compelling the +boats that were lying in shelter behind them to retire. As the day +broke he captured two of the enemy's launches and, finding from the +prisoners that there were still numbers of men on board the hulks, +rowed out to rescue them. While he was employed at this work, at +five o'clock, one of the battering ships to the northward blew up, +with a tremendous explosion and, a quarter of an hour later, +another in the centre of the line also blew up. The wreck was +scattered over a wide extent of water.</p> +<p>One of the gunboats was sunk, and another seriously injured; and +the Brigadier, fearing other explosions, ordered the boats to draw +off towards the town. On the way, however, he visited two of the +other burning ships; and rescued some more of those left +behind--landing, in all, nine officers, two priests, and three +hundred and thirty-four soldiers and seamen. Besides these, one +officer and eleven Frenchmen had floated ashore, the evening +before, on the shattered fragments of a launch.</p> +<p>While the boats in the navy were thus endeavouring to save their +foes, the land batteries--which had ceased firing on the previous +evening--again opened on the garrison; but as, from some of the +camps, the boats could be perceived at their humane work, orders +were despatched to the batteries to cease fire; and a dead silence +succeeded the din that had gone on for nearly twenty-four +hours.</p> +<p>Of the six battering ships still in flames, three blew up before +eleven o'clock. The other three burned to the water's edge--the +magazines having been drowned, by the Spaniards, before they left +the ships in their boats. The garrison hoped that the two remaining +battering ships might be saved, to be sent home as trophies of the +victory but, about noon, one of them suddenly burst into flames, +and presently blew up. The other was examined by the men-of-war +boats, and found to be so injured that she could not be saved. She +was accordingly set fire to, and also destroyed. Thus, the whole of +the ten vessels, that were considered by their constructors to be +invincible, were destroyed.</p> +<p>The loss of the enemy, in killed and prisoners, was estimated at +two thousand; while the casualties of the garrison were +astonishingly small, consisting only of one officer and fifteen +non-commissioned officers and men killed, and five officers and +sixty-three men wounded. Very little damage was done to the works. +It is supposed that the smoke enveloping the vessels prevented +accurate aim. The chief object of the attack was to silence the +King's Bastion and, upon this, two of the largest ships +concentrated their fire; while the rest endeavoured to effect a +breach in the wall between that battery, and the battery next to +it.</p> +<p>The enemy had three hundred heavy cannon engaged, while the +garrison had a hundred and six cannon and mortars. The distance at +which the batteries were moored from the shore was greatly in +favour of the efforts of our artillery; as the range was almost +point blank, and the guns did not require to be elevated. Thus, the +necessity for using two wads between the powder and the red-hot +balls was obviated, and the gunners were able to fire much more +rapidly than they would otherwise have done. The number of the +Spanish soldiers on board the battery ships was 5260, in addition +to the sailors required to work the ships.</p> +<p>Great activity was manifested, by the Spaniards, on the day +following the failure of their bombardment; and large numbers of +men were employed in bringing up fresh ammunition to their +batteries. Many of the men-of-war also got under way. Major +Harcourt, Doctor Burke, and two or three other officers stood +watching the movements from the O'Hallorans' terrace.</p> +<p>"I should have thought that they had had enough of it," Doctor +Burke said. "If those battering ships couldn't withstand our fire, +what chance would their men-of-war have?</p> +<p>"See! They are just as busy on the land side, and the 71st has +been ordered to send down extra guards to the land port. I should +have thought they had given it up, as a bad job, this time."</p> +<p>"I have no doubt they have given it up, doctor," Major Harcourt +said; "but they are not likely to say so, just yet. After all the +preparations that have been made; and the certainty expressed, +about our capture, by the allied armies and navies of France and +Spain; and having two or three royal princes down here, to grace +the victory; you don't suppose they are going to acknowledge to the +world that they are beaten. I should have thought you would have +known human nature better than that, doctor.</p> +<p>"You will see De Crillon will send a pompous report of the +affair; saying that the battering ships were found, owing to faults +in their construction, to be of far less utility than had been +expected and that, therefore, they had been burned. They had, +however, inflicted enormous loss upon the garrison and defences; +and the siege would now be taken up by the army and fleet, and +vigorously pushed to a successful termination.</p> +<p>"That will be the sort of thing, I would bet a month's pay. The +last thing a Spanish commander will confess is that he is beaten; +and I think it likely enough that they will carry on the siege for +months, yet, so as to keep up appearances. In fact, committed as +they are to it, I don't see how they can give it up, without making +themselves the laughingstock of Europe. But, now that they find +they have no chance of getting the object for which they went to +war, I fancy you will see, before very long, they will begin to +negotiate for peace."</p> +<p>The major's anticipations were verified. For some time the siege +was carried on with considerable vigour--from a thousand to twelve +hundred shots being fired, daily, into the fortress. Their works on +the neutral ground were pushed forward; and an attempt was made, at +night, to blow out a portion of the face of the Rock, by placing +powder in a cave--but the attempt was detected.</p> +<p>The position of the garrison became more comfortable after a +British fleet arrived, with two more regiments and a large convoy +of merchantmen; but nothing of any importance took place till, on +the 2d of February, 1782, the Duc de Crillon sent in to say that +the preliminaries of a general peace had been signed, by Great +Britain, France, and Spain and, three days later, the blockade at +sea was discontinued, and the port of Gibraltar again open.</p> +<p>Bob Repton, however, was not present at the concluding scenes of +the great drama. Satisfied, after the failure of the bombardment, +that there would be no more serious fighting, and that the interest +of the siege was at an end; he took advantage of the arrival of the +Antelope in the bay, a few days after the engagement, to return in +her to England. He had now been two years and eight months on the +Rock, and felt that he ought to go home, to take his place with his +uncle.</p> +<p>He had benefited greatly by his stay in Gibraltar. He had +acquired the Spanish language thoroughly and, in other respects, +had carried on his studies under the direction of Doctor Burke; and +had employed much of his leisure time with instructive reading. +Mixing so much with the officers of the garrison, he had acquired a +good manner and address. He had been present at the most memorable +siege of the times, and had gained the credit of having--though but +a volunteer--his name twice placed in general orders for good +services. He had landed a school boy; he was now a well-built young +fellow, of medium height and powerful frame; but he had retained +his boyish, frank good humour, and his love of fun.</p> +<p>"I trust that we shall be back in England, before long," his +sister said to him. "Everyone expects that Spain will make peace, +before many months are over, and it is likely that the regiments +who have gone through the hardships of the siege will soon be +relieved; so I hope that, in a year or two, we may be ordered home +again."</p> +<p>There was a great deal of regret expressed, when it was known +that Bob Repton was going home; for he had always been ready to do +any acts of kindness in his power--especially to children, of whom +he was very fond--and it was not forgotten that his daring +enterprise, in going out alone to fetch in fruit, had saved many of +their lives. Amy Harcourt's eyes were very red, when he went up to +say goodbye to her and her mother, an hour before he sailed; and +the farewells were spoken with quivering lips.</p> +<p>The Antelope evaded the enemy's cruisers near the Rock, and made +a quick passage to England, without adventure. She had made two or +three good prizes, up the Spanish coast, before she put into +Gibraltar on her way home. Captain Lockett, therefore, did not go +out of his way to look for more.</p> +<p>On arriving at Portsmouth, Bob at once went up to London by +coach. He had no lack of clothes, having purchased the effects of +an officer, of nearly his own build and stature, who had been +killed a short time before. On alighting from the coach he walked +to Philpot Lane, and went straight into the counting house. His old +acquaintance, Jack Medlin, was sitting on the stool his father had +formerly occupied; and Bob was greatly amused at the air of gravity +on his face.</p> +<p>"Do you wish to see Mr. Bale, or Mr. Medlin, sir?" he asked, "Or +can I take your orders?"</p> +<p>"You are a capital imitator of your father, Jack," Bob said, as +he brought his hand down heavily on the shoulder of the young +clerk; who stared at him in astonishment.</p> +<p>"Why, it is Bob--I mean, Mr. Repton!" he exclaimed.</p> +<p>"It's Bob Repton, Jack, sure enough; and glad I am to see you. +Why, it is nearly three years since we met; and we have both +altered a good bit, since then.</p> +<p>"Well, is my uncle in?"</p> +<p>"No, he is out, at present; but my father is in the inner +office."</p> +<p>Bob strode into the inner office, and greeted Mr. Medlin as +heartily as he had done his son; and Mr. Medlin, for the first time +since he had entered Philpot Lane, as a boy, forgot that he was +within the sacred precincts of the city and, for at least ten +minutes, laughed and talked as freely and unrestrainedly as if he +had been out at Highgate.</p> +<p>"Your uncle will be delighted to see you back," he said. "He is +for ever talking about you; and there wasn't a prouder man in the +city of London than he was, when the despatches were published and +your name appeared, twice, as having rendered great service. He +became a little afraid, at one time, that you might take to +soldiering, altogether. But I told him that I thought there was no +fear of that. After you had once refused to take a midshipman's +berth--with its prospect of getting away from school--I did not +think it likely that you would be tempted, now."</p> +<p>"No; the General told Captain O'Halloran that he would get me a +commission, if I liked; but I had not the least ambition that way. +I have had a fine opportunity of seeing war, and have had a jolly +time of it; and now I am quite ready to settle down, here."</p> +<p>Mr. Bale was delighted, on his return, to find Bob. It was just +the hour for closing, and he insisted upon Mr. Medlin stopping to +take supper with him. Bob had written, whenever there was an +opportunity of sending letters; but many of these had never come to +hand, and there was much to tell, and talk about.</p> +<p>"Well, I am thoroughly satisfied with the success of our +experiment, Mr. Medlin," Mr. Bale said, next day. "Bob has turned +out exactly what I hoped he would--a fine young fellow, and a +gentleman. He has excellent manners, and yet there is nothing +foppish, or affected about him."</p> +<p>"I had no fear of that, with Bob, Mr. Bale; and indeed, +Gibraltar during the siege must have been a bad school for anyone +to learn that sort of thing. Military men may amuse themselves with +follies of that kind, when they have nothing better to do; but it +is thrown aside, and their best qualities come out, when they have +such work to do as they have had there.</p> +<p>"Yes, I agree with you, sir. The experiment has turned out +capitally; and your nephew is, in every respect, a far better man +than he would have been, if he had been kept mewed up here these +three years. He is a young fellow that anyone--I don't care who he +is--might feel proud of."</p> +<p>So Bob took up his duties in the office, and his only complaint +there was that he could hardly find enough to do. Mr. Bale had +relaxed his close attention to the business, since he had taken Mr. +Medlin into the firm; but as that gentleman was perfectly capable +of carrying it on, single handed, Bob's share of it was easy +enough. It was not long before he complained to his uncle that he +really did not find enough to do.</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, you shall come down with me to a place I have +bought, out by Chislehurst. It is a tidy little estate. I bought it +a year ago. It is a nice distance from town--just a pleasant ride, +or drive, up. I am thinking of moving my establishment down there, +altogether; and as you will have it some day, I should like your +opinion of it. It isn't quite ready, yet. I have been having it +thoroughly done up, but the men will be out in a week or two."</p> +<p>Bob was greatly pleased with the house, which was a fine one, +and very pleasantly situated, in large grounds.</p> +<p>"There are seventy or eighty acres of land," Mr. Bale said. +"They are let to a farmer, at present. He only has them by the +year; and I think it will be an amusement to you to take them in +hand, and look after them yourself. I know a good many people +living about here, and I have no doubt we shall have quite as much +society as we care for."</p> +<p>Another month and they were established at Chislehurst, and Bob +found the life there very pleasant. He generally drove his uncle up +to town in the morning; getting to the office at ten o'clock, and +leaving it at five in the afternoon. On his return home there was +the garden to see about, and the stables. Very often his uncle +brought a city friend or two home with him, for the night; and they +soon had a large circle of acquaintances in the neighbourhood.</p> +<p>"I should like you to marry young, Bob," Mr. Bale said to him +one day. "I did not marry young; and so, you see, I have never +married at all; and have wasted my life shockingly, in consequence. +When you are ready to marry, I am ready to give you the means. +Don't forget that."</p> +<p>"I won't forget it, sir," Bob said, smiling; "and I will try to +meet your wishes."</p> +<p>Mr. Bale looked at him sharply. Carrie's letters were long and +chatty; and it may be that Mr. Bale had gleaned, from them, some +notion of an idea that Carrie and Mrs. Harcourt had in their +heads.</p> +<p>Three years later Mr. Bale remarked, as they were driving +home:</p> +<p>"By the way, Bob, I was glad to see, in the paper today, that +the 58th is ordered home."</p> +<p>"Is it, sir?" Bob asked, eagerly. "I have not looked at the +paper today. I am glad to hear that. I thought it wouldn't be long. +But there is never any saying--they might have been sent somewhere +else, instead of being sent home."</p> +<p>"I hope they will be quartered somewhere within reach," Mr. Bale +said. "If they are stationed at Cork, or some outlandish place in +Ireland, they might almost as well be at Gibraltar, for anything we +shall see of them."</p> +<p>"Oh, we can manage to run over to Cork, uncle."</p> +<p>"There will be no occasion to do that, Bob. Captain O'Halloran +will be getting leave, soon after he comes over, and then he can +bring Carrie here."</p> +<p>And he smiled slily to himself.</p> +<p>"He mayn't be able to get leave for some time," Bob said. "I +think, uncle, I shall run over, directly they arrive."</p> +<p>"Perhaps the firm won't be able to spare you," Mr. Bale +remarked.</p> +<p>"It is my opinion the firm would get on just as well, without +me, for an indefinite time, uncle."</p> +<p>"Not at all, Bob. Mr. Medlin was saying, only a few days ago, +that you do quite your share of the work; and that he generally +leaves it to you, now, to see country customers when I am out, and +thinks the change has been an advantage to the business. However, +if the regiment does go to Ireland--as is likely enough--I suppose +we must manage to spare you."</p> +<p>It was indeed soon known that the 58th were, in the first place, +to be disembarked at Cork and, one day, Mr. Bale came into the +office.</p> +<p>"I have just seen your friend Lockett, Bob; I mean the younger +one. He commands the Antelope now, you know. His uncle has retired, +and bought a place near Southampton, and settled down there. Young +Lockett came up from Portsmouth by the night coach. He put in at +Gibraltar on his way home, and the 58th were to embark three days +after he left. So if you want to meet them when they arrive at +Cork, you had better lose no time; but start by the night coach for +Bristol, and cross in the packet from there."</p> +<p>It was a month before Bob returned. The evening that he did so, +he said to his uncle:</p> +<p>"I think, uncle, you said that you were anxious that I should +marry young."</p> +<p>"That is so, Bob," Mr. Bale said, gravely.</p> +<p>"Well, uncle, I have been doing my best to carry out your +wishes."</p> +<p>"You don't mean to say, Bob," Mr. Bale said, in affected alarm, +"that you are going to marry a soldier's daughter?"</p> +<p>"Well, yes, sir," Bob said, a little taken aback; "but I don't +know how you guessed it. It is a young lady I knew in +Gibraltar."</p> +<p>"What, Bob! Not that girl who went running about with you, +dressed up as a boy?"</p> +<p>As this was a portion of his adventures upon which Bob had been +altogether reticent, he sat for a moment, confounded.</p> +<p>"Don't be ashamed of it, Bob," Mr. Bale said, with a smile, +laying his hand kindly on his shoulder. "Your sister Carrie is an +excellent young woman, and it is not difficult to read her thoughts +in her letters. Of course, she told me about your adventure with +Miss Harcourt, and she has mentioned her a good many times, since; +and it did not need a great deal of discernment to see what +Carrie's opinion was regarding the young lady. Carrie has her weak +points--as, for example, when she took up with that wild +Irishman--but she has plenty of good sense; and I am sure, by the +way she wrote about this Miss Harcourt, that she must be a very +charming girl; and I think, Bob, I have been looking forward almost +as much, to the regiment coming home, as you have.</p> +<p>"Regarding you as I do, as my son, there is nothing I should +like so much as having a bright, pretty daughter-in-law; so you +have my hearty consent and approval, even before you ask for +it.</p> +<p>"And you found her very nice, Bob--eh?"</p> +<p>"Very nice, sir," Bob said, smiling.</p> +<p>"And very pretty, Bob?"</p> +<p>"Very pretty, sir. I never thought that she would have grown up +so pretty."</p> +<p>"And her head has not been turned by the compliments that she +has, of course, received?"</p> +<p>"I don't think so, sir. She said her mind has been made up, ever +since I brought her back to Gibraltar; so you see, the compliments +did not go for much."</p> +<p>"Well, Bob, I will write to Major Harcourt. I shall hand you +over this place, altogether, and settle down in my old quarters in +Philpot Lane."</p> +<p>"No, no, sir," Bob said.</p> +<p>"But I say yes, Bob. I shall keep a room here, and I dare say I +shall often use it. But I have been rather like a fish out of +water, since I came here, and shall be well content to fall into my +old ways again; knowing that, if I want any change, and bright +society, I can come down here. If I find I am restless there--which +is not likely--I can buy a little place, and settle down beside +you. As I told you long ago, I am a rich man--I have been doing +nothing but save money, all my life--and though, as I then said, I +should like you to carry on the firm, after I am gone; there will, +as far as money goes, be no occasion for you to do so."</p> +<p>Two months later the three members of the firm went over to +Cork, and there a gay wedding was celebrated; and when, at the +termination of the honeymoon, Bob returned to Chislehurst, he found +Captain O'Halloran and Carrie established there on a month's leave +and, a day or two later, the party was increased by the arrival of +Doctor Burke.</p> +<p>Mr. Bale lived for twenty years after Bob's marriage; the last +fifteen of which were passed in a little place he bought, adjoining +that of the Reptons and, before he died, he saw four +grandchildren--as he called them--fast growing up.</p> +<p>General and Mrs. Harcourt also settled down in the +neighbourhood, to be near their only daughter, a few years before +Mr. Bale's death.</p> +<p>Doctor Burke remained with the regiment for some years, and then +bought a practice in Dublin but, to the end of his life, he paid a +visit every three or four years to his former pupil.</p> +<p>Captain O'Halloran obtained the rank of colonel but, losing an +arm at the capture of Martinique, in 1794, he retired from the army +and settled at Woolwich--where Carrie was within easy reach of +Chislehurst--having his pension, and a comfortable income which Mr. +Bale settled upon Carrie. At Mr. Bale's death, it was found that he +had left his house at Chislehurst to Carrie; and she and her +husband accordingly established themselves there.</p> +<p>Bob, to the end of his life, declared that--although in all +things he had been an exceptionally happy, and fortunate man--the +most fortunate occurrence that ever happened to him was that he +should have taken part in the famous Siege of Gibraltar.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 21788-h.txt or 21788-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/7/8/21788">http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/7/8/21788</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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A. Henty, +Illustrated by Gordon Browne + + +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: Held Fast For England + A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83) + + +Author: G. A. Henty + + + +Release Date: June 9, 2007 [eBook #21788] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND*** + + +E-text prepared by Martin Robb + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 21788-h.htm or 21788-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/7/8/21788/21788-h/21788-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/7/8/21788/21788-h.zip) + + + + + +HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND: + +A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83) + +by + +G. A. HENTY. + + + + + + + +Contents + + Preface. + Chapter 1: "Something Like An Adventure." + Chapter 2: A Great Change. + Chapter 3: An Unexpected Journey. + Chapter 4: Preparations For A Voyage. + Chapter 5: A French Privateer. + Chapter 6: The Rock Fortress. + Chapter 7: Troubles Ahead. + Chapter 8: The Siege Begins. + Chapter 9: The Antelope. + Chapter 10: A Cruise In A Privateer. + Chapter 11: Cutting Out A Prize. + Chapter 12: A Rich Prize. + Chapter 13: Oranges And Lemons. + Chapter 14: A Welcome Cargo. + Chapter 15: Bob's Mission. + Chapter 16: A Cruise In The Brilliant. + Chapter 17: The Floating Batteries. + + + +Illustrations + + Bob and his Companions surprise the Burglars. + View of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean. + View of Gibraltar from the Bay. + The Professor gets excited. + The Rock and Bay of Gibraltar. + 'The old gentleman is a brick,' exclaimed Gerald. + Bob swims off to the Spanish Warship. + They found the two Spanish mates playing at cards. + They find Boxes of Silver in the Lazaretto. + Bob receives a Commission from the Governor. + + + +Preface. + + +The Siege of Gibraltar stands almost alone in the annals of +warfare, alike in its duration and in the immense preparations +made, by the united powers of France and Spain, for the capture of +the fortress. A greater number of guns were employed than in any +operation up to that time; although in number, and still more in +calibre, the artillery then used have in, modern times, been thrown +into the shade by the sieges of Sebastopol and Paris. Gibraltar +differs, however, from these sieges, inasmuch as the defence was a +successful one and, indeed, at no period of the investment was the +fortress in any danger of capture, save by hunger. + +At that period England was not, as she afterwards became, +invincible by sea; and as we were engaged at the same time in war +with France, Spain, Holland, and the United States, it was only +occasionally that a fleet could be spared to bring succour and +provisions to the beleaguered garrison. Scurvy was the direst enemy +of the defenders. The art of preserving meat in tins had not been +discovered, and they were forced to subsist almost entirely upon +salt meat. During the first year of the siege the supply of fresh +vegetables was scanty, in the extreme, and the garrison +consequently suffered so severely, from scurvy, that at one time +scarcely half of the men of the garrison were strong enough to +carry a firelock, and perform their duty. The providential capture +of a vessel laden with oranges and lemons checked the ravages of +the scourge; and the successful efforts of the garrison to raise +vegetables prevented it from ever, afterwards, getting a firm hold +upon them. + +In such a siege there was but little scope for deeds of individual +gallantry. It was a long monotony of hardship and suffering, nobly +endured, and terminating in one of the greatest triumphs ever +recorded in the long roll of British victories. + +G. A. Henty. + + + +Chapter 1: "Something Like An Adventure." + + +Had Mr. Tulloch, the headmaster and proprietor of a large school at +Putney, been asked which was the most troublesome boy in his +school, he would probably have replied, without hesitation, "Bob +Repton." + +But, being a just and fair-minded man, he would have hastened to +qualify this remark, by adding: + +"Most troublesome, but by no means the worst boy. You must +understand that. He is always in scrapes, always in mischief. In +all my experience I have never before come across a boy who had +such an aptitude for getting into trouble; but I have nothing else +to say against him. He is straightforward and manly. I have never +known him to tell a lie, to screen himself. He is an example to +many others in that way. I like the boy, in spite of the endless +trouble he gives, and yet there is scarcely a day passes that I am +not obliged to cane him; and even that does him no good, as far as +I can see, for he seems to forget it, five minutes after it is +over. I wonder, sometimes, if he has really got hardened, and +doesn't feel it. + +"He is sharp, and does his lessons well. I have no difficulty with +him, on that score; but he is a perfect imp of mischief." + +With such characteristics, it need hardly be said that Bob Repton +was one of the most popular boys at Tulloch's school. + +School life was, in those days--for it was in August, 1778, that +Bob was at Tulloch's--a very different thing to what it is, at +present. Learning was thrashed into boys. It was supposed that it +could only be instilled in this manner; and although some masters +were, of course, more tyrannical and brutal than others, the cane +was everywhere in use, and that frequently. Lads, then, had far +less liberty and fewer sports than at present; but as boys' spirits +cannot be altogether suppressed, even by the use of the cane, they +found vent in other ways, and there was much more mischief, and +more breaking out of bounds, than now take place. Boys were less +trusted, and more harshly treated; in consequence of which there +was a kind of warfare between the masters and the boys, in which +the masters, in spite of their canes, did not always get the best +of it. + +Bob Repton was nearly fifteen. He was short, rather than tall for +his age, but squarely built and strong. His hair could never be got +to lie down, but bristled aggressively over his head. His nose was +inclined to turn up, his gray eyes had a merry, mischievous +expression, and his lips were generally parted in a smile. A casual +observer would have said that he was a happy-go-lucky, merry, +impudent-looking lad; but he was more than this. He was shrewd, +intelligent, and exceptionally plucky; always ready to do a good +turn to others, and to take more than his fair share of blame, for +every scrape he got into. He had fought many battles, and that with +boys older than himself, but he had never been beaten. The opinion, +generally, among the boys was that he did not feel pain and, being +caned so frequently, such punishment as he got in a fight was a +mere trifle to him. + +He was a thorn in the side of Mr. Purfleet, the usher who was +generally in charge of the playground; who had learned by long +experience that, whenever Bob Repton was quiet, he was certain to +be planning some special piece of mischief. The usher was sitting +now on a bench, with a book in his hand; but his attention was, at +present, directed to a group of four boys who had drawn together in +a corner of the playground. + +"There is Repton, again," he said to himself. "I wonder what he is +plotting, now. That boy will be the death of me. I am quite sure it +was he who put that eel in my bed, last week; though of course, I +could not prove it." + +Mr. Purfleet prided himself on his nerve. He had been telling the +boys some stories he had read of snakes, in India; among them, one +of an officer who, when seated at table, had felt a snake winding +itself round his leg, and who sat for several minutes without +moving, until some friends brought a saucer of milk and placed it +near, when the snake uncurled itself and went to drink. + +"It must have required a lot of nerve, Mr. Purfleet," Bob Repton +had said, "to sit as quiet as that." + +"Not at all, not at all," the usher replied, confidently. "It was +the natural thing to do. A man should always be calm, in case of +sudden danger, Bob. The first thought in his mind should be, 'What +is this?' the second, 'What had best be done, under the +circumstances?' and, these two things being decided, a man of +courage will deal coolly with the danger. I should despise myself, +if I were to act otherwise." + +It was two nights later that the usher, having walked down between +the two rows of beds in the dormitory, and seeing that all the boys +were quiet, and apparently asleep, proceeded to his own bed, which +was at the end of the room, and partly screened off from the rest +by a curtain. No sooner did he disappear behind this than half a +dozen heads were raised. An oil lamp burned at the end of the room, +affording light for the usher to undress; and enabling him, as he +lay in bed, to command a general, if somewhat faint view of the +dormitory. Five minutes after Mr. Purfleet had disappeared behind +the curtain, the watching eyes saw the clothes at the end of the +bed pulled down, and caught a partial view of Mr. Purfleet as he +climbed in. A second later there was a yell of terror, and the +usher leapt from the bed. Instantly, the dormitory was in an +uproar. + +"What is it, Mr. Purfleet--what is the matter, sir?" and several of +the boys sprang from their beds, and ran towards him; the only +exceptions to the general excitement being the four or five who +were in the secret. These lay shaking with suppressed laughter, +with the bedclothes or the corner of a pillow thrust into their +mouths, to prevent them from breaking out into screams of delight. + +"What is it, sir?" + +It was some time before the usher could recover himself +sufficiently to explain. + +"There is a snake in my bed," he said. + +"A snake!" the boys repeated, in astonishment, several of the more +timid at once making off to their beds. + +"Certainly, a snake," Mr. Purfleet panted. "I put my legs down, and +they came against something cold, and it began to twist about. In a +moment, if I had not leapt out, I should no doubt have received a +fatal wound." + +"Where did it come from?" + +"What is to be done?" + +And a variety of other questions burst from the boys. + +"I will run down and get three or four hockey sticks, Mr. +Purfleet," one of the elder boys said. + +"That will be the best plan, Mason. Quick, quick! There, do you see +it moving, under the clothes?" + +There was certainly something wriggling, so there was a general +movement back from the bed. + +"We had better hold the clothes down, Mr. Purfleet," Bob Repton +said, pushing himself forward. "If it were to crawl out at the top, +and get on to the floor, it might bite a dozen of us. I will hold +the clothes down tight, on one side, if someone will hold them on +the other." + +One of the other boys came forward, and the clothes were stretched +tightly across the bed, by the pillow. In a minute or two, Mason +ran up with four hockey sticks. + +"Now, you must be careful," Mr. Purfleet said, "because if it +should get out, the consequences might be terrible. Now, then, four +of you take the sticks, and all hit together, as hard as you +can--now." + +The sticks descended together. There was a violent writhing and +contortion beneath the clothes, but the blows rained down fast and, +in a very short time, all movement ceased. + +"It must be dead, now," Bob Repton said. "I think we can look at it +now, sir." + +"Well, draw the clothes down very gently; boys, and be ready to +strike again, if you see the least movement." + +The clothes were drawn down, till the creature was visible. + +"It must be a cobra," the usher said, looking at it from a +distance. "It is thick and short. It must have escaped from +somewhere. Be very careful, all of you." + +Mason approached cautiously, to get a nearer view; and then +exclaimed: + +"Why, sir, it is an eel!" + +There was a moment's silence, and then a perfect yell of laughter +from the boys. For a moment the usher was dumbfounded, then he +rallied. + +"You will all go to your beds, at once," he said. "I shall report +the matter to Mr. Tulloch, in the morning." + +The boys retired, laughing, to their beds; but above the din the +usher heard the words, in a muffled voice: + +"A man should always be calm, in sudden danger." + +Another voice, equally disguised, said: + +"Yes, he should first ask himself 'What is this?' then 'What had +best be done, under the circumstances?'" + +A third voice then took it up: + +"It follows that a man of courage will deal coolly with the +danger." + +Then there was a chorus of half a dozen voices: + +"I should despise myself, if I were to act otherwise." + +"Silence!" the usher shouted, rushing down the line between the +beds. "I will thrash the first boy who speaks." + +As Mr. Purfleet had one of the hockey sticks in his hand, the +threat was sufficient to ensure silence. + +To the relief of the two or three boys engaged in the affair, Mr. +Purfleet made no report in the morning. Mr. Tulloch by no means +spared the cane, but he always inquired before he flogged and, as +the usher felt sure that the snake story would be brought forward, +by way of excuse for the trick played upon him, he thought it +better to drop it; making a mental note, however, that he would get +even with Bob Repton, another time--for he made sure that he was at +the bottom of the matter, especially as he had been one of those +who had listened to the snake story. + +Mr. Purfleet was held in but light respect by the boys. He was a +pale young man, and looked as if he had been poorly fed, as a boy. +He took the junior classes, and the belief was that he knew nothing +of Latin. + +Moffat, who took the upper classes, was much more severe, and sent +up many more boys to be caned than did the junior usher; but the +boys did not dislike him. Caning they considered their natural +portion, and felt no ill will on that account; while they knew that +Mr. Moffat was a capital scholar and, though strict, was always +scrupulously just. Above all, he was not a sneak. If he reported +them, he reported them openly, but brought no accusation against +them behind their back; while Mr. Purfleet was always carrying +tittle tattle to the headmaster. There was, therefore, little +gratitude towards him for holding his tongue as to the eel; for the +boys guessed the real reason of his silence, and put it down to +dread of ridicule, and not to any kindliness of feeling. + +"Purfleet would give sixpence to know what we are talking about, +Bob," one of the group talking in the corner of the playground +said. + +"It is worth more than that, Jim; still, we shall have to be extra +careful. He suspects it was our lot who played him the trick about +the eel, and he will do his best to catch us out, in something. + +"Well, as I was saying, Johnny Gibson has got a first-rate dog for +rabbits, and he says there are lots of them up on the Common. I +told him that I would come, and I expected two or three more; and +we would meet him at the top of the hill, at four o'clock tomorrow +morning. It will be getting light by that time. Of course, we shall +get out in the usual way, and we can be back by half past six, and +no one will be any the wiser. Old Thomas never comes down till a +quarter to seven. I have heard him a dozen times. He just comes +down in time to ring the bell for us to get up." + +"Oh, I ain't afraid of Thomas," one of the others said, "but I am +afraid of Purfleet." + +"There need be no fear about him. He never wakes till the bell +rings, and sleeps like a top. Why, he didn't wake, the other +morning, when we had a scrimmage and you tumbled out of bed. +Besides, we all sleep at the other end of the room and, even if he +did wake up in the night, he wouldn't notice that we had gone; +especially if we shoved something in the bed, to make a lump. + +"My only fear is that we shan't wake. We ought to keep watch till +it's time to get up, but I am sure we shouldn't keep awake. We must +all make up our minds to wake at three, then one of us will be sure +to do it. And mind, if one wakes, he must promise not to go to +sleep again before he hears the hall clock strike, and knows what +time it is. If it is before three, he can go off to sleep again. +That way, one of us is sure to be awake, when it strikes three." + +"I say, shan't we just be licked, if we are found out, Bob?" + +"Of course we shall; but as we get licked pretty well every day, +that won't make much difference, and we shall have had awful fun. +Still, if any of you fellows don't like it, don't you go. I am +going, but I don't want to persuade any of you." + +"Of course we are going, if you are going, Bob. What are we going +to do with the rabbits?" + +"Oh, I settled Johnny Gibson should keep them. He is going to bring +his dog, you know; besides, what could we do with them? We can't +cook them, can we?" + +As it was clear to all the party that this could not be managed, no +objection was raised to this disposal of their game. + +Bob Repton slept but little that night. They went to bed at eight, +and he heard every hour strike after nine; dozing off occasionally, +and waking up, each time, convinced that the clock would strike +three next time. At last he heard the three welcome strokes, and at +once got up and went to the beds of the other three boys. + +They were all sound asleep, and required some shaking before they +could be convinced that it was time to get up. Then each boy put +his bolster in his bed, rolled up his night shirt into a ball and +laid it on the pillow, and then partly covered it up with the +clothes. Then they slipped on their shirts, breeches, and stockings +and, taking their jackets and shoes in their hand, stole out of the +door at their end of the room, and closed it behind them. They then +crept downstairs to the room where their caps were kept, put on +these and their jackets, and each boy got a hockey stick out of the +cupboard in the corner in which they were kept. Then they very +cautiously unfastened the shutter, raised the window, and slipped +out. They pulled the shutter to behind them, closed the window, and +then put on their shoes. + +"That is managed first rate," Bob said. "There wasn't the least +noise. I made sure Wharton would have dropped his shoes." + +"Why should I drop them, more than anyone else?" Wharton asked in +an aggrieved voice. + +"I don't know, Billy. The idea occurred to me. I didn't think +anyone else would do it, but I quite made up my mind that you +would." + +"Well, I wish you wouldn't be so fast about making up your mind, +then," Wharton grumbled. "I ain't more clumsy than other people." + +"You are all right," Jim Sankey put in. "Bob's only joking." + +"Well, he might as well joke with somebody else, Jim. I don't see +any joke in it." + +"No, that is where the joke is, Billy," Bob said. "If you did see +the joke, there wouldn't be any joke in it. + +"Well, never mind, here is the walnut tree. Now, who will get over +first?" + +The walnut tree stood in the playground near the wall, and had +often proved useful as a ladder to boys at Tulloch's. One of its +branches extended over the wall and, from this, it was easy to drop +down beyond it. The return was more difficult, and was only to be +accomplished by means of an old ivy, which grew against the wall at +some distance off. By its aid the wall could be scaled without much +difficulty, and there was then the choice of dropping twelve feet +into the playground, or of walking on the top of the wall until the +walnut tree was reached. + +Tulloch's stood some little distance along the Lower Richmond Road. +There were but one or two houses, standing back from the road +between it and the main road up the hill, and there was little fear +of anyone being abroad at that time in the morning. There was, as +yet, but a faint gleam of daylight in the sky; and it was dark in +the road up the hill, as the trees growing in the grounds of the +houses, on either side, stretched far over it. + +"I say," Jim Sankey said, "won't it be a go, if Johnny Gibson isn't +there, after all?" + +"He will be up there by four," Bob said, confidently. "He said his +father would be going out in his boat to fish, as soon as it began +to be daylight--because the tide served at that hour--and that he +would start, as soon as his father shoved off the boat. + +"My eye, Jim, what is that ahead of us? It looks to me like a +coach." + +"It is a coach, or a carriage, or something of that sort." + +"No, it isn't, it is a light cart. What can it be doing here, at +this hour? Let us walk the other side of the road." + +They crossed to the left, as they got abreast of the cart. A man, +whom they had not noticed before, said sharply: + +"You are about early." + +"Yes, we are off to work," Bob replied, and they walked steadily +on. + +"He couldn't see what we were like," Jim Sankey said, when they had +got a hundred yards further. + +"Not he," Bob said. "I could not make out his figure at all, and it +is darker on this side of the road than it is on the other. + +"I say, you fellows, I think he is up to no good." + +"What do you mean, Bob?" + +"Well, what should a cart be standing on the hill for, at this time +in the morning? That's Admiral Langton's, I know; the door is just +where the cart was stopping." + +"Well, what has that got to do with it, Bob? The cart won't do him +any harm." + +"No, but there may be some fellows with it, who may be breaking +into his house." + +"Do you think so, Bob?" + +"Well, it seems likely to me it may be his house, or one of the +others." + +"Well, what are we to do, Bob?" + +"I vote we see about it, Jim. We have pretty nearly half an hour to +spare, now, before Johnny Gibson will come along. We have got our +hockey sticks, you know." + +"But suppose there shouldn't be any men there, Bob, and we should +be caught in the grounds; They would think we were going to steal +something." + +"That would be a go," Bob said, "but there isn't likely to be +anyone about, at half past three; and if there were, I don't +suppose he would be able to catch us. But we must risk something, +anyhow. It will be a bit of fun, and it will be better than waiting +at the top of the hill, with nothing to do till, Johnny Gibson +comes." + +They were now past the wall in front of Admiral Langton's, and far +out of sight of the man in the cart. + +"There is some ivy on this wall," Bob said. "We can climb over it, +by that. Then we will make our way along, until we can find some +place where we can climb over into the admiral's garden." + +"Perhaps there are some dogs about," Wharton objected. + +"Well, if there are, they are most likely chained up. We must risk +something. + +"Well, here goes. If you don't like it, Wharton, you can stay +behind." + +So saying, he put his hockey stick between his teeth, and then +proceeded to climb up the wall, by means of the ivy. + +The wall was but nine feet high and, as soon as he gained the top, +Bob said: + +"Come on, you fellows. I am going to drop down." + +In two minutes he was joined by the other three. + +"There is a path, just beyond," Bob said; "let us go by that. Don't +you fellows say a word. As Wharton says, there may be some dogs +about." + +Quietly they stole along the path, which ran parallel to the road, +until it turned off at right angles. + +"Now, the first tree that grows against the wall we will get over +by," Bob whispered. + +After going twenty yards, he stopped. + +"This tree will do." + +"But what are you going to do, if there should be some men?" +Wharton asked, in a tone that showed he objected, altogether, to +the proceeding. + +"It depends upon how many of them there are," Bob replied. "Of +course, the admiral has got some men in the house; and they will +wake up, and help us, if we give the alarm. Anyhow, we ought to be +able to be a match for two men, with these sticks, especially if we +take them by surprise. + +"What do you say, Jim?" + +"I should think so," Jim replied. "Anyhow, if you are game to go +on, I am. + +"What do you say, Fullarton?" + +"Oh, I am ready," Fullarton, who was a boy of few words, replied. + +"Only, if there is anyone, Bob, and we get into a row with them, of +course it will all come out about us; and then shan't we get it, +just!" + +"I suppose we shall," Bob admitted, "but I don't see we can help +that. + +"Well, we are in for it, now," and he began to climb the tree and, +working along a limb which extended over the wall, he dropped down +into the garden. + +The others soon joined, Wharton being more afraid of staying +behind, by himself, than of going with the rest. + +"Now, what are we to do next?" + +"I should say we ought to find out whether anyone has got into the +house. That is the first thing. Then, if they have, we have got to +try to wake up the people, and to frighten the men inside. + +"Have you got some string in your pockets?" + +"I have got some." + +They all had string. + +"What do you want string for, Bob?" + +"String is always useful, Jim. We may want to tie their hands. But +what I was thinking was, we might fasten it across the stairs, or +some of the passages; and then set up a sudden shout, and they +would think the watchmen had come, and would make a bolt; and when +they got to the string over they would go, and then we would drop +on them with these hockey sticks, before they could get up. + +"Well, come on. There mayn't be anyone here, after all. Now we will +go up to the house, and creep round." + +The house stood thirty or forty yards away and, stepping as +noiselessly as they could, the boys crossed the lawn and moved +along the front. Suddenly, Tom Fullarton caught hold of Bob's arm. + +"Look, Bob, there is a light in that room! Do you see--through the +slit in the shutters?" + +"So there is. Well, there is no mistake, now. There must be some +fellows belonging to that cart inside. That must be the drawing +room, or dining room, and they would never have lights there at +this time of night. + +"Now, let us find out where they got in. This is something like +fun. It beats rabbit hunting all to nothing. + +"Now mind, you fellows, if we do come upon them, and there is a +fight, you remember the best place to hit, to begin with, is the +ankle. You have only just got to fancy that it is a bung, and swipe +at it with all your might. Anyone you hit there is sure to go down +and, if he wants it, you can hit him over the head, afterwards. + +"Now, come along. I expect they got in at the back of the house." + +They soon came upon a door at the side of the house. It was open. + +"That looks as if they had been let in," Bob whispered. "See, there +is a light in there, somewhere! Come on. + +"Now, let us take our shoes off." + +The others were thoroughly excited now, and followed Bob without +hesitation. + +"Bob, is the key in the door?" Jim whispered. + +"Yes, on the inside. They have been let in. I wish I dare lock it, +and take the key away. Let me see if it turns easy." + +Very gently he turned the key, and found the bolt shot noiselessly. +It had doubtless been carefully oiled. He turned it again, shut the +door, locked it, and put the key in his pocket. + +Then they crept on tiptoe along the passage. At the end were two +large chests, strengthened with iron bands. A lighted lantern stood +upon them. Bob peered round the corner into the hall. No one was to +be seen, but he heard a noise through an open door, from which came +a stream of light. + +Motioning the others to stand still, he crept forward noiselessly +till he could look into the room. A man was occupied in packing +some articles of massive plate, clocks, and other valuables into a +sack. He was alone. + +Bob made his way back to the others. + +"There's only one fellow there," he said. "If there are any more, +they are upstairs. Let us have this one first--his back is to the +door. + +"Now, Wharton, you hold our handkerchiefs and the string. If he +don't look round, I will jump on his back and have him down. + +"The moment he is down, you two throw yourselves on him, and you +shove the handkerchiefs into his mouth, Wharton. In the surprise, +he won't know that we are only boys; and we will tie his hands +before he has time to resist. + +"Now, come on." + +They were all plucky boys--for Wharton, although less morally +courageous than the others, was no coward, physically. Their +stockinged feet made no sound, and the man heard nothing until Bob +sprang on to his back, the force sending him down on to his face. +Bob's arm was tightly round his throat; and the other two threw +themselves upon him, each seizing an arm, while Wharton crammed two +handkerchiefs into his mouth. The man's hands were dragged behind +his back, as he lay on his face, and his wrists tied firmly +together. He was rendered utterly helpless before he had recovered +from the first shock of surprise. + +"Tie his ankles together with the other two handkerchiefs," Bob +said, still lying across him. + +"That is right. You are sure they are tight? There, he will do, +now. I must lock him in." + +This was done. + +"Now, then, let's go upstairs. + +"Now, fasten this last piece of string across between the +banisters, six or eight steps up. + +"Make haste," he added, as a faint cry was heard, above. + +It did not take a second to fasten the string at each end; and +then, grasping their sticks, the boys sprang upstairs. On gaining +the landing, they heard voices proceeding from a room along a +corridor and, as they crept up to it, they heard a man's voice say, +angrily: + +"Now we ain't going to waste any more time. If you don't tell us +where your money is, we will knock you and the girl on the head. + +"No, you can't talk, but you can point out where it is. We know +that you have got it. + +"Very well, Bill, hit that young woman over the head with the butt +of your pistol. Don't be afraid of hurting her. + +"Ah! I thought you would change your mind. So it is under the bed. + +"Look under, Dick. What is there?" + +"A square box," another voice said. + +"Well, haul it out." + +"Come on," Bob Repton whispered to the others; "the moment we are +in, shout." + +Illustration: Bob and his Companions surprise the Burglars. + +He stood for a moment in the doorway. A man was standing, with his +back to him, holding a pistol in his hand. Another, similarly +armed, stood by the side of a young woman who, in a loose dressing +gown, sat shrinking in an armchair, into which she had evidently +been thrust. A third was in the act of crawling under the bed. An +elderly man, in his nightshirt, was standing up. A gag had been +thrust into his mouth; and he was tightly bound, by a cord round +his waist, to one of the bedposts. + +Bob sprang forward, whirling his hockey stick round his head, and +giving a loud shout of "Down with the villains!" the others +joining, at the top of their voices. + +Before the man had time to turn round, Bob's stick fell, with all +the boy's strength, upon his ankle; and he went down as if he had +been shot, his pistol exploding as he fell. Bob raised his stick +again and brought it down, with a swinging blow, on the robber's +head. + +The others had made a rush, together, towards the man standing by +the lady. Taken utterly by surprise, he discharged his pistol at +random, and then sprang towards the door. Two blows fell on him, +and Sankey and Fullarton tried to grapple with him; but he burst +through them, and rushed out. + +Bob and Wharton sprang on the kneeling man, before he could gain +his feet; and rolled him over, throwing themselves upon him. He was +struggling furiously, and would soon have shaken them off, when the +other boys sprang to their assistance. + +"You help them, Jim. I will get this cord off!" Fullarton said and, +running to the bed, began to unknot the cord that bound the +admiral. + +The ruffian on the ground was a very powerful man, and the three +boys had the greatest difficulty in holding him down; till +Fullarton slipped a noose round one of his ankles and then, jumping +on the bed, hauled upon it with all his strength--the admiral +giving his assistance. + +"Get off him, he is safe!" he shouted; but the others had the +greatest difficulty in shaking themselves free from the man--who +had, fortunately, laid his pistol on the bed, before he crawled +under it to get at the box. + +Jim Sankey was the first to shake himself free from him and, seeing +what Fullarton was doing, he jumped on to the bed and gave him his +assistance and, in half a minute, the ruffian's leg was lashed to +the bedpost, at a height of five feet from the ground. + +Just as this was done there was a rush of feet outside; and three +men, one holding a cutlass and the other two armed with pokers, ran +into the room. It was fortunate they did so, for the man whom Bob +had first felled was just rising to his feet; but he was at once +struck down again, by a heavy blow over the head with the cutlass. +By this time the admiral had torn off the bandage across his mouth. + +"Another of them ran downstairs, Jackson. Give chase. We can deal +with these fellows." + +The three men rushed off. + +"Well, I don't know who you are," the admiral went on, turning to +the boys, "but you turned up at the nick of time; and I am deeply +indebted to you, not only for saving my money--although I should +not have liked to lose that--but for having captured these pirates. + +"That villain has not hurt you much, I hope?" for both Bob and Jim +Sankey were bleeding freely, from the face, from the heavy blows +the robber had dealt them. + +"No, sir, we are not hurt to speak of," Bob said. "We belong to +Tulloch's school." + +"To the school!" the admiral exclaimed. "What on earth are you +doing here, at four o'clock in the morning? + +"But never mind that now. What is it, Jackson, has he got away?" + +"No, sir; he was lying in a heap, at the bottom of the stairs. +There was a lanyard fastened across." + +"We tied a string across, sir, as we came up," Bob explained. + +"Well done, lads! + +"Are there any more of them, Jackson?" + +"Don't see any signs of any more, admiral. There are the two plate +chests in the passage, as if they had been brought out from the +butler's strong room, in readiness to take away." + +"Where is the butler? He must have heard the pistol shots!" the +admiral exclaimed angrily. + +"He is not in his room, admiral. We looked in to bring him with us. +The door was open, but he isn't there." + +"There is another man in the drawing room, tied." Bob said. "He was +putting a lot of things into a sack." + +"The scoundrel! Perhaps that is the butler," the admiral said. + +"Well, Emma, you had better go back to bed again. + +"Jackson, you stand guard over these two villains here, and split +their heads open, if they venture to move. + +"Now, let us go and see to this other fellow." + +The admiral proceeded downstairs, followed by the boys. The other +two servants were standing beside the third robber, who was still +insensible. + +"You keep watch over him, John," the admiral said. + +"William, you come with us. There is another man in the drawing +room, but he is tied." + +"There is the key, sir," Bob said, producing it. "We thought it +safest to lock him up." + +"Upon my word, young gentlemen, you seem to have thought of +everything. If I were in command of a ship, I should like to have +you all as midshipmen." + +The door was opened. The man was still lying on the ground, but had +rolled some distance from where they had left him. He had succeeded +in getting his feet loosened from the handkerchief, but the +whipcord round his wrists had resisted all his efforts to break or +slacken it. He was panting heavily from the exertions he had made. + +"It is Harper," the admiral said, in a tone of indignation and +disgust. + +"So, you treacherous scoundrel, it was you who let these men in, +was it? Well, it is a hanging matter, my lad; and if any fellow +deserves the rope, you do. + +"You had better go and get some more cord, Williams, and tie all +these four fellows up, securely. Let Jackson see to the knots. + +"Where did the scoundrels get in?" he asked, turning to the boys. + +"At the door at the end of the passage, sir, where the plate chests +are standing. We found it open--here is the key of it. We locked +it, after we came in, so as to prevent anyone from getting away. + +"There is another man, with a cart, in the road." + +"We will see to him, directly we have got the others all tied up +safely," the admiral said. "That is the first thing to see to." + +In five minutes, the four men were laid side by side in the hall, +securely bound hand and foot. + +"Now, Williams, you keep guard over them. + +"Jackson, do you and John sally out. There is a cart standing +outside the gate, and a fellow in it. Bring him in, and lay him +alongside the others." + +The boys followed the two men, to see the capture. The light had +broadened out over the sky, and it was almost sunrise as they +sallied out. They went quietly along, until they reached the +gate--which stood ajar--then they flung it open and rushed out. To +their disappointment, the cart was standing about fifty yards lower +down the hill. The man was in it, with his whip in one hand and the +reins in another, and was looking back; and the moment he saw them, +he struck the horse and drove off at the top of his speed. The pace +was such that it was hopeless for them to think of following him. + +"I expect he heard the pistol shots," Jackson said, "and sheered +off a bit, so as to be able to cut and run if he found his consorts +were in trouble. Well, we cannot help it; we have taken four prizes +out of the five, and I call that pretty fair." + +"I think we had better go, now," Bob said. "We have got a friend +waiting for us." + +"Then he must wait a bit longer," Jackson said. "The admiral will +want to ask you some more questions. But if your friend is anywhere +near, one of you might run and tell him to back and fill a bit, +till you come to him." + +"Tell him to do what?" Jim Sankey asked. + +"Tell him to wait a bit, lad." + +"I will run up," Wharton said. + +"Shall I tell him we shan't want him at all, today, Bob?" + +"I think so, Wharton. You see it is four o'clock, now; and we +mayn't be able to get away for half an hour, and it will be too +late, then. Besides, Jim and I have been knocked about too much to +care for rabbit hunting, now. You tell him we will go some other +day." + +"You needn't tell him that, Wharton," Fullarton put in. "It will be +some time before we get a chance, you may be sure." + +"All right! Tell him to go home then, Wharton. Tell him I will make +it all right with him, for losing his morning's work. Of course, +you will come in here, when you come down the hill again." + +Wharton nodded, and started at a run up the hill; while his +companions accompanied the two men into the house. The admiral was +down in the hall again. He had now had time to add to his former, +scanty costume. + +"Get the shutters of the drawing room open, Jackson," he said, +after hearing the report of the man's escape, "and tell the +maids--I suppose they are all up--to light a fire and get some +coffee ready, at once, and something to eat. + +"Now, young gentlemen, sit down and tell me all about this +business. Now, which of you will be spokesman?" + +Jim nodded to Bob. + +"It's his doing, sir. I mean about our coming in here. We should +never have thought anything about the cart, if it hadn't been for +Bob; and we didn't much like coming, only he pretty well made us, +and he arranged it all." + +"That's all rot," Bob said. "We were just all in it together, sir, +and this is how it was." + +And he told the whole story of what had taken place. + +"Well, you couldn't have done better, if you had been officers in +His Majesty's service," the admiral said. "You have saved me the +loss of my two plate chests, of all the plate in this room--and +that couldn't be counted in money, for they were most of the things +given me, at different times, on service--and of 500 pounds I had +in that box upstairs--altogether, at least 2000 pounds in money +value. More than that, you prevented my being captured; and it +would have been a sorer blow, to me, than the loss of the money, if +those scoundrels had had their way, and had got off scot free. + +"But you haven't told me, yet, how you happened to be going up the +hill, at half past three o'clock in the morning. What on earth were +you doing there? Surely your master does not allow you to ramble +about, in the middle of the night." + +"Well, no, sir, that is the worst of it," Bob said. "You see, I had +arranged with one of the fishermen's boys, who has got a first-rate +dog, that we could meet him upon the Common, and do some rabbit +hunting. We slipped out from Tulloch's, and meant to have been back +before anyone was up. And now I expect we shall get it nicely, +because I suppose it must all come out." + +The admiral laughed. + +"You are four nice young scamps!" he said--for Wharton had rejoined +them, before Bob had finished the story--"but it is not for me to +blame you. It will certainly have to be told, lads, because you +will have to appear as witnesses at the trial of these fellows; but +I will go down myself, the first thing in the morning, and speak to +your master." + +"Thank you, sir," Bob said. "It won't make any difference about the +thrashing; we are bound to get that. But we shan't mind that, we +are pretty well accustomed to it. Still, if you speak for us, I +expect we shall get off with that; otherwise I don't know what +Tulloch would have done, when he found out that we had been +slipping out at night." + +"I expect it is not the first time you have done it?" + +"Well, no, it is not, sir. We have been out two or three times, +with one of the fishermen, in his boat." + +"I expect you are nice young pickles," the admiral said. "Well, +what time does school begin?" + +"Half past seven, sir." + +"Very well, then. I will be there at that hour, lads, and do my +best for you. You see, with those faces of yours, you would be sure +to be noticed, anyhow; and I hope you wouldn't, in any case, have +been mean enough to screen yourselves by lying." + +"That we shouldn't," Bob said. "I don't think there is a boy in the +school who would tell a lie to Tulloch." + +"That is right, lads. A gentleman will never tell a lie to screen +himself, when he has got into a scrape. I wouldn't keep the +smartest young officer in the service on board a ship of mine, if I +caught him telling a lie; for I should know that he would not only +be a blackguard, but a coward. Cowardice is at the bottom of half +the lying of the world. I would overlook anything, except lying. +Upon my word, I would rather that a boy were a thief than a liar. + +"Well, here is breakfast. Now sit down and make yourselves at home, +while I go up and see how my daughter is, after the fright she has +had." + +Half an hour later, after eating a hearty breakfast, the four boys +started for school. + + + +Chapter 2: A Great Change. + + +It was just striking six when they again climbed over the wall, and +descended by the tree. They had had a discussion whether they +should wait until the doors were opened, and walk quietly in, or +return as they left. They adopted the latter plan, because they +thought that, if the matter was reported to Mr. Tulloch, he might +proceed to administer punishment before the admiral arrived to give +his version of the affair. + +The door was still ajar. As they opened it, they gave an +exclamation of surprise--for there, sitting on a chair in the +passage, was Mr. Purfleet. He smiled unpleasantly. + +"So here you are. You have had a pleasant ramble, no doubt; but I +don't quite know what view Mr. Tulloch may take of it." + +"It was very good of you to sit up for us, Mr. Purfleet," Bob said, +quietly; "but you see, we had left the door open, and could have +got in by ourselves. I hope you will not have caught cold, sitting +there only in a dressing gown." + +"You are an impudent young scamp!" Mr. Purfleet said, in a rage. +"You will laugh with the other side of your mouth, presently. You +and Sankey are nice-looking figures, ain't you, with your faces all +cut and swollen?" + +"We have been a little in the wars," Bob replied. + +"I don't want to hear anything about it," the usher replied. "You +will have to explain matters to Mr. Tulloch." + +"So I suppose, Mr. Purfleet. + +"Well, Jim, we'll go and have a good wash. The bell will be +ringing, in half an hour." + +So saying, Bob went into the lavatory, followed by his companions; +while the usher returned upstairs. He was certainly disappointed. +Quietly as the boys had dressed, the slight noise they had made in +closing the door had woke him. He thought little of it but, just as +he was going off to sleep again, he heard the bolts of the door +below withdrawn. He at once got up and walked to the other end of +the dormitory, and discovered that the four boys were missing. + +Chuckling to himself that he should now be able to repay the grudge +he owed to Bob, he put on his dressing gown and went downstairs; +and had sat there for three hours, momentarily expecting their +return. He had certainly felt chilly, but had borne it patiently; +comforted by the joyful expectation of the utter dismay that would +be felt, by the culprits, when they saw him. The meeting had not +passed off at all as he had anticipated, and he could only console +himself by thinking that his turn would come when he made his +report to Mr. Tulloch. + +The four boys did not return to the dormitory but, after they had +washed, strolled about in the playground. There was quite a +ferment, in the dormitory, when their absence was perceived, and +the others noticed the four made-up figures in their place. The +operation of dressing was got through with much greater alacrity +than usual and, when they went downstairs and saw the four missing +boys in the playground, these were at once surrounded by an excited +throng. They refused, however, to answer any questions. + +"You will hear it all, in good time," Bob said. "We have been out, +and we have been caught. That is all I am going to tell you." + +At the usual hour the bell rang, and the boys assembled in the +schoolroom. The two ushers were in their places. They waited three +or four minutes for Mr. Tulloch to appear; then the door opened, +and the manservant entered and, walking up to Mr. Moffat, said a +word or two. The latter nodded. + +"Lessons will begin at once," he said, in a loud voice. "The first +class will come up to me." + +The boys of this class, who occupied the senior dormitory, at once +began their lessons; while Mr. Purfleet took the lower class. The +second class, including Bob and his friends, remained in their +places. In a quarter of an hour the door opened, and Mr. Tulloch +entered, accompanied by Admiral Langton. Mr. Tulloch was looking +very serious, while the admiral looked hot and angry. + +"We are going to catch it," Bob whispered, to Jim Sankey. "I knew +the admiral wouldn't be able to get us off." + +"I wish all the boys to return to their places, Mr. Moffat. I have +something to say," Mr. Tulloch said, in a loud voice. + +When the boys were all seated, he went on: + +"Admiral Langton has been telling me that four of my boys were out +and about, soon after three o'clock this morning. The four boys in +question will stand up. + +"I do not say that this is the first time that such a serious +infraction of the rules of the school has taken place. It has +happened before. It may, for aught I know, have happened many +times, without my knowledge; but upon the occasions when it has +come to my knowledge, the offenders have been most severely +punished. They must be punished, now. + +"Admiral Langton has been telling me that the boys in question have +behaved with very great courage, and have been the means of saving +him from the loss of a large sum of money and plate, and of +capturing four burglars." + +A buzz of surprise passed round the school. + +"That this conduct does them great credit I am fully prepared to +admit. Had they been aware that this burglary was about to be +committed, and had they broken out of the house in the middle of +the night for the purpose of preventing it, I allow that it might +have been pleaded as an excuse for their offence; but this was not +so. It was an accident, that occurred to them when they were +engaged in breaking the rules, and cannot be pleaded as a set-off +against punishment. + +"Admiral Langton has pleaded with me, very strongly, for a pardon +for them; but I regret that I am unable to comply with his request. +The admiral, as a sailor, is well aware that discipline must be +maintained; and I am quite sure that, when he was in command of a +ship, he would not have permitted his judgment to be biased, by +anyone. I have put it to him in that way, and he acknowledges that +to be so. The two matters stand distinct. The boys must be punished +for this gross breach of the rules. They may be thanked, and +applauded, for the courage they have shown, and the valuable +service they have rendered to Admiral Langton. + +"I have, however, so far yielded to his entreaties that, while I +must administer a severe caning for the gross breach of the rules, +I shall abstain from taking any further steps in the matter; and +from writing to the boys' parents and guardians, requesting them to +remove their sons from the school, at once, as I certainly +otherwise would have done. At the same time, I am willing to hear +anything that these boys may have to urge, in explanation or +defence of their conduct. I have already been informed, by Admiral +Langton, that their object, in so breaking out, was to hunt rabbits +up on the Common." + +"I wish to say, sir," Bob said, in a steady voice, "that it was +entirely my doing. I made the arrangements, and persuaded the +others to go; and I think it is only right that they should not be +punished as severely as I am." + +"We were all in it together, sir," Jim Sankey broke in. "I was just +as keen on it as Bob was." + +"So was I," Fullarton and Wharton said, together. + +"Well, lads," Admiral Langton said, taking a step forward, and +addressing the boys, in general, "as your master says, discipline is +discipline; this is his ship, and he is on his own quarterdeck--but +I wish to tell you all that, in my opinion, you have every reason to +be proud of your schoolfellows. They behaved with the greatest pluck +and gallantry and, were I again in command of a ship, I should be +glad to have them serving me. I am only sorry that I cannot persuade +Mr. Tulloch to see the matter in the same light as I do. + +"Goodbye, lads!" and he walked across, and shook hands with the +four boys. "I shall see you again, soon," and the admiral turned +abruptly, and walked out of the schoolroom. + +Mr. Tulloch at once proceeded to carry his sentence into effect, +and the four boys received as severe a caning as ever they had had +in their lives; and even Bob, case hardened as he was, had as much +as he could do to prevent himself from uttering a sound, while it +was being inflicted. Lessons were then continued, as usual, until +eight o'clock, when the boys went in to breakfast. After that was +over, they went into the playground, until nine; and the four +culprits gave the rest a full account of the events of the night. + +"I don't mind the thrashing," Bob said, "although Tulloch did lay +it on hot. It was well worth it, if it had only been to see that +sneak Purfleet's face, when the admiral told the story. I was +watching him, when Tulloch came in; and saw how delighted he was, +at the tale he was going to tell; and how satisfied he was that he +should get no end of credit, for sitting three hours in his +dressing gown, in order to catch us when we came in. It was an +awful sell for him, when he saw that the admiral had come out with +the whole story, and there was nothing, whatever, for him to tell." + +When they went into school again, Mr. Tulloch said: + +"Boys, I hear that four of your number have behaved with great +gallantry. They have prevented a serious robbery, and arrested the +men engaged in it. I shall therefore give you a holiday, for the +remainder of the day. The four boys in question will proceed, at +once, to Admiral Langton's, as they will be required to accompany +him to Kingston, where the prisoners will be brought up before the +magistrates." + +There was a general cheer from the boys, and then Bob and his +companions hurried upstairs to put on their best clothes, and ran +off to the admiral's. + +"Well, boys, is it all over?" he asked, as they entered. + +"All over, sir," they replied together. + +"Well, boys, I think it was a shame; but I suppose discipline must +be maintained in school, as well as on board a ship; but it vexes +me, amazingly, to think that I have been the means of bringing you +into it." + +"It is just the other way, sir," Bob said, "and it is very lucky +for us that we came in here, sir, instead of going up to the +Common, as we intended. One of the ushers found out that we had +gone, and sat up until we came back and, if it had not been for +you, we should not only have got a thrashing, but should all have +been expelled; so it is the luckiest thing possible that we came in +here." + +"Well, I am very glad to hear that, boys. It has taken a load off +my mind, for I have been thinking that, if you had not come in to +help me, you would have got back without being noticed. + +"Emma, these are the four lads who did us such good service, last +night. They caught sight of you, before, but you were hardly in a +state to receive them formally." + +The young lady laughed, as she came forward and shook hands with +them. + +"You need not have mentioned that, papa. + +"Well, I am very much obliged to you all; for I have no doubt they +meant to have my watch and jewels, as well as papa's money." + +"Now, it is time for us to be off," the admiral said. "My carriage +is at the door, and a fly. You two, who have been knocked about, +had better come with my daughter and myself. The others can either +ride inside the fly, or one can go on the box of each vehicle, as +you like." + +Wharton and Fullarton both said that they should prefer going +outside; and in a few minutes they were on their way, the three +menservants riding inside the fly. The prisoners had been sent off, +two hours before, in a cart; under the charge of the two local +constables. + +The case lasted but an hour, the four men being all committed for +trial. The party then returned to Putney, the admiral insisting +upon the boys stopping to lunch with him. After the meal was over, +he inquired what they were going to do, on leaving school, and what +profession they intended to adopt. + +Bob was the first questioned. + +"I am going to be a wine merchant, sir," he said. "I have got no +choice about it. I lost my father and mother, years ago; and my +guardian, who is an uncle of mine, is in the wine trade, and he +says I have got to go in, too. I think it is horrid, but there is +no good talking to him. He is an awfully crusty old chap. I should +like to be a soldier, or a sailor; but of course it is of no use +thinking of it. My guardian has been very kind to me, even though +he is so crusty, and it wouldn't be right not to do as he tells me; +and I don't suppose the wine business is so very bad, when one is +accustomed to it." + +"Has your uncle any sons, lad?" + +"No, sir, he is an old bachelor; and he says that, some day, I am +to have his business." + +"Then you can't do better than stick to it, lad," the admiral said. +"A boy who has before him the prospect of a solid, substantial +living, on shore, is simply a fool if he goes to sea. It is a rough +life, and a hard one; and if you don't get shot, or drowned, you +may get laid on the shelf with the loss of a limb, and a pension +that won't find you in grog and tobacco. + +"It is a pity, for you would have made a good officer, but you will +be vastly better off, in all respects, at home; and I can tell you +there is not one sailor out of five who would not jump at a berth +on shore, if he could get the chance." + +Sankey's father was a country clergyman and, at present, Jim had no +particular prospect. + +"Would you like to go to sea, boy?" + +"Yes, sir, I should like it of all things." + +"Very well; give me your father's name and address, and I will +write to him about it." + +Fullarton's father was a landed proprietor in Somersetshire, and he +was the eldest son. Wharton was to be a lawyer, and was to begin in +his father's office, in a year or two. Admiral Langton took notes +of the addresses of the boys' relatives. + +When he had done that, he said to them: + +"Now, lads, I know you would rather be off. I remember, when I was +a midshipman, I was always glad enough to escape, when I had to +dine with the captain." + +A week later, a young man came down from a city watchmaker's, with +four handsome gold watches and chains for the boys; with an +inscription stating that they had been presented to them by Admiral +Langton, in remembrance of their gallant conduct on the night of +August 6th, 1778. They were immensely delighted with the gift; for +watches were, in those days, far more expensive luxuries than at +present, and their use was comparatively rare. With the watches +were four short notes from the admiral, inviting them to come up on +the following Saturday afternoon. + +They had, by this time, received letters from their families, who +had each received a communication from the admiral, expressing his +warm commendation of their conduct, and his thanks for the services +that the boys had rendered. + +Jim Sankey's father wrote saying that the admiral had offered to +procure him a berth as a midshipman, at once; and that he had +written, thankfully accepting the offer, as he knew that it was +what Jim had been most earnestly wishing--though, as he had no +interest, whatever, among naval men, he had hitherto seen no chance +of his being able to obtain such an appointment. This communication +put Jim into a state of the wildest delight, and rendered him an +object of envy to his schoolfellows. + +Fullarton's father wrote his son a hearty letter, congratulating +him on what he had done, and saying that he felt proud of the +letter he had received from the admiral. + +Wharton's father wrote to him sharply, saying that thief-taking was +a business that had better be left to constables, and that he did +not approve of freaks of that kind. + +Mr. Bale wrote an irascible letter to Bob. + +"My dear nephew," he began, "I am astonished, and most seriously +displeased, at contents of communication I have received from a +person signing himself J. Langton, admiral. I gather from it that, +instead of pursuing your studies, you are wandering about at night, +engaged in pursuits akin to poaching. I say akin, because I am not +aware whether the wild animals upon the common are the property of +the lord of the manor, or whether they are at the mercy of +vagabonds. It appears to me that there can be no proper supervision +exercised by your masters. + +"I spoke to you when you were here, six weeks ago, as to your +school reports which, although fairly satisfactory as to your +abilities, said there was a great want of steadiness in your +general conduct. I am convinced that you are doing no good for +yourself, and that the sooner you settle down to a desk, in my +office, the better. I have therefore written this morning, +informing Mr. Tulloch that I shall remove you, at Michaelmas. + +"Your sister has been here, with her husband, today. I am sorry to +say that they do not view your wild and lawless conduct in the same +light that I do, and that they are unable to see there is anything +positively disreputable in your being mixed up in midnight +adventures with burglars. I am glad to gather, from Admiral +Langton's letter, that Mr. Tulloch has seen your conduct in the +proper light, and has inflicted a well-merited punishment upon you. + +"All this is a very bad preparation for your future career as a +respectable trader, and I am most annoyed to hear that you will be +called on to appear as a witness against the men who have been +captured. I have written to Admiral Langton, acknowledging his +letter, and expressing my surprise that a gentleman in his position +should give any countenance, whatever, to a lad who has been +engaged in breaking the rules of his school; and in wandering at +night, like a vagabond, through the country." + +Bob looked rather serious as he read through the letter for the +first time but, after going through it again, he burst into a shout +of laughter. + +"What is it, Bob?" Tom Fullarton asked. + +"Read this letter, Tom. I should like to have seen the admiral's +face, as he read my uncle's letter. But it is too bad. You see, I +have regularly done for myself. I was to have stopped here till a +year come Christmas, and now I have to leave at Michaelmas. I call +it a beastly shame." + +It was some consolation to Bob to receive, next morning, a letter +from his sister, saying she was delighted to hear how he had +distinguished himself in the capture of the burglars. + +"Of course, it was very wrong of you to get out at night; but +Gerald says that boys are always up to tricks of that sort, and so +I suppose that it wasn't so bad as it seems to me. Uncle John +pretends to be in a terrible rage about it, but I don't think he is +really as angry as he makes himself out to be. He blew me up, and +said that I had always encouraged you--which of course I +haven't--and when Gerald tried to say a good word for you, he +turned upon him, and said something about fellow-feeling making men +wondrous kind. Gerald only laughed, and said he was glad my uncle +had such a good opinion of him, and that he should have liked to +have been there, to lend a hand in the fight; and then uncle said +something disagreeable, and we came away. + +"But I feel almost sure that Uncle John is not really so angry as +he seems; and I believe that, if Gerald and I had taken the other +side, and had said that your conduct had been very wicked, he would +have defended you. It was stupid of us not to think of it, for you +know uncle always likes to disagree with other people--there is +nothing he hates more than their agreeing with him. His bark is +much worse than his bite, and you must not forget how good and kind +he has been to us all. + +"You know how angry he was with my marriage, and he said I had +better have drowned myself, than have married a soldier; and I had +better have hung myself, than have married an Irishman--specially +when he had intended, all along, that I should marry the son of an +old friend of his, a most excellent and well-conducted young man, +with admirable prospects. But he came round in a month or two, and +the first notice of it was a letter from his lawyer, saying that, +in accordance with the instruction of his client, Mr. John Bale, he +had drawn up and now enclosed a post-nuptial settlement, settling +on me the sum of 5000 pounds consols; and that his client wished +him to say that, had I married the person he had intended for me, +that sum would have been doubled. + +"The idea, when I never even saw the man! And when I wrote, +thanking him, he made no allusion to what he had said before; but +wrote that he should be glad, at all times, to see my husband and +myself, whenever we came to town; but that, as I knew, his hours +were regular, and the door always locked at ten o'clock--just as if +Gerald was in the habit of coming in, drunk, in the middle of the +night! Fortunately nothing puts Gerald out, and he screamed over +it; and we went and stopped a week with uncle, a month afterwards, +and he and Gerald got on capitally together, considering. Gerald +said it was like a bear and a monkey in one cage, but it was really +very funny. + +"So I have no doubt he will come round, with you. Do try and not +vex him more than you can help, Bob. You know how much we all owe +him." + +This was true. Bob's father had died when he was only three years +old--he being a lawyer, with a good business, at Plymouth--but he +had made no provision for his early death, and had left his wife +and two children almost penniless. Mr. Bale had at once taken +charge of them, and had made his sister an allowance that enabled +her to live very comfortably. She had remained in Plymouth, as she +had many friends there. + +Her daughter Carrie--who was six years older than Bob--had, four +years before, married Gerald O'Halloran, who was then a lieutenant +in the 58th Regiment, which was in garrison there. He had a small +income, derived from an estate in Ireland, besides his pay; but the +young couple would have been obliged to live very economically, had +it not been for the addition of the money settled on her by her +uncle. + +Her mother had died, a few months after the marriage; and Mr. Bale +had at once placed Bob at the school, at Putney; and had announced +his intention of taking him, in due time, into his business. The +boy always spent one half of his holidays with his uncle, the other +with his sister. The former had been a trial, both to him and to +Mr. Bale. They saw but little of each other; for Mr. Bale, who, +like most business men of the time, lived over his offices, went +downstairs directly he had finished his breakfast, and did not come +up again until his work was over when, at five o'clock, he dined. +The meal over, he sometimes went out to the houses of friends, or +to the halls of one or other of the city companies to which he +belonged. + +While Bob was with him, he told off one of the foremen in his +business to go about with the boy. The days, therefore, passed +pleasantly, as they generally went on excursions by water up or +down the river or, sometimes, when it was not otherwise required, +in a light cart used in the business, to Epping or Hainault Forest. +Bob was expected to be back to dinner and, thanks to the +foreman--who knew that his employer would not tolerate the smallest +unpunctuality--he always succeeded in getting back in time to wash +and change his clothes for dinner. + +The meal was a very solemn one, Mr. Bale asking occasional +questions, to which Bob returned brief answers. Once or twice the +boy ventured upon some lively remark, but the surprise and +displeasure expressed in his uncle's face, at this breach of the +respectful silence then generally enforced upon the young, in the +presence of their elders, deterred him from often trying the +experiment. + +Mr. Bale was as much bored as was Bob by these meals, and the +evenings that sometimes followed them. He would have been glad to +have chatted more freely with his nephew, but he was as ill at ease +with him, as he would have been with a young monkey. There was +nothing in common between them, and the few questions he asked were +the result of severe cogitation. He used to glance at the boy from +under his eyebrows, wonder what he was smiling to himself about, +and wish that he understood him better. It did not occur to him +that if he had drawn him out, and encouraged him to chatter as he +liked, he should get underneath the surface, and might learn +something of the nature hidden there. It was in sheer desperation, +at finding nothing to say, that he would often seize his hat and go +out, when he had quite made up his mind to stay indoors for the +evening. + +Bob put up, as well as he could, with his meals and the dull +evenings, for the sake of the pleasant time he had during the day; +but he eagerly counted the hours until the time when he was to take +his place on the coach for Canterbury, where the 58th were now +quartered. He looked forward with absolute dread to the time when +he would have to enter his uncle's office. + +"What is the use of being rich, Carrie," he would say to his +sister, "if one lives as uncle does? I would rather work in the +fields." + +"Yes, Bob; but you see, when you get to be rich you needn't live in +the same way, at all. You could live as some traders do, in the +country at Hampstead, Dulwich, or Chelsea, and ride in to business; +and you can, of course, marry and enjoy life. One needn't live like +a hermit, all alone, because one is a trader in the city." + +The one consolation Bob had was that his uncle had once said that +he considered it was a great advantage, to any young man going into +the wine trade, to go over to Spain or Portugal for two or three +years; to learn the whole routine of business there, to study the +different growths and know their values, and to form a connection +among the growers and shippers. Bob had replied gravely that he +thought this would certainly be a great advantage, and that he +hoped his uncle would send him over there. + +"I shall see, when the time comes, Robert. It will, of course, +depend much upon the relations between this country and Spain and +Portugal; and also upon yourself. I could not, of course, let you +go out there until I was quite assured of your steadiness of +conduct. So far, although I have nothing to complain of, myself, +your schoolmaster's reports are by no means hopeful, on that head. +Still, we must hope that you will improve." + +It was terrible to Bob to learn that he was to go, fifteen months +sooner than he had expected, to his uncle's; but he was somewhat +relieved when, upon his arrival at the house at Philpot Lane, his +uncle, after a very grave lecture on the enormity of his conduct at +school, said: + +"I have been thinking, Robert, that it will be more pleasant, both +for you and for me, that you should not, at present, take up your +abode here. I am not accustomed to young people. It would worry me +having you here and, after your companionship with boys of your own +age, you might find it somewhat dull. + +"I have therefore arranged with Mr. Medlin, my principal clerk, for +you to board with him. He has, I believe, some boys and girls of +about your own age. You will, I hope, be able to make yourself +comfortable there." + +"Thank you, uncle," Bob said, suppressing his impulse to give a +shout of satisfaction, and looking as grave as possible. "I think +that would be a very nice arrangement." + +"Mr. Medlin is a very trustworthy person," Mr. Bale went on. "He +has been with me for upwards of twenty years, and I have the +greatest confidence in him. + +"You had better sit down here, and take a book. At five o'clock +come down into the counting house. Mr. Medlin will leave at that +hour." + +Bob had hitherto avoided the counting house. He had occasionally, +on previous visits, slipped down to his friend the foreman; and had +wandered through the great cellars, and watched the men at work +bottling, and gazed in surprise at the long tiers of casks stacked +up to the roof of the cellar, and the countless bottles stowed away +in the bins. Once or twice he had gone down into the counting +house, with his uncle; and waited there a few minutes, until the +foreman was disengaged. He had noticed Mr. Medlin at work at his +high desk, in one corner--keeping, as it seemed to him, his eye +upon two young clerks, who sat on high stools at opposite sides of +the desk, on the other side of the office. + +Mr. Medlin had a little rail round the top of his desk, and +curtains on rods that could be drawn round it. He was a man of six +or seven and thirty; with a long face, smooth shaven. He always +seemed absorbed in his work and, when spoken to by Mr. Bale, +answered in the fewest possible words, in an even, mechanical +voice. It had seemed to Bob that he had been entirely oblivious to +his presence; and it did not appear to him now, as he sat with a +book before him, waiting for the clock on the mantel to strike +five, that existence at Mr. Medlin's promised to be a lively one. +Still, as there were boys and girls, it must be more amusing than +it would be at his uncle's and, at any rate, the clerk would not be +so formidable a personage to deal with as Mr. Bale. + +At one minute to five he went down, so as to open the counting +house door as the clock struck. As he went in through the outer +door, his uncle came out from the inner office. + +"Ah! There you are, Robert. + +"Mr. Medlin, this is my nephew who, as we have arranged, will take +up his residence with you. I am afraid you will find him somewhat +headstrong and troublesome. I have already informed you why it has +been necessary to remove him from school. However, I trust that +there will be no repetition of such follies; and that he will see +the necessity of abandoning schoolboy pranks, and settling down to +business." + +"Yes, sir," Mr. Medlin replied, seeing that his employer expected +an answer. + +Bob had noticed that, although the clerk's eyes were directed upon +him, there appeared to be no expression of interest or curiosity in +them; but that they might as well have been fixed upon a blank +wall. + +"Your boxes have already been sent round in the cart to Mr. +Medlin's, Robert. I don't know that there is anything else to say. +Mr. Medlin will, of course, put you in the way of your duties here; +but if you have anything to say to me--any questions to ask, or any +remarks, connected with the business, or otherwise, you wish to +make--I shall always be ready to listen to you, if you will come +into the counting house at half past four." + +So saying, Mr. Bale retired into his private room again. Mr. Medlin +placed his papers inside his desk, locked it, took off his coat and +hung it on a peg, put on another coat and his hat, and then turned +to Bob. + +"Ready?" + +"Quite ready." + +Mr. Medlin led the way out of the counting house, and Bob followed. +Mr. Medlin walked fast, and Bob had to step out to keep up with +him. The clerk appeared scarcely conscious of his presence, until +they were beyond the more crowded thoroughfare, then he said: + +"Two miles, out Hackney way. Not too far!" + +"Not at all," Bob replied. "The farther the better." + +"No burglars there. Wouldn't pay." + +And Bob thought that the shadow of a smile passed across his face. + +"We can do without them," Bob said. + +"Hate coming here, I suppose?" + +"That I do," Bob said, cordially. + +Mr. Medlin nodded. + +"Not so bad as it looks," he said, and then walked on again, in +silence. + +Presently there was a break in the houses. They were getting beyond +the confines of business London. + +"Do you see this little garden?" Mr. Medlin asked, suddenly, in a +tone so unlike that in which he had before spoken that Bob quite +started. + +The lad looked at the little patch of ground, with some stunted +shrubs, but could see nothing remarkable in it. + +"Yes, I see it, sir," he said. + +"That, Bob," Mr. Medlin went on, "--for I suppose you are called +Bob--marks the end of all things." + +Bob opened his eyes in astonishment, and again examined the little +garden. + +"It marks, Bob, the delimitation between London and country, +between slavery and freedom. Here, every morning, I leave myself +behind; here, every evening, I recover myself--or, at least, a +considerable portion of myself--at a further mark, half a mile on, +I am completely restored. + +"I suppose you used to find just the same thing, at the door of the +schoolroom?" + +"A good deal, sir," Bob said, in a much brighter tone than he had +used, since he said goodbye to the fellows at Tulloch's. + +"I am glad you feel like that. I expect you will get like that, as +to the city, in time; but mind, lad, you must always find yourself +again. You stick to that. You make a mark somewhere, leave yourself +behind in the morning, and pick yourself up again when you come +back. It is a bad thing for those who forget to do that. They might +as well hang themselves--better. + +"In there," and he jerked his thumb back over his shoulder, "we are +all machines, you know. It isn't us, not a bit of it. There is just +the flesh, the muscle, the bones, and a frozen bit of our brains. +The rest of us is left behind. If, as we come out, we forget to +pick it up, we lose ourselves altogether, before long; and then +there we are, machines to the end of our lives. You remember that, +Bob. Keep it always in mind." + +"It is a pity that my uncle didn't get the same advice, forty years +ago, Mr. Medlin." + +"It is a pity my employer did not marry. It is a pity my employer +lives in that dull house, in that dull lane, all by himself," Mr. +Medlin said, angrily. + +"But he has not got rid of himself, altogether. He is a good deal +frozen up; but he thaws out, sometimes. What a man he would be, if +he would but live out somewhere, and pick himself up regularly, as +I do, every day! + +"This is my second mark, Bob, this tree growing out in the road. +Now, you see, we are pretty well in the country. + +"Can you run?" + +"Yes, I can run pretty well, Mr. Medlin." + +"Very well, Bob. You see that tree growing out beyond that garden +wall, about four hundred yards on. It is four hundred and twenty, +for I have measured it. Now then, you walk on fifty yards, and then +run for your life. See if I don't catch you, before you are there." + +Bob, wondering as he went along at the astounding change that had +come over his companion, took fifty long steps; then he heard a +shout of "Now!" and went off at the top of his speed. He was still +a hundred yards from the mark, when he heard steps coming rapidly +up behind him; and then the clerk dashed past him, and came in +fully twenty yards ahead. + +"You don't run badly," he said, as Bob stopped, panting. "My Jack +generally comes to meet me, and I always give him seventy yards, +and only beat him by about as much as I do you. He couldn't come, +this afternoon. He is busy helping his mother to get things +straight. I expect we shall meet him, presently. + +"Well, what are you laughing at?" + +"I was just thinking how astonished my uncle would be, if he were +to see us." + +Mr. Medlin gave a hearty laugh. + +"Not so much as you would think, Bob. Five years ago, my employer +suddenly asked me, just as we were shutting up one afternoon, if I +was fond of fishing. I said that I used to be. + +"He said, 'I am going down, for a fortnight, into Hampshire. I have +no one to go with--suppose you come with me.' + +"I said, 'I will.' + +"He said, 'Coach tomorrow morning, eight o'clock, Black Horse +Yard.' + +"I was there. As we went over London Bridge I found myself, as +usual; and he found himself. I explained to him that I could not +help it. He said he didn't want me to help it. We had a glorious +fortnight together, and we have been out every year, since. He +never alludes to it, between times. No more do I. He is stiffer +than usual for a bit. So am I. But we both know each other. + +"You do not suppose that he would have sent you to me, if he hadn't +known that I have got another side to me?" + +"Well, I should not have thought," Bob said, "from the way he +talked, when he introduced me to you, that he ever had such an idea +in his mind." + +"He was obliged to talk so," Mr. Medlin said, laughing. "We were +just machines at the time, both of us. But he talked in quite a +different way when we were down fishing together, three weeks ago. +He said then you were rather a pickle, and that he didn't think you +would do yourself any good where you were, so that he was going to +bring you up to business. + +"'I don't want him to turn out a dull blockhead,' he said, 'and so +I propose that you should take charge of him, and teach him to keep +himself young. I wish I had done it, myself.' + +"And so it was settled. + +"There is no better employer in the city than your uncle. There is +not a man or boy about the place who isn't well paid, and +contented. I used to think myself a lucky man, before we went out +fishing together for the first time but, six months after that, he +gave me a rise that pretty well took my breath away. + +"Ah! Here come the young uns." + +A couple of minutes later, four young people ran up. There was a +boy about Bob's age, a girl a year younger, a boy, and another +girl, in regular steps. They greeted their father with a joyous +shout of welcome. + +"So you have got everything done," he said. "I thought you would +meet me somewhere here. + +"This is Bob Repton, my employer's nephew, and future member of the +firm. Treat him with all respect, and handle him gently. He is a +desperate fellow, though he doesn't look it. This is the young +gentleman I told you of, who made a night expedition and captured +four burglars." + +After this introduction, Bob was heartily shaken by the hand, all +round; and the party proceeded on their way, the two girls holding +their father's hand, the boys walking behind, with Bob, who was so +surprised at the unexpected turn affairs had taken that, for a +time, he almost lost his usual readiness of speech. + + + +Chapter 3: An Unexpected Journey. + + +Hawthorne Cottage, Mr. Medlin's abode, was a pretty little house, +standing detached in a good-sized garden, surrounded by a high +wall. + +"Here we are, mother," the clerk said, as he led the way into a +cozy room, where tea was laid upon the table, while a bright fire +blazed in the grate. + +A very pleasant-faced lady, who did not look to Bob more than +thirty--although she must have been four or five years older--greeted +her husband affectionately. + +"My dear," he said, "in the exuberance of your feelings, you forget +that I have brought you home a visitor. This is Mr. Robert Repton. +While he is resident in the house, he may be greeted as Bob. We had +a race, and he runs faster than Jack; fifty yards, in four hundred +and twenty, is the utmost I can give him." + +"What nonsense you do talk, Will!" his wife said, laughing. "I am +sure Master Repton must think you out of your mind." + +"It is a very jolly way of being out of his mind, Mrs. Medlin. You +don't know how pleased I am." + +"He thought I was an ogre, my dear, and that you were an ogress. + +"Now let the banquet be served; for I am hungry, and I expect Bob +is, too. As for the children, they are always hungry--at least, it +seems so." + +It was a merry meal, and Bob thought he had never enjoyed one as +much, except at his sister's. After tea they had music; and he +found that Mr. Medlin performed admirably on the violin, his wife +played the spinet, Jack the clarionet, and Sophy--the eldest +girl--the piccolo. + +"She is going to learn the harp, presently," Mr. Medlin explained; +"but for the present, when we have no visitors--and I don't count +you one, after this evening--she plays the piccolo. She is a little +shy about it, but shyness is the failing of my family." + +"It is very jolly," Bob said. "I wish I could play an instrument." + +"We will see about it, in time, Bob. We want a French horn; but I +don't see, at present, where you are to practise." + +"Has uncle ever been here?" Bob asked, late in the evening. + +"Yes, he came here the evening we got back from our fishing +expedition. He wanted to see the place, before he finally settled +about you coming here. My wife was a little afraid of him; but +there was no occasion, and everything went off capitally--except +that Sophy would not produce her piccolo. I walked back with him, +till he came upon a hackney coach. + +"He said as he got in, 'I have spent a most pleasant evening, +Medlin. You are a very lucky fellow.' + +"I went back to work the next morning, and we both dropt into the +old groove; and nothing more was said until yesterday, when he +informed me that you would come, today." + +"Oh, dear!" Bob said, as he started with the clerk, at eight +o'clock on the following morning. "Now I am going to begin at that +wretched counting house." + +"No, you are not, Bob. You are not coming in there, at present. +When your uncle and I were talking--when we were fishing, you +know--he said that he saw no use in your going in there, at +present; and thought it would be quite time for you to learn how +the books are kept, in another three or four years; and that, till +then, you could go into the cellar. You will learn bottling, and +packing, and blending, and something about the quality and value of +wines. You will find it much more pleasant than being shut up in a +counting house, making out bills and keeping ledgers." + +"A great deal," Bob said, joyfully. "I sha'n't mind that at all." + +Bob observed a noticeable change in his companion's demeanour, when +he arrived at the tree and, on passing the last garden, his face +assumed a stolid expression; his brisk, springy walk settled down +into a business pace; his words became few; and he was again a +steady, and mechanical, clerk. + +A fortnight later, Bob was summoned to the counting house. + +"Mr. Bale wishes to see you," Mr. Medlin said. + +Bob entered, wondering what he was wanted for. + +"I received a subpoena, a week ago, Robert, for you to attend as a +witness at Kingston tomorrow. These interruptions to business are +very annoying. I did not mention it to you before for, if I had +done so, you would be thinking of nothing else. + +"This morning I have received a letter from Admiral Langton, +requesting me to allow you to go down by the stage, this afternoon, +and to sleep at his house. He will take you over, in the morning; +and you will sleep there again, tomorrow night, and come back by +the early stage. + +"I trust that you will endeavour to curb your exuberance of +spirits. This is a very grave matter, and anything like levity +would be altogether out of place. + +"The letter says that the stage leaves the Bell Tavern at four +o'clock." + +Bob replied, gravely, that he would be there in time; and went off +to his work again, until twelve o'clock. + +When he arrived at the admiral's, at a quarter to six, a lad in +midshipman's uniform came rushing out into the hall. + +"Hulloa, Bob!" + +"Why, Jim!--but no, I suppose I ought to say Mr. James Sankey, to +an officer of your importance. How comes it, sir, that you are so +soon attired in His Majesty's uniform?" + +"I will punch your head, Bob, if you go on with that nonsense. + +"But I say, isn't it jolly? The very afternoon after you left came +down a big letter, with a tremendous seal; and therein I was +informed that I was appointed to His Majesty's ship Brilliant, and +was ordered to join immediately. Of course, I did not know what to +do, so I came up here; and who do you think I found here? Captain +Langton, the admiral's son, who is in command of the Brilliant. + +"Of course, it was he who had got me the appointment. He was very +kind, and told me that I could not join until after this trial; so +that I could go down home, and stop there, till today; and the +admiral sent me straight off, to be measured for my uniform. When I +started, next day, he gave me a letter to my father--an awfully +nice letter it was, saying that he intended to present me with my +first outfit. I got here about an hour ago, and have been putting +on my uniform, to see how it fitted." + +"You mean to see how you looked in it, Jim? It looks first rate. I +wish I was in one too, and was going with you, instead of sticking +in Philpot Lane." + +"I am awfully sorry for you, Bob. It must be beastly." + +"Well, it is not so bad as I expected, Jim, and uncle is turning +out much better; and I don't live there, but with the head clerk, +out at Hackney. He is an awfully jolly sort of fellow--you never +saw such a rum chap. I will tell you all about it, afterwards. + +"I suppose I ought to go in, and see the admiral." + +"He is out, at present, Bob. He will be back at eight o'clock to +supper, so you can come up and tell me all about it. Captain +Langton is here, too." + +Captain Langton spoke very kindly to Bob, when the two boys came +down to supper; and told him that if, at any time, he changed his +mind, and there was a vacancy for a midshipman on board his ship, +he would give him the berth. + +"I should be very glad to have you with me," he said, "after the +service you rendered my father and sister." + +On the following morning, Fullarton and Wharton came up from the +school, and two carriages conveyed the witnesses over to Kingston. +The prisoners, Bob heard, were notorious and desperate criminals, +whom the authorities had long been anxious to lay hands on. The +butler was one of the gang, and had obtained his post by means of a +forged character. The trial only occupied two hours for, taken in +the act as the men were, there was no defence whatever. All four +were sentenced to be hung, and the judge warmly complimented the +four boys upon their conduct in the matter. + +The next morning, Bob returned to his work in the city. + +For the next three months, his existence was a regular one. On +arriving in the cellar, he took off his jacket and put on a large +apron, that completely covered him; and from that time until five +o'clock he worked with the other boys: bottling, packing, storing +the bottles away in the bins, or taking them down as required. He +learned, from the foreman, something of the localities from which +the wine came, their value and prices; but had not begun to +distinguish them by taste, or bouquet. Mr. Bale, the foreman said, +had given strict orders that he was not to begin tasting, at +present. + +Three days before Christmas, one of the clerks brought him down +word that Mr. Bale wished to see him in the office, at five +o'clock. + +During the three, months he had scarcely spoken to his uncle. The +latter had nodded to him, whenever he came into the cellar; and had +regularly said, "Well, Robert, how are you getting on?" + +To which he had, as regularly, replied, "Very well, uncle." + +He supposed that the present meeting was for the purpose of +inviting him to dine at Philpot Lane, on Christmas Day; and +although he knew that he should enjoy the festivity more, at +Hackney, he was prepared to accept it very willingly. + +"I have sent for you, Robert," Mr. Bale said, when he entered his +office, "to say that your sister has written to ask me to go down +to spend Christmas with her, at Portsmouth. As her husband's +regiment is on the point of going abroad, I have decided on +accepting her invitation and, for the same reason, I shall take you +down with me. You will therefore have your box packed, tonight. I +shall send down a cart to fetch it, tomorrow. You will sleep here +tomorrow night, and we start the next morning." + +"Thank you very much, uncle," Bob said, in delight; and then, +seeing that nothing further was expected of him, he ran off to join +Mr. Medlin, who was waiting for him outside. + +"What do you think, Mr. Medlin? I am going down to spend Christmas +at my sister's." + +"Ah!" the clerk said, in a dull unsympathetic voice. "Well, mind +how you walk, Mr. Robert. It does not look well, coming out from a +place of business as if you were rushing out of school." + +Bob knew well enough that it was no use, whatever, trying to get +his companion to take any interest in matters unconnected with +business, at present; so he dropped into his regular pace, and did +not open his lips again, until they had passed the usual boundary. + +Then Mr. Medlin said, briskly, "So you are going down to your +sister's, Bob!" + +"Yes, that will be first rate, won't it? Of course, I went down in +the summer to Canterbury, and hardly expected to go again this +year. As I have only been three months here, I did not even think +of going. + +"It will be the last holiday I shall have, for some time. You know +Carrie said, when she wrote to me a month ago, that the regiment +expected to be ordered abroad soon; and uncle said it is on the +point of going, now. + +"He is coming down with me." + +His voice fell a little, at this part of the announcement. + +"He is, eh? You think you will have to be on your best behaviour, +Bob?" + +"Before you told me about him, Mr. Medlin, I should have thought it +would quite spoil the holiday. But I do not feel it so bad, now." + +"He will be all right, Bob. You have never seen him outside the +city, yet. Still, I shouldn't be up to any tricks with him, you +know, if I were you--shouldn't put cobbler's wax on his pigtail, or +anything of that sort." + +"As if I should think of such a thing, Mr. Medlin!" + +"Well, I don't know, Bob. You have made Jack pretty nearly as wild +as you are, yourself. You are quite a scandal to the neighbourhood, +you two. You nearly frightened those two ladies next door into +fits, last week, by carrying in that snowman, and sticking it up in +their garden, when you knew they were out. I thought they were both +going to have fits, when they rushed in to tell me there was a +ghost in their garden." + +"I believe you suggested it yourself, Mr. Medlin," Bob said, +indignantly. "Besides, it served them right, for coming in to +complain that we had thrown stones and broken their window, when we +had done nothing of the sort." + +"It was rather lucky for you that they did so, Bob; for you see, we +were all so indignant, then, that they didn't venture to accuse you +of the snowman business--though I have no doubt they were +convinced, in their own minds, that it was you. But that is only +one out of twenty pranks that you and Jack have been up to." + +"Jack and I and someone else, Mr Medlin. We carry them out, but I +think someone else always suggests them." + +"Not suggest, Bob--far from it. If I happen to say that it would be +a most reprehensible thing if anyone were to do something, somehow +or other that is the very thing that Jack and you do. It was only +last week I said that it would be a very objectionable trick if +anyone was to tie paper bands round the neck of the clergyman's +black cat--who is always stealing our chickens--and to my surprise, +the next morning, when we started for business, there was quite a +crowd outside his house, watching the cat calmly sitting over the +porch, with white bands round its neck. Now, that is an example of +what I mean." + +"Quite so, Mr. Medlin, that is just what I meant, too; and it was +much better than throwing stones at him. It is a savage beast, +though it does look so demure; and scratched Jack's hand and mine, +horribly, when we were tying on the bands." + +At the tree the others met them, and they laughed and chatted all +the way back; the young ones expressing much regret, however, that +Bob was to be away at Christmas. + +At the appointed time, Mr. Bale and Bob took their places on the +coach. The latter felt a little oppressed; for his uncle had, the +evening before, been putting him through a sort of examination as +to the value of wines; and had been exceedingly severe when Bob had +not acquitted himself to his satisfaction, but had mixed up Malaga +with Madeira, and had stated that a French wine was grown near +Cadiz. + +"I expect I shall know them better when I get to taste them," Bob +had urged, in excuse. "When you don't know anything about the +wines, it is very difficult to take an interest in them. It is like +learning that a town in India is on the Ganges. You don't care +anything about the town, and you don't care anything about the +Ganges; and you are sure to mix it up, next time, with some other +town on some other river." + +"If those are your ideas, Robert, I think you had better go to +bed," Mr. Bale had said, sternly; and Bob had gone to bed, and had +thought what a nuisance it was that his uncle was going down to +Portsmouth, just when he wanted to be jolly with Carrie and her +husband for the last time. + +Little had been said at breakfast, and it was not until the coach +was rattling along the high road, and the last house had been left +behind him, that Bob's spirits began to rise. There had been a +thaw, a few days before, and the snow had disappeared; but it was +now freezing sharply again. + +"The air is brisk. Do you feel it cold, Robert?" Mr. Bale said, +breaking silence for the first time. + +"I feel cold about the toes, and about the ears and nose, uncle," +Bob said, "but I am not very likely to feel cold, anywhere else." + +His uncle looked down at the boy, who was wedged in between him and +a stout woman. + +"Well, no," he agreed; "you are pretty closely packed. You had +better pull that muffler over your ears more. It was rather +different weather when you went down to Canterbury in the summer." + +"That it was," Bob replied, heartily. "It was hot and dusty, just; +and there were a man and woman, sitting opposite, who kept on +drinking out of a bottle, every five minutes. She had a baby with +her, too, who screamed almost all the way. I consider I saved that +baby's life." + +"How was that, Robert?" + +"Well you see, uncle, they had finished their bottle by the time we +got to Sevenoaks; and we all got down for dinner there and, before +we sat down, the man went to the bar and got it filled up again. A +pint of gin, filled up with water--I heard him order it. He put it +in the pocket of his coat, and hung the coat up on a peg when he +sat down to dinner. + +"I was not long over my dinner, and finished before they did; and I +took the bottle out, and ran out to the yard and emptied it, and +filled it up with water, and put it back in the pocket again, +without his noticing it. + +"You should have seen what a rage he was in, when he took his first +sip from the bottle, after we had started. He thought the man at +the inn had played him a trick, and he stood up and shouted to the +coachman to turn back again; but of course he wasn't going to do +that, and every one laughed--except the woman. I think she had had +more than was good for her, already, and she cried for about an +hour. + +"The next two places where we changed horses, we did it so quick +that the man hadn't time to get down. The third place he did and, +though the guard said we shouldn't stop a minute, he went into the +public house. The guard shouted, but he didn't come out, and off we +went without him. Then he came out running, and waving his arms, +but the coachman wouldn't stop. The woman got down, with the child, +at the next place we changed horses; and I suppose they went on +next day and, if they started sober, they did perhaps get to Dover +all right." + +"That was a very nasty trick," the woman, who was sitting next to +Bob, said sharply. + +Bob had noticed that she had already opened a basket on her lap, +and had partaken of liquid refreshment. + +"But you see, I saved the baby, ma'am," Bob said, humbly. "The +woman was sitting at the end and, if she had taken her share of the +second bottle, the chances are she would have dropped the baby. It +was a question of saving life, you see." + +Bob felt a sudden convulsion in his uncle's figure. + +"It is all very well to talk in that way," the woman said, angrily. +"It was just a piece of impudence, and you ought to have been +flogged for it. I have no patience with such impudent doings. A +wasting of good liquor, too." + +"I don't think, madam," Mr. Bale said, "it was as much wasted as it +would have been, had they swallowed it; for at least it did no +harm. I cannot see myself why, because people get outside a coach, +they should consider it necessary to turn themselves into hogs." + +"I will trouble you to keep your insinuations to yourself," the +woman said, in great indignation. "You ought to be ashamed of +yourself, at your age, encouraging a boy in such ways. There is +them as can stand the cold, and there's them as can't; and a little +good liquor helps them, wonderful. I am sich, myself." + +And she defiantly took out her bottle from her basket, and applied +it to her lips. + +"I was not speaking personally, my good woman," Mr. Bale said. + +"I would have you to know," the woman snapped, "that I ain't your +good woman. I wouldn't demean myself to the like. I will ask this +company if it is right as a unprotected female should be insulted, +on the outside of one of His Majesty's mails?" + +The other passengers, who had been struggling with their laughter, +endeavoured to pacify her with the assurance that no insult had +been meant; and as Mr. Bale made no reply, she subsided into +silence, grumbling occasionally to herself. + +"I am a-going down," she broke out, presently, "to meet my husband, +and I don't mind who knows it. He is a warrant officer, he is, on +board the Latona, as came in last week with two prizes. There ain't +nothing to be ashamed of, in that. + +"And I will thank you, boy," she said, turning sharply upon Bob, +"not to be a-scrouging me so. I pay for my place, I do." + +"I think you ought to pay for two places," Bob said. "I am sure you +have got twice as much room as I have. And if there is any +scrouging, it isn't me." + +"Would you have any objection, sir," the woman said majestically, +to a man sitting on the other side of her, "to change places with +me? I ain't a-going to bear no longer with the insults of this boy, +and of the person as calls himself a man, a-sitting next to him." + +The change was effected, to Bob's great satisfaction. + +"You see, Robert, what you have brought down upon me," Mr. Bale +said. "This comes of your telling stories about bottles, when there +is a woman with one in her basket next to you." + +"I really was not thinking of her when I spoke, uncle. But I am +glad, now, for I really could hardly breathe, before. + +"Why, uncle, I had no idea you smoked!" he added, as Mr. Bale took +a cigar case from his pocket. + +"I do not smoke, when I am in the city, Robert; but I see no harm +in a cigar--in fact I like one--at other times. I observed a long +pipe on the mantelpiece, at Mr. Medlin's; and indeed, I have seen +that gentleman smoke, when we have been out together, but I have +never observed him indulging in that habit, in the city." + +"Oh, yes! He smokes at home," Bob said. + +"I have great confidence in Mr. Medlin, Robert. You have been +comfortable with him, I hope?" + +"Could not be more comfortable, sir." + +"An excellent man of business, Robert, and most trustworthy. A +serious-minded man." + +Bob was looking up, and saw a little twinkle in Mr. Bale's eye. + +"You don't find it dull, I hope?" + +"Not at all dull, sir. Mr. Medlin and his family are very musical." + +"Musical, are they, Robert?" Mr. Bale said, in a tone of surprise. +"As far as I have seen in the counting house, I should not have +taken him to be musical." + +"No, I don't think you would, uncle. Just the same way as one +wouldn't think it likely that you would smoke a cigar." + +"Well, no, Robert. You see, one must not always go by appearances." + +"No, sir; that is just what Mr. Medlin says," Bob replied, smiling. + +"Oh, he says that, does he? I suppose he has been telling you that +we go out fishing together?" + +"He did mention that, sir." + +"You must not always believe what Medlin says, Robert." + +"No, sir? I thought you told me he was perfectly trustworthy?" + +"In some points, boy; but it is notorious that, from all times, the +narratives of fishermen must be received with a large amount of +caution. The man who can be trusted with untold gold cannot be +relied upon to give, with even an approach to accuracy, the weights +of the fish he has caught; and indeed, all his statements with +reference to the pursuit must be taken with a large discount. + +"You were surprised, when you heard that I went fishing, Robert?" + +"Not more surprised than I was when you lit your cigar, sir." + +"Well, you know what Horace said, Robert. I forget what it was in +the Latin, but it meant: + +"'He is a poor soul, who never rejoices.' + +"The bow must be relaxed, Robert, or it loses its stiffness and +spring. I, myself, always bear this in mind; and endeavour to +forget that there is such a place as the city of London, or a place +of business called Philpot Lane, directly I get away from it." + +"Don't you think that you could forget, too, uncle, that the name I +am known by in the city is Robert; and that my name, at all other +times, is Bob?" + +"I will try to do so, if you make a point of it," Mr. Bale said, +gravely; "but at the same time, it appears to me that Bob is a name +for a short-tailed sheepdog, rather than for a boy." + +"I don't mind who else is called by it, uncle. Besides, sheepdogs +are very useful animals." + +"They differ from boys in one marked respect, Bob." + +"What is that, uncle?" + +"They always attend strictly to business, lad. They are most +conscientious workers. Now, this is more than can be said for +boys." + +"But I don't suppose the sheepdogs do much, while they are puppies, +uncle." + +"Humph! I think you have me there, Bob. I suppose we must make +allowances for them both. + +"Well, we shall be at Guildford in half an hour, and will stop +there for dinner. I shall not be sorry to get down to stamp my feet +a bit. It is very cold here, in spite of these rugs." + +It was seven o'clock in the evening when the coach drew up at the +George Hotel, in Portsmouth. Captain O'Halloran was at the door to +meet them. + +"Well, Mr. Bale, you have had a coldish drive down, today. + +"How are you, Bob?" + +"At present, I am cold," Bob said. "The last two hours have been +bitter." + +"I have taken bedrooms here for you, Mr. Bale. There is no barrack +accommodation, at present, for everyone is back from leave. Any +other time, we could have put you up. + +"Now, if you will point out your baggage, my man will see it taken +up to your rooms; and you can come straight on to me. Carrie has +got supper ready, and a big fire blazing. It is not three minutes' +walk from here." + +They were soon seated at table and, after the meal was over, they +drew round the fire. + +"So you have really become a man of business, Bob," his sister +said. "I was very glad to hear, from your letter, that you liked it +better than you expected." + +"But it will be a long while, yet, before he is a man of business, +niece. It is like having a monkey in a china shop. The other day I +went down to the cellar, just in time to see him put down a bottle +so carelessly that it tumbled over. Unfortunately there was a row +of them he had just filled; and a dozen went down, like ninepins. +The corks had not been put in, and half the contents were lost +before they could be righted. And the wine was worth eighty +shillings a dozen." + +"And what can you expect of him, Mr. Bale?" Gerald O'Halloran said. +"Is it a spalpeen like that you would trust with the handling of +good wine? I would as soon set a cat to bottle milk." + +"He is young for it, yet," Mr. Bale agreed. "But when a boy amuses +himself by breaking out of school at three o'clock in the morning, +and fighting burglars, what are you to do with him?" + +"I should give him a medal, for his pluck, Mr. Bale; and let him do +something where he would have a chance of showing his spirit." + +"And make him as wild and harum-scarum as you are, yourself, +O'Halloran; and then expect him to turn out a respectable merchant, +afterwards? I am sure I don't wish to be troubled with him, till he +has got rid of what you call his spirits; but what are you to do +with such a pickle as this? There have been more bottles broken, +since he came, than there ordinarily are in the course of a year; +and I suspect him of corrupting my chief clerk, and am in mortal +apprehension that he will be getting into some scrape, at Hackney, +and make the place too hot for him. + +"I never gave you credit for much brains, Carrie, but how it was +you let your brother grow up like this is more than I can tell." + +Although this all sounded serious, Bob did not feel at all alarmed. +Carrie, however, thought that her uncle was greatly vexed, and +tried to take up the cudgels in his defence. + +"I am sure Bob does not mean any harm, uncle." + +"I did not say that he did, niece; but if he does harm, it comes to +the same thing. + +"Well, we need not talk about that now. So I hear that you are +going out to the Mediterranean?" + +"Yes, uncle, to Gibraltar. It is a nice station, everyone says, and +I am very pleased. There are so many places where there is fighting +going on, now, that I think we are most fortunate in going there. I +was so afraid the regiment might be sent either to America, or +India." + +"And I suppose you would rather have gone where there was fighting, +O'Halloran?" + +"I would," the officer said, promptly. "What is the use of your +going into the army, if you don't fight?" + +"I should say, what is the use of going into the army, at all?" Mr. +Bale said, testily. "Still, I suppose someone must go." + +"I suppose so, sir," Captain O'Halloran said, laughing. "If it were +not for the army and navy, I fancy you trading gentlemen would very +soon find the difference. Besides, there are some of us born to it. +I should never have made a figure in the city, for instance." + +"I fancy not," Mr. Bale said, dryly. "You will understand, +O'Halloran, that I am not objecting in the slightest to your being +in the army. My objection solely lies in the fact that you, being +in the army, should have married my niece; and that, instead of +coming to keep house for me, comfortably, she is going to wander +about, with you, to the ends of the earth." + +Carrie laughed. + +"How do you know someone else would not have snapped me up, if he +hadn't, uncle?" + +"That is right, Carrie. + +"You would have found her twice as difficult to manage as Bob, Mr. +Bale. You would never have kept her in Philpot Lane, if I hadn't +taken her. There are some people can be tamed down, and there are +some who can't; and Carrie is one of the latter. + +"I should pity you, from my heart, if you had her on your hands, +Mr. Bale. If ever I get to be a colonel, it is she will command the +regiment." + +"Well, it is good that one of us should have sense, Gerald," his +wife said, laughing. "And now, you had better put the whisky on the +table, unless uncle would prefer some mulled port wine." + +"Neither one nor the other, my dear. Your brother is half asleep, +now, and it is as much as I can do to keep my eyes open. After the +cold ride we have had, the sooner we get back to the George, the +better. + +"We will breakfast there, Carrie. I don't know what your hours are +but, when I am away on a holiday, I always give myself a little +extra sleep. Besides, your husband will, I suppose, have to be on +duty; and I have no doubt it will suit you, as well as me, for us +to breakfast at the George." + +"Perhaps it will be better, uncle, if you don't mind. Gerald +happens to be orderly officer for the day, and will have to get his +breakfast as he can, and will be busy all the morning; but I shall +be ready for you by ten." + +At that hour Bob appeared, alone. + +"Uncle won't come round till one o'clock, Carrie. He said he should +take a quiet stroll round, by himself, and look at the ships; and +that, no doubt, we should like to have a talk together." + +"Is he very cross with you, Bob?" she asked, anxiously. "You know +he really is kind at heart, very kind; but I am afraid he must be +very hard, as a master." + +"Not a bit, Carrie. I expected he was going to be so, but he isn't +the least like that. He is very much liked by everyone there. He +doesn't say much, and he certainly looks stiff and grim enough for +anything; but he isn't so, really, not a bit." + +"Didn't he scold you dreadfully about your upsetting those twelve +bottles of wine?" + +"He never said a word about it, and I did not know at the time he +had seen me. John, the foreman--the one who used to take me out in +the holidays--would not have said anything about it. He said, of +course accidents did happen, sometimes, with the boys; and when +they did, he himself blew them up, and there was no occasion to +mention it to Mr. Bale, when it wasn't anything very serious. But +of course, I could not have that; and said that either he must tell +uncle, or I should. + +"It really happened because my fingers were so cold I could not +feel the bottle. Of course the cellar is not cold, but I had been +outside, taking in a waggon load of bottles that had just arrived, +and counting them, and my fingers got regularly numbed. + +"So John went to the counting house, and told him about the wine +being spilt. He said I wished him to tell him, and how it had +happened." + +"What did uncle say, Bob?" + +"He said he was glad to hear that I told John to tell him; but that +he knew it already, for he had just come down to the cellar when +the bottles went over and, as he didn't wish to interfere with the +foreman's work, had come back to the counting house without anyone +noticing he had been there. He said, of course boys could not be +trusted like men; and that, as he had chosen to put me there, he +must put up with accidents. He never spoke about it to me, till +last night." + +"Well, he seemed very vexed about it, Bob, and made a great deal of +it." + +"He didn't mean it, Carrie; and he knew I knew he didn't mean it. +He knows I am beginning to understand him." + +That evening, Mr. Bale sent Bob back to the hotel by himself. + +"I thought I would get him out of the way," he said, when Bob had +left. "I wanted to have a chat with you about him. + +"You see, Carrie, I acted hastily in taking him away from school; +but it seemed to me that he must be getting into a very bad groove, +to be playing such pranks as breaking out in the middle of the +night. I was sorry, afterwards; partly because it had upset all my +plans, partly because I was not sure that I had done the best thing +by him. + +"I had intended that he should have stopped for another year, at +school; by that time he would be between sixteen and seventeen, and +I thought of taking him into the office for six months or so, to +begin with, for him to learn a little of the routine. Then I had +intended to send him out to Oporto, for two years, and then to +Cadiz for two years; so that he would have learnt Portuguese and +Spanish well, got up all there was to learn about the different +growths, and established friendly relations with my agents. + +"Now, as it happens, all these plans have been upset. My agent at +Oporto died, a month ago. His son succeeds him. He is a young man, +and not yet married. In the first place, I don't suppose he would +care about being bothered with Bob; and in the second place, boys +of Bob's age are not likely to submit very quietly to the authority +of a foreigner. Then, too, your brother is full of mischief and +fun; and I don't suppose foreigners would understand him, in the +least, and he would get into all manner of scrapes. + +"My correspondent at Cadiz is an elderly man, without a family, and +the same objection would arise in his case; and moreover, from what +I hear from him and from other Spanish sources, there is a strong +feeling against England in Spain and, now that we are at war with +France, and have troubles in America, I think it likely enough they +will join in against us. Of course my correspondent writes +cautiously, but in his last letter he strongly advises me to buy +largely, at once, as there is no saying about the future; and +several of my friends in the trade have received similar advice. + +"I have put the boy into the cellar for, at the moment, I could see +nothing else to do with him. But really, the routine he is learning +is of little importance, and there is no occasion for him to learn +to do these things himself. He would pick up all he wants to know +there, when he came back, in a very short time." + +"Then what are you thinking of doing, uncle?" Carrie asked, after a +pause, as she saw that Mr. Bale expected her to say something. + +"It seems to me that a way has opened out of the difficulty. I +don't want him to go back to school again. He knows quite as much +Latin as is required, in an importer of wines. I want him to learn +Spanish and Portuguese, and to become a gentleman, and a man of the +world. I have stuck to Philpot Lane, all my life; but there is no +reason why he should do so, after me. Things are changing in the +city, and many of our merchants no longer live there, but have +houses in the country, and drive or ride to them. Some people shake +their heads over what they call newfangled notions. I think it is +good for a man to get right away from his business, when he has +done work. + +"But this is not the point. Bob is too young to begin to learn the +business abroad. Two years too young, at least. But there is no +reason why he should not begin to learn Spanish. Now, I thought if +I could find someone I could intrust him to, where his home would +be bright and pleasant, he might go there for a couple of years. +Naturally I should be prepared to pay a fair sum--say 200 pounds a +year--for him, for of course no one is going to be bothered with a +boy, without being paid for it." + +Carrie listened for something further to come. Then her husband +broke in: + +"I see what you are driving at, Mr. Bale, and Carrie and myself +would be delighted to have him. + +"Don't you see, Carrie? Your uncle means that Bob shall stop with +us, and learn the language there." + +"That would be delightful!" Carrie exclaimed, enthusiastically. "Do +you really mean that, uncle?" + +"That is really what I do mean, niece. It seems to me that that is +the very best thing we could do with the young scamp." + +"It would be capital!" Carrie went on. "It is what I should like +above everything." + +"A nicer arrangement couldn't be, Mr. Bale. It will suit us all. +Bob will learn the language, he will be a companion to Carrie when +I am on duty, and we will make a man of him. But he won't be able +to go out with us, I am afraid. Officers' wives and families get +their passages in the transports, but I am afraid it would be no +use to ask for one for Bob. Besides, we sail in four days." + +"No, I will arrange about his passage, and so on. + +"Well, I am glad that my proposal suits you both. The matter has +been worrying me for the last three months, and it is a comfort +that it is off my mind. + +"I will go back to my hotel now. I will send Bob round in the +morning, and you can tell him about it." + + + +Chapter 4: Preparations For A Voyage. + + +Bob went round to the barracks at half past nine. + +"Uncle says you have a piece of news to tell me, Carrie." + +"My dear Bob," Captain O'Halloran said, "your uncle is a broth of a +boy. He would do credit to Galway; and if anyone says anything to +the contrary, I will have him out tomorrow morning." + +"What has he been doing?" Bob asked. + +"I told you, Carrie, yesterday, he wasn't a bit like what he +seemed." + +"Well, Bob, you are not going to stay at his place of business any +longer." + +"No! Where is he going to send me--to school again? I am not sure I +should like that, Carrie. I didn't want to leave, but I don't think +I should like to go back to Caesar, and Euclid, and all those +wretched old books again." + +"Well, you are not going, Bob." + +"Hurry up, Carrie!" her husband said. "Don't you see that you are +keeping the boy on thorns? Tell him the news, without beating about +the bush." + +"Well, it is just this, Bob. You are to come out for two years to +live with us, at Gibraltar, and learn Spanish." + +Bob threw his cap up to the ceiling, with a shout of delight; +executed a wild dance, rushed at his sister and kissed her +violently, and shook hands with her husband. + +"That is glorious!" he said, when he had sufficiently recovered +himself for speech. "I said uncle was a brick, didn't I? But I +never dreamt of such a thing as this." + +"He is going to pay, very handsomely, while you are with us, Bob, +so it will be really a great help to us. Besides, we will like to +have you with us. But you will have to work hard at Spanish, you +know." + +"Oh, I will work hard," Bob said, confidently. + +"And be very steady," Captain O'Halloran said, gravely. + +"Of course," Bob replied. "But who are you going to hire to teach +me that?" + +"You are an impudent boy, Bob," his sister said, while Captain +O'Halloran burst out laughing. + +"Sure, he has us both there, Carrie. I wonder your uncle did not +make a proviso that we were to get one of the padres to look after +him." + +"As if I would let a Spanish priest look after me!" Bob said. + +"I didn't mean a Spanish priest, Bob. I meant one of the army +chaplains. We always call them padres. + +"That would be worth thinking about, Carrie." + +"Oh, I say," Bob exclaimed in alarm, "that would spoil it, +altogether!" + +"Well, we will see how you go on, Bob. We may not find it +necessary, you know; but you will find you have to mind your P's +and Q's, at Gib. It is a garrison place, you know, and they won't +stand nonsense there. If you played any tricks, they would turn you +outside the lines, or send you up to one of the caverns to live +with the apes." + +"Are there apes?" Bob asked, eagerly. "They would be awful fun, I +should think. I have seen them at Exeter 'Change." + +"There are apes, Bob; but if you think you are going to get near +enough to put salt on their tails, you are mistaken." + +"But am I going out with you?" Bob asked. "Why, tomorrow is +Christmas Day, and you sail two days after, don't you? And I +shouldn't have time even to go up to town, and down to Putney, to +say goodbye to the fellows. I should like to do that, and tell them +that I am going abroad." + +"You are not going with us, Bob, and you will have time for all +that. We could not take you in the transport, and uncle will +arrange for a passage for you, in some ship going out. Of course, +he knows all about vessels trading with Spain." + +"Well, we sha'n't have to say goodbye, now," Bob said. "I haven't +said much about it, but I have been thinking a lot about how horrid +it would be, after being so jolly here, to have to say goodbye; +knowing that I shouldn't see you again, for years and years. Now +that is all over." + +A few minutes later, Mr. Bale came in. He had assumed his most +businesslike expression, but Bob rushed up to him. + +"Oh, uncle, I am so obliged to you! It is awfully kind." + +"I thought the arrangement would be a suitable one," Mr. Bale +began. + +"No, no, uncle," Bob broke in. "You would say that, if you were in +Philpot Lane. Now you know you can say that you thought it would be +the very jolliest thing that was ever heard of." + +"I am afraid, niece, that the sentiment of respect for his elders +is not strongly developed in Bob." + +"I am afraid not, uncle; but you see, if elders set an example of +being double-faced to their nephews, they must expect to forfeit +their respect." + +"And it is a lot better being liked than being respected, isn't it, +uncle?" + +"Perhaps it is, Bob, but the two things may go together." + +"So they do, uncle. Only I keep my respect for Philpot Lane, and it +is all liking, here." + +They spent two more delightful days at Portsmouth; visited some of +the ships of war, and the transport in which the 58th was to sail, +and went over the dockyard. The next morning, Mr. Bale and Bob +returned by the early coach to London, as the boxes and trunks and +the portable furniture had to be sent off, early, on board. + +Mr. Medlin was less surprised, at hearing that Bob was going to +leave, than the latter had expected. + +"You know, Bob, I was away one day last week. Well, I didn't tell +you at the time where I was, because I was ordered not to; but your +uncle said to me, the evening before: + +"'I am going to drive down by coach to Windsor, Mr. Medlin, and +shall be glad if you will accompany me.' + +"I guessed he wanted to talk about things outside the business, and +so it was. We had a capital dinner down there, and then we had a +long talk about you. I told him frankly that, though I was very +glad to have you with me, I really did not see that it was of any +use your being kept at that work. He said that he thought so, too, +and had an idea on which he wanted my opinion. He was thinking of +accepting your sister's invitation to go down and spend Christmas +with her; and intended to ask her if they would take charge of you, +for a couple of years, in order that you might learn Spanish. Of +course, I said that it was the very best thing in the world for +you; and would not be any loss of time because, if you could speak +Spanish well, you would learn the business much more quickly when +you went to Cadiz; and need not be so long abroad, then." + +"I shall be awfully sorry to go away from you, Mr. Medlin, and from +Mrs. Medlin and the others. It has been so jolly with you, and you +have all been so kind." + +"Yes, it has been very comfortable all round, Bob, and we shall all +be sorry that you are going; but I did not expect we should have +you long with us. I felt sure your uncle would see he had made a +mistake, in taking you into the place so young; and when he finds +out he has made a mistake, he says so. Some people won't; but I +have known him own up he has been wrong, after blowing up one of +the boys in the cellar for something he hadn't done. Now, there is +not one employer in a hundred who would do that. + +"Yes, I felt sure that he would change his mind about you, and +either send you back to school again or make some other +arrangement; so I wasn't a bit surprised when he spoke to me, last +week. Still, we shall all be sorry, Bob." + +Another fortnight, passed without Bob hearing more; except that he +was taken by Mr. Medlin to various shops, and a large outfit was +ordered. + +"You will bear in mind two things, Mr. Medlin," his employer had +said. "In the first place, that my nephew will grow, in the next +two years. Therefore order some of his things to fit him, now, and +some to be made larger and in more manly fashion. Give instructions +that, when these are finished, they are to be put in tin cases and +soldered down, so as to be kept distinct from the others. + +"In the second place, you will bear in mind that clothes which +would be perfectly right and suitable for him, here, will not be at +all suitable for him, there. He will be living with an officer, and +associating entirely with military men; and there must therefore be +a certain cut and fashion about his things. Of course, I don't want +him to look like a young fop; but you understand what I want. There +will be no boys out there, it is therefore better that he should +look a little older than he is. Besides, I think that boys--and +men, too--to some extent live up to their clothes. + +"I do not think that I have anything else to say, Mr. Medlin; +except that, as he will not be able to replace any clothes he may +destroy out there, and as he is sure to be climbing about and +destroying them, in one way or another, it is necessary that an +ample supply should be laid in." + +Mr. Medlin had scrupulously carried out all these instructions, and +Bob was almost alarmed at the extent of the wardrobe ordered. + +"I know what I am doing, Mr. Robert,"--for they were in the city +when Bob made his protest--"I am quite sure that my employer will +make no objection to my ordering largely; but he would certainly be +much displeased, if I did not order what he conceived to be +sufficient." + +At the end of the fortnight, Mr. Bale informed Bob that he had +arranged for his passage to Gibraltar in the brig Antelope. + +"She is bound to Valencia for fruit. She is a fast sailer, and is +well armed. There will be no other passengers on board but, as I am +acquainted with the captain--who has several times brought over +cargoes for me, from Cadiz and Oporto--he has agreed to take you. I +would rather you had gone in a ship sailing with a convoy but, as +there was a very strong one went, at the time the transports +sailed, there may not be another for some time. These small vessels +do not wait for convoys, but trust to their speed. + +"You can now discontinue your work here, as you will probably wish +to go down to Putney, to say goodbye to your friends there. The +brig will sail next Monday; but you will go down on Saturday, by +coach, to Southampton, where she now is. I shall request Mr. Medlin +to see you on board. He tells me that your outfit is completed; and +your trunks, with the exception of what will be required upon the +voyage, will be sent off by the carrier waggon, on Wednesday. + +"On Thursday afternoon you will leave Mr. Medlin's, and stay here +till you start." + +The week passed quickly. Bob enjoyed his day at Putney where, after +saying goodbye to his old schoolfellows, he called upon Admiral +Langton, who was very glad to hear of the change in his prospects. + +"It will do you good," he said, "to go out into the world, and see +a little of life. It was a dull thing, for a lad of your age and +spirits, to be cooped up in a counting house in the city; but now +that you are going to Gibraltar, and afterwards to Cadiz and +Oporto, and will not return to settle down to business until you +are one-and-twenty or so, I think that the prospect before you is a +very pleasant one; and I am glad that your uncle has proved +altogether different to your anticipations of him. + +"Well, you are sure to see my son at Gibraltar, sometimes. I shall +write to him, and tell him that you are there; and as your friend +Sankey is on board the Brilliant, it will be pleasant for both of +you. + +"Only don't lead him into scrapes, Bob. Midshipmen are up to +mischief enough, on their own account." + +"Everyone always seems to think I am getting into scrapes, admiral. +I don't think I get into more than other fellows." + +"I rather think you do, Bob. Mr. Tulloch certainly intimated, to +me, that you had a remarkable talent that way, if in no other. +Besides, your face tells its own story. Pickle is marked upon it, +as plainly as if it were printed. + +"Now you must have supper with us, at seven o'clock, and catch the +eight o'clock stage. You can stay until then, I hope?" + +"Yes, sir. I told Mr. Medlin that I might not come back until the +last stage." + +At parting, the admiral placed a case in Bob's hands. + +"There, my lad, are a brace of pistols. You won't have any use for +them for some years to come, I hope; but if you stay out in Spain +and Portugal, they may prove useful. Those fellows are very handy +with their knives; and it is always well to be armed if you go +about, at night, among them. I should advise you to practise +shooting, whenever you get an opportunity. A pistol is an excellent +weapon, if you really know how to use it; but is of no use at all, +if you don't. + +"Another thing is, you may get involved in affairs of honour. I +consider duelling to be a foolish practice, but it is no use one +person standing up against a crowd. It is the fashion, in our days, +to fight duels and, therefore, it is almost a necessity for a +gentleman to be able to shoot straight; besides, although you might +be able to avoid fighting a duel with any of your countrymen, there +is no possibility of getting out of it, if you become involved in a +quarrel with a foreigner. In that case, an Englishman who showed +the white feather would be a disgrace to his country. + +"Another advantage of being a good shot--I mean a really good +shot--is that, if you get forced into an affair, and are desirous +of giving a lesson, but no more, to an opponent, you have it in +your power to wing him; whereas, if you are only a tolerably good +shot, you can't pick your spot, and may--to your lasting +regret--kill him. + +"But all this is in the future, Bob. I have fought several duels, +myself, with those very pistols, and I am happy to say I have never +killed my man; and shall be glad to believe, Bob, that they will +always be used in the same spirit." + +Bob's last two evenings before sailing were more pleasant than he +had expected. Mr. Bale seemed to forget that he was still in +Philpot Lane, and chatted with him freely and confidentially. + +"I hope that I am doing the best for you, Bob. I know this is an +experiment, and I can only trust that it will turn out well. I +believe you have plenty of sound sense, somewhere in your head; and +that this association with a number of young military men will not +have any bad effect upon you; but that, after four or five years +abroad, you will not be less, but rather more inclined to settle +down to business. I regard you as my son, and have indeed no +relations whom I care for in any way, except you and your sister. I +trust that, when you come back, you will apply yourself to +business; without becoming, as I have done, a slave to it. + +"I might, if I chose, make you altogether independent of it; but I +am sure that would not be for your good. There is nothing more +unfortunate for a young man, belonging to the middle classes, than +to have no fixed occupation. The heir to large estates is in a +different position. He has all sorts of responsibilities. He has +the pursuits of a country gentleman, and the duties of a large +landowner. But the young man of our class, who does not take to +business, is almost certain to go in for reckless dissipation, or +gambling. I have seen numbers of young men, sons of old friends of +my own, who have been absolutely ruined by being left the fortunes +their fathers had made, simply because they had nothing with which +to occupy their minds. + +"It is for this reason, Bob, that I chiefly wish you to succeed me +in my business. It is a very good one. I doubt whether any other +merchant imports such large quantities of wines as I do. During the +next few years I shall endeavour to give up, as far as I can, what +I may call private business, and deal entirely with the trade. I +have been doing so for some time, but it is very difficult to give +up customers who have dealt with me, and my father before me. +However, I shall curtail the business in that direction, as much as +I can; and you will then find it much more easily managed. Small +orders require just as much trouble in their execution as large +ones; and a wholesale business is, in all respects, more +satisfactory than one in which private customers are supplied, as +well as the trade. + +"I am entering into arrangements, now, with several travellers, for +the purpose of extending my dealings with the trade in the +provinces; so that when it comes into your hands you will find it +more compact, and at the same time more extensive, than it is now. + +"I am glad that I have had you here, for the past four months. I +have had my eye upon you, more closely than you suppose; and I am +pleased to see that you have worked well and willingly--far more so +than I expected from you. This has much encouraged me in the hope +that you will, in time, settle down to business here; and not be +contented to lead a purposeless and idle life. The happiest man, in +my opinion, is he who has something to do--and yet, not too much; +who can, by being free from anxieties regarding it, view his +business as an occupation, and a pleasure; and who is its master, +and not its slave. + +"I am thinking of giving Mr. Medlin a small interest in the +business. I mean to make a real effort to break a little loose from +it, and I have seen enough of him to know that he will make a very +valuable junior. He is a little eccentric, perhaps--a sort of +exaggeration of myself--but I shall signify to him that, when he +comes into the firm, I consider that it will be to its advantage that +he should import a little of what we may call his 'extra-official' +manner into it. + +"In our business, as I am well aware--although I do not possess it, +myself--a certain cheerfulness of disposition, and a generally +pleasing manner, are of advantage. Buyers are apt to give larger +orders than they otherwise would do, under the influence of +pleasant and genial relations; and Mr. Medlin can, if he chooses, +make up for my deficiencies in that way. + +"But I am taking the step rather in your interest than in my own. +It will relieve you of a considerable portion of the burden of the +business, and will enable you to relax somewhat, when you are +disposed, if you have a partner in whom you can place thorough +confidence. + +"I do not wish you to mention this matter to him. I would rather +open it to him, myself. We will go on another fishing expedition +together, and I think we can approach it, then, on a more pleasant +footing than we could here. He has modelled himself so thoroughly +upon me that the matter could only be approached in so intensely a +businesslike way, here, that I feel sure we should not arrive at +anything like such a satisfactory arrangement as we might do, +elsewhere." + +In the course of the week, Captain Lockett of the Antelope had +called at the office, and Bob had been introduced to him by Mr. +Bale. He was a hearty and energetic looking man, of some +five-and-thirty years of age. + +"I shall want you to go to Cadiz for me, next trip, Captain +Lockett," Mr. Bale said. "I am having an unusually large cargo +prepared for me--enough, I fancy, to fill up your brig." + +"All the better, sir," the sailor said. "There is nothing like +having only one shipper--it saves time and trouble; but I should +advise you to insure it for its full value, for the channel swarms +with French privateers, at present; and the fellows are building +them bigger, and mounting heavier guns than they used to do. + +"I am mounting a long eighteen as a swivel gun, this voyage, in +addition to those I carried before. But even with that, there are +some of these French craft might prove very awkward customers, if +they fell in with us. You see, their craft are crowded with men, +and generally carry at least twice as many hands as ours. It is +just the same with their fishing boats. It takes about three +Frenchmen to do the work of an Englishman." + +"Well, don't get caught, this time, Captain Lockett. I don't want +my nephew to learn to speak French, instead of Spanish, for there +is very little trade to be done in that quarter, at present; and +what there is is all carried on by what I may call 'irregular' +channels." + +"I fancy there is a great deal of French wine comes into this +country still, sir, in spite of the two nations being at war. It +suits both governments to wink at the trade. We want French wine, +and they want English money." + +"That's so, Captain Lockett; but at any rate, we can't send English +buyers out there, and must take what they choose to send." + +On Saturday morning Bob said goodbye to his uncle, with an amount +of feeling and regret he would have considered impossible, four +months previously. Mr. Medlin accompanied him to Southampton, and +the journey was a very lively one. + +"Goodbye, Bob," the clerk said, as they shook hands on the deck of +the Antelope. "You will be a man, when I see you again--that is, if +you don't come home, for a bit, before going to the people at Cadiz +and Oporto. You will be coming into the firm, then; and will be Mr. +Robert, always." + +"Not if we go out fishing expeditions together," Bob said, and +laughed. + +"Ah! Well, perhaps that will be an exception. + +"Well, goodbye; a pleasant voyage to you, and don't get into more +scrapes than you can help." + +"Oh, I am growing out of that, Mr. Medlin!" + +"Not you, Bob. They may be different sorts of scrapes, in the +future; but scrapes there will be, or I am a Dutchman." + +"Well, youngster, are you a good sailor?" the captain asked; as the +Antelope, with all sail set, ran down Southampton water. + +"I hope I am, captain, but I don't know, yet. I have gone out +sailing in boats at Plymouth several times, in rough weather, and +have never felt a bit ill; but I don't know how it will be, in a +ship like this." + +"If you can sail in rough water in a boat, without feeling ill, you +ought to be all right here, lad. She is an easy craft, as well as a +fast one; and makes good weather of it, in anything short of a +gale. + +"There is eight bells striking--that means eight o'clock, and +breakfast. You had better lay in as good a store as you can. We +shall be outside the Needles, if the wind holds, by dinnertime; and +you may not feel so ready for it, then." + +The second mate breakfasted in the cabin with the captain and Bob, +the first mate remaining on deck. The second mate was a young man +of three or four and twenty, a cousin of the captain. He was a +frank, pleasant-faced young sailor, and Bob felt that he should +like him. + +"How many days do you expect to be in getting to Gibraltar, +captain?" + +"About ten, if we have luck; twenty if we haven't. There is never +any saying." + +"How many men do you carry?" + +"Twenty-eight seamen, the cook, the steward, two mates, and myself; +and there are three boys. Thirty-six all told." + +"I see you have eight guns, besides the pivot gun." + +"Yes. We have plenty of hands for working them, if we only have to +fight one side at once; but we shouldn't be very strong handed, if +we had to work both broadsides. There are four sixteen pounders, +four twelves, and the pivot; so that gives three men to a gun, +besides officers and idlers. Three men is enough for the twelves, +but it makes rather slow work with the sixteens. However, we may +hope that we sha'n't have to work both broadsides at once. + +"We carry a letter of marque so that, in case of our having the +luck to fall in with a French trader, we can bring her in. But that +is not our business. We are peaceful traders, and don't want to +show our teeth, unless we are interfered with." + +To Bob's great satisfaction, he found that he was able to eat his +dinner with unimpaired appetite; although the Antelope was clear of +the island, and was bowing deeply to a lively sea. The first +mate--a powerful looking man of forty, who had lost one eye, and +whose face was deeply seamed by an explosion of powder in an +engagement with a French privateer--came down to the meal, while +the second mate took the duty on deck. Bob found some difficulty in +keeping his dish before him, for the Antelope was lying well over, +with a northerly wind abeam. + +"She is travelling well, Probert," the captain said. "We have got +her in capital trim, this time. Last time we were too light, and +could not stand up to our sails. + +"If this wind holds, we shall make a fast run of it. We will keep +her well inshore, until we get down to the Scillys; and then +stretch across the bay. The nearer we keep to the coast, the less +fear there is of our running against one of those French +privateers." + +The wind held steady, and Bob enjoyed the voyage immensely, as the +brig sailed along the coast. After passing Portland Bill they lost +sight of land until, after eight hours' run, a bold headland +appeared on the weather beam. + +"That is the Start," the captain said. "When I get abeam of it we +shall take our bearings, and then shape our course across the bay. +If this wind does but hold, we shall make quick work of it." + +Presently the tiller was put up and, as the brig's head paid off, +the yards were braced square; and she ran rapidly along towards the +southwest, with the wind nearly dead aft. The next morning when Bob +went on deck he found that the wind had dropped, and the brig was +scarcely moving through the water. + +"This is a change, Mr. Probert," he said to the first mate, who was +in charge of the deck. + +"Yes, and not a pleasant one," the officer replied. "I don't like +the look of the sky, either. I have just sent down to the captain, +to ask him to step on deck." + +Bob looked round. The sky was no longer bright and clear. There was +a dull, heavy look overhead; and a smoky haze seemed to hang over +the horizon, all round. Bob thought it looked dull, but wondered +why the mate should send for the captain. + +The latter came up on deck, in a minute or two. + +"I don't much like the look of the sky, sir," the mate said. "The +wind has died suddenly out, this last half hour; and the swell has +got more kick in it than it had. I fancy the wind is going round to +the southwest; and that, when it does come, it will come hard." + +"I think you are right, Mr. Probert. I glanced at the glass, as I +came up, and it has fallen half an inch since I was up on deck in +the middle watch. I think you had better begin to take in sail, at +once. Call the watch up from below. It is not coming yet; but we +may as well strip her, at once." + +The mate gave the order to the boatswain, whose shrill whistle +sounded out, followed by the shout of "All hands to take in sail!" + +The watch below tumbled up. + +"Take the royals and topgallant sails off her, Mr. Probert. Double +reef the topsails, and get in the courses." + +Bob watched the men as they worked aloft, and marvelled at the +seeming carelessness with which they hung on, where the slip of a +foot or hand would mean sudden death; and wondered whether he could +ever attain such steadiness of head. Three quarters of an hour's +hard work and the mast was stripped, save for the reduced topsails. + +"Get in two of the jibs, and brail up the spanker." + +This was short work. When it was done the second mate, who had been +working forward, looked to the captain for further orders. The +latter had again gone below, but was now standing on the poop, +talking earnestly with the first mate. + +"Yes, I think you are right," Bob heard the captain say. "The glass +is still falling and, very likely, it will be some time before we +want these light spars again. There is nothing like being snug." + +"Aloft again, lads!" the mate sung out, "and send down the yards +and topgallant masts." + +"Now she is ready for anything," the captain said, when the men +again descended to the deck. + +Bob, who had been so intently watching the men that he had not +looked round at the sky, since they first went aloft, now had time +to do so; and was startled with the change that had come over the +sea, and sky. There was not a breath of wind. There was a dull, +oily look on the water, as it heaved in long, regular waves, +unbroken by the slightest ripple. Black clouds had banked up from +the southwest, and extended in a heavy arch across the sky, but +little ahead of the brig. From its edge ragged, fragments seemed to +break off suddenly, and fly out ahead. + +"It is going to blow, and no mistake," the captain said. "It is +lucky that we have had plenty of time to get her into fighting +trim. + +"You had better get hold of something, lad, and clutch it tight. It +will begin with a heavy squall and, like enough, lay her pretty +well over on her beam ends, when it strikes her." + +Higher and higher the threatening arch rose, till its edge stood +over the mainmast. Then the captain cried: + +"Here it comes, lads. Hold on, every one!" + +Looking ahead, Bob saw a white line. It approached with wonderful +rapidity, and with a confused, rushing sound. Then in a moment he +felt himself clinging, as if for life, to the stanchion of which he +had taken hold. The wind almost wrenched him from his feet while, +at the same moment, a perfect deluge of water came down upon him. + +He felt the brig going further and further over, till the deck +beneath his feet seemed almost perpendicular. The captain and first +mate had both grasped the spokes of the wheel, and were aiding the +helmsman in jamming it down. Bob had no longer a hold for his feet, +and was hanging by his arms. Looking down, the sea seemed almost +beneath him but, with a desperate effort, he got hold of the rail +with one hand, and then hauled himself up under it, clinging tight +to the main shrouds. Then he saw the second mate loose the jib +halliards, while one of the sailors threw off the fore-staysail +sheet, and the spanker slowly brought the brig's head up into the +wind. + +As it did so she righted, gradually, and Bob regained his place on +deck; which was still, however, lying over at a very considerable +angle. The captain raised his hand, and pointed to the main +topsail; and the second mate at once made his way aft with some of +the men and, laying out on the weather rigging, made his way aloft. +The danger seemed, to Bob, so frightful that he dared not look up. +He could hear, through the pauses of the blast, the mate shout to +the men above him and, in a few minutes, they again descended to +the deck. + +Even Bob could feel how much the brig was relieved, when the +pressure of the topsail was taken off. The lower planks of the deck +rose from the water and, although this still rushed in and out +through the scupper holes, and rose at times to the level of the +bulwark rail, he felt that the worst was over. + +One of the men was called to assist at the helm, and the captain +and mate came forward to the poop rail. + +"That was touch and go, youngster!" the former shouted to Bob. + +"It was," Bob said. "More go than touch, I should say; for I +thought she had gone, altogether." + +"You had better go below, and change your things. Tell the steward +to bring me my oilskins, out of my cabin. You had better keep +below, until this rain has stopped." + +Bob thought the advice was good; so he went down and got into dry +clothes, and then lay down on the cabin sofa, to leeward--he could +not have kept his place, on the other side. The rain was still +falling so heavily, on deck, that it sounded like a waggon passing +overhead; and mingled with this noise was the howl of the wind, and +the swashing of the water against the ship's side. Gradually the +motion of the vessel became more violent, and she quivered from bow +to stern, as the waves struck her. + +Although it was early in the afternoon, it became almost as dark as +night in the cabin. The steward had brought him a glass of hot +grog, as soon as he had changed his clothes and, in spite of the +din, he presently fell off to sleep. When he woke the rain had +ceased; but the uproar caused by the howling of the wind, the +creaking of the spars, and the dashing of the waves was as loud as +before. + +He soon made his way up on deck, and found that a tremendous sea +was running. The fore-topsail had been got off the ship, the +weather sheets of the jib and fore-staysail hauled across, and the +vessel was making comparatively little way through the water. She +was, in fact--although Bob did not know it--lying to, under these +sails and the spanker. + +It all looked so terrible, to him, that he kept his place but a few +minutes; and was then glad to return to the sofa, below. In a short +time, the captain came down. + +"How are you getting on, lad? All in the dark, eh? + +"Steward, light the lamp, and bring me a tumbler of hot grog. Keep +the water boiling; the other officers will be down, directly. + +"Well, what do you think of it, young gentleman?" + +"I don't like it, at all," Bob said. "I thought I should like to +see a storm, but I never want to see one, again." + +"I am not surprised at that," the captain said, with a laugh. "It +is all very well to read about storms, but it is a very different +thing to be caught in one." + +"Is there any danger, sir?" + +"There is always more or less danger, in a storm, lad; but I hope, +and think, the worst is over. We are in for a heavy gale but, now +that the brig has got through the first burst, there is not much +fear of her weathering it. She is a capital sea boat, well found +and in good trim; and we were fortunate enough in having sufficient +warning to get her snug, before the first burst came. + +"That is always the most dangerous point. When a ship has way on +her, she can stand almost any gale; but when she is caught by a +heavy squall, when she is lying becalmed, you have to look out. +However, she got through that without losing anything; and she is +lying to, now, under the smallest possible canvas and, if all goes +well, there is no reason, whatever, for anxiety." + +"What do you mean by 'if all goes well,' captain?" + +"I mean as long as one of her masts isn't carried away, or anything +of that sort. I daresay you think it rough, now, but it is nothing +to what it will be by tomorrow morning. I should advise you to turn +in, at once. You could see nothing, if you went up; and would run +the risk of being washed overboard, or of getting a limb broken." + +Bob's recollections of his position, as the ship heeled over when +the storm struck her, were still far too vivid for him to have any +desire for a repetition of it; and he accordingly took the +captain's advice, and turned in at once. + +When he got up in the morning and, with some difficulty, made his +way on deck he found that, as the captain predicted, the sea was +far heavier than the night before. Great ridges of water bore down +upon the ship, each seeming as if it would overwhelm her; and for +the first few minutes Bob expected to see the brig go, head +foremost, and sink under his feet. It was not till he reflected +that she had lived through it for hours that he began to view the +scene with composure. Although the waves were much higher than when +he had left the deck on the previous afternoon, the scene was +really less terrifying. + +The sky was covered with masses of gray cloud, ragged and torn, +hurrying along with great velocity, apparently but a short distance +above the masthead. When the vessel rose on a wave, it seemed to +him that the clouds, in places, almost touched the water, and +mingled with the masses of spray caught up by the waves. The scud, +borne along by the wind, struck his face with a force that caused +it to smart and, for a time, he was unable to face the gale even +for a minute. + +The decks were streaming with water. The boats had disappeared from +the davits, and a clean sweep seemed to have been made of +everything movable. Forward was a big gap in the bulwark and, as +the brig met the great waves, masses of green water poured in +through this, and swept along the deck waist deep. The brig was +under the same sail as before, except that she now showed a +closely-reefed fore-topsail. + +When he became a little accustomed to the sea, and to the motion, +he watched his time; and then made a rush across from the companion +to the weather bulwark, and got a firm hold of one of the shrouds. +The captain and the second mate were on the poop, near the wheel. +The former made his way to him. + +"Good morning, Master Repton! Managed to get some sleep?" + +"Yes, I have slept all night, captain. I say, isn't this +tremendous? I did not think anything could be like this. It is +splendid, you know, but it takes one's breath away. + +"I don't think it is blowing quite so hard, is it?" + +"Every bit as hard, but it is more regular, and you are accustomed +to it." + +"But I see you have got up some more sail." + +"Yes, that's to steady her. You see, when she gets into the trough +between these great waves, the lower sails are almost becalmed; and +we are obliged to show something above them, to keep a little way +on her. We are still lying to, you see, and meet the waves head on. +If her head was to fall off a few points, and one of these waves +took her on the beam, she would go down like a stone. + +"Yes, the brig is doing very handsomely. She has a fine run, more +like a schooner than a brig; and she meets the waves easily, and +rises to them as lightly as a feather. She is a beauty! + +"If you are going to stay here, lad, you had better lash yourself; +for it is not safe, standing as you are." + + + +Chapter 5: A French Privateer. + + +As he became more accustomed to the scene around him, and found +that the waves were more terrible in appearance than reality, Bob +began to enjoy it, and to take in its grandeur and wildness. The +bareness of the deck had struck him, at once; and he now saw that +four of the cannon were gone--the two forward guns, on each +side--and he rightly supposed that these must have been run out, +and tumbled overboard, to lighten the ship forward, and enable her +to rise more easily to the waves. + +An hour later, the second mate came along. + +"You had better come down and get some breakfast," he said. "I am +going down first." + +Bob threw off the rope, and followed the mate down into the cabin. +Mr. Probert had just turned out. He had been lying down for two or +three hours, having gone down as daylight broke. + +"The captain says you had better take something before you go on +deck, Mr. Probert," the second mate said. "He will come down, +afterwards, and turn in for an hour or two." + +"No change, I suppose?" + +"No. She goes over it like a duck. The seas are more regular, now, +and she is making good weather of it." + +Bob wondered, in his own mind, what she would do if she was making +bad weather. + +The meal was an irregular one. The steward brought in three large +mugs, half filled with coffee; a basket of biscuits, and a ham. +From this he cut off some slices, which he laid on biscuits; and +each of them ate their breakfast, holding their mugs in one hand, +and their biscuits and ham in the other. + +As soon as they had finished, the two officers went on deck and, +directly afterwards, the captain came down. Bob chatted with him +until he had finished his breakfast, and then went up on deck +again, for two or three hours. At the end of that time he felt so +completely exhausted, from the force of the wind and the constant +change of the angle at which he was standing, that he was glad to +go below and lie down again. + +There was no regular dinner, the officers coming below by turns, +and taking a biscuit and a chunk of cold meat, standing. But at +teatime the captain and second mate came down together; and Bob, +who had again been up on deck for a bit, joined them in taking a +large bowl of coffee. + +"I think the wind is blowing harder than ever," he said to the +captain. + +"Yes, the glass has begun to rise a little, and that is generally a +sign you are getting to the worst of it. I expect it is a three +days' gale, and we shall have it at its worst, tonight. I hope by +this time, tomorrow, we shall be beginning to shake out our reefs. + +"You had better not go up, any more. It will be dark in half an +hour, and your bunk is the best place for you." + +Bob was not sorry to obey the order, for he felt that the scene +would be a very terrible one, after dark. The night, however, +seemed to him to be a miserably long one; for he was only able to +doze off occasionally, the motion being so violent that he had to +jam himself in his berth, to prevent himself from being thrown out. +The blows with which the waves struck the ship were tremendous; and +so deeply did she pitch that, more than once, he thought that she +would never come up again; but go down, head foremost. Once he +thought he heard a crash, and there were orders shouted, on the +deck above him; but he resisted the desire to go up and see what it +was, for he knew that he could do nothing; and that, in the +darkness, he could see but little of what was going on. + +With the first gleam of daylight, however, he got out of the bunk. +He had not attempted to undress, having taken off his shoes, only, +when he lay down. Having put these on again, he went up. There was +but little change since the previous morning but, looking forward, +he saw that the bowsprit was gone, and the fore-topmast had been +carried away. The sea was as high as ever, but patches of blue sky +showed overhead between the clouds, and the wind was blowing +somewhat less violently. + +"We have been in the wars, you see, youngster," the captain said, +when Bob made his way aft; "but we may thank God it was no worse. +We have had a pretty close squeak of it, but the worst is over, +now. The wind is going down, and the gale will have blown itself +out by this evening. It was touch-and-go several times during the +night and, if she had had a few more tons of cargo in her, she +would never have risen from some of those waves; but I think, now, +we shall see Oporto safely--which was more than I expected, about +midnight." + +For some hours Bob, himself, had considerable doubts as to this, so +deeply did the brig bury herself in the waves; but after twelve +o'clock the wind fell rapidly and, although the waves showed no +signs of decreasing in height, their surface was smoother, and they +seemed to strike the vessel with less force and violence. + +"Now, Mr. Probert," said the captain, "do you and Joe turn in, till +first watch. I will take charge of the deck. After that, you can +set regular watches again." + +The main-topsail was already on her and, at six o'clock, the +captain had two of its reefs shaken out; and the other reef was +also loosed, when Mr. Probert came up and took charge of the first +watch, at eight bells. That night Bob lay on the floor, for the +motion was more violent than before--the vessel rolling, gunwale +under--for the wind no longer pressed upon her sails, and kept her +steady, and he would have found it impossible to maintain his +position in his berth. + +In the morning, he went up. The sun was rising in an unclouded sky. +There was scarce a breath of wind. The waves came along in high, +glassy rollers--smooth mounds of water which extended, right and +left, in deep valleys and high ridges. The vessel was rolling +tremendously, the lower yards sometimes touching the water. Bob had +to wait some time before he could make a rush across to the bulwark +and, when he did so, found it almost impossible to keep his feet. +He could see that the men forward were no longer crouching for +shelter under the break of the fo'castle, but were holding on by +the shrouds or stays, smoking their pipes, and laughing and joking +together. Until the motion abated somewhat, it was clearly +impossible to commence the work of getting things in order. + +"Did the bowsprit and mast both go, together?" Bob asked Joe +Lockett, who was holding on to the bulwark, near him. + +"Yes, the bowsprit went with the strain when she rose, having +buried herself halfway up the waist; and the topmast snapped like a +carrot, a moment later. That was the worst dive we made. There is +no doubt that getting rid of the leverage of the bowsprit, right up +in her eyes, eased her a good bit; and as the topmast was a pretty +heavy spar, too, that also helped." + +"How long will it be before the sea goes down?" + +"If you mean goes down enough for us to get to work--a few hours. +If you mean goes down altogether, it will be five or six days +before this swell has quite flattened down, unless a wind springs +up from some other quarter." + +"I meant till the mast can be got up again." + +"Well, this afternoon the captain may set the men at work; but I +don't think they would do much good, and there would be a good +chance of getting a limb broken. As long as this calm holds there +is no hurry, one way or the other." + +"You mean, because we couldn't be sailing, even if we had +everything set?" + +"Well, yes, that is something, but I didn't mean that. I am not +thinking so much of our sailing, as of other people's. We are not +very fit, as we are now, either for fighting or running, and I +should be sorry to see a French privateer coming along; but as long +as the calm continues, there is no fear of that; and I expect there +have been few ships out, in this gale, who have not got repairs to +do as well as we have." + +After dinner, an effort was made to begin the work; but the captain +soon ordered the men to desist. + +"It is of no use, Mr. Probert. We shall only be getting some of the +men killed. It wouldn't be possible to get half done before dark +and, if the sea goes down a bit, tonight, they will get as much +done in an hour's work, in the morning, as they would if they were +to work from now to sunset. + +"The carpenter might get some canvas, and nail it so as to hide +those gaps in the bulwark. That will be something done. The boys +can give it a coat of paint, in the morning. But as for the spar, +we must leave it." + +All hands were at work, next morning, with the first gleam of +daylight. The rollers were still almost as high as the day before; +but there was now a slight breath of wind, which sufficed to give +the vessel steerage way. She was put head to the rollers, changing +the motion from the tremendous rolling, when she was lying +broadside to them, for a regular rise and fall that interfered but +little with the work. A spare spar was fitted in the place of the +bowsprit, the stump of the topmast was sent down, and the +topgallant mast fitted in its place and, by midday, the light spars +were all in their places again, and the brig was showing a fair +spread of canvas; and a casual observer would, at a distance, have +noticed but slight change in her appearance. + +"That has been a good morning's work," the captain said, as they +sat down to dinner. "We are a little short of head-sail, but that +will make no great difference in our rate of sailing, especially if +the wind is aft. We are ready to meet with another storm again, if +it should come--which is not likely. + +"We are ready for anything, in fact, except a heavily-armed +privateer. The loss of four of our guns has crippled us. But there +was no choice about the matter; it went against my heart to see +them go overboard, but it was better to lose four guns than to lose +the ship. + +"I hope we shall meet with nothing till we get through the Straits. +I may be able to pick up some guns, at Gibraltar. Prizes are often +brought in there, and condemned, and there are sales of stores; so +I hope to be able to get her into regular fighting trim, again, +before I clear out from there. + +"I should think you won't be sorry when we drop anchor off the +Mole, youngster?" + +"I am in no hurry, now," Bob said. "I would have given a good +deal--if I had had it--two days ago, to have been on dry land but, +now that we are all right again, I don't care how long we are, +before we get there. It is very warm and pleasant, a wonderful +change after what it was when we sailed. + +"Whereabouts are we, captain?" + +"We are a good bit farther to the east than I like," the captain +replied. "We have been blown a long way into the bay. There is a +great set of current, in here. We have drifted nearly fifty miles +in, since noon yesterday. We are in 4 degrees 50 minutes west +longitude, and 45 degrees latitude." + +"I don't think that means anything to me." + +"No, I suppose not," the captain laughed. "Well, it means we are +nearly due west of Bordeaux, and about one hundred miles from the +French coast, and a little more than eighty north of Santander, on +the Spanish coast. As the wind is sou'-sou'west we can lay our +course for Cape Ortegal and, once round there, we shall feel more +comfortable." + +"But don't you feel comfortable at present, captain?" + +"Well, not altogether. We are a good deal too close in to the +French coast; and we are just on the track of any privateer that +may be making for Bordeaux, from the west or south, or going out in +those directions. So, although I can't say I am absolutely +uncomfortable, I shall be certainly glad when we are back again on +the regular track of our own line of traffic for the Straits or +Portugal. There are English cruisers on that line, and privateers +on the lookout for the French, so that the sound of guns might +bring something up to our assistance; but there is not much chance +of meeting with a friendly craft, here--unless it has, like +ourselves, been blown out of its course." + +A lookout had already been placed aloft. Several sails were seen in +the distance, in the course of the afternoon, but nothing that +excited suspicion. The wind continued light and, although the brig +had every sail set, she was not making more than five and a half +knots an hour through the water. In the evening the wind dropped +still more and, by nine o'clock, the brig had scarcely steerage +way. + +"It is enough to put a saint out of temper," the captain said, as +he came down into the cabin, and mixed himself a glass of grog +before turning in. "If the wind had held, we should have been +pretty nearly off Finisterre, by morning. As it is, we haven't made +more than forty knots since we took the observation, at noon." + +Bob woke once in the night; and knew, by the rippling sound of +water, and by the slight inclination of his berth, that the breeze +had sprung up again. When he woke again the sun was shining +brightly, and he got up and dressed leisurely; but as he went into +the cabin he heard some orders given, in a sharp tone, by the +captain on deck, and quickened his pace up the companion, to see +what was going on. + +"Good morning, Mr. Lockett!" he said to the second mate, who was +standing close by, looking up at the sails. + +"Good morning, Master Repton!" he replied, somewhat more shortly +than usual. + +"There is a nice breeze this morning," Bob went on. "We seem going +on at a good rate." + +"I wish she were going twice as fast," the mate said. "There is a +gentleman over there who seems anxious to have a talk with us, and +we don't want to make his acquaintance." + +Bob looked round and saw, over the quarter, a large lugger some +three miles away. + +"What vessel is that?" he asked. + +"That is a French privateer--at least, there is very little doubt +about it. We must have passed each other in the dark for, when we +first made him out, he was about four miles away, sailing +northeast. He apparently sighted us, just as we made him out; and +hauled his wind, at once. He has gained about a mile on us, in the +last two hours. We have changed our course; and are sailing, as you +see, northwest, so as to bring the wind on our quarter; and I don't +think that fellow has come up much, since. Still, he does come up. +We feel the loss of our sail, now." + +It seemed to Bob, looking up, that there was already an immense +amount of canvas on the brig. Stunsails had been set on her, and +she was running very fast through the water. + +"We seem to have more canvas set than that vessel behind us," he +said. + +"Yes, we have more, but those luggers sail like witches. They are +splendid boats, but they want very big crews to work them. That is +the reason why you scarcely ever see them, with us, except as +fishing craft, or something of that sort. I daresay that lugger has +a hundred men on board--eighty, anyhow--so it is no wonder we +sometimes get the worst of it. They always carry three hands to our +two and, very often, two to our one. Of course we are really a +trader, though we do carry a letter of marque. If we were a regular +privateer, we should carry twice as many hands as we do." + +Walking to the poop rail, Bob saw that the men were bringing up +shot, and putting them in the racks by the guns. The breech covers +had been taken off. The first officer was overlooking the work. + +"Well, lad," Captain Lockett said, coming up to him, "you see that +unlucky calm has got us into a mess, after all and, unless the wind +drops again, we are going to have to fight for it." + +"Would the wind dropping help us, sir?" + +"Yes, we have more canvas on her than the lugger carries and, if +the breeze were lighter, should steal away from her. As it is, she +doesn't gain much; but she does gain and, in another two or three +hours, she will be sending a messenger to ask us to stop." + +"And what will you do, captain?" + +"We shall send another messenger back, to tell her to mind her own +business. Then it will be a question of good shooting. If we can +knock out one of her masts, we shall get off; if we can't, the +chances are we shall see the inside of a French prison. + +"If she once gets alongside, it is all up with us. She can carry +us, by boarding; for she can throw three times our strength of men +on to our deck." + +There was but little talking on board the brig. When the men had +finished their preparations, they stood waiting by the bulwarks; +watching the vessel in chase of them, and occasionally speaking +together in low tones. + +"You may as well pipe the hands to breakfast, Mr. Probert. I have +told the cook to give them an extra good meal. After that, I will +say a few words to them. + +"Now, Master Repton, we may as well have our meal. We mayn't get +another good one, for some time; but I still hope that we shall be +able to cripple that fellow. I have great faith in that long +eighteen. The boatswain is an old man-o'-war's-man, and is a +capital shot. I am a pretty good one, myself and, as the sea is +smooth, and we have a good steady platform to fire from, I have +good hope we shall cripple that fellow before he comes up to us." + +There was more talking than usual, at breakfast. Captain Lockett +and the second mate both laughed, and joked, over the approaching +fight. Mr. Probert was always a man of few words, and he said but +little, now. + +"The sooner they come up, the better," he growled. "I hate this +running away, especially when you can't run fastest." + +"The men will all do their best, I suppose, Probert? You have been +down among them." + +The first mate nodded. + +"They don't want to see the inside of a prison, captain, no more +than I do. They will stick to the guns; but I fancy they know, well +enough, it will be no use if it comes to boarding." + +"No use at all, Probert. I quite agree with you, there. If she +comes up alongside, we must haul down the flag. It is of no use +throwing away the men's lives, by fighting against such odds as +that. But we mustn't let her get up." + +"That is it, sir. We have got to keep her off, if it can be done. +We shall have to haul our wind a little, when we begin, so as to +get that eighteen to bear on her." + +"Yes, we must do that," the captain said. "Then we will get the +other four guns over on the same side." + +After breakfast was over, the captain went up and took his station +at the poop rail. The men had finished their breakfast and, on +seeing that the captain was about to address them, moved aft. + +"My lads," he said, "that Frenchman behind will be within range, in +the course of another hour. What we have got to do is to knock some +of her spars out of her and, as she comes up slowly, we shall have +plenty of time to do it. I daresay she carries a good many more +guns than we do, but I do not suppose that they are heavier metal. +If she got alongside of us, she would be more than our match; but I +don't propose to let her get alongside and, as I don't imagine any +of you wish to see the inside of a French prison, I know you will +all do your best. + +"Let there be no hurrying in your fire. Aim at her spars, and don't +throw a shot away. The chances are all in our favour; for we can +fight all our guns, while she can fight only her bow chasers--at +any rate, until she bears up. She doesn't gain on us much now and, +when she comes to get a few shot holes in her sails, it will make +the difference. I shall give ten guineas to be divided among the +men at the first gun that knocks away one of her spars; and five +guineas, besides, to the man who lays the gun." + +The men gave a cheer. + +"Get the guns all over to the port side. I shall haul her wind, a +little, as soon as we are within range." + +By five bells, the lugger was within a mile and a half. The men +were already clustered round the pivot gun. + +"Put her helm down, a little," the captain ordered. "That is +enough. + +"Now, boatswain, you are well within range. Let us see what you can +do. Fire when you have got her well on your sights." + +A few seconds later there was a flash, and a roar. All eyes were +directed on the lugger, which the captain was watching through his +glass. There was a shout from the men. The ball had passed through +the great foresail, a couple of feet from the mast. + +"Very good," the captain said. "Give her a trifle more elevation, +next time. If you can hit the yard, it will be just as good as +hitting the mast. + +"Ah! There she goes!" + +Two puffs of white smoke broke out from the lugger's bow. One shot +struck the water nearly abreast of the brig, at a distance of ten +yards. The other fell short. + +"Fourteens!" the captain said. "I thought she wouldn't have +eighteens, so far forward." + +Shot after shot was fired but, so far, no serious damage had been +caused by them. The brig had been hulled once, and two shots had +passed through her sails. + +The captain went, himself, to the pivot gun; and laid it carefully. +Bob stood watching the lugger intently, and gave a shout as he saw +the foresail run rapidly down. + +"It is only the slings cut," the second mate--who was standing by +him--said. "They will have it up again, in a minute. If the shot +had been the least bit lower, it would have smashed the yard." + +The lugger came into the wind and, as she did so, eight guns +flashed out from her side while, almost at the same moment, the +four broadside guns of the Antelope were, for the first time, +discharged. Bob felt horribly uncomfortable, for a moment, as the +shot hummed overhead; cutting one of the stunsail booms in two, and +making five fresh holes in the sails. + +"Take the men from the small guns, Joe, and get that sail in," the +captain said. "Its loss is of no consequence." + +In half a minute, the lugger's foresail again rose; and she +continued the chase, heading straight for the brig. + +"He doesn't like this game of long bowls, Probert," the captain +said. "He intends to come up to board, instead of trusting to his +guns. + +"Now, boatswain, you try again." + +The brig was now sailing somewhat across the lugger's bows, so that +her broadside guns--trained as far as possible aft--could all play +upon her; and a steady fire was kept up, to which she only replied +by her two bow chasers. One of the men had been knocked down, and +wounded, by a splinter from the bulwark; but no serious damage had +so far been inflicted, while the sails of the lugger were spotted +with shot holes. + +Bob wished, heartily, that he had something to do; and would have +been glad to have followed the first mate's example--that officer +having thrown off his coat, and taken the place of the wounded man +in working a gun--but he felt that he would only be in the way, did +he try to assist. Steadily the lugger came up, until she was little +more than a quarter of a mile behind them. + +"Now, lads," the captain shouted, "double shot the guns--this is +your last chance. Lay your guns carefully, and all fire together, +when I give the word. + +"Now, are you all ready? Fire!" + +The five guns flashed out together, and the ten shot sped on their +way. The splinters flew from the lugger's foremast, in two places; +but a cry of disappointment rose, as it was seen that it was +practically uninjured. + +"Look, look!" the captain shouted. "Hurrah, lads!" and a cloud of +white canvas fell over, to leeward of the lugger. + +Her two masts were nearly in line, and the shot that had narrowly +missed the foremast, and passed through the foresail, had struck +the mainmast and brought it, and its sail, overboard. The crew of +the brig raised a general cheer. A minute before a French prison +had stared them in the face, and now they were free. The helm was +instantly put up, and the brig bore straight away from her pursuer. + +"What do you say, Probert? Shall we turn the tables, now, and give +her a pounding?" + +"I should like to, sir, nothing better; but it would be dangerous +work. Directly she gets free of that hamper, she will be under +command, and will be able to bring her broadside to play on us; and +if she had luck, and knocked away one of our spars, she would turn +the tables upon us. Besides, even if we made her strike her +colours, we could never take her into port. Strong handed as she +is, we should not dare to send a prize crew on board." + +"You are right, Probert--though it does seem a pity to let her go +scot free, when we have got her almost at our mercy." + +"Not quite, sir. Look there." + +The lugger had managed to bring her head sufficiently up into the +wind for her broadside guns to bear, and the shot came hurtling +overhead. The yard of the main-topsail was cut in sunder, and the +peak halliard of the spanker severed, and the peak came down with a +run. They could hear a faint cheer come across the water from the +lugger. + +"Leave the guns, lads, and repair damages!" the captain shouted. + +"Throw off the throat halliards of the spanker, get her down, and +send a hand up to reef a fresh rope through the blocks, Mr. +Probert. + +"Joe, take eight men with you, and stow away the topsail. Send the +broken yard down. + +"Carpenter, see if you have got a light spar that will do, instead +of it. If not, get two small ones, and lash them so as to make a +splice of it." + +In a minute the guns of the lugger spoke out again but, although a +few ropes were cut away, and some more holes made in the sails, no +serious damage was inflicted and, before they were again loaded, +the spanker was rehoisted. The lugger continued to fire, but the +brig was now leaving her fast. As soon as the sail was up, the +pivot gun was again set to work; and the lugger was hulled several +times but, seeing that her chance of disabling the brig was small, +she was again brought before the wind. + +In half an hour a new topsail yard was ready, and that sail was +again hoisted. The Antelope had now got three miles away from the +lugger. As the sail sheeted home, the second mate shouted, from +aloft: + +"There is a sail on the weather bow, sir! She is close hauled, and +sailing across our head." + +"I see her," the captain replied. + +"We ought to have noticed her before, Mr. Probert. We have all been +so busy that we haven't been keeping a lookout. + +"What do you make her to be, Joe?" he said to the second mate. + +"I should say she was a French frigate, sir." + +The captain ascended the shrouds with his glass, remained there two +or three minutes watching the ship, and then returned to the deck. + +"She is a frigate, certainly, Mr. Probert, and by the cut of her +sails I should say a Frenchman. We are in an awkward fix. She has +got the weather gage of us. Do you think, if we put up helm and ran +due north, we should come out ahead of her?" + +The mate shook his head. + +"Not if the wind freshens, sir, as I think it will. I should say we +had best haul our wind, and make for one of the Spanish ports. We +might get into Santander." + +"Yes, that would be our best chance. + +"All hands 'bout ship!" + +The vessel's head was brought up into the wind, and payed off on +the other tack, heading south--the frigate being, now, on her +weather quarter. This course took the brig within a mile and a half +of the lugger, which fired a few harmless shots at her. When she +had passed beyond the range of her guns, she shaped her course +southeast by east for Santander, the frigate being now dead astern. +The men were then piped to dinner. + +"Is she likely to catch us, sir?" Bob asked, as they sat down to +table. + +"I hope not, lad. I don't think she will, unless the wind freshens +a good deal. If it did, she would come up hand over hand. + +"I take it she is twelve miles off, now. It is four bells, and she +has only got five hours' daylight, at most. However fast she is, +she ought not to gain a knot and a half an hour, in this breeze +and, if we are five or six miles ahead when it gets dark, we can +change our course. There is no moon." + +They were not long below. + +"The lugger is under sail again, sir," the second mate, who was on +duty, said as they gained the deck. + +"They haven't been long getting up a jury mast," Captain Lockett +said. "That is the best of a lug rig. Still, they have a smart crew +on board." + +He directed his glass towards the lugger, which was some five miles +away. + +"It is a good-sized spar," he said, "nearly as lofty as the +foremast. She is carrying her mainsail with two reefs in it and, +with the wind on her quarter, is travelling pretty nearly as fast +as she did before. Still, she can't catch us, and she knows it. + +"Do you see, Mr. Probert, she is bearing rather more to the north. +She reckons, I fancy, that after it gets dark we may try to throw +the frigate out; and may make up that way, in which case she would +have a good chance of cutting us off. That is awkward, for the +frigate will know that; and will guess that, instead of wearing +round that way, we shall be more likely to make the other." + +"That is so," the mate agreed. "Still, we shall have the choice of +either hauling our wind and making south by west, or of running on, +and she can't tell which we shall choose." + +"That is right enough. It is just a toss up. If we run, and she +runs, she will overtake us; if we haul up close into the wind, and +she does the same, she will overtake us, again; but if we do one +thing, and she does the other, we are safe. + +"Then again, we may give her more westing, after it gets dark, and +bear the same course the lugger is taking. She certainly won't gain +on us, and I fancy we shall gain a bit on her. Then in the morning, +if the frigate is out of sight, we can make for Santander, which +will be pretty nearly due south of us, then; or, if the lugger is +left well astern we can make a leg north, and then get on our old +course again, for Cape Ortegal. The lugger would see it was of no +use chasing us, any further." + +"Yes, I think that is the best plan of the three, captain. + +"I see the frigate is coming up. I can just make out the line of +her hull. She must be a fast craft." + +The hours passed on slowly. Fortunately the wind did not freshen, +and the vessels maintained their respective positions towards each +other. The frigate was coming up, but, when it began to get dusk, +she was still some six miles astern. The lugger was five miles +away, on the lee quarter, and three miles northeast of the frigate. +She was still pursuing a line that would take her four miles to the +north of the brig's present position. The coast of Spain could be +seen stretching along to the southward. Another hour and it was +perfectly dark and, even with the night glasses, the frigate could +no longer be made out. + +"Starboard your helm," the captain said, to the man at the wheel. +"Lay her head due east." + +"I fancy the wind is dying away, sir," Mr. Probert said. + +"So long as it don't come a stark calm, I don't care," the captain +replied. "That would be the worst thing that could happen, for we +should have the frigate's boats after us; but a light breeze would +suit us, admirably." + +Two hours later, the wind had almost died out. + +"We will take all the sails off her, Mr. Probert. If the frigate +keeps on the course she was steering when we last saw her, she will +go two miles to the south of us; and the lugger will go more than +that to the north. If they hold on all night, they will be hull +down before morning; and we shall be to windward of them and, with +the wind light, the frigate would never catch us; and we know the +lugger wouldn't, with her reduced sails." + +In a few minutes all the sails were lowered, and the brig lay +motionless. For the next two hours the closest watch was kept, but +nothing was seen of the pursuing vessels. + +"I fancy the frigate must have altered her course more to the +south," the captain said, "thinking that, as the lugger was up +north, we should be likely to haul our wind in that direction. We +will wait another hour, and then get up sail again, and lay her +head for Cape Ortegal." + +When the morning broke, the brig was steering west. No sign of the +lugger was visible but, from the tops, the upper sails of the +frigate could be seen, close under the land, away to the southeast. + +"Just as I thought," the captain said, rubbing his hands in high +glee. "She hauled her wind, as soon as it was dark, and stood in +for the coast, thinking we should do the same. + +"We are well out of that scrape." + +Two days later the brig dropped her anchor in the Tagus, where +three English ships of war were lying. A part of the cargo had to +be discharged, here; and the captain at once went ashore, to get a +spar to replace the topmast carried away in the gale. + +"We may fall in with another Frenchman, before we are through the +Straits," he said, "and I am not going to put to sea again like a +lame duck." + +Bob went ashore with the captain, and was greatly amused at the +scenes in the streets of Lisbon. + +"You had better keep with me, as I shall be going on board, in an +hour. Tomorrow you can come ashore and see the sights, and spend +the day. I would let Joe come with you, but he will be too busy to +be spared, so you will have to shift for yourself." + +Before landing in the morning, the captain advised him not to go +outside the town. + +"You don't know the lingo, lad, and might get into trouble. You +see, there are always sailors going ashore from our ships of war, +and they get drunk and have sprees; and I don't fancy they are +favourites with the lower class, here, although the shopkeepers, of +course, are glad enough to have their money--but I don't think it +would be safe for a lad like you, who can't speak a word of the +language, to wander about outside the regular streets. There will +be plenty for you to see, without going further." + +As Bob was a good deal impressed with the narrow escape he had had +from capture, he was by no means inclined to run any risk of +getting into a scrape, and perhaps missing his passage out. He +therefore strictly obeyed the captain's instructions; and +when--just as he was going down to the landing stage, where the +boat was to come ashore for him--he came upon a party of half +drunken sailors, engaged in a vigorous fight with a number of +Portuguese civil guards, he turned down a side street to avoid +getting mixed up in the fray--repressing his strong impulse to join +in by the side of his countrymen. + +On his mentioning this to the captain, when he reached the brig, +the latter said: + +"It is lucky that you kept clear of the row. It is all nonsense, +talking about countrymen. It wasn't an affair of nationality, at +all. Nobody would think of interfering, if he saw a party of +drunken sailors in an English port fighting with the constables. If +he did interfere, it ought to be on the side of the law. Why, then, +should anyone take the part of drunken sailors, in a foreign port, +against the guardians of the peace? To do so is an act of the +grossest folly. + +"In the first place, the chances are in favour of getting your head +laid open with a sword cut. These fellows know they don't stand a +chance against Englishmen's fists, and they very soon whip out +their swords. In the second place, you would have to pass the night +in a crowded lockup, where you would be half smothered before +morning. And lastly, if you were lucky enough not to get a week's +confinement in jail, you would have a smart fine to pay. + +"There is plenty of fighting to be done, in days like these; but +people should see that they fight on the right side, and not be +taking the part of every drunken scamp who gets into trouble, +simply because he happens to be an Englishman. + +"You showed plenty of pluck, lad, when the balls were flying about +the other day; and when I see your uncle, I am sure he will be +pleased when I tell him how well you behaved, under fire; but I am +equally certain he would not have been, by any means, gratified at +hearing that I had had to leave you behind at Lisbon, either with a +broken head or in prison, through getting into a street row, in +which you had no possible concern, between drunken sailors and the +Portuguese civil guards." + +Bob saw that the captain was perfectly right, and said so, frankly. + +"I see I should have been a fool, indeed, if I had got into the +row, captain; and I shall remember what you say, in future. Still, +you know, I didn't get into it." + +"No, I give you credit for that, lad; but you acknowledge your +strong impulse to do so. Now, in future you had better have an +impulse just the other way and, when you find yourself in the midst +of a row in which you have no personal concern, let your first +thought be how to get out of it, as quickly as you can. I got into +more than one scrape, myself, when I was a young fellow, from the +conduct of messmates who had got too much liquor in them; but it +did them no good, and did me harm. + +"So, take my advice: fight your own battles, but never interfere to +fight other people's, unless you are absolutely convinced that they +are in the right. If you are, stick by them as long as you have a +leg to stand upon." + + + +Chapter 6: The Rock Fortress. + + +On the third day after her arrival at Lisbon, the Antelope's anchor +was hove up, and she dropped down the river. Half an hour later, a +barque and another brig came out and joined her; the three captains +having agreed, the day before, that they would sail in company, as +they were all bound through the Straits. Captain Lockett had +purchased two 14-pounder guns, at Lisbon; and the brig, therefore, +now carried three guns on each side, besides her long 18 pounder. +The barque carried fourteen guns, and the other brig ten; so that +they felt confident of being able to beat off any French privateer +they might meet, on the way. + +One or two suspicious sails were sighted, as they ran down the +coast; but none of these approached within gunshot, the three craft +being, evidently, too strong to be meddled with. Rounding Cape St. +Vincent at a short distance, they steered for the mouth of the +Straits. After the bold cliffs of Portugal, Bob was disappointed +with the aspect of the Spanish coast. + +"Ah! It is all very well," the first mate replied, when he +expressed his opinion. "Give me your low, sandy shores, and let +those who like have what you call the fine, bold rocks. + +"Mind, I don't mean coasts with sandbanks lying off them; but a +coast with a shelving beach, and pretty deep water, right up to it. +If you get cast on a coast like that of Portugal, it is certain +death. Your ship will get smashed up like an eggshell, against +those rocks you are talking of, and not a soul gets a chance of +escape; while if you are blown on a flat coast, you may get carried +within a ship's length of the beach before you strike, and it is +hard if you can't get a line on shore; besides, it is ten to one +the ship won't break up, for hours. + +"No, you may get a landsman to admire your bold cliffs, but you +won't get a sailor to agree with him." + +"We seem to be going along fast, although there is not much wind." + +"Yes, there is a strong current. You see, the rivers that fall into +the Mediterranean ain't sufficient to make up for the loss by +evaporation, and so there is always a current running in here. It +is well enough for us, going east; but it is not so pleasant, when +you want to come out. Then you have got to wait till you can get a +breeze, from somewhere about east, to carry you out. I have been +kept waiting, sometimes, for weeks; and it is no unusual thing to +see two or three hundred ships anchored, waiting for the wind to +change." + +"Are there any pirates over on that side?" Bob asked, looking +across at the African coast. + +"Not about here. Ceuta lies over there. They are good friends with +us, and Gibraltar gets most of its supplies from there. But once +through the Straits we give that coast a wide berth; for the +Algerine pirates are nearly as bad as ever, and would snap up any +ship becalmed on their coast, or that had the bad luck to be blown +ashore. I hope, some day, we shall send a fleet down, and blow the +place about their ears. It makes one's blood boil, to think that +there are hundreds and hundreds of Englishmen working, as slaves, +among the Moors. + +"There, do you see that projecting point with a fort on it, and a +town lying behind? That is Tarifa. That used to be a great place, +in the time when the Moors were masters in Spain." + +"Yes," the captain, who had just joined them, said. "Tarif was a +great Moorish commander, I have heard, and the place is named after +him. Gibraltar is also named after a Moorish chief, called Tarik +ibn Zeyad." + +Bob looked surprised. + +"I don't see that it is much like his name, captain." + +"No, Master Repton, it doesn't sound much like it, now. The old +name of the place was Gebel Tarik, which means Tank's Hill; and it +is easy to see how Gebel Tarik got gradually changed into +Gibraltar." + +In another two hours the Straits were passed, and the Rock of +Gibraltar appeared, rising across a bay to the left. + +Illustration: View of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean. + +View of Gibraltar from the Mediterranean. + +"There is your destination, lad," the captain said. "It is a +strong-looking place, isn't it?" + +"It is, indeed, Captain," Bob said, taking the captain's glass from +the top of the skylight, and examining the Rock. + +"You see," the captain went on, "the Rock is divided from the +mainland by that low spit of sand. It is only a few hundred yards +wide, and the sea goes round at the back of the Rock, and along the +other side of that spit--though you can't see it from here--so +anything coming to attack it must advance along the spit, under the +fire of the guns. + +"There, do you see that building, standing up on the hill above the +town? That is the old Moorish castle, and there are plenty of +modern batteries scattered about near it, though you can't see +them. You see, the Rock rises sheer up from the spit; and it is +only on this side, close to the water's edge, that the place can be +entered. + +"The weak side of the place is along this sea face. On the other +side, the Rock rises right out of the water; but on this side, as +you see, it slopes gradually down. There are batteries, all along +by the water's edge; but if the place were attacked by a fleet +strong enough to knock those batteries to pieces, and silence their +guns, a landing could be effected. + +"At the southern end you see the rocks are bolder, and there is no +landing there. That is called Europa Point, and there is a battery +there, though you can't make it out, from here." + +The scene was a very pretty one, and Bob watched it with the +greatest interest. A frigate, and two men-of-war brigs, were +anchored at some little distance from the Rock; and around them +were some thirty or forty merchantmen, waiting for a change in the +wind to enable them to sail out through the Straits. White-sailed +boats were gliding about among them. + +At the head of the bay were villages nestled among trees, while the +country behind was broken and hilly. On the opposite side of the +bay was a town of considerable size, which the captain told him was +Algeciras. It was, he said, a large town at the time of the Moors, +very much larger and more important than Gibraltar. The ground rose +gradually behind it, and was completely covered with foliage, +orchards, and orange groves. + +The captain said: + +"You see that rock rising at the end of the bay from among the +trees, lads. That is called 'the Queen of Spain's Chair.' It is +said that, at a certain siege when the Moors were here, the then +Queen of Spain took her seat on that rock, and declared she would +never go away till Gibraltar was taken. She also took an oath never +to change her linen, until it surrendered. I don't know how she +managed about it, at last, for the place never did surrender. I +suppose she got a dispensation, and was able to get into clean +clothes again, some day. + +"I have heard tell that the Spaniards have a colour that is called +by her name--a sort of dirty yellow. It came out at that time. Of +course, it would not have been etiquette for other ladies to wear +white, when her majesty was obliged to wear dingy garments; so they +all took to having their things dyed, so as to match hers; and the +tint has borne her name, ever since." + +"It is a very nasty idea," Bob said; "and I should think she took +pretty good care, afterwards, not to take any oaths. It is hot +enough, now; and I should think, in summer, it must be baking +here." + +"It is pretty hot, on the Rock, in summer. You know, they call the +natives of the place Rock scorpions. Scorpions are supposed to like +heat, though I don't know whether they do. You generally find them +lying under pieces of loose rock; but whether they do it for heat, +or to keep themselves cool, I can't say. + +"Now, Mr. Probert, you may as well take some of the sail off her. +We will anchor inside those craft, close to the New Mole. They may +want to get her alongside, to unload the government stores we have +brought out; and the nearer we are in, the less trouble it will be +to warp her alongside, tomorrow morning. Of course, if the landing +place is full, they will send lighters out to us." + +Illustration: View of Gibraltar from the Bay. + +View of Gibraltar from the Bay. + +The sails were gradually got off the brig, and she had but little +way on when her anchor was dropped, a cable's length from the end +of the Mole. Scarcely had she brought up when a boat shot out from +the end of the pier. + +"Hooray!" Bob shouted. "There are my sister, and Gerald." + +"I thought as much," the captain said. "We hoisted our number, as +soon as we came round the point; and the signal station, on the top +of the Rock, would send down the news directly they made out our +colours." + +"Well, Bob, it gave me quite a turn," his sister said, after the +first greetings were over, "when we saw how the sails were all +patched, and everyone said that the ship must have been in action. +I was very anxious, till I saw your head above the bulwarks." + +"Yes, we have been in a storm, and a fight, and we came pretty near +being taken. Did you get out all right?" + +"Yes, we had a very quiet voyage." + +The captain then came up, and was introduced. + +"I have a box or two for you, madam, in addition to your brother's +kit. Mr. Bale sent them down, a couple of days before we sailed. + +"At one time, it didn't seem likely that you would ever see their +contents, for we had a very close shave of it. In the first place, +we had about as bad a gale as I have met with, in crossing the bay; +and were blown into the bight, with the loss of our bowsprit, +fore-topmast and four of our guns, that we had to throw overboard +to lighten her. + +"Then a French lugger, that would have been a good deal more than a +match for her, at any time, came up. We might have out sailed her, +if we could have carried all our canvas; but with only a jury +topmast, she was too fast for us. As you may see by our sails, we +had a smart fight but, by the greatest good fortune, we knocked the +mainmast out of her. + +"Then we were chased by a French frigate, with the lugger to help +her. However, we gave them the slip in the night, and here we are. + +"I am afraid you won't get your brother's boxes, till tomorrow. +Nothing can go ashore till the port officer has been on board, and +the usual formalities gone through. I don't know, yet, whether we +shall discharge into lighters, or go alongside; but I will have +your boxes all put together, in readiness for you, the first thing +in the morning, whichever way it is." + +"We shall be very glad if you will dine with us, tomorrow," Captain +O'Halloran said. "We dine at one o'clock or, if that would be +inconvenient for you, come to supper at seven." + +"I would rather do that, if you will let me," Captain Lockett +replied. "I shall be pretty busy tomorrow, and you military +gentlemen do give us such a lot of trouble--in the way of papers, +documents, and signatures--that I never like leaving the ship, till +I get rid of the last bale and box with the government brand on +it." + +"Very well, then; we shall expect you to supper." + +"I shall come down first thing in the morning, captain," Bob said, +"so I need not say goodbye to anyone, now." + +"You had better bring only what you may want with you for the +night, Bob," his sister put in, as he was about to run below. "The +cart will take everything else up, together, in the morning." + +"Then I shall be ready in a minute," Bob said, running below; and +it was not much more before he reappeared, with a small handbag. + +"I shall see you again tomorrow, Mr. Probert. I shall be here about +our luggage;" and he took his place in the boat beside the others, +who had already descended the ladder. + +"And you have had a pleasant voyage, Bob?" Captain O'Halloran +asked. + +"Very jolly, Gerald; first rate. Captain Lockett was as kind as +could be; and the first mate was very good, too, though I did not +think he would be, when I first saw him; and Joe Lockett, the +second mate, is a capital fellow." + +"But how was it that you did not take that French privateer, Bob? +With a fellow like you on board--the capturer of a gang of +burglars, and all that sort of thing--I should have thought that, +instead of running away, you would have gone straight at her; that +you would have thrown yourself on her deck at the head of the +boarders, would have beaten the Frenchmen below, killed their +captain in single combat, and hauled down their flag." + +"There is no saying what I might have done," Bob laughed, "if it +had come to boarding; but as it was, I did not feel the least wish +for a closer acquaintance with the privateer. It was too close to +be pleasant, as it was--a good deal too close. It is a pity you +were not there, to have set me an example." + +"I am going to do that now, Bob, and I hope you will profit by it. + +"Now then, you jump out first, and give Carrie your hand. That is +it." + +And, having settled with the boatman, Captain O'Halloran followed +the others' steps. It was a busy scene. Three ships were +discharging their cargoes, and the wharf was covered with boxes and +bales, piles of shot and shell, guns, and cases of ammunition. +Fatigue parties of artillery and infantry men were piling the +goods, or stowing them in handcarts. Goods were being slung down +from the ships, and were swinging in the air, or run down to the +cry of "Look below!" + +"Mind how you go, Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said, "or you will be +getting what brains you have knocked out." + +"If that is all the danger, Gerald," she laughed, "you are safe, +anyhow. + +"Now, Bob, do look out!" she broke off as, while glancing round, he +tripped over a hawser and fell. "Are you hurt?" + +"Never mind him, Carrie--look out for yourself. A boy never gets +hurt. + +"Now, keep your eyes about you, Bob. You can come and look at all +this, any day." + +At last they got to the end of the Mole. Then they passed under an +archway, with a massive gate, at which stood a sentry; then they +found themselves in a sort of yard, surrounded by a high wall, on +the top of which two cannon were pointed down upon them. Crossing +the yard, they passed through another gateway. The ground here rose +sharply, and a hundred yards further back stood another battery; +completely commanding the Mole, and the defences through which they +had passed. + +The ground here was comparatively level, rising gradually to the +foot of the rock, which then rose steeply up. A few houses were +scattered about, surrounded by gardens. Hedges of cactus lined the +road. Parties of soldiers and sailors, natives with carts, and +women in picturesque costumes passed along. The vegetation on the +low ground was abundant, and Bob looked with delight at the +semi-tropical foliage. + +Turning to the right they followed the road, passed under an +archway in a strong wall, and were in the town, itself. + +"We are not living in barracks," Carrie said. "Fortunately there +was no room there, and we draw lodging allowance, and have taken +the upper portion of a Spanish house. It is much more pleasant. +Besides, if we had had to live in quarters, we should have had no +room for you." + +"The streets are steep," Bob said. "I can't make out how these +little donkeys keep their feet on the slippery stones, with those +heavy loads. + +"Oh! I say, there are two rum-looking chaps. What are they--Moors?" + +"Yes. You will see lots of them here, Bob. They come across from +Ceuta, and there are some of them established here, as traders. +What with the Moors, and Spaniards, and Jews, and the sailors from +the shipping, you can hear pretty nearly every European language +spoken, in one walk through the streets." + +"Oh, I say, isn't this hot?" Bob exclaimed, mopping his face; "and +isn't there a glare from all these white walls, and houses! How +much higher is it?" + +"About another hundred yards, Bob. There, you see, we are getting +beyond the streets now." + +They had now reached a flat shoulder; and on this the houses were +somewhat scattered, standing in little inclosures, with hedges of +cactus and geranium, and embowered in shrubs and flowers. + +"This is our house," Carrie said, stopping before a rickety wooden +gateway, hung upon two massive posts of masonry. "You see, we have +got a flight of steps outside, and we are quite cut off from the +people below." + +They ascended the stairs. At the top there was a sort of wide +porch, with a wooden roof; which was completely covered with +creepers, growing from two wooden tubs. Four or five plants, +covered with blossoms, stood on the low walls; and two or three +chairs showed that the little terrace was used as an open-air +sitting room. + +"In another hour, when the sun gets lower, Bob, we can come and sit +here. It is a lovely view, isn't it?" + +"Beautiful!" Bob said, leaning on the wall. + +Below them lay the sea front, with its gardens and bright foliage +and pretty houses, with Europa Point and the sea stretching away +beyond it. A little to the right were the African hills; and then, +turning slightly round, the Spanish coast, with Algeciras nestled +in foliage, and the bay with all its shipping. The head of the bay +was hidden, for the ground behind was higher than that on which the +house stood. + +"Come in, Bob," Captain O'Halloran said. "You had better get out of +the sun. Of course, it is nothing to what it will be; but it is hot +now, and we are none of us acclimatized, yet." + +The rooms were of a fair size, but the light-coloured walls gave +them a bare appearance, to Bob's eyes. They were, however, +comfortably furnished, matting being laid down instead of carpets. + +"It is cooler, and cheaper," Carrie said, seeing Bob looking at +them. + +"This is your room, and this is the kitchen," and she opened the +door into what seemed to Bob a tiny place, indeed. + +Across one end was a mass of brickwork, rather higher than an +ordinary table. Several holes, a few inches deep, were scattered +about over this. In some of these small charcoal fires were +burning, and pots were placed over them. There were small openings +from the front, leading to these tiny fireplaces; and a Spanish +girl was driving the air into one of these, with a fan, when they +entered. + +"This is my brother, Manola," Mrs. O'Halloran said. + +The girl smiled and nodded, and then continued her work. + +"She speaks English?" Bob said, as they went out. + +"She belongs to the Rock, Bob. Almost all the natives here talk a +little English." + +"Where do these steps lead to? I thought we were at the top of the +house." + +"Come up and see," Carrie said, leading the way. + +Following her, Bob found himself on a flat terrace, extending over +the whole of the house. Several orange trees--in tubs--and many +flowers, and small shrubs in pots stood upon it; and three or four +light cane-work lounging chairs stood apart. + +"Here is where we come when the sun is down, Bob. There is no finer +view, we flatter ourselves, anywhere in Gib. Here we receive our +guests, in the evening. We have only begun yet, but we mean to make +a perfect garden of it." + +"It is splendid!" Bob said, as he walked round by the low parapet, +and gazed at the view in all directions; "and we can see what +everyone else is doing on their roofs, and no one can look down on +us--except from the rock over there, behind us, and there are no +houses there." + +"No, the batteries commanding the neutral ground lie over that +crest, Bob. We are quite shut in, on two sides; but we make up for +it by the extent of our view, on the others. We are very lucky in +getting the place. A regiment went home in the transport that +brought us out. Gerald knew some of the officers, and one of them +had been staying here, and told Gerald of it; and we took it at +once. The other officers' wives are all quite jealous of me and, +though some of them have very nice quarters, it is admitted that, +as far as the view goes, this is by far the best. Besides, it is a +great thing being out of the town, and it does not take Gerald more +than three or four minutes longer to get down to the barracks. + +"But now, let us go downstairs. I am sure you must want something +to eat, and we sha'n't have supper for another three hours." + +"I dined at twelve," Bob said, "just before we rounded the point, +and I could certainly hold on until supper time Still, I daresay I +could eat something, now." + +"Oh, it is only a snack! It is some stewed chicken and some fruit. +That won't spoil your supper, Bob?" + +"You will be glad to hear, Bob," Captain O'Halloran said, as the +lad was eating his meal, "that I have secured the services of a +Spanish professor for you. He is to begin next Monday." + +Bob's face fell. + +"I don't see that there was need for such a hurry," he said, +ruefully, laying down his knife and fork. "I don't see there was +need for any hurry, at all. Besides, of course, I want to see the +place." + +"You will be able to see a good deal of it, in four days, Bob; and +your time won't be entirely occupied, when you do begin. The days +are pretty long here, everyone gets up early. + +"He is to come at seven o'clock in the morning. You have a cup of +coffee, and some bread and butter and fruit, before that. He will +go at nine, then we have breakfast. Then you will have your time to +yourself, till dinner at half past two. The assistant surgeon of +our regiment--he is a Dublin man--will come to you for Latin, and +what I may call general knowledge, for two hours. That is all; +except, I suppose, that you will work a bit by yourself, of an +evening. + +"That is not so bad, is it?" + +"What sort of man is the assistant surgeon?" Bob replied, +cautiously. "It all depends how much he is going to give me to do, +in the evening." + +"I don't think he will give you anything to do, in the evening, +Bob. Of course, the Spanish is the principal thing, and I told him +that you will have to work at that." + +"I don't think you need be afraid, Bob," his sister laughed. "You +won't find Dr. Burke a very severe kind of instructor. Nobody but +Gerald would ever have thought of choosing him." + +"Sure, and didn't you agree with me, Carrie," her husband said, in +an aggrieved voice, "that as we were not going to make the boy a +parson, and as it was too much to expect him to learn Spanish, and +a score of other things, at once; that we ought to get someone who +would make his lessons pleasant for him, and not be worrying his +soul out of his body with all sorts of useless balderdash?" + +"Yes, we agreed that, Gerald; but there was a limit, and when you +told me you had spoken to Teddy Burke about it, and arranged the +matter with him, I thought you had gone beyond that limit, +altogether." + +"He is just the man for Bob, Carrie. That boy will find it mighty +dull here, after a bit, and will want someone to cheer him up. I +promised the old gentleman I would find him someone who could push +Bob on in his humanities; and Teddy Burke has taken his degree at +Dublin, and I will venture to say will get him on faster than a +stiff starched man will do. Bob would always be playing tricks, +with a fellow like that, and be getting into rows with him. There +will be no playing tricks with Teddy Burke, for he is up to the +whole thing, himself." + +"I should think he is, Gerald. Well, we will see how it works, +anyhow. + +"Go on with your fowl, Bob. You will see all about it, in good +time." + +Bob felt satisfied that the teacher his brother-in-law had chosen +for him was not a very formidable personage; and his curiosity as +to what he would be like was satisfied, that evening. After he had +finished his meal, he went for a stroll with Captain O'Halloran +through the town, and round the batteries at that end of the Rock, +returning to supper. After the meal was over, they went up to the +terrace above. There was not a breath of wind, and a lamp on a +table there burned without a flicker. + +They had scarcely taken their seats when Manola announced Dr. +Burke, and a minute later an officer in uniform made his appearance +on the terrace. He wore a pair of blue spectacles, and advanced in +a stiff and formal manner. + +"I wish you a good evening, Mrs. O'Halloran. So this is our young +friend! + +"You are well, I hope, Master Repton; and are none the worse for +the inconveniences I hear you have suffered on your voyage?" + +Carrie, to Bob's surprise, burst into a fit of laughter. + +"What is the matter, Mrs. O'Halloran?" Dr. Burke asked, looking at +her with an air of mild amazement. + +"I am laughing at you, Teddy Burke. How can you be so ridiculous?" + +The doctor removed his spectacles. + +"Now, Mrs. O'Halloran," he said, with a strong brogue. "Do you call +that acting fairly by me? Didn't you talk to me yourself, half an +hour yesterday, and impress upon me that I ought to be grave and +steady, now that I was going to enter upon the duties of a +pedagogue; and ain't I trying my best to act up to your +instructions, and there you burst out laughing in my face, and +spoil it all, entirely? + +"Gerald said to me, 'Now mind, Teddy, it is a responsible affair. +The boy is up to all sorts of divarsions, and divil a bit will he +attend to ye, if he finds that you are as bad, if not worse, than +he is himself.' + +"'But,' said I, 'it's Latin and such like that you are wanting me +to teach him; and not manners at all, at all.' + +"And he says, 'It is all one. It is quiet and well behaved that you +have got to be, Teddy. The missis has been houlding out about the +iniquity of taking a spalpeen, like yourself; and it is for you to +show her that she is mistaken, altogether.' + +"So I said, 'You trust me, Gerald, I will be as grave as a doctor +of divinity.' + +"So I got out these glasses--which I bought because they told me +that they would be wanted here, to keep out the glare of the +sun--and I came here, and spoke as proper as might be; and then, +Mrs. O'Halloran, you burst out laughing in my face, and destroy the +whole effect of these spectacles, and all. + +"Well, we must make the best of a bad business; and we will try, +for a bit, anyhow. If he won't mind me, Gerald must go to the +chaplain, as he intended to; and I pity the boy, then. I would +rather be had up before the colonel, any day, than have any matter +in dispute with him." + +"You are too bad, Teddy Burke," Mrs. O'Halloran said, still +laughing. "It was all very well for you to try and look sensible, +but to put on that face was too absurd. You know you could not have +kept it up for five minutes. + +"No, I don't think it will do," and she looked serious now. "I +always thought that it was out of the question, but this bad +beginning settles it." + +But Bob, who had been immensely amused, now broke in. + +"Why not, Carrie? I am sure I should work better, for Dr. Burke, +than I should for anyone who was very strict and stiff. One is +always wanting to do something, with a man like that: to play +tricks with his wig or pigtail, or something of that sort. You +might let us try, anyhow; and if Dr. Burke finds that I am not +attentive, and don't mind him, then you can put me with somebody +else." + +"Sure, we shall get on first rate, Mrs. O'Halloran. Gerald says the +boy is a sensible boy, and that he has been working very well under +an old uncle of yours. He knows for himself that it's no use his +having a master, if he isn't going to try his best to get on. When +I was at school, I used to get larrupped every day; and used to +think, to myself, what a grand thing it would be to have a master +just like what Dr. Burke, M.D., Dublin, is now; and I expect it is +just about the same, with him. We sha'n't work any the worse +because, maybe, we will joke over it, sometimes." + +"Very well, then, we will try, Teddy; though I know the whole +regiment will think Gerald and I have gone mad, when they hear +about it. But I shall keep my eye upon you both." + +"The more you keep your eye upon me, the better I shall be plazed, +Mrs. O'Halloran; saving your husband's presence," the doctor said, +insinuatingly. + +"Do sit down and be reasonable, Teddy. There are cigars in that box +on the table." + +"The tobacco here almost reconciles one to living outside Ireland," +Dr. Burke said, as he lit a cigar, and seated himself in one of the +comfortable chairs. "Just about a quarter the price they are at +home, and brandy at one shilling per bottle. It is lucky for the +country that we don't get them at that price, in Ireland; for it is +mighty few boys they would get to enlist, if they could get tobacco +and spirits at such prices, at home." + +"I have been telling Gerald that it will be much better for him to +drink claret, out here," Mrs. O'Halloran said. + +"And you are not far wrong," the doctor agreed; "but the native +wines here are good enough for me, and you can get them at sixpence +a quart. I was telling them, at mess yesterday, that we must not +write home and tell them about it; or faith, there would be such an +emigration that the Rock wouldn't hold the people--not if you were +to build houses all over it. Sixpence a quart, and good sound +tipple! + +"Sure, and it was a mighty mistake of Providence that Ireland was +not dropped down into the sea, off the coast of Spain. What a +country it would have been!" + +"I don't know, Teddy," Captain O'Halloran said. "As the people +don't kill themselves with overwork, now, I doubt if they would +ever work at all, if they had the excuse of a hot climate for doing +nothing." + +"There would not have been so much need, Gerald. They needn't have +bothered about the thatch, when it only rains once in six months, +or so; while as for clothes, it is little enough they would have +needed. And the bogs would all have dried up, and they would have +had crops without more trouble than just scratching the ground, and +sowing in the seed; and they would have grown oranges, instead of +praties. Oh, it would have been a great country, entirely!" + +The doctor's three listeners all went off into a burst of laughter, +at the seriousness with which he spoke. + +"But you would have had trouble with your pigs," Mrs. O'Halloran +said. "The Spanish pigs are wild, fierce-looking beasts, and would +never be content to share the cottages." + +"Ah! But we would have had Irish pigs just the same as now. Well, +what do you think--" and he broke off suddenly, sitting upright, +and dropping the brogue altogether--"they were saying, at mess, +that the natives declare there are lots of Spanish troops moving +down in this direction; and that a number of ships are expected, +with stores, at Algeciras." + +"Well, what of that?" Mrs. O'Halloran asked. "We are at peace with +Spain. What does it matter where they move their troops, or land +stores?" + +"That is just the thing. We are at peace with them, sure enough; +but that is no reason why we should be always at peace. You know +how they hate seeing our flag flying over the Rock; and they may +think that, now we have got our hands full with France, and the +American colonists, it will be the right time for them to join in +the scrimmage, and see if they can't get the Rock back again." + +"But they would never go to war, without any ground of complaint!" + +"I don't know, Mrs. O'Halloran. When one wants to pick a quarrel +with a man, it is always a mighty easy thing to do so. You can +tread on his toe, and ask him what he put it there for; or sit down +on his hat, and swear that he put it on the chair on purpose; or +tell him that you do not like the colour of his hair, or that his +nose isn't the shape that pleases you. It is the easiest thing in +the world to find something to quarrel about, when you have a mind +for it." + +"Are you quite serious, Teddy?" + +"Never more serious in my life. + +"Have you heard about it, Gerald?" + +"I heard them saying something about it, when we were waiting for +the colonel on parade, this morning; but I did not think much of +it." + +"Well, of course, it mayn't be true, Gerald; but the colonel and +major both seemed to think that there was something in it. It +seems, from what they said, that the governor has had letters that +seemed to confirm the news that several regiments are on the march +south; and that stores are being collected at Cadiz, and some of +the other seaports. There is nothing, as far as we know, specially +said about Gibraltar; but what else can they be getting ready for, +unless it is to cross the Straits and attack the Moors--and they +are at peace with them, at present, just as they are with us? I +mean to think that they are coming here, till we are downright sure +they are not. The news is so good, I mean to believe that it is +true, as long as I can." + +"For shame, Teddy!" Mrs. O'Halloran said. "You can't be so wicked +as to hope that they are going to attack us?" + +"And it is exactly that point of wickedness I have arrived at," the +doctor said, again dropping into the brogue. "In the first place, +sha'n't we need something, to kape us from dying entirely of +nothing to do at all, at all, in this wearisome old place? We are +fresh to it, and we are not tired, yet, of the oranges and the wine +and the cigars, and the quare people you see in the streets; but +the regiments that have been here some time are just sick of their +lives. Then, in the second place, how am I going to learn my +profession, if we are going to stop here, quiet and peaceful, for +years? Didn't I come into the army to study gunshot wounds and, +barring duels, divil a wound have I seen since I joined. It's +getting rusty I am, entirely; and there is the elegant case of +instruments my aunt gave me, that have never been opened. By the +same token, I will have them out and oil them, in the morning." + +"Don't talk in that way, Teddy. You ought to be ashamed of +yourself. It seems to me that you are making a great to-do about +nothing. Some soldiers have been marched somewhere in Spain, and +all this talk is made up about it. They must know, very well, they +can't take the Rock. They tried it once, and I should have thought +they would not be in a hurry to try it again. I shall believe in it +when I see it. + +"You need not look so delighted, Bob. If there should be any +trouble--and it seems nonsense even to think about such a +thing--but if there should be any, we should put you on board the +very first vessel sailing for England, and get you off our minds." + +Bob laughed. + +"I should go down and ship as a powder monkey, on one of the ships +of war; or enlist as a drummer, in one of the regiments; and then I +should be beyond your authority, altogether." + +"I begin to think you are beyond my authority already, Bob. + +"Gerald, I am afraid we did a very foolish thing in agreeing to +have this boy out here." + +"Well, we have got him on our hands now, Carrie; and it is early, +yet, for you to find out your mistake. + +"Well, if there should be a siege--" + +"You know there is no chance of it, Gerald." + +"Well, I only say if, and we are cut off from all the world, he +will be a companion to you, and keep you alive, while I am in the +batteries." + +"I won't hear such nonsense talked any more, Gerald; and if Teddy +Burke is going to bring us every bit of absurd gossip that may be +picked up from the peasants, he can stay away, altogether." + +"Except when he comes to instruct his pupil, Mrs. O'Halloran." + +"Oh, that is not likely to last long, Dr. Burke!" + +"That is to be seen, Mrs. O'Halloran. It is a nice example you are +setting him of want of respect for his instructor. I warn you that, +before another six months have passed, you will have to confess +that it has been just the very best arrangement that could have +been made; and will thank your stars that Dr. Edward Burke, M.D., +of Dublin, happened to be here, ready to your hand." + + + +Chapter 7: Troubles Ahead. + + +When Dr. Burke had left, Bob broke into an Indian war dance, +expressive of the deepest satisfaction; and Captain O'Halloran +burst into a shout of laughter at the contrast between the boy's +vehement delight, and the dissatisfaction expressed in his wife's +face. + +"I am not at all pleased, Gerald, not at all; and I don't see that it +is any laughing matter. I never heard a more ridiculous thing. Uncle +intrusted Bob to our care, believing that we should do what was best for +him; and here you go and engage the most feather-headed Irishman in the +garrison--and that is saying a good deal, Gerald--to look after him." + +It was so seldom that Carrie took matters seriously that her +husband ceased laughing, at once. + +"Well, Carrie, there is no occasion to put yourself out about it. +The experiment can be tried for a fortnight; and if, at the end of +that time, you are not satisfied, we will get someone else. But I +am sure it will work well." + +"So am I, Carrie," Bob put in. "I believe Dr. Burke and I will get +on splendidly. You see, I have been with two people, both of whom +looked as grave as judges, and one of them as cross as a bear; and +yet they were both first-rate fellows. It seems to me that Dr. +Burke is just the other way. He turns everything into fun; but I +expect he will be just as sharp, when he is at lessons, as anyone +else. At any rate, you may be sure that I will do my best with him; +so as not to get put under some stiff old fellow, instead of him." + +"Well, we shall see, Bob. I hope that it will turn out well, I am +sure." + +"Of course it will turn out well, Carrie. Why, didn't your uncle at +first think I was the most harum-scarum fellow he ever saw; and now +he sees that I am a downright model husband, with only one fault, +and that is that I let you have your own way, altogether." + +"It looks like it, on the present occasion, Gerald," his wife +laughed. "I will give it, as you say, a fortnight's trial. I only +hope that you have made a better choice for Bob's Spanish master." + +"I hope so, my dear--that is, if it is possible. The professor, as +I call him, has been teaching his language to officers, here, for +the last thirty years. He is a queer, wizened-up little old chap, +and has got out of the way of bowing and scraping that the senors +generally indulge in; but he seems a cheery little old soul, and he +has got to understand English ways and, at any rate, there is no +fear of his leading Bob into mischief. The Spaniards don't +understand that; and if you were to ruffle his dignity, he would +throw up teaching him at once; and I have not heard of another man +on the Rock who would be likely to suit." + +On the following Monday, Bob began work with the professor; who +called himself, on his card, Don Diaz Martos. He spoke English very +fairly and, after the first half hour, Bob found that the lessons +would be much more pleasant than he expected. The professor began +by giving him a long sentence to learn by heart, thoroughly; and +when Bob had done this, parsed each word with him, so that he +perfectly understood its meaning. Then he made the lad say it after +him a score of times, correcting his accent and inflection; and +when he was satisfied with this, began to construct fresh sentences +out of the original one, again making Bob repeat them, and form +fresh ones himself. + +Thus, by the time the first lesson was finished the lad, to his +surprise, found himself able, without difficulty, to frame +sentences from the words he had learned. Then the professor wrote +down thirty nouns and verbs in common use. + +"You will learn them this evening," he said, "and in the morning we +shall be able to make up a number of sentences out of them and, by +the end of a week, you will see we shall begin to talk to each +other. After that, it will be easy. Thirty fresh words, every day, +will be ample. In a month you will know seven or eight hundred; and +seven or eight hundred are enough for a man to talk with, on common +occasions." + +"He is first rate," Bob reported to his sister, as they sat down to +dinner, at one o'clock. "You would hardly believe that I can say a +dozen little sentences, already; and can understand him, when he +says them. He says, in a week, we shall be able to get to talk +together. + +"I wonder they don't teach Latin like that. Why, I shall know in +two or three months as much Spanish--and more, ever so much +more--than I do Latin, after grinding away at it for the last seven +or eight years." + +"Well, that is satisfactory. I only hope the other will turn out as +well." + +As Mrs. O'Halloran sat that evening, with her work in her hand, on +the terrace; with her husband, smoking a cigar, beside her. She +paused, several times, as she heard a burst of laughter. + +"That doesn't sound like master and pupil," she said, sharply, +after an unusually loud laugh from below. + +"More the pity, Carrie. Why on earth shouldn't a master be capable +of a joke? Do you think one does not learn all the faster, when the +lecture is pleasant? I know I would, myself. I never could see why +a man should look as if he was going to an execution, when he wants +to instil knowledge." + +"But it is not usual, Gerald," Carrie remonstrated, no other +argument occurring to her. + +"But that doesn't prove that it's wrong. Why a boy should be driven +worse than a donkey, and thrashed until his life is a burden to +him, and he hates his lessons and hates his master, beats me +entirely. Some day they will go more sensibly to work. + +"You see, in the old times, Carrie, men used to beat their wives; +and you don't think the women were any the better for it, do you?" + +"Of course they weren't," Carrie said, indignantly. + +"But it was usual, you know, Carrie, just as you say that it is +usual for masters to beat boys--as if they would do nothing, +without being thrashed. I can't see any difference between the two +things." + +"I can see a great deal of difference, sir!" + +"Well, what is the difference, Carrie?" + +But Carrie disdained to give any answer. Still, as she sat sewing +and thinking the matter over, she acknowledged to herself that she +really could not see any good and efficient reason why boys should +be beaten, any more than women. + +"But women don't do bad things, like boys," she said, breaking +silence at last. + +"Don't they, Carrie? I am not so sure of that. I have heard of +women who are always nagging their husbands, and giving them no +peace of their lives. I have heard of women who think of nothing +but dress, and who go about and leave their homes and children to +shift for themselves. I have heard of women who spend all their +time spreading scandal. I have heard of--" + +"There, that is enough," Carrie broke in hastily. "But you don't +mean to say that they would be any the better for beating, Gerald?" + +"I don't know, Carrie; I should think perhaps they might be, +sometimes. At any rate, I think that they deserve a beating quite +as much as a boy does, for neglecting to learn a lesson or for +playing some prank--which comes just as naturally, to him, as +mischief does to a kitten. For anything really bad, I would beat a +boy as long as I could stand over him. For lying, or thieving, or +any mean, dirty trick I would have no mercy on him. But that is a +very different thing to keeping the cane always going, at school, +as they do now. + +"But here comes Bob. Well, Bob, is the doctor gone? Didn't you ask +him to come up, and have a cigar?" + +"Yes; but he said he had got two or three cases at the hospital he +must see, and would wait until this evening." + +"How have you got on, Bob?" + +"Splendidly. I wonder why they don't teach at school, like that." + +"It didn't sound much like teaching," Carrie said, severely. + +"I don't suppose it did, Carrie; but it was teaching, for all that. +Why, I have learned as much, this evening, as I did in a dozen +lessons, in school. He explains everything so that you seem to +understand it, at once; and he puts things, sometimes, in such a +droll way, and brings in such funny comparisons, that you can't +help laughing. But you understand it, for all that, and are not +likely to forget it. + +"Don't you be afraid, Carrie. If Dr. Burke teaches me, for the two +years that I am going to be here, I shall know more than I should +have done if I had stopped at Tulloch's till I was an old man. I +used to learn lessons, there, and get through them, somehow, but I +don't think I ever understood why things were so; while Dr. Burke +explains everything so that you seem to understand all about it, at +once. And he is pretty sharp, too. He takes a tremendous lot of +pains, himself; but I can see he will expect me to take a +tremendous lot of pains, too." + +At the end of a fortnight, Carrie made no allusion to the subject +of a change of masters. The laughing downstairs still scandalized +her, a little; but she saw that Bob really enjoyed his lessons and, +although she herself could not test what progress he was making, +his assurances on that head satisfied her. + +The Brilliant had sailed on a cruise, the morning after Bob's +arrival; but as soon as he heard that she had again dropped anchor +in the bay, he took a boat and went out to her; and returned on +shore with Jim Sankey, who had obtained leave for the afternoon. +The two spent hours in rambling about the Rock, and talking of old +times at Tulloch's. Both agreed that the most fortunate thing that +ever happened had been the burglary at Admiral Langton's; which had +been the means of Jim's getting into the navy, and Bob's coming out +to Gibraltar, to his sister. + +Jim had lots to tell of his shipmates, and his life on board the +Brilliant. He was disposed to pity Bob spending half his day at +lessons; and was astonished to find that his friend really enjoyed +it, and still more that he should already have begun to pick up a +little Spanish. + +"You can't help it, with Don Diaz," Bob said. "He makes you go over +a sentence, fifty times, until you say it in exactly the same voice +he does--I mean the same accent. He says it slow, at first, so that +I can understand him; and then faster and faster, till he speaks in +his regular voice. Then I have to make up another sentence, in +answer. It is good fun, I can tell you; and yet one feels that one +is getting on very fast. I thought it would take years before I +should be able to get on anyhow in Spanish; but he says if I keep +on sticking to it, I shall be able to speak pretty nearly like a +native, in six months' time. I quite astonish Manola--that is our +servant--by firing off sentences in Spanish at her. My sister +Carrie says she shall take to learning with the Don, too." + +"Have you had any fun since you landed, Bob?" + +"No; not regular fun, you know. It has been very jolly. I go down +with Gerald--Carrie's husband, you know--to the barracks, and I +know most of the officers of his regiment now, and I walk about a +bit by myself; but I have not gone beyond the Rock, yet." + +"You must get a long day's leave, Bob; and we will go across the +neutral ground, into Spain, together." + +"Gerald said that, as I was working so steadily, I might have a +holiday, sometimes, if I did not ask for it too often. I have been +three weeks at it, now. I am sure I can go for a day, when I like, +so it will depend on you." + +"I sha'n't be able to come ashore for another four or five days, +after having got away this afternoon. Let us see, this is +Wednesday, I will try to get leave for Monday." + +"Have you heard, Jim, there is a talk about Spanish troops moving +down here, and that they think Spain is going to join France and +try to take this place?" + +"No, I haven't heard a word about it," Jim said, opening his eyes. +"You don't really mean it?" + +"Yes, that is what the officers say. Of course, they don't know for +certain; but there is no doubt the country people have got the idea +into their heads, and the natives on the Rock certainly believe +it." + +"Hooray! That would be fun," Jim said. "We have all been grumbling, +on board the frigate, at being stuck down here without any chance +of picking up prizes; or of falling in with a Frenchman, except we +go on a cruise. Why, you have seen twice as much fun as we have, +though you only came out in a trader. Except that we chased a craft +that we took for a French privateer, we haven't seen an enemy since +we came out from England; and we didn't see much of her, for she +sailed right away from us. While you have had no end of fighting, +and a very narrow escape of being taken to a French prison." + +"Too narrow to be pleasant, Jim. I don't think there would be much +fun to be got out of a French prison." + +"I don't know, Bob. I suppose it would be dull, if you were alone; +but if you and I were together, I feel sure we should have some +fun, and should make our escape, somehow." + +"Well, we might try," Bob said, doubtfully. "But you see, not many +fellows do make their escape; and as sailors are up to climbing +ropes, and getting over walls, and all that sort of thing, I should +think they would do it, if it could be managed anyhow." + +Upon the following day--when Bob was in the anteroom of the mess +with Captain O'Halloran, looking at some papers that had been +brought by a ship that had come in that morning--the colonel +entered, accompanied by Captain Langton. The officers all stood up, +and the colonel introduced them to Captain Langton--who was, he +told them, going to dine at the mess that evening. After he had +done this, Captain Langton's eye fell upon Bob; who smiled, and +made a bow. + +"I ought to know you," the captain said. "I have certainly seen +your face somewhere." + +"It was at Admiral Langton's, sir. My name is Bob Repton." + +"Of course it is," the officer said, shaking him cordially by the +hand. "But what on earth are you doing here? I thought you had +settled down somewhere in the city; with an uncle, wasn't it?" + +"Yes, sir; but I have come out here to learn Spanish." + +"Have you seen your friend Sankey?" + +"Yes, sir. I went on board the frigate to see him, yesterday +afternoon; and he got leave to come ashore with me, for two or +three hours." + +"He ought to have let me know that you were here," the captain +said. "Who are you staying with, lad?" + +"With Captain O'Halloran, sir, my brother-in-law," Bob said, +indicating Gerald, who had already been introduced to Captain +Langton. + +"I daresay you are surprised at my knowing this young gentleman," +he said, turning to Colonel Cochrane, "but he did my father, the +admiral, a great service. He and three other lads, under his +leadership, captured four of the most notorious burglars in London, +when they were engaged in robbing my father's house. It was a most +gallant affair, I can assure you; and the four burglars swung for +it, a couple of months later. I have one of the lads as a +midshipman, on board my ship; and I offered a berth to Repton but, +very wisely, he decided to remain on shore, where his prospects +were good." + +"Why, O'Halloran, you never told me anything about this," the +colonel said. + +"No, sir. Bob asked me not to say anything about it. I think he is +rather shy of having it talked about; and it is the only thing of +which he is shy as far as I have discovered." + +"Well, we must hear the story," the colonel said. "I hope you will +dine at mess, this evening, and bring him with you. He shall tell +us the story over our wine. I am curious to know how four boys can +have made such a capture." + +After mess that evening Bob told the story, as modestly as he +could. + +"There, colonel," Captain Langton said, when he had finished. "You +see that, if these stories I hear are true, and the Spaniards are +going to make a dash for Gibraltar, you have got a valuable +addition to your garrison." + +"Yes, indeed," the colonel laughed. "We will make a volunteer of +him. He has had some little experience of standing fire, for +O'Halloran told me that the brig he came out in had fought a sharp +action with a privateer of superior force; and indeed, when she +came in here, her sails were riddled with shot holes." + +"Better and better," Captain Langton laughed. + +"Well, Repton, remember whenever you are disposed for a cruise, I +shall be glad to take you as passenger. Sankey will make you at +home in the midshipmen's berth. If the Spaniards declare war with +us, we shall have stirring times at sea, as well as on shore and, +though you won't get any share in any prize money we may win, while +you are on board, you will have part of the honour; and you see, +making captures is quite in your line." + +The next day, Captain O'Halloran and Bob dined on board the +Brilliant. Captain Langton introduced the lad to his officers, +telling them that he wished him to be considered as being free on +board the ship, whether he himself happened to be on board or not, +when he came off. + +"But you must keep an eye on him, Mr. Hardy, while he is on board," +he said to the first lieutenant. + +"Mr. Sankey," and he nodded at Jim, who was among those invited, +"is rather a pickle, but from what I hear Repton is worse. So you +will have to keep a sharp eye upon them, when they are together; +and if they are up to mischief, do not hesitate to masthead both of +them. A passenger on board one of His Majesty's ships is amenable +to discipline, like anyone else." + +"I will see to it, sir," the lieutenant said, laughing. "Sankey +knows the way up, already." + +"Yes. I think I observed him taking a view of the shore from that +elevation, this morning." + +Jim coloured hotly. + +"Yes, sir," the lieutenant said. "The doctor made a complaint that +his leeches had got out of their bottle, and were all over the +ship; and I fancy one of them got into his bed, somehow. He had +given Mr. Sankey a dose of physic in the morning; and remembered +afterwards that, while he was making up the medicine, Sankey had +been doing something in the corner where his bottles were. When I +questioned Sankey about it, he admitted that he had observed the +leeches, but declined to criminate himself farther. So I sent him +aloft for an hour or two, to meditate upon the enormity of wasting +His Majesty's medical stores." + +"I hope, Captain O'Halloran," the captain said, "that you have less +trouble with your brother-in-law than we have with his friend." + +"Bob hasn't had much chance, yet," Captain O'Halloran said, +laughing. "He is new to the place, as yet; and besides, he is +really working hard, and hasn't much time for mischief; but I don't +flatter myself that it is going to last." + +"Well, Mr. Sankey, you may as well take your friend down, and +introduce him formally to your messmates," the captain said; and +Jim, who had been feeling extremely uncomfortable since the talk +had turned on the subject of mastheading, rose and made his escape +with Bob, leaving the elders to their wine. + +The proposed excursion to the Spanish lines did not come off, as +the Brilliant put to sea again, on the day fixed for it. She was +away a fortnight and, on her return, the captain issued orders that +none of the junior officers, when allowed leave, were to go beyond +the lines; for the rumours of approaching troubles had become +stronger and, as the peasantry were assuming a somewhat hostile +attitude, any act of imprudence might result in trouble. Jim often +had leave to come ashore in the afternoon and, as this was the time +that Bob had to himself, they wandered together all over the Rock, +climbed up the flagstaff, and made themselves acquainted with all +the paths and precipices. + +Their favourite place was the back of the Rock; where the cliff, in +many places, fell sheer away for hundreds of feet down into the +sea. They had many discussions as to the possibility of climbing up +on that side, though both agreed that it would be impossible to +climb down. + +"I should like to try, awfully," Bob said, one day early in June, +as they were leaning on a low wall looking down to the sea. + +"But it would never do to risk getting into a scrape here. It +wouldn't, indeed, Bob. They don't understand jokes at Gib. One +would be had up before the big wigs, and court-martialled, and +goodness knows what. Of course, it is jolly being ashore; but one +never gets rid of the idea that one is a sort of prisoner. There +are the regulations about what time you may come off, and what time +the gate is closed and, if you are a minute late, there you are +until next morning. Whichever way one turns there are sentries; and +you can't pass one way, and you can't go back another way, and +there are some of the batteries you can't go into, without a +special order. It never would do to try any nonsense, here. + +"Look at that sentry up there. I expect he has got his eye on us, +now; and if he saw us trying to get down, he would take us for +deserters and fire. There wouldn't be any fear of his hitting us; +but the nearest guard would turn out, and we should be arrested and +reported, and all sorts of things. It wouldn't matter so much for +you, but I should get my leave stopped altogether, and should get +into the captain's black books. + +"No, no. I don't mind running a little risk of breaking my neck, +but not here on the Rock. I would rather get into ten scrapes, on +board the frigate, than one here." + +"Yes, I suppose it can't be done," Bob agreed; "but I should have +liked to swing myself down to one of those ledges. There would be +such a scolding and shrieking among the birds." + +"Yes, that would be fun; but as it might bring on the same sort of +row among the authorities, I would rather leave it alone. + +"I expect we shall soon get leave to go across the lines again. +There doesn't seem to be any chance of a row with the dons; I +expect it was all moonshine, from the first. Why, they say Spain is +trying to patch up the quarrel between us and France. She would not +be doing that, if she had any idea of going to war with us, +herself." + +"I don't know, Jim. Gerald and Dr. Burke were talking it over last +night, and Gerald said just what you do; and then Dr. Burke said: + +"'You are wrong, entirely, Gerald. That is just the dangerous part +of the affair. Why should Spain want to put a stop to the war +between us and the frog eaters? Sure, wouldn't she look on with the +greatest pleasure in life, while we cut each other's throats and +blew up each other's ships, and put all the trade of the +Mediterranean into her hands? Why, it is the very thing that suits +her best.' + +"'Then what is she after putting herself forward for, Teddy?' +Gerald said. + +"'Because she wants to have a finger in the pie, Gerald. It +wouldn't be dacent for her to say to England: + +"'"It is in a hole you are, at present, wid your hands full; and so +I am going to take the opportunity of pitching into you." + +"'So she begins by stipping forward as the dear friend of both +parties; and she says: + +"'"What are you breaking each other's heads for, boys? Make up your +quarrel, and shake hands." + +"'Then she sets to and proposes terms--which she knows mighty well +we shall never agree to, for the letters we had, the other day +said, that it was reported that the proposals of Spain were +altogether unacceptable--and then, when we refuse, she turns round +and says: + +"'"You have put yourself in the wrong, entirely. I gave you a +chance of putting yourself in the right, and it is a grave insult +to me for you to refuse to accept my proposals. So there is nothing +for me to do, now, but just to join with France, and give you the +bating you desarve."' + +"That is Teddy Burke's idea, Jim; and though he is so full of fun, +he is awfully clever, and has got no end of sense; and I'd take his +opinion about anything. You see how he has got me on, in these four +months, in Latin and things. Why, I have learnt more, with him, +than I did all the time I was at Tulloch's. He says most likely the +negotiations will be finished, one way or the other, by the middle +of this month; and he offered to bet Gerald a gallon of whisky that +there would be a declaration of war, by Spain, before the end of +the month." + +"Did he?" Jim said, in great delight. "Well, I do hope he is right. +We are all getting precious tired, I can assure you, of broiling +down there in the harbour. The decks are hot enough to cook a steak +upon. When we started, today, we didn't see a creature in the +streets. Everyone had gone off to bed, for two or three hours; and +the shops were all closed, as if it had been two o'clock at night, +instead of two o'clock in the day. Even the dogs were all asleep, +in the shade. I think we shall have to give up our walks, till +August is over. It is getting too hot for anything, in the +afternoon." + +"Well, it is hot," Bob agreed. "Carrie said I was mad, coming out +in it today; and should get sunstroke, and all sort of things; and +Gerald said at dinner that, if it were not against the regulations, +he would like to shave his head, instead of plastering it all over +with powder." + +"I call it disgusting," Jim said, heartily. "That is the one thing +I envy you in. I shouldn't like to be grinding away at books, as +you do; and you don't have half the fun I do, on shore here without +any fellows to have larks with; but not having to powder your hair +almost makes up for it. I don't mind it, in winter, because it +makes a sort of thatch for the head; but it is awful, now. I feel +just as if I had got a pudding crust all over my head." + +"Well, that is appropriate, Jim," laughed Bob; and then Jim chased +him all along the path, till they got within sight of a sentry in a +battery; and then his dignity as midshipman compelled them to +desist, and the pair walked gravely down into the town. + +That evening after lessons were over Dr. Burke, as usual, went up +on to the terrace to smoke a cigar with Captain O'Halloran. + +"It is a pity altogether, Mrs. O'Halloran," he said, as he stood by +her side, looking over the moonlit bay, with the dark hulls of the +ships and the faint lights across at Algeciras, "that we can't do +away with the day, and have nothing but night of it, for four or +five months in the year. I used to think it must be mighty +unpleasant for the Esquimaux; but faith, I envy them now. Fancy +five or six months without catching a glimpse of that burning old +sun!" + +"I don't suppose they think so," Mrs. O'Halloran laughed, "but it +would be pleasant here. The heat has been dreadful, all day; and it +is really only after sunset that one begins to enjoy life." + +"You may well say that, Mrs. O'Halloran. Faith, I wish they would +let me take off my coat, and do my work in my shirtsleeves down at +the hospital. Sure, it is a strange idea these military men have +got in their heads, that a man isn't fit for work unless he is +buttoned so tightly up to the chin that he is red in the face. If +nature had meant it, we should have been born in a suit of scale +armour, like a crocodile. + +"Well, there is one consolation--if there is a siege, I expect +there will be an end of hair powder and cravats. It's the gineral +rule, on a campaign; and it is worth standing to be shot at, to +have a little comfort in one's life." + +"Do you think that there is any chance at all of the Spaniards +taking the place, if they do besiege us?" Bob asked, as Dr. Burke +took his seat. + +"None of taking the place by force, Bob. It has been besieged, over +and over again; and it is pretty nearly always by hunger that it +has fallen. That is where the pinch will come, if they besiege us +in earnest: it's living on mice and grass you are like to be, +before it is over." + +"But the fleet will bring in provisions, surely, Dr. Burke?" + +"The fleet will have all it can do to keep the sea, against the +navies of France and Spain. They will do what they can, you may be +sure; but the enemy well know that it is only by starving us out +that they can hope to take the place, and I expect they will put +such a fleet here that it will be mighty difficult for even a boat +to find its way in between them." + +"Do you know about the other sieges?" Mrs. O'Halloran asked. "Of +course, I know something about the last siege; but I know nothing +about the history of the Rock before that, and of course Gerald +doesn't know." + +"And why should I, Carrie? You don't suppose that when I was at +school, at Athlone, they taught me the history of every bit of rock +sticking up on the face of the globe? I had enough to do to learn +about the old Romans--bad cess to them, and all their bothering +doings!" + +"I can tell you about it, Mrs. O'Halloran," Teddy Burke said. +"Bob's professor, who comes to have a talk with me for half an hour +every day, has been telling me all about it; and if Gerald will +move himself, and mix me a glass of grog to moisten my throat, I +will give you the whole story of it. + +"You know, no doubt, that it was called Mount Calpe, by Gerald's +friends the Romans; who called the hill opposite there Mount Abyla, +and the two together the Pillars of Hercules. But beyond giving it +a name, they don't seem to have concerned themselves with it; nor +do the Phoenicians or Carthaginians, though all of them had cities +out in the low country. + +"It was when the Saracens began to play their games over here that +we first hear of it. Roderic, you know, was king of the Goths, and +seems to have been a thundering old tyrant; and one of his nobles, +Julian--who had been badly treated by him--went across with his +family into Africa, and put up Mousa, the Saracen governor of the +province across there, to invade Spain. They first of all made a +little expedition--that was in 711--with one hundred horse, and +four hundred foot. They landed over there at Algeciras and, after +doing some plundering and burning, sailed back again, with the news +that the country could be conquered. So next year twelve thousand +men, under a chief named Tarik, crossed and landed on the flat +between the Rock and Spain. He left a party here to build the +castle; and then marched away, defeated Roderic and his army at +Xeres, and soon conquered the whole of Spain, except the mountains +of the north. + +"We don't hear much more of Gibraltar for another six hundred +years. Algeciras had become a fortress of great strength and +magnificence, and Gibraltar was a mere sort of outlying post. +Ferdinand the Fourth of Spain besieged Algeciras for years, and +could not take it; but a part of his army attacked Gibraltar, and +captured it. The African Moors came over to help their friends, and +Ferdinand had to fall back; but the Spaniards still held +Gibraltar--a chap named Vasco Paez de Meira being in command. + +"In 1333 Abomelique, son of the Emperor of Fez, came across with an +army and besieged Gibraltar. Vasco held out for five months, and +was then starved into surrender, just as Alonzo the Eleventh was +approaching to his assistance. He arrived before the town, five +days after it surrendered, and attacked the castle; but the Moors +encamped on the neutral ground in his rear, and cut him off from +his supplies; and he was obliged at last to negotiate, and was +permitted to retire. He was not long away. Next time he attacked +Algeciras; which, after a long siege, he took in 1343. + +"In 1349 there were several wars in Africa, and he took advantage +of this to besiege Gibraltar. He was some months over the business, +and the garrison were nearly starved out; when pestilence broke out +in the Spanish camp, by which the king and many of his soldiers +died, and the rest retired. + +"It was not until sixty years afterwards, in 1410, that there were +fresh troubles; and then they were what might be called family +squabbles. The Africans of Fez had held the place, till then; but +the Moorish king of Grenada suddenly advanced upon it, and took it. +A short time afterwards, the inhabitants rose against the Spanish +Moors, and turned them out, and the Emperor of Morocco sent over an +army to help them; but the Moors of Grenada besieged the place, and +took it by famine. + +"In 1435 the Christians had another slap at it; but Henry de +Guzman, who attacked by sea, was defeated and killed. In 1462 the +greater part of the garrison of Gibraltar was withdrawn to take +part in some civil shindy, that was going on at Grenada; and in +their absence the place was taken by John de Guzman, duke of +Medina-Sidonia, and son of the Henry that was killed. In 1540 +Gibraltar was surprised and pillaged by one of Barossa's captains; +but as he was leaving some Christian galleys met him, and the +corsairs were all killed or taken. + +"This was really the only affair worth speaking of between 1462, +when it fell into the hands of the Spaniards, and 1704, when it was +captured by us. Sir George Rooke, who had gone out with a force to +attack Cadiz--finding that there was not much chance of success in +that direction--resolved, with Prince George of Hesse and +Darmstadt--who commanded the troops on board the fleet--to make an +attack on Gibraltar. + +"On the 21st of July, 1704, the English and Dutch landed on the +neutral ground and, at daybreak on the 23rd, the fleet opened fire. +The Spaniards were driven from their guns on the Molehead Battery. +The boats landed, and seized the battery, and held it in spite of +the Spaniards springing a mine, which killed two lieutenants and +about forty men. The Marquis de Salines, the governor, was then +summoned, and capitulated. So you see, we made only a day's work of +taking a place which the Spaniards thought that they had made +impregnable. The professor made a strong point of it that the +garrison consisted only of a hundred and fifty men; which certainly +accounts for our success, for it is no use having guns and walls, +if you haven't got soldiers to man them. + +"The Prince of Hesse was left as governor; and it was not long +before his mettle was tried for, in October, the Spanish army, with +six battalions of Frenchmen, opened trenches against the town. +Admiral Sir John Leake threw in reinforcements, and six months' +provisions. At the end of the month, a forlorn hope of five hundred +Spanish volunteers managed to climb up the Rock, by ropes and +ladders, and surprised a battery; but were so furiously attacked +that they were all killed, or taken prisoners. A heavy cannonade +was kept up for another week, when a large number of transports +with reinforcements and supplies arrived and, the garrison being +now considered strong enough to resist any attack, the fleet sailed +away. + +"The siege went on till the middle of March, when Sir John Leake +again arrived, drove away the French fleet, and captured or burnt +five of them; and the siege was then discontinued, having cost the +enemy ten thousand men. So, you see, there was some pretty hard +fighting over it. + +"The place was threatened in 1720 and, in the beginning of 1727, +twenty thousand Spaniards again sat down before it. The +fortifications had been made a good deal stronger, after the first +siege; and the garrison was commanded by Lieutenant Governor +Clayton. The siege lasted till May, when news arrived that the +preliminaries of a general peace had been signed. There was a lot +of firing; but the Spaniards must have shot mighty badly, for we +had only three hundred killed and wounded. You would think that +that was enough; but when I tell you that the cannon were so old +and rotten that seventy cannon, and thirty mortars, burst during +the siege, it seems to me that every one of those three hundred +must have been damaged by our own cannon, and that the Spaniards +did not succeed in hitting a single man. + +"That is mighty encouraging for you, Mrs. O'Halloran; for I don't +think that our cannon will burst this time and, if the Spaniards do +not shoot better than they did before, it is little work, enough, +that is likely to fall to the share of the surgeons." + +"Thank you," Mrs. O'Halloran said. "You have told that very nicely, +Teddy Burke. I did not know anything about it, before; and I had +some idea that it was when the English were besieged here that the +Queen of Spain sat on that rock which is called after her; but I +see now that it was Ferdinand's Isabella, and that it was when the +Moors were besieged here, hundreds of years before. + +"Well, I am glad I know something about it. It is stupid to be in a +place, and know nothing of its history. You are rising in my +estimation fast, Dr. Burke." + +"Mistress O'Halloran," the doctor said, rising and making a deep +bow, "you overwhelm me, entirely; and now I must say goodnight, for +I must look in at the hospital, before I turn in to my quarters." + + + +Chapter 8: The Siege Begins. + + +On the 19th of June General Eliott, accompanied by several of his +officers, paid a visit to the Spanish lines to congratulate General +Mendoza, who commanded there, on the promotion that he had just +received. The visit lasted but a short time, and it was remarked +that the Spanish officer seemed ill at ease. Scarcely had the party +returned to Gibraltar than a Swedish frigate entered the bay, +having on board Mr. Logie, H.M. Consul in Barbary, who had come +across in her from Tangier. He reported that a Swedish brig had put +in there. She reported that she had fallen in with the French +fleet, of twenty-eight sail of the line, off Cape Finisterre; and +that they were waiting there to be joined by the Spanish fleet, +from Cadiz. + +The news caused great excitement; but it was scarcely believed, for +the Spanish general had given the most amicable assurances to the +governor. On the 21st, however, the Spaniards, at their lines +across the neutral ground, refused to permit the mail to pass; and +a formal notification was sent in that intercourse between +Gibraltar and Spain would no longer be permitted. This put an end +to all doubt, and discussion. War must have been declared between +Spain and England, or such a step would never have been taken. + +In fact, although the garrison did not learn it until some time +later, the Spanish ambassador in London had presented what was +virtually a declaration of war, on the 16th. A messenger had been +sent off on the same day from Madrid, ordering the cessation of +intercourse with Gibraltar and, had he not been detained by +accident on the road, he might have arrived during General Eliott's +visit to the Spanish lines; a fact of which Mendoza had been +doubtless forewarned, and which would account for his embarrassment +at the governor's call. + +Captain O'Halloran brought the news home, when he returned from +parade. + +"Get ready your sandbags, Carrie; examine your stock of provisions; +prepare a store of lint, and plaster." + +"What on earth are you talking about, Gerald?" + +"It is war, Carrie. The Dons have refused to accept our mail, and +have cut off all intercourse with the mainland." + +Carrie turned a little pale. She had never really thought that the +talk meant anything, or that the Spaniards could be really +intending to declare war, without having any ground for quarrel +with England. + +"And does it really mean war, Gerald?" + +"There is no doubt about it. The Spaniards are going to fight and, +as their army can't swim across the Bay of Biscay, I take it it is +here they mean to attack us. Faith, we are going to have some +divarshun, at last." + +"Divarshun! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Gerald." + +"Well, my dear, what have I come into the army for? To march about +for four hours a day in a stiff stock, and powder and pigtail and a +cocked hat, and a red coat? Not a bit of it. Didn't I enter the +army to fight? And here have I been, without a chance of smelling +powder, for the last ten years. It is the best news I have had +since you told me that you were ready and willing to become Mrs. +O'Halloran." + +"And to think that we have got Bob out here with us!" his wife +said, without taking any notice of the last words. "What will uncle +say?" + +"Faith, and it makes mighty little difference what he says, Carrie, +seeing that he is altogether beyond shouting distance. + +"As for Bob, he will be just delighted. Why, he has been working +till his brain must all be in a muddle; and it is the best thing in +the world for him, or he would be mixing up the Spaniards and the +Romans, and the x's and y's and the tangents, and all the other +things into a regular jumble--and it is a nice business that would +have been. It is the best thing in the world for him, always +supposing that he don't get his growth stopped, for want of +victuals." + +"You don't mean, really and seriously, Gerald, that we are likely +to be short of food?" + +"And that is exactly what I do mean. You may be sure that the Dons +know, mighty well, that they have no chance of taking the place on +the land side. They might just as well lay out their trenches +against the moon. It is just starvation that they are going to try; +and when they get the eighteen French sail of the line that Mr. +Logie brought news of, and a score or so of Spanish men-of-war in +the bay, you will see that it is likely you won't get your mutton +and your butter and vegetables very regularly across from Tangier." + +"Well, it is very serious, Gerald." + +"Very serious, Carrie." + +"I don't see anything to laugh at at all, Gerald." + +"I didn't know that I was laughing." + +"You were looking as if you wanted to laugh, which is just as bad. +I suppose there is nothing to be done, Gerald?" + +"Well, yes, I should go down to the town, and lay in a store of +things that will keep. You see, if nothing comes of it we should +not be losers. The regiment is likely to be here three or four +years, so we should lose nothing by laying in a big stock of wine, +and so on; while, if there is a siege, you will see everything will +go up to ten times its ordinary price. That room through ours is +not used for anything, and we might turn that into a storeroom. + +"I don't mean that there is any hurry about it, today; but we ought +certainly to lay in as large a store as we can, of things that will +keep. Some things we may get cheaper, in a short time, than we can +now. A lot of the Jew and native traders will be leaving, if they +see there is really going to be a siege; for you see, the town is +quite open to the guns of batteries, on the other side of the +neutral ground. + +"It was a mighty piece of luck we got this house. You see that +rising ground behind will shelter us from shot. They may blaze away +as much as they like, as far as we are concerned. + +"Ah! There is Bob, coming out of his room with the professor." + +"Well, take him out and tell him, Gerald. I want to sit down, and +think. My head feels quite in a whirl." + +Bob was, of course, greatly surprised at the news; and the +professor, himself, was a good deal excited. + +Illustration: The Professor gets excited. + +"We have been living here for three hundred years," he said, "my +fathers and grandfathers. When the English came and took this +place--seventy-five years ago--my grandfather became a British +subject, like all who remained here. My father, who was then but a +boy, has told me that he remembers the great siege, and how the +cannons roared night and day. It was in the year when I was born +that the Spaniards attacked the Rock again; and a shell exploded in +the house, and nearly killed us all. I was born a British subject, +and shall do my duty in what way I can, if the place is attacked. +They call us Rock scorpions. Well, they shall see we can live under +fire, and will do our best to sting, if they put their finger on +us. Ha, ha!" + +"The little man is quite excited," Captain O'Halloran said, as the +professor turned away, and marched off at a brisk pace towards his +home. "It is rather hard on these Rock people. Of course, as he +says, they are British subjects, and were born so. Still, you see, +in race and language they are still Spaniards; and their sympathies +must be divided, at any rate at present. When the shot and shell +come whistling into the town, and knocking their houses about their +ears, they will become a good deal more decided in their opinions +than they can be, now. + +"Come along, Bob, and let us get all the news. I came off as soon +as I heard that our communication with Spain was cut off, and +therefore it was certain war was declared. There will be lots of +orders out, soon. It is a busy time we shall have of it, for the +next month or two." + +There were many officers in the anteroom when they entered. + +"Any fresh news?" Captain O'Halloran asked. + +"Lots of it, O'Halloran. All the Irish officers of the garrison are +to be formed into an outlying force, to occupy the neutral ground. +It is thought their appearance will be sufficient to terrify the +Spaniards." + +"Get out with you, Grant! If they were to take us at all, it would +be because they knew that we were the boys to do the fighting." + +"And the drinking, O'Halloran," another young officer put in. + +"And the talking," said another. + +"Now, drop it, boys, and be serious. What is the news, really?" + +"There is a council of war going on, at the governor's, O'Halloran. +Boyd, of course, and De la Motte, Colonel Green, the admiral, Mr. +Logie, and two or three others. They say the governor has been +gradually getting extra stores across from Tangier, ever since +there was first a talk about this business; and of course that is +the most important question, at present. I hear that Green and the +Engineers have been marking out places for new batteries, for the +last month; and I suppose fatigue work is going to be the order of +the day. It is too bad of them choosing this time of the year to +begin, for it will be awfully hot work. + +"Everyone is wondering what will become of the officers who are +living out with their families, at San Roque and the other villages +across the Spanish lines; and besides, there are a lot of officers +away on leave, in the interior. Of course they won't take them +prisoners. That would be a dirty trick. But it is likely enough +they may ship them straight back to England, instead of letting +them return here. + +"Well, it is lucky that we have got a pretty strong garrison. We +have just been adding up the last field state. These are the +figures--officers, noncommissioned officers, and men--artillery, +485; 12th Regiment, 599; 39th, 586; 56th, 587; 58th, 605; 72nd, +1046; the Hanoverian Brigade--of Hardenberg's, Reden's, and De la +Motte's regiments--1352; and 122 Engineers under Colonel Green: +which makes up, altogether, 5382 officers and men. + +"That is strong enough for anything, but it would have been better +if there had been five hundred more artillerymen; but I suppose +they will be able to lend us some sailors, to help work the heavy +guns. + +"They will turn you into a powder monkey, Repton." + +"I don't care what they turn me into," Bob said, "so long as I can +do something." + +"I think it is likely," Captain O'Halloran said gravely, "that all +women and children will be turned out of the place, before fighting +begins; except, of course, wives and children of officers." + +There was a general laugh, at Bob. + +"Well," he said quietly, "it will lessen the ranks of the +subalterns, for there must be a considerable number who are not +many months older than I am. I am just sixteen, and I know there +are some not older than that." + +This was a fact, for commissions were--in those days--given in the +army to mere lads, and the ensigns were often no older than +midshipmen. + +Late in the afternoon, a procession of carts was seen crossing the +neutral ground, from the Spanish lines; and it was soon seen that +these were the English officers and merchants from San Roque, and +the other villages. They had, that morning, received peremptory +orders to leave before sunset. Some were fortunate enough to be +able to hire carts, to bring in their effects; but several were +compelled, from want of carriage, to leave everything behind them. + +The guards had all been reinforced, at the northern batteries; +pickets had been stationed across the neutral ground; the guard, at +the work known as the Devil's Tower, were warned to be specially on +the alert; and the artillery in the battery, on the rock above it, +were to hold themselves in readiness to open fire upon the enemy, +should they be perceived advancing towards it. + +It was considered improbable, in the extreme, that the enemy would +attack until a great force had been collected; but it was possible +that a body of troops might have been collected secretly, somewhere +in the neighbourhood, and that an attempt would be made to capture +the place by surprise, before the garrison might be supposed to be +taking precautions against attack. + +The next morning orders were issued, and large working parties were +told off to go on with the work of strengthening the fortifications; +and notice was issued that all empty hogsheads and casks in the town +would be bought, by the military authorities. These were to be +filled with earth, and to take the places of fascines, for which +there were no materials available on the Rock. Parties of men +rolled or carried these up to the heights. Other parties collected +earth, and piled it to be carried up in sacks on the back of +mules--there being no earth, on the rocks where the batteries would +be established--a fact which added very largely to the difficulties +of the Engineers. + +On the 24th the Childers, sloop of war, brought in two prizes from +the west; one of which, an American, she had captured in the midst +of the Spanish fleet. Some of the Spanish men-of-war had made +threatening demonstrations, as if to prevent the sloop from +interfering with her; but they had not fired a gun, and it was +supposed that they had not received orders to commence hostilities. +Two English frigates had been watching the fleet; and it was +supposed to be on its way to join the French fleet, off Cape +Finisterre. + +The Spaniards were seen, now, to be at work dragging down guns from +San Roque to arm their two forts--Saint Philip and Saint +Barbara--which stood at the extremities of their lines: Saint +Philip on the bay, and Saint Barbara upon the seashore, on the +eastern side of the neutral side. In time of peace, only a few guns +were mounted in these batteries. + +Illustration: The Rock and Bay of Gibraltar. + +Admiral Duff moved the men-of-war under his command, consisting of +the Panther--of sixty guns--three frigates, and a sloop, from their +usual anchorage off the Water Port--where they were exposed to the +fire of the enemy's forts--to the New Mole, more to the southward. + +Bob would have liked to be out all day, watching the busy +preparations, and listening to the talk of the natives; who were +greatly alarmed at the prospect of the siege, knowing that the guns +from the Spanish forts, and especially from Fort Saint Philip, +could throw their shot and shell into the town. But Captain +O'Halloran agreed with his wife that it was much better he should +continue his lessons with Don Diaz, of a morning; for that it would +be absurd for him to be standing about in the sun, the whole day. +The evening lessons were, however, discontinued from the first; as +Dr. Burke had his hands full in superintending the preparations +making, at the hospitals, for the reception of large numbers of +wounded. + +Bob did not so much mind this, for he had ceased to regard the time +spent with the professor as lessons. After he had once mastered the +conjugation of the verbs, and had learned an extensive vocabulary +by heart, books had been laid aside, altogether; and the three hours +with the professor had, for the last two months, been spent simply +in conversation. They were no longer indoors, but sat in the garden +on the shady side of the house; or, when the sky happened to be +clouded and the morning was cool, walked together out to Europa Point; +and would sit down there, looking over the sea, but always talking. +Sometimes it was history--Roman, English, or Spanish--sometimes Bob's +schooldays and life in London, sometimes general subjects. It mattered +little what they talked about, so that the conversation was kept up. + +Sometimes, when it was found that topics failed them, the professor +would give Bob a Spanish book to glance through, and its subject +would serve as a theme for talk on, the following day; and as it +was five months since the lad had landed, he was now able to speak +in Spanish almost as fluently as in English. As he had learnt +almost entirely by ear, and any word mispronounced had had to be +gone over, again and again, until Don Diaz was perfectly satisfied, +his accent was excellent; and the professor had told him, a few +days before the breaking out of the war, that in another month or +two he should discontinue his lessons. + +"It would be well for you to have one or two mornings a week, to +keep up your accent. You can find plenty of practice talking to the +people. I see you are good at making friends, and are ready to talk +to labourers at work, to boys, to the market women, and to anyone +you come across; but their accent is bad, and it would be well for +you to keep on with me. But you speak, at present, much better +Spanish than the people here and, if you were dressed up as a young +Spaniard, you might go about Spain without anyone suspecting you to +be English." + +Indeed, by the professor's method of teaching--assisted by a +natural aptitude, and three hours' daily conversation, for five +months--Bob had made surprising progress, especially as he had +supplemented his lesson by continually talking Spanish with Manola, +with the Spanish woman and children living below them, and with +everyone he could get to talk to. + +He had seen little of Jim, since the trouble began; as leave was, +for the most part, stopped--the ships of war being in readiness to +proceed to sea, at a moment's notice, to engage an enemy, or to +protect merchantmen coming in from the attacks of the Spanish ships +and gunboats, across at Algeciras. + +Bob generally got up at five o'clock, now, and went out for two or +three hours before breakfast; for the heat had become too great for +exercise, during the day. He greatly missed the market, for it had +given him much amusement to watch the groups of peasant women--with +their baskets of eggs, fowls, vegetables, oranges, and fruit of +various kinds--bargaining with the townspeople, and joking and +laughing with the soldiers. The streets were now almost deserted, +and many of the little traders in vegetables and fruit had closed +their shops. The fishermen, however, still carried on their work, +and obtained a ready sale for their catch. There had, indeed, been +a much greater demand than usual for fish, owing to the falling off +in the fruit and vegetable supplies. + +The cessation of trade was already beginning to tell upon the +poorer part of the population; but employment was found for all +willing to labour either at collecting earth for the batteries, or +out on the neutral ground--where three hundred of them were +employed by the Engineers in levelling sand hummocks, and other +inequalities in the ground, that might afford any shelter to an +enemy creeping up to assault the gates by the waterside. + +Dr. Burke came in with Captain O'Halloran to dinner, ten days after +the gates had been closed. + +"You are quite a stranger, Teddy," Mrs. O'Halloran said. + +"I am that," he replied; "but you are going to be bothered with me +again, now; we have got everything in apple pie order, and are ready to +take half the garrison under our charge. There has been lots to do. All +the medical stores have been overhauled, and lists made out and sent +home of everything that can be required--medicines and comforts, and +lint and bandages, and splints and wooden legs; and goodness knows +what, besides. We hope they will be out in the first convoy. + +"There is a privateer going to sail, tomorrow; so if you want to +send letters home, or to order anything to be sent out to you, you +had better take the opportunity. Have you got everything you want, +for the next two or three years?" + +"Two or three years!" Carrie repeated, in tones of alarm. "You mean +two or three months." + +"Indeed, and I don't. If the French and the Dons have made up their +mind to take this place, and once set to fairly to do it, they are +bound to stick to it for a bit. I should say you ought to provide +for three years." + +"But that is downright nonsense, Teddy. Why, in three months there +ought to be a fleet here that would drive all the French and +Spaniards away." + +"Well, if you say there ought to be, there ought," the doctor said, +"but where is it to come from? I was talking to some of the naval +men, yesterday; and they all say it will be a long business, if the +French and Spanish are in earnest. The French navy is as strong as +ours, and the Spaniards have got nearly as many ships as the +French. We have got to protect our coasts and our trade, to convoy +the East Indian fleets, and to be doing something all over the +world; and they doubt whether it would be possible to get together +a fleet that could hope to defeat the French and Spanish navies, +combined. + +"Well, have you been laying in stores, Mrs. O'Halloran?" + +"Yes, we have bought two sacks of flour, and fifty pounds of sugar; +ten pounds of tea, and a good many other things." + +"If you will take my advice," the doctor said earnestly, "you will +lay in five times as much. Say ten sacks of flour, two hundred-weight +of sugar, and everything else in proportion. Those sort of things +haven't got up in price, yet; but you will see, everything will rise +as soon as the blockade begins in earnest." + +"No, the prices of those things have not gone up much; but fruit is +three times the price it was, a fortnight ago, and chickens and +eggs are double, and vegetables are hardly to be bought." + +"That is the worst of it," the doctor said. "It's the vegetables +that I am thinking of." + +"Well, we can do without vegetables," Mrs. O'Halloran laughed, "as +long as we have plenty of bread." + +"It is just that you can't do. You see, we shall be cut off from +Tangier--maybe tomorrow, maybe a fortnight hence--but we shall be +cut off. A ship may run in sometimes, at night, but you can't count +upon that; and it is salt meat that we are going to live upon and, +if you live on salt meat, you have got to have vegetables or fruit +to keep you in health. + +"Now, I tell you what I should do, Gerald, and I am not joking with +you. In the first place, I would make an arrangement with the +people downstairs, and I would hire their garden from them. I don't +suppose they would want much for it, for they make no use of it, +except to grow a few flowers. Then I would go down the town, and I +would buy up all the chickens I could get. There are plenty of them +to be picked up, if you look about for them, for most of the people +who have got a bit of ground keep a few fowls. Get a hundred of +them, if you can, and turn them into the garden. Buy up twenty +sacks, if you like, of damaged biscuits. You can get them for an +old song. The commissariat have been clearing out their stores, and +there are a lot of damaged biscuits to be sold, by auction, +tomorrow. You would get twenty sacks for a few shillings. + +"That way you will get a good supply of eggs, if the siege lasts +ever so long; and you can fence off a bit of the garden, and raise +fowls there. That will give you a supply of fresh meat, and any +eggs and poultry you can't eat yourselves you can sell for big +prices. You could get a chicken, three weeks ago, at threepence. +Never mind if you have to pay a shilling for them, now; they will +be worth five shillings, before long. + +"If you can rent another bit of garden, anywhere near, I would take +it. If not, I would hire three or four men to collect earth, and +bring it up here. This is a good, big place; I suppose it is thirty +feet by sixty. Well, I would just leave a path from the door, +there, up to this end; and a spare place, here, for your chairs; +and I would cover the rest of it with earth, nine inches or a foot +deep; and I would plant vegetables." + +"Do you mane we are to grow cabbages here, Teddy?" Captain +O'Halloran asked, with a burst of laughter. + +"No, I wouldn't grow cabbages. I would just grow mustard, and +cress, and radishes. If you eat plenty of them, they will keep off +scurvy; and all you don't want for yourselves, I will guarantee you +will be able to sell at any price you like to ask for them and, if +nobody else will buy them, the hospitals will. They would be the +saving of many a man's life." + +"But they would want watering," Captain O'Halloran said, more +seriously, for he saw how much the doctor was in earnest. + +"They will that. You will have no difficulty in hiring a man to +bring up water, and to tend to them and to look after the fowls. +Men will be glad enough to work for next to nothing. + +"I tell you, Gerald, if I wasn't in the service, I should hire +every bit of land I could lay hands on, and employ as many +labourers as it required; and I should look to be a rich man, +before the end of the siege. I was speaking to the chief surgeon +today about it; and he is going to put the convalescents to work, +on a bit of spare ground there is at the back of the hospital, and +to plant vegetables. + +"I was asking down the town yesterday and I found that, at Blount's +store, you can get as much vegetable seed as you like. You lay in a +stock, today, of mustard and cress and radish. Don't be afraid of +the expense--get twenty pounds of each of them. You will be always +able to sell what you don't want, at ten times the price you give +for it now. If you can get a piece more garden ground, take it at +any price and raise other vegetables; but keep the top of the house +here for what I tell you. + +"Well, I said nine inches deep of earth; that is more than +necessary. Four and a half will do for the radishes, and two is +enough for the mustard and cress. That will grow on a blanket--it +is really only water that it wants." + +"What do you think, Carrie?" Captain O'Halloran asked. + +"Well, Gerald, if you really believe the siege is going to last +like that, I should think that it would be really worth while to do +what Teddy Burke advises. Of course, you will be too busy to look +after things, but Bob might do so." + +"Of course I would," Bob broke in. "It will give me something to +do." + +"Well, we will set about it at once, then. I will speak to the man +downstairs. You know he has got two or three horses and traps down +in the town, and lets them to people driving out across the lines; +but of course he has nothing to do, now, and I should think that he +would be glad enough to arrange to look after the fowls and the +things up here. + +"The garden is a good size. I don't think anything could get out +through that prickly pear hedge but, anyhow, any gaps there are can +be stopped up with stakes. I think it is a really good idea and, if +I can get a couple of hundred fowls, I will. I should think there +was plenty of room for them, in the garden. I will set up as a +poultry merchant." + +"You might do worse, Gerald. I will bet you a gallon of whisky they +will be selling at ten shillings a couple, before this business is +over; and there is no reason in the world why you should not turn +an honest penny--it will be a novelty to you." + +"Well, I will go down the town, at once," Gerald said, "and get the +seeds and the extra stores you advise, Teddy; and tomorrow I will +go to the commissariat sale, and buy a ton or two of those damaged +biscuits. We will take another room from them, downstairs, as a +storeroom for that and the eggs; and I will get a carpenter to come +up and put a fence, and make some runs and a bit of a shelter for +the sitting hens, and the chickens. Bob shall do the purchasing. + +"You had better get a boy with a big basket to go with you, Bob; +and go round to the cottages, to buy up fowls. Mind, don't let them +sell you nothing but cocks--one to every seven or eight hens is +quite enough; and don't let them foist off old hens on you--the +younger they are, the better. I should say that, at first, you had +better take Manola with you, if Carrie can spare her; then you +won't get taken in, and you will soon learn to tell the difference +between an old hen and a young chicken." + +"When you are buying the seed, O'Halloran," said Dr. Burke, "you +would do well to get a few cucumbers, and melons, and pumpkins. +They will grow on the roof, splendidly. And you can plant them near +the parapet, where they will grow down over the sides, so they +won't take up much room; and you can pick them with a ladder. The +pumpkin is a good vegetable, and the fowls will thank you for a bit +to pick, when you can spare one. They will all want manure, but you +get plenty of that, from the fowl yard." + +"Why, Teddy, there seems no end to your knowledge," Mrs. O'Halloran +said. "First of all, you turn out to be a schoolmaster; and now you +are a gardener, and poultry raiser. And to think I never gave you +credit for knowing anything, except medicine." + +"You haven't got to the bottom of it yet, Mrs. O'Halloran. My head +is just stored with knowledge, only it isn't always that I have a +chance of making it useful. I would be just the fellow to be cast +on a desert island. There is no saying what I wouldn't do towards +making myself comfortable there. + +"But I do know about scurvy, for I made a voyage in a whaler, +before I got His Majesty's commission to kill and slay in the army; +and I know how necessary vegetables are. I only wish we had known +what the Spaniards were up to, a month since. We would have got a +cargo of oranges and lemons. They would have been worth their +weight in silver." + +"But they wouldn't have kept, Teddy." + +"No, not for long; but we would have squeezed them, and put sugar +into the juice, and bottled it off. If the general had consulted +me, that is what he would have been after, instead of seeing about +salt meat and biscuits. We shall get plenty of them, from ships +that run in--I have no fear of that--but it is the acids will be +wanting." + +As soon as dinner was over, Captain O'Halloran went downstairs; and +had no difficulty in arranging, with the man below, for the entire +use of his garden. An inspection was made of the hedge, and the man +agreed to close up all gaps that fowls could possibly creep +through. He was also quite willing to let off a room for storage, +and his wife undertook to superintend the management of the young +broods, and sitting hens. Having arranged this, Captain O'Halloran +went down into the town to make his purchases. + +A quarter of an hour later Bob started with Manola, carrying a +large basket, and both were much amused at their errand. Going +among the cottages scattered over the hill above the town, they had +no difficulty in obtaining chickens and fowls--the former at about +five pence apiece, the latter at seven pence--such prices being +more than double the usual rates. Manola's basket was soon full +and, while she was taking her purchases back to the house, Bob +hired two boys with baskets and, before evening, nearly a hundred +fowls were running in the garden. + +The next day Bob was considered sufficiently experienced to +undertake the business alone and, in two more days, the entire +number of two hundred had been made up. Three of the natives had +been engaged in collecting baskets of earth among the rocks and, in +a week, the terrace was converted into a garden ready for the +seeds. As yet vegetables, although very dear, had not risen to +famine prices; for although the town had depended chiefly upon the +produce of the mainland, many of the natives had grown small +patches of vegetables in their gardens for their own use, and these +they now disposed of at prices that were highly satisfactory to +themselves. + +O'Halloran's farm--as they called it, as soon as they heard, from +him, what he was doing--became quite a joke in the regiment; but +several of the other married officers, who had similar facilities +for keeping fowls, adopted the idea to some extent, and started +with a score or so of fowls. + +"I wonder you didn't think of pigs, O'Halloran," one of the +captains said, laughing, as they were talking over the farm in the +mess anteroom; "pigs and potatoes. The idea of you and Burke, both +from the sod, starting a farm; and not thinking, first, of the two +chief national products." + +"There is not room for praties, Sinclair; and as for pigs, there +are many reasons against it. In the first place, I doubt whether I +could buy any. In the second, there isn't room for them. In the +third, what should I give them to keep them alive? In the fourth, +pigs are illigant bastes but, in a hot country like this, I should +not care for a stye of them under my drawing room window. In the +fifth--" + +"That will do, that will do, O'Halloran. We give way. We allow that +you could not keep pigs, but it is a pity." + +"It is that, Sinclair. There is nothing would please me better than +to see a score of nice little pigs, with a nate stye, and a +magazine of food big enough to keep them, say, for a year." + +"Three months, O'Halloran, would be ample." + +"Well, we shall see, Sinclair. Teddy Burke says three years, but I +do hope it is not going to be as long as that." + +"Begorra!" another Irish officer, Captain O'Moore, exclaimed; "if +it is three years we are going to be here, we had best be killed +and buried at once. I have been all the morning in the Queen's +Battery, where my company has been slaving like haythens, with the +sun coming down as if it would fry your brain in your skull pan; +and if that is to go on, day after day, for three years, I should +be dead in a month!" + +"That is nothing, O'Moore. If the siege goes on, they say the +officers will have to help at the work." + +"I shall protest against it. There is not a word in the articles of +war about officers working. I am willing enough to be shot by the +Spaniards, but not to be killed by inches. No, sir, there is not an +O'Moore ever did a stroke of work, since the flood; and I am not +going to demean myself by beginning. + +"What are you laughing at, young Repton?" + +"I was only wondering, Captain O'Moore, how your ancestors got +through the flood. Unless, indeed, Noah was an O'Moore." + +"There is reason to believe that he was," the captain said, +seriously. "It must have been that, if he hadn't a boat of his own, +or found a mountain that the water didn't cover. I have got the +tree of the family at home; and an old gentleman who was learned in +these things came to the house, when I was a boy; and I remember +right well that he said to my father, after reckoning them up, that +the first of the house must have had a place there in Ireland +well-nigh a thousand years before Adam. + +"I don't think my father quite liked it but, for the life of me, I +couldn't see why. It was just what I should expect from the +O'Moores. Didn't they give kings to Ireland, for generations? And +what should they want to be doing, out among those rivers in the +East, when there was Ireland, ready to receive them?" + +Captain O'Moore spoke so seriously that Bob did not venture to +laugh, but listened with an air of gravity equal to that of the +officer. + +"You will kill me altogether, Phelim!" Captain O'Halloran +exclaimed; amid a great shout of laughter, in which all the others +joined. + +The O'Moore looked round, speechless with indignation. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I shall expect satisfaction for this insult. +The word of an O'Moore has never been doubted. + +"Captain O'Halloran, my friend will call upon you, first." + +"He may call as often as he likes, O'Moore, and I shall be happy to +converse with any friend of yours but, at present, that is all the +satisfaction you will get out of me. Duelling is strictly forbidden +on the Rock, and there is no getting across the Spanish lines to +fight--unless, indeed, you can persuade the governor to send out a +flag of truce with us. So we must let the matter rest, till the +siege is over; and then, if both of us are alive, and you have the +same mind, we will talk about it." + +"I think, O'Moore," Dr. Burke, who had entered the room two or +three minutes before, said persuasively, "you will see that you are +the last man who ought to maintain that the first of your race +lived here, as far back as Adam. You see, we are all direct +descendants of Adam--I mean, all the rest of us." + +"No doubt you are," Captain O'Moore said, stiffly. + +"And one has just as much right as another to claim that he is the +heir, in a direct line." + +"I suppose so, Burke," the officer said, "though, for the life of +me, I can't see what you are driving at." + +"What I mean is this. Suppose Adam and the O'Moore started at the +same time, one in Ireland and the other in Eden; and they had an +equal number of children, as was likely enough. Half the people in +the world would be descendants of Adam, and the other half of the +O'Moore and, you see, instead of your being the O'Moore--the +genuine descendant, in the direct line, from the first of the +family--half the world would have an equal claim to the title." + +Captain O'Moore reflected for a minute or two. + +"You are right, Dr. Burke," he said. "I never saw it in that light. +It is clear enough that you are right, and that the less we say +about the O'Moores before the first Irish king of that name, the +better. There must have been some mistake about that tree I spoke +of. + +"Captain O'Halloran, I apologize. I was wrong." + +The two officers shook hands, and peace was restored; but Captain +O'Moore was evidently a good deal puzzled, and mortified, by the +problem the doctor had set before him and, after remaining silent +for some time, evidently in deep thought, he left the room. Some of +the others watched him from the window, until he had entered the +door of his own quarters; and then there was a general shout of +laughter. + +"The O'Moore will be the death of me!" Teddy Burke exclaimed, as he +threw himself back in a chair, exhausted. "He is one of the best +fellows going, but you can lead him on into anything. I don't +suppose he ever gave a thought to the O'Moores, anywhere further +back than those kings. He had a vague idea that they must have been +going on, simply because it must have seemed to him that a world +without an O'Moore in it would be necessarily imperfect. It was Bob +Repton's questions, as to what they were doing at the time of the +flood, that brought him suddenly up; then he didn't hesitate for a +moment in taking them back to Adam, or before him. Just on the +ancestry of the O'Moores, Phelim has got a tile a little loose; but +on all other points, he is as sensible as anyone in the regiment." + +"I wonder you didn't add, 'and that is not saying much,' doctor," +one of the lieutenants said. + +"I may have thought it, youngster; but you see, I must have made +exceptions in favour of myself and the colonel, so I held my +tongue. The fact that we are all here, under a sun hot enough to +cook a beefsteak; and that for the next two or three years we are +going to have to work like niggers, and to be shot at by the +Spaniards, and to be pretty well--if not quite--starved, speaks for +itself as to the amount of sense we have got between us. + +"There go the drums! Now, gentlemen, you have got the pleasure of a +couple of hours' drill before you, and I am due at the hospital." + + + +Chapter 9: The Antelope. + + +On the 3rd of July, a hundred and eighty volunteers from the +infantry joined the artillery, who were not numerous enough to work +all the guns of the batteries; and two days later a Spanish +squadron of two men-of-war, five frigates, and eleven smaller +vessels hove in sight from the west, and lay to off the entrance to +the bay. Three privateers came in, and one of the Spanish schooners +stood across to reconnoitre them; and a shot was fired at her from +the batteries on Europa Point. + +The Enterprise, frigate, had gone across to Tetuan to bring Mr. +Logie over again. On her return, she was chased by the enemy's +squadron; but succeeded in giving them the slip, in the dark. As +she neared the Rock the captain, fearing to be discovered by the +enemy, did not show the usual lights; and several shots were fired +at the ship, but fortunately without effect. + +On the following day letters were received from England, with the +official news that hostilities had commenced between Great Britain +and Spain; and the same evening a proclamation was published +authorizing the capture of Spanish vessels, and letters of marque +were given to the privateers in the bay, permitting them to capture +Spanish as well as French vessels. + +Among the privateers was the Antelope, which was one of those that +had come in on the previous afternoon. Bob had not heard of her +arrival, when he ran against Captain Lockett in the town, next +morning. They had not met since Bob had landed, six months before. + +"Well, Master Repton," the captain said, after they had shaken +hands, "I was coming up to see you, after I had managed my +business. I have letters, from Mr. Bale, for you and Mrs. +O'Halloran." + +"You are all well on board, I hope, captain?" + +"Joe is well. He is first mate, now. Poor Probert is on his back in +hospital, at Portsmouth. We had a sharp brush with a French +privateer, but we beat her off. We had five men killed, and Probert +had his leg taken off by an eighteen pound shot. We clapped on a +tourniquet, but he had a very narrow escape of bleeding to death. +Fortunately it was off Ushant and, the wind being favourable, we +got into Portsmouth on the following morning; and the doctors think +that they will pull him round. + +"You have grown a good bit, since I saw you last." + +"Not much, I am afraid," Bob replied dolefully, for his height was +rather a sore point with him. "I get wider, but I don't think I +have grown half an inch, since I came here." + +"And how goes on the Spanish?" + +"First rate. I can get on in it almost as well as in English." + +"So you are in for some more fighting!" + +"So they say," Bob replied, "but I don't think I am likely to have +as close a shave, of a Spanish prison, as I had of a French one +coming out here." + +"No; we had a narrow squeak of it, that time." + +"Was war declared when you came away?" + +"No; the negotiations were broken off, and everyone knew that war +was certain, and that the proclamation might be issued at any hour. +I have not had a very fast run, and expected to have learned the +news when I got here; but you are sure to hear it, in a day or two. +That was why I came here. Freights were short for, with the ports +of France and Spain both closed, there was little enough doing; so +the owners agreed to let me drop trading and make straight for +Gibraltar, so as to be ready to put out as soon as we get the +declaration of war. + +"There ought to be some first-rate pickings, along the coast. It +isn't, here, as it is with France; where they have learned to be +precious cautious, and where one daren't risk running in close to +their coast on the chance of picking up a prize, for the waters +swarm with their privateers. The Spaniards are a very slow set, and +there is not much fear of their fitting out many privateers, for +months to come; and the coasters will be a long time before they +wake up to the fact that Spain is at war with us, and will go +lumbering along from port to port, without the least fear of being +captured. So it is a rare chance of making prize money. + +"If you like a cruise, I shall be very happy to take you with me. I +have seen you under fire, you know, and know that you are to be +depended upon." + +"I should like to go, above all things," Bob said; "but I don't +know what my sister would say. I must get at her husband, first. If +I can get him on my side, I think I shall be able to manage it with +her. + +"Well, will you come up to dinner?" + +"No, I shall be busy all day. Here are the letters I was speaking +of." + +"Well, we have supper at seven. Will you come then?" + +"With pleasure." + +"Will Joe be able to come, too?" + +"No; it wouldn't do for us both to leave the brig. The Spanish +fleet may be sending in their boats, to try and cut some of our +vessels out, and I should not feel comfortable if we were both +ashore; but he will be very glad to see you, on board. We are +anchored a cable length from the Water Port. You are pretty sure to +see one of our boats alongside. + +"The steward came off with me, to buy some soft tack and fresh +meat. I saw him just before I met you. He told me he had got some +bread, but that meat was at a ruinous price. I told him that he +must get it, whatever price it was, and I expect by this time he +has done so; so if you look sharp, you will get to the boat before +it puts off with him." + +The steward was in the act of getting into the boat, as Bob ran +down. + +"Glad to see you, Mister Repton," the man said, touching his hat. +"Have you seen the captain, sir?" + +"Yes, I have just left him. He told me I should catch you here." + +"Thinking of having another cruise with us, sir?" + +"I am thinking about it, Parker, but I don't know whether I shall +be able to manage it." + +They were soon alongside the Antelope. + +"I thought it was you, Mister Repton, when I saw you run down to +the boat," Joe Lockett said, as he shook hands with Bob. + +"I am glad to see you again, Joe, and I am glad to hear you are +first mate now; though of course, I am sorry for Mr. Probert." + +"Yes, a bad job for him, a very bad job; but it won't be so bad, in +his case, as in some. He has been talking, for the last two or +three voyages, of retiring. An old uncle of his died, and left him +a few acres of land down in Essex; and he has saved a bit of money +out of his pay, and his share of the prizes we have made; and he +talked about giving up the sea, and settling down on shore. So now, +he will do it. He said as much as that, the night he was wounded. + +"'Well,' he said, 'there won't be any more trouble about making up +my mind, Joe. If I do get over this job, I have got to lay up as a +dismantled hulk, for the rest of my life. I have been talking of it +to you, but I doubt whether I should ever have brought myself to +it, if it had not been for them Frenchmen's shot.' + +"Well, will you come into the cabin, and take something?" + +"No, thank you, Joe." + +"Have they got the news about the declaration of war yet, Mister +Repton?" + +"No, it hasn't arrived yet." + +"I expect we shall get some good pickings along the coast, directly +it comes. We have been trading regularly, this last year; and we +all of us want the chance of earning a bit of prize money. So I can +tell you, we were very glad when we heard that we were going to +take to that again, for a bit." + +"Yes, the captain was telling me about it, and he has asked me to +go for a trip with you." + +"Well, I hope that you will be able to come, Mister Repton." + +"I hope so, Joe. But there is one thing--if I do come, you must +call me Bob. I hate being called Mister Repton." + +"Well, it would be different if you come with us like that," the +young mate said. "You see, you were a passenger, before; but if you +came like this, you will be here as a friend, like. So it will come +natural to call you Bob. + +"And how do you like the place?" + +"Oh, I like it well enough! I have been working very hard--at +least, pretty hard--so I haven't had time to feel it dull; and of +course I know all the officers in my brother-in-law's regiment. But +I shall be very glad, indeed, of a cruise; especially as we are +likely presently, by all they say, to be cut off here--some say for +months, some say for years." + +"But still, I expect there will be some lively work," the mate +said, "if the Spaniards really mean to try and take this place." + +"They will never take it," Bob said, "unless they are able to +starve us out; and they ought not to be able to do that. Ships +ought to be able to run in from the east, at any time; for the +Spaniards dare not come across within range of the guns and, if the +wind was strong, they could not get out from their side of the +bay." + +"That is true enough, and I expect you will find fast-sailing +craft--privateers, and such like--will dodge in and out; but a +merchantman won't like to venture over this side of the Straits, +but will keep along the Moorish coasts. You see, they can't keep +along the Spanish side without the risk of being picked up, by the +gunboats and galleys with the blockading fleet. There are a dozen +small craft lying over there, now, with the men-of-war. + +"Still, I don't say none of them will make their way in here, +because I daresay they will. They well know they will get big +prices for their goods, if they can manage to run the blockade. We +are safe to pick up some of the native craft, and bring them in; +and so will the other privateers. I expect there will be a good +many down here, before long. The worst of it is, there won't be any +sale for the craft we capture." + +"Except for firewood, Joe. That is one of the things I have heard +we are sure to run very short of, if there is a long siege." + +"Well, that will be something and, of course, any prizes we take +laden with things likely to be useful, and sell here, we shall +bring in; but the rest we shall have to send over to the other +side, so as to be out of sight of their fleet, and then take them +straight back to England. + +"You see, we have shipped twice as many hands as we had on the +voyage when you were with us. We had only a trader's crew, then; +now we have a privateer's. + +"Look there! There is a craft making in from the south. It is like +enough she has got the despatches on board. There are two or three +of those small Spanish craft getting under sail, to cut her off; +but they won't do it. They could not head her, without getting +under the fire of the guns of those batteries, on the point." + +"Well, I will go ashore now, Joe, if you will let me have the boat. +The captain is going to have supper with us, tonight. I wanted you +to come too, but he said you could not both come on shore, +together. I hope we shall see you tomorrow." + +On landing, Bob made his way to the barrack, so as to intercept +Gerald when he came off duty. + +"Look here, Gerald," he said, when Captain O'Halloran came out of +the orderly room, "I want you to back me up." + +"Oh, you do? Then I am quite sure that you are up to some mischief +or other, Bob, or you wouldn't want me to help you with Carrie." + +"It is not mischief at all, Gerald. The Antelope came in last +night, and I saw Captain Lockett this morning, and I have asked him +to come to supper." + +"Well, that is all right, Bob. We have plenty of food, at present." + +"Yes, but that is not it, Gerald. He has invited me to go for a +cruise with him. He is going to pick up some prizes, along the +Spanish coast." + +"Oh, that is it, is it? Well, you know very well Carrie won't let +you go." + +"Well, why shouldn't I, Gerald? You know that I have been working +very well, here; and I am sure I have learnt as much Spanish, in +six months, as uncle expected me to learn in two years--besides +lots of Latin, and other things, from the doctor. Now, I do think +that I have earned a holiday. A fellow at school always has a +holiday. I am sure I have worked as hard as I did at school. I +think it only fair that I should have a holiday. Besides, you see, +I am past sixteen now and, being out here, I think I ought to have +the chance of any fun there is; especially as we may be shut up +here for ever so long." + +"Well, there may be something in that, Bob. You certainly have +stuck at it well; and you have not got into a single scrape since +you came out, which is a deal more than I expected of you." + +"Besides, you see, Gerald, if I had not made up my mind to stick to +uncle's business, I might have been on board the Brilliant now, +with Jim Sankey; and I think, after my giving up that chance, it +would be only fair that I should be allowed to have a cruise, now +that there is such a splendid opportunity." + +"Well, Bob, I will do my best to persuade Carrie to let you go; but +as far as you are concerned, you know, she is commanding officer." + +Bob laughed, for he knew well enough that, not only in that but in +all other matters, his sister generally had her own way. + +"Well, I am very much obliged to you, Gerald. I am sure I should +enjoy it, awfully." + +"Don't thank me too soon, Bob. You have your sister to manage yet." + +"Oh, we ought to be able to manage her, between us!" Bob said, +confidently. "Look how you managed to have Dr. Burke for me, and +you know how well that turned out." + +"Yes, that was a triumph, Bob. Well, we will do our best." + +"Why, Bob, where have you been all the morning?" his sister said. +"The professor came at ten o'clock. He said he had arranged with +you that he should be an hour later than usual, as he had another +engagement, early." + +"I forgot all about him, Carrie. He never came into my mind once, +since breakfast. I met Captain Lockett down in the town, as soon as +I went out, and I wanted him to come here to dinner. I knew you +would be glad to see him, for you said you liked him very much; but +he said he should be too busy, but he is coming up to supper, at +seven. Then I went on board the Antelope and had a chat with his +cousin Joe, who is first mate now." + +When dinner was finished, Bob said: + +"Don't you think, Carrie, I am looking pale? What with the heat, +and what with my sticking in and working so many hours a day, I +begin to feel that it is too much for me." + +His sister looked anxiously at him. + +"Well, Bob, you are looking a little pale, but so is everybody +else; and no wonder, with this heat. But I have not been noticing +you, particularly. What do you feel, Bob?" + +"I think Bob feels as if he wants a holiday," Captain O'Halloran +put in. + +"Well, then, we must tell the professor that we don't want him to +come, for a bit. Of course, Teddy Burke has given up coming, +already. + +"But if you have a holiday, Bob, what will you do with yourself?" + +"I don't think I shall get any better here, Carrie. I think I want +change of air." + +"Nonsense, Bob! You can't be as bad as all that; and you never said +anything about it, before. + +"If he is not well, you must ask Teddy Burke to come up to see him, +Gerald. Besides, how can he have change of air? The only place he +could go to would be Tetuan, and it would be hotter there than it +is here." + +"I think, Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said, "I can prescribe for +him without calling Teddy Burke in. I fancy the very thing that +would get Bob set up would be a sea voyage." + +"A sea voyage!" his wife repeated. "Do you mean that he should go +back to England? I don't see anything serious the matter with him. +Surely there cannot be anything serious enough for that." + +"No, not so serious as that, Carrie. Just a cruise for a bit--on +board the Antelope, for example." + +Mrs. O'Halloran looked from one to the other; and then, catching a +twinkle in Bob's eye, the truth flashed across her. + +"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Gerald," she said, laughing +in spite of herself. "You have quite frightened me. I see now. +Captain Locket has invited Bob to go for a cruise with him, and all +this about his being ill is nonsense, from beginning to end. You +don't mean to say that you have been encouraging Bob in this +ridiculous idea!" + +"I don't know about encouraging, Carrie; but when he put it to me +that he had been working very steadily, for the last six months; +and that he had got into no scrapes; and that he had really earned +a holiday, and that this would be a very jolly one; I did not see +any particular reason why he shouldn't have it." + +"No particular reason! Why, the Antelope is a privateer; and if she +is going to cruise about, that means that she is going to fight, +and he may get shot." + +"So he may here, Carrie, if a ball happens to come the right way. + +"I think Bob certainly deserves a reward for the way he has stuck +to his lessons. You know you never expected he would do as he has +done; and I am sure his uncle would be delighted, if he heard how +well he speaks Spanish. + +"As to his health, the boy is well enough; but there is no denying +that this hot weather we are having takes it out of us all, and +that it would be a mighty good thing if every soul on the Rock had +the chance of a month's cruise at sea, to set him up. + +"But seriously, Carrie, I don't see any reason, whatever, why he +should not go. We didn't bring the boy out here to make a +mollycoddle of him. He has got to settle down, some day, in a musty +old office; and it seems to me that he ought to have his share in +any fun and diversion that he has a chance of getting at, now. As +to danger, sure you are a soldier's wife; and why shouldn't he have +a share of it, just the same as if he had gone into the navy? You +wouldn't have made any hullabaloo about it, if he had done that. + +"This is Bob's good time, let him enjoy it. You are not going to +keep a lad of his age tied to your apron strings. He has just got +the chance of having two or three years of fighting, and adventure. +It will be something for him to talk about, all his life; and my +opinion is, that you had best let him go his own way. There are +hundreds and hundreds of lads his age knocking about the world, and +running all sorts of risks, without having elder sisters worrying +over them." + +"Very well, Gerald, if you and Bob have made up your minds about +it, it is no use my saying no. I am sure I don't want to make a +mollycoddle, as you call it, of him. Of course, uncle will blame +me, if any harm comes of it." + +"No, he won't, Carrie. Your uncle wants the boy to be a gentleman, +and a man of the world. If you had said that a year ago, I would +have agreed with you; but we know him better, now, and I will be +bound he will like him to see as much life as he can, during this +time. He has sent him out into the world. + +"I will write to your uncle, myself, and tell him it is my doing +entirely; and that I think it is a good thing Bob should take every +chance he gets, and that I will answer for it that he won't be any +the less ready, when the time comes, for buckling to at business." + +"Well, if you really think that, Gerald, I have nothing more to +say. You know I should like Bob to enjoy himself, as much as he +can; only I seem to have the responsibility of him." + +"I don't see why you worry about that, Carrie. If he had gone out +to Cadiz or Oporto, as your uncle intended, you don't suppose the +people there would have troubled themselves about him. He would +just have gone his own way. You went your own way, didn't you? And +it is mighty little you troubled yourself about what your uncle was +likely to say, when you took up with an Irishman in a marching +regiment; and I don't see why you should trouble now. + +"The old gentleman means well with the boy but, after all, he is +not either his father or his mother. You are his nearest relation +and, though you are a married woman, you are not old enough, yet, +to expect that a boy of Bob's age is going to treat you as if you +were his mother, instead of his sister. There is not one boy in +fifty would have minded us as he has done." + +"Well, Bob, there is nothing more for me to say, after that," +Carrie said, half laughing--though there were tears in her eyes. + +"No, no, Carrie; I won't go, if you don't like," Bob said, +impetuously. + +"Yes, you shall go, Bob. Gerald is quite right. It is better you +should begin to think for yourself; and I am sure I should like you +to see things, and to enjoy yourself as much as you can. I don't +know why I should fidget about you, for you showed you had much +more good sense than I credited you with, when you gave up your +chance of going to sea and went into uncle's office. + +"I am sure I am the last person who ought to lecture you, after +choosing to run about all over the world, and to take the risk of +being starved here," and she smiled at her husband. + +"You do as you like, Bob," she went on. "I won't worry about you, +in future--only if you have to go back to England without a leg, or +an arm, don't blame me; and be sure you tell uncle that I made as +good a fight against it as I could." + +And so it was settled. + +"By the way," Bob exclaimed, presently, "I have got a letter from +uncle to you, in my pocket; and one for myself, also. Captain +Lockett gave them to me this morning, but I forgot all about them." + +"Well, you are a boy!" his sister exclaimed. + +"This is a nice sample, Gerald, of Bob's thoughtfulness. + +"Well, give me the letter. Perhaps he writes saying you had better +be sent home, by the first chance that offers itself." + +Bob's face fell. He had, indeed, himself had some misgiving, ever +since the troubles began, that his uncle might be writing to that +effect. + +"Well, look here, Carrie," he said, "here is the letter; but I +think you had better not open it, till I have started on this +cruise. Of course, if he says I must go back, I must; but I may as +well have this trip, first." + +Carrie laughed. + +"What do you think, Gerald, shall I leave it till Bob has gone?" + +"No, open it at once, Carrie. If he does say, 'send Bob on by the +first vessel,' there is not likely to be one before he goes in the +Antelope. Besides, that is all the more reason why he should go for +a cruise, before he starts back for that grimy old place in Philpot +Lane. We may as well see what the old gentleman says." + +"I won't open mine till you have read yours, Carrie," Bob said. "I +mean to go the cruise, anyhow; but if he says I must go after that, +I will go. If he had been the old bear I used to think him, I would +not mind it a snap; but he has been so kind that I shall certainly +do what he wants." + +Bob sat, with his hands deep in his pockets, watching his sister's +face with the deepest anxiety as she glanced through the letter; +Gerald standing by, and looking over her shoulder. + +Illustration: 'The old gentleman is a brick,' exclaimed Gerald. + +"The old gentleman is a brick!" Gerald, who was the first to arrive +at the end, exclaimed. "I wish I had had such a sensible old +relative, myself, but--barring an aunt who kept three parrots and a +cat, and who put more store on the smallest of them than she did on +me--never a relative did I have, in the world." + +"Oh, tell me that afterwards!" Bob broke in. + +"Do tell me what uncle says, Carrie." + +His sister turned to the beginning again and read aloud: + +"My dear niece--" + +"Where does he write from?" Bob interrupted. "Is it from Philpot +Lane, or from somewhere else?" + +"He writes from Matlock, Derbyshire." + +"That is all right," Bob said. "I thought, by what Gerald said, he +could not have written from Philpot Lane." + +"My dear niece," Carrie began again, "I duly received your letter, +saying that Bob had arrived out safely; and also his more lengthy +epistle, giving an account of the incidents of the voyage. I should +be glad if you would impress upon him the necessity of being more +particular in his punctuation, as also in the crossing of his t's +and the dotting of his i's. I have also received your letter +bearing date June 1st; and note, with great satisfaction, your +statement that he has been most assiduous in his studies, and that +he is already able to converse with some fluency in Spanish. + +"Since that time the state of affairs between the two countries has +much occupied my attention--both from its commercial aspect, which +is serious, and in connection with Bob. As the issue of a +declaration of war is hourly expected, as I write, the period of +uncertainty may be considered as over, and the two countries may be +looked upon as at war. I have reason to congratulate myself upon +having followed the advice of my correspondent, and of having laid +in a very large supply of Spanish wine; from which I shall, under +the circumstances, reap considerable profits. I have naturally been +debating, with myself, whether to send for Bob to return to +England; or to proceed to Lisbon, and thence to Oporto, to the care +of my correspondent there. I have consulted in this matter my +junior partner, Mr. Medlin, who is staying with me here for a few +days; and I am glad to say that his opinion coincides with that at +which I had finally arrived--namely, to allow him to remain with +you. + +"His conduct when with me, and the perseverance with which--as you +report--he is pursuing his studies, has shown me that he will not +be found wanting in business qualities, when he enters the firm. I +am, therefore, all the more willing that he should use the +intervening time in qualifying himself, generally, for a good +position in the city of London; especially for that of the head of +a firm in the wine trade, in which an acquaintance with the world, +and the manners of a gentleman, if not of a man of fashion--a +matter in which my firm has been very deficient, heretofore--are +specially valuable. It is probable, from what I hear, that +Gibraltar will be besieged; and the event is likely to be a +memorable one. It will be of advantage to him, and give him a +certain standing, to have been present on such an occasion. + +"And if he evinces any desire to place any services he is able to +render, either as a volunteer or otherwise, at the disposal of the +military authorities--and I learn, from Mr. Medlin, that it is by +no means unusual for the civil inhabitants of a besieged town to be +called upon, to aid in its defence--I should recommend that you +should place no obstacle in his way. As a lad of spirit, he would +naturally be glad of any opportunity to distinguish himself. I +gathered, from him, that one of his schoolfellows was serving as a +midshipman in a ship of war that would, not improbably, be +stationed at Gibraltar; and Bob would naturally dislike remaining +inactive, when his schoolfellow, and many other lads of the same +age, were playing men's parts in an historical event of such +importance. Therefore you will fully understand that you have my +sanction, beforehand, to agree with any desire he should express in +this direction, if it seems reasonable and proper to you and +Captain O'Halloran. + +"As it is probable that the prices of food, and other articles, +will be extremely high during the siege, I have written, by this +mail, to Messieurs James and William Johnston, merchants of +Gibraltar--with whom I have had several transactions--authorizing +them to honour drafts duly drawn by Captain O'Halloran, upon me, to +the extent of 500 pounds; such sum being, of course, additional to +the allowance agreed upon between us for the maintenance and +education of your brother. + +"I remain, my dear niece, your affectionate uncle, John Bale." + +"Now I call that being a jewel of an uncle," Captain O'Halloran +said, while Bob was loud in his exclamations of pleasure. + +"Now you see what you brought on yourself, Bob, by your +forgetfulness. Here we have had all the trouble in life to get +Carrie to agree to your going while, had she read this letter +first, she would not have had a leg to stand upon--at least, +metaphorically speaking; practically, no one would doubt it, for a +minute." + +"Practically, you are a goose, Gerald; metaphorically, uncle is an +angel. But I am very, very glad. That has relieved me from the +responsibility, altogether; and you know, at heart, I am just as +willing that Bob should enjoy himself as you are. + +"Now, what does your uncle say to you, Bob?" + +Bob opened and read his uncle's letter, and then handed it to his +sister. + +"It is just the same sort of thing, Carrie. I can see Mr. Medlin's +hand in it, everywhere. He says that, for the time, I must regard +my connection with the firm as of secondary importance; and take +any opportunity that offers to show the spirit of an English +gentleman, by doing all in my power to uphold the dignity of the +British flag; and taking any becoming part that may offer, in the +defence of the town. Of course he says he has heard, with pleasure, +of my progress in Spanish; and that he and his junior partner look +forward, with satisfaction, to the time when I shall enter the +firm.' + +"My dear Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said, "I will get a bottle of +champagne from the mess; and this evening, at supper, we will drink +your excellent uncle's health, with all the honours. I will ask +Teddy Burke to come up and join us." + +"Then I think, Gerald," his wife said, smiling, "that as Captain +Lockett will be here, too, one bottle of champagne will not go very +far." + +"I put it tentatively, my dear; We will say two bottles, and we +will make the first inroad on our poultry yard. We had twenty eggs, +this morning; and the woman downstairs reports that two of the hens +want to sit, though how they explained the matter to her is more +than I know; anyhow, we can afford a couple of chickens." + +It was a very jovial supper, especially as it was known that the +news of the proclamation of war had been brought in, by the ship +that had arrived that morning. + +"By the way, Mrs. O'Halloran," Captain Lockett said, "I have a +consignment for you. I will land it, the first thing in the +morning, for I shall sail in the evening. We are to get our letters +of marque, authorizing the capture of Spanish vessels, at ten +o'clock in the morning." + +"What is the consignment, captain?" + +"It is from Mr. Bale, madam. I saw him in town, a week before I +sailed, and told him I was likely to come on here, direct; and he +sent off at once three cases of champagne, and six dozen of port, +directed to you; and an eighteen gallon cask of Irish whisky, for +Captain O'Halloran." + +"My dear," Captain O'Halloran said solemnly, "I believe that you +expressed, today, the opinion that your uncle was, metaphorically, +an angel. I beg that the word metaphorically be omitted. If there +was ever an angel in a pigtail, and a stiff cravat, that angel is +Mr. John Bale, of Philpot Lane." + +"It is very good of him," Carrie agreed. "We could have done very +well without the whisky, but the port wine and the champagne may be +very useful, if this siege is going to be the terrible thing you +all seem to fancy." + +"A drop of the craytur is not to be despised, Mrs. O'Halloran," Dr. +Burke said; "taken with plenty of water it is a fine digestive and, +when we run short of wine and beer, you will not be despising it, +yourself." + +"I did not know, Teddy Burke, that you had any experience, +whatever, of whisky mixed with plenty of water." + +"You are too hard on me, altogether," the doctor laughed. "There is +no soberer man in the regiment than your humble servant." + +"Well, it will do you all good, if you get on short allowance of +wine, for a time. I can't think why men want to sit, after dinner, +and drink bottle after bottle of port wine. It is all very well to +say that everyone does it, but that is a very poor excuse. Why +should they do it? Women don't do it, and I don't see why men +should. I hope the time will come when it is considered just as +disgraceful, for a man to drink, as it is for a woman. + +"And now, Captain Lockett, about Bob. What time must he be on +board?" + +"He must be on board before gunfire, Mrs. O'Halloran, unless you +get a special order from the town major. I was obliged to get one, +myself, for this evening. The orders are strict, now; all the gates +are closed at gunfire." + +"Yes, and mighty strict they are," Captain O'Halloran said. "There +was Major Corcoran, of the 72nd, and the doctor of the regiment +were out fishing yesterday; and the wind fell, and the gun went +just as they were landing, and divil a bit could they get in. The +major is a peppery little man, and I would have given anything to +have seen him. One of the Hanoverian regiments furnished the guard, +at the water batteries; and the sentry told him, if he came a foot +nearer in the boat they would fire and, in the end, he and the +doctor had to cover themselves up with a sail, and lie there all +night. I hear the major went to lodge a complaint, when he landed; +but of course the men were only doing their duty, and I hear Eliott +gave him a wigging, for endeavouring to make them disobey orders." + +"I will be on board before gunfire, Captain Lockett. There is no +fear of my missing it." + +"How long do you expect to be away, Captain Lockett?" Mrs. +O'Halloran asked. + +"That depends on how we get on. If we are lucky, and pick up a +number of prizes, we may bring them in in a week; if not we may be +three weeks, especially if this calm weather lasts." + +"I am sure I hope you won't be too lucky, at first, captain," Bob +put in. "I don't want the cruise to finish in a week." + +"Oh, I sha'n't consider the cruise is finished, merely because we +come in, Bob!" the captain said. "We shall be going out again, and +only put in here to bring in our prizes. The cruise will last as +long as Captain O'Halloran and your sister will allow you to remain +on board. + +"I expect that I shall be able to make you very useful. I shall put +you down in the ship's books as third mate. You won't be able to +draw prize money, as an officer, because the number of officers +entitled to prize money was entered when the crew signed articles; +but if I put you down as supercargo you will share, with the men, +in any prizes we take while you are away with us." + +"That will be jolly, captain; not because of the money, you know, +but because it will give one more interest in the cruise. Besides, +I shall like something to do." + +"Oh, I will give you something to do! I shall put you in Joe's +watch, and then you will learn something. It is always as well to +pick up knowledge, when you get a chance; and if we do take any +prizes it will be your duty, as supercargo, to take an inventory of +what they have on board." + +The next morning Bob packed his trunks, the first thing; then he +went round to the professor's, and told him that he was going away, +for a fortnight or so, for a cruise; then he went down to the port, +and met Joe Lockett when he landed, and brought him up to +breakfast, as had been arranged with the captain the night before. +After that, he went with him up the Rock to look at the +Spaniards--whose tents were a good deal more numerous than they had +been, and who were still at work, arming the forts. + +"If I were the general," Joe said, "I would go out at night, with +two or three regiments, and spike all those guns, and blow up the +forts. The Dons wouldn't be expecting it; and it would be a good +beginning, and would put the men in high spirits. + +"Do you see, the Spanish fleet has drifted away almost out of +sight, to the east. I thought what it would be, at sunset +yesterday, when I saw that they did not enter the bay; for the +current would be sure to drive them away, if the wind didn't spring +up. + +"Well, I hope we shall get a little, this evening. And now I must +be going down, for there is a good deal to do, before we sail." + + + +Chapter 10: A Cruise In A Privateer. + + +Bob was on board the Antelope a quarter of an hour before gunfire. +No movement was made until after sunset, for some of the gunboats +over at Algeciras might have put out, had they seen any +preparations for making sail; but as soon as it became dark the +anchor was hove, the sails dropped and sheeted home, and the brig +began to move slowly through the water. As she breasted Europa +Point, her course was altered to east by north, and the Rock faded +from sight in the darkness. + +The first mate was on watch, and Bob walked up and down the deck +with him. + +"There is no occasion for you to keep up," Joe Lockett said. "You +may just as well turn." + +"Oh no, I mean to keep the watch with you!" Bob said. "The captain +said that I was to be in your watch, and I want you to treat me +just the same way as if I were a midshipman under you." + +"Well, if you were a midshipman, there wouldn't be anything for you +to do, now: still, if you like to keep up, of course you can do so. +I shall be glad of your company, and you will help keep a sharp +lookout for ships." + +"There is no chance of our coming across any Spanish traders +tonight, I suppose, Joe?" + +"Not in the least. They would keep a deal farther out than we +shall, if they were bound either for Algeciras or through the +Straits. We are not likely to meet anything, till we get near +Malaga. After that, of course, we shall be in the line of coasters. +There are Almeria, and Cartagena, and Alicante, and a score of +small ports between Alicante and Valencia." + +"We don't seem to be going through the water very fast, Joe." + +"No, not more than two or two and a half knots an hour. However, we +are in no hurry. With a light wind like this, we don't want to get +too close to the shore, or we might have some of their gunboats +coming out after us. I expect that in the morning, if the wind +holds light, the captain will take in our upper sails, and just +drift along. Then, after it gets dark, he will clap on everything; +and run in so as to strike the coast a few miles above Malaga. Then +we will take in sail, and anchor as close in as we dare. Anything +coming along, then, will take us for a craft that has come out from +Malaga." + +At midnight the second mate, whose name was Crofts, came up to +relieve watch; and Bob, who was beginning to feel very sleepy, was +by no means sorry to turn in. It hardly seemed to him that he had +closed an eye, when he was aroused by a knocking at the cabin door. + +"It's two bells, sir, and Mr. Lockett says you are to turn out." + +Bob hurried on his things and went up, knowing that he was an hour +late. + +"I thought you wanted to keep watch, Bob. You ought to have been on +deck at eight bells." + +"So I should have been, if I had been woke," Bob said, indignantly. +"I am not accustomed to wake up, just after I go to sleep. It +doesn't seem to me that I have been in bed five minutes. If you +wake me, tomorrow morning, you will see I will be up, sharp enough. + +"There is hardly any wind." + +"No, we have been only crawling along all night. There is Gib, you +see, behind us." + +"Why, it doesn't look ten miles off," Bob said, in surprise. + +"It is twice that. It is two or three and twenty, I should say. + +"Now, the best thing you can do is to go down to the waist, slip +off your togs, and have a few buckets of water poured over you. +That will wake you up, and you will feel ever so much more +comfortable, afterwards. I have just told the steward to make us a +couple of cups of coffee. They will be ready by the time you have +had your wash." + +Bob followed the advice and, after a bath, a cup of coffee, and a +biscuit, he no longer felt the effects from the shortness of the +night. The sun had already risen, and there was not a cloud upon +the sky. + +"What are those, over there?" he asked, pointing to the southeast. +"They look like sails." + +"They are sails. They are the upper sails of the Spanish fleet. I +expect they are trying to work back into the bay again, but they +won't do it, unless they get more wind. You see, I have taken the +topgallant sails off the brig, so as not to be seen. + +"There is the Spanish coast, you see, twelve or fourteen miles +away, to port. If you like, you can take the glass and go up into +the maintop, and see if you can make anything out on shore." + +Bob came down in half an hour. + +"There are some fishing boats," he said, "at least, they look like +fishing boats, close inshore, just abreast of us." + +"Yes, there are two or three little rivers on this side of Malaga. +There is not water in them for craft of any size, but the fishing +boats use them. There is a heavy swell sets in here, when the wind +is from the east with a bit south in it, and they run up there for +shelter." + +Captain Lockett now came up on deck. + +"Good morning, Bob! I did not see you here, when watch was +changed." + +"No, sir, I wasn't woke; but I mean to be up another morning." + +"That is right, Bob. Joe and I agreed to give you an extra hour, +this morning. Four hours are very short measure, to one who is not +accustomed to it; but you will soon find that you can turn in and +get a sleep, when your watch is over, whatever the time of day." + +"It seems to me that this watch has the worst of it, Captain +Lockett. We had from eight to twelve, and now from four to eight; +and the other had only four hours on deck." + +"Yours is considered the best watch, Bob. The middle watch, as the +one that comes on at twelve o'clock is called, is always the most +disliked. You see, at eight bells you go off and have your +breakfast comfortably, and can then turn in till twelve o'clock; +and you can get another caulk, from five or six till eight in the +evening. Of course, if there is anything to do, bad weather or +anything of that sort, both watches are on deck, all day." + +"Well, I am almost sure I should like the other watch best," Bob +said. + +"You are wrong, lad, especially in summer. You see, it is not +fairly dark till nine, and you wouldn't turn in till ten, anyhow; +so that, really, you are only kept two hours out of your bunk, at +that watch. It is getting light when you come up, at four; and at +five we begin to wash decks, and there is plenty to occupy you, so +that it doesn't seem long till eight bells. The others have to turn +out at twelve o'clock, just when they are most sleepy; and to be on +watch for the four dark hours, and then go down just as it is +getting light. + +"On a cold night in winter, in the channel, I think perhaps the +advantage is the other way. But, in fact, men get so accustomed to +the four hours in, and the four hours out, that it makes very +little difference to them how it goes." + +All day the brig kept on the same course, moving very slowly +through the water, and passing the coast as much by aid of the +current as by that of her sails. + +"We are pretty well off Malaga," Captain Lockett said, in the +afternoon. "If there had been any wind, we should have had a chance +of picking up something making from there to the Straits; but there +is no chance of that, today. People like making quick voyages, when +there is a risk of falling in with an enemy; and they won't be +putting out from port until there is some change in the weather. +However, it looks to me as if there is a chance of a little breeze, +from the south, when the sun goes down. I have seen a flaw or two +on the water, that way." + +"Yes, it seems to me darker over there," the mate said. "I will go +up and have a look round. + +"Yes, sir, there is certainly a breeze stirring, down to the +south," he shouted, from aloft. + +"That will just suit us," the captain said. "We must be twenty +miles off the coast at least and, even if they had noticed us from +above the town, we are too far off for them to make us out, at all; +so it will be safe for us to run in to the land. + +"We shall rely upon you, Bob, if we are hailed." + +"I will do my best to throw dust in their eyes, captain. You must +tell me, beforehand, all particulars; so that I can have the story +pat." + +"We will wait till we see what sort of craft is likely to hail us. +A tale may be good enough, for the skipper of a coaster, that might +not pass muster with the captain of a gunboat." + +"What are the coasters likely to be laden with?" + +"There is never any saying. Mostly fruit and wine, grain and +olives. Then some of them would be taking goods, from the large +ports, to the small towns and villages along the coast. Some of the +coasters are well worth picking up; but of course, the craft we +shall be chiefly on the lookout for will be those from abroad. Some +of these have very valuable cargoes. They bring copper and lead, +and sometimes silver from the mines of Mexico and South America. +Some of them carry a good lot of silver, but it is too much to hope +that we should run across such a prize as that. They bring over +hides, too; they are worth money. Then, of course, there are ships +that have been trading up the Mediterranean with France and Italy +or the Levant. + +"So, you see, there is a considerable variety in the chances of +what we may light upon. Coasters are, of course, the staple, so to +speak. If we have anything like luck, we shall not do badly, with +them. The others we must look upon as the prizes in the lottery." + +Before the sun set the breeze came up to them, and the brig was at +once headed for the land. At ten o'clock the lights of Malaga were +made out on the port beam, and the brig bore away a little to the +east. Two hours later the land was looming, not far ahead. + +Sail was got off her, and a man placed in the chains, and soundings +taken. This was continued until the water shoaled to eight fathoms, +when the brig was brought up, head to wind, and the anchor let go. +Then an anchor watch of four men was set, and the rest of the crew +allowed to turn in. + +At daybreak the officers were out again, and it was found that the +brig was lying within a quarter of a mile of the land, in a slight +indentation of the coast. The wind had died away, and the sails +were loosed, and suffered to fall against the masts. + +"It could not be better," Captain Lockett said. "We look, now, as +if we had been trying to make up or down the coast, and had been +forced to come to anchor here. Fortunately there don't seem to be +any villages near, so we are not likely to have anyone coming out +to us." + +"How far do you think we are from Malaga, captain?" + +"About ten miles, I should say, Bob. Why do you ask?" + +"I was only thinking whether it would be possible for me to make my +way there, and find out what vessels there are in harbour, and +whether any of them are likely to be coming this way. But if it is +ten miles, I am afraid it is too far. I should have to pass through +villages; and I might be questioned where I came from, and where I +was going. I don't know that my Spanish would pass muster, if I +were questioned like that. + +"I should be all right, if I were once in a seaport. No one would +be likely to ask me any questions. Then I could stroll about, and +listen to what was said and, certainly, I could talk quite well +enough to go in and get a meal, and all that sort of thing." + +"I couldn't let you do that, Bob," the captain said. "It is a very +plucky idea, but it wouldn't be right to let you carry it out. You +would get hung as a spy, if you were detected." + +"I don't think there is the least fear in the world of my being +detected, in a seaport," Bob said, "and I should think it great +fun; but I shouldn't like to try to cross the country. Perhaps we +may have a better chance, later on." + +The captain shook his head. + +"You might go on board some ship, if one brings up at anchor +anywhere near us, Bob. If you got detected, there, we would take +her and rescue you. But that is a different thing to letting you go +ashore." + +Presently the sails of two fishing boats were seen, coming out from +beyond a low point, three miles to the east. + +"I suppose there is a fishing village, there," the mate said. "I am +glad they are no nearer." + +He examined the boats with a glass. + +"They are working out with sweeps. I expect they hope to get a +little wind, when they are in the offing." + +Just as they were at breakfast the second mate, who was on deck, +called down the skylight: + +"There are three craft to the west, sir. They have just come out +from behind the point there. They are bringing a little breeze with +them." + +"What are they like, Mr. Crofts?" + +"One is a polacre, another a xebec, and the third looks like a +full-rigged craft; but as she is end on, I can't say for certain." + +"All right, Mr. Crofts! I will be up in five minutes. We can do +nothing until we get the wind, anyhow." + +Breakfast was speedily finished, and they went on deck. The Spanish +flag was already flying from the peak. The three craft were about +two miles away. + +"How are they sailing, Mr. Crofts?" + +"I fancy the xebec is the fastest, sir. She was astern just now, +and she is abreast of the polacre now, as near as I can make out. +The ship, or brig--whichever it is--seems to me to be dropping +astern." + +"Heave away at the anchor, Joe. Get in all the slack, so as to be +ready to hoist, as soon as the breeze reaches us. I don't want them +to come up to us. The line they are taking, now, will carry them +nearly half a mile outside us, which is fortunate. Run in six of +the guns, and throw a tarpaulin over the eighteen pounder. Three +guns, on each side, are about enough for us to show." + +The breeze caught them when the three Spanish craft were nearly +abeam. + +"They have more wind, out there, than we shall have here," the +captain said; "which is an advantage, for I don't want to run away +from them. + +"Now, get up the anchor, Joe. Don't take too many hands." + +The watch below had already been ordered to sit down on the deck, +and half the other watch were now told to do the same. + +"Twelve or fourteen hands are quite enough to show," the captain +said. + +"The anchor's up, sir," Joe shouted. + +"Let it hang there. We will get it aboard, presently. + +"Now haul that fore-staysail across, ease off the spanker sheet. + +"Now, as she comes round, haul on the braces and sheets, one by +one. Do it in as lubberly a way as you can." + +The brig, which had been riding with her head to the west, came +slowly round; the yards being squared in a slow fashion, in strong +contrast to the active way in which they were generally handled. +The captain watched the other craft, carefully. + +"The xebec and polacre are gaining on us, but we are going as fast +through the water as the three master. When we get the wind a +little more, we shall have the heels of them all. + +"Get a sail overboard, Joe, and tow it under her port quarter. +Don't give her too much rope, or they might catch sight of it, on +board the ship. That will bring us down to her rate of sailing. + +"I want to keep a bit astern of them. We dare not attack them in +the daylight; they mount too many guns for us, altogether. That big +fellow has got twelve on a side, the polacre has eight, and the +xebec six, so between them they have fifty-two guns. We might try +it, if they were well out at sea; but it would never do, here. +There may be galleys or gunboats within hearing, so we must bide +our time. + +"I think we are in luck, this time, Joe. That ship must have come +foreign; at least, I should say so by her appearance, though she +may be from Cadiz. As to the other two, they may be anything. The +xebec, no doubt, is a coast trader. The polacre may be one thing, +or another, but I should hardly think she has come across the +Atlantic. Likely enough she is from Bilbao or Santander. The ship +is the fellow to get hold of, if we get a chance. I shall be quite +content to leave the others alone." + +"I should think so," Joe agreed. "The ship ought to be a valuable +prize, wherever she comes from. If she is sound, and pretty new, +she would fetch a good sum, if we can get her into an English +port." + +The wind continued to hold light, and the four vessels made but +slow progress through the water. The two leaders, however, +gradually improved their position. They were nearly matched, in +point of sailing; and their captains were evidently making a race +of it, hoisting every stitch of canvas they were able to show. By +the afternoon they were fully two miles ahead of the ship, which +was half a mile on the starboard bow of the brig. + +The wind died away to nothing, as the sun set. The three Spanish +vessels had all been edging in towards shore, and the polacre +anchored just before sunset. The ship held on for another hour, but +was a mile astern of the other two when she, also, dropped her +anchor. + +The sail, that had been towing overboard from the brig, had been +got on board again when the wind began to drop; and she had come up +to within little more than a quarter of a mile of the ship. The +anchor was let go, as soon as it was seen that the crew of the ship +were preparing to anchor, so that the brig should be first to do +so. Whether there had been any suspicions, on board the Spaniards, +as to the character of the brig, they could not tell but, watching +her closely, Captain Lockett saw that the order to anchor was +countermanded, as soon as it was seen that the brig had done so. + +A few minutes after the men again went forward, and the anchor was +dropped; for the vessel was making no way whatever, through the +water. + +"Well, Joe, there we are, close to her, now. The question is, what +are we to do next? If there was any wind, it would be simple +enough. We would drop alongside, in the middle watch; and carry her +by boarding, before the Dons had time to get out of their hammocks. +But as it is, that is out of the question and, of course, we can't +think of towing her up. On such a still night as this will be, they +would hear the slightest noise." + +"We might attack her in the boats," the mate said. + +"Yes, that would be possible; but their watch would hear the oars, +the instant we began to row. You see, by the number of guns she +carries, she must be strongly manned." + +"I expect most of them are small," Joe said, "and meant for show, +rather than use. It is likely enough she may have taken half of +them on board at Cadiz, or Malaga, so as to give her a formidable +appearance, in case she should fall in with any craft of our +description. If she has come across the Atlantic, she would never +have carried anything like that number of guns, for Spain was not +at war with anyone." + +"No; but craft flying the black flag are still to be found in those +waters, Joe, and she might carry her guns for defence against them. +But it is not a question of guns, at present, it is a question of +the crew. It isn't likely that she carries many more than we do +and, if we could but get alongside her, there would be no fear +about it, at all; but I own I don't like the risk of losing half my +men, in an attack on a craft like that, unless we can have the +advantage of a surprise." + +"What do you say to my swimming off to her, as soon as it gets +quite dark, captain?" Bob said. "I am a very good swimmer. We used +to bathe regularly at Putney, where I was at school; and I have +swum across the Thames and back, lots of times. There is sure to be +a little mist on the water, presently, and they won't be keeping a +very sharp lookout till it gets later. I can get hold of a cable +and climb up; and get in over the bow, if there is no lookout +there, and see what is going on. There is no danger in the thing +for, if I am discovered, I have only got to dive and swim back +again. There is no current to speak of, here; and there wouldn't be +the least chance of their hitting me, in the dark. I should +certainly be able to learn something, by listening to their talk." + +"It would be a very risky thing, Bob," Captain Lockett said, +shaking his head. "I shouldn't like to let you do it; though of +course it would be a great thing, if we could learn something about +her. I own I don't like her appearance, though I can't say why. +Somehow or other, I don't think she is all right. Either all those +guns are a mere pretence, and she is weak handed, or she must carry +a very big crew." + +"Well, I don't see there can be any possible harm in my trying to +get on board her, captain. Of course, if I am hailed as I approach +her, I shall turn and come back again. The night will be dark, but +I shall have no difficulty in finding her, from the talking and +noise on board. + +"Well, Joe, what do you think?" the captain said, doubtfully. + +"I think you might let Bob try," Joe said. "I should not mind +trying at all but, as I can't speak Spanish, I should be able to +learn nothing. They are not likely to be setting a watch, and +keeping a sharp lookout, for some time; and I should think that he +might, possibly, get on board unobserved. If they do make him out, +he has only to keep on diving and, in the dark, there would be +little chance of their hitting him. Besides, they certainly +couldn't make out that it was a swimmer. If they noticed a ripple +in the water, they would be sure to think it was a fish of some +sort." + +Bob continued to urge that he should be allowed to try it and, at +last, Captain Lockett agreed to his doing so. It was already almost +dark enough for the attempt to be made, and Bob prepared at once +for the swim. He took off his coat, waistcoat, and shirt; and put +on a dark knitted jersey, fastened a belt tightly round his waist, +over his breeches, and took off his shoes. + +"If I am seen," he said, "you are sure to hear them hailing, or +shouting; and then please show a lantern over the stern," for, +slight as the current was, it sufficed to make the vessel swing +head to west. + +A rope was lowered over the side and, by this, he slipped down +quietly into the water, which was perfectly warm. Then he struck +off noiselessly, in the direction of the ship. He kept the two +masts of the brig in one, as long as he could make them out but, +owing to the mist on the water, he soon lost sight of her; but he +had no difficulty in keeping a straight course, as he could plainly +hear the sound of voices, ahead of him. Taking the greatest pains +to avoid making the slightest splash, and often pausing to listen, +Bob swam on until he saw a dark mass looming up in front of him. + +Illustration: Bob swims off to the Spanish Warship. + +He now did little more than float, giving a gentle stroke, +occasionally, and drifting towards it until he grasped the cable. + +He now listened intently. There were voices on the fo'castle, above +him; and he determined, before trying to climb up there, to swim +round the vessel--keeping close to her side, so that he could not +be seen, unless someone leaned far over the bulwark. Halfway along +he came upon a projection and, looking up, saw that slabs of wood, +three inches wide, were fixed against the side, at intervals of a +foot apart; so as to form an accommodation ladder, when it was not +considered necessary to lower a gangway. Two hand ropes hung by the +side of it. + +His way was now easy. He drew himself out of the water by the +ropes, and ascended the ladder; then crawled along outside the +bulwark until he came to a porthole, from which a gun projected; +then he crawled in there, and lay under the cannon. + +Two or three lanterns were suspended above the deck and, by their +light, Bob could at once see that he was on board a ship of war. +Groups of sailors were sitting on the deck, among the guns; and he +saw that most of these were run in, and that they were of heavy +calibre, several of them being 32-pounders. + +As the captain and Joe had both agreed that the guns were only +14-pounders, Bob had no difficulty in arriving at the fact that +these must have been mere dummies, thrust out of the portholes to +deceive any stranger as to her armament. He lay listening, for some +time, to the talk of the sailors; and gathered that the ship had +been purposely disguised, before putting out from Malaga, in order +to deceive any English privateers she might come across as to her +strength. He learned also that considerable doubts were +entertained, as to the brig; and that the xebec and polacre had +been signalled to go on ahead, so as to induce the brig--if she +should be an enemy--to make an attack. + +The reason why she had not been overhauled, during the day, was +that the captain feared she might escape him in a light wind; for +the watch had been vigilant, and had made out that she was towing +something, to deaden her way. It was considered likely that, taking +the ship for a merchantman, an attack would be made in boats during +the night; and the men joked as to the surprise their assailants +would get. Boarding pikes were piled in readiness; shot had been +placed in the racks, ready to throw down into the boats as they +came alongside; and the ship's boats had been swung out, in +readiness for lowering--as it was intended to carry the brig, by +boarding, after the repulse and destruction of her boats. + +"We have had a narrow escape of catching a tartar," Bob said, to +himself. "It is very lucky I came on board to reconnoitre. The +Spaniards are not such duffers as we thought them. We fancied we +were taking them in, and very nearly fell into a trap, ourselves." + +Very quietly he crawled back under the porthole, made his way along +outside the bulwark until his hand touched the rope, and then slid +down by it into the water. As he knew there was more chance of a +sharp watch being kept, in the eyes of the ship, than elsewhere, he +swam straight out from her side until she became indistinct, and +then headed for the brig. The lights on board the Spaniard served +as a guide to him, for some time; but the distance seemed longer to +him than it had before, and he was beginning to fancy he must have +missed the brig, when he saw her looming up on his right. In three +or four minutes he was alongside. + +"The brig there!" he hailed. "Drop me a rope overboard." + +There was a stir overhead, at once. + +"Where are you, Bob?" Captain Lockett asked, leaning over the side. + +"Just below you, sir." + +A rope was dropped. Bob grasped it, and was hauled up. + +"Thank God you are back again!" the captain said. "I have been +blaming myself, ever since you started; though, as all was quiet, +we felt pretty sure they hadn't made you out. Well, have you any +news? Did you get on board?" + +"You will get no prize money this time, captain. The Spaniard is a +ship of war, mounting twenty-four guns; none of them smaller than +eighteens, and ten of them thirty-twos." + +"Impossible, Bob! We could not have been so mistaken. Joe and I +were both certain that they were fourteens." + +"Yes, sir; but those things you saw were dummies. The guns, +themselves, are almost all drawn in. All the thirty-twos are, and +most of the eighteens. She has been specially disguised, at Malaga, +in hopes of tempting a craft like yours to attack her and, what is +more, she has a shrewd suspicion of what you are;" and he related +the whole of the conversation he had heard, and described the +preparations for repulsing a boat attack and, in turn, carrying the +brig in the ship's boats. + +Captain Lockett was thunderstruck. + +"The Spanish officer who commands her must be a smart fellow," he +said, "and we have had a narrow escape of running our head into a +noose--thanks to you, Bob; for Joe and I had quite made up our +minds to attack her, in the middle watch. + +"Well, the only thing for us to do is to get away from here, as +soon as we can. If she finds we don't attack her, tonight, she is +sure to send a boat to us, in the morning; and then, if we have an +engagement, we could hardly hope to get off without losing some of +our spars--even if we were not sunk--with such heavy metal as she +carries. We should have the other two craft down on us, too, and +our chances of getting away would be worth nothing. + +"Well, I suppose, Joe, our best plan will be to tow her away?" + +"I should think so, sir. When they hear us at it, they may send +their boats out after us, but we can beat them off; and I should +hardly think that they would try it, for they will be sure that, if +we are a privateer, we have been playing the same game as they +have, and hiding our guns, and will guess that we carry a strong +crew." + +"Send the crew aft, Joe. I will tell them how matters stand. + +"We have had a narrow escape of catching a tartar, my lads," he +said, when the men went aft. "You all know Mr. Repton swam off, an +hour ago, to try and find out what the ship was like. Well, he has +been on board, and brings back news that she is no trader, but a +ship of war, disguised; and that she carries twenty-four +guns--eighteen-pounders and thirty-twos. If we met while out at +sea, we might make a fight of it; but it would never do, here, +especially as her two consorts would be down upon us. She suspects +what we are, although she is not certain; and everything is in +readiness to repel a boat attack--her captain's intention being, if +we tried, to sink or cripple the boats, and then to attack us with +her guns. + +"So you may thank Mr. Repton that you have had a narrow escape of +seeing the inside of a Spanish prison. + +"Now, what I propose to do is to tow her out. Get the four boats in +the water, as quietly as you can. We have greased the falls, +already. We will tow her straight ahead, at any rate for a bit. +That craft won't be able to bring any guns to bear upon us, except +perhaps a couple of bow chasers; and as she won't be able to see +us, there is not much chance of our being hit. Pass the hawser +along, from boat to boat, and row in a line ahead of her. The hull +will shelter you. Then lay out heartily; but be ready, if you are +hailed, to throw off the hawser and get back on board again, as +soon as you can, for they may send their boats out after us. We +shall get a start anyhow for, when they hear you rowing, they will +think you are putting off to attack them; and it will be some +minutes before they will find out their mistake. + +"Joe, do you go in charge of the boats. I will take the helm. You +must cut the cable. They would hear the clank of the windlass." + +The operation of lowering boats was conducted very silently. Bob +had taken his place at the taffrail, and stood listening for any +sound that would show that the Spaniards had heard what was doing. +The oars were scarcely dipped in the water, when he heard a sudden +lull in the distant talking. A minute later, it broke out again. + +"They have orders to pay no attention to the noises," Captain +Lockett said, "so as to lead us to think that we shall take them +unawares. + +"There, she is moving now," he added, as he looked down into the +water. + +Four or five minutes elapsed; and then, in the stillness of the +evening, they could hear a loud hail, in Spanish: + +"What ship is that? Cease rowing, or we will sink you!" + +"Don't answer," Captain Lockett said. "They have nothing but the +confused sound of the oars to tell them where we are." + +The hail was repeated and, a minute later, there was the flash of a +gun in the darkness, and a shot hummed through the air. + +"Fire away!" the captain muttered. "You are only wasting +ammunition." + +For some minutes the Spaniard continued to fire her two bow guns. +Then, after a pause, there was a crash; and twelve guns were +discharged, together. + +"We are getting farther off, every minute," the captain said, "and +unless an unlucky shot should strike one of her spars, we are +safe." + +The broadside was repeated four times, and then all was silent. + +"We are a mile away from them now, Bob; and though, I daresay, they +can hear the sound of the oars, it must be mere guesswork as to our +position." + +He went forward to the bows, and hailed the boats. + +"Take it easy now, Mr. Lockett. I don't think she will fire any +more. When the men have got their wind, row on again. I shall head +her out, now. We must give her a good three miles offing, before we +stop." + +The men in the four boats had been exerting themselves to their +utmost, and it was five minutes before they began rowing again. For +an hour and a half they continued their work, and then Captain +Lockett said to the second mate: + +"You can go forward, and hail them to come on board. I think we +have been moving through the water about two knots an hour, so we +must be three miles seaward of him." + +As soon as the men came on board, a tot of grog was served out, all +round. Then the watch below turned in. + +"You won't anchor, I suppose, captain?" + +"No, there is a considerable depth of water here, and a rocky +bottom. I don't want to lose another anchor, and it would take us +something like half an hour to get it up again; besides, what +current there is will drift us eastward. + +"There is more of it, here, than we had inshore. I should say there +must be nearly a knot an hour, which will take us a good distance +away from those gentlemen, before morning. + +"Now, Bob, you had better have a glass of grog, and then turn in. +Joe will excuse you keeping watch, tonight." + +"Oh, I feel all right!" Bob said. "The water was quite warm, and I +slipped down and changed my clothes, directly they left off +firing." + +"Never mind, you turn in as you are told. You have done us good +service, tonight; and have earned your keep on board the brig, if +you were to stop here till she fell to pieces of old age." + +When Bob went up in the morning, at five o'clock, the three Spanish +vessels were still lying at anchor under the land, seven or eight +miles away. + +"There is a breeze coming," Joe said, "and it is from the south, so +we shall get it long before they do. We shall see no more of them." + +As soon as the breeze reached them, the sails were braced aft; and +the brig kept as close to the wind as she would sail, lying almost +directly off from the land. + +"I want them to think that we are frightened," Captain Lockett +said, in answer to a question from Bob as to the course, "and that +we have decided to get away from their neighbourhood, altogether. I +expect they are only going as far as Alicante. We will run on till +we are well out of sight, then hold on for the rest of the day east +and, in the night, head for land again, beyond Alicante. It would +never do to risk those fellows coming upon us, again, when we are +quietly at anchor. We might not be so lucky, next time." + +An hour later the lookout in the top hailed the deck, and said that +there was a sail in sight. + +"What does she look like, Halkett?" Joe Lockett shouted, for the +captain was below. + +"As far as I can make out she is a two master--I should say, a +brig." + +"How is she heading?" + +"About northeast, sir. I should say, if we both hold on our +courses, she will pass ahead of us." + +The captain was now on deck, and he and the first mate went up to +the top. + +"Starboard your helm a bit!" the captain shouted, after examining +the distant sail through his telescope. "Keep her about east." + +"What do you think she is, captain?" Bob asked, when the two +officers came down again to the poop. + +"I should say that she was a craft about our own size, Bob; and I +fancy she has come through the Straits, keeping well over the other +side, so as to avoid our cruisers from Gib; and is now heading for +Alicante. Now we are on our course again, parallel to the coast, +there is no reason why she should suspect us of being anything but +a trader. If she doesn't take the alarm, I hope we shall be +alongside her in a few hours." + + + +Chapter 11: Cutting Out A Prize. + + +The distant sail was anxiously watched from the Antelope. It closed +in with them fast, running almost before the wind. In two hours, +her hull could be seen from the deck. + +Efforts had been made, by slacking the ropes and altering the set +of the sails, to give the brig as slovenly an appearance as +possible. The guns had been run in and the portholes closed and, as +the Spaniard approached, the crew--with the exception of five or +six men--were ordered to keep below the bulwarks. + +The course that the Spaniard was taking would have brought her just +under the stern of the Antelope when, suddenly, she was seen to +change her course, and to bear up into the wind. + +"Too late, my lady," the captain said; "you have blundered on too +long. + +"There is something in our cut that she doesn't like. Haul down +that Spanish flag, and run the Union Jack up. + +"Open ports, lads, and show them our teeth. Fire that bow gun +across her forefoot!" + +The guns were already loaded; and as soon as they were run out a +shot was fired, as a message to the Spaniard to heave to. A minute +later, as she paid no attention, a broadside followed. Three of the +shots went crashing into the side of the Spaniard, and one of her +boats was smashed. + +A moment later the Spanish flag fluttered down, and a hearty cheer +broke from the crew of the Antelope. The Spaniard was thrown up +into the wind and, in a few minutes, the brig ranged up alongside, +within pistol shot. The gig was lowered; and the captain rowed +alongside her, taking Bob with him as interpreter. + +The prize proved to be a brig, of about the same tonnage as the +Antelope. She was from Cadiz, bound first to Alicante, and then to +Valencia. She carried only six small guns, and a crew of eighteen +men. Her cargo consisted of grain and olive oil. + +"Not a bad prize," Captain Lockett said, as Bob read out the items +of her bill of lading. "It is a pity that it is not full up, +instead of only half laden. Still, it is not a bad beginning; and +the craft herself is of a handy size and, if she won't sell at +Gibraltar, will pay very well to take on to England. I should say +she was fast." + +An hour later the two brigs parted company, the second mate and +twelve hands being placed on board the Spaniard. There was some +discussion as to the prisoners, but it was finally agreed to leave +them on board their ship. + +"Keep them down in the hold, Mr. Crofts. See that you don't leave +any knives with them. Keep a couple of sentries over the hatchway. +If the wind holds, you will be in the bay by tomorrow evening. Keep +pretty well inshore, and slip in as close to the point as you can. +If you do that, you need not have much fear of their gunboats. + +"I don't suppose the authorities will want to keep the prisoners, +but of course you will report them on your arrival; and can give +them one of the boats, to land across the bay, if they are not +wanted. If the governor wants to buy the cargo for the garrison, +let him have it, at once. Don't stand out for exorbitant terms, but +take a fair price. It is just as well to be on good terms with the +authorities. We might have to put in to refit, and want spars, +etc., from the naval yard. If the governor doesn't want the cargo, +don't sell it to anyone else till we return. There is no fear of +prices going down. The longer we keep it, the more we shall get for +it." + +"Hadn't I better bring the ship's papers on board with us, Captain +Lockett?" + +"What for, Bob? I don't see that they would be any use to us, and +the bills of lading will be useful for selling the cargo." + +"I can copy them, sir, for Mr. Crofts. + +"What I thought was this: the brig is just our own size and, if we +should get becalmed anywhere near the shore, and a boat put off, we +might possibly be able to pass, with her papers." + +"That is a capital idea, Bob; capital! I will have a bit of canvas +painted 'Alonzo, Cadiz,' in readiness to nail over our stern, +should there be any occasion for it. + +"Well, goodbye Mr. Crofts, and a safe journey to you. I needn't +tell you to keep a sharp lookout." + +"You may trust us for that, sir. We have no desire to rot in one of +their prisons, till the end of the war." + +The captain's gig took him back to the Antelope. The weather sheets +of the fore-staysail were eased off, and the square sails swung +round. As they drew, the two brigs got under way, heading in +exactly opposite directions. + +Before nightfall the captain pronounced that they were now abreast +of Alicante and, under easy sail, the vessel's head was turned +towards the land; and the next morning she was running along the +shore, at a distance of three miles. Beyond fishing boats, and +small craft hugging the land, nothing was met with, until they +neared Cartagena. Then the sound of firing was heard ahead and, on +rounding a headland, they saw a vessel of war chasing some five or +six craft, nearer inshore. + +"That is a British frigate," the captain exclaimed; "but I don't +think she will get them. There is Cartagena only three or four +miles ahead, and the frigate will not be able to cut them off, +before they are under the guns of the batteries." + +"They are not above a mile ahead of her," the first mate said. "If +we could knock away a spar, with our long eighteen, we might get +one of them." + +"We shouldn't make much prize money, if we did, Joe; for the +frigate would share and, as she has five or six times as many men +and officers as we have got, it is not much we should get out of +it. + +"Hallo!" he broke out, as a shot came ricochetting along the water, +"she is trying a shot at us. I forgot we had the Spanish colours +up. + +"Get that flag down, and run up the Union Jack, Joe." + +"One moment, captain," Bob said. + +"Well, what is it, Bob?" + +"Well, it seems to me, sir, that if we keep the Spanish flag up--" + +"We may be sunk," the captain broke in. + +"We might, sir, but it is very unlikely, especially if we run in +more to the shore; but you see, if we are fired at by the frigate, +it will never enter the minds of the Spaniards that we are anything +but what we seem and, if we like, we can anchor right under their +batteries, in the middle of their craft. It will be dark by the +time we get in, and we might take our pick of them." + +"That is a splendid idea, Bob! + +"This boy is getting too sharp for us, altogether, Joe. He is as +full of ideas as a ship's biscuit is of weevils. + +"Keep her off, helmsman. That will do." + +Again and again the frigate fired, but she was two miles away and, +though the shot went skipping over the water near the brig, none of +them struck her. The men, unable to understand why they were +running the gauntlet of the frigate's fire, looked inquiringly +towards the poop. + +"It is all right, lads," the captain said. "There is not much fear +of the frigate hitting us, and it is worth risking it. The +Spaniards on shore will never dream that we are English, and we can +bring up in the thick of them." + +There was a good deal of laughing and amusement, among the men, as +they understood the captain's motive in allowing the brig to be +made a target of. As she drew in towards shore the frigate's fire +ceased, and her course was changed off shore. + +"No nearer," the captain said to the helmsman. "Keep her a little +farther off shore. + +"There is not much water here, Joe," for a man had been heaving the +lead, ever since they had changed their course. "We have not got a +fathom under her keel. You see, the frigate did not like to come +any closer. She would have cut us off, if there had been deep water +right up." + +An hour later the brig dropped anchor off Cartagena, at little more +than a quarter of a mile from one of the batteries that guarded the +entrance to the port, and close to two or three of the craft that +had been first chased by the frigate. These, as they were going on +in the morning, had not entered the harbour with their consorts; +for it was already getting dusk. + +"Not much fear of their coming to ask any questions, this evening," +Joe Lockett said. "The Spaniards are not given to troubling +themselves unnecessarily and, as we are outside the port, we are no +one's business in particular." + +At this moment a hail came from the vessel anchored ahead of them. +Bob went to the bulwark. The brig had swung head to wind, and was +broadside on with the other craft. + +"You have not suffered from the fire of that accursed ship, I +hope?" the captain of the barque shouted. + +"No, senor; not a shot struck us." + +"You were fortunate. We were hulled twice, and had a man killed by +a splinter. + +"This is a rough welcome home to us. We have just returned from +Lima, and have heard nothing about the war till we anchored off +Alicante, yesterday. We heard some firing as we came through the +Straits; but thought it was only one of the ships, or forts, +practising at a mark. It was lucky we put in at Alicante; or we +should have had no suspicion, and should have let that frigate sail +up alongside of us, without trying to escape." + +"You were fortunate, indeed," Bob shouted back "We had, ourselves, +a narrow escape of being captured by a ship of war, near Malaga. +The Alonzo is only from Cadiz, with grain and olive oil." + +"Do you think there is any fear of that rascally Englishman trying +to cut us out with his boats, tonight?" + +"Not the slightest," Bob replied, confidently. "They would never +venture on that. Those batteries on shore would blow them out of +the water, and they would know very well they would not have a +shadow of chance of taking us out for, even if they captured us, +the batteries would send us to the bottom, in no time. Oh, no! you +are perfectly safe from the frigate, here." + +The Spanish captain raised his hat. Bob did the same, and both left +the side of their ships. + +"Well, what does he say, Bob?" the captain asked. + +"I think you are in luck this time, captain, and no mistake." + +"How is that, Bob?" + +"She is from Lima." + +"You don't say so!" the captain and Joe exclaimed, simultaneously. +"Then she is something like a prize. She has got hides, no doubt; +but the chances are she has a lot of lead, too, and maybe some +silver. + +"Ah! He is getting one of his boats in the water. I hope he is not +coming off here. + +"If he does, Joe, Bob must meet him at the gangway, and take him +into the cabin. As he comes in, you and I will catch him by the +throat, gag, and bind him; and then Bob must go and tell the men to +return to their ship, that the captain is going to spend the +evening with us, and that we will take him back in our boat." + +"That would be the best thing that could happen," Joe said, "for in +that way we could get alongside, without suspicion." + +"So we could, Joe. I didn't think of that. Yes, I hope he is +coming, now." + +They saw, however, the boat row to a large polacre lying next to +the Spaniard, on the other side. It remained there two or three +minutes, and then rowed away towards the mouth of the harbour. + +"Going to spend the evening on shore," the captain observed. "I am +not surprised at that. It is likely enough they have been six +months on their voyage from Lima. It is unlucky, though; I wish he +had come here. + +"Well, Bob, as you have got the best head among us, what scheme do +you suggest for our getting on board that craft?" + +"I think we could carry out Joe's idea, though in a different way," +Bob said. "I should say we had better get a boat out; and put, say, +twenty men on board. It is getting dark, but they might all lie +down in the bottom, except six oarsmen. Then we should pull in +towards the mouth of the harbour, just as they have done, and lay +up somewhere under the rocks for a couple of hours; then row off +again, and make for the barque. Of course, they would think it was +the captain returning. + +"Then ten of the men should spring on board, and they ought to be +able to silence any men on deck before they could give the alarm. +Directly the ten men got out, the boat would row across to the +polacre; as there is no doubt her captain went ashore with the +other. They would take her in the same way." + +"You ought to be made Lord High Admiral of the Fleet, Bob! That +will succeed, if anything will; only we must be sure to put off +again before the Spaniards do. + +"Well, Joe, you had better take charge of this expedition. You see, +however quietly it is done, there is almost sure to be some +shouting; and they will take the alarm at the batteries and, when +they make out three of us suddenly getting up sail, they will be +pretty certain that something is wrong, and will open fire on us. +That, of course, we must risk; but the thing to be really afraid of +is their gunboats. They are sure to have a couple of them in the +port. They may be some little time in getting out, but they will +come out." + +The wind has died away, now, but the land breeze is just springing +up; but we shall hardly get off before the gunboats can come to us. +They row a lot of oars, you know. You must clap on all sail, on the +prizes; and I shall hang behind a bit, and tackle the gunboats. You +will see what guns there are on board the prizes; and may, perhaps, +be able to lend me a hand; but that you will see. Of course you +will take Bob with you, to answer the hails from the two Spaniards. + +"Be careful when you bring up ashore. Let the men row very gently, +after they once get away, so as not to attract any attention. Let +them take cutlasses, but no pistols. If a shot were fired the +batteries would be sure, at once, there was some mischief going on. +A little shouting won't matter so much; it might be merely a +quarrel. Of course, the instant you are on board you will cut the +cables, and get up sail. + +"You will remain on board the barque, Joe. Bob will have command of +the party that attack the polacre. You had better take the jolly +boat, and pick out twenty active fellows. Tell them to leave their +shoes behind them; the less trampling and noise there is, the +better. Tell them not to use their cutlasses, unless driven to it. +There are not likely to be above four or five men on deck. They +ought to be able to knock them down, and bind them, almost before +they know what has happened." + +In a few minutes the boat was lowered, and manned, and rowed away +for the shore. As soon as they got well past the ships, the men +were ordered to row as quietly and noiselessly as possible. Joe had +brought with him six strips of canvas; and handed these to the men, +and told them to wrap them round the oars, so as to muffle them in +the rowlocks. + +This was done, and the boat glided along silently. Keeping in the +middle of the channel, they passed through the passage between the +shore and the rocky island that protects the harbour; and then, +sweeping round, stole up behind the latter and lay to, close to the +rocks. + +"So far, so good," Joe said, in a low voice. "I don't think the +sharpest eyes could have seen us. Now the question is, how long to +wait here. The longer we wait, the more of the Spaniards will have +turned into their bunks but, upon the other hand, there is no +saying how long the captains will remain on shore. + +"There is a heavy dew falling, and that will help to send the +sailors below. I should think an hour would be about the right +time. The Dons are not likely to be off again, before that. It is +some distance up the harbour to the landing place, and they would +hardly have taken the trouble to go ashore, unless they meant to +stay a couple of hours. + +"What time is it now, Bob?" + +Bob opened his watch case, and felt the hands. + +"It is just a quarter past nine." + +"Well, we will move at ten," Joe said. + +The three-quarters of an hour passed very slowly, and Bob consulted +his watch several times, before the minute hand got to twelve. + +"Ten o'clock," he said, at last. + +The oars had not been got in, so the boat glided off again, +noiselessly, out through the entrance. There were lights burning at +the sterns of the two Spanish ships, as a guide to the boat coming +off and, when the boat had traversed half the distance, Joe ordered +the oars to be unmuffled, and they rowed straight for the barque. +There was no hail at their approach, but a man appeared at the top +of the ladder. + +As the boat came alongside, ten of the men rose noiselessly from +the bottom of the boat, and followed the first mate up the ladder. +As he reached the top, Joe sprang on the Spanish sailor, and seized +him by the throat. The two sailors following thrust a gag into the +man's mouth, bound his arms, and laid him down. + +This was effected without the slightest noise. The other sailors +had, by this time, clambered up from the boat and scattered over +the deck. A group of seven or eight Spaniards were seated on the +deck, forward; smoking by the light of a lantern, which hung above +the fo'castle. They did not notice the approach of the sailors, +with their naked feet; and the latter sprang upon them, threw them +down, bound, and gagged them, without a sound--save a few short +exclamations of surprise being uttered. + +Illustration: They found the two Spanish mates playing at cards. + +Three or four of the sailors now coiled a rope against the +fo'castle door, to prevent its being opened. In the meantime Joe, +with two men, entered the cabin aft, where they found the two +Spanish mates playing at cards. The sudden apparition of three men, +with drawn cutlasses, took them so completely by surprise that they +were captured without any attempt at resistance; and were, like the +rest, bound and gagged. + +"You take the helm, Halkett," Joe said, and then hurried forward. + +"Have you got them all?" he asked, as he reached the fo'castle. + +"Every man Jack," one of the sailors said. + +"Is there nobody on watch in the bows?" + +"No, sir, not a man." + +"Very well. Now then, to work. + +"Cut the cable, Thompson. + +"The rest of you, let fall the sails." + +As these had only been loosely furled, when the vessel came to +anchor, this was done in a very short time; and the vessel began to +move through the water before the light breeze, which was dead aft. + +The capture of the polacre had not been effected so silently. Bob +had allowed the boatswain, who accompanied him, to mount the ladder +first; but the man at the top of the gangway had a lantern and, as +its light fell upon the sailor's face, he uttered an exclamation of +surprise; which called the attention of those on deck and, as the +sailors swarmed up the ladder, shouts of alarm were raised. But the +Spaniards could not withstand the rush of the English, who beat +them to the deck before they had time to seize their arms. + +The noise, however, alarmed the watch below; who were just pouring +up from the hatchway when they were attacked by the sailors with +drawn cutlasses, and were speedily beaten below, and the hatches +secured over them. Bob had posted himself, with two of the men, at +the cabin door; and as the officers rushed out, on hearing the +noise, they were knocked down and secured. As soon as this was +effected, Bob looked round over the side. + +"Hurrah!" he said, "the barque is under way already. Get the sails +on her, lads, and cut the cable." + +While this was being done Bob mounted the poop, placed one of the +sailors at the helm, and then turned his eyes towards the battery, +astern. He heard shouts, and had no doubt that the sound of the +scuffle had been heard. Then lights appeared in several of the +casements and, just as the sails were sheeted home, and the polacre +began to move through the water, a rocket whizzed up from the +battery, and burst overhead. By its light Bob saw the Antelope and +the Spanish barque, two or three hundred yards ahead; with their +crews getting up all sail, rapidly. + +A minute later, twelve heavy guns flashed out astern, one after +another. They were pointed too high, and the shot flew overhead, +one or two passing through the sails. The boatswain's voice was +heard, shouting: + +"Never mind the shot, lads! Look alive! Now then, up with those +topgallant sails! The quicker you get them up, the quicker we shall +be out of range!" + +Another battery, higher up, now opened fire; but the shot did not +come near them. Then rocket after rocket was sent up, and the +battery astern again fired. One of the shot cut away the +main-topsail yard; another struck the deck abreast of the foremast, +and then tore through the bulwarks; but the polacre was now making +good way. They felt the wind more, as they got farther from the +shore; and had decreased their distance from the craft ahead. + +The boatswain now joined Bob upon the poop. + +"We have got everything set that will draw, now," he said. "She is +walking along well. Another ten minutes and we shall be safe, if +they don't knock away a spar. + +"She is a fast craft, Mr. Repton. She is overhauling the other two, +hand over hand." + +"We had better bear away a bit, boatswain. The captain said we were +to scatter as much as we could, so as to divide their fire." + +"All right, sir!" and the boatswain gave the orders to the +helmsman, and slightly altered the trim of the sails. + +"I suppose we can do nothing with that broken yard, boatswain?" + +"No, sir; and it don't matter much, going pretty nearly before the +wind, as we are. The sails on the foremast draw all the better, so +it don't make much difference. + +"Look out, below!" he shouted, as there was a crash above; and the +mizzenmast was cut in sunder, by a shot that struck it just above +the topsail blocks; and the upper part came toppling down, striking +the bulwark and falling overboard. + +"Lay aft, lads, and out knives!" the boatswain shouted. "Cut away +the wreck! + +"It is lucky it wasn't two feet lower," he said to Bob, "or it +would have brought the topsail down; and that would have been a +serious loss, now the main-topsail is of no use." + +He sprang to assist the men, when a round shot struck him, and +almost carried off his head. Bob caught at the knife that fell from +his hand, and set to work with the men. + +"That is it, lads, cut away!" he shouted. "We sha'n't have many +more of them on board. We are a good mile away, now." + +Just as the work of getting rid of the wreck was accomplished, one +of the men said, as a rocket burst overhead: + +"There are two of their gunboats coming out of the harbour, sir." + +"We had better close with the others, then," Bob said. "The brig +will engage them, when they come up. We shall be well beyond reach +of the batteries, before they do. + +"Now, lads, see what guns she carries. Break open the magazine, and +get powder and ball up. We must lend the captain a hand, if we +can." + +The polacre mounted eight guns, all 14 pounders; and in a few +minutes these were loaded. The batteries continued to fire; but +their shooting was no longer accurate and, in another ten minutes, +ceased altogether. The craft had now closed to within hailing +distance of the brig. + +"Hallo, the polacre!" Captain Lockett shouted. "What damages?" + +"The boatswain is killed, sir," Bob shouted back, "and we have lost +two spars but, in spite of that, I think we are sailing as fast as +you." + +"What guns have you got?" + +"Eight fourteen-pounders, sir. We are loaded and ready." + +"Keep a little ahead of me," the captain shouted. "I am going to +shorten sail a bit. We have got to fight those gunboats." + +As he spoke, a heavy gun boomed out from the bow of one of the +gunboats, and the shot went skipping between the two vessels. +Directly after, the other gunboat fired, and the shot struck the +quarter of the brig. Then there was a creaking of blocks as the +sheets were hauled upon and, as the yards swung round, she came up +into the wind, and a broadside was fired at the two gunboats. Then +the helm was put down, and she payed off before the wind again. + +The gunboats ceased rowing, for a minute. The discharge had +staggered them, for they had not given the brig credit for carrying +such heavy metal. + +Then they began to row again. The swivel gun of the brig kept up a +steady fire on them. Two of the guns of the polacre had been, by +this time, shifted to the stern; and these opened fire, while the +first mate's crew on board the barque were also at work. A +fortunate shot smashed many of the oars of one of the gunboats and, +while she stopped rowing in disorder, the brig was again rounded to +and opened a steady fire, with her broadside guns, upon them. + +As the gunboats were now little more than a quarter of a mile away, +the effect of the brig's fire, aided by that of the two prizes, was +very severe and, in a short time, the Spaniards put round and rowed +towards the shore; while a hearty cheer broke from the brig, and +her prizes. + +There had been no more casualties on board the polacre, the fire of +the gunboats having been directed entirely upon the brig; as the +Spaniards knew that, if they could but destroy or capture her, they +would be able to recover the prizes. The polacre was soon brought +close alongside of the brig. + +"Have you suffered much, Captain Lockett?" + +"I am sorry to say we have had six men killed, and five wounded. We +have got a dozen shot in our stern. They were evidently trying to +damage the rudder but, beyond knocking the cabin fittings to +pieces, there is no more harm done than the carpenter can repair, +in a few hours' work. + +"You have not been hit again, have you?" + +"No, sir; none of their shots came near." + +"Well, examine the papers, and have a talk with the officers you +made prisoners, and then come on board to report. I shall want you +to go on board the barque with me, and see what she is laden with." + +Bob went below. The two Spanish mates were unbound. + +"I am sorry, senors," Bob said, "that we were obliged to treat you +rather roughly; but you see, we were in a hurry, and there was no +time for explanations. I shall be obliged if you will show me which +is the captain's cabin, and hand me over the ship's papers and +manifesto. What is her name?" + +"The Braganza." + +"Where are you from? And what do you carry?" + +"We are from Cadiz, and are laden principally with wine. We were +bound for Barcelona. + +"You took us in nicely, senor. Who could have dreamt that you were +English, when that frigate chased you under the guns of the +battery?" + +"She thought we were Spanish, as you did," Bob said. + +By this time the other Spaniard had brought the papers out of the +captain's cabin. Bob ran his eye down over the bill of lading, and +was well satisfied with the result. She contained a very large +consignment of wine. + +"I am going on board the brig," he said, as he put the papers +together. "I must ask you to give me your parole not to leave the +cabin, until I return. I do not know whether my captain wishes you +to remain here, or will transfer you to his own craft." + +"Well, Master Bob, what is your prize?" the captain asked. + +"It is a valuable one, sir. The polacre herself is, as I see by her +papers, only two years old, and seems a fine craft. She is laden +with wine, from Cadiz, to Barcelona." + +"Capital, Bob; we are in luck, indeed! How many prisoners have you +got?" + +"The crew is put down at eighteen, sir; and there are the two +mates." + +"You had better send them on board here, presently. Where are they +now?" + +"They are in the cabin, captain. They gave me their promise not to +leave it, till I return; but I put a man on sentry, outside, so as +to make sure of them." + +"Well, perhaps you had better go back again now; and we will shape +our course for Gibraltar, at once. All this firing would have +attracted the attention of any Spanish war vessel there might be +about. We must leave the barque's manifesto till the morning. + +"As you have lost the boatswain, I will send one of my best hands +back with you, to act as your first mate. He must get that topsail +yard of yours repaired, at once. It does not matter about the +mizzenmast, but the yard is of importance. We may meet with Spanish +cruisers, outside the Rock, and may have to show our heels." + +"Yes, I shall be glad of a good man, captain. You see, I know +nothing about it, and don't like giving any orders. It was all very +well getting on board, and knocking down the crew; but when it +comes to sailing her, it is perfectly ridiculous my giving orders, +when the men know that I don't know anything about it." + +"The men know you have plenty of pluck, Bob; and they know that it +was entirely due to your swimming off to that Spanish ship that we +escaped being captured, before; and they will obey you willingly, +as far as you can give them orders. Still, of course, you do want +somebody with you, to give orders as to the setting and taking in +of the sails." + +As soon as the last gun had been fired, the three vessels had been +laid head to wind but, when Bob's boat reached the side of the +polacre, they were again put on their course and headed southwest, +keeping within a short distance of each other. + +Bob's new first mate, an old sailor named Brown, at once set the +crew to work to get up a fresh spar, in place of the broken yard. +The men all worked with a will. They were in high spirits at the +captures they had made; and the news which Brown gave them, that +the polacre was laden with wine, assured to each of them a +substantial sum in prize money. + +Before morning the yard was in its place and the sail set and, +except for the shortened mizzen, and a ragged hole through the +bulwark, forward, the polacre showed no signs of the engagement of +the evening before. Two or three men were slung over the stern of +the brig; plugs had been driven through the shot holes and, over +these, patches of canvas were nailed, and painted black. + +Nothing, however, could be done with the sails, which were +completely riddled with holes. The crew were set to work to shift +some of the worst; cutting them away from the yards, and getting up +spare sails from below. Bob had put a man on the lookout, to give +him notice if any signal was made to him from the brig; which was a +quarter of a mile ahead of him, the polacre's topgallant sails +having been lowered after the main-topsail had been hoisted, as it +was found that, with all sail set, she sailed considerably faster +than the brig. + +Presently the man came aft, and reported that the captain was +waving his hat from the taffrail. + +"We had better get up the main-topgallant sail, Brown, and run up +to her," Bob said. + +The sail was soon hoisted and, in a quarter of an hour, they were +alongside the brig. + +"That craft sails like a witch," Captain Lockett said, as they came +abreast of him. + +"Yes, sir, she seems very fast." + +"It is a pity she is rigged as she is," the captain said. "It is an +outlandish fashion. If she were barque rigged, I should be tempted +to shift on board her. + +"We will leave the barque alone, at present, Mr. Repton. Our +curiosity must keep a bit. I don't want to lose any of this breeze. +We will keep right on, as long as it lasts. If it drops, we will +overhaul her." + +The barque was the slowest craft of the three, and Joe Lockett had +every stitch of canvas set, to enable him to keep up with the +others. At noon, a large craft was seen, coming off from the land. +Bob examined her with the telescope, and then handed the glass to +Brown. + +"She is a frigate," the sailor said. "It's the same that blazed +away at us, yesterday. It's the Brilliant, I think." + +"You are sure she is the same that chased us, yesterday?" + +"Quite sure." + +Captain Lockett was evidently of the same opinion, as no change was +made in the course he was steering. + +"We may as well speak the captain again," Bob said, and the polacre +closed again with the brig. + +"Brown says that is the same frigate that fired at us, yesterday, +Captain Lockett," Bob said, when they were within hailing distance. + +"Yes, there is no doubt about that. I don't want to lose time, or I +would stand out and try our speed with her." + +"Why, sir?" + +"Because I am afraid she will want to take some of our hands. Those +frigates are always short of hands. Still, she may not, as we have +got twelve men already away in a prize, and ten in each of these +craft." + +"I don't think you need be uneasy, sir. I know the captain of the +Brilliant, and all the officers. If you like, I will keep the +polacre on that side, so that they will come up to us first; and +will go on board, and speak to the captain. I don't think, then, he +would interfere with us." + +"Very well, Mr. Repton; we will arrange it so." + +The polacre had now taken its place to leeward of the other two +vessels, and they held on in that order until the frigate was +within half a mile; when she fired a gun across their bows, as +signal for them to heave to. The brig was now flying the British +colours; her prizes the British colours, with the Spanish +underneath them. At the order to heave to, they were all thrown up +into the wind. + +The frigate reduced her sail as she came up and, as she neared the +polacre, the order was shouted: + +"Send a boat alongside!" + +The boat was already prepared for lowering. Four seamen got into +her, and rowed Bob alongside the frigate. The first person he +encountered, as he stepped on to the deck, was Jim Sankey; who +stared at him in astonishment. + +"Hullo, Bob! What in the world are you doing here?" + +"I am in command of that polacre, Mr. Sankey," Bob replied. + +"Eh--what?" Jim stammered, in astonishment; when the captain's +voice from the quarterdeck came sharply down: + +"Now, Mr. Sankey, what are you waiting for? Bring that gentleman +here." + +Jim led the way up to the poop. + +Bob saluted. + +"Good morning, Captain Langton." + +"Why, it's Repton!" the captain exclaimed, in surprise. "Why, where +do you spring from, and what craft are these?" + +"I am in command, at present, sir, of the polacre; which, with the +barque, is a prize of the brig the Antelope, privateer." + +"But what are you doing on board, Repton? And how is it that you +are in command?" + +"Well, sir, I was out on a cruise in the Antelope. The second mate +was sent, with a prize crew, back to Gibraltar, in a craft we +picked up off Malaga. We cut out the other two prizes from under +the guns of Cartagena. The first mate was in command of the party +that captured the barque and, as there was no one else to send, the +captain put me in command of the party that captured the polacre." + +"But how on earth did you manage it?" the captain asked. "I see the +brig has been cut up a good deal, about the sails and rigging. You +don't mean to say that she sailed right into Cartagena? Why, they +would have blown her out of the water!" + +"We didn't go in, sir. We anchored outside the port. We were not +suspected, because one of His Majesty's frigates fired at us, as we +were going in; and the consequence was the Dons never suspected +that we were anything but a Spanish trader." + +"Why, you don't mean to say," the captain exclaimed, "that this was +the brig, flying Spanish colours, which we chased in under the guns +of Cartagena, yesterday?" + +"It is, sir," Bob said, smiling. "You did us a very good turn, +although your intentions were not friendly. We were under Spanish +colours, when you made us out; and it struck us that running the +gauntlet of your fire, for a little while, would be an excellent +introduction for us to the Spaniards. + +"So it proved. We brought up close to those other two vessels, and +I had a talk with the captain of one of them. The two captains both +went ashore, after dark; so we put twenty men into a boat, and +rowed in to the mouth of the port; waited there for a bit, and then +rowed straight out to the ships. They thought, of course, it was +their own officers returning; so we took them by surprise, and +captured them pretty easily. + +"Unfortunately there was some noise made, and they took the alarm +on shore. However, we were under way before the batteries opened. +It was rather unpleasant, for a bit, but we got safely out. Two +gunboats came out after us; but the brig beat them off, and we +helped as well as we could. The brig had five men killed, we had +one, and there are several wounded." + +"Well, it was a very dashing affair," the captain said; "very +creditable, indeed. I hope you will get a share of the prize +money." + +"I only count as a hand," Bob said, laughing; "and I am sure that +is as much as I deserve. + +"But here comes the captain, sir. He will tell you more about it." + +Captain Lockett now came on board; and Bob, seeing that he was not +farther required, went off with Jim down to the cockpit. The +captain had a long talk with Captain Lockett. When the latter had +related, in full, the circumstances of his capture of his two +prizes, he said: + +"There is a Spanish ship of war, sir, somewhere off Alicante, at +present. She is got up as a merchantman, and took us in thoroughly; +and we should probably have been caught, if it had not been for Mr. +Repton," and he then related how Bob had swum on board, and +discovered the supposed merchantman to be a ship of war. + +"Thank you, Captain Lockett. I will go in and have a look after +her. It is fortunate that you told me for, if I had seen her lying +at anchor, under the land, I might have sent some boats in to cut +her out; and might, as you nearly did, have caught a tartar. + +"He is an uncommonly sharp young fellow, that Repton. I offered him +a midshipman's berth here, when I first came out, but he refused +it. By what you say, he must be a good officer lost to the +service." + +"He would have made a good officer, sir; he has his wits about him +so thoroughly. It was his doing, our keeping the Spanish flag +flying when you came upon us. I had ordered the colours to be run +down, when he suggested our keeping them up, and running boldly in +to Cartagena." + +"I suppose you can't spare us a few hands, Captain Lockett?" + +"Well, sir, I shall be very short, as it is. You see, I have a +score away in a prize, I have had six killed, and some of the +wounded won't be fit for work, for some time; and I mean to take +these two prizes back with me, to England. They are both valuable, +and I should not get anything like a fair price for them, at +Gibraltar. I don't want to run the risk of their being picked up by +privateers, on the way back, so I shall convoy them; and I +certainly sha'n't have a man too many to fight my guns, when I have +put crews on board them." + +"No, I suppose not," the captain said. "Well, I must do without +them, then. + +"Now, as I suppose you want to be on your way, I will not detain +you any longer." + +Bob was sent for. + +"Captain Lockett has been telling me that you were the means of +preventing his getting into a nasty scrape, with that Spanish +man-of-war, Mr. Repton. I consider there is great credit due to +you. It is a pity you didn't come on to my quarterdeck." + +"I should not have got the chances then, sir," Bob said. + +"Well, no, I don't know that you would, lad; there is something in +that. + +"Well, goodbye. I shall write and tell the admiral all about it. I +know he will be glad to hear of your doings." + +A few minutes later, the privateer and her prizes were on their way +towards Gibraltar; while the frigate was standing inshore again, to +search for the Spanish ship of war. + + + +Chapter 12: A Rich Prize. + + +In the evening the wind died away, and the three vessels were +becalmed. Captain Lockett rowed to the polacre, and examined his +prize; and then, taking Bob in his boat, rowed to the barque. + +"Well, Joe, have you made out what you have got on board?" the +captain said, when he reached the deck. + +"No, sir. Neither of the officers can speak a word of English. I +have opened the hatches, and she is chock-full of hides; but what +there is, underneath, I don't know." + +"Come along, Bob, we will overhaul the papers," the captain said +and, going to the cabin, they examined the bill of lading. + +"Here it is, sir," Bob said, triumphantly. "Two hundred tons of +lead." + +"Splendid!" the captain exclaimed. "That is a prize worth having. +Of course, that is stowed away at the bottom; and then she is +filled up with hides, and they are worth a lot of money--but the +lead, alone, is worth six thousand pounds, at twenty pounds per +ton. + +"Is there anything else, Bob?" + +"Yes, sir. There are fifty boxes. It doesn't say what is in them." + +"You don't say so, Bob! Perhaps it is silver. Let us ask the +officers." + +The Spanish first mate was called down. + +"Where are these boxes?" Bob asked, "and what do they contain?" + +"They are full of silver," the man said, sullenly. "They are stowed +in the lazaretto, under this cabin." + +"We will have one of them up, and look into it," the captain said. + +"Joe, call a couple of hands down." + +The trapdoor of the lazaretto was lifted. Joe and the two sailors +descended the ladder and, with some difficulty, one of the boxes +was hoisted up. + +"That weighs over two hundredweight, I'm sure," Joe said. + +Illustration: They find Boxes of Silver in the Lazaretto. + +The box was broken open, and it was found to be filled with small +bars of silver. + +"Are they all the same size, Joe?" the captain asked. + +"Yes, as far as I can see." + +The captain took out his pocketbook, and made a rapid calculation. + +"Then they are worth between thirty-two and thirty-three thousand +pounds, Joe. + +"Why, lad, she is worth forty thousand pounds, without the hides or +the hull. That is something like a capture," and the two men shook +hands, warmly. + +"The best thing to do, Joe, will be to divide these boxes between +the three ships; then, even if one of them gets picked up by the +Spaniards or French, we shall still be in clover." + +"I think that would be a good plan," Joe agreed. + +"We will do it at once. There is nothing like making matters safe. +Just get into the boat alongside, and row to the brig; and tell +them to lower the jolly boat and send it alongside. We will get +some of the boxes up, by the time you are back." + +In an hour the silver was divided between the three ships; and the +delight of the sailors was great, when they heard how valuable had +been the capture. + +"How do you divide?" Bob asked Captain Lockett, as they were +watching the boxes lowered into the boat. + +"The ship takes half," he said. "Of the other half I take twelve +shares, Joe eight, the second mate six, the boatswain three, and +the fifty hands one share each. So you may say there are eighty +shares and, if the half of the prize is worth twenty thousand +pounds, each man's share will be two hundred and fifty. + +"It will be worth having, Bob; though it is a great shame you +should not rate as an officer." + +"I don't want the money," Bob laughed. "I should have no use for +it, if I had it. My uncle has taken me in hand, and I am provided +for." + +"Yes, I understand that," the captain said. "If it were not so, I +should have proposed to the crew that they should agree to your +sharing the same as the second officer. I am sure they would have +agreed, willingly; seeing that it is due to you that we were not +captured, ourselves, in the first place; and entirely to your +suggestion, that we should keep the Spanish flag flying and run +into Cartagena, that we owe the capture of the prizes." + +"Oh, I would much rather not, captain. I only came for a cruise, +and it has been a splendid one; and it seems to be quite absurd +that I should be getting anything at all. Still, it will be jolly, +because I shall be able to make Carrie and Gerald nice presents, +with my own money; and to send some home to Mr. Medlin and his +family, and something to uncle, too, if I can think of anything he +would like." + +"Yes, it is all very well, Bob, for you; but I feel that it is not +fair. However, as you really don't want the money, and are well +satisfied, we will say nothing more about it, now." + +The ships lay becalmed all night, but a brisk breeze from the east +sprang up in the morning and, at noon, the Rock was visible in the +distance. They held on for four hours; and then lay to, till after +midnight. After that sail was again made and, soon after daybreak, +they passed Europa Point, without having been seen by any of the +Spanish cruisers. They were greeted by a hearty cheer from the +vessels anchored near the new Mole, as they brought up amongst them +with the British flags flying, above the Spanish, on board the +prizes. + +As soon as the morning gun was fired, and the gates opened, Bob +landed and hurried up to his sister's. She and her husband were +just partaking of their early coffee. + +"Hallo, Bob!" Captain O'Halloran exclaimed. "What, back again? Why, +I didn't expect you for another fortnight. You must have managed +very badly, to have brought your cruise to an end, so soon." + +"Well, I am very glad you are back, Bob," his sister said. "I have +been fidgetting about you, ever since you were away." + +"I am as glad to see you as your sister can be," Gerald put in. "If +she has fidgetted, when you had only gone a week; you can imagine +what I should have to bear, before the end of a month. I should +have had to move into barracks. Life would have been insupportable, +here." + +"I am sure I have said very little about it, Gerald," his wife +said, indignantly. + +"No, Carrie, you have not said much, but your aspect has been +generally tragic. You have taken but slight interest in your fowls, +and there has been a marked deterioration in the meals. My remarks +have been frequently unanswered; and you have got into a Sister +Anne sort of way of going upon the roof, and staring out to sea. + +"Your sister is a most estimable woman, Bob--I am the last person +who would deny it--but I must admit that she has been a little +trying, during the last week." + +Carrie laughed. + +"Well, it is only paying you back a little, in your own coin, +Gerald. + +"But what has brought you back so soon, Bob? We heard of you, three +days ago; for Gerald went on board a brig that was brought in, as +he heard that it was a prize of the Antelope's; and the officer +told him about your cruise, up to when he had left you." + +"Well, there wasn't much to tell, up till then," Bob said, "except +that I was well, and my appetite was good. But there has been a +good lot, since. We have come in with two more good prizes, this +morning, and the brig is going to convoy them back to England." + +"Oh, that is all right," Carrie said in a tone of pleasure. + +So far, she had been afraid that Bob's return was only a temporary +one; and that he might be setting out again, in a day or two. + +"Well, let us hear all about it, Bob," her husband said. "I could +see Carrie was on thorns, lest you were going off again. Now that +she is satisfied, she may be able to listen to you, comfortably." + +"Well, we really had some adventures, Gerald. We had a narrow +escape from being captured by a Spanish ship of war, ever so much +stronger than we were. She was got up as a merchantman, and +regularly took us in. We anchored close to her, intending to board +her in the dark. I thought I would swim off and reconnoitre a bit, +before we attacked her; and, of course, I saw at once what she was, +and we cut our cable, and were towed out in the dark. She fired +away at us, but didn't do us any damage. + +"The next day, late in the afternoon, we came upon the Brilliant +chasing some Spanish craft into Cartagena and, as we had Spanish +colours up, she took us for one of them, and blazed away at us." + +"But why didn't you pull down the Spanish colours, at once, Bob? I +never heard of anything so silly," Carrie said, indignantly. + +"Well, you see, Carrie, they were some distance off, and weren't +likely to damage us much; and we ran straight in, and anchored with +the rest under the guns of the battery, outside Cartagena. Seeing +us fired at, of course, they never suspected we were English. Then, +at night, we captured the two vessels lying next to us, and put out +to sea. The batteries blazed away at us, and it was not very +pleasant till we got outside their range. They did not do us very +much damage. Two gunboats came out after us, but the brig beat them +back, and we helped." + +"Who were we?" Captain O'Halloran asked. + +"We were the prizes, of course. I was in command of one." + +"Hooray, Bob!" Gerald exclaimed, with a great laugh, while Carrie +uttered an exclamation of horror. + +"Well, you see, the second mate had been sent off in the first +prize, and there was only Joe Lockett and me; so he took the +biggest of the two ships we cut out, and the captain put me in +command of the men that took the other. I had the boatswain with me +and, of course, he was the man who really commanded, in getting up +the sails and all that sort of thing. He was killed by a shot from +the battery, and was the only man hit on our vessel; but there were +five killed, on board the brig, in the fight with the gunboats. + +"We fell in with the Brilliant, on the way back, and I went on +board; and you should have seen how Jim Sankey opened his eyes, +when I said that I was in command of the prize. They are awfully +good prizes, too, I can tell you. The one I got is laden with wine; +and the big one was a barque from Lima, with hides, and two hundred +tons of lead, and fifty boxes of silver--about thirty-three +thousand pounds' worth. + +"Just think of that! The captain said she was worth, altogether, at +least forty thousand pounds. That is something like a prize, isn't +it?" + +"Yes, that is. + +"What do you think, Carrie? I propose that I sell my commission, +raise as much as I can on the old place in Ireland, and fit out a +privateer. Bob will, of course, be captain; you shall be first +mate; and I will be content with second mate's berth; and we will +sail the salt ocean, and pick up our forty-thousand-pound prizes." + +"Oh, what nonsense you do talk, to be sure, Gerald! Just when Bob's +news is so interesting, too." + +"I have told all my news, Carrie. Now I want to hear yours. The +Spaniards haven't began to batter down the Rock, yet?" + +"We have been very quiet, Bob. On the 11th a great convoy, of about +sixty sail--protected by five xebecs, of from twenty to thirty guns +each--came along. They must have come out from Malaga, the very +night you passed there. They were taking supplies, for the use of +the Spanish fleet; and the privateers captured three or four small +craft; and the Panther, the Enterprise, and the Childers were kept +at their anchor, all day. Why, no one but the admiral could say. We +were all very much disappointed, for everyone expected to see +pretty nearly all the Spanish vessels brought in." + +"Yes," Captain O'Halloran said, "it has caused a deal of talk, I +can tell you. The navy were furious. There they were, sixty +vessels, all laden with the very things we wanted; pretty well +becalmed, not more than a mile off Europa Point, with our batteries +banging away at them; and nothing in the world to hinder the +Panther, and the frigates, from fetching them all in. Half the town +were out on the hill, and every soul who could get off duty at the +Point; and there was the admiral, wasting the whole mortal day in +trying to make up his mind. If you had heard the bad language that +was used in relation to that old gentleman, it would have made your +hair stand on end. + +"Of course, just as it got dark the ships of war started; and +equally, of course, the convoy all got away in the dark, except six +bits of prizes, which were brought in in the morning. We have +heard, since, that it was on purpose to protect this valuable fleet +that the Spanish squadron arrived, before you went away; but as it +didn't turn up, the squadron went off again, and we had nothing to +do but just to pick it up." + +After breakfast, Captain O'Halloran went off with Bob to the +Antelope. He found all hands busy, bending on sails in place of +those that had been damaged, taking those of the brig first +captured for the purpose. + +"They fit very well," Joe Lockett said, "and we have not time to +lose. We sail again, this afternoon. The captain says there is +nothing to prevent our going out, now; and as the Spanish squadron +may be back any day, we might have to run the gauntlet to get out, +if we lost the present chance. So he is not going to waste an hour. + +"Crofts has already sold the grain, and discharged it. The hull is +worth but little; and the captain has sold her, as she stands, to a +trader for two hundred pounds. I expect he has bought her to break +up for firewood, if the siege goes on. If it doesn't, he will sell +her again, afterwards, at a good profit. Of course, it is a +ridiculous price; but the captain wanted to get her off his hands, +and would have taken a ten pound note, rather than be bothered with +her. + +"So by tonight we shall be across at Ceuta and, if the wind holds +east but another day, we shall be through the Straits on our way +home. + +"They are going to shift two of our 18 pounders on board the +barque, and I am going to command her, and to have fifteen men on +board. Crofts commands the poleacre, with ten men. The rest, of +course, go in the brig. We shall keep together, and steer well out +west into the Atlantic, so as to give as wide a berth as possible +to Spaniards and Frenchmen. If we meet with a privateer, we ought +to be able to give a good account of him; if we run across a +frigate, we shall scatter; and it will be hard luck if we don't +manage to get two out of the three craft into port. + +"We have been shifting some more of the silver again, this morning, +from the barque into the other two vessels; otherwise, as she has +the lead on board, she would be the most valuable prize. As it is +now, the three are of about equal value." + +"Well, we wish you a pleasant voyage," Captain O'Halloran said. "I +suppose we shall see you back here again, before long." + +"Yes, I should think so; but I don't know what the captain means to +do. We have had no time to talk, this morning. I daresay you will +meet him, on shore; he has gone to the post office, to get his +papers signed. We have been quite pestered, this morning, by men +coming on board to buy wine out of the polacre; but the captain +wouldn't have the hatches taken off. The Spaniards may turn up, at +any moment; and it is of the greatest importance our getting off, +while the coast is clear. It is most unfortunate, now, that we did +not run straight in, yesterday; instead of laying to, to wait for +night." + +They did not meet the captain in the town and, from the roof, Bob +saw the three vessels get up sail, early in the afternoon, and make +across for the African coast. + +The doctor came in, in the evening. + +"Well, Bob, so I hear you have been fighting, and commanding ships, +and doing all sorts of things. I saw Captain Lockett in the town +and, faith, if you had been a dozen admirals, rolled into one, he +couldn't have spoken more highly of you. + +"It seems, Mrs. O'Halloran, that Bob has been the special angel who +has looked after poor Jack, on board the Antelope." + +"What ridiculous nonsense, doctor!" Bob exclaimed, hotly. + +"Not at all, Bob; it is too modest you are, entirely. It is +yourself is the boy who has done the business, this time; and it is +a silver tay service, or some such trifle as that, that the owners +will be sending you, and small blame to them. Captain Lockett tells +me he owns a third of the ship; and he reckons the ship's share of +what they have taken, this little cruise, won't be less than +five-and-twenty thousand. + +"Think of that, Mrs. O'Halloran, five-and-twenty thousand pounds! +And here is Edward Burke, M.D., working his sowl out, for a +miserable eight or ten shillings a day." + +"But what has Bob done?" + +"I hadn't time to learn it all, Mrs. O'Halloran, for the captain +was in a hurry. It seems to me that the question ought to be, what +is it that he hasn't done? + +"It all came in a heap, together, and I am not sure of the exact +particulars; but it seems to me that he swam out and cut the cable +of a Spanish sloop of war, and took the end in his mouth and towed +her out to sea, while the guns were blazing in all directions at +him. Never was such an affair! + +"Then he humbugged the captain of an English frigate, and the +commander of the Spanish forts, and stole a vessel chock full of +silver; and did I don't know what, besides." + +Bob went off into a shout of laughter, in which the others joined. + +"But what is the meaning of all this nonsense, Teddy?" Carrie +asked, as soon as she recovered her composure. "Is there anything +in it, or is it all pure invention?" + +"Is there anything in it? Haven't I been telling you that there is +twenty-five thousand pounds in it, to the owners, and as much more +to the crew; and didn't the captain vow and declare that, if it +hadn't been for Bob, instead of going home to divide all this +treasure up between them, every man Jack of them would be, at this +moment, chained by the leg in a dirty Spanish prison, at Malaga!" + +"Well, what does it all mean, Bob? There is no getting any sense +out of Dr. Burke." + +"It is exactly what I told you, Carrie. We anchored close to a +craft that we thought was a merchantman, and that we meant to +attack in our boats. I swam on board her in the dark--to see if +they were keeping a good watch, and that sort of thing--and when I +got on board, I found she was a ship of war, with a lot of heavy +guns, and prepared to take us by surprise when we attacked her; so +of course, when I swam back again with the news, Captain Lockett +cut his cable and towed the brig out in the dark. + +"As to the other affair that the doctor is talking about, I told +you that, too; and it is exactly as I said it was. The only thing I +had to do with it was that it happened to be my idea to keep the +Spanish colours flying, and let the frigate keep on firing at us. +The idea turned out well; but of course, if I had not thought of it +somebody else would, so there was nothing in it, at all." + +"Well, Bob, you may say what you like," Doctor Burke said, "but it +is quite evident that the captain thought there was a good deal in +it. + +"And I think really, Gerald, that you and Mrs. O'Halloran have good +reason to feel quite proud of him. I am not joking at all, when I +say that Captain Lockett really spoke as if he considered that the +good fortune they had had is very largely due to him. He said he +hoped he should have Bob on board for another cruise." + +"I certainly shall not go any more with him," Bob said, +indignantly, "if he talks such nonsense about me, afterwards. As if +there was anything in swimming two or three hundred yards, on a +dark night; or in suggesting the keeping a flag up, instead of +pulling it down." + +When the Brilliant, however, came in two days later, Captain +Langton called upon Mrs. O'Halloran; and told her that he did so in +order to acquaint her with the extremely favourable report Captain +Lockett had made, to him, of Bob's conduct; and that, from what he +had said, it was evident that the lad had shown great courage in +undertaking the swim to the Spanish vessel, and much promptness and +ready wit in suggesting the device that had deceived him, as well +as the Spaniards. + +Captain Langton told the story, that evening, at General Eliott's +dinner table; and said that although it was certainly a good joke, +against himself, that he should have thus assisted a privateer to +carry off two valuable prizes that had slipped through the +frigate's hands, the story was too good not to be told. Thus, Bob's +exploit became generally known among the officers of the garrison; +and Captain O'Halloran was warmly congratulated upon the sharpness, +and pluck, of his young brother-in-law. + +Captain Lockett's decision, to be off without any delay, was fully +justified by the appearance of a Spanish squadron in the bay, three +days after his departure. It consisted of two seventy-fours, two +frigates, five xebecs, and a number of galleys and small armed +vessels. The men-of-war anchored off Algeciras; while the rest of +the squadron kept a vigilant patrol at the mouth of the bay, and +formed a complete blockade. + +Towards the end of the month, the troops were delighted by the +issue of an order that the use of powder for the hair was, +henceforth, to be abandoned. + +Vessels were now continually arriving from Algeciras, with troops +and stores; and on the 26th the Spaniards began to form a camp, on +the plain below San Roque, three miles from the garrison. This +increased in size, daily, as fresh regiments arrived by land. + +Orders were now issued that all horses in the garrison, except +those whose owners had a store of at least one thousand pounds of +grain, were either to be shot or turned out through the gates. + +There was much excitement when two Dutch vessels, laden with rice +and dried fruit, made their way in at night through the enemy's +cruisers. Their cargoes were purchased for the troops; and these +vessels, and a Venetian that had also got through, carried off with +them a large number of Jewish, Genoese, and other traders, with +their families, to ports in Barbary or Portugal. Indeed, from this +time every vessel that went out carried away some of the +inhabitants. + +The position of these poor people was indeed serious. The standing +order on the Rock was that every inhabitant, even in time of peace, +should have in store six months' provisions; but the order had +never been enforced, and few of them had any supplies of +consequence. As they could not expect to be supplied from the +garrison stores, the greater number had no resource but to leave +the place. Some, however, who were better provided, obtained leave +to erect wooden huts at the southern end of the Rock, so as to have +a place of shelter to remove to, in case the enemy bombarded the +town. + +The Spaniards had, by this time, mounted their cannon in forts St. +Philip and St. Barbara. Vast quantities of stores were landed at +Point Mala, at the end of the bay. Some fifteen thousand men were +under canvas, in their camp; and strong parties were constantly +employed in erecting works near their forts. The garrison on their +side were continually strengthening and adding to their batteries, +erecting palisades and traverses, filling the magazines in the +works, and preparing for an attack; and on the 11th of September +some of the guns were opened upon the enemy's working parties and, +for a time, compelled them to desist. + +From the upper batteries on the Rock, a complete view was +obtainable of all the enemy's operations and, as they were seen to +be raising mortar batteries, preparations were made to diminish the +effects of a bombardment of the town. For this purpose the pavement +of the streets was removed, and the ground ploughed up; the towers +and most conspicuous buildings taken down; and traverses carried +across the streets, to permit communications to be carried on. + +Early in October the Engineers and Artillery managed, with immense +labour, to mount a gun on the summit of the Rock; and as, from this +point, an almost bird's-eye view was obtained of the Spanish works, +the fire of the gun annoyed them greatly at their work. This was +maintained, however, steadily but, in spite of this interference +with their operations, the Spaniards on the 20th of October opened +thirty-five embrasures, in three batteries, in a line between their +two forts. + +Provisions of every kind were now becoming very dear. Fresh meat +was from three to four shillings a pound, chickens twelve shillings +a couple, ducks from fourteen to eighteen. Fish was equally dear; +and vegetables hardly to be bought, at any price. Flour was running +very short, and rice was served out instead of it. + +On the 14th of November the privateer Buck, armed with twenty-four +9 pounders, was seen making into the bay. Two Spanish ships of the +line, a frigate, two xebecs, and twenty-one small craft set out to +intercept her. The cutter--seeing a whole Spanish squadron coming +out--tacked and stood across towards the Barbary shore, pursued by +the Spaniards. The wind was from the west; but the cutter, lying +close hauled, was able just to stem the current, and hold her +position; while the Spaniards, being square rigged and so unable to +stand near the wind, drifted bodily away to leeward with the +current; but the two men-of-war, perceiving what was happening, +managed to make back into the bay. + +As soon as the privateer saw the rest of the squadron drift away to +leeward, she again headed for the Rock. The Spanish admiral, +Barcelo, in a seventy-four gun ship, endeavoured to cut her +off--firing two broadsides of grape and round shot at her--but, +with the other man-of-war, was compelled to retire by the batteries +at Europa; and the cutter made her way in triumphantly, insultingly +returning the Spanish admiral's fire with her two little stern +guns. The Spanish men-of-war drifted away after their small craft; +and thus for the time the port was open again, thanks to the pluck +of the little privateer--which had, it was found on her arrival, +been some time at sea, and simply came in to get provisions. + +As it could be seen, from the African coast, that the port was again open, +two or three small craft came across, with bullocks and sheep. Four days +later--the wind veering round to the southward--Admiral Barcelo, with his +fleet, returned to the bay; and the blockade was renewed. + +Already, Captain O'Halloran and his wife had the most ample reasons +for congratulating themselves that they had taken Dr. Burke's +advice, in the matter of vegetables and fowls. The little garden on +the roof was the envy of all Carrie's female friends--many of whom, +indeed, began imitations of it, on a small scale. Under the hot +sun, and with careful watering, everything made astonishing +progress. The cutting of the mustard and cress had, of course, +begun in little more than a week from the time when the garden had +been completed, and the seeds sown. The radishes were fit for +pulling three weeks later and, as constant successions were sown, +they had been amply supplied with an abundance of salad and, each +morning, a trader in town came up and took all that they could +spare--at prices that would, before the siege began, have appeared +fabulous. + +Along the edge of the parapet, and trailing over almost to the +ground--covering the house in a bower of rich green foliage--the +melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins blossomed and fruited luxuriantly +and, for these, prices were obtained as high as those that the +fruit would fetch, in Covent Garden, when out of season. But as +melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins alike produce great quantities of +seed, by the end of the year they were being grown, on a +considerable scale, by all who possessed any facilities for +cultivating them. + +Later on, indeed, the governor--hearing, from the principal medical +officer, how successful Captain O'Halloran had been--issued an +order recommending all inhabitants to grow vegetables, and granting +them every facility for so doing. All who chose to do so were +allowed to fence in any little patches of earth they could +discover, among the rocks or on unused ground; and it was not long +before the poorer inhabitants spent much of their time in +collecting earth, and establishing little garden plots, or in doing +so for persons who could afford to pay for their labour. + +The poultry venture was equally satisfactory. Already a +considerable piece of rough and rocky ground, next to the garden, +had been enclosed; thereby affording a much larger run for the +fowls, and enabling a considerable portion of the garden to be +devoted to the young broods. The damaged biscuits had been sold at +a few shillings a ton and, at this price, Captain O'Halloran had +bought the whole of the condemned lot--amounting to about ten +tons--and there was, consequently, an ample supply of food for +them, for an almost indefinite time. After supplying the house +amply, there were at least a hundred eggs, a day, to sell; and +Carrie, who now took immense interest in the poultry yard, +calculated that they could dispose of ten couple a week, and still +keep up their number from the young broods. + +"The only thing you have to be afraid of is disease, Mrs. +O'Halloran," said the doctor, who was her greatest adviser; "but +there is little risk of that. Besides, you have only to hire one or +two lads, of ten or twelve years old; and then you can put them +out, when you like, from the farther inclosure, and let them wander +about." + +"But people don't generally watch fowls," Mrs. O'Halloran said. +"Surely they would come back, at night, to roost." + +"I have no doubt they would. When chickens are well fed, they can +be trusted to find their way home at night. But you must remember +that they are worth from twelve to fourteen shillings a couple, and +what with the natives, and what with soldiers off duty, you would +find that a good many would not turn up at all, unless they were +watched. A couple of boys, at sixpence a day each, would keep them +from straying too far, and prevent their being stolen, and would +relieve you of a lot of anxiety about them." + +So, after this, the fowls were turned out on to the Rock; where +they wandered about, narrowly watched by two native boys, and were +able to gather no small store of sustenance from the insects they +found among the rocks, or on the low shrubs that grew among them. + +Bob had, after his return from his cruise, fallen into his former +habits; spending two hours every morning with Don Diaz, and reading +for an hour or two in the evening with the doctor. It was now cool +enough for exercise and enjoyment, in the day; and there were few +afternoons when he did not climb up to the top of the Rock, and +watch the Spanish soldiers labouring at their batteries, and +wondering when they were going to begin to do something. + +Occasionally they obtained news of what was passing in the enemy's +lines, and the Spaniards were equally well informed of what was +going on in the fortress, for desertions from both sides were not +infrequent. Sometimes a soldier with the working parties, out in +the neutral ground, would steal away and make for the Spanish +lines; pursued by a musketry fire from his comrades, and saluted, +perhaps, with a round or two of shot from the batteries above. But +more frequently they made their escape from the back of the Rock, +letting themselves down by ropes; although at least half the number +who made the attempt were dashed to pieces among the precipices. + +The majority of the deserters belonged to the Hanoverian regiments, +but a good many British soldiers also deserted. In all cases these +were reckless men who, having been punished for some offence or +other, preferred risking death to remaining in the garrison. Some +were caught in the attempt; while several, by getting into places +where they could neither descend further nor return, were compelled +at last, by hunger and thirst, to shout for assistance--preferring +death by hanging to the slower agony of thirst. + +The deserters from the Spanish lines principally belonged to the +Walloon regiments in the Spanish service, or to regiments from +Biscaya and other northern provinces. The troops were raised on the +principle of our own militia, and objected strongly to service +outside their own provinces; and it was this discontent that gave +rise to their desertions to us. Some of them made their way at +night, from the works where they were employed, through the lines +of sentries. Others took to the water, either beyond Fort Barbara +or at the head of the bay, and reached our lines by swimming. + +Bob heartily congratulated himself, when he heard of the fate of +some of the deserters who tried to make their way down at the back +of the Rock, that he and Jim Sankey had not carried out their +scheme of descending there, in search of birds. By this time he had +come to know most of the young officers of the garrison and, +although the time passed without any marked events, he had plenty +of occupation and amusement. Sometimes they would get up fishing +parties and, although they could not venture very far from the +Rock, on account of the enemy's galleys and rowboats, they had a +good deal of sport; and fish were welcome additions to the food, +which consisted principally of salt rations--for Bob very soon +tired of a diet of chicken. + +There were some very heavy rains, in the last week of the year. +These, they learned from deserters, greatly damaged the enemy's +lines--filling their trenches, and washing down their banks. One +advantage was that a great quantity of wood, cork, and other +floating rubbish was washed down, by the rain, into the two rivers +that fell into the bay and, as the wind was from the south, this +was all blown over towards the Rock; where it was collected by +boats, affording a most welcome supply of fuel, which had been, for +some time, extremely scarce. + +On the 8th of January a Neapolitan polacre was driven in under the +guns, by the wind from the other side of the bay, and was obliged +to drop anchor. Six thousand bushels of barley were found on board +her, which was of inestimable value to the inhabitants, who were +now suffering extremely; as were also the wives and children of the +soldiers, whose rations--scanty for one--were wholly insufficient +for the wants of a family. Fowls had now risen to eighteen +shillings a couple, eggs were six pence each, and small cabbages +fetched eighteen pence. + +On the 12th the enemy fired ten shots into the town from Fort Saint +Philip; causing a panic among the inhabitants, who at once began to +remove to their huts at the other end of the Rock. A woman was +wounded by a splinter of stone from one of the houses, being the +first casualty that had taken place through the siege. The next day +the admiral gave orders to the men-of-war that they should be in +readiness, in case a convoy appeared, to afford protection to any +ships that might attempt to come in. This order caused great joy +among the garrison and inhabitants, as it seemed to signify that +the governor had received information, in some manner, that a +convoy was on its way out to relieve the town. + +Two days later a brig, that was seen passing through the Straits to +the east, suddenly changed her course and made for the Rock and, +although the enemy tried to cut her off, she succeeded in getting +into port. The welcome news soon spread that the brig was one of a +large convoy that had sailed, late in December, for the relief of +the town. She had parted company with the others in the Bay of +Biscay and, on her way, had seen a Spanish squadron off Cadiz, +which was supposed to be watching for the convoy. This caused much +anxiety; but on the 16th a brig laden with flour arrived, with the +news that Sir George Rodney had captured, off the coast of +Portugal, six Spanish frigates, with seventeen merchantmen on their +way from Bilbao to Cadiz; and that he had with him a fleet of +twenty-one sail of the line, and a large convoy of merchantmen and +transports. + +The next day one of the prizes came in, and the midshipman in +charge of her reported that, when he had left the convoy on the +previous day, a battle was going on between the British fleet and +the Spanish squadron. Late in the evening the convoy was in sight; +and the Apollo, frigate, and one or two merchantmen got in, after +dark, with the news that the Spaniards had been completely +defeated--their admiral's flagship, with three others, captured; +one blown up in the engagement, another driven ashore, and the rest +dispersed. + +The preparations for relieving the town had been so well concealed +that the Spaniards had believed that the British men-of-war were +destined for the West Indies, and had thought that the merchantmen +would have fallen easy prizes to their squadron, which consisted of +eleven men-of-war. + + + +Chapter 13: Oranges And Lemons. + + +There was great anxiety in Gibraltar that night, for the wind was +very light and from the wrong direction and, in the morning, it was +seen that the greater portion of the convoy had drifted far away to +the east. Soon after noon, however, the Edgar managed to get in +with the Spanish admiral's flagship--the Phoenix, of eighty +guns--and in the evening the Prince George, with eleven or twelve +ships, worked in round Europa Point; but Admiral Rodney, with the +main body of the fleet and the prizes, was forced to anchor off +Marbella--a Spanish town--fifteen leagues east of Gibraltar. It was +not until seven or eight days later that the whole of the fleet and +convoy arrived in the port. + +On the 29th a transport came in with the 2nd battalion of the 73rd +Regiment, with 944 rank and file. A large number of heavy cannon, +from the prizes, were landed; and several hundreds of barrels of +powder, in addition to those brought out with the convoy. Great +stores of salt provisions and supplies of flour had been brought +out but, unfortunately, little could be done towards providing the +garrison with a supply of fresh meat. Had Admiral Rodney been able +to remain with his fleet at Gibraltar, supplies could have been +brought across from the African coast; but the British fleet was +required elsewhere, and the relief afforded was a temporary one. +The garrison was, however, relieved by a large number of the +soldiers' wives and children being put on board the merchantmen, +and sent home to England. Many of the poor inhabitants were also +taken, either to Barbary or Portugal. + +While the fleet was in port, the Spanish blockading squadron was +moored close under the guns of Algeciras; and booms were laid round +them, to prevent their being attacked by the boats of the British +fleet. An opportunity was taken, of the presence of the Spanish +admiral in Gibraltar, to arrange for an exchange of prisoners; and +on the 13th of February the fleet sailed away, and the blockade was +renewed by the Spaniards. + +After the departure of the fleet, many months passed monotonously. +The enemy were ever increasing and strengthening their works, which +now mounted a great number of cannon; but beyond an occasional +interchange of a few shots, hostilities were carried on languidly. +The enemy made two endeavours to burn the British vessels, anchored +under the guns of the batteries, by sending fire ships down upon +them; but the crews of the ships of war manned the boats and, going +out to meet them, towed them ashore; where they burned out without +doing damage, and the hulls, being broken up, afforded a welcome +supply of fuel. + +The want of fresh meat and vegetables operated disastrously upon +the garrison. Even before the arrival of the relieving fleet, +scurvy had shown itself; and its ravages continued, and extended, +as months went on. The hospitals became crowded with sufferers--a +third of the force being unfit for any duty--while there were few +but were more or less affected by it. + +As soon as it became severe, Captain O'Halloran and his wife +decided to sell no more vegetables; but sent the whole of their +supply, beyond what was needed for their personal consumption, to +the hospitals. + +During these eight months, only a few small craft had managed to +elude the vigilance of the enemy's cruisers and, frequently, for +many weeks at a time, no news of any kind from without reached the +besieged. The small supplies of fresh meat that had, during the +early part of the siege, been brought across in small craft from +Barbary, had for some time ceased altogether; for the Moors of +Tangiers had, under pressure of the Spaniards, broken off their +alliance with us and joined them and, in consequence, not only did +supplies cease to arrive, but English vessels entering the Straits +were no longer able to anchor, as they had before done, under the +guns of the Moorish batteries for protection from the Spanish +cruisers. + +Several times there were discussions between Bob, his sister, and +Captain O'Halloran as to whether it would not be better for him to +take the first opportunity that offered of returning to England. +Their argument was that he was wasting his time, but to this he +would not at all agree. + +"I am no more wasting it, here, than if I were in Philpot Lane," he +said. "It will be plenty of time for me to begin to learn the +routine of the business, when I am two or three and twenty. Uncle +calculated I should be four years abroad, learning the languages +and studying wines. Well, I can study wines at any time; besides, +after all, it is the agents out here that choose them. I can speak +Spanish, now, like a native, and there is nothing further to be +done in that way; I have given up lessons now with the doctor, but +I get plenty of books from the garrison library, and keep up my +reading. As for society, we have twenty times as much here, with +the officers and their families, as I should have in London; and I +really don't see there would be any advantage, whatever, in my +going back. + +"Something must be done here, some day. And after all, the siege +does not make much difference, in any way, except that we don't get +fresh meat for dinner. Everything goes on just the same only, I +suppose, in peace time we should make excursions, sometimes, into +Spain. The only difference I can make out is that I am able to be +more useful to you, now, with the garden and poultry, than I could +have been if there had been no siege." + +There was indeed no lack of society. The O'Hallorans' was perhaps +the most popular house on the Rock. They were making quite a large +income from their poultry, and spent it freely. Presents of eggs, +chicken, and vegetables were constantly being sent to all their +friends, where there was any sickness in the family; and as, even +at the high prices prevailing, they were able to purchase supplies +of wine, and such other luxuries as were obtainable, they kept +almost open house and, twice a week, had regular gatherings with +music; and the suppers were vastly more appreciated, by their +guests, than is usually the case at such entertainments. + +Early in September, when scurvy was still raging, the doctor was, +one day, lamenting the impossibility of obtaining oranges and +lemons. + +"It makes one's heart ache," he said, "to see the children suffer. +It is bad enough that strong men should be scarcely able to crawl +about; but soldiers must take their chances, whether they come from +shot or from scurvy; but it is lamentable to see the children +fading away. We have tried everything--acids and drugs of all +sorts--but nothing does any good. As I told you, I saw the scurvy +on the whaling trip I went, and I am convinced that nothing but +lemon juice, or an absolutely unlimited amount of vegetables, will +do any good." + +A week previously, a small privateer had come in with some +mailbags, which she had brought on from Lisbon. Among them was a +letter to Bob from the owners of the Antelope. It had been written +months before, after the arrival of the brig and her two prizes in +England. It said that the two vessels and their cargoes had been +sold, and the prize-money divided; and that his share amounted to +three hundred and thirty-two pounds, for which sum an order upon a +firm of merchants at Gibraltar was inclosed. The writers also said +that, after consultation with Captain Lockett, from whom they had +heard of the valuable services he had rendered, the owners of the +Antelope had decided--as a very small mark of their appreciation, +and gratitude--to present him with a service of plate, to the value +of five hundred pounds, and in such form as he might prefer on his +return to England. + +He had said nothing to his sister of this letter, as his intention +was to surprise her with some present. But the doctor's words now +determined him to carry into effect an idea that had before +occurred to him, upon seeing so many sickly children among the +families of the officers of their acquaintance. + +"Look here, doctor," he said, "I mean to go out and try and get a +few boxes of oranges and lemons; but mind, nobody but you and I +must know anything about it." + +"How on earth do you mean to do it, Bob?" + +"Well, I have not settled, yet; but there can't be any difficulty +about getting out. I might go down to the Old Mole, and swim from +there to the head of the bay; or I might get some of the fishermen +to go round the point, and land me to the east, well beyond the +Spanish lines." + +"You couldn't do that, Bob; there is too sharp a lookout kept on +the batteries. No craft is allowed to go any distance from the +Rock, as they are afraid of the Spaniards learning the state to +which we are reduced, by illness. If you did swim to the head of +the bay, as you talk about, you would be certain to be captured at +once, by the Spaniards; and in that case you would, as likely as +not, be shot as a spy." + +"Still, deserters do get out, you know, doctor. There is scarcely a +week that two or three don't manage to get away. I mean to try, +anyhow. If you like to help me, of course it will make it easier; +if not, I shall try by myself." + +"Gerald and your sister would never forgive me, if anything +happened to you, Bob." + +"There is no occasion for them to know anything about it. Anyhow, I +shall say nothing to them. I shall leave a note behind me, saying +that I am going to make an attempt to get out, and bring back a +boat full of oranges and lemons. I am past seventeen, now; and am +old enough to act for myself. I don't think, if the thing is +managed properly, there is any particular risk about it. I will +think it over, by tomorrow, and tell you what plan I have fixed +on." + +On the following day, Bob told the doctor that there were two +plans. + +"The first is to be lowered by a rope, down at the back of the +Rock. That is ever so much the simplest. Of course, there is no +difficulty about it if the rope is long enough. Some of the +deserters have failed because the rope has been too short, but I +should take care to get one long enough. The only fear is the +sentries; I know that there are lots of them posted about there, on +purpose to prevent desertion." + +"Quite so, Bob; and no one is allowed to go along the paths after +dark, except on duty." + +"Yes. + +"Well, the other plan is to go out with the party that furnishes +the sentries, down on the neutral ground; choose some dark night, +manage to get separated from them, as they march out, and then make +for the shore and take to the water. Of course, if one could +arrange to have the officer with the party in the secret, it would +make it easy enough." + +"It might be done, that way," the doctor said, thoughtfully. "Have +you quite made up your mind to do this thing, Bob?" + +"I have quite made up my mind to try, anyhow." + +"Well, if you mean to try, Bob, it is just as well that you +shouldn't get shot, at the start. I have just been round to the +orderly room. Our regiment furnishes the pickets on the neutral +ground, tonight. Captain Antrobus commands the party. He is a good +fellow and, as he is a married man, and all four of his children +are bad with scurvy, he would feel an interest in your attempt. + +"You know him as well as I do. If you like, I will go with you to +his quarters, and see what we can do with him." + +They at once set out. + +"Look here, Antrobus," the doctor said, after asking that officer +to come out for a chat with him, "if we don't get some lemon juice, +I am afraid it will go very hard with a lot of the children." + +"Yes, we have known that for some time, doctor." + +"Well, Repton here has made up his mind to try to get out of the +place, and make his way to Malaga, and get a boatload of fruit and +try to bring it in. Of course he will go dressed as a native, and +he speaks Spanish well enough to pass anywhere, without suspicion. +So, once beyond the lines, I don't see much difficulty in his +making his way to Malaga. Whether he will get back again is another +matter, altogether. That is his business. He has plenty of money to +purchase the fruit, when he arrives there; and to buy a boat, and +all that sort of thing. + +"The difficulty is in getting out. Now, nobody is going to know how +he does this, except our three selves." + +"But why do you come to me, Burke?" + +"Because you command the guard, tonight, on the neutral ground. +What he proposes is that he should put on a soldier's greatcoat and +cap, and take a firelock and, in the dark, fall in with your party. +When you get well out on the neutral ground, he could either slip +away and take his chance or, what would be better still, he might +be in the party you take forward to post as sentries, and you could +take him along with you, so that he would go with you as far as the +shore; and could then slip away, come back a bit, so as to be out +of sight of the farthest sentry, and then take to the water. + +"He can swim like a fish, and what current there is will be with +him; so that, before it began to be light, he could land two or +three miles beyond the Spanish lines. He is going to leave a note +behind, for O'Halloran, saying he has left; but no one will know +whether he got down at the back of the Rock, or swam across the +bay, or how he has gone. + +"I have tried to dissuade him; but he has made up his mind to try +it and, seeing that--if he succeeds--it may save the lives of +scores of children, I really cannot refuse to help him." + +"Well, I don't know," Captain Antrobus said. "There certainly does +not seem much risk in his going out, as you say. I should get a +tremendous wigging, no doubt, if he is discovered, and it was known +that I had a hand in it; but I would not mind risking that, for the +sake of the children. + +"But don't take a firelock, Repton. The sergeants would be sure to +notice that there was an extra man. You had better join us, just as +we set out. I will say a word or two to you, then do you follow on, +in the dark. The men will suppose you are one of the drummers I am +taking with me, to serve as a messenger, or something of that sort. +That way you can follow close behind me, while I am posting the +sentries after leaving the main body at the guardhouse. After +posting the last man at the seashore, I can turn off with you for a +few yards, as if giving you an order. + +"Then I will go back and stay for a time with the last sentry, who +will naturally think that the drummer has been sent back to the +guardhouse. I will recommend him to be vigilant, and keep by him +for some time, till I am pretty sure you have taken to the water +and swam past; so that if the sentry should hear a splash, or +anything, I can say it can only be a fish; and that, at any rate, +it would not do to give an alarm, as it cannot be anything of +consequence. + +"You see, you don't belong to the garrison, and it is no question +of assisting a deserter to escape. Anyhow, I will do it." + +Thanking Captain Antrobus greatly, for his promise of assistance, +Bob went off into the town; where he bought a suit of Spanish +clothes, such as would be appropriate for a small farmer or trader. +He then presented his letter of credit at the merchant's, and drew +a hundred pounds, which he obtained in Spanish gold. This money and +the clothes he put in an oilskin bag, of which the mouth was +securely closed. This he left at the doctor's. + +As soon as it became dark he went down again. The doctor had a +greatcoat and hat in readiness for him--there being plenty of +effects of men who had died in the hospital--and as soon as Bob had +put them on, walked across--with Bob following him--to the spot +where Captain Antrobus' company were falling in. Just as they were +about to march, the doctor went up to the captain; who after a word +or two with him said to Bob, in a voice loud enough to be heard by +the noncommissioned officer, close to him: + +"Well, you will keep by me." + +The night was a dark one, and the party made their way down to the +gate, where the passwords were exchanged; and the company then +moved along by the narrow pathway between the artificial inundation +and the foot of the Rock. They continued their way until they +arrived at the building that served as the main guard of the +outlying pickets. Here two-thirds of the company were left; and the +captain led the others out, an officer belonging to the regiment +whose men he was relieving accompanying him. As the sentries were +posted the men relieved fell in, under the orders of their officer +and, as soon as the last had been relieved, they marched back to +the guardhouse. + +A minute later, Captain Antrobus turned to Bob. + +"You need not wait," he said. "Go back to the guardhouse. Mind how +you go." + +Bob saluted and turned off, leaving the officer standing by the +sentry. He went some distance back, then walked down the sand to +the water's edge, and waded noiselessly into the water. The oilskin +bag was, he knew, buoyant enough to give him ample support in the +water. + +When he was breast deep, he let his uniform cloak slip off his +shoulders; allowed his shoes to sink to the bottom, and his +three-cornered hat to float away. The doctor had advised him to do +this. + +"If you leave the things at the edge of the water, Bob, it will be +thought that somebody has deserted; and then there will be a lot of +questions, and inquiries. You had better take them well out into +the sea with you, and then let them go. They will sink, and drift +along under water and, if they are ever thrown up, it will be far +beyond our lines. In that way, as the whole of the guard will +answer to their names, when the roll is called tomorrow, no one +will ever give a thought to the drummer who fell in at the last +moment; or, if one of them does think of it, he will suppose that +the captain sent him into the town, with a report." + +The bag would have been a great encumbrance, had Bob wanted to swim +fast. As it was, he simply placed his hands upon it, and struck out +with his feet, making straight out from the shore. This he did for +some ten minutes; and then, being certain that he was far beyond +the sight of anyone on shore, he turned and, as nearly as he could, +followed the line of the coast. The voices of the sentries calling +to each other came across the sea, and he could make out a light or +two in the great fort at the water's edge. + +It was easy work. The water was, as nearly as possible, the +temperature of his body; and he felt that he could remain for any +time in it, without inconvenience. The lights in the fort served as +a mark by which he could note his progress; and an hour after +starting he was well abreast of them, and knew that the current +must be helping him more than he had expected it would do. + +Another hour, and he began to swim shorewards; as the current +might, for aught he knew, be drifting him somewhat out into the +bay. When he was able to make out the dark line ahead of him, he +again resumed his former course. It was just eight o'clock when the +guard had passed through the gate. He had started half an hour +later. He swam what seemed to him a very long time, but he had no +means of telling how the time passed. + +When he thought it must be somewhere about twelve o'clock, he made +for the shore. He was sure that, by this time, he must be at least +three miles beyond the fort; and as the Spanish camps lay +principally near San Roque, at the head of the bay, and there were +no tents anywhere by the seashore, he felt sure that he could land, +now, without the slightest danger. + +Here, then, he waded ashore, stripped, tied his clothes in a +bundle, waded a short distance back again, and dropped them in the +sea. Then he returned, took up the bag, and carried it up the sandy +beach. Opening it, he dressed himself in the complete set of +clothes he had brought with him, put on the Spanish shoes and round +turned-up hat, placed his money in his pocket; scraped a shallow +hole in the sand, put the bag in it and covered it, and then +started walking briskly along on the flat ground beyond the sand +hills He kept on until he saw the first faint light in the sky; +then he sat down among some bushes, until it was light enough for +him to distinguish the features of the country. + +Inland, the ground rose rapidly into hills--in many places covered +with wood--and half an hour's walking took him to one of these. +Looking back, he could see the Rock rising, as he judged, from +twelve to fourteen miles away. He soon found a place with some +thick undergrowth and, entering this, lay down and was soon sound +asleep. + +When he woke it was already late in the afternoon. He had brought +with him, in the bag, some biscuits and hardboiled eggs; and of a +portion of these he made a hearty meal. Then he pushed up over the +hill until, after an hour's walking, he saw a road before him. This +was all he wanted, and he sat down and waited until it became dark. +A battalion of infantry passed along as he sat there, marching +towards Gibraltar. Two or three long lines of laden carts passed +by, in the same direction. + +He had consulted a map before starting, and knew that the distance +to Malaga was more than twenty leagues; and that the first place of +any importance was Estepona, about eight leagues from Gibraltar, +and that before the siege a large proportion of the supplies of +fruit and vegetables were brought to Gibraltar from this town. +Starting as soon as it became dark, he passed through Estepona at +about ten o'clock; looked in at a wine shop, and sat down to a pint +of wine and some bread; and then continued his journey until, +taking it quietly, he was in sight of Marbella. + +He slept in a grove of trees until daylight, and then entered the +town, which was charmingly situated among orange groves. Going into +a fonda--or tavern--he called for breakfast. When he had eaten +this, he leisurely strolled down to the port and, taking his seat +on a block of stone, on the pier, watched the boats. As, while +walking down from the fonda, he had passed several shops with +oranges and lemons, it seemed to him that it would in some respects +be better for him to get the fruit here, instead of going on to +Malaga. + +In the first place, the distance to return was but half that from +Malaga; and in the second it would probably be easier to get out, +from a quiet little port like this, than from a large town like +Malaga. The question which puzzled him was how was he to get his +oranges on board. Where could he reasonably be going to take them? + +Presently, a sailor came up and began to chat with him. + +"Are you wanting a boat, senor?" + +"I have not made up my mind, yet," he said. "I suppose you are busy +here, now?" + +"No, the times are dull. Usually we do a good deal of trade with +Gibraltar but, at present, that is all stopped. It is hard on us +but, when we turn out the English hereticos, I hope we shall have +better times than ever. But who can say? They have plenty of money, +the English; and are ready to pay good prices for everything." + +"But I suppose you take things to our camp?" + +The fisherman shook his head. + +"They get their supplies direct from Malaga, by sea. There are many +carts go through here, of course; but the roads are heavy, and it +is cheaper to send things by water. If our camp had been on the +seashore, instead of at San Roque, we might have taken fish and +fruit to them; but it is a long way across and, of course, in small +boats we cannot go round the great Rock, and run the risk of being +shot at or taken prisoners. + +"No; there is nothing for us to do here, now, but to carry what +fish and fruit we do not want at Marbella across to Malaga; and we +get poor prices, there, to what we used to get at Gibraltar; and no +chance of turning an honest penny by smuggling away a few pounds of +tobacco, as we come back. There was as much profit, in that, as +there was in the sale of the goods; but one had to be very sharp, +for they were always suspicious of boats coming back from there, +and used to search us so that you would think one could not bring +so much as a cigar on shore. But you know, there are ways of +managing things. + +"Are you thinking of going across to Malaga, senor?" + +"Well, I have a little business there. I want to see how the new +wines are selling; and whether it will be better for me to sell +mine, now, or to keep them in my cellars for a few months. I am in +no hurry. Tomorrow is as good as today. If there had been a boat +going across, I might have taken a passage that way, instead of +riding." + +"I don't know, senor. There was a man asking, an hour ago, if +anyone was going. He was wanting to take a few boxes of fruit +across, but he did not care about hiring my boat for himself. That, +you see, was reasonable enough; but if the senor wished to go, too, +it might be managed if you took the boat between you. I would carry +you cheaply, if you would be willing to wait for an hour or two; so +that I could go round to the other fishermen, and get a few dozen +fish from one and a few dozen from another, to sell for them over +there. That is the way we manage." + +"I could not very well go until the afternoon," Bob said. + +"If you do not go until the afternoon, senor, it would be as well +not to start until evening. The wind is very light, and we should +have to row. If you start in the afternoon, we should get to Malaga +at two or three o'clock in the morning, when everyone was asleep; +but if you were to start in the evening, we should be in in +reasonable time, just as the people were coming into the markets. +That would suit us for the sale of our fish, and the man with his +fruit. The nights are warm and, with a cloak and an old sail to +keep off the night dew, the voyage would be more pleasant than in +the heat of the day." + +"That would do for me, very well," Bob said. "Nothing could be +better. What charge would you make, for taking me across and +bringing me back, tomorrow?" + +"At what time would you want to return, senor?" + +"It would matter little. I should be done with my business by noon, +but I should be in no hurry. I could wait until evening, if that +would suit you better." + +"And we might bring other passengers back, and any cargo we might +pick up?" + +"Yes, so that you do not fill the boat so full that there would be +no room for me to stretch my legs." + +"Would the senor think four dollars too much? There will be my +brother and myself, and it will be a long row." + +"It is dear," Bob said, decidedly; "but I will give you three +dollars and, if everything passes to my satisfaction, maybe I will +make up the other dollar." + +"Agreed, senor. I will see if I can find the man who was here, +asking for a boat for his fruit." + +"I will come back in an hour, and see," Bob said, getting up and +walking leisurely away. + +The fisherman was waiting for him. + +"I can't find the man, senor, though I have searched all through +the town. He must have gone off to his farm again." + +"That is bad. How much did you reckon upon making from him?" + +"I should have got another three dollars from him." + +"Well, I tell you what," Bob said; "I have a good many friends, and +people are always pleased with a present from the country. A box of +fruit from Marbella is always welcome, for their flavour is +considered excellent. It is well to throw a little fish, to catch a +big one; and a present is like oil on the wheels of business. How +many boxes of fruit will your boat carry? I suppose you could take +twenty, and still have room to row?" + +"Thirty, sir; that is the boat," and he pointed to one moored +against the quay. + +She was about twenty feet long, with a mast carrying a good-sized +sail. + +"Very well, then. I will hire the boat for myself. I will give you +six dollars, and another dollar for drink money, if all goes +pleasantly. You must be ready to come back, tomorrow evening; or +the first thing next morning, if it should suit you to stay till +then. You can carry what fish you can get to Malaga, and may take +in a return cargo if you can get one. That will be extra profit for +yourselves. But you and your brother must agree to carry down the +boxes of fruit, and put them on board here. I am not going to pay +porters for that. + +"At what time will you start?" + +"Shall we say six o'clock, senor?" + +"That will suit me very well. You can come up with me, now, and +bring the fruit down, and put it on board; or I will be down here +at five o'clock, and you can go up and get it, then." + +The man thought for a moment. + +"I would rather do it now, senor, if it makes no difference to you. +Then we can have our evening meals at home with our families, and +come straight down here, and start." + +"Very well; fetch your brother, and we will set about the matter at +once; as I have to go out to my farm and make some arrangements, +and tell them they may not see me again for three days." + +In two or three minutes the fisherman came back, with his brother. +Bob went with them to a trader in fruit, and bought twenty boxes of +lemons and ten of oranges, and saw them carried down and put on +board. Then he handed a dollar to the boatman. + +"Get a loaf of white bread, and a nice piece of cooked meat, and a +couple of bottles of good wine, and put them on board. We shall be +hungry, before morning. I will be here at a few minutes before +six." + +Highly satisfied with the good fortune that had enabled him to get +the fruit on board without the slightest difficulty, Bob returned +into the town. It was but eleven o'clock now so--having had but a +short sleep the night before, and no prospect of sleep the next +night--he walked a mile along the road by the sea, then turned off +among the sand hills and slept, till four in the afternoon; after +which he returned to Marbella, and partook of a hearty meal. + +Having finished this he strolled out, and was not long in +discovering a shop where arms were sold. Here he bought a brace of +long, heavy pistols, and two smaller ones; with powder and bullets, +and also a long knife. They were all made into a parcel together +and, on leaving the shop, he bought a small bag. Then he went a +short distance out of the town again, carefully loaded the four +pistols, and placed them and the knife in the bag. + +As he went back, the thought struck him that the voyage might +probably last longer than they expected and, buying a basket, he +stored it with another piece of meat, three loaves, and two more +bottles of wine, and gave it to a boy to carry down to the boat. + +It was a few minutes before six when he got there. The two sailors +were standing by the boat, and a considerable pile of fish in the +bow showed that they had been successful in getting a consignment +from the other fishermen of the port. They looked surprised at the +second supply of provisions. + +"Why, senor, we have got the things you ordered." + +"Yes, yes, I do not doubt that; but I have heard, before now, of +headwinds springing up, and boats not being able to make their +passage, and being blown off land; and I am not fond of fasting. I +daresay you won't mind eating, tomorrow, anything that is not +consumed by the time we reach port." + +"We will undertake that, senor," the man said, laughing, highly +satisfied at the liberality of their employer. + +"Is there wind enough for the sail?" Bob asked, as he stepped into +the stern of the boat. + +"It is very light, senor, but I daresay it will help us a bit. We +shall get out the oars." + +"I will take the helm, if you sail," Bob said. "You can tell me +which side to push it. It will be an amusement, and keep me awake." + +The sun was just setting, as they started. There was scarcely a +breath of wind. The light breeze that had been blowing, during the +day, had dropped with the sun; and the evening breeze had not yet +sprung up. The two fishermen rowed, and the boat went slowly +through the water; for the men knew that they had a long row before +them, and were by no means inclined to exert themselves--especially +as they hoped that, in a short time, they would get wind enough to +take them on their way, without the oars. + +Bob chatted with them until it became dark. As soon as he was +perfectly sure that the boat could not be seen from the land, he +quietly opened his bag, and changed the conversation. + +"My men," he said, "I wonder that you are content with earning +small wages, here, when you could get a lot of money by making a +trip, occasionally, round to Gibraltar with fruit. It would be +quite easy; for you could keep well out from the coast till it +became dark, and then row in close under the Rock; and keep along +round the Point, and into the town, without the least risk of being +seen by any of our cruisers. You talked about making money by +smuggling in tobacco from there, but that is nothing to what you +could get by taking fruit into Gibraltar. These oranges cost a +dollar and a half, a box; and they would fetch ten dollars a box, +easily, there. Indeed, I think they would fetch twenty dollars a +box. Why, that would give a profit, on the thirty boxes, of six or +seven hundred dollars. Just think of that!" + +"Would they give such a price as that?" the men said, in surprise. + +"They would. They are suffering from want of fresh meat, and there +is illness among them; and oranges and lemons are the things to +cure them. It is all very well for men to suffer, but no one wants +women and children to do so; and it would be the act of good +Christians to relieve them, besides making as much money, in one +little short trip, as you would make in a year's work." + +"That is true," the men said, "but we might be sunk by the guns, +going there; and we should certainly be hung, when we got back, if +they found out where we had been." + +"Why should they find out?" Bob asked. "You would put out directly +it got dark, and row round close under the Rock, and then make out +to sea; and in the morning you would be somewhere off Marbella, but +eight or ten miles out, with your fishing nets down; and who is to +know that you have been to Gibraltar?" + +The men were silent. The prospect certainly seemed a tempting one. +Bob allowed them to turn it over in their minds for a few minutes, +and then spoke again. + +"Now, my men, I will speak to you frankly. It is just this business +that I am bent upon, now. I have come out from Gibraltar to do a +little trade in fruit. It is sad to see women and children +suffering; and there is, as I told you, lots of money to be made +out of it. Now, I will make you a fair offer. You put the boat's +head round, now, and sail for Gibraltar. If the wind helps us a +bit, we shall be off the Rock by daylight. When we get there, I +will give you a hundred dollars, apiece." + +"It is too much risk," one of the men said, after a long pause. + +"There is no risk at all," Bob said, firmly. "You will get in there +tomorrow, and you can start again, as soon as it becomes dark; and +in the morning you will be able to sail into Marbella, and who is +to know that you haven't been across to Malaga, as you intended? + +"I tell you what, I will give you another fifty dollars for your +fish; or you can sell them there, yourselves--they will fetch you +quite that." + +The men still hesitated, and spoke together in a low voice. + +"Look here, men," Bob said, as he took the two heavy pistols from +his bag, "I have come out from the Rock to do this, and I am going +to do it. The question is, 'Which do you choose--to earn two +hundred and fifty dollars for a couple of days' work, or to be shot +and thrown overboard?' This boat is going there, whether you go in +her or not. I don't want to hurt you--I would rather pay the two +hundred and fifty dollars--but that fruit may save the lives of +many women, and little children, and I am bound to do it. + +"You can make another trip or not, just as you please. Now, I think +you will be very foolish, if you don't agree; for you will make +three times as much as I offer you, every thirty boxes of fruit +that you can take in there; but the boat has got to go there now, +and you have got to take your choice whether you go in her, or +not." + +"How do we know that you will pay us the money, when we get there?" +one of the Spaniards asked. + +Bob put his hand into his pocket. + +"There," he said. "There are twenty gold pieces, that is, a hundred +dollars. That is a proof I mean what I say. Put them into your +pockets. You shall have the rest, when you get there. But mind, no +nonsense; no attempts at treachery. If I see the smallest sign of +that, I will shoot you down without hesitation. + +"Now, row, and I'll put her head round." + +The men said a few words in an undertone to each other. + +"You guarantee that no harm shall come to us at Gibraltar, and that +we shall be allowed to leave again?" + +"Yes, I promise you that, faithfully. + +"Now, you have got to row a good bit harder than you have been +rowing, up till now. We must be past Fort Santa Barbara before +daylight." + +The boat's head was round, by this time, and the men began to row +steadily. At present, they hardly knew whether they were satisfied, +or not. Two hundred and fifty dollars was, to them, an enormous +sum; but the risk was great. It was not that they feared that any +suspicion would fall upon them, on their return. They had often +smuggled tobacco from Gibraltar, and had no high opinion of the +acuteness of the authorities. What really alarmed them was the fear +of being sunk, either by the Spanish or British guns. However, they +saw that, for the present at any rate, they had no option but to +obey the orders of a passenger possessed of such powerful arguments +as those he held in his hands. + + + +Chapter 14: A Welcome Cargo. + + +After the men had been rowing for an hour, Bob felt a slight breeze +springing up from off the land, and said: + +"You may as well get up the sail. It will help you along a bit." + +The sail was a large one, for the size of the boat; and Bob felt a +distinct increase in her pace, as soon as the men began to row +again. He could make out the line of the hills against the sky; and +had, therefore, no difficulty in keeping the course. They were soon +back opposite Marbella, the lights of which he could clearly make +out. Little by little the breeze gathered strength, and the rowers +had comparatively easy work of it, as the boat slipped away lightly +before the wind. + +"What do you make it--twelve leagues from Marbella to the Rock?" + +"About that," the man replied. "If the wind holds like this, we +shall not be very far from the Rock by daylight. We are going along +about a league an hour." + +"Well, stretch out to it, lads, for your own sakes. I have no fear +of a shot from Santa Barbara. The only thing I am afraid of is that +we should be seen by any Spanish boats that may be cruising round +that side, before we get under shelter of the guns of the Rock." + +The fishermen needed no warning as to the danger of being caught, +and bent again more strongly to their oars. After they had rowed +two hours longer, Bob told them to pull the oars in. + +"You had better have a quarter of an hour's rest, and some supper +and a bottle of wine," he said. "You have got your own basket, +forward. I will take mine out of this by my side." + +As their passenger had paid for it, the boatmen had got a very +superior wine to that they ordinarily drank. After eating their +supper--bread, meat, and onions--and drinking half a bottle of +wine, each, they were disposed to look at the situation in a more +cheerful light. Two hundred and fifty dollars was certainly well +worth running a little risk for. Why, it would make them +independent of bad weather; and they would be able to freight their +boat themselves, with fish or fruit, and to trade on their own +account. + +They were surprised at the enterprise of this young trader, whom +they supposed to be a native of Gibraltar; for Bob thought that it +was as well that they should remain in ignorance of his +nationality, as they might have felt more strongly that they were +rendering assistance to the enemy, did they know that he was +English. + +Hour after hour passed. The wind did not increase in force nor, on +the other hand, did it die away. There was just enough to keep the +sail full, and take much of the weight of the boat off the arms of +the rowers. The men, knowing the outline of the hills, were able to +tell what progress they were making; and told Bob when they were +passing Estepona. Two or three times there was a short pause, for +the men to have a draught of wine. With that exception, they rowed +on steadily. + +"It will be a near thing, senor," one of them said, towards +morning. "The current counts for three or four miles against us. If +it hadn't been for that, we should certainly have done it. As it +is, it is doubtful." + +"I think we are about a mile off shore, are we not?" Bob asked. +"That is about the distance I want to keep. If there are any +cruisers, they are sure to be further out than that; and as for +Santa Barbara, if they see us and take the trouble to fire at us, +there is not much chance of their hitting such a mark as this, a +mile away. Besides, almost all their guns are on the land side." + +The men made no reply. To them, the thought of being fired at by +big guns was much more alarming than that of being picked up by a +cruiser of their own nation; although they saw there might be a +good deal of difficulty in persuading the authorities that they had +taken part, perforce, in the attempt to get fruit into the +beleaguered garrison. Daylight was just beginning to break, when +one of the fishermen pointed out a dark mass inshore, but somewhat +ahead of them. + +"That is Santa Barbara," he said. + +They had already, for some time, made out the outline of the Rock; +and Bob gazed anxiously seaward but could, as yet, see no signs of +the enemy's cruisers. + +"Row away, lads," he said. "They won't see us for some time and, in +another half hour, we shall be safe." + +The Spaniards bent to their oars with all their strength, now; from +time to time looking anxiously over their shoulders at the fort. +Rapidly the daylight stole across the sky, and they were just +opposite Santa Barbara when a gun boomed out, and a shot flew over +their heads and struck the water, a quarter of a mile beyond them. +With a yell of fear, the two Spaniards threw themselves at the +bottom of the boat. + +"Get up, you fools!" Bob shouted. "You will be no safer, down +there, than if you were rowing. If a shot strikes her she will be +smashed up, whether you are rowing or lying down. If you stay +there, it will be an hour before we get out of range of their guns +while, if you row like men, we shall get further and further away +every minute, and be safe in a quarter of an hour." + +It was only, however, after he threatened to shoot them, if they +did not set to work again, that the Spaniards resumed their oars; +but when they did they rowed desperately. Another shot from the +fort struck the water a short distance astern, exciting a fresh +yell of agony from the men. + +"There, you see," Bob said; "if you hadn't been sending her faster +through the water, that would have hit us. + +"Ah! They are beginning from that sloop, out at sea." + +This was a small craft that Bob had made out, as the light +increased, a mile and a half seaward. She had changed her course, +and was heading in their direction. + +Retaining his hold of his pistols Bob moved forward, put out a +spare oar, and set to to row. Shot after shot came from the fort, +and several from the sloop; but a boat, at that distance, presents +but a small mark and, although a shot went through the sail, none +struck her. Presently a gun boomed out ahead of them, high in the +air; and a shot fell near the sloop, which at once hauled her wind, +and stood out to sea. + +"We have got rid of her," Bob said, "and we are a mile and a half +from the fort, now. You can take it easy, men. They won't waste +many more shot upon us." + +Indeed, only one more gun was fired by the Spaniards; and then the +boat pursued her course unmolested, Bob returning to his seat at +the helm. + +"They will be on the lookout for us, as we go back," one of the +Spaniards said. + +"They won't see you in the dark," Bob replied. "Besides, as likely +as not they will think that you are one of the Rock fishing boats, +that has ventured out too far, and failed to get back by daylight." + +Once out of reach of the shot from the fort, the sailors laid in +their oars--having been rowing for more than ten hours--and the +boat glided along quietly, at a distance of a few hundred feet from +the foot of the cliff. + +"Which are you going to do?" Bob asked them; "take fifty dollars +for your fish, or sell them for what you can get for them?" + +The fishermen at once said they would take the fifty dollars for, +although they had collected all that had been brought in by the +other fishermen--amounting to some five hundred pounds in +weight--they could not imagine that fish, for which they would not +have got more than ten dollars--at the outside--at Malaga, could +sell for fifty at Gibraltar. + +As they rounded Europa Point there was a hail from above and, +looking up, Bob saw Captain O'Halloran and the doctor. + +"Hulloa, Bob!" + +"Hulloa!" Bob shouted back, and waved his hat. + +"All right, Bob?" + +"All right. I have got thirty boxes!" + +"Hurrah!" the doctor shouted, waving his hat over his head. "We +will meet you at the New Mole. + +"That is something like a boy, Gerald!" + +"It is all very well for you," Captain O'Halloran said. "You are +not responsible for him, and you are not married to his sister." + +"Put yourself in the way of a cannonball, Gerald, and I will be +married to her a week after--if she will have me." + +His companion laughed. + +"It is all very well, Teddy; but it is just as well, for you, that +you did not show your face up at the house during the last three +days. It is not Bob who has been blamed. It has been entirely you +and me, especially you. The moment she read his letter, she said at +once that you were at the bottom of it, and that it never would +have entered Bob's mind to do such a mad thing, if you had not put +him up to it; and of course, when I came back from seeing you, and +said that you admitted that you knew what he was doing, it made the +case infinitely worse. It will be a long time before she takes you +into favour again." + +"About an hour," the doctor said, calmly. "As soon as she finds +that Bob has come back again, with the fruit; and that he has as +good as saved the lives of scores of women and children; she will +be so proud of him that she will greet me as part author of the +credit he has gained--though really, as I told you, I had nothing +to do with it except that, when I saw that Bob had made up his mind +to try, whether I helped him or not, I thought it best to help him, +as far as I could, to get away. + +"Now, we must get some porters to carry the boxes up to your house, +or wherever he wants them sent. + +"Ah! Here is the governor. He will be pleased to hear that Bob has +got safely back." + +Captain O'Halloran had, when he found Bob's letter in his room on +the morning after he had left, felt it his duty to go to the town +major's office to mention his absence; and it had been reported to +the general, who had sent for Gerald to inquire about the +circumstances of the lad's leaving. Captain O'Halloran had assured +him that he knew nothing, whatever, of his intention; and that it +was only when he found the letter on his table, saying that he had +made up his mind to get beyond the Spanish lines, somehow, and to +bring in a boatload of oranges, for the use of the women and +children who were suffering from scurvy, that he knew his +brother-in-law had any such idea in his mind. + +"It is a very gallant attempt, Captain O'Halloran--although, of +course, I should not have permitted it to be made, had I been aware +of his intentions." + +"Nor should I, sir," Captain O'Halloran said. "My wife is, +naturally, very much upset." + +"That is natural enough," the governor said. "Still, she has every +reason to be proud of her brother. A man could risk his life for no +higher object than that for which Mr. Repton has undertaken this +expedition. + +"How do you suppose he got away?" + +"I have no idea, sir. He may have got down by ropes, from the back +of the Rock--the way the deserters generally choose." + +"Yes; but if he got down without breaking his neck, he would still +have to pass our line of sentries, and also through the Spaniards." + +"He is a very good swimmer, general; and may have struck out, and +landed beyond the Spanish forts. Of course, he may have started +from the Old Mole, and swam across to the head of the bay. He is +sure to have thought the matter well out. He is very sharp and, if +anyone could get through, I should say Bob could. He speaks the +language like a native." + +"I have heard of him before," the governor said, smiling. "Captain +Langton told us of the boy's doings, when he was away in that +privateer brig; and how he took in the frigate, and was the means +of the brig capturing those two valuable prizes, and how he had +swam on board a Spanish sloop of war. He said that no officer could +have shown greater pluck, and coolness. + +"I sincerely hope that no harm will come to him; but how--even if +he succeeds in getting through the Spanish lines--he can manage, +single handed, to get back here in a boat, is more than I can see. +Well, I sincerely trust that no harm will come to him." + +As the governor, with two or three of his staff, now came along, +Captain O'Halloran went up to him. + +"I am glad to say, sir," he said, "that young Repton has just +returned, and that he has brought in thirty cases of fruit." + +"I am extremely glad to hear it, Captain O'Halloran," the governor +said, warmly. "When it was reported to me, an hour since, that the +Spanish fort and one of their cruisers were firing at a small boat, +that was making her way in from the east, the thought struck me +that it might be your brother-in-law. + +"Where is he?" + +"He is just coming round to the Mole, sir. Doctor Burke and myself +are going to meet him." + +"I will go down with you," the governor said. "Those oranges are +worth a thousand pounds a box, to the sick." + +The party reached the Mole before the boat came in; for after +rounding the Point she had been becalmed, and the fishermen had +lowered the sail and betaken themselves to their oars again. Bob +felt a little uncomfortable when, as the boat rowed up to the +landing stairs, he saw General Eliott, with a group of officers, +standing at the top. He was relieved when, on ascending the steps, +the governor stepped forward and shook him warmly by the hand. + +"I ought to begin by scolding you, for breaking out of the fortress +without leave; but I am too pleased with the success of your +venture, and too much gratified at the spirit that prompted you to +undertake it, to say a word. Captain O'Halloran tells me that you +have brought in thirty cases of fruit." + +"Yes, sir. I have ten cases of oranges, and twenty of lemons. I +propose, with your permission, to send half of these up to the +hospitals, for the use of the sick there. The others I intend for +the use of the women and children of the garrison, and townspeople. +Doctor Burke will see for me that they are distributed where they +will do most good." + +"Well, my lad, I thank you most cordially for your noble gift to +the troops; and there is not a man here who will not feel grateful +to you, for the relief it will afford to the women and children. I +shall be very glad if you will dine with me, today; and you can +then tell me how you have managed what I thought, when I first +heard of your absence, was a sheer impossibility. + +"Captain O'Halloran, I trust that you and Mrs. O'Halloran will also +give me the pleasure of your company, at dinner, today." + +"If you please, sir," Bob said, "will you give these two boatmen a +pass, permitting them to go out after dark, tonight. I promised +them that they should not be detained. It is of the greatest +importance to them that they should get back before their absence +is discovered." + +"Certainly," the governor said; and at once ordered one of the +officers of the staff to see that the pass was given; and orders +issued, to the officers of the batteries, to allow the boat to pass +out in the dark, unquestioned. + +As soon as the governor walked away, with his staff, Bob was +heartily greeted by Captain O'Halloran and the doctor. + +"You have given us a fine fright, Bob," the former said, "and your +sister has been in a desperate way about you. However, now that you +have come back safe, I suppose she will forgive you. + +"But what about all those fish? Are they yours? Why, there must be +half a ton of them!" + +"No; the men say there are five or six hundred pounds. + +"Yes, they are mine. I thought of keeping a few for ourselves, and +dividing the rest between the ten regiments; and sending them up, +with your compliments, to their messes." + +"Not with my compliments, Bob; that would be ridiculous. Send them +up with your own compliments. It will be a mighty acceptable +present. But you had better pick out two or three of the finest +fish, and send them up to the governor. + +"Now then, let us set to work. Here are plenty of porters but, +first of all, we had better get ten men from the officer of the +guard here; and send one off, with each of the porters with the +fish, to the regiments--or the chances are that these baskets will +be a good bit lighter, by the time they arrive there, than when +they start. I will go and ask the officer; while you are getting +the fish up here, and divided." + +In a quarter of an hour the ten porters started, each with about +half a hundredweight, and under the charge of a soldier. The doctor +took charge of the porters with the fifteen boxes of fruit, for the +various hospitals; and then--after Bob had paid the boatmen the two +hundred and fifty dollars due to them, and had told them they would +get the permit to enable them to sail again, as soon as it became +dark--he and Captain O'Halloran started for the house, with the men +in charge of the other fifteen boxes, and with one carrying the +remaining fish--which weighed about the same as the other parcels. + +"How did you and the doctor happen to be at Europa Point, Gerald?" +Bob asked, as they went along. + +"The doctor said he felt sure that whenever you did come--that is, +if you came at all--you would get here somewhere about daylight; +and he arranged with the officer in charge of the upper battery to +send a man down, with the news, if there was a boat in sight. +Directly he heard that the Spaniards were firing at a boat, he came +over and called me; and we went round to the back of the Rock. We +couldn't be sure that it was you from that height but, as we could +make out the boxes, we thought it must be you; and so walked down +to the Point, to catch you there." + +"Does Carrie know that a boat was in sight?" + +"No, I wouldn't say anything to her about it. She had only just +dropped off to sleep, when I was called. She woke up, and asked +what it was; but I said that I supposed I was wanted on duty, and +she went off again before I was dressed. I was glad she did, for +she hadn't closed her eyes before, since you started." + +Carrie was on the terrace when she saw Bob and Gerald, followed by +a procession of porters, coming up the hill. With a cry of joy she +ran down into the house, and out to meet them. + +"You bad boy!" she cried, as she threw her arms round Bob's neck. +"How could you frighten us so? It is very cruel and wicked of you, +Bob, and I am not going to forgive you; though I can't help being +glad to see you, which is more than you deserve." + +"You mustn't scold him, Carrie," her husband said. "Even the +governor didn't scold him; and he has thanked him, in the name of +the whole garrison, and he has asked him to dine with him; and you +and I are to dine there too, Carrie. There is an honour for you! +But what is better than honour is that there isn't a woman and +child on the Rock who won't be feeling deeply grateful to Bob, +before the day is over." + +"Has he really got some fruit?" + +"Yes. Don't you see the boxes, Carrie?" + +"Oh, I saw something coming along, but I didn't see anything +clearly but Bob. What are these boxes--oranges?" + +"Oranges and lemons--five of oranges and ten of lemons--and there +are as many more that have gone up to the hospital, for the use of +the men. + +"There, let us see them taken into the storeroom. You can open two +of them at once, and send Manola off with a big basket; and tell +her to give half a dozen of each, with your love, to each of the +ladies you know. The doctor will take charge of the rest, and see +about their division among all the women on the Rock. It will be +quite a business, but he won't mind it." + +"What is all this--fish?" + +"Well, my dear, you are to take as much as you want; and you are to +pick out two or three of the best, and send them to the governor, +with your compliments; and the rest you can divide and send out, +with the fruit, to your special friends." + +"But how has Bob done it?" Carrie asked, quite overwhelmed at the +sight of all those welcome stores. + +"Ah, that he must tell you, himself. I have no more idea than the +man in the moon." + +"It has all been quite simple," Bob said. "But see about sending +these things off first, Carrie. Doctor Burke will be here, after he +has seen the others taken safely to the hospital; and I shall have +to tell it all over again, then." + +"I am very angry with the doctor," Mrs. O'Halloran said. + +"Then the sooner you get over being angry, the better, Carrie. The +doctor had nothing whatever to do with my going; but when he saw +that I had made up my mind to go, he helped me, and I am extremely +obliged to him. Now, you may have an orange for yourself, if you +are good." + +"That I won't," Carrie said. "Thanks to our eggs and vegetables we +are perfectly well and, when there are so many people really in +want of the oranges, it would be downright wicked to eat them +merely because we like them." + +In a short time Manola--with two of the children from downstairs, +carrying baskets--started, with the presents of fruit and fish, to +all the ladies of Carrie's acquaintance. Soon after she had left, +Doctor Burke arrived. + +"I was not going to speak to you, Teddy Burke," Mrs. O'Halloran +said, shaking her head at him. "I had lost confidence in you; but +with Bob back again, and all this fruit for the poor creatures who +want it, I will forgive you." + +"I am glad you have grace enough for that, Mrs. O'Halloran. It is +down on your knees you ought to go, to thank me, if I had my +rights. Isn't Bob a hero? And hasn't he received the thanks of the +governor? And hasn't he saved scores of lives, this blessed day? +And although it is little enough I had to do with it, isn't it the +thanks of the whole garrison ought to be given me, for even the +little bit of a share I had in it?" + +"We have been waiting for you to come, Teddy," Captain O'Halloran +said, "to hear Bob's story." + +"Well then, you will have to wait a bit longer," the doctor said. "I +have sent orderlies from the hospital to all the regiments--including, +of course, the Artillery and Engineers--asking them to send me lists of +the numbers of the women and children of the noncommissioned officers +and privates, and also of officers' wives and families; and to send +with the lists, here, two orderlies from each regiment, with baskets. I +have been down to the town major, and got a list of the number of women +and children in the town. When we get the returns from the regiments, +we will reckon up the totals; and see how many there will be, for each. +I think that each of the boxes holds about five hundred." + +The work of counting out the oranges and lemons for the various +regiments, and the townspeople, occupied some time; and it was not +until the orderlies had started, with their supplies, that Bob sat +down to tell his story. + +"Nothing could have been easier," he said, when he finished. + +"It was easy enough, as you say, Bob," the doctor said; "but it +required a lot of coolness, and presence of mind. Events certainly +turned out fortunately for you, but you took advantage of them. +That is always the point. Nobody could have done it better, and +most people would have done worse. I have been wondering myself a +great deal, since you have been gone, what plan you could possibly +hit on to get the oranges into a boat; and how, when you had got +them in, you would manage to get them here. It seems all easy +enough, now you have done it; but that is all the more creditable +to you, for hitting on a plan that worked so well." + +Similar praise was given to Bob when he had again to tell his +story, at the governor's. + +"So you managed, you say, to slip out with the reliefs?" the +governor said. + +"Yes, sir. I had got a military cloak, and hat." + +"Still, it is curious that they did not notice an addition to their +party. I fancy you must have had a friend there?" + +"That, general, is a point that I would rather not say anything +about. That is the way that I did go out and, when I took to the +water, I let the coat and hat float away for, had they been found, +it might have been supposed that somebody had deserted." + +"I wish you could have brought in a shipload, instead of a +boatload, of fruit, Mr. Repton. They will be of immense benefit to +the sick but, unfortunately, there is scarcely a person on the Rock +that is not more or less affected and, if your thirty boxes were +multiplied by a hundred, it would be none too much for our needs." + +The oranges and lemons did, however, for a time have a marked +effect in checking the progress of the scurvy--especially among the +children, who came in for a larger share than that which fell to +the sick soldiers--but in another month the condition of those in +hospital, and indeed of many who still managed to do duty, was +again pitiable. + +On the 11th of October, however, some of the boats of the fleet +went out, during a fog, and boarded a Danish craft from +Malaga--laden with oranges and lemons--and brought her in. The +cargo was at once bought by the governor, and distributed. + +The beneficial effects were immediate. Cases which had, but a few +days before, appeared hopeless were cured, as if by magic; and the +health of the whole garrison was reestablished. Heavy rains setting +in at the same time, the gardens--upon which, for months, great +attention had been bestowed--came rapidly into bearing and, +henceforth, throughout the siege the supply of vegetables, if not +ample for the needs of the garrison and inhabitants, was sufficient +to prevent scurvy from getting any strong hold again. + +A few days after the ship with oranges was brought in, an orderly +came in to Captain O'Halloran with a message that the governor +wished to speak to Mr. Repton. Bob was out at the time, but went up +to the castle as soon as he returned, and was at once shown in to +the governor. + +Illustration: Bob receives a Commission from the Governor. + +"Mr. Repton," the latter began, "after the spirit you showed, the +other day, I shall be glad to utilize your services still farther, +if you are willing." + +"I shall be very glad to be useful in any work upon which you may +think fit to employ me, sir." + +"I wish to communicate with Mr. Logie, at Tangiers," the governor +said. "It is a month, now, since we have had any news from him. At +the time he last wrote, he said that the Emperor of Morocco was +manifesting an unfriendly spirit towards us; and that he was +certainly in close communication with the Spaniards, and had +allowed their ships to take more than one English vessel lying +under the guns of the town. His own position was, he said, little +better than that of a prisoner--for he was closely watched. + +"He still hoped, however, to bring the emperor round again to our +side; as he had, for years, exercised a considerable influence over +him. If he would grant him an interview, Mr. Logie thought that he +might still be able to clear up any doubts of us that the Spaniards +might have infused in his mind. Since that letter we have heard +nothing from him, and we are ignorant how matters stand, over +there. + +"The matter is important; for although, while the enemy's cruisers +are as vigilant as at present, there is little hope of our getting +fresh meat over from there, I am unable to give any directions to +such privateers, or others, as may find their way in here. It makes +all the difference to them whether the Morocco ports are open to +them, or not. Until lately, when chased they could run in there, +wait for a brisk east wind, and then start after dark, and be +fairly through the Straits before morning. + +"I am very desirous, therefore, of communicating with Mr. Logie. I +am also anxious, not only about his safety, but of that of several +English families there; among whom are those of some of the +officers of the garrison who--thinking that they would be perfectly +safe in Tangiers, and avoid the hardships and dangers of the +siege--despatched them across the Straits by the native craft that +came in, when first the port was closed. + +"Thinking it over, it appeared to me that you would be far more +fitted than most for this mission, if you would accept it. You have +already shown yourself able to pass as a Spaniard and, should you +find that things have gone badly in Tangiers, and that the Moors +have openly joined the Spaniards; you might be able to get a +passage to Lisbon, in a neutral ship, and to return thence in the +first privateer, or ship of war, bound for this port. I would of +course provide you with a document, requesting the officer in +command of any such ship to give you a passage. Should no such +neutral ship come along, I should trust to you to find your way +across to Tarifa or Algeciras; and thence to manage in some way, +which I must leave to your own ingenuity, to make your way in. + +"I do not disguise from you that the commission is a very +dangerous, as well as an honourable one; as were you, an +Englishman, detected on Spanish soil, you would almost certainly be +executed as a spy." + +"I am ready to undertake the commission, sir, and I am much obliged +to you for affording me the opportunity of being of service. It is +irksome for me to remain here, in idleness, when there are many +young officers of my own age doing duty in the batteries. As to the +risk, I am quite prepared to run it. It will be exactly such an +adventure as I should choose." + +"Very well, Mr. Repton. Then I will send you the despatches, this +evening; together with a letter recommending you to all British +officers and authorities. Both will be written on the smallest +pieces of paper possible, so that you may conceal them more easily. + +"Now, as to the means. There are many of the fishermen here would +be glad to leave. The firing in the bay has frightened the greater +part of the fish away and, besides, the boats dare not go any +distance from the Rock. I have caused inquiries to be made, and +have given permits to three men to leave the Rock in a boat, after +nightfall, and to take their chance of getting through the enemy's +cruisers. It is likely to be a very dark night. I have arranged +with them to take a passenger across to Tangiers, and have given +them permission to take two others with them. We know that there +are many Jews, and others, most anxious to leave the town before +the enemy begin to bombard it; and the men will doubtless get a +good price, from two of these, to carry them across the Straits. + +"You will form an idea, for yourself, whether these boatmen are +trustworthy. If you conclude that they are, you can make a bargain +with them, or with any others, to bring you back direct. I +authorize you to offer them a hundred pounds for doing so. + +"Come up here at eight o'clock this evening. I will have the +despatches ready for you then. You will understand that if you find +the Moors have become absolutely hostile, and have a difficulty in +getting at Mr. Logie, you are not to run any risk in trying to +deliver the despatches; as the information you will be able to +obtain will be sufficient for me, without any confirmation from +him." + +After further conversation, Bob took his leave of the governor. On +his return home, Carrie was very vexed, when she heard the mission +that Bob had undertaken and, at first, it needed all her husband's +persuasions to prevent her going off to the governor's, to protest +against it. + +"Why, my dear, you would make both yourself and Bob ridiculous. +Surely he is of an age, now, to go his own way without petticoat +government. He has already gained great credit, both in his affair +with the privateer, and in fetching in the oranges the other day. +This is far less dangerous. Here he has only got to smuggle himself +in, there he had to bring back something like a ton of oranges. It +is a great honour for the governor to have chosen him. And as to +you opposing it, the idea is absurd!" + +"I shall go round to Major Harcourt," Bob said. "Mrs. Harcourt is +terribly anxious about her daughter, and I am sure she will be glad +to send a letter over to her." + +"Carrie," Captain O'Halloran said gravely, "I have become a sudden +convert to your opinion regarding this expedition. Suppose that +Bob, instead of coming back, were to carry Amy Harcourt off to +England? It would be terrible! I believe that Mr. Logie, as His +Majesty's consul, could perform the necessary ceremony before they +sailed." + +Bob laughed. + +"I should doubt whether Mr. Logie would have power to officiate, in +the case of minors. Besides, there is an English church, where the +banns could be duly published. No, I think we must put that off, +Gerald." + +Amy Harcourt was the daughter of one of the O'Hallorans' most +intimate friends: and the girl, who was about fifteen years old, +was often at their house with her mother. She had suffered much +from the heat, early in June; and her parents had, at a time when +the Spanish cruisers had somewhat relaxed their vigilance, sent her +across to Tangiers in one of the traders. She was in the charge of +Mrs. Colomb, the wife of an officer of the regiment, who was also +going across for her health. They intended to stay at Tangiers only +for a month, or six weeks; but Mrs. Colomb had become worse, and +was, when the last news came across, too ill to be moved. + +Major and Mrs. Harcourt had consequently become very anxious about +Amy, the feeling being much heightened by the rumours of the +hostile attitude of the emperor towards the English. Mrs. Harcourt +gladly availed herself of the opportunity that Bob's mission +offered. + +"I shall be glad, indeed, if you will take a letter, Mr. Repton. I +am in great trouble about her. If anything should happen to Mrs. +Colomb, her position would be extremely awkward. I know that Mr. +Logie will do the best he can for her but, for aught we know, he +and all the English there may, at present, be prisoners among the +Moors. I need not say how bitterly her father and I have regretted +that we let her go; and yet, it seemed by far the best thing, at +the time, for she would get an abundance of fresh meat, food and +vegetables. + +"Of course, you will see how she is situated, when you get there; +and I am sure you will give her the best advice you can, as to what +she is to do. Not knowing how they are placed there, we can do +literally nothing; and you managed that fruit business so +splendidly that I feel very great confidence in you." + +"I am sure I shall be glad to do anything that I can, Mrs. +Harcourt; and if it had been a boy, I daresay we could have managed +something between us--but you see, girls are different." + +"Oh, you won't find any difficulty with her. I often tell her she +is as much of a boy, at present, as she is a girl. Amy has plenty +of sense. I shall tell her, in my letter, about your going out to +fetch in the fruit for the women and children. She is inclined to +look up to you very much, already, owing to the share you had in +the capture of those Spanish vessels; and I am sure she will listen +to any advice you give her." + +"Well, I will do my best, Mrs. Harcourt," Bob said, meekly; "but I +have never had anything to do with girls, except my sister; and she +gives the advice, always, and not me." + +"By what she says, Bob, I don't think you always take it," Mrs. +Harcourt said, smiling. + +"Well, not quite always," Bob admitted. "Women are constantly +afraid that you are going to hurt yourself, or something, just as +if a boy had got no sense. + +"Well, I will do what I can, Mrs. Harcourt. I am sure I hope that I +shall find them all right, over there." + +"I hope so, too," Mrs. Harcourt said. "I will see Captain Colomb. +He will be sure to give you a letter for his wife. I shall talk it +over with him and, if he thinks that she had better go straight +home, if any opportunity offers, I shall tell Amy to go with her; +and stay with my sister, at Gloucester, till the siege is over, and +then she can come out again to us. I will bring you down the +letters, myself, at seven o'clock." + +From her, Bob went to Dr. Burke. + +"I have just come from your house, Bob. I found your sister in a +despondent state about you. I assured her you had as many lives as +a cat; and could only be considered to have used up two or three of +them, yet, and were safe for some years to come. I hinted that you +had more to fear from a rope than either drowning or shooting. That +made her angry, and did her good. However, it was better for me to +be off; and I thought, most likely, that you would be coming round +for a talk. + +"So you are going officially, this time. Well, what disguise are +you going to take?" + +"That is what I have been thinking of. What would you recommend, +doctor?" + +"Well, the choice is not a very extensive one. You can hardly go as +you are because, if the Moors have joined the Spaniards, you would +be arrested as soon as you landed. Gerald tells me that, probably, +two of the Jew traders will go away with you. If so, I should say +you could not do better than dress in their style. There are many +of them Rock scorpions, and talk Spanish and English equally well; +but I should say that you had better take another disguise." + +"That is what I was thinking," Bob said. "The boatman will know +that I have something to do with the governor, and the two Jews +will certainly know that I don't belong to the Rock. If they find +that the Moors have joined the Spaniards, these Jews may try to get +through, themselves, by denouncing me. I should say I had better +get clothes with which I can pass as a Spanish sailor, or +fisherman. There are almost sure to be Spanish ships, in there. +There is a good deal of trade between Tangiers and Spain. + +"Then again, I shall want my own clothes if I have to take passage +in a neutral, to Lisbon. So I should say that I had better go down +to the town, and get a sort of trader's suit, and a fisherman's, at +one of the low slop shops. Then I will go as a trader, to start +with; and carry the other two suits in a bag." + +"That will be a very good plan, Bob. You are not likely to be +noticed much, when you land. There are always ships anchored there, +waiting for a wind to carry them out. They must be accustomed to +sailors, of all sorts of nationalities, in the streets. However, I +hope you will find no occasion for any clothes, after you land, but +your own. The Moors have always been good friends of ours; and the +emperor must know that the Spaniards are very much more dangerous +neighbours than we are, and I can hardly believe he will be fool +enough to throw us over. + +"I will go down with you, to buy these things." + +Bob had no difficulty in procuring the clothes he required at a +secondhand shop, and then took the lot home with him. Carrie had, +by this time, become more reconciled to what could not be avoided; +and she laughed when Dr. Burke came in. + +"You are like a bad penny, Teddy Burke. It is no use trying to get +rid of you." + +"Not the least bit in the world, Mrs. O'Halloran. Fortunately, I +know that, however hard you are upon me, you don't mean what you +say." + +"I do mean it, very much; but after you are gone I say to myself, +'It is only Teddy Burke,' and think no more of it." + +That evening, at nine o'clock, Bob embarked on board the fishing +boat, at the New Mole. One of the governor's aides-de-camp +accompanied him, to pass him through all the guards; and orders had +been sent, to the officers in command of the various batteries, +that the boat was not to be challenged. It was to show a light from +a lantern, as it went along, in order that it might be known. The +other two passengers and the boatmen had been sitting there since +before gunfire, and they were glad enough when Bob came down and +took his seat in the stern, taking the tiller ropes. + +The oars had been muffled, and they put off noiselessly. When they +got past Europa Point they found a light breeze blowing, and at +once laid in their oars, and hoisted sail. A vigilant lookout was +kept. Once or twice they thought they made out the hulls of +anchored vessels, but they gave these a wide berth and, when the +morning broke, were halfway across the Strait, heading directly for +Tangiers. In another six hours they entered the port. There were +half a dozen vessels lying in the harbour. Four of these were +flying Spanish colours, one was a Dane, and the other a Dutchman. + +From the time morning broke, Bob had been narrowly examining his +fellow passengers, and the boatmen; and came to the conclusion that +none of them were to be trusted. As soon as he stepped ashore, with +his bag in his hand, he walked swiftly away and, passing through +the principal streets, which were crowded with Moors, held steadily +on, without speaking to anyone, until he reached the outskirts of +the town; and then struck off among the hedges and gardens. + + + +Chapter 15: Bob's Mission. + + +As soon as he found a secluded spot, he stripped off the clothes he +wore and put on those of a Spanish sailor; and then, placing the +others in the bag, buried it in the sandy soil--taking particular +note of its position, in regard to trees and surrounding objects, +so as to be able to find it again. Then he turned to the right, and +skirted the town till he came down to the seashore again; and then +strolled quietly back to the quays. In passing by the ships at +anchor he had noticed the names of the four Spaniards and, after +wandering about for a short time, he entered a wine shop and seated +himself at a table, near one at which three Spanish sailors sat +drinking. + +From their talk, he learned that the British were shortly to be +turned out of Tangiers; that the town was to be given up to the +Spaniards; and that the British consul had, the day before, been +taken to Sallee, where the emperor now was. The English in the town +had not yet been made prisoners, but it was believed that they +would be seized and handed over to the Spaniards, without delay. + +Having obtained this information, Bob saw that--at any rate, for +the present--he might, if he chose, appear in his own character; +and regretted that he had buried his clothes, before knowing how +matters stood. However, there was no help for it but to go back +again, to the place where he had hidden them. This he did and, +having put on his own clothes, he went straight to the consulate, +which was a large house facing the port. A clerk was sitting in the +office. + +"I understand Mr. Logie is away," Bob said. + +The clerk looked surprised, for he knew the whole of the small body +of British residents well, and he could not understand how Bob +could have arrived. + +"I am the bearer of letters to him, from Governor Eliott," Bob +said. "I came across by boat, and landed two hours ago; but I was +in disguise, not knowing how matters stood here, and have but now +ascertained that, so far, the English are not prisoners." + +"Not at present," the clerk said. "But will you come into the +house, sir? We may be disturbed here." + +"In the first place," Bob asked, when they were seated in an inner +room, "when do you expect Mr. Logie back, and what is the real +situation? My orders are, if I cannot see Mr. Logie himself, that I +am to obtain as accurate a statement as possible as to how matters +are going on here; as it is important that the governor should be +able to inform vessels sailing from Gibraltar, east, whether they +can or can not put safely into the Moorish ports. Of course, we +know that vessels have been several times taken by the Spaniards, +while at anchor close to the towns; but they might risk that, if +there were no danger from the Moors, themselves. But if the reports +last sent by Mr. Logie are confirmed, the Moors would be openly at +war with us; and would, themselves, seize and make prizes of +vessels anchoring. The danger would, of course, be vastly greater +than that of merely running the risk of capture, if a Spanish +vessel of war happened to come into a port where they were at +anchor. Of course, I am merely expressing the views of the +governor." + +"I am sorry to say," the clerk said, "that there is no doubt the +Moors are about to join the Spaniards in formal alliance against +us. Englishmen are liable to insult as they go through the street. +This, however, would not go for much, by itself; but last week a +number of soldiers rushed into the office, seized Mr. Logie, +violently assaulted him, spat upon him, and otherwise insulted +him--acting, as they said, by the express order of the emperor, +himself. He is now practically a prisoner, having been taken under +an escort to Sallee and, at any moment, the whole of the British +colony here may be seized, and thrown into prison; and if you know +what Moorish prisons are, you would know that that would mean death +to most of them--certainly, I should say, to all the ladies." + +"But can they not leave, in neutral vessels?" + +"No. The strictest orders have been issued against any Englishman +leaving; they are, in fact, so far prisoners, although nominally at +liberty to move about the town. + +"I believe that the greater part of the Moors regret, extremely, +the course their emperor has taken. Many have come in here, after +dark, to assure Mr. Logie how deeply averse they were to this +course; for that the sympathies of the population, in general, were +naturally with the English in their struggle against the Spaniards +who had, for all time, been the deadly foe of the Moors. +Unfortunately, the emperor has supreme power, and anyone who +ventured to murmur against his will would have his head stuck up +over a gate, in no time; so that the sympathy of the population +does not count for much." + +"How many English are there, altogether?" + +"A hundred and four. We made up the list last week. Of course that +includes men, women, and children. There are some ten merchants, +most of whom have one or two clerks. The rest of the men are small +traders, and shopkeepers. Some of them make their living by +supplying ships that put in here with necessaries. A few, at +ordinary times, trade with the Rock in livestock. Half a dozen or +so keep stores, where they sell English goods to the natives." + +"I have a mission to discharge to a Mrs. Colomb, or at least to a +young lady living with her." + +"Mrs. Colomb, I regret to say, died three weeks ago," the clerk +said. "Miss Harcourt--who is, I suppose, the young lady you +mean--is now, with Mrs. Colomb's servant, staying here. Mr. Logie +had placed them in lodgings in the house of a Moorish trader, just +outside the town; but the young lady could not remain there, alone, +after Mrs. Colomb's death. I will ring the bell, and tell the +servant to inform her that you are here." + +Two minutes later, Bob was shown into a large sitting room on the +first floor, with a verandah overlooking the sea. + +"Oh, Bob Repton, I am glad to see you!" Amy Harcourt exclaimed, +coming forward impulsively, with both hands held out. "It is +dreadfully lonely here. Mr. Logie is away, and poor Mrs. Colomb is +dead and, as for Mrs. Williams, she does nothing but cry, and say +we are all going to be shut up, and starved, in a Moorish prison. + +"But first, how are father and mother, and everyone at the Rock?" + +"They are all quite well, Amy; though your mother has been in a +great state of anxiety about you, since she got your letter saying +how ill Mrs. Colomb was. Here is a letter she has given me, for +you." + +He handed the girl the letter, and went out on to the verandah +while she read it. + +"Mamma says I am to act upon Mr. Logie's advice; and that, if by +any means he should not be in a position to advise me, I am to take +your advice, if Mrs. Colomb is dead." + +"I don't think I am in a position to give you advice, Amy. What did +Mr. Logie say about the state of affairs, before he went away?" + +"He seemed to think things were going on very badly. You know the +soldiers rushed in here and assaulted him, one day last week. They +said they had orders from the emperor to do so; and Mr. Logie said +they certainly would not have dared to molest the British consul, +if it hadn't been by the emperor's orders. He was talking to me +about it, the day before they took him away to Sallee; and he said +he would give anything, if he could get me away to the Rock, for +that the position here was very precarious; and that the emperor +might, at any moment, order all the English to be thrown into +prison, and I know that the servants expect we shall all be killed, +by the populace. + +"They have frightened Mrs. Williams nearly out of her senses. I +never saw such a foolish woman. She does nothing but cry. She is +the wife, you know, of Captain Colomb's soldier servant. + +"Well, what do you advise, Bob?" + +"I am sure I don't know what to advise, Amy. This seems a regular +fix, doesn't it?" + +"But you are just as badly off as I am," she said. "If they seize +everyone else, of course they will seize you, now you are here." + +"Oh, I could get away, easily enough," Bob said. "I should dress +myself up as a Spanish sailor. I have got the clothes here, and +should boldly go on board one of the Spanish ships, and take +passage across to any port they are going to; and then manage to +work round into Gibraltar, again. But of course, you can't do +that." + +"I couldn't go as a Spanish sailor, of course," the girl said, "but +I might dress up and go, somehow. Anything would be better than +waiting here, and then being thrown into one of their dreadful +prisons. They say they are awful places. + +"Do take me, Bob Repton. I do so want to get back to father and +mother again, and I am quite well and strong now--as well as ever I +was." + +Bob looked at the girl, with a puzzled expression of face. He had +promised her mother to do the best thing he could for her. The +question was, 'What was the best thing?' It certainly seemed that +the position here was a very perilous one. If he left her here, and +harm befell her, what would her parents say to him? But, on the +other hand, how on earth was he to get her away? + +"I tell you what, Amy," he said, after a time. "Who were the ladies +Mrs. Colomb saw most of? I suppose she knew some of the people +here?" + +"Oh, yes, she knew several; but she was most intimate with Mrs. +Hamber. She is the wife of one of the principal merchants, and is +very kind. She offered to take me in, when Mrs. Colomb died; but +her husband lives out of the town, and Mr. Logie had promised Mrs. +Colomb that he would look after me, until he could send me +across--besides, Mrs. Hamber's child is very ill, with fever--and +so he brought me here." + +"Well, I will go and consult her," Bob said. "I daresay the clerk +downstairs will send a man with me, to show me her house." + +Mrs. Hamber listened to Bob's account of his mission; asking a +question now and again, in a straightforward and decided way, which +gave Bob an idea that she was a resolute sort of woman, with plenty +of common sense. + +"Well, Mr. Repton," she said, when he had finished, "it is a +difficult matter for anyone but the girl's mother to form an +opinion upon. I remember hearing, from Mrs. Colomb, about your +going out and bringing in fruit when the scurvy was so bad, two +months ago. She had received the news, no doubt, from her husband +and, therefore, it seems to me that you must be a very capable +young gentleman, with plenty of courage and coolness. The fact that +Mrs. Harcourt gave you such a message as she did, regarding her +daughter, shows that she has every confidence in you. If the girl +were a year or two older, I should say it would be quite out of the +question for her to attempt to make her way back to Gibraltar, +under your protection; but as she is still a mere child, and as you +possess her mother's confidence, I don't see that this matters so +much. + +"If you are both taken prisoners, there is no reason for supposing +that she would not be treated honourably by the Spaniards. They +must have taken numbers of women, in the vessels they have captured +lately, and I suppose the girl would be placed with them. She +would, at any rate, be far better off in a Spanish prison than in a +Moorish one. Besides, I really consider that all our lives are in +danger, here. After the assault on Mr. Logie, it is just as likely +the emperor may order us all to be massacred, as thrown into +prison; or he might sell us as slaves, as they do at Algiers. There +is no saying. I think that, if I were in the position of the girl's +mother at Gibraltar, I should say that it was better for her to run +the risk of capture, with you; than to remain here, where there is +no saying what may happen--she having every confidence in your +honour, young gentleman." + +"I thank you, Mrs. Hamber. I have no idea, at present, what plan I +shall form. I may not see any possible way of getting out but, if I +do, we will certainly attempt it. Major Harcourt belongs to the +same regiment as my brother-in-law, and his wife and my sister are +great friends; which is why, I suppose, she has confidence in me. I +have known Amy, now, for a year and a half; and she is very often +at my sister's. I will take care of her just the same as if she +were a young sister of my own. I don't see how I could go back and +tell her mother that I left her here, with things in the state they +are. I only hope they may not turn out so badly as you fear; and +that, at the worst, the Moors will only hand you over as prisoners +to the Spaniards." + +Bob went back to the consulate, and told Amy the result of his +conversation with Mrs. Hamber. + +"I consider that has taken the responsibility off my shoulders, +Amy. You referred me to Mrs. Hamber as the lady you knew best here. +She is of opinion that, if she were your mother, she would advise +your trying to get away with me. So, now, we have only to decide +how it is to be done--that is, if you still wish to try." + +"Certainly I do," the girl said. "Anything is better than waiting +here; expecting the Moors to rush in, as they did the other day, +and carry one off to prison, or kill one. + +"Mr. Parrot--that is the gentleman you saw downstairs--said that +you would stay here, and ordered a room to be prepared for you; and +dinner is ready. I am sure you must be terribly hungry." + +Bob remembered, now, that he had had nothing to eat--save some +biscuits on board the boat, and a piece of bread at the wine +shop--since he left Gibraltar, and that he really was desperately +hungry. Amy had already had her dinner; but she sat by him, and +they talked about their friends at the Rock. + +"Now," he said, when he had finished, "let us have a regular +council of war. It was my intention to get a passage to Malaga, if +I could, because I know something of the road back from there; but +I could not do that, with you." + +"Why not, Bob?" + +"Because the voyage is too long. Someone would be certain to speak +to you before you got across and, as you can't talk Spanish, the +cat would be out of the bag, directly. If possible, we must manage +to cross to Tarifa. It is only a few hours across to there, even if +we go in an open boat and, now that the Spaniards are friends with +the Moors, there ought to be no difficulty in getting a passage +across there, or to Algeciras. + +"Of course, you can't go as you are," he said, looking at her +rather ruefully. + +"No, of course not," she said. "I am not so silly as that. I should +think I had better dress up like a boy, Bob." + +"That would be a great deal the best plan, if you would not mind +it," Bob said, greatly relieved that the suggestion came from her. +"It is the only thing that I can think of. There didn't seem any +story one could invent, to account for a Spanish girl being over +here; but a ship's boy will be natural enough. If asked questions, +of course, our story will be that we had been left behind here. +There could be lots of reasons for that. Either we might have been +on shore, and the vessel gone on without us; or you might have been +sent ashore ill, and I might have been left to nurse you. That +wouldn't be a bad story. + +"What we must do, when we get to the other side, must depend upon +where we land. I mean, whether we try to get straight in by boat, +or to wait about until a chance comes. Once over there, you will +have to pretend to be deaf and dumb; and then you can dress up as a +Spanish girl--of course, a peasant--which will be much more +pleasant than going about as a boy, and better in lots of ways. So +if I were you, I should take a bundle of things with me, so that we +should have nothing to buy there. It is all very well buying +disguises for myself, but I could never go into a shop to ask for +all sorts of girls' clothes." + +Amy went off in a fit of laughter, at the thought of Bob having to +purchase feminine garments. + +"It is all very well to laugh," Bob said. "These are the sort of +little things that are so difficult to work in. It is easy enough +to make a general plan, but the difficulty is to get everything to +fit in. + +"I will have a talk with Mr. Parrot, in the morning, about the +boats. He will know what boats have been trading with the Rock, and +what men to trust." + +"You can talk to him now, if you like," the girl said. "He and Mr. +Logie's other clerk have the top storey of the house." + +"Oh, then I will go up and see him, at once; the sooner it is +arranged, the better. If things are in the state that everyone +says, you might all be seized and imprisoned, any day." + +Bob went up at once to Mr. Parrot's rooms, and had a long talk with +him. The clerk quite agreed that anything would be better than for +a young girl to be shut up in a Moorish prison, but he did not see +how it was possible for them to find their way across to Gibraltar. + +"Many of our fishermen are most courageous fellows, and have run +great risks in taking letters from Mr. Logie across to Gibraltar. I +do not suppose that the blockade is very much more strict than it +was; and indeed, the fact that you got through shows that, with +good luck, the thing is possible enough. But that is not the +difficulty. The strictest order has been issued that no boat is to +take Englishmen across to the Rock, or is to cross the Straits on +any pretence, whatever; and that anyone evading this law will be +executed, and his goods forfeited to the state. That is how it is +Mr. Logie has been able to send no letters, for the last month; and +why none of the merchants, here, have tried to get across to the +Rock. No bribe would be sufficient to tempt the boatmen. It would +mean not only death to themselves, if they ever returned; but the +vengeance of the authorities would fall on their relations, here. I +am afraid that there is nothing to be done, that way, at all." + +"There are the three men who brought me across, this morning," Bob +said. "They might be bribed to take us back. The governor +authorized me to offer a hundred pounds. I own that I don't like +their looks." + +"You would have some difficulty in finding them, to begin with," +Mr. Parrot said; "and I don't think a hundred pounds would be +likely to tempt them to run the risk." + +"I would not mind giving them two hundred more," Bob said. "I have +got that money, of my own, at Gibraltar; and I am sure, if it were +necessary, Major Harcourt would gladly pay as much more to get his +daughter back." + +"Three hundred would be ample. If they would not run the risk for a +hundred apiece, nothing would tempt them. I should say your best +plan would be to go down, early tomorrow, and see if you can find +one of them. They are likely to be loitering about by the quays, as +they have their boat there. + +"The question is, are they to be trusted? They know that you have +been sent out by the governor, and that you are here on some +special business; and they may very well think that the Spaniards +will give a higher reward, for you, than you can give to be taken +back. They will, by this time, know of the order against boats +crossing; and might betray you to the Moors. If you were going by +yourself, of course, you could take all sorts of risks; but with +this young lady under your protection, it would be different." + +"Yes, I see that, Mr. Parrot. Rather than run any risk, I should +prefer being put ashore at any Spanish port, by one of the ships in +the harbour. If you give me the name of any Spanish merchantman who +was here, say, a fortnight ago; my story that we were left behind, +owing to one of us being ill, would be so simple that there need be +no suspicion, whatever, excited. Tarifa or Algeciras would, of +course, be the best places, as we should only be on board a few +hours; and Miss Harcourt could very well pretend to be still ill +and weak, and could lie down in a corner, and I could cover her up +with a blanket till we got there. + +"Once across, I don't so much mind. Even if we were detected, we +should simply be two fugitives from here, trying to make our way to +Gibraltar; and I don't think there would be any question of my +being a spy. We should probably be sent to wherever they keep the +English prisoners they have taken in ships; and there would be +nothing very dreadful in that, even for her. We should probably be +exchanged, before long. There have been several batches sent in to +the Rock, in exchange for prisoners taken in prizes brought in by +privateers." + +"Well, I really think that that would be the best way, Mr. Repton. +As you say, there will be nothing very dreadful in detention for a +while, with the Spaniards; while there is no saying what may happen +here. If you like, I will send one of the consulate servants out, +the first thing in the morning, to inquire what ports the Spanish +craft are bound for, and when they are likely to sail. They seldom +stop more than two or three days, here. Most of them are taking +livestock across for the use of the Spanish army and, though +Algeciras would be an awkward place for you to land at because, if +detected there, you would be more likely to be treated as a spy; +still, in a busy place like that, no one would notice a couple of +young sailors, and it would be no great distance for you to walk +over to Tarifa, or any of the villages on the Straits. + +"But how do you propose to get in from there? That is what seems to +me the great difficulty." + +"Well, I got in before," Bob said, "and do not think that there +ought to be much difficulty in getting hold of a boat. If I did, I +should sail round the Point and, keeping well outside the line of +cruisers, come down on the coast the other side of Gibraltar; and +so work along at night, just as I did before. If I found it +absolutely impossible to get a boat, of course, I could not--with +the girl with me--try to swim across from the head of the bay to +the Rock; which is what I should have done, had I been alone. So I +should then go to the authorities and give myself up; and say that, +being afraid that the Moors intend to massacre all the English at +Tangiers, I had come across with this young lady, who is the +daughter of an officer of the garrison, to put her into Spanish +hands; knowing that there she would receive honourable treatment, +till she could be passed in at the next exchange of prisoners." + +"I think that would be your very best course to pursue, unless you +find everything turn out just as you would wish, Mr. Repton." + +When Bob came down in the morning, he at once went into the office +below; and Mr. Parrot told him that one of the Spanish craft would +start for Algeciras, at noon. + +"Then I must ask you to send one of the servants out, to buy some +clothes such as are worn by a Spanish sailor boy, Mr. Parrot. I +have my own suit upstairs, and will go off and arrange for a +passage across, directly after breakfast." + +"I will see to it," Mr. Parrot said. "The ship's decks will be +crowded up with cattle. She is a small craft, and I hear she will +take as many as can be packed on her deck. She is alongside now, +taking them in. There is not much likelihood of any attention, +whatever, being paid to you and your companion." + +Amy turned a little pale, when Bob told her that the attempt was to +be made at once; but she said bravely: + +"I am glad there is to be no waiting. I do so long to be out of +this town. I daresay I shall be a little nervous at first, but I +shall try not to show it; and I sha'n't be really frightened, for I +know that you will take care of me." + +As soon as breakfast was over, Bob changed his things and went down +to the quay. He stopped at the vessel taking cattle on board. She +was a polacre brig, of about a hundred and fifty tons. The captain +was smoking a cigar, aft; while the mate was seeing to the storing +of the cattle. Bob went on board, and told his story to the +captain. + +"I was left behind in charge of a cabin boy from the Esmeralda, a +fortnight ago. The boy had fever, and the captain thought it might +be infectious, and put him ashore; but he soon got well. We want to +be taken across, as our friends live not many miles from Tarifa. We +will pay a dollar, apiece, for our passage." + +The captain nodded. + +"Be on board by noon; we shall not be a minute later." + +Bob went ashore, and told Amy that everything was arranged, without +the slightest difficulty. He then went down to inspect the clothes. + +"They will do very well," he said, "except that they are a great +deal cleaner than anything ever seen on a Spanish sailor. Those +canvas trousers will never do, as they are." + +He accordingly took some ashes, and rubbed them well into the +canvas; got some grease from the kitchen, and poured two or three +large patches over the trousers. + +"That is more like it," he said. "The shirt will do well enough, +but there must be a patch or two of grease upon the jacket, and +some smears of dirt, of some kind." + +When he had done them to his satisfaction, he took them upstairs. + +"What horrid, dirty looking things!" Amy exclaimed, in disgust. + +"They are clean enough inside, child. They are quite new; but I +have been dirtying them, outside, to make them look natural. + +"You must be dressed by half past eleven, and you can tuck your +hair up under that red nightcap; but you must manage to dirty your +face, neck, and hands. You really ought to have some brown stain, +but I don't suppose it is to be got. I will speak to Mr. Parrot." + +"There is no stain, that I know of," Mr. Parrot said; "but I know +Mr. Logie paints a little. I think you will find a box of colours, +upstairs. If you mix some Vandyke brown in water, and paint her +with it, and let it dry on, I should think it would do very well; +though of course, it wouldn't stand washing." + +Bob found the paintbox, and soon mixed some paint. At half past +eleven Amy came into the room, laughing a little shyly. + +"That will do very well," Bob said, encouragingly, "except that you +are a great deal too fair and clean. + +"Look here, I have been mixing some paint. I think a wash of that +will make all the difference. Now, sit down while I colour you. + +"That will do capitally!" he said, when he finished. "I think, when +it dries, it will be just about the right shade for a Spanish +sailor boy. + +"Have you got your bundle? + +"That is right. Now here is my bag, and a couple of black Moorish +blankets. I will bring Mr. Parrot up, to say goodbye. + +"Have you told your servant?" + +"No, I said nothing to her about it. She would make such a terrible +fuss, there would be no getting away from her. We must ask Mr. +Parrot to tell her, after the vessel has set sail." + +Mr. Parrot pronounced the disguise excellent, and said that he +should not have the slightest suspicion that she was anything but +what she seemed to be. Amy felt very shy, as she sallied out with +Bob; but she gained courage as she saw that no one noticed her. + +When they arrived at the brig, the cattle were nearly all on board. +Bob led the way across the gangway, and went up on to the +fo'castle. There he laid one of the blankets down against a +stanchion; wrapped Amy in the other, so that her face was almost +hidden; and told her to sit down and close her eyes, as if weak or +asleep. Then he took up his post beside her. + +In a quarter of an hour the last bullock was on board. The gangway +was at once hauled in, the hawsers thrown off, and the sails let +drop and, in another minute, the vessel was gliding away from the +wharf. The wind was nearly due west, and the sheets were hauled in +as she was headed across the Straits. It was half an hour before +the sailors' work was all done. Several of them came up on to the +fo'castle and began twisting cigarettes, and one at once entered +into conversation with Bob. + +"Is the boy ill?" he said. + +"Yes, he has been ill, but is better now. It would have been better +if he could have stopped a few days longer, but he was pining to +get home. He won't have far to go when we get to Algeciras and, no +doubt, I shall be able to get him a lift in some cart that will be +bringing provisions to the camp." + +The talk at once turned on the siege, the sailors expressing their +certainty that the Rock would soon be taken. Bob had moved away +from Amy, as if to allow her to sleep, undisturbed by the +conversation. + +"There is a brig running down the Straits, at a good speed," one of +the sailors said, when they were half way across. "It is a nice +breeze for her." + +Bob looked at the craft. She was about a mile away, and by the +course they were steering--almost at right angles--would come very +near to them. There was something familiar in her appearance, and +he looked at her intently, examining every sail and shroud. Then +doubt became certainty, as his eye fell upon a small patch in one +of the cloths of the topgallant sail. + +It was the Antelope. One of the Spanish shot had passed through the +topgallant sail and--as that was the only injury that sail had +received--the bit had been cut out, and a fresh one put in, before +she sailed again from Gibraltar. She was flying Spanish colours. + +His heart beat fast. Would she overhaul them, or pass without +taking notice of them--seeing that the polacre was a small one, and +not likely to be a valuable prize? + +The vessels approached each other quickly. The course the Antelope +was taking would carry her some length or two behind the Spaniard. +Bob hesitated whether to hail her, as she came along. If his hail +was not heard he would, of course, be detected, and his plans +entirely spoilt; and with the wind blowing straight across, and he +in the bow, it would be by no means certain that his hail would be +distinguished. Suddenly, to his delight, when the brig was within a +hundred yards of the polacre he saw her head come up, while the +crew began to haul upon the sheets. + +An exclamation of surprise and alarm broke from the Spaniards as, +in another minute, the Antelope was running parallel with them, a +cable's length to windward. Then the portholes were opened, and +eight guns run out. The Spanish flag was run down and the British +hoisted to the peak; and a summons to strike their flag shouted to +the Spaniards. As the latter carried only four small guns, +resistance was out of the question. The Spanish flag was lowered +and, in obedience to the gesticulations, rather than the words, of +an officer on board the English brig, the halliards were thrown +off, and the sails came down with a run. + +The Spanish sailors were frantic with rage, swearing by all the +saints in the calendar. Bob had moved, at once, across to Amy. + +"Lie still, Amy. We are going to be captured by an English ship. It +is the same privateer that I was in before. Don't make any sign, +until they come on board. In the fury that these Spaniards are in, +they might stick their knives into us, if they knew we were +English." + +The brig had been thrown up into the wind as soon as the polacre's +sails had been lowered and, in three minutes, a boat came +alongside. Then Joe Lockett, followed by half a dozen sailors armed +with pistol and cutlass, scrambled on board. + +"Now, follow me, Amy," and, descending the ladder, Bob made his way +along the narrow gangway between the lines of cattle, and then +mounted to the poop. + +"Well, Joe, how are you?" + +The first mate of the Antelope started back, in astonishment. + +"Why, Bob Repton!" he exclaimed. "What on earth are you doing here, +masquerading as a Spanish sailor?" + +"I am trying to get across to Gibraltar," he said. + +"Why, is this fellow bound for Gibraltar? In that case we have not +got a prize, as we fancied." + +"She is a fair prize, Joe; she is bound for Algeciras. I was going +to make my way in from there, as best I could." + +"That is all right then. What has she got on board?" + +"Nothing beyond these cattle, and some vegetables, I expect; but +they are worth a lot of money, on the Rock." + +"Well, you will be able to tell us all about things, Bob. I will +hail the captain to send Crofts on board, with a dozen men to take +charge, here; and then I will take you on board." + +"I have a friend here," Bob said, turning to Amy, who was standing +timidly behind him, "so you must take him with me." + +"All right!" Joe said, carelessly. + +In five minutes, Bob stood again on the deck of the Antelope, and a +hearty greeting was exchanged between him and Captain Lockett. + +"Before I tell you anything, Captain, which cabin am I to have? I +will tell you why, afterwards. I suppose it will be my old one?" + +"Yes; that is our one spare cabin, Bob. But I don't know why you +are in such a hurry about it." + +"I will tell you presently," Bob laughed, and led the way below. + +"There, Amy," he said, "you can go in there, and put on your own +things again. I thought it would be more comfortable, for you, for +them not to know it until you are properly dressed, in your own +clothes. You have brought a frock, of course?" + +"Yes; I thought I had better bring one, in case we should be made +prisoners." + +"That is all right. When you are dressed, come upon deck. I will +explain all about it, before you appear." + +Bob, as briefly as possible, told his story to Captain Lockett and +Joe; who were much amused to find that Bob's friend was a young +lady. + +"You are coming out in quite a new light, Bob, as a squire of +dames. But I won't laugh at you, now; I want to hear the last news. +I overhauled that craft, not so much to capture her, as to get the +last news. There were reports, before I started, that the Moors +were joining the Spaniards, and that their ports were closed to us; +and what you say confirms that. That was one of the points I wanted +to know, as I could not tell whether I could run in there safely, +were I chased. Now, as to getting into the Rock, are their cruisers +active, at present?" + +"Well, there are lots of them about. I think your best plan will be +to run in close to the Point, and hold on as if you were going into +Algeciras. In that way, they won't suspect you. Then, when you get +right up the bay, haul across to the town. The wind is in your +favour, because you will have to tack to work up the bay and, if +you make pretty long tacks, they won't suspect you, when you start +across, until you have got pretty well away and, with this breeze, +there will be no chance of their catching you before you are under +our guns." + +"That seems hopeful enough. At any rate, we will try it. I will +send six more men on board the polacre. They will want to be handy +with her sails. I will go myself, and give Crofts orders. He had +better keep ahead of us for, if we are chased by their gunboats, we +can protect him." + +Just as sail was again got up, and the two vessels were under way, +Amy Harcourt came on deck; and was soon laughing and chatting +merrily with the captain. At four in the afternoon they rounded the +Point, the polacre a few hundred yards ahead, and both flying +Spanish colours. There were several Spanish cruisers, and some +gunboats, outside them; but these paid no attention to their +movements, and both beat up the bay, keeping close into the Spanish +shore, but holding somewhat farther out, at each tack. + +"Now," Captain Lockett, said when they were within half a mile of +Algeciras, "we will run out this tack. There are two gunboats in +our way, I see, but we must take our chance of them. + +"Go and wave a handkerchief from the bow, Joe. Mr. Crofts will be +on the lookout for the signal." + +The two vessels held away on the port tack. As the polacre +approached the gunboats, a sudden bustle was observed on board +them. + +"They begin to smell a rat," Captain Lockett said. + +"Hoist the topgallant sails," for the brig had been under easy +sail, to enable her to hold her place with the polacre. + +The men were already at quarters, and the ports were opened and the +guns run out. Just as the gunboat nearest the polacre--finding the +hail, for her to bring to, unheeded--fired a shot into her, the +brig's head paid off, and she poured a broadside into the two +gunboats. One of them was struck amidships. For a minute there was +great confusion on board, and then she made for her companion, +evidently in a sinking condition. + +Several shots were now fired from the forts but, though they fell +near, the brig was uninjured. The second gunboat did not venture to +attack so formidable an opponent and, half an hour later, the +Antelope and her prize dropped anchor off the Mole. + +Bob had already run down and put on his usual clothes, and he and +Amy were at once rowed ashore, and made their way to Major +Harcourt's quarters. The delight of Amy's father and mother, as she +rushed into the room, was extreme. Bob did not enter with her, but +left her to tell her own story; and proceeded straight to the +governor's, to whom he reported the state of affairs at Tangier. + +"It is bad news," the governor said. "However, I am extremely +obliged to you, for the valuable service that you have rendered +and, as I had the pleasure of before doing, when you brought in the +oranges, I shall place your name in the orders of the day for +having, as a volunteer, rendered signal service by carrying +despatches, at great risk, across to the Barbary coast." + +Bob then returned home. Captain Lockett had already been to the +house, and informed the O'Hallorans of his arrival. + +"There you see, Carrie," Bob said, after his sister's first +greetings were over; "there was nothing to have been so terribly +alarmed about." + +"It isn't because you got through it safely, Bob, that there was no +danger," his sister replied. "It was a very foolish thing to do, +and nothing will change my opinion as to that. + +"Captain Lockett tells me you brought Amy Harcourt back with you, +dressed up as a boy. I never heard of such a thing, Bob! The idea +of a boy like you--not eighteen yet--taking charge, in that way, of +a young girl!" + +"Well, there was nothing else to do, Carrie, that I could see. I +went to Mrs. Hamber, who was Mrs. Colomb's most intimate friend, +and asked her opinion as to what I had better do; and she advised +me to get Amy away, if I possibly could do so. I can't see what +difference it makes, whether it is a boy or a girl. It seems to me +that people are always so stupid about that sort of thing." + +Carrie laughed. + +"Well, never mind, Bob. Amy Harcourt is a very nice girl. A little +too boyish, perhaps; but I suppose that is natural, being brought +up in the regiment. I am very glad that you have brought her back +again, and it will be an immense relief to her father and mother. +Her mother has been here three or four times, during these two days +you have been away; and I am in no way surprised at her anxiety. +They will be in here this evening, certainly, to thank you." + +"Very well; then I shall be round smoking a cigar, with the +doctor," Bob said. "I am very glad to have been of use to them, and +to have got Amy back again; but I don't want to be thanked, and you +tell them so. I hate being made a fuss about." + +And so, beyond a warm grasp of the hand, on the part of Major +Harcourt; and two or three words of hearty thanks, on that of his +wife, the next time they met; Bob escaped any expression of +gratitude. But the occurrence drew the two families together more +closely, and Amy often came round with her father and mother, in +the evening; and there were many little confidential talks between +Carrie and Mrs. Harcourt. + +It was some time before the anxiety as to the fate of the English +inhabitants, at Tangier, was allayed. They were, at the beginning +of December, forced to remove to Marteen, a few miles from +Tetuan--abandoning their houses and all their property, which was +estimated at the value of sixty thousand pounds--and, three days +afterwards, were handed over as prisoners to the Spaniards. They +were then put on board a ship, and taken to Algeciras--where they +were kept, for nearly a month, prisoners on board ship--but were, +on the 11th of January, 1781, sent across to Gibraltar. + +The next five months passed slowly and heavily. Occasionally, +privateers and other craft ran through the blockade of the Spanish +cruisers, and succeeded in getting into port. Some of these brought +wine and sugar--of both of which the garrison were extremely +short--and occasionally a few head of cattle and other provisions. +All of these were sold by public auction, the governor considering +that to be the fairest way of disposing of them. + +On the 12th of April another great convoy, under Admiral Darby, +entered the port. It consisted of about a hundred merchantmen, +under the protection of a powerful fleet. The joy of the garrison +and inhabitants was intense although, among the latter, this was +mingled with a certain feeling of uneasiness. Deserters had at +various times brought in reports that, should Gibraltar be again +relieved, it was the purpose of the Spaniards to bombard the town. +Hopes were entertained that so wanton an act of cruelty would not +be carried out, for the entire destruction of the town would not +advance, in the smallest degree, the progress of the siege. + +At a quarter to eleven, just as the van of the convoy came to an +anchor off the New Mole, Fort San Philip opened fire upon the town +and, at the signal, the whole of the batteries in the forts and +lines followed suit. A hundred and fourteen guns and mortars rained +their shot and shell upon the town, and the guns of the batteries +of the garrison at once responded. + +Several of the officers of the 58th, and their wives, had come up +to Captain O'Halloran's to enjoy, from the terrace, the view of the +great convoy entering the port. All were in the highest spirits, at +the thought of the abundant supplies that would now be at their +disposal; and in the belief that the Spaniards, seeing that the +garrison was again amply provisioned, would abandon the siege, +which had now lasted for twenty-two months. Suddenly there came +upon the air the deep sound of the guns of San Philip, followed by +a prolonged roar as the whole of the Spanish batteries opened fire. +The hum of shot could be heard, followed by the explosion of +shells, the fall of masonry, and screams and cries. + +"The bombardment has begun, at last!" Captain O'Halloran exclaimed. + +The greatest consternation reigned among the ladies. Several of +them had left children in their quarters and, although the barracks +were so placed as to be, to a great extent, sheltered from the +enemy's fire from the land side, they were still terribly anxious +as to their safety. Two of them had, like the O'Hallorans, quarters +in the town itself; and the husbands of these ladies, accompanied +by Captain O'Halloran and Bob, at once set out to bring the +children up to the house, which was perfectly sheltered. + +The scene in the town was a pitiful one. Men, women, and children +were flying, in the wildest alarm, towards the gate looking south; +and thence out to the huts that the more prudent ones had erected, +many months before, near Europa Point. Shot and shell were raining +down, while chimneys and portions of masonry fell clattering in the +streets. Sick people were being carried out, on doors or planks; +and most of the inhabitants were laden with what few articles of +value they could snatch up, at the first alarm. The children were +soon brought up to the O'Hallorans' and then, for a time, there was +nothing to do but to listen to the roar of artillery. + +The officers and Bob ascended the Rock, to a point near one of the +batteries, whence they could command a view of the Spanish lines. +The flashes of smoke were bursting forth almost incessantly; but +were answered shot for shot from the English batteries, which had +already almost silenced the San Carlos Battery, which mounted a +large number of mortars, and against which the fire of the English +guns was concentrated. + +Between one and two o'clock the Spanish fire abated, and soon +ceased altogether. The inhabitants took advantage of the lull to +hurry back to their houses, whence they removed the lighter and +more portable articles; but the heavy stores--of which it now +appeared many of them had large quantities concealed--they were, of +course, unable to take away. + +The discovery of these stores excited much indignation among the +troops. The inhabitants had been constantly representing themselves +as reduced to the last point of hunger, and had frequently received +provisions from the scanty supplies of the garrison; and the +soldiers were exasperated on finding that, all this time, they +possessed great stores of wine, flour, and other articles; which +they were hoarding to produce, and sell, when prices should rise to +even more exorbitant heights than they had already reached. + +At five o'clock the enemy's batteries opened again; and the firing +continued, without intermission, all that night. As several +casualties had taken place, in the barracks and quarters; marquees +were, on the following morning, served out to all the officers +whose quarters were exposed to fire, and these were pitched near +Europa Point, as were also a large number of tents for the use of +the inhabitants. + +A considerable body of troops were kept under arms, near the +northern gate, in case the Spaniards should attempt to make an +assault under cover of their fire; and five hundred officers and +men were told off, to assist in the work of getting the supplies up +from the wharves, as fast as they were landed from the transports. + +The bombardment continued during the whole of the next two days. +The mortars still poured their shells upon the town; but the guns +were now directed at our batteries, and their fire was remarkably +accurate. + +On the 14th the unloading parties were increased to a thousand men, +and strong detachments of troops were told off to extinguish the +fires in the town; as the enemy were now discharging shell filled +with a composition that burned with great fury, igniting everything +with which it came in contact. The troops engaged upon this duty +were not long in broaching the casks of wine found, in such +abundance, in many of the ruined houses. For two years they had +been living almost entirely on salt provisions, and wine had been +selling at prices vastly beyond their means. It was scarcely +surprising, then, that they should take advantage of this +opportunity. + +The stores were practically lost, for the whole town was crumbling +to pieces beneath the fire of the enemy's mortars, and was on fire +in several places; and little, if any, of the liquor and stores +consumed could, in any case, have been saved. However, for a time +insubordination reigned. The troops carried off liquor to their +quarters, barricaded themselves there, and got drunk; and it was +two or three days before discipline was restored. Up to this time +the conduct of the soldiers had been most exemplary, and they had +borne their prolonged hardships without a murmur; and this outbreak +was due as much to a spirit of revenge against the inhabitants, for +hiding away great stores of provisions and liquor, with a view to +making exorbitant profits, as from a desire to indulge in a luxury +of which they had been so long deprived. + +On the 15th the enemy's fire was hotter than ever; and the guns +were withdrawn from our batteries, as they produced but little +effect upon the Spanish batteries, and the men working them +suffered a good deal from the besiegers' fire. Two officers were +dangerously wounded, in one of the casemates of the King's Bastion; +and the fire was so heavy, around some of the barracks, that all +the troops who could not be disposed of, in the casemates and +bomb-proofs, were sent out of the town and encamped southward and, +the next day, all the women and children who had gone with their +husbands and fathers into the casemates were also removed, and +placed under canvas. All this gave incessant work to the troops, +for there was no level ground upon which the tents could be pitched +and, as it was therefore necessary to level all the ground into +terraces, it was some days before the camps were ranged in anything +like order. + +Each day the enemy sent out their gunboats to harass the +merchantmen, but these were always driven back by the guns of the +fleet. On the 17th the besiegers' shells set fire to the Spanish +church, which had been used as a storehouse. Strong parties were +sent down to remove the provisions, which consisted largely of +barrels of flour. These were carried up and piled, so as to afford +protection to the casemates, which had been frequently entered by +the enemy's shots--several men having been killed there. They +proved a valuable defence; and afforded, moreover, great amusement +to the soldiers who, whenever a barrel was smashed by a shell, +carried off the contents and quickly converted them into pancakes, +until so many casks had been emptied that the whole structure came +toppling down. + +On the 18th a shell came through the arch of one of the casemates, +killing two and wounding four men and, in consequence, a good many +more of the troops were sent under canvas. + +On the 20th the work of unloading the greater portion of the +transports was completed; and the admiral, who was most anxious to +take advantage of the easterly wind, that was blowing, to sail out +of the Straits, gave the signal for departure. Many of the +merchantmen, whose cargoes were consigned to merchants and traders +on the Rock, carried them back to England; as the merchants, having +no place, whatever, in which to store goods--for the town was now +almost entirely destroyed--refused to accept them. The transports, +with ordnance stores, were brought in behind the New Mole to be +discharged at leisure; while several colliers were run close in, +and scuttled, so that their cargoes could be removed as required. + +A great many of the inhabitants, and of the officers' wives and +families, embarked on board the fleet before it left. The enemy's +fire still continued very heavy; and their guns and mortar boats, +on the 23rd, came boldly out and opened fire upon the working +parties, who were stacking the barrels and stores at the south end +of the Rock. The wife of a soldier was killed, and several men +wounded. + +On the 26th the governor determined sternly to repress the +drunkenness that still prevailed, owing to the soldiers going down +among the ruins of the town, where they occasionally discovered +uninjured casks of wine. An order was therefore issued, on that +day, that any soldier convicted of being drunk, asleep at his post, +or marauding, should be immediately shot. + +On the 27th a convoy of twenty ships, in charge of the Brilliant +and three other frigates, came in from Minorca; where the governor +had ordered provisions to be purchased, in case the convoy expected +from England did not arrive. The arrival of these ships largely +added to the stores at the disposal of the garrison. + + + +Chapter 16: A Cruise In The Brilliant. + + +While the bombardment continued, Bob had been constantly occupied. +He had, some time before, put down his name as a volunteer for +service, if required; and he and several others, who had similarly +enrolled themselves, had been appointed to assist in looking after +the removal of the soldiers' wives and children to the tents +erected for them, and to seeing to their comfort there. He had also +been in charge of bodies of labourers, employed by the governor in +the work of levelling the ground and transporting stores. + +Captain O'Halloran was constantly away on duty and, soon after the +bombardment began, it was found necessary to drive the whole of the +poultry into the lower part of the house; the Spaniards retaining +only one room for their own accommodation. Had not this step been +taken, the chickens would speedily have been stolen by marauders +as, in the absence of Captain O'Halloran and Bob, there was no one +to protect them. After the issue of the governor's proclamation, +discipline was speedily restored, and there was no longer any +occasion to keep them under shelter. + +The bombardment was followed by heavy rains, which caused very +great discomfort to the troops. The water, pouring in torrents down +the face of the hills, swept away the newly raised banks; and +brought down the tents, the soldiers having to turn out in the +wet--and as the troops, owing to their heavy duties, were only one +night out of three in bed, the discomfort and annoyance were very +great. Great quantities of the provisions, too, were damaged; as +these were all stacked in the open air, with no other covering than +that afforded by the sails of the colliers, which were cut off and +used for the purpose. Until the end of the month the downfall of +rain was incessant, and was accompanied with heavy storms of +thunder and lightning. The batteries required constant repair, and +the labours of the troops were very severe. + +Since the departure of Admiral Darby's fleet, the enemy appeared to +have given up all hopes of compelling the place to surrender by +hunger. The convoy from Minorca had not been interfered with and, +on the 2nd of May, two native craft came in from Algiers with +sheep, wine, and brandy, unmolested by the enemy's cruisers. + +The enemy's fire had never entirely ceased, since the commencement +of the bombardment, and now amounted to about fifteen hundred +rounds, every twenty-four hours; the gunboats generally coming out, +every day, and sending their missiles into the town and +batteries--the latter being specially the mark of the enemy's land +guns, which reached even the highest batteries on the Rock. All +through May and June the enemy's fire continued; dropping, towards +the end of the latter month, to about five hundred shot and shell a +day. The gunboats were specially annoying, directing their fire +against the south end of the Rock, and causing great alarm and +distress among the fugitives from the town encamped there. +Occasionally they directed their fire towards the houses that had +escaped the fire of the land batteries; and several shot and shell +fell near the O'Hallorans' but, fortunately, without hitting the +house. + +The volunteers had now been released from duty, and Bob was free to +wander about as he pleased. As, since his exploit in fetching in +the fruit, he had become known to every officer in the garrison; he +was a privileged person, and was able to enter any of the +batteries, and to watch the effects of their fire against the +enemy's forts and lines. He often spent the day on board the +Brilliant. At the end of June the frigate went away for a +fortnight's cruise, and the captain invited Bob to accompany them. + +"We shall all expect great things from you, Mr. Repton. As you +managed to capture some fifty thousand pounds' worth of prizes, +when you were on board that privateer brig, you ought to put the +frigate into the way of taking at least four times as much." + +"It is easy to turn a brig into anything, Captain Langton; but +there is no making one of His Majesty's frigates look other but +what she is. The mere sight of your topsails is enough to send +every Spanish craft into port." + +For three or four days the frigate sailed along the coast; keeping +well out during the day, and closing with the land in the evening. +Two or three small coasters were picked up by the boats, but they +were scarcely worth sending into Gibraltar. On the fifth day a +large barque was seen, making in from the south. All sail was made, +but the barque had the weather gage and, crossing her, ran into the +shore and anchored under the shelter of a battery. + +"That would be a prize worth having, Bob," Jim Sankey said. "I +wonder what she has got on board? Perhaps she is like that craft +you captured, choke-full of lead and silver, from Lima." + +"I think I can tell you what she is full of," Bob, who had been +examining her through a glass he had borrowed from the third +lieutenant, replied. + +"How do you mean you can tell, Bob? She has not got her bill of +lading stuck upon her broadside, I suppose?" + +"She has not, Jim. But I can tell you, without that." + +"Well, what has she got on board?" + +"She has got a very strong crew, Jim, and twenty-four guns." + +"Why, how on earth did you know that, Bob?" he asked, staring at +his friend in surprise. + +"Because, Jim, I have been on board, and counted the guns. That is +the craft I swam off to, nearly two years ago. You hunted for her, +then, you know; but I suppose she had gone into one of the ports. +But that is her, I can almost swear. + +"I don't know whether there is a better glass than this on board +but, if there is, I should be glad to have a look through it. Yet I +feel certain, without that. Her stern is of rather peculiar shape, +and that stern gallery looks as if it was pinched out of her, +instead of being added on. We particularly noticed that, when we +were sailing with her. I can't be mistaken about it." + +"I think the captain ought to know, then," Jim said. "I will speak +to Mr. Rawdon. He is in charge of the watch." + +Jim went up on to the quarterdeck, touched his hat, and informed +the second lieutenant what Bob had told him. Mr. Rawdon went up at +once to the captain, who was talking to the first lieutenant, and +examining the barque and battery through his glass. + +"Mr. Sankey has reported to me, sir, that Mr. Repton is very +strongly of opinion that the barque, there, is the Spanish ship of +war he boarded by night, just after the beginning of hostilities. +He told us about it, sir, and we spent two or three days in looking +for her." + +"Of course I remember," the captain said. "Have the kindness to +pass the word for Mr. Repton to come aft." + +Bob soon stood before the captain. + +"Mr. Rawdon tells me that you are of opinion that the barque, in +there, is the disguised Spanish sloop you boarded, two years ago?" + +"Yes, sir, I am almost sure of it; but I should like to have +another look at her, through your glass, before I speak with +certainty." + +The captain handed his glass, which was a remarkably good one, to +Bob. + +"That is her," Bob said, after a minute's examination. "I could +swear to her, anywhere;" and he then pointed out, to the captain, +the peculiarities he had noticed. + +"I can make out her figurehead, too," he said. "It is a saint, +though I don't know what saint; but if you notice, sir, you will +see that, instead of standing nearly upright, he leans much more +forward than usual. I remember the captain saying he looked as if +he was going to take a header. So with that, and the stern gallery, +there is no possibility of mistaking her." + +The captain again examined the barque through his glass. + +"Yes, I notice both the points you mention. Well, I am much obliged +to you for the news. It is very important. I was thinking of +cutting her out, tonight; and should have fallen into the same +error you so nearly did, in the privateer." + +Bob bowed and retired. + +"We should have caught a tartar, Mr. Lyons, if we had sent the +force we were talking about to cut her out; but I think we must +have her, somehow." + +"I hope so, sir. We have had a very dull time of it; with nothing +to do but to exchange shots, occasionally, with those gunboats; and +to get under sail, now and then, to escort some craft or other into +port. The navy hasn't done much to boast of, during this siege; and +it has been very hard on us, being cooped up there in Gibraltar, +while the fleet all over the world are picking up prizes, and +fighting the French and Spanish. Why, we haven't made enough prize +money, in the last two years, to pay for pipe clay and powder." + +"Yes, we all feel that, Mr. Lyons. We have certainly been terribly +out of luck. That privateer Mr. Repton was on board did more, in +her week's cruise, than all His Majesty's ships in Gibraltar have +done, in the last two years. + +"We must take that craft, inshore, if we can. There is no doubt she +is ably commanded, for she is so well disguised that we never +suspected her for a moment; therefore there is not the least chance +of our catching her napping. She is a formidable craft to cut out +with the boats, even if she hadn't the aid of the battery." + +"There is no doubt about that, sir. I think Mr. Repton reported, +before, that she carried twenty-four guns, and all heavy metal. As +far as I can make out, with the glass, the battery mounts twelve +guns." + +"Yes, that is the number. Besides, you see, we dare not take the +frigate in nearer than a mile; and a mile and a quarter would be +safer. So that we could not be of any assistance, beyond annoying +the battery with long shot. It seems to me that there is only one +chance." + +"What is that, sir?" + +"We must land a strong party, some distance along the shore; and +make an attack upon the battery, and carry it by surprise. I can +make out some huts behind it. I suppose they wouldn't have less +than a hundred soldiers there--perhaps a hundred and fifty. If we +can drive them off, and capture the battery, we can open fire down +upon the ship. At that distance, we could fairly sweep her deck +with grape. + +"The rest of our boats would be lying ahead and astern of her and, +as soon as the battery opened, they could make a dash for her. The +crew of the barque would be so disorganized, by the fire of the +battery, that they should hardly be able to make very much of a +fight of it." + +"That seems a capital plan, sir. The only question is the number of +hands. Suppose you send eighty to take the battery; we should only +have as many more to spare, for the boat attack on the ship; and +that would leave us with only a hundred, on board. I should think +she would carry a fighting crew of two hundred, at least. These +Spaniards are always very strongly manned." + +"I should think that would be about it. They are long odds, but not +too long, I think, Mr. Lyons. At any rate, we will try. + +"Lay her off the land, Mr. Lyons, then we will go into my cabin, +and make all the arrangements." + +There was much talk and excitement among the crew, for the general +opinion was that the captain would try to cut out the craft lying +under the Spanish battery. The navy had, for a long time, been very +sore at their inactivity; and had fretted that no attempts had been +made to cut out the Spanish vessels, across the bay. The admiral +had steadily set his face against all such attempts, considering +that the benefits to be gained did not justify the risks; for, had +any of his small squadron been damaged, or sunk, by the guns of the +batteries, the consequences would have been very serious, as the +Spanish gunboats would then have been able to carry on their +operations, without check, and it would have been next to +impossible for vessels to run the blockade. + +The information Bob had given was soon known to all the officers, +and was not long before it permeated through the crew, and added to +their anxiety to cut the Spaniard out; for although the prize money +would be less than if she had been a richly laden merchantman, the +honour and glory was proportionately greater. The undertaking would +be a serious one, but the prospect of danger is never deterrent to +a British sailor. + +There was great satisfaction when, presently, it became known that +the crews of the whole of the boats were to muster. Arms were +inspected, cutlasses ground, and everything prepared. It was early +in the morning when the Spanish barque had been first discovered; +and ten o'clock when the frigate had sailed away from land, as if +considering the Spanish craft too strongly protected to be +attacked. When five miles away from land, her course was laid east +and, under easy sail, she maintained the same distance on the +coast. + +The plan of operations was that the first lieutenant, with thirty +marines and as many sailors, should land at a spot some two miles +from the battery; and should make their way inland, and come down +upon the position from the rear. A hundred men, in the rest of the +boats, should make for the barque, direct. This party was to act in +two divisions, under the second and third lieutenants, respectively; +and were to lie, one to the east and the other to the west of the +barque, and remain there until the guns of the battery opened upon +her. Then they were to row for her at all speed; a blue light being +burned, by each division, when they were within a hundred yards of +the enemy, as a warning to their friends in the battery; who were then +to fire round shot, instead of grape. The frigate was to venture in as +closely as she dared, anchor broadside on, and open fire at the enemy. + +Jim Sankey was told off to the landing party, and Bob went up to +the captain, and requested leave to accompany him, as a volunteer. + +"You see, sir," he said, "we may fall in with peasants, or be +challenged by sentries, as we approach the battery, and my ability +to speak Spanish might be an advantage." + +"It would, undoubtedly," the captain said. "Well, Mr. Repton, I +shall be very glad to accept your services." + +At four in the afternoon, the frigate's head was again turned west +and, at ten o'clock, the boats for the landing party were lowered +and, the men taking their places in them, rowed away for the shore, +which was some two miles distant. The night was dark; but Mr. Lyons +had with him a pocket compass and had, before embarking, taken the +exact bearings of the battery, from the spot where they would land. +He was therefore able to shape his course to a point half a mile in +its rear. + +The strictest silence had been enjoined, and the little body of +sailors made their way inland, until they came upon a road running +parallel with the shore. They followed this for about half a mile, +and then struck off inland, again. The country was highly +cultivated, with orchards, vineyards, and orange groves. Their +progress was slow; for they had, many times, to cut a passage +through the hedges of prickly pear. At last, they reached a spot +where they believed themselves to be directly behind the battery. +Here there was a path, leading in the direction which they wished +to follow. + +In a quarter of an hour they made out some lights ahead of them, +and the lieutenant halted his men, and again repeated the orders +they had before received. + +"You are to go straight at the huts. As you approach them you are +to break up into parties of ten, as already formed. Each party is +to attack one hut, cut down all who resist, seize and carry away +all arms. Never mind the men, if you have once got their arms. They +cannot trouble us, afterwards. Waste no time but, directly you have +got all the firelocks in one hut, make for another. As soon as all +have been cleared out, make for the battery. + +"Now, let the officers told off to command parties each fall in, at +the head of his ten men. + +"Mr. Repton, you will keep beside me, to answer a challenge." + +They were within fifty yards of the huts when a sentinel +challenged: + +"Who goes there?" + +"Soldiers of the king," Bob answered, in Spanish, "with +reinforcements for you." + +"Halt till I call an officer," the sentry said. + +But the lieutenant gave the word, and the whole party dashed +forward at a run. The sentry hesitated in surprise, for a moment, +and then discharged his piece. The sailors gave a cheer, and rushed +at the huts. Taken utterly by surprise, the Spaniards at first +offered no resistance, whatever, as the sailors rushed in. Indeed, +few of them attempted to get out of bed. The blue lights, with +which one man in each party was provided, were lighted as they +entered; and the arms were collected without a moment's delay, and +they were off again before the Spaniards were fairly awake to what +had happened. + +There were ten huts, each containing twenty men. Two or three shots +were fired, as they entered the last two huts; but the Spaniards +were overpowered in an instant, as they were here vastly +outnumbered. The officers were made prisoners and, ten men being +placed over them, the rest of the force, now carrying three muskets +each, ran down into the battery. The sentries here threw down their +arms, at once, and were allowed to go where they pleased. + +"Pile the arms you have captured!" Lieutenant Lyons ordered. "Run +the ramrods down them, and see if they are loaded. The Spaniards +are not likely to rally but, if they do, we can give them a hot +reception. + +"Now, gunner, break open the magazine, there, and load with grape." + +By this time the drum was beating to arms, in the vessel below--the +shots fired having given the alarm--and lights were seen to flash +along the deck. In two minutes the guns were loaded; and these +opened with a fire of grape upon the deck of the vessel, which was +near enough to be distinctly seen, by the glare of the blue lights. +As the first gun was fired, an answering flash came from sea, as +the frigate also opened fire. For five minutes the guns were worked +fast, then two lights burst out in close succession, ahead and +astern of the barque. + +"Cease firing grape. Load with round shot!" the lieutenant shouted +but, a moment later, a loud cheer broke from the sailors as, by the +lights in the boats, the Spanish ensign was seen to run up to the +peak of the barque, and then at once to fall again to the deck. The +barque had surrendered. + +"Now, gunner, spike the guns," the lieutenant ordered, "and then +tumble them off the carriages." + +This was soon done. + +"Now let each man take one of the muskets, and throw the rest of +them over the parapet down the rocks. + +"That is right. Now, fall in!" + +The sailors fell in, and marched back to the huts. The Spanish +officers were placed in the midst, and twenty men were told off to +fire the huts. This was soon done. The lieutenant waited until they +were well alight, and then gave the order to march. They took the +coast road, this time, for two miles; and then struck off to the +shore and saw, a few hundred yards away, the lantern that had been +hoisted on one of the boats, as a signal. + +They were challenged by the boat keeper, who had moored the boats +twenty yards from the shore. A cheer broke out, as the answer was +given. The grapnels were pulled up, and the boats were soon +alongside. The party, embarking, rowed out in the direction where +they knew the frigate to be and, as soon as they were fairly out +from the shore, they saw the three lights she had hoisted as a +signal. In half an hour they were alongside. + +"I need not ask if you have succeeded, Mr. Lyons," the captain +said, as the boats came up, "for we have seen that. You have not +had many casualties, I hope?" + +"Only one, sir. One of the marines has a ball in his shoulder. +There were only five or six shots fired, in all, and no one else +has as much as a scratch." + +"I am truly glad to hear it," the captain said. "It has been a most +successful surprise. I don't think the boats can have suffered, +either." + +"I don't think there was a shot fired at them, sir," the lieutenant +said. "The Spaniard ran up his colours and dropped them again, +directly the boats showed their lights. I fancy they must have +suffered very heavily from our fire. You see, they were almost +under our guns, and we must have pretty well torn up their decks." + +"We shall soon hear," the captain said. "The boats are towing the +Spaniard out. She will be alongside in a few minutes." + +The wind had entirely dropped now and, in a short time, the +Spaniard was brought close alongside the frigate, and Mr. Rawdon +came on board to report. + +"The ship is the San Joaquin, mounting twenty-four guns, with a +crew of two hundred and twenty men, sir. Her casualties are very +heavy. The men had just poured up on deck, it seems, when the +battery opened fire. The captain, first lieutenant, and fifty-six +men are killed, and there are forty-three wounded. We have no +casualties. Their flag came down, just as we got alongside." + +"Then, as far as we are concerned," the captain said, "this is one +of the most bloodless victories on record. There will be no death +promotions this time, gentlemen, but I am sure you won't mind that. +It has been a most admirably managed affair, altogether; and I am +sure that it will be appreciated by my lords of the admiralty. + +"You will take command of her at present, Mr. Lyons, with the crew +now on board. Dr. Colfax and his assistant will go off with you, to +attend to the wounded, and will remain on board until we get into +Gibraltar. + +"Mr. Rawdon, you will be acting first, and I can only say that I +hope you will be confirmed." + +The frigate and her prize at once sailed for Gibraltar. On their +arrival there, the captain took some pains--by sending up larger +yards, and by repainting the broad white streaks showing the +portholes--to restore the prize to its proper appearance as a ship +of war. + +"We should not get half so much credit for her capture, if you took +her into Portsmouth looking like a lubberly merchantman," the +captain said to Mr. Lyons. "I don't care about patching up all +those shot holes in the bulwarks. That gives her the appearance of +having been taken after a sharp action, and the deck looks almost +like a ploughed field. + +"I shall give you fifty men, Mr. Lyons, I can't spare more than +that." + +"That will do, sir. Nothing smaller than ourselves is likely to +interfere with us and, if a large frigate engaged us, we should not +have more chance with a hundred men on board than with fifty. In +that case we shall have to trust to our legs. Of course, if we fall +in with two or three of the enemy's ships, I should run up the +Spanish flag. I will find out if I can, from the prisoners, what is +her private number. If I hoist that, and a Spanish flag, it ought +to deceive them. I will get her back to England, if possible, sir." + +"You will, of course, take home my report, Mr. Lyons. It is sure to +give you your step, I think." + +Next day the San Joaquin sailed and, six weeks later, a sloop of +war brought despatches to the admiral. Among them was a letter from +the admiralty to Captain Langton, expressing their gratification at +the very able arrangements by which he had captured and silenced a +Spanish battery; and cut out the sloop of war, San Joaquin, +anchored under its guns, without any loss of life. It was, they +said, a feat almost without parallel. They stated that they had, in +accordance with his recommendation, promoted Mr. Lyons to the rank +of commander; and they confirmed Mr. Rawdon in rank of first +lieutenant, the third lieutenant becoming second, and the senior +passed midshipman, Mr. Outram, being promoted to that of third +lieutenant. + +No change of any importance had taken place at Gibraltar, during +the absence of the Brilliant; except that the governor had +determined to retaliate for the nightly annoyance of the gunboats +and, accordingly, six guns were fixed at a very considerable +elevation behind the Old Mole, and shells fired from them. These +reached the enemy's camp; and caused, as could be seen from the +heights, great alarm and confusion. It was determined that in +future, when the enemy's gunboats bombarded our camps and huts, we +should retaliate by throwing shells into their camp. + +The day after the Brilliant returned the Helena, sloop of war--with +fourteen small guns--was seen working in towards the Rock. The +wind, however, was so light that she scarcely moved through the +water. Fourteen Spanish gunboats came out to cut her off. For a +time she maintained a gallant contest, against odds that seemed +overwhelming; although the garrison gave her up as lost. But when +the wind suddenly freshened, she sailed through her opponents into +the port; where she was received, with ringing cheers, by the +soldiers lining the batteries. + +Week after week passed in minor hostilities. There was a constant +exchange of fire between our batteries and those of the enemy. The +gunboats continued their operations; and we, in return, shelled +their camp. Fresh works were erected, on both sides. Casualties +took place almost daily, but both troops and inhabitants were now +so accustomed to the continual firing that they went about their +ordinary avocations, without paying any attention to the shot and +shell, unless one of the latter fell close at hand. + +November came in and, in spite of the heavy fire maintained by our +batteries, the enemy's works continually advanced towards the Rock; +and when, in the middle of the month, it was seen that the new +batteries were being armed and placed in readiness to open fire, +the governor determined to take the offensive. Accordingly, after +gunfire on the evening of the twenty-sixth, an order was issued for +all the grenadier and light infantry companies--with the 12th, and +Hardenberg's Regiment--to assemble, at twelve o'clock at +night--with a party of Engineers, and two hundred workmen from the +line regiments--for a sortie upon the enemy's batteries. The 39th +and 59th Regiments were to parade, at the same hour, to act as +support to the attacking party. A hundred sailors from the ships of +war were to accompany them. The attacking party numbered 1014 rank +and file, besides officers and noncommissioned officers. This was +exclusive of the two regiments forming the supports. The attacking +force was divided into three columns. + +At a quarter to three in the morning, the column moved out. The +enemy's pickets discovered the advance, as soon as it passed the +outlying work known as Forbes' Barrier and, after firing, fell +back. Lieutenant Colonel Hugo's column, which was in front, pushed +on rapidly; and entered the enemy's lines without opposition, when +the pioneers began to dismantle the work. Hardenberg's Regiment and +the central column attacked and carried the tremendous work known +as the San Carlos Battery. The enemy were unable to withstand, for +a moment, the fierce attack of the troops and, in a very short +time, the whole of the advanced works were in our hands. + +The leading corps formed up, to resist any attempt the enemy might +make to repel the sortie; and the working parties began to destroy +the enemy's work. Faggots dipped in tar were laid against the +fascines and gabions and, in a short time, columns of fire and +smoke rose from all parts of the works occupied. In an hour, the +object of the sortie was effected. Trains were laid to the +magazines, and the troops fell back. Just as they reached the town, +the principal magazine blew up, with a tremendous explosion. + +The enemy appeared to have been wholly confounded, at this sudden +attack upon their advanced works--the fugitives from which created +a panic throughout the whole army--and although the main Spanish +lines, mounting a hundred and thirty-five heavy pieces of +artillery, were but a few hundred yards behind the works attacked, +not a single shot was fired at the troops engaged. The batteries +continued burning for three days and, when they ceased to smoke, +nothing but heaps of sand remained of the works that had cost the +enemy months of labour to erect. + +It was some days before the Spaniards appeared to come to any +definite conclusion as to their next step. Then large numbers of +men set to work, to reestablish their batteries; and things fell +into their old routine, again. Every day shots were exchanged, +occasionally. Vessels made their way in and out; being sometimes +briskly chased by the enemy's gunboats, sometimes passing in with +little interference--for, by this time, the Spaniards must have +recognized that there was no hope, whatever, of reducing Gibraltar +by blockade. There was a great deal of sickness in the garrison; +but comparatively little of this was due to scurvy, for every +available corner of ground was now cultivated, and the supply of +vegetables--if not absolutely sufficient to counteract the effects +of so long and monotonous a diet of salt meat--was yet ample to +prevent any serious outbreak of scurvy recurring. + +In February, fresh activity was manifested among the besiegers. +Vast numbers of mules were seen, bringing fascines to their works. +At the end of March the Vernon store ship arrived and, a few hours +later, four transports with the 97th Regiment, under the convoy of +two frigates, came in. + +A singular series of casualties was caused by a single shot, which +entered an embrasure in Willis's Battery, took both legs off two +men, one leg off another, and wounded another man in both legs; +thus four men had seven legs taken off, or wounded, by one shot. +These casualties were caused by the inattention of the men to the +warning of a boy who was looking out for shot. There were two boys +in the garrison whose eyesight was so keen that they could see the +enemy's shot coming, and both were employed in the batteries +especially exposed to the enemy's fire, to warn the men to withdraw +themselves into shelter, when shot were coming. + +This quickness of eyesight was altogether exceptional. Standing +behind a gun--and knowing, therefore, the exact course the shot +will take--it is comparatively easy for a quick-sighted man to +follow it; but there are few, indeed, who can see a shot coming +towards them. In this respect, the ear is a far better index than +the eye. A person possessed of a fair amount of nerve can judge, to +within a few yards, the line that a shot coming towards him will +take. When first heard, the sound is as a faint murmur; increasing, +as it approaches, to a sound resembling the blowing off of steam by +an express engine, as it rushes through a station. At first, the +keenest ear could not tell the direction in which the shot is +travelling but, as it approaches, the difference in the angle +becomes perceptible to the ear, and a calm listener will +distinguish whether it will pass within twenty or thirty yards, to +the right or left. It would require an extraordinary acute ear to +determine more closely than this, the angle of flight being so very +small, until the shot approaches almost within striking distance. + +The garrison had been trying experiments with carcasses and red-hot +shot. A carcass is a hollow shot, or shell, pierced with holes; but +instead of being charged with powder, to explode it either by means +of a fuse or by percussion, it is filled with a fierce-burning +composition so that, upon falling, it will set on fire anything +inflammable near it. Red-hot shot are fired by putting a wet wad in +over the dry wad, next to the powder. The red-hot shot is then run +into the gun, and rammed against the wet wad; and the gun fired in +the usual way. The carcasses several times set fire to the enemy's +works, but the use of the red-hot shot was reserved for a pressing +emergency. A number of furnaces were constructed, in the various +batteries, for heating the shot; which necessarily required a +considerable amount of time, to bring them to a white heat. + +News came, in April, that great preparations were making, at Cadiz +and other Mediterranean ports, for a fresh and vigorous attack on +Gibraltar; and that the Duc de Crillon--who had lately captured +Minorca--would bring twenty thousand French and Spanish troops, in +addition to those at present engaged in the siege; that a large +fleet would also be present, and that the principal attack would be +made by means of ships turned into floating batteries, and +protected by an immense thickness of cork, or other wood. + +On the 9th of May, the ships began to arrive. Among them were seven +large vessels, which appeared to be old men-of-war. A large number +of workmen immediately went on board them, and began to lower the +topmasts. This confirmed the news in respect to the floating +batteries. + +About this time, three store ships fortunately arrived from +England, with powder, shell, and other stores. As there could be no +longer any doubt that the attack was, this time, to be delivered on +the sea face; strong working parties were employed in strengthening +the water batteries, in erecting lines of palisades, to prevent a +landing from boats, and in building furnaces for the heating of +shot in these batteries, also. At this time the Engineers began to +drive a gallery through the Rock, facing the neutral ground, in +order to place guns there. This work was carried on to the end of +the siege, and the batteries thus erected are now among the +strongest of the defences of Gibraltar. + +At the end of the month a great fleet, consisting of upwards of a +hundred sail, entered the bay and anchored off Algeciras. Some nine +or ten thousand troops were landed and, from that time, scarce a +day passed without fresh vessels, laden with stores and materials +for the siege, arriving in the bay. + +Early in May twelve gunboats, that had been sent out in pieces from +England, were completed and launched. Each carried one gun, and was +manned by twenty-one men. Six of these drew their crews from the +Brilliant, five from the Porcupine, and one from the Speedwell, +cutter. These craft had been specially designed for the purpose of +engaging the enemy's gunboats, and for convoying ships into the +port. + +On the 11th of June a shell from the enemy burst, just at the door +of one of the magazines of Willis's Battery. This instantly blew +up, and the explosion was so violent that it seemed to shake the +whole Rock. Fourteen men were killed, and fifteen wounded, and a +great deal of injury done to the battery; but strong parties at +once set to work to repair it. A few days later a French convoy of +sixty sail and three frigates anchored in the bay and, from these, +another five thousand French troops landed. + +At the end of the month the Duc de Crillon arrived, and took +command of the besiegers. A private letter, that was brought in by +a privateer that had captured a merchantman, on her way, gave the +garrison an idea of the method in which the attack was to be made. +It stated that ten ships were to be fortified, six or seven feet +thick, with green timber bolted with iron, and covered with cork, +junk, and raw hides. They were to carry guns of heavy metal, and to +be bombproof on the top, with a descent for the shells to slide +off. These vessels, which they supposed would be impregnable, were +to be moored within half gunshot of the walls with iron chains; and +large boats, with mantlets, were to lie off at some distance, full +of troops ready to take advantage of occurrences; that the mantlets +of these boats were to be formed with hinges, to fall down to +facilitate their landing. There would, by that time, be forty +thousand men in camp, but the principal attack was to be made by +sea, to be covered by a squadron of men-of-war with bomb ketches, +floating batteries, gun and mortar boats, etc.; and that the Comte +D'Artois--brother to the King of France--with other great +personages, was to be present at the attack. + +At this time the enemy fired but little, and the garrison were able +to turn their whole attention to strengthen the points most +threatened. The activity of the enemy on their offensive works on +the neutral ground continued and, in one night, a strong and lofty +work, five hundred yards long, with a communication thirteen +hundred yards long to the works, was raised. It was calculated that +ten thousand men, at least, must have been employed upon it; and no +less than a million and a half sandbags used in its construction. + +There could be no doubt, now, that the critical moment was +approaching; and that, ere long, the garrison would be exposed to +the most tremendous fire ever opened upon a besieged place. + + + +Chapter 17: The Floating Batteries. + + +In spite of the unremitting work, of the daily cannonade, of +illness and hardship, life on the Rock had not been unpleasant to +the O'Hallorans. Although many of the officers' wives had, at one +time or another, taken advantage of ships sailing from the port to +return home--or rather, to endeavour to do so, for a considerable +number of the vessels that left were captured by the Spaniards, +before getting through the Straits--there still remained sufficient +for agreeable society; and the O'Hallorans' was, more than any +other house, the general meeting place. + +From its position in the hollow, it was sheltered from the fire of +all the shore batteries--whose long distance shots searched all the +lower parts of the Rock--while the resources of the establishment +enabled the O'Hallorans to afford an open-handed hospitality that +would have been wholly beyond the means of others. They had long +since given up selling any of their produce, distributing all their +surplus eggs among families where there was illness, or sending +them up to the hospitals; and doing the same with their chickens, +and vegetables. The greatest care was bestowed upon the poultry, +fresh broods being constantly raised, so that they could kill eight +or ten couple a week, and still keep up their stock to its full +strength. Thus, with gatherings two evenings a week at their own +house, and usually as many at the houses of their friends; while +Captain O'Halloran and Bob frequently dined at the mess of their +own, or other regiments, the time passed pleasantly. + +While Carrie was fully occupied with the care of the house, and a +general superintendence of what they called their farm; Bob was +never at a loss for amusement. There was always something to see, +some fresh work being executed, some fresh development in the +defences; while he was on terms of friendship with almost every +officer in the garrison. It was two years and a half since he had +come out, and he was now eighteen. His constant intercourse with +people older than himself, and with the officers of the garrison, +together with the exceptional position in which he found himself, +made him in some respects seem older than he was; but he still +retained his liveliness, and love of fun. His spirits never +flagged, and he was a general favourite with all who knew him. + +On the 19th of August, a boat with a flag of truce brought in a +complimentary letter from the Duc de Crillon to the governor, +informing him of the arrival of the Comte D'Artois and the Duc de +Bourbon in his camp, and sending him a present of ice, fruit, +partridges, and other delicacies. The governor returned a letter in +similar complimentary terms, thanking the Duke for his letter and +the presents; but declining with thanks the supplies that had been +offered, saying that he never received, for himself, anything +beyond what was common to the garrison. + +The sailors of the ships of war now pitched tents ashore, for their +use when they should be ordered to land to take part in the +defence; and the heavy guns were, for the most part, moved down +from the upper batteries to the sea lines. Day after day passed, +the bombardment being constantly expected; but the damage +inflicted, by fire, on the enemy's works by our carcasses delayed +the attack. + +On the 8th of September a tremendous fire was suddenly opened, with +red hot shot and carcasses, upon the enemy's works. The Mahon +Battery was burned, while the San Carlos and San Marten Batteries +were so damaged that they had almost to be rebuilt. The enemy, as +on previous occasions, showed extreme bravery in their efforts to +extinguish the fire and to repair damages; and it was afterwards +known that the French troops, alone, had a hundred and forty killed +and wounded. The damage done probably convinced the Duc de Crillon +that no advantage could be hoped for by trying further to increase +his works and, at half past five next morning, a volley of sixty +shells was fired by their mortar batteries, followed by the +discharge of one hundred and seventy pieces of heavy artillery. + +This tremendous fire was kept up for some time, while nine +line-of-battle ships, supported by fifteen gun and mortar boats, +passed to and fro along the sea face, pouring in their fire upon +us. At nightfall the enemy's guns ceased firing, but their mortars +kept up their shell fire all night. The next day the ships of war +renewed their attack, as did the land batteries. In the course of +the day the Brilliant and Porcupine frigates were scuttled by the +navy, alongside the New Mole, and their crews landed. + +On the following day the enemy's fire was principally directed +against the barrier and chevaux de frise in front of the land port +and, in the afternoon, these barriers and palisades were all in +flames; and the troops at that end of the Rock got under arms, in +case an attack should be made. + +On the morning of the 12th the combined fleets of France and Spain, +consisting of thirty-eight men-of-war, three frigates, and a number +of smaller craft, sailed into the bay and anchored near Algeciras. +Their fleet now consisted of forty-seven men-of-war, ten battering +ships--considered invincible, and carrying two hundred and twelve +guns--and innumerable frigates and small ships of war; while on the +land side were batteries mounting two hundred heavy guns, and an +army of forty thousand men. Tremendous odds, indeed, against a +fortress whose garrison consisted of seven thousand effective men, +including the Marine Brigade. + +For some days past Bob had been engaged, with their landlord and +some hired labourers, in bringing in earth and filling up the lower +rooms four feet deep, in order to render the cellars bomb proof. +Some beds and furniture were taken below, so that Carrie, the +servants, and the Spanish family could retire there, in case the +enemy's shells fell thickly round the house. + +It was noticed as a curious incident that, just as the combined +fleet entered the bay an eagle, after circling round it, perched +for a few minutes upon the summit of the flag post, on the highest +point of the Rock; an omen of victory which would have been +considered decisive, by the Romans, and which did, in fact, help to +raise the spirits and confidence of the garrison. + +On the morning of the 13th the enemy's battering ships got under +way, with a gentle breeze from the northwest and, at a little past +nine o'clock anchored, in admirable order, in line of the sea face. +The nearest was about nine hundred yards from the King's Bastion, +the most distant being about eleven hundred yards. Not a shot was +fired before the enemy anchored, and then the whole of the +batteries that commanded them opened fire, to which the battering +ships and the artillery in their lines at once replied. + +Bob was standing on the roof of the house, with his sister. + +"What a magnificent sight, Carrie!" he exclaimed. "It is well worth +all the waiting, to be here to see it." + +"It is terrible!" Carrie said. "It is like one great roar of +thunder. How awfully the men must be suffering, in the batteries!" + +"I don't suppose it is as bad as it looks," Bob said. "At any rate, +you needn't be uneasy about Gerald. All the troops except those +working the guns are in shelter, and won't be called out unless the +enemy attempt to land. + +"I wonder their fleet don't come across, to help their batteries. I +suppose they are afraid of the carcasses, and red hot shot. + +"Well, there is one comfort, Carrie: none of their shot are coming +this way. Their floating batteries, evidently, are firing only at +our batteries by the water. As to the others, we know that we are +safe enough from them though, certainly, the shot do make a most +unpleasant noise as they fly overhead. + +"I wish there was a little more wind, to blow away the smoke, so +that we could see what effect our fire is having on those hulks. I +shouldn't think that we had begun with red hot shot, yet. It takes +three hours to get them hot enough. As far as I can see, whenever +the wind blows the smoke away a little, our shot and shell roll off +the roofs and sides, without doing any damage to speak of." + +About noon the enemy's mortar boats and ketches attempted to come +across, and assist their battering ships; but the wind had changed +and had worked round to the southwest, blowing a smart breeze and +bringing in a heavy swell, so that they were prevented from taking +part in the action. Our own gunboats were hindered, by the same +cause, from putting out and opening a flanking fire upon the +battering ships. + +The northern batteries, by the water, suffered heavily from the +fire of the Spanish lines; which took them in flank and, indeed, +some of the batteries in reverse, causing many casualties. The +Artillery, however, refused to let their attention be diverted from +the battering ships. + +By two o'clock the furnaces had heated the shot in all the +batteries and, although some of them had been firing these missiles +for upwards of an hour, it was not until two that their use became +general. Soon afterwards--when the wind cleared away the smoke from +the ships--men could be seen on their sloping roofs, directing +streams of water from the pumps upon small wreaths of smoke that +curled up, here and there. Up to this time, the defenders had begun +to fear that the craft were indeed as invulnerable as the Spaniards +believed them to be; but these evidences that the red hot shot were +doing their work greatly roused their spirits, and cheers +frequently rose, as the men toiled at their heavy guns. + +As the afternoon went on, the smoke from the upper part of the +Spanish admiral's flagship rose more and more thickly and, although +numbers of men continued to bring up and throw water over the +roof--working with extraordinary bravery, in spite of the hail of +projectiles poured upon them--it was clear that the fire was making +steady progress. + +Bob had, long before this, gone down to the works by the sea +face--where considerable bodies of troops were lying, in the +bombproof casemates, in readiness for action if called upon--and +from time to time he went out with Captain O'Halloran, and other +officers, to see how matters were going on. + +In sheltered places behind the batteries, some of the surgeons were +at work; temporarily binding up the wounds of artillerymen struck +with shell, or splinters; after which they were carried, by +stretcher parties of the infantry, up to the hospitals. Dr. Burke +was thus engaged, in the battery where his regiment was stationed. +He had, since the first bombardment commenced, ceased to complain +of the want of opportunities for exercising himself in his +professional work; and had been indefatigable in his attendance on +the wounded. Among them he was an immense favourite. He had a word, +and a joke, for every man who came under his hands; while his +confident manner and cheery talk kept up the spirits of the men. He +was, too, a very skilful operator; and many of the poor fellows in +hospital had urgently requested that, if they must lose a limb, it +should be under the hands of Dr. Burke. + +"It is much better to make men laugh, than to make them cry," he +would say to Bob. "It is half the battle gained, when you can keep +up a patient's spirit. It is wonderful how some of them stand pain. +The hard work they have been doing is all in their favour." + +Bob several times went out to him, and assisted him as far as he +could, by handing him bandages, sponges, etc. + +"You ought to have been an assistant, from the beginning, Bob," he +said. "By this time you would have been quite a decent surgeon--only +you have a silly way of turning pale. There, hand me that bandage. + +"All right, my man! We will have you patched up in no time. + +"No, I don't think you can go back to your gun again. You will have +to eat and drink a bit, and make fresh blood, before you will be +much use at a thirty-two pounder again. + +"What is this--a scalp wound? Splinter of a shell, eh? Well, it is +lucky for you, lad, that you have been hardening your skull a bit, +before you enlisted. A few clips from a blackthorn are capital +preparation. I don't think you will come to much harm. You are not +more hurt than you would be in a good, lively faction fight. + +"There, you had better put down that sponge, Bob, and go into the +casemate, for a bit. You are getting white again. + +"I think we are over the worst now; for if, as you tell me, the +smoke is beginning to come up from some of those floating +batteries, their fire will soon slacken a bit. As long as they keep +out the shot, those defences of theirs are first rate but, as soon +as the shot begin to embed themselves in the roof, they are worse +than nothing--for they can neither dig out the shot, nor get at +them with the water. Once establish a fire, and it is pretty sure +to spread." + +Bob was glad to get back again into the bombproof casemates; for +there was comparative quiet while, outside, the constant roar of +the guns, the howl of shot, the explosion of shell, and the crash +of masonry created a din that was almost bewildering. + +Presently a cheer was heard in the battery, and Bob went out to see +what it was; and returned with the news that the ship next to the +Spanish admiral's was also smoking, in several places. As the +afternoon went on, confusion was apparent on board several of the +battering ships and, by the evening, their fire had slackened +considerably. Before eight o'clock it had almost entirely ceased, +except from one or two ships to the northward of the line which, +being somewhat farther from the shore, had suffered less than the +others. + +At sunset the Artillery in our batteries were relieved--the Naval +Brigade taking their place--and the fire was continued, without +relaxation. As soon as it became dark, rockets were fired by +several of the battering ships. These were answered by the Spanish +men-of-war, and many boats rowed across to the floating batteries. +By ten o'clock the flames began to burst out from the admiral's +battering ship and, by midnight, she was completely in flames. The +light assisted our gunners--who were able to lay their cannon with +as much accuracy as during the daytime--and the whole Rock was +illuminated by the flames. These presently burst out, vigorously, +from the next ship and, between three and four o'clock, points of +light appeared upon six of the other hulks. + +At three o'clock Brigadier Curtis--who commanded the Naval Brigade +encamped at Europa Point--finding that the sea had gone down, +manned the gunboats and, rowing out for some distance, opened a +heavy flanking fire upon the battering ships; compelling the boats +that were lying in shelter behind them to retire. As the day broke +he captured two of the enemy's launches and, finding from the +prisoners that there were still numbers of men on board the hulks, +rowed out to rescue them. While he was employed at this work, at +five o'clock, one of the battering ships to the northward blew up, +with a tremendous explosion and, a quarter of an hour later, +another in the centre of the line also blew up. The wreck was +scattered over a wide extent of water. + +One of the gunboats was sunk, and another seriously injured; and +the Brigadier, fearing other explosions, ordered the boats to draw +off towards the town. On the way, however, he visited two of the +other burning ships; and rescued some more of those left +behind--landing, in all, nine officers, two priests, and three +hundred and thirty-four soldiers and seamen. Besides these, one +officer and eleven Frenchmen had floated ashore, the evening +before, on the shattered fragments of a launch. + +While the boats in the navy were thus endeavouring to save their +foes, the land batteries--which had ceased firing on the previous +evening--again opened on the garrison; but as, from some of the +camps, the boats could be perceived at their humane work, orders +were despatched to the batteries to cease fire; and a dead silence +succeeded the din that had gone on for nearly twenty-four hours. + +Of the six battering ships still in flames, three blew up before +eleven o'clock. The other three burned to the water's edge--the +magazines having been drowned, by the Spaniards, before they left +the ships in their boats. The garrison hoped that the two remaining +battering ships might be saved, to be sent home as trophies of the +victory but, about noon, one of them suddenly burst into flames, +and presently blew up. The other was examined by the men-of-war +boats, and found to be so injured that she could not be saved. She +was accordingly set fire to, and also destroyed. Thus, the whole of +the ten vessels, that were considered by their constructors to be +invincible, were destroyed. + +The loss of the enemy, in killed and prisoners, was estimated at +two thousand; while the casualties of the garrison were +astonishingly small, consisting only of one officer and fifteen +non-commissioned officers and men killed, and five officers and +sixty-three men wounded. Very little damage was done to the works. +It is supposed that the smoke enveloping the vessels prevented +accurate aim. The chief object of the attack was to silence the +King's Bastion and, upon this, two of the largest ships +concentrated their fire; while the rest endeavoured to effect a +breach in the wall between that battery, and the battery next to +it. + +The enemy had three hundred heavy cannon engaged, while the +garrison had a hundred and six cannon and mortars. The distance at +which the batteries were moored from the shore was greatly in +favour of the efforts of our artillery; as the range was almost +point blank, and the guns did not require to be elevated. Thus, the +necessity for using two wads between the powder and the red-hot +balls was obviated, and the gunners were able to fire much more +rapidly than they would otherwise have done. The number of the +Spanish soldiers on board the battery ships was 5260, in addition +to the sailors required to work the ships. + +Great activity was manifested, by the Spaniards, on the day +following the failure of their bombardment; and large numbers of +men were employed in bringing up fresh ammunition to their +batteries. Many of the men-of-war also got under way. Major +Harcourt, Doctor Burke, and two or three other officers stood +watching the movements from the O'Hallorans' terrace. + +"I should have thought that they had had enough of it," Doctor +Burke said. "If those battering ships couldn't withstand our fire, +what chance would their men-of-war have? + +"See! They are just as busy on the land side, and the 71st has been +ordered to send down extra guards to the land port. I should have +thought they had given it up, as a bad job, this time." + +"I have no doubt they have given it up, doctor," Major Harcourt +said; "but they are not likely to say so, just yet. After all the +preparations that have been made; and the certainty expressed, +about our capture, by the allied armies and navies of France and +Spain; and having two or three royal princes down here, to grace +the victory; you don't suppose they are going to acknowledge to the +world that they are beaten. I should have thought you would have +known human nature better than that, doctor. + +"You will see De Crillon will send a pompous report of the affair; +saying that the battering ships were found, owing to faults in +their construction, to be of far less utility than had been +expected and that, therefore, they had been burned. They had, +however, inflicted enormous loss upon the garrison and defences; +and the siege would now be taken up by the army and fleet, and +vigorously pushed to a successful termination. + +"That will be the sort of thing, I would bet a month's pay. The +last thing a Spanish commander will confess is that he is beaten; +and I think it likely enough that they will carry on the siege for +months, yet, so as to keep up appearances. In fact, committed as +they are to it, I don't see how they can give it up, without making +themselves the laughingstock of Europe. But, now that they find +they have no chance of getting the object for which they went to +war, I fancy you will see, before very long, they will begin to +negotiate for peace." + +The major's anticipations were verified. For some time the siege +was carried on with considerable vigour--from a thousand to twelve +hundred shots being fired, daily, into the fortress. Their works on +the neutral ground were pushed forward; and an attempt was made, at +night, to blow out a portion of the face of the Rock, by placing +powder in a cave--but the attempt was detected. + +The position of the garrison became more comfortable after a +British fleet arrived, with two more regiments and a large convoy +of merchantmen; but nothing of any importance took place till, on +the 2d of February, 1782, the Duc de Crillon sent in to say that +the preliminaries of a general peace had been signed, by Great +Britain, France, and Spain and, three days later, the blockade at +sea was discontinued, and the port of Gibraltar again open. + +Bob Repton, however, was not present at the concluding scenes of +the great drama. Satisfied, after the failure of the bombardment, +that there would be no more serious fighting, and that the interest +of the siege was at an end; he took advantage of the arrival of the +Antelope in the bay, a few days after the engagement, to return in +her to England. He had now been two years and eight months on the +Rock, and felt that he ought to go home, to take his place with his +uncle. + +He had benefited greatly by his stay in Gibraltar. He had acquired +the Spanish language thoroughly and, in other respects, had carried +on his studies under the direction of Doctor Burke; and had +employed much of his leisure time with instructive reading. Mixing +so much with the officers of the garrison, he had acquired a good +manner and address. He had been present at the most memorable siege +of the times, and had gained the credit of having--though but a +volunteer--his name twice placed in general orders for good +services. He had landed a school boy; he was now a well-built young +fellow, of medium height and powerful frame; but he had retained +his boyish, frank good humour, and his love of fun. + +"I trust that we shall be back in England, before long," his sister +said to him. "Everyone expects that Spain will make peace, before +many months are over, and it is likely that the regiments who have +gone through the hardships of the siege will soon be relieved; so I +hope that, in a year or two, we may be ordered home again." + +There was a great deal of regret expressed, when it was known that +Bob Repton was going home; for he had always been ready to do any +acts of kindness in his power--especially to children, of whom he +was very fond--and it was not forgotten that his daring enterprise, +in going out alone to fetch in fruit, had saved many of their +lives. Amy Harcourt's eyes were very red, when he went up to say +goodbye to her and her mother, an hour before he sailed; and the +farewells were spoken with quivering lips. + +The Antelope evaded the enemy's cruisers near the Rock, and made a +quick passage to England, without adventure. She had made two or +three good prizes, up the Spanish coast, before she put into +Gibraltar on her way home. Captain Lockett, therefore, did not go +out of his way to look for more. + +On arriving at Portsmouth, Bob at once went up to London by coach. +He had no lack of clothes, having purchased the effects of an +officer, of nearly his own build and stature, who had been killed a +short time before. On alighting from the coach he walked to Philpot +Lane, and went straight into the counting house. His old +acquaintance, Jack Medlin, was sitting on the stool his father had +formerly occupied; and Bob was greatly amused at the air of gravity +on his face. + +"Do you wish to see Mr. Bale, or Mr. Medlin, sir?" he asked, "Or +can I take your orders?" + +"You are a capital imitator of your father, Jack," Bob said, as he +brought his hand down heavily on the shoulder of the young clerk; +who stared at him in astonishment. + +"Why, it is Bob--I mean, Mr. Repton!" he exclaimed. + +"It's Bob Repton, Jack, sure enough; and glad I am to see you. Why, +it is nearly three years since we met; and we have both altered a +good bit, since then. + +"Well, is my uncle in?" + +"No, he is out, at present; but my father is in the inner office." + +Bob strode into the inner office, and greeted Mr. Medlin as +heartily as he had done his son; and Mr. Medlin, for the first time +since he had entered Philpot Lane, as a boy, forgot that he was +within the sacred precincts of the city and, for at least ten +minutes, laughed and talked as freely and unrestrainedly as if he +had been out at Highgate. + +"Your uncle will be delighted to see you back," he said. "He is for +ever talking about you; and there wasn't a prouder man in the city +of London than he was, when the despatches were published and your +name appeared, twice, as having rendered great service. He became a +little afraid, at one time, that you might take to soldiering, +altogether. But I told him that I thought there was no fear of +that. After you had once refused to take a midshipman's berth--with +its prospect of getting away from school--I did not think it likely +that you would be tempted, now." + +"No; the General told Captain O'Halloran that he would get me a +commission, if I liked; but I had not the least ambition that way. +I have had a fine opportunity of seeing war, and have had a jolly +time of it; and now I am quite ready to settle down, here." + +Mr. Bale was delighted, on his return, to find Bob. It was just the +hour for closing, and he insisted upon Mr. Medlin stopping to take +supper with him. Bob had written, whenever there was an opportunity +of sending letters; but many of these had never come to hand, and +there was much to tell, and talk about. + +"Well, I am thoroughly satisfied with the success of our +experiment, Mr. Medlin," Mr. Bale said, next day. "Bob has turned +out exactly what I hoped he would--a fine young fellow, and a +gentleman. He has excellent manners, and yet there is nothing +foppish, or affected about him." + +"I had no fear of that, with Bob, Mr. Bale; and indeed, Gibraltar +during the siege must have been a bad school for anyone to learn +that sort of thing. Military men may amuse themselves with follies +of that kind, when they have nothing better to do; but it is thrown +aside, and their best qualities come out, when they have such work +to do as they have had there. + +"Yes, I agree with you, sir. The experiment has turned out +capitally; and your nephew is, in every respect, a far better man +than he would have been, if he had been kept mewed up here these +three years. He is a young fellow that anyone--I don't care who he +is--might feel proud of." + +So Bob took up his duties in the office, and his only complaint +there was that he could hardly find enough to do. Mr. Bale had +relaxed his close attention to the business, since he had taken Mr. +Medlin into the firm; but as that gentleman was perfectly capable +of carrying it on, single handed, Bob's share of it was easy +enough. It was not long before he complained to his uncle that he +really did not find enough to do. + +"Well, Bob, you shall come down with me to a place I have bought, +out by Chislehurst. It is a tidy little estate. I bought it a year +ago. It is a nice distance from town--just a pleasant ride, or +drive, up. I am thinking of moving my establishment down there, +altogether; and as you will have it some day, I should like your +opinion of it. It isn't quite ready, yet. I have been having it +thoroughly done up, but the men will be out in a week or two." + +Bob was greatly pleased with the house, which was a fine one, and +very pleasantly situated, in large grounds. + +"There are seventy or eighty acres of land," Mr. Bale said. "They +are let to a farmer, at present. He only has them by the year; and +I think it will be an amusement to you to take them in hand, and +look after them yourself. I know a good many people living about +here, and I have no doubt we shall have quite as much society as we +care for." + +Another month and they were established at Chislehurst, and Bob +found the life there very pleasant. He generally drove his uncle up +to town in the morning; getting to the office at ten o'clock, and +leaving it at five in the afternoon. On his return home there was +the garden to see about, and the stables. Very often his uncle +brought a city friend or two home with him, for the night; and they +soon had a large circle of acquaintances in the neighbourhood. + +"I should like you to marry young, Bob," Mr. Bale said to him one +day. "I did not marry young; and so, you see, I have never married +at all; and have wasted my life shockingly, in consequence. When +you are ready to marry, I am ready to give you the means. Don't +forget that." + +"I won't forget it, sir," Bob said, smiling; "and I will try to +meet your wishes." + +Mr. Bale looked at him sharply. Carrie's letters were long and +chatty; and it may be that Mr. Bale had gleaned, from them, some +notion of an idea that Carrie and Mrs. Harcourt had in their heads. + +Three years later Mr. Bale remarked, as they were driving home: + +"By the way, Bob, I was glad to see, in the paper today, that the +58th is ordered home." + +"Is it, sir?" Bob asked, eagerly. "I have not looked at the paper +today. I am glad to hear that. I thought it wouldn't be long. But +there is never any saying--they might have been sent somewhere +else, instead of being sent home." + +"I hope they will be quartered somewhere within reach," Mr. Bale +said. "If they are stationed at Cork, or some outlandish place in +Ireland, they might almost as well be at Gibraltar, for anything we +shall see of them." + +"Oh, we can manage to run over to Cork, uncle." + +"There will be no occasion to do that, Bob. Captain O'Halloran will +be getting leave, soon after he comes over, and then he can bring +Carrie here." + +And he smiled slily to himself. + +"He mayn't be able to get leave for some time," Bob said. "I think, +uncle, I shall run over, directly they arrive." + +"Perhaps the firm won't be able to spare you," Mr. Bale remarked. + +"It is my opinion the firm would get on just as well, without me, +for an indefinite time, uncle." + +"Not at all, Bob. Mr. Medlin was saying, only a few days ago, that +you do quite your share of the work; and that he generally leaves +it to you, now, to see country customers when I am out, and thinks +the change has been an advantage to the business. However, if the +regiment does go to Ireland--as is likely enough--I suppose we must +manage to spare you." + +It was indeed soon known that the 58th were, in the first place, to +be disembarked at Cork and, one day, Mr. Bale came into the office. + +"I have just seen your friend Lockett, Bob; I mean the younger one. +He commands the Antelope now, you know. His uncle has retired, and +bought a place near Southampton, and settled down there. Young +Lockett came up from Portsmouth by the night coach. He put in at +Gibraltar on his way home, and the 58th were to embark three days +after he left. So if you want to meet them when they arrive at +Cork, you had better lose no time; but start by the night coach for +Bristol, and cross in the packet from there." + +It was a month before Bob returned. The evening that he did so, he +said to his uncle: + +"I think, uncle, you said that you were anxious that I should marry +young." + +"That is so, Bob," Mr. Bale said, gravely. + +"Well, uncle, I have been doing my best to carry out your wishes." + +"You don't mean to say, Bob," Mr. Bale said, in affected alarm, +"that you are going to marry a soldier's daughter?" + +"Well, yes, sir," Bob said, a little taken aback; "but I don't know +how you guessed it. It is a young lady I knew in Gibraltar." + +"What, Bob! Not that girl who went running about with you, dressed +up as a boy?" + +As this was a portion of his adventures upon which Bob had been +altogether reticent, he sat for a moment, confounded. + +"Don't be ashamed of it, Bob," Mr. Bale said, with a smile, laying +his hand kindly on his shoulder. "Your sister Carrie is an +excellent young woman, and it is not difficult to read her thoughts +in her letters. Of course, she told me about your adventure with +Miss Harcourt, and she has mentioned her a good many times, since; +and it did not need a great deal of discernment to see what +Carrie's opinion was regarding the young lady. Carrie has her weak +points--as, for example, when she took up with that wild +Irishman--but she has plenty of good sense; and I am sure, by the +way she wrote about this Miss Harcourt, that she must be a very +charming girl; and I think, Bob, I have been looking forward almost +as much, to the regiment coming home, as you have. + +"Regarding you as I do, as my son, there is nothing I should like +so much as having a bright, pretty daughter-in-law; so you have my +hearty consent and approval, even before you ask for it. + +"And you found her very nice, Bob--eh?" + +"Very nice, sir," Bob said, smiling. + +"And very pretty, Bob?" + +"Very pretty, sir. I never thought that she would have grown up so +pretty." + +"And her head has not been turned by the compliments that she has, +of course, received?" + +"I don't think so, sir. She said her mind has been made up, ever +since I brought her back to Gibraltar; so you see, the compliments +did not go for much." + +"Well, Bob, I will write to Major Harcourt. I shall hand you over +this place, altogether, and settle down in my old quarters in +Philpot Lane." + +"No, no, sir," Bob said. + +"But I say yes, Bob. I shall keep a room here, and I dare say I +shall often use it. But I have been rather like a fish out of +water, since I came here, and shall be well content to fall into my +old ways again; knowing that, if I want any change, and bright +society, I can come down here. If I find I am restless there--which +is not likely--I can buy a little place, and settle down beside +you. As I told you long ago, I am a rich man--I have been doing +nothing but save money, all my life--and though, as I then said, I +should like you to carry on the firm, after I am gone; there will, +as far as money goes, be no occasion for you to do so." + +Two months later the three members of the firm went over to Cork, +and there a gay wedding was celebrated; and when, at the +termination of the honeymoon, Bob returned to Chislehurst, he found +Captain O'Halloran and Carrie established there on a month's leave +and, a day or two later, the party was increased by the arrival of +Doctor Burke. + +Mr. Bale lived for twenty years after Bob's marriage; the last fifteen +of which were passed in a little place he bought, adjoining that of +the Reptons and, before he died, he saw four grandchildren--as he +called them--fast growing up. + +General and Mrs. Harcourt also settled down in the neighbourhood, +to be near their only daughter, a few years before Mr. Bale's +death. + +Doctor Burke remained with the regiment for some years, and then +bought a practice in Dublin but, to the end of his life, he paid a +visit every three or four years to his former pupil. + +Captain O'Halloran obtained the rank of colonel but, losing an arm +at the capture of Martinique, in 1794, he retired from the army and +settled at Woolwich--where Carrie was within easy reach of +Chislehurst--having his pension, and a comfortable income which Mr. +Bale settled upon Carrie. At Mr. Bale's death, it was found that he +had left his house at Chislehurst to Carrie; and she and her +husband accordingly established themselves there. + +Bob, to the end of his life, declared that--although in all things +he had been an exceptionally happy, and fortunate man--the most +fortunate occurrence that ever happened to him was that he should +have taken part in the famous Siege of Gibraltar. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND*** + + +******* This file should be named 21788.txt or 21788.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/1/7/8/21788 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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