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diff --git a/23370.txt b/23370.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..29953de --- /dev/null +++ b/23370.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3310 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Battle and the Breeze, by R.M. Ballantyne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Battle and the Breeze + +Author: R.M. Ballantyne + +Release Date: November 6, 2007 [EBook #23370] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Battle and the Breeze, by R.M. Ballantyne. + +________________________________________________________________________ +In this shortish book we have a description of the Battle of the Nile, +in which the naval forces of Admiral Nelson fought and defeated the +French. The story is made more human by recounting tales of the life of +a British seaman, Bill Bowls, along with incidents involving his +friends Ben Bolter and Tom Riggles. + +________________________________________________________________________ +THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +TOUCHES ON OUR HERO'S EARLY LIFE, EXPERIENCES, AND ADVENTURES. + +Bill Bowls was the most amiable, gentle, kindly, and modest fellow that +ever trod the deck of a man-of-war. He was also one of the most +lion-hearted men in the Navy. + +When Bill was a baby--a round-faced, large-eyed, fat-legged baby, as +unlike to the bronzed, whiskered, strapping seaman who went by the name +of "Fighting Bill" as a jackdaw is to a marlinespike--when Bill was a +baby, his father used to say he was just cut out for a sailor; and he +was right, for the urchin was overflowing with vigour and muscular +energy. He was utterly reckless, and very earnest--we might almost say +_desperately_ earnest. Whatever he undertook to do he did "with a +will." He spoke with a will, listened with a will, laughed, yelled, +ate, slept, wrought, and fought with a will. In short, he was a +splendid little fellow, and therefore, as his father wisely said, was +just cut out for a sailor. + +Bill seemed to hold the same opinion, for he took to the water quite +naturally from the very commencement of life. He laughed with glee when +his mother used to put him into the washtub, and howled with rage when +she took him out. Dancing bareheaded under heavy rain was his delight, +wading in ponds and rivers was his common practice, and tumbling into +deep pools was his most ordinary mishap. No wonder, then, that Bill +learned at an early age to swim, and also to fear nothing whatever, +except a blowing-up from his father. He feared that, but he did not +often get it, because, although full of mischief as an egg is full of +meat, he was good-humoured and bidable, and, like all lion-hearted +fellows, he had little or no malice in him. + +He began his professional career very early in life. When in after +years he talked to his comrades on this subject, he used to say-- + +"Yes, mates, I did begin to study navigation w'en I was about two foot +high--more or less--an' I tell 'e what it is, there's nothin' like +takin' old Father Time by the forelock. I was about four year old when +I took my first start in the nautical way; and p'r'aps ye won't believe +it, but it's a fact, I launched my first ship myself; owned her; +commanded and navigated her, and was wrecked on my first voyage. It +happened this way; my father was a mill-wright, he was, and lived near a +small lake, where I used to splutter about a good deal. One day I got +hold of a big plank, launched it after half an hour o' the hardest work +I ever had, got on it with a bit of broken palm for an oar, an' shoved +off into deep water. It was a splendid burst! Away I went with my +heart in my mouth and my feet in the water tryin' to steady myself, but +as ill luck would have it, just as I had got my ship on an even keel an' +was beginnin' to dip my oar with great caution, a squall came down the +lake, caught me on the starboard quarter, and threw me on my beam-ends. +Of coorse I went sowse into the water, and had only time to give out one +awful yell when the water shut me up. Fortnitly my father heard me; +jumped in and pulled me out, but instead of kicking me or blowin' me up, +he told me that I should have kept my weather-eye open an' met the +squall head to wind. Then he got hold of the plank and made me try it +again, and didn't leave me till I was able to paddle about on that plank +almost as well as any Eskimo in his skin canoe. My good old dad +finished the lesson by tellin' me to keep always _in shoal water till I +could swim_, and to look out for squalls in future! It was lucky for me +that I had learned to obey him, for many a time I was capsized after +that, when nobody was near me, but bein' always in shoal water, I +managed to scramble ashore." + +As Bill Bowls began life so he continued it. He went to sea in good +earnest when quite a boy and spent his first years in the coasting +trade, in which rough service he became a thorough seaman, and was +wrecked several times on various parts of our stormy shores. On +reaching man's estate he turned a longing eye to foreign lands, and in +course of time visited some of the most distant parts of the globe, so +that he may be said to have been a great traveller before his whiskers +were darker than a lady's eyebrows. + +During these voyages, as a matter of course, he experienced great +variety of fortune. He had faced the wildest of storms, and bathed in +the beams of the brightest sunshine. He was as familiar with wreck as +with rations; every species of nautical disaster had befallen him; +typhoons, cyclones, and simooms had done their worst to him, but they +could not kill him, for Bill bore a sort of charmed life, and invariably +turned up again, no matter how many of his shipmates went down. Despite +the rough experiences of his career he was as fresh and good-looking a +young fellow as one would wish to see. + +Before proceeding with the narrative of his life, we shall give just one +specimen of his experiences while he was in the merchant service. + +Having joined a ship bound for China, he set sail with the proverbial +light heart and light pair of breeches, to which we may add light +pockets. His heart soon became somewhat heavier when he discovered that +his captain was a tyrant, whose chief joy appeared to consist in making +other people miserable. Bill Bowls's nature, however was adaptable, so +that although his spirits were a little subdued, they were not crushed. +He was wont to console himself, and his comrades, with the remark that +this state of things couldn't last for ever, that the voyage would come +to an end some time or other, and that men should never say die as long +as there remained a shot in the locker! + +That voyage did come to an end much sooner than he or the tyrannical +captain expected! + +One evening our hero stood near the binnacle talking to the steersman, a +sturdy middle-aged sailor, whose breadth appeared to be nearly equal to +his length. + +"Tom Riggles," said Bill, somewhat abruptly, "we're goin' to have dirty +weather." + +"That's so, lad, I'm not goin' to deny it," replied Tom, as he turned +the wheel a little to windward: + +Most landsmen would have supposed that Bill's remark should have been, +"We _have_ got dirty weather," for at the time he spoke the good ship +was bending down before a stiff breeze, which caused the dark sea to +dash over her bulwarks and sweep the decks continually, while thick +clouds, the colour of pea-soup, were scudding across the sky; but +seafaring men spoke of it as a "capful of wind," and Bill's remark was +founded on the fact that, for an hour past, the gale had been +increasing, and the appearance of sea and sky was becoming more +threatening. + +That night the captain stood for hours holding on to the weather-shrouds +of the mizzen-mast without uttering a word to any one, except that now +and then, at long intervals, he asked the steersman how the ship's head +lay. Dark although the sky was, it did not seem so threatening as did +the countenance of the man who commanded the vessel. + +Already the ship was scudding before the wind, with only the smallest +rag of canvas hoisted, yet she rose on the great waves and plunged madly +into the hollows between with a violence that almost tore the masts out +of her. The chief-mate stood by the wheel assisting the steersman; the +crew clustered on the starboard side of the forecastle, casting uneasy +glances now at the chaos of foaming water ahead, and then at the face of +their captain, which was occasionally seen in the pale light of a stray +moonbeam. In ordinary circumstances these men would have smiled at the +storm, but they had unusual cause for anxiety at that time, for they +knew that the captain was a drunkard, and, from the short experience +they had already had of him, they feared that he was not capable of +managing the ship. + +"Had we not better keep her a point more to the south'ard, sir?" said +the mate to the captain, respectfully touching his cap; "reefs are said +to be numerous here about." + +"No, Mister Wilson," answered the captain, with the gruff air of a man +who assumes and asserts that he knows what he is about, and does not +want advice. + +"Keep her a point to the west," he added, turning to the steersman. + +There was a cry at that moment--a cry such as might have chilled the +blood in the stoutest heart-- + +"Rocks ahead!" + +"Port! port! hard-a-port!" shouted the men. Their hoarse voices rose +above the gale, but not above the terrible roar of the surf, which now +mingled with the din of the storm. + +The order was repeated by the mate, who sprang to the wheel and assisted +in obeying it. Round came the gallant ship with a magnificent sweep, +and in another moment she would have been head to wind, when a sudden +squall burst upon her broadside and threw her on her beam-ends. + +When this happened the mate sprang to the companion-hatch to get an axe, +intending to cut the weather-shrouds so that the masts might go +overboard and allow the ship to right herself, for, as she then lay, the +water was pouring into her. Tom Riggles was, when she heeled over, +thrown violently against the mate, and both men rolled to leeward. This +accident was the means of saving them for the time, for just then the +mizzen rigging gave way, the mast snapped across, and the captain and +some of the men who had been hastening aft were swept with the wreck +into the sea. + +A few minutes elapsed ere Tom and the mate gained a place of partial +security on the poop. The scene that met their gaze there was terrible +beyond description. Not far ahead the sea roared in irresistible fury +on a reef of rocks, towards which the ship was slowly drifting. The +light of the moon was just sufficient to show that a few of the men were +still clinging to the rail of the forecastle, and that the rigging of +the main and foremasts still held fast. + +"Have you got the hatchet yet?" asked Tom of the mate, who clung to a +belaying-pin close behind him. + +"Ay, but what matters it whether we strike the rocks on our beam-ends or +an even keel?" + +The mate spoke in the tones of a man who desperately dares the fate +which he cannot avoid. + +"Here! let me have it!" cried Tom. + +He seized the hatchet as he spoke and clambered to the gangway. A few +strokes sufficed to cut the overstrained ropes, and the mainmast snapped +off with a loud report, and the ship slowly righted. + +"Hold on!" shouted Tom to a man who appeared to be slipping off the +bulwarks into the sea. + +As no reply was given, the sailor boldly leapt forward, caught the man +by the collar, and dragged him into a position of safety. + +"Why, Bill, my boy, is't you?" exclaimed the worthy man in a tone of +surprise, as he looked at the face of our hero, who lay on the deck at +his feet; but poor Bill made no reply, and it was not until a glass of +rum had been poured down his throat by his deliverer that he began to +recover. + +Several of the crew who had clung to different parts of the wreck now +came aft one by one, until most of the survivors were grouped together +near the wheel, awaiting in silence the shock which they knew must +inevitably take place in the course of a few minutes, for the ship, +having righted, now drifted with greater rapidity to her doom. + +It was an awful moment for these miserable men! If they could have only +vented their feelings in vigorous action it would have been some relief, +but this was impossible, for wave after wave washed over the stern and +swept the decks, obliging them to hold on for their lives. + +At last the shock came. With a terrible crash the good ship struck and +recoiled, quivering in every plank. On the back of another wave she was +lifted up, and again cast on the cruel rocks. There was a sound of +rending wood and snapping cordage, and next moment the foremast was in +the sea, tossing violently, and beating against the ship's side, to +which it was still attached by part of the rigging. Three of the men +who had clung to the shrouds of the foremast were swept overboard and +drowned. Once more the wreck recoiled, rose again on a towering billow, +and was launched on the rocks with such violence that she was forced +forward and upwards several yards, and remained fixed. + +Slight although this change was for the better, it sufficed to infuse +hope into the hearts of the hitherto despairing sailors. The dread of +being instantly dashed to pieces was removed, and with one consent they +scrambled to the bow to see if there was any chance of reaching the +shore. + +Clinging to the fore-part of the ship they found the cook, a negro, +whose right arm supported the insensible form of a woman--the only woman +on board that ship. She was the wife of the carpenter. Her husband had +been among the first of those who were swept overboard and drowned. + +"Hold on to her, massa," exclaimed the cook; "my arm a'most brok." + +The mate, to whom he appealed, at once grasped the woman, and was about +to attempt to drag her under the lee of the caboose, when the vessel +slipped off the rocks into the sea, parted amidships, and was instantly +overwhelmed. + +For some minutes Bill Bowls struggled powerfully to gain the shore, but +the force of the boiling water was such that he was as helpless as if he +had been a mere infant; his strength, great though it was, began to +fail; several severe blows that he received from portions of the wreck +nearly stunned him, and he felt the stupor that preceded death +overpowering him, when he was providentially cast upon a ledge of rock. +Against the same ledge most of his shipmates were dashed by the waves +and killed, but he was thrown upon it softly. Retaining sufficient +reason to realise his position, he clambered further up the rocks, and +uttered an earnest "Thank God!" as he fell down exhausted beyond the +reach of the angry waves. + +Soon, however, his energies began to revive, and his first impulse, when +thought and strength returned, was to rise and stagger down to the +rocks, to assist if possible, any of his shipmates who might have been +cast ashore. He found only one, who was lying in a state of +insensibility on a little strip of sand. The waves had just cast him +there, and another towering billow approached, which would infallibly +have washed him away, had not Bill rushed forward and dragged him out of +danger. + +It proved to be his friend Tom Riggles. Finding that he was not quite +dead, Bill set to work with all his energy to revive him, and was so +successful that in half-an-hour the sturdy seaman was enabled to sit up +and gaze round him with the stupid expression of a tipsy man. + +"Come, cheer up," said Bill, clapping him on the back; "you'll be all +right in a short while." + +"Wot's to do?" said Tom, staring at his rescuer. + +"You're all right," repeated Bill. "One good turn deserves another, +Tom. You saved my life a few minutes ago, and now I've hauled you out +o' the water, old boy." + +The sailor's faculties seemed to return quickly on hearing this. He +endeavoured to rise, exclaiming-- + +"Any more saved?" + +"I fear not," answered Bill sadly, shaking his head. + +"Let's go see," cried Tom, staggering along the beach in search of his +shipmates; but none were found; all had perished, and their bodies were +swept away far from the spot where the ship had met her doom. + +At daybreak it was discovered that the ship had struck on a low rocky +islet on which there was little or no vegetation. Here for three weeks +the two shipwrecked sailors lived in great privation, exposed to the +inclemency of the weather, and subsisting chiefly on shell-fish. They +had almost given way to despair, when a passing vessel observed them, +took them off, and conveyed them in safety to their native land. + +Such was one of the incidents in our hero's career. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +COMMENCES THE STORY. + +About the beginning of the present century, during the height of the war +with France, the little fishing village of Fairway was thrown into a +state of considerable alarm by the appearance of a ship of war off the +coast, and the landing therefrom of a body of blue-jackets. At that +time it was the barbarous custom to impress men, willing or not willing, +into the Royal Navy. The more effective, and at the same time just, +method of enrolling men in a naval reserve force had not occurred to our +rulers, and, as a natural consequence, the inhabitants of sea-port towns +and fishing villages were on the constant look-out for the press-gang. + +At the time when the man-of-war's boat rowed alongside of the little +jetty of Fairway, an interesting couple chanced to be seated in a bower +at the back of a very small but particularly neat cottage near the +shore. The bower was in keeping with its surroundings, being the half +of an old boat set up on end. Roses and honeysuckle were trained up the +sides of it, and these, mingling their fragrance with the smell of tar, +diffused an agreeable odour around. The couple referred to sat very +close to each other, and appeared to be engaged in conversation of a +confidential nature. One was a fair and rather pretty girl of the +fishing community. The other was a stout and uncommonly handsome man of +five-and-twenty, apparently belonging to the same class, but there was +more of the regular sailor than the fisherman in his costume and +appearance. In regard to their conversation, it may be well, perhaps, +to let them speak for themselves. + +"I tell 'ee wot it is, Nelly Blyth," said the man, in a somewhat stern +tone of voice; "it won't suit me to dilly-dally in this here fashion any +longer. You've kept me hanging off and on until I have lost my chance +of gettin' to be mate of a Noocastle collier; an' here I am now, with +nothin' to do, yawin' about like a Dutchman in a heavy swell, an' +feelin' ashamed of myself." + +"Don't be so hasty, Bill," replied the girl, glancing up at her lover's +face with an arch smile; "what would you have?" + +"What would I have?" repeated the sailor, in a tone of mingled surprise +and exasperation. "Well, I never--no, I never did see nothin' like you +women for bamboozlin' men. It seems to me you're like ships without +helms. One moment you're beatin' as hard as you can to wind'ard; the +next you fall off all of a sudden and scud away right before the breeze; +or, whew! round you come into the wind's eye, an' lay to as if you'd bin +caught in the heaviest gale that ever blow'd since Admiral Noah cast +anchor on Mount Ararat. Didn't you say, not three weeks gone by, that +you'd be my wife? and now you ask me, as cool as an iceberg, what I +would have! Why, Nelly, I would have our wedding-day fixed, our cottage +looked after, our boat and nets bought; in fact, our home and business +set a-goin'. And why not at once, Nelly? Surely you have not +repented--" + +"No, Bill Bowls," said Nelly, blushing, and laying her hand on the arm +of her companion, "I have not repented, and never will repent, of having +accepted the best man that ever came to Fairway; but--" + +The girl paused and looked down. + +"There you go," cried the sailor: "the old story. I knew you would come +to that `but,' and that you'd stick there. Why don't you go on? If I +thought that you wanted to wait a year or two, I could easily find work +in these times; for Admiral Nelson is glad to get men to follow him to +the wars, an' Tom Riggles and I have been talkin' about goin' off +together." + +"Don't speak of _that_, Bill," said the girl earnestly. "I dread the +thought of you going to the wars; but--but--the truth is, I cannot make +up my mind to quit my mother." + +"You don't need to quit her," said Bill; "bring her with you. I'll be +glad to have her at my fireside, for your sake, Nell." + +"But she won't leave the old house." + +"H'm! well, that difficulty may be got over by my comin' to the old +house, since the old 'ooman won't come to the noo one. I can rent it +from her, and buy up the furniture as it stands; so that there will be +no occasion for her to move out of her chair.--Why, what's the objection +to that plan?" he added, on observing that Nelly shook her head. + +"She would never consent to sell the things,--not even to you, Bill; and +she has been so long the head of the house that I don't think she would +like to--to--" + +"To play second fiddle," put in the sailor. "Very good, but I won't ask +to play first fiddle. In fact, she may have first, second, and third, +and double bass and trombone, all to herself as far as I am concerned. +Come, Nelly, don't let us have any more `buts'; just name the day, and +I'll bear down on the parson this very afternoon." + +Leaving them to continue the discussion of this interesting point, we +will turn into the cottage and visit the old woman who stood so much in +the way of our hero's wishes. + +Mrs Blyth was one of those unfortunates who, although not very old, +have been, by ill-health, reduced to the appearance of extreme old age. +Nevertheless, she had been blessed with that Christian spirit of calm, +gentle resignation, which is frequently seen in aged invalids, enabling +them to bear up cheerfully under heavy griefs and sufferings. She was +very little, very thin, very lame, very old-looking (ninety at least, in +appearance), very tremulous, very subdued, and _very_ sweet. Even that +termagant gossip, Mrs Hard-soul, who dwelt alone in a tumble-down hut +near the quay, was heard upon one occasion to speak of her as "dear old +Mrs Blyth." + +Beside Mrs Blyth, on a stool, engaged in peeling potatoes, sat a young +woman who was in all respects her opposite. Bessy Blunt was tall, +broad, muscular, plain-looking, masculine, and remarkably unsubdued. +She was a sort of maid-of-all-work and companion to the old woman. Mrs +Blyth lived in the hope of subduing her attendant--who was also her +niece--by means of kindness. + +"Who came into the garden just now?" asked Mrs Blyth in a meek voice. + +"Who would it be but William Bowls? sure he comes twice every day, +sometimes oftener," replied Bessy; "but what's the use? nothing comes of +it." + +"Something _may_ come of it, Bessy," said Mrs Blyth, "if William +settles down steadily to work, but I am anxious about him, for he seems +to me hasty in temper. Surely, Bessy, you would not like to see our +Nell married to an angry man?" + +"I don't know about that," replied the girl testily, as she cut a potato +in two halves with unnecessary violence; "all I know is that I would +like to see her married to Bill Bowls. He's an able, handsome man. +Indeed, I would gladly marry him myself if he asked me!" + +Mrs Blyth smiled a little at this. Bessy frowned at a potato and said +"Humph!" sternly. + +Now it happened just at that moment that the press-gang before referred +to arrived in front of the cottage. Bessy chanced to look through the +window, and saw them pass. Instantly she ran to the back door and +screamed "Press-gang," as a warning to Bill to get out of the way and +hide himself as quickly as possible, then, hastening back, she seized +one of old Mrs Blyth's crutches, ran to the front door, and slammed it +to, just as the leader of the gang came forward. + +Meanwhile William Bowls, knowing that if he did not make his escape, his +hopes of being married speedily would be blasted, turned to leap over +the garden wall, but the leader of the press-gang had taken care to +guard against such a contingency by sending a detachment round to the +rear. + +"It's all up with me!" cried Bill, with a look of chagrin, on observing +the men. + +"Come, hide in the kitchen; quick! I will show you where," cried Nelly, +seizing his hand and leading him into the house, the back door of which +she locked and barred. + +"There, get in," cried the girl, opening a low door in the wall, which +revealed the coal-hole of the establishment. + +Bill's brow flushed. He drew back with a proud stern look and +hesitated. + +"Oh, do! for _my_ sake," implored Nell. + +A thundering rap on the front door resounded through the cottage; the +sailor put his pride in his pocket, stooped low and darted in. Nelly +shut the door, and leaned a baking-board against it. + +"Let us in!" said a deep voice outside. + +"Never!" replied Bessy, stamping her foot. + +"You had better, dear," replied the voice, in a conciliatory tone; "we +won't do you any harm." + +"Go along with you--brutes!" said the girl. + +"We'll have to force the door if you don't open it, my dear." + +"You'd better not!" cried Bessy through the keyhole. + +At the same time she applied her eye to that orifice, and instantly +started back, for she saw the leader of the gang retire a few paces +preparatory to making a rush. There was short time for action, +nevertheless Bessy was quick enough to fling down a large stool in front +of the door and place herself in an attitude of defence. Next moment +the door flew open with a crash, and a sailor sprang in, cutlass in +hand. As a matter of course he tripped over the stool, and fell +prostrate at Bessy's feet, and the man who followed received such a +well-delivered blow from the crutch that he fell on the top of his +comrade. While the heroine was in the act of receiving the third she +felt both her ankles seized by the man who had fallen first. A piercing +yell followed. In attempting to free herself she staggered back and +fell, the crutch was wrenched from her grasp, and the whole gang poured +over her into the kitchen, where they were met by their comrades, who +had just burst in the back door. + +"Search close," cried one of these; "there's a big fellow in the house; +we saw him run into it." + +"You may save yourselves the trouble; there's no man in this house," +cried Bessy, who had risen and followed her conquerors, and who now +stood, with dishevelled locks, flushed countenance, and gleaming eyes, +vowing summary vengeance on the first man she caught off his guard! + +As the men believed her, they took care to keep well on their guard +while engaged in the search. Poor old Mrs Blyth looked absolutely +horror-stricken at this invasion of her cottage, and Nelly stood beside +her, pale as marble and trembling with anxiety. + +Every hole and corner of the house was searched without success; the +floors were examined for trap-doors, and even the ceilings were +carefully looked over, but there was no sign of any secret door, and the +careless manner in which the bake-board had been leaned against the +wall, as well as its small size, prevented suspicion being awakened in +that direction. This being the case, the leader of the gang called two +of his men aside and engaged in a whispered conversation. + +"It's quite certain that he is here," said one, "but where they have +stowed him is the puzzle." + +"Well, it is indeed a puzzle," replied the leader, "but I've thought of +a plan. He may be the father, or brother, or cousin of the household, +d'ye see, and it strikes me if we were to pretend to insult the women, +that would draw him out!" + +"But I don't half like that notion," said one of the men. + +"Why not?" asked the other, who wore a huge pair of whiskers, "it's only +pretence, you know. Come, I'll try it." + +Saying this he went towards old Mrs Blyth and whispered to +Nelly--"Don't be frightened, my ducky, we're only a-goin' to try a +dodge, d'ye see. Stand by, we won't do you no harm." + +The man winked solemnly several times with the view of reassuring Nelly, +and then raising his voice to a loud pitch exclaimed-- + +"Come now, old 'ooman, it's quite plain that there's a feller in this +here house, an' as we can't find him nowheres, we've come to the +conclusion he must be under your big chair. In coorse we must ask you +to git up, an' as ye don't seem to be able to do that very well, we'll +have to lift you. So here goes." + +The man seized the old woman's chair and shuffled with his feet as +though he were about to lift it. Nelly screamed. Bessy uttered a howl +of indignation, and rushed upon the foe with teeth and nails ready, but +being arrested by a powerful man in the rear, she vented her wrath in a +hideous yell. + +The success of the scheme was great--much greater, indeed, than had been +anticipated. The bake-board fell flat down, the door of the coal-hole +burst open, and our hero, springing out, planted a blow on the nose of +the big-whiskered man that laid him flat on the floor. Another blow +overturned the man who restrained Bessy, and a third was about to be +delivered when a general rush was made, and Bill Bowls, being +overpowered by numbers, was finally secured. + +"Now, my fine fellow," said the leader of the gang, "you may as well go +with us quietly, for ye see resistance is useless, an' it only frightens +the old woman." + +This latter part of the remark had more effect on the unfortunate Bill +than the former. He at once resigned himself into the hands of his +captors. As he was about to be led away, he turned towards Mrs Blyth, +intending to speak, but the poor old woman had fainted, and Nelly's +fears for her lover were lost for the moment in her anxiety about her +mother. It was not until the party had left the room that the poor girl +became fully aware of what was going on. + +Uttering a loud cry she rushed towards the outer door. Bill heard the +cry, and, exerting himself to the utmost, almost succeeded in +overturning the five men who held him. + +"Make your mind easy," said one of them; "no harm will come to the +women. We ain't housebreakers or thieves. All fair an' above board we +are--true-blue British tars, as would rather swing at the yard-arm than +hurt the feelin's of a woman, pretty or ugly, young or old. It's all in +the way of dooty, d'ye see? The King's orders, young man so belay +heavin' about like that, else we'll heave ye on your beam-ends, lash you +hand and futt to a handspike, and carry you aboord like a dead pig." + +"Hold on!" cried the man with the big whiskers, who, after having been +knocked down, had become emphatically the man with the big nose, "I'll +go back an' comfort them a bit: don't you take on so. _I_ know all +about it--see through it like a double patent hextromogriphal spy-glass. +Only goin' on a short cruise, d'ye see? Come back soon with lots o' +prize-money; get spliced right off, buy a noo gown with big flowers all +over it for the old mother, pension off the stout gal wi' the crutch-- +all straight; that's the thing ain't it?" + +"Don't, don't," entreated Bill earnestly; "don't go for to--to--" + +"No fear, young man," replied the sailor, seeing that Bill hesitated; +"Ben Bolter ain't the man to do anything that would bring discredit on +His Majesty's service, and I bear you no grudge for this," he added, +pointing to his swelled nose; "it was given in a good cause, and +received in the reg'lar way o' business." + +Saying this Ben Bolter ran back to the cottage, where he tried to +comfort the women to the best of his power. How he accomplished his +mission does not remain on record, but it is certain that he rejoined +his party, in little more than five minutes, with sundry new marks of +violence on his huge honest face, and he was afterwards heard to remark +that some creatures of the tiger species must have been born women by +mistake, and that stout young females who had a tendency to use +crutches, had better be pensioned off--or, "drownded if possible." + +Thus was William Bowls impressed into the Royal Navy. On hearing that +his old shipmate had been caught, Tom Riggles at once volunteered into +the service, and they were both sent on board a man-of-war, and carried +off to fight the battles of their country. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +BILL IS INITIATED INTO THE DUTIES OF HIS NEW STATION. + +At the time of which we write, England's battles and troubles were +crowding pretty thick upon one another. About this period, Republican +France, besides subduing and robbing Switzerland, Italy, Sardinia, and +other States, was busily engaged in making preparation for the invasion +of England,--Napoleon Bonaparte being in readiness to take command of +what was styled the "army of England." Of course great preparations had +to be made in this country to meet the invading foe. The British Lion +was awakened, and although not easily alarmed or stirred up, he uttered +a few deep-toned growls, which showed pretty clearly what the Frenchmen +might expect if they should venture to cross the Channel. From John o' +Groats to the Land's End the people rose in arms, and in the course of a +few weeks 150,000 volunteers were embodied and their training begun. + +Not satisfied with threatening invasion, the Directory of France sought +by every means to corrupt the Irish. They sent emissaries into the +land, and succeeded so well that in May 1798 the rebellion broke out. +Troops, supplies, and munitions of war were poured into Ireland by +France; but the troops were conquered and the rebellion crushed. + +Finding at length that the invasion of England could not be carried out, +this pet projection was abandoned, and Napoleon advised the Directory to +endeavour to cripple her resources in the East. For the accomplishment +of this purpose, he recommended the establishment on the banks of the +Nile of a French colony, which, besides opening a channel for French +commerce with Africa, Arabia, and Syria, might form a grand military +depot, whence an army of 60,000 men could be pushed forward to the +Indus, rouse the Mahrattas to a revolt, and excite against the British +the whole population of those vast countries. + +To an expedition on so grand a scale the Directory objected at first, +but the master-spirit who advised them was beginning to feel and exert +that power which ultimately carried him to the throne of the Empire. He +overcame their objections, and the expedition to Egypt was agreed to. + +With characteristic energy and promptitude Napoleon began to carry out +his plans, and Great Britain, seeing the storm that was brewing, +commenced with equal energy to thwart him. Accordingly, the great Sir +Horatio Nelson, at that time rear-admiral, was employed with a squadron +to watch the movements and preparations of the French in the +Mediterranean. + +Such was the state of matters when our hero, Bill Bowls, was conveyed on +board the _Waterwitch_, a seventy-four gun frigate, and set to work at +once to learn his duty. + +Bill was a sensible fellow. He knew that escape from the service, +except in a dishonourable manner, was impossible, so he made up his mind +to do his duty like a man, and return home at the end of the war (which +he hoped would be a short one), and marry Nelly Blyth. Poor fellow, he +little imagined what he had to go through before--but hold, we must not +anticipate the story. + +Well, it so happened that Bill was placed in the same mess with the man +whose nose he had treated so unceremoniously on the day of his capture. +He was annoyed at this, but the first time he chanced to be alone with +him, he changed his mind, and the two became fast friends. It happened +thus:-- + +They were standing on the weather-side of the forecastle in the evening, +looking over the side at the setting sun. + +"You don't appear to be easy in your mind," observed Ben Bolter, after a +prolonged silence. + +"_You_ wouldn't be if you had left a bride behind you," answered Bill +shortly. + +"How d'ye know that?" said Ben; "p'r'aps I _have_ left one behind me. +Anyhow, I've left an old mother." + +"That's nothin' uncommon," replied Bill; "a bride may change her mind +and become another man's wife, but your mother can't become your aunt or +your sister by any mental operation that I knows of." + +"I'm not so sure o' that, now," replied Ben, knitting his brows, and +gazing earnestly at the forebrace, which happened to be conveniently in +front of his eyes; "see here, s'pose, for the sake of argiment, that +you've got a mothers an' she marries a second time--which some mothers +is apt to do, you know,--and her noo husband has got a pretty niece. +Nothin' more nat'ral than that you should fall in love with her and get +spliced. Well, wot then? why, your mother is her aunt by vartue of her +marriage with her uncle, and so your mother is _your_ aunt in consikence +of your marriage with the niece--d'ye see?" + +Bill laughed, and said he didn't quite see it, but he was willing to +take it on credit, as he was not in a humour for discussion just then. + +"Very well," said Ben, "but, to return to the p'int--which is, if I may +so say, a p'int of distinkshun between topers an' argifiers, for topers +are always returnin' to the pint, an' argifiers are for ever departin' +from it--to return to it, I say: you've no notion of the pecoolier +sirkumstances in which I left my poor old mother. It weighs heavy on my +heart, I assure ye, for it's only three months since I was pressed +myself, an' the feelin's ain't had time to heal yet. Come, I'll tell 'e +how it was. You owe me some compensation for that crack on the nose you +gave me, so stand still and listen." + +Bill, who was becoming interested in his messmate in spite of himself, +smiled and nodded his head as though to say, "Go on." + +"Well, you must know my old mother is just turned eighty, an' I'm +thirty-six, so, as them that knows the rule o' three would tell ye, she +was just forty-four when I began to trouble her life. I was a most +awful wicked child, it seems. So they say at least; but I've no +remembrance of it myself. Hows'ever, when I growed up and ran away to +sea and got back again an' repented--mainly because I didn't like the +sea--I tuk to mendin' my ways a bit, an' tried to make up to the old +'ooman for my prewious wickedness. I do believe I succeeded, too, for I +got to like her in a way I never did before; and when I used to come +home from a cruise--for, of course, I soon went to sea again--I always +had somethin' for her from furrin' parts. An' she was greatly pleased +at my attentions an' presents--all except once, when I brought her the +head of a mummy from Egypt. She couldn't stand that at all--to my great +disappointment; an' what made it wuss was, that after a few days they +had put it too near the fire, an' the skin it busted an' the stuffin' +began to come out, so I took it out to the back-garden an' gave it +decent burial behind the pump. + +"Hows'ever, as I wos goin' to say, just at the time I was nabbed by the +press-gang was my mother's birthday, an' as I happened to be flush o' +cash, I thought I'd give her a treat an' a surprise, so off I goes to +buy her some things, when, before I got well into the town--a sea-port +it was--down comed the press-gang an' nabbed me. I showed fight, of +course, just as you did, an floored four of 'em, but they was too many +for me an' before I knowed where I was they had me into a boat and +aboord this here ship, where I've bin ever since. I'm used to it now, +an' rather like it, as no doubt you will come for to like it too; but it +_was_ hard on my old mother. I begged an' prayed them to let me go back +an' bid her good-bye, an' swore I would return, but they only laughed at +me, so I was obliged to write her a letter to keep her mind easy. Of +all the jobs I ever did have, the writin' of that letter was the wust. +Nothin' but dooty would iver indooce me to try it again; for, you see, I +didn't get much in the way of edication, an' writin' never came handy to +me. + +"Hows'ever," continued Ben, "I took so kindly to His Majesty's service +that they almost look upon me as an old hand, an' actooally gave me +leave to be the leader o' the gang that was sent to Fairway to take you, +so that I might have a chance o' sayin' adoo to my old mother." + +"What!" exclaimed Bowls, "is your mother the old woman who stops at the +end o' Cow Lane, where Mrs Blyth lives, who talks so much about her +big-whiskered Ben?" + +"That same," replied Ben, with a smile: "she was always proud o' me, +specially after my whiskers comed. I thought that p'r'aps ye might have +knowed her." + +"I knows her by hearsay from Nelly Blyth, but not bein' a native of +Fairway, of course I don't know much about the people.--Hallo! Riggles, +what's wrong with 'e to-day?" said Bill, as his friend Tom came towards +him with a very perplexed expression on his honest face, "not repenting +of havin' joined the sarvice already, I hope?" + +"No, I ain't troubled about that," answered Riggles, scratching his chin +and knitting his brows; "but I've got a brother, d'ye see--" + +"Nothin' uncommon in that," said Bolter, as the other paused. + +"P'r'aps not," continued Tom Riggles; "but then, you see, my brother's +such a preeplexin' sort o' feller, I don't know wot to make of him." + +"Let him alone, then," suggested Ben Bolter. + +"That won't do neither, for he's got into trouble; but it's a long +story, an' I dessay you won't care to hear about it." + +"You're out there, Tom," said Bowls; "come, sit down here and let's have +it all." + +The three men sat down on the combings of the fore-hatch, and Tom +Riggles began by telling them that it was of no use bothering them with +an account of his brother Sam's early life. + +"Not unless there's somethin' partikler about it," said Bolter. + +"Well, there ain't nothin' very partikler about it, 'xcept that Sam was +partiklerly noisy as a baby, and wild as a boy, besides bein' uncommon +partikler about his wittles, 'specially in the matter o' havin' plenty +of 'em. Moreover, he ran away to sea when he was twelve years old, an' +was partiklerly quiet after that for a long time, for nobody know'd +where he'd gone to, till one fine mornin' my mother she gets a letter +from him sayin' he was in China, drivin' a great trade in the opium +line. We niver felt quite sure about that, for Sam wornt over partikler +about truth. He was a kindly sort o' feller, hows'ever, an' continued +to write once or twice a year for a long time. In these letters he said +that his life was pretty wariable, as no doubt it was, for he wrote from +all parts o' the world. First, he was clerk, he said, to the British +counsel in Penang, or some sich name, though where that is I don't know; +then he told us he'd joined a man-o'-war, an' took to clearin' the +pirates out o' the China seas. He found it a tough job appariently, an' +got wounded in the head with a grape-shot, and half choked by a +stink-pot, after which we heard no more of him for a long time, when a +letter turns up from Californy, sayin' he was there shippin' hides on +the coast; and after that he went through Texas an' the States, where he +got married, though he hadn't nothin' wotever, as I knows of, to keep a +wife upon--" + +"But he may have had somethin' for all you didn't know it," suggested +Bill Bowls. + +"Well, p'r'aps he had. Hows'ever, the next we heard was that he'd gone +to Canada, an' tuk a small farm there, which was all well enough, but +now we've got a letter from him sayin' that he's in trouble, an' don't +see his way out of it very clear. He's got the farm, a wife, an' a +sarvant to support, an' nothin' to do it with. Moreover, the sarvant is +a boy what a gentleman took from a Reformation-house, or somethin' o' +that sort, where they put little thieves, as has only bin in quod for +the fust time. They say that many of 'em is saved, and turns out well, +but this feller don't seem to have bin a crack specimen, for Sam's +remarks about him ain't complimentary. Here's the letter, mates," +continued Riggles, drawing a soiled epistle from his pocket; "it'll give +'e a better notion than I can wot sort of a fix he's in, Will you read +it, Bill Bowls?" + +"No, thankee," said Bill; "read it yerself, an' for any sake don't spell +the words if ye can help it." + +Thus admonished, Tom began to read the following letter from his wild +brother, interrupting himself occasionally to explain and comment +thereon, and sometimes, despite the adjuration of Bill Bowls, to spell. +We give the letter in the writer's own words:-- + +"`My dear mother [it's to mother, d'ye see; he always writes to her, an' +she sends the letters to me],--My dear mother, here we are all alive and +kicking. My sweet wife is worth her weight in gold, though she does not +possess more of that precious metal than the wedding-ring on her +finger--more's the pity for we are sadly in want of it just now. The +baby, too, is splendid. Fat as a prize pig, capable of roaring like a +mad bull, and, it is said, uncommonly like his father. We all send our +kind love to you, and father, and Tom. By the way, where _is_ Tom? You +did not mention him in your last. I fear he is one of these roving +fellows whom the Scotch very appropriately style ne'er-do-weels. A bad +lot they are. Humph! you're one of 'em, Mister Sam, if ever there was, +an' my only hope of ye is that you've got some soft places in your +heart.'" + +"Go on, Tom," said Ben Bolter; "don't cut in like that on the thread of +any man's story." + +"Well," continued Riggles, reading with great difficulty, "Sam goes on +for to say--" + +"`We thank you for your good wishes, and trust to be able to send you a +good account of our proceedings ere long. [You see Sam was always of a +cheery, hopeful natur, he was.] We have now been on the place fifteen +days, but have not yet begun the house, as we can get no money. Two +builders have, however, got the plans, and we are waiting for their +sp-s-p-i-f- oh! spiflication; why, wot can that be?'" + +"It ain't spiflication, anyhow," said Bolter. "Spell it right through." + +"Oh! I've got him, it's _specification_," cried Riggles; "well--" + +"`Specification. Many things will cost more than we anticipated. We +had to turn the family out who had squatted here, at two days' notice, +as we could not afford to live at Kinmonday--that's the nearest town, I +s'pose. How they managed to live in the log cabin I do not know, as, +when it rained--and it has done so twice since we came, furiously--the +whole place was deluged, and we had to put an umbrella up in bed. We +have had the roof raised and newly shingled, and are as comfortable as +can be expected. Indeed, the hut is admirably adapted for summer +weather, as we can shake hands between the logs. + +"`The weather is very hot, although there has been much more rain this +season than usual. There can be no doubt that this is a splendid +country, both as regards soil and climate, and it seems a pity to see +such land lying waste and unimproved for so many years. It far +surpasses my expectations, both in natural beauty and capabilities. We +have a deal of work to do in the way of fencing, for at present +everybody's livestock is running over a large part of our land; but we +haven't got money to buy fencing! Then we ought to have two horses, for +the boy that was sent to me from the Reformatory can plough; but again, +we haven't a rap wherewith to buy them. One reason of this is that in a +new place a fellow is not trusted at first, and the last two hundred +dollars we had went in tools, household furniture, utensils, etcetera. +We have been living on credit for an occasional chicken or duck from our +neighbours, which makes but a poor meal for three--not to mention baby, +being very small--and George, that's the boy, having a tremendous +appetite! + +"`I walked into town twice to try to get some meat, but although there +are ostensibly two butchers, I failed to get any. They actually wanted +payment for it! Heigho! how I wish that money grew on the trees--or +bread. By the way, that reminds me that there are bread-fruit trees in +the South Sea Islands. I think I'll sell the farm and go there. One +day I had the good luck to rescue a fine young chicken from the talons +of a big hawk, upon which we all made a good meal. I really don't know +what we should have done had it not been for the great abundance of +blackberries here. They are fine and large, and so plentiful that I can +gather a bucketful in an hour. We have made them into jam and pies, and +are now drying them for winter use. We have also hazel-nuts and plums +by the cart-load, and crab-apples in numbers almost beyond the power of +figures to express. There is also a fruit about the size of a lime, +which they call here the "May apple," but which I have named +"omnifruct," as it combines the flavour of apples, pears, peaches, +pine-apples, gooseberries, strawberries, rasps--in fact, it is hard to +tell what it does _not_ resemble. But after all, this is rather light +food, and although very Eden-like living--_minus_ the felicity--it does +not quite satisfy people who have been used most part of their lives to +beefsteak and stout. + +"`George came to me a week ago. The little rascal would have been here +sooner, but first of all the stage-coach upset, and then he fell asleep +and was carried ten miles beyond our clearing, and had to walk back as +best he could with a big bundle on his shoulder. He is an uncommonly +silent individual. We can hardly get him to utter a word. He does what +he is told, but I have first to show him how, and generally end by doing +it myself. He appears to be a remarkably dead boy, but my excellent +wife has taken him in hand, and will certainly strike some fire out of +him if she can't put it into him! She has just gone into town on a +foraging expedition, and I fondly hope she may succeed in making a raise +of some edibles. + +"`I have distinguished myself lately by manufacturing a sideboard and +dresser, as well as a table and bench for the female authority, and +expect to accomplish a henhouse and a gate next week. You see we work +in hope. I fervently wish we could live on the same. However, I'm +pretty jolly, despite a severe attack of rheumatism, which has not been +improved by my getting up in the night and rushing out in my shirt to +chase away trespassing cows and pigs, as we have not got a watch-dog +yet. + +"`When my wife shuts her eyes at night her dreams are of one invariable +subject--blackberries! She cannot get rid of the impression, and I have +serious fears that we shall all break out in brambles. There are not so +many mosquitoes here as I had expected; just enough to keep us lively. +How I shall rejoice when we have got a cow! It will be a great saving +in butter and milk to our neighbours, who at present supply us with such +things on credit! We can raise here wheat, oats, Indian corn, etcetera. +The only difficulties are the want of seed and money! But it is unkind +in me writing to you, mother, in this strain, seeing that you can't help +me in my difficulties. However, don't take on about me. My motto is, +"Never give in." Give our love to father, also to Tom. He's a +good-hearted fellow is Tom, though I fear he'll never come to much +good.--Believe me, your affectionate son, SAM. RIGGLES.'" + +"There," said Tom, folding up the letter; "what d'ye think o' that, +mates?" + +Tom did not at that time get an answer to his question, for just as he +spoke the order was given to beat to quarters for exercise, and in a few +minutes the decks were cleared, and every man at his post. + +But the order which had been given to engage in mimic warfare, for the +sake of training the new hands, was suddenly changed into the command to +clear for action in earnest, when the look-out reported a French vessel +on the weather-bow. Sail was immediately crowded on the _Waterwitch_, +and all was enthusiasm and expectation as they gave chase to the enemy. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +OUR HERO AND HIS FRIENDS SEE SERVICE. + +The _Waterwitch_ was commanded at this time by Captain Ward, a man +possessed of great energy and judgment, united to heroic courage. He +had received orders to join that portion of the British fleet which, +under Nelson, was engaged in searching for the French in the +Mediterranean, and had passed Cape St. Vincent on his way thither, when +he fell in with the French vessel. + +During the morning a thick fog had obscured the horizon, concealing the +enemy from view. When the rising sun dispersed it he was suddenly +revealed. Hence the abrupt order on board the _Waterwitch_ to prepare +for action. As the fog lifted still more, another French vessel was +revealed, and it was soon found that the English frigate had two +Frenchmen of forty-four guns each to cope with. + +"Just as it should be!" remarked Captain Ward, when this was +ascertained. "There would have been no glory in conquering one +Frenchman equal to my own ship in size!" + +The _Waterwitch_ was immediately steered towards the ship that was +nearest, in the expectation that she would show fight at once, but the +French commander, probably wishing to delay the engagement until his +other vessel could join him, made sail, and bore down on her. Captain +Ward, on perceiving the intention, put on a press of canvas, and +endeavoured to frustrate the enemy's design. In this he was only +partially successful. + +"Surely," said Bill Bowls to his friend Ben Bolter, with whom he was +stationed at one of the starboard guns on the main deck, "surely we are +near enough now to give 'em a shot." + +"No, we ain't," said Tom Riggles, who was also stationed at the same +gun; "an' depend on it Cap'n Ward is not the man to throw away his shot +for nothin'." + +Ben Bolter and some of the other men at the gun agreed with this +opinion, so our hero, whose fighting propensities were beginning to +rouse up, had to content himself with gazing through the port-hole at +the flying enemy, and restrained his impatience as he best could. + +At last the order was given to fire, and for an hour after that a +running fight was maintained, but without much effect. When, however, +the two ships of the enemy succeeded in drawing sufficiently near to +each other, they hove to, and awaited the advance of the _Waterwitch_, +plying her vigorously with shot as she came on. + +Captain Ward only replied with his bow chasers at first. He walked the +deck with his hands behind his back without speaking, and, as far as his +countenance expressed his feelings, he might have been waiting for a +summons to dinner, instead of hastening to engage in an unequal contest. + +"Cap'n Ward niver growls much before he bites," said Patrick Flinn, an +Irishman, who belonged to Bowls's mess. "He minds me of a spalpeen of a +dog I wance had, as was uncommon fond o' fightin' but niver even showed +his teeth till he was within half a yard of his inemy, but, och! he +gripped him then an' no mistake. You'll see, messmates, that we won't +give 'em a broadside till we're within half pistol-shot." + +"Don't take on ye the dooties of a prophet, Paddy," said Ben Bolter, +"for the last time ye tried it ye was wrong." + +"When was that?" demanded Flinn. + +"Why, no longer ago than supper-time last night, when ye said ye had +eaten such a lot that ye wouldn't be able to taste another bite for a +month to come, an' didn't I see ye pitchin' into the wittles this +mornin' as if ye had bin starvin' for a week past?" + +"Git along wid ye," retorted Flinn; "yer jokes is as heavy as yerself, +an' worth about as much." + +"An' how much may that be?" asked Ben, with a grin. + +"Faix, it's not aisy to tell. I would need to work it out in a +algibrabical calkilation, but if ye divide the half o' what ye know by +the double o' what ye don't know, an' add the quarter o' what ye might +have know'd--redoocin' the whole to nothin', by means of a compound o' +the rule o' three and sharp practice, p'r'aps you'll--" + +Flinn's calculation was cut short at that moment by the entrance of a +round shot, which pierced the ship's side just above his head, and sent +splinters flying in all directions, one of which killed a man at the +next gun, and another struck Bill Bowls on the left arm, wounding him +slightly. + +The exclamations and comments of the men at the gun were stopped +abruptly by the orders to let the ship fall off and fire a broadside. + +The _Waterwitch_ trembled under the discharge, and then a loud cheer +arose, for the immediate result was that the vessel of the enemy which +had hit them was partially disabled--her foretopmast and flying jibboom +having been shot away. + +The _Waterwitch_ instantly resumed her course and while Bill Bowls was +busily employed in assisting to reload his gun, he could see that the +two Frenchmen were close on their lee bow. + +Passing to windward of the two frigates, which were named respectively +_La Gloire_ and the _St. Denis_, Captain Ward received a broadside from +the latter, without replying to it, until he had crossed her bow within +musket range, when he delivered a broadside which raked her from stem to +stern. He then wore ship, and, passing between the two, fired his +starboard broadside into the _Gloire_, and, almost immediately after, +his port broadside into the _St. Denis_. + +The effect on the two ships was tremendous. + +Their sails and rigging were terribly cut up, and several of the yards +came rattling down on their decks. The _Gloire_, in particular, had her +rudder damaged. Seeing this, and knowing that in her crippled state she +could do him no further damage, Captain Ward passed on, sailed round the +stern of the _St. Denis_, and, when within six yards of her, sent a +broadside right in at her cabin windows. Then he ranged alongside and +kept up a tremendous fire. + +The Frenchmen stuck to their guns admirably, but the British fired +quicker. At such close quarters every shot told on both sides. The din +and crash of such heavy artillery was terrific; and it soon became +almost impossible to see what was going on for smoke. + +Up to this point, although many of the men in the _Waterwitch_ had been +killed or wounded, only one of those who manned the gun at which Bill +Bowls served had been hit. + +"It's too hot to last long," observed Flinn, as he thrust home a ball +and drew out the ramrod; "run her out, boys." + +The men obeyed, and were in the act of pulling at the tackle, when a +shot from the enemy struck the gun on the muzzle, tore it from its +fastenings, and hurled it to the other side of the deck. + +Strange to say, only one of the men who worked it was hurt by the gun; +but in its passage across the deck it knocked down and killed three men, +and jammed one of the guns on the other side in such a way that it +became for a time unserviceable. Ben Bolter and his comrades were +making desperate efforts to clear the wreck, when they heard a shout on +deck for the boarders. The bowsprit of the _Waterwitch_ had by that +time been shot away; her rigging was dreadfully cut up, and her wheel +smashed; and Captain Ward felt that, if the _St. Denis_ were to get +away, he could not pursue her. He therefore resolved to board. + +"Come along, lads," cried Tom Riggles, on hearing the order; "let's jine +'em." + +He seized his cutlass as he spoke, and dashed towards the ladder, +followed by Bowls, Bolter, Flinn, and others; but it was so crowded with +men carrying the wounded down to the cockpit that they had to pause at +the foot. + +At that moment a handsome young midshipman was carried past, apparently +badly wounded. + +"Och!" exclaimed Flinn, in a tone of deep anxiety, "it's not Mister +Cleveland, is it? Ah! don't say he's kilt!" + +"Not quite," answered the midshipman, rousing himself, and looking round +with flashing eyes as he endeavoured to wave his hand in the air. "I'll +live to fight the French yet." + +The poor boy almost fainted from loss of blood as he spoke; and the +Irishman, uttering a wild shout, ran towards the stern, intending to +gain the deck by the companion-hatch, and wreak his vengeance on the +French. Bill Bowls and Ben Bolter followed him. As they passed the +cabin door Bowls said hastily to Bolter, "I say, Ben, here, follow me; +I'll show ye a dodge." + +He ran into the cabin as he spoke and leaped out upon the quarter +gallery, which by that time was so close to the quarter of the _St. +Denis_ that it was possible to jump from one to the other. + +Without a moment's hesitation he sprang across, dashed in one of the +windows, and went head foremost into the enemy's cabin, followed by +Bolter. Finding no one to oppose them there, they rushed upon deck and +into the midst of a body of marines who were near the after-hatchway. + +"Down with the frog-eaters!" cried Ben Bolter, discharging his pistol in +the face of a marine with one hand, and cleaving down another with his +cutlass. + +The "frog-eaters," however, were by no means despicable men; for one of +them clubbed his musket and therewith hit Ben such a blow on the head +that he fell flat on the deck. Seeing this, Bill Bowls bestrode his +prostrate comrade, and defended him for a few seconds with the utmost +fury. + +Captain Ward, who had leaped into the mizzen chains of the enemy, +leading the boarders, beheld with amazement two of his own men on the +quarter-deck of the _St. Denis_ attacking the enemy in rear. Almost at +the same moment he observed the fall of one of them. His men also saw +this, and giving an enthusiastic cheer they sprang upon the foe and beat +them back. Bill Bowls was borne down in the rush by his friends, but he +quickly regained his legs. Ben Bolter also recovered and jumped up. In +five minutes more they were masters of the ship--hauled down the +colours, and hoisted the Union Jack at the Frenchman's peak. + +During the whole course of this action the _Gloire_, which had drifted +within range, kept up a galling fire of musketry from her tops on the +deck of the _Waterwitch_. Just as the _St. Denis_ was captured, a ball +struck Captain Ward on the forehead, and he fell dead without a groan. + +The first lieutenant, who was standing by his side at the moment, after +hastily calling several men to convey their commander below, ordered the +starboard guns of the prize to be fired into the _Gloire_. This was +done with such effect that it was not found necessary to repeat the +dose. The Frenchman immediately hauled down his colours, and the fight +was at an end. + +It need scarcely be said that the satisfaction with which this victory +was hailed was greatly modified by the loss of brave Captain Ward, who +was a favourite with his men, and one who would in all probability have +risen to the highest position in the service, had he lived. He fell +while his sun was in the zenith, and was buried in the ocean, that wide +and insatiable grave, which has received too many of our brave seamen in +the prime of life. + +The first lieutenant, on whom the command temporarily devolved, +immediately set about repairing damages, and, putting a prize crew into +each of the French ships, sailed with them to the nearest friendly port. + +The night after the action Bill Bowls, Ben Bolter, and Tom Riggles sat +down on the heel of the bowsprit to have a chat. + +"Not badly hit?" asked Ben of Bill, who was examining the bandage on his +left arm. + +"Nothin' to speak of," said Bill; "only a scratch. I'm lucky to have +got off with so little; but I say, Ben, how does your head feel? That +Mounseer had a handy way o' usin' the handspike. I do believe he would +have cracked any man's skull but your own, which must be as thick as the +head of an elephant. I see'd it comin', but couldn't help ye. +Hows'ever, I saved ye from a second dose." + +"It wos pritty hardish," said Ben, with a smile, an' made the stars +sparkle in my brain for all the world like the rory borailis, as I've +see'd so often in the northern skies; but it's all in the way o' trade, +so I don't grumble; the only thing as bothers me is that I can't git my +hat rightly on by reason of the bump. + +"You've no cause to complain--neither of ye," said Tom Riggles, whose +left hand was tied up and in a sling, "for you've lost nothin' but a +little blood an' a bit o' skin, whereas I've lost the small finger o' my +right hand." + +"Not much to boast of, that," said Ben Bolter contemptuously; "why, just +think of poor Ned Summers havin' lost an arm and Edwards a leg--not to +mention the poor fellows that have lost their lives." + +"A finger is bad enough," growled Tom. + +"Well, so it is," said Bowls. "By the way, I would advise you to try a +little of that wonderful salve invented by a Yankee for such cases." + +"Wot salve wos that?" asked Tom gruffly, for the pain of his wound was +evidently pretty severe. + +"Why, the growin' salve, to be sure," replied Bill. "Everybody must +have heard of it." + +"_I_ never did," said Tom. "Did you, Ben?" + +"No, never; wot is it?" + +"It's a salve for growin' on lost limbs," said Bill. "The Yankee tried +it on a dog that had got its tail cut off. He rubbed a little of the +salve on the end of the dog, and a noo tail grow'd on next mornin'!" + +"Gammon!" ejaculated Tom Riggles. + +"True, I assure ye, as was proved by the fact that he afterwards rubbed +a little of the salve on the end of the tail, and a noo dog growed on it +in less than a week!" + +"H'm! I wonder," said Tom, "if he was to rub some of it inside o' your +skull, whether he could grow you a noo set o' brains." + +"I say, Bill," interposed Ben Bolter, "did you hear the first lieutenant +say where he intended to steer to?" + +"I heard somethin' about Gibraltar, but don't know that he said we was +goin' there. It's clear, hows'ever, that we must go somewhere to refit +before we can be of any use." + +"Ay; how poor Captain Ward would have chafed under this delay!" said +Bill Bowls sadly. "He would have been like a caged tiger. That's the +worst of war; it cuts off good and bad men alike. There's not a captain +in the fleet like the one we have lost, Nelson alone excepted." + +"Well, I don't know as to that," said Ben Bolter; "but there's no doubt +that Admiral Nelson is the man to lick the French, and I only hope that +he may find their fleet, and that I may be there to lend a hand." + +"Ditto," said Bill Bowls. + +"Do," added Tom Riggles. + +Having thus expressed their sentiments, the three friends separated. +Not long afterwards the _Waterwitch_ sailed with her prizes into +Gibraltar. + +Here was found a portion of the fleet which had been forwarded by Earl +St. Vincent to reinforce Nelson. It was about to set sail, and as there +was every probability that the _Waterwitch_ would require a considerable +time to refit, some of her men were drafted into other ships. Among +others, our friends Bill Bowls, Ben Bolter, and Tom Riggles, were sent +on board the _Majestic_, a seventy-four gun ship of the line, commanded +by Captain Westcott, one of England's most noted captains. + +This vessel, with ten line-of-battle ships, set sail to join Nelson, and +assist him in the difficult duty of watching the French fleet. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +NELSON HUNTS THE FRENCH. + +At this time Sir Horatio Nelson had been despatched to the Mediterranean +with a small squadron to ascertain the object of the great expedition +which was fitting out, under Napoleon Bonaparte, at Toulon. + +Nelson had for a long time past been displaying, in a series of +complicated and difficult operations in the Mediterranean, those +splendid qualities which had already won for him unusual honours and +fame, and which were about to raise him to that proud pinnacle which he +ultimately attained as England's greatest naval hero. His address and +success in matters of diplomacy had filled his superiors and the +Government with sentiments of respect; his moral courage in risking +reputation and position, with unflinching resolution, by _disobeying_ +orders when by so doing the good and credit of his country could be +advanced, made him an object of dread to some, of admiration to others, +while his lion-like animal courage and amiability endeared him to his +officers and men. Sailors had begun to feel that where Nelson led the +way victory was certain, and those who were ordered to join his fleet +esteemed themselves most fortunate. + +The defeat of the French armament was considered by the English +Government a matter of so great importance, that Earl St. Vincent, then +engaged in blockading the Spanish fleet, was directed, if he thought it +necessary, to draw off his entire fleet for the purpose, and relinquish +the blockade. He was, however, told that, if he thought a detachment +sufficient, he was to place it under the command of Sir Horatio Nelson. +The Earl did consider a detachment sufficient, and had already made up +his mind to give the command to Nelson, being thoroughly alive to his +great talents and other good qualities. He accordingly sent him to the +Mediterranean with three ships of the line, four frigates, and a sloop +of war. + +This force was now, by the addition to which we have referred, augmented +so largely that Nelson found himself in possession of a fleet with which +he might not only "watch" the enemy, but, if occasion should offer, +attack him. + +He was refitting after a storm in the Sardinian harbour of St. Pietro, +when the reinforcements hove in sight. As soon as the ships were seen +from the masthead of the Admiral's vessel, Nelson immediately signalled +that they should put to sea. Accordingly the united fleet set sail, and +began a vigorous search for the French armament, which had left Toulon a +short time before. + +The search was for some time unsuccessful. No tidings could be obtained +of the destination of the enemy for some time, but at length it was +learned that he had surprised Malta. + +Although his fleet was inferior in size to that of the French, Nelson-- +and indeed all his officers and men--longed to meet with and engage +them. The Admiral, therefore, formed a plan to attack them while at +anchor at Gozo, but he received information that the French had left +that island the day after their arrival. Holding very strongly the +opinion that they were bound for Egypt, he set sail at once in pursuit, +and arrived off Alexandria on the 28th of June 1798. + +There, to his intense disappointment, he found that nothing had been +seen or heard of the enemy. Nelson's great desire was to meet with +Napoleon Bonaparte and fight him on the sea. But this wish was not to +be gratified. He found, however, that the governor of Alexandria was +endeavouring to put the city in a state of defence, for he had received +information from Leghorn that the French expedition intended to proceed +against Egypt after having taken Malta. + +Leaving Alexandria, Nelson proceeded in various directions in search of +the French, carrying a press of sail night and day in his anxiety to +fall in with them, but being baffled in his search, he was compelled to +return to Sicily to obtain fresh supplies in order to continue the +pursuit. + +Of course Nelson was blamed in England for his want of success in this +expedition, and Earl St. Vincent was severely censured for having sent +so young an officer on a service so important. Anticipating the +objection, that he ought not to have made so long a voyage without more +certain information, Nelson said, in vindication of his conduct:-- + +"Who was I to get such information from? The Governments of Naples and +Sicily either knew not, or chose to keep me in ignorance. Was I to wait +patiently until I heard certain accounts? If Egypt were their object, +before I could hear of them, they would have been in India. To do +nothing was disgraceful; therefore I made use of my understanding. I am +before your lordships' judgment; and if, under all circumstances, it is +decided that I am wrong, I ought, for the sake of our country, to be +superseded; for at this moment, when I know the French are not in +Alexandria, I hold the same opinion as off Cape Passaro--that, under all +circumstances, I was right in steering for Alexandria; and by that +opinion I must stand or fall." + +It was ere long proved that Nelson _was_ right, and that Earl St. +Vincent had made no mistake in sending him on a service so important; +for we now know that in all the British fleet there was not another man +so admirably adapted for the duty which was assigned to him, of finding, +fighting, and conquering, the French, in reference to whom he wrote to +the first lord of the Admiralty, "Be they bound to the antipodes, your +lordship may rely that I will not lose a moment in bringing them to +action!" + +Re-victualled and watered, the British fleet set sail on the 25th of +July from Syracuse. On the 28th, intelligence was received that the +enemy had been seen about four weeks before, steering to the South East +from Candia. + +With characteristic disregard of the possible consequences to his own +fame and interest, in his determination to "do the right," Nelson at +once resolved to return to Alexandria. Accordingly, with all sail set, +the fleet stood once more towards the coast of Egypt. + +Perseverance was at length rewarded. On the 1st of August 1798, about +ten in the morning, they sighted Alexandria, and saw with inexpressible +delight that the port was crowded with the ships of France. + +And here we venture to say that we sympathise with the joy of the +British on this occasion, and shall explain why we do so. + +Not every battle that is fought--however brilliant in military or naval +tactics it may be, or in exhibitions of personal prowess--deserves our +sympathy. Only that war which is waged against oppression is entitled +to respect, and this, we hold, applies to the war in which the British +were engaged at that time. + +France, under the Directory, had commenced a career of unwarrantable +conquest, for the simple purpose of self-aggrandisement, and her great +general, Bonaparte, had begun that course of successful warfare in which +he displayed those brilliant talents which won for him an empire, +constituted him, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, a hero, and +advanced France to a high position of tyrannical power. But brilliant +talents and success could not free him from the charge of being a +wholesale murderer. + +To oppose such pretentions and practices was a bounden duty on the part +of those who loved justice, just as much as it is the duty of every one +who has the power to thwart the designs of, and forcibly overcome, a +highwayman or a pirate. + +Observe, reader, that we do not intend here to imply an invidious +comparison. We have no sympathy with those who hold that England was +and always is in favour of fair play, while France was bent on tyranny. +On the contrary, we believe that England has in some instances been +guilty of the sin which we now condemn, and that, on the other hand, +many Frenchmen of the present day would disapprove of the policy of +France in the time of Napoleon the First. Neither do we sympathise with +the famous saying of Nelson that "one Englishman is equal to three +Frenchmen!" The tendency to praise one's-self has always been regarded +among Christian nations as a despicable, or at least a pitiable, +quality, and we confess that we cannot see much difference between a +boastful man and a boastful nation. Frenchmen have always displayed +chivalrous courage, not a whit inferior to the British, and history +proves that in war they have been eminently successful. The question +whether they could beat us or we could beat them, if tested in a fair +stand-up fight with equal numbers, besides being an unprofitable one, is +not now before us. All that we are concerned about at present is, that +in the war now under consideration the British _did_ beat the French, +and we rejoice to record the fact solely on the ground that we fought in +a righteous cause. + +With these remarks we proceed to give an account of one of the greatest +naval victories ever achieved by British arms. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +THE BATTLE OF THE NILE. + +After Napoleon Bonaparte had effected his landing in Egypt, the French +fleet was permitted to remain at Alexandria for some time, and thus +afforded Nelson the opportunity he had sought for so long. + +For many previous days he had been almost unable, from anxiety, to take +sleep or food, but now he ordered dinner to be served, while +preparations were being made for battle, and when his officers rose to +leave the table, he said to them:-- + +"Before this time to-morrow, I shall have gained a peerage or +Westminster Abbey." + +The French had found it impossible to enter the neglected and ruined +port of Alexandria. Admiral Brueys had, by command of Napoleon, offered +a reward of 10,000 livres to any native pilot who would safely convey +the squadron in, but not one was found who would venture to take charge +of a single vessel that drew more than twenty feet. The gallant admiral +was compelled, therefore, to anchor in Aboukir Bay, and chose the +strongest position that was possible in the circumstances. He ranged +his ships in a compact line of battle, in such a manner that the leading +vessel lay close to a shoal, while the remainder of the fleet formed a +curve along the line of deep water so that it was thought to be +impossible to turn it by any means in a South Westerly direction, and +some of the French, who were best able to judge, said that they held a +position so strong that they could bid defiance to a force more than +double their own. The presumption was not unreasonable, for the French +had the advantage of the English in ships, guns, and men, but they had +omitted to take into their calculations the fact that the English fleet +was commanded by one whose promptitude in action, readiness and +eccentricity of resource, and utter disregard of consequences when what +he deemed the path to victory lay before him, might have been equalled; +but certainly could not have been surpassed, by Bonaparte himself. + +The French force consisted of thirteen ships of the line and four +frigates, carrying in all 1196 guns and 11,230 men. The English had +thirteen ships of the line and a fifty-gun ship, carrying in all 1012 +guns and 8068 men. All the English line-of-battle ships were +seventy-fours. Three of the French ships carried eighty-eight guns, and +one, _L'Orient_, was a monster three-decker with 120 guns. + +In order to give the reader a better idea of the forces engaged on both +sides, we give the following list of ships. It is right, however, to +add that one of those belonging to the English (the _Culloden_) ran +aground on a shoal when about to go into action, and took no part in the +fight. + +ENGLISH SHIPS. + ++===+===============+=============================+====+===+===========+ +Y YNames YCommanders YGunsYMenY Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 1.YVanguard YAdmiral Nelson, Captain BerryY 74Y595Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 2.YMinotaur YThos. Louis Y 74Y640Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 3.YTheseus YR.W. Millar Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 4.YAlexander YA.J. Ball Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 5.YSwiftsure YB Hallowell Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 6.YAudacious YD Gould Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 7.YDefence YJ Peyton Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 8.YZealous YS Hood Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y 9.YOrion YSir James Saumarez Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y10.YGoliath YThomas Foley Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y11.YMajestic YG.B. Westcott Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y12.YBellerophon YH.D.E. Darby Y 74Y590Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y13.YCulloden YT Trowbridge Y 74Y590YNot engagedY ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y14.YLeander YT.B. Thomson Y 50Y343Y Y ++---+---------------+-----------------------------+----+---+-----------+ +Y15.YLa Mutine, BrigY Y Y Y Y ++===+===============+=============================+====+===+===========+ + +FRENCH SHIPS. + ++===+====================+==============+====+====+===============+ +Y YNames YCommanders YGunsYMen Y Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 1.YL'Orient YAdmiral BrueysY 120Y1010YBurnt Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 2.YLe Franklin Y Y 80Y 800YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 3.YLe Tonnant Y Y 80Y 800YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 4.YLe Guillaume Tell Y Y 80Y 800YEscaped Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 5.YLe Conquerant Y Y 74Y 700YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 6.YLe Spartiate Y Y 74Y 700YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 7.YL'Aquilon Y Y 74Y 700YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 8.YLe Souverain Peuple Y Y 74Y 700YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y 9.YL'Heureux Y Y 74Y 700YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y10.YLe Timoleon Y Y 74Y 700YBurnt Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y11.YLe Mercure Y Y 74Y 700YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y12.YLe Genereux Y Y 74Y 700YEscaped Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y13.YLe Guerrier Y Y 74Y 600YTaken Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y14.YLa Diane (Frigate) Y Y 48Y 300YEscaped Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y15.YLa Justice (Frigate)Y Y 44Y 300YEscaped Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y16.YL'Artemise (Frigate)Y Y 36Y 250YBurnt Y ++---+--------------------+--------------+----+----+---------------+ +Y17.YLa Serieux (Frigate)Y Y 36Y 250YDismasted, sunkY ++===+====================+==============+====+====+===============+ + +Such were the forces that met to engage in deadly conflict on the 1st of +August 1798, with not only national but world-wide interest pending on +the issue, for the battle of the Nile was one of the leading battles of +the world. + +When Nelson perceived the position of the enemy, his fertile and active +mind at once evolved a characteristic course of action. Where there was +room, he said, for an enemy's ship to swing, there was room for one of +his to anchor. He therefore at once formed the plan of doubling on the +French ships, stationing one of his ships on the bow and another on the +quarter of each of the enemy. + +Nelson immediately explained his intended course to his officers. It +had been his custom during the whole time he was engaged in searching +for the French fleet, to have his captains as frequently as possible on +board the _Vanguard_, when he explained to them his opinions as to the +best mode of attack in all the various positions in which it was +possible or probable that the enemy might be found. Hence they knew +their commander's tactics so well, that when the hour for action +arrived, no time was lost in the tedious operation of signalling orders. +He had such confidence in all his officers, that after thoroughly +explaining his intended plan of attack, he merely said to them, "Form as +is most convenient for mutual support, and anchor by the stern. First +gain the victory, and then make the best use of it you can." + +When Captain Berry, perceiving the boldness of the plan, said, "If we +succeed, what will the world say?" Nelson replied, "There is no _if_ in +the case; that we shall succeed is certain: who may live to tell the +story is a very different question!" + +Nelson possessed in an eminent degree the power of infusing into his men +the irresistible confidence that animated his own bosom. There was +probably not a man in the British fleet who did not sail into Aboukir +Bay on that memorable day with a feeling of certainty that the battle +was as good as gained before it was begun. The cool, quiet, +self-possessed manner in which the British tars went to work at the +beginning must have been very impressive to the enemy; for, as they +advanced, they did not even condescend to fire a shot in reply to the +storm of shot and shell to which the leading ships were treated by the +batteries on an island in the bay, and by the broadsides of the whole +French fleet at half gunshot-range, the men being too busily engaged in +furling the sails aloft, attending to the braces below, and preparing to +cast anchor! + +Nelson's fleet did not all enter the bay at once, but each vessel lost +no time in taking up position as it arrived; and as, one after another, +they bore down on the enemy, anchored close alongside, and opened fire, +the thunder of the French fleet was quickly and increasingly augmented +by the British, until the full tide of battle was reached, and the +shores of Egypt trembled under the incessant rolling roar of dreadful +war; while sheets of flame shot forth and rent the thick clouds which +enwrapped the contending fleets, and hung incumbent over the bay. + +An attempt was made by a French brig to decoy the English ships towards +a shoal before they entered Aboukir Bay, but it failed because Nelson +either knew the danger or saw through the device. + +It seemed as if the _Zealous_ (Captain Hood) was to have the honour of +commencing the action, but Captain Foley passed her in the _Goliath_, +and successfully accomplished that feat which the French had deemed +impossible, and had done their best to guard against. Instead of +attacking the leading ship--the _Guerrier_--outside, he sailed round her +bows, passed between her and the shore, and cast anchor. Before he +could bring up, however, he had drifted down to the second ship of the +enemy's line--the _Conquerant_--and opened fire. It had been rightly +conjectured that the landward guns of the enemy would not be manned, or +even ready for action. The _Goliath_, therefore, made short and sharp +work of her foe. In ten minutes the masts of the _Conquerant_ were shot +away! The _Zealous_ was laid alongside the _Guerrier_, and in twelve +minutes that vessel was totally disabled. Next came the _Orion_ (Sir J. +Saumarez), which went into action in splendid style. Perceiving that a +frigate lying farther inshore was annoying the _Goliath_, she sailed +towards her, giving the _Guerrier_ a taste of her larboard guns as long +as they would bear upon her, then dismasted and sunk the frigate, hauled +round towards the French line, and anchoring between the _Franklin_ and +the _Souverain Peuple_, received and returned the fire of both. + +In like manner the _Audacious_ (Captain Gould) justified her name by +attacking the _Guerrier_ and _Conquerant_ at once, and, when the latter +struck passed on to the _Souverain Peuple_. + +The unfortunate _Guerrier_ was also worthy of her title, for she bore +the brunt of the battle. Every ship that passed her appeared to deem it +a duty to give her a broadside before settling down to its particular +place in the line, and finding its own special antagonist or +antagonists--for several of the English ships engaged two of the enemy +at once. The _Theseus_ (Captain Miller), after bringing down the main +and mizzen-masts of the _Guerrier_, anchored inside the _Spartiate_ and +engaged her. + +Meanwhile, on the other side of this vessel, Nelson's ship, the +_Vanguard_, bore down on the foe with six flags flying in different +parts of the rigging, to guard against the possibility of his colours +being shot away! She opened a tremendous fire on the _Spartiate_ at +half pistol-range. The muscular British tars wrought with heroic energy +at the guns. In a few minutes six of these guns, which stood on the +fore-part of the _Vanguard's_ deck, were left without a man, and three +times afterwards were these six guns cleared of men--so terrific was the +fire of the enemy. + +Other four of the British vessels sailed ahead of the _Vanguard_ and got +into action. One of these--the _Bellerophon_ (Captain Darby)--engaged +the gigantic _L'Orient_, which was so disproportionately large that the +weight of ball from her lower deck alone exceeded that from the whole +broadside of her assailant. The result was that the _Bellerophon_ was +overpowered, 200 of her men were killed or wounded, all her masts and +cables were shot away, and she drifted out of the line. Her place, +however, was taken by the _Swiftsure_, which not only assailed the +_L'Orient_ on the bow, but at the same time opened a steady fire on the +quarter of the _Franklin_. + +Before this time, however, the shades of night had fallen on the scene. +The battle began at half-past six in the evening--half-an-hour +afterwards daylight was gone, and the deadly fight was lighted only by +the lurid and fitful flashing of the guns. + +Those vessels of the English squadron which happened to be in rear were +some leagues astern when the fight began, and it was so dark when they +entered that extreme difficulty was experienced in getting in. One of +these--the _Culloden_ (Captain Trowbridge)--sounded carefully as she +went, but got aground, where she remained helpless during the action, +despite the efforts of the _Leander_ and _La Mutine_ brig to get her +off. She served, however, as a beacon to the _Alexander_ and +_Swiftsure_. + +The latter ship, on entering the bay, fell in with the drifting and +disabled _Bellerophon_, which was at first supposed to be one of the +enemy, because she did not show the signal ordered by Nelson to be +hoisted by his ships at the mizzen peak. This arose, of course, from +the masts having been shot away. Captain Hallowell wisely refrained +from firing on her, saying that, if she was an enemy, she was too much +disabled to escape. He passed on, therefore, and, as we have said, took +the station and the duty from which the other had been driven. + +The huge _L'Orient_ was now surrounded. Captain Ball, in the +_Alexander_, anchored on her larboard quarter, and, besides raking her +with his guns, kept up a steady fire of musketry on her decks. Captain +Thomson also, in the _Leander_, took up such a position that he could +fire into her and the _Franklin_ at the same time. + +Standing in the midst of death and destruction, the hero of the Nile did +not escape scathless. He remained unhurt, however, until he knew that +victory was certain. The first and second ships of the enemy's line +were disabled, as we have said, at the commencement of the action, and +the third, fourth, and fifth were taken between eight and nine; so that +Nelson could not have much, if any, doubt as to the issue of the battle. + +Suddenly he received a wound on the head from a piece of langridge shot, +and fell into the arms of Captain Berry. A large flap of skin was cut +from the bone and fell over his sound eye,--the other having been lost +in a previous engagement. The flow of blood was very great, and, being +thus totally blinded, he thought that he had received a mortal wound. +He was immediately carried down to the cockpit. + +The cockpit of a man-of-war lies in that part of the ship which is below +water, and is never visited by the light of day. Being safe also from +the visitation of shot or shell, it has been selected as the place to +which the wounded are conveyed during an action to have their wounds +dressed and limbs amputated by the surgeons--whose hands at such seasons +are, as may easily be supposed, much too full. No pen can describe +adequately the horrors of that dimly-lighted place, with its flickering +lights, glittering knives, bloody tables and decks, and mangled men, +whose groans of agony burst forth in spite of their utmost efforts to +repress them. Here, in the midst of dead, dying, and suffering men, the +great Admiral sat down to wait his turn. + +The surgeon was engaged in dressing the wounds of a sailor when he was +brought down. On learning who it was that required his services, he +quitted the man who was under his hands. "No," said Nelson, refusing +his proffered assistance, "no; I will take my turn with my brave +fellows." Accordingly, there he remained, persistently refusing aid, +until every man who had been previously wounded had been attended to! +When his turn came, it was found that his wound was merely superficial +and heartfelt was the joy expressed by the wounded men and the crew of +the _Vanguard_ when this was made known. + +But before this had been ascertained, and while he believed himself to +be dying, Nelson called the chaplain, and gave him his last remembrance +to Lady Nelson, appointed a successor to Captain Berry, who was to go to +England with the news of the victory, and made other arrangements in +anticipation of his death. But his hour had not yet come. When the +surgeon pronounced his hurt to be superficial, he refused to take the +rest which was recommended, and at once sent for his secretary to write +despatches. + +While he was thus engaged, a cry was heard which rose above the din of +battle, proclaiming that the _L'Orient_ was on fire. In the confusion +that followed, Nelson found his way upon deck unassisted, and, to the +astonishment of every one, appeared on the quarter-deck, and gave orders +to lower the boats, and send relief to the enemy. + +But before describing the scene that followed, we shall turn aside for a +little to watch more closely the proceedings of Captain Westcott in the +_Majestic_, and the personal deeds of Bill Bowls and his messmates. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +BATTLE OF THE NILE--CONTINUED. + +The _Majestic_ was one of the four ships which sailed into action in the +wake of the Admiral. Our hero, Bill Bowls, and his friend Ben Bolter, +were stationed at one of the guns on the larboard side of the main deck. +Flinders stood near them. Everything was prepared for action. The +guns were loaded, the men, stripped to the waist, stood ready, and the +matches were lighted, but as yet no order had been given to fire. The +men on the larboard side of the ship stood gazing anxiously through the +portholes at the furious strife in which they were about to engage. + +"Ah, then! but it's hot work is goin' on," said Flinders, turning to Ben +Bolter just after a crash of artillery somewhat louder than usual. + +"It's hotter work ye'll see soon, when the Admiral gits into action," +said Ben. + +"True for ye," answered Flinders; "he's a broth of a boy for fightin'. +It's an Irishman he should have been born. Hooroo, my hearties! look +out!" + +This latter exclamation was drawn forth by the crashing of a stray shot, +which entered the ship close to the spot where they stood, and passed +out on the starboard side, sending splinters of wood flying in all +directions, without hurting any one. + +"There goes the first!" said Bill Bowls, looking up at the ragged hole +that was left. + +"Faix, but it's not the last!" cried Flinders, as another stray shot hit +the ship, wounding one of the men, and sending a splinter so close past +the Irishman that it grazed his cheek. "Hooroo, boys! come on, the more +the merrier! Sure it's death or victory we'll be havin' in +half-an-hour." + +At this moment of intense excitement and expectation, when every man's +nerves tingled to be called into vigorous action, Ben Bolter saw fit to +give Flinders a lecture. + +"Ye shouldn't ought to speak misrespectful of death, boy," said he +gravely. "He's a rough customer when he gits hold of 'e, an' is sartin +sure to have the upper hand. It's my opinion that he'll pay this ship a +pretty stiff visit to-night, so you'd better treat him with respect, an' +belay yer jokin'--of which yer countrymen are over fond." + +To this Flinders listened with a humorous expression about the corners +of his eyes, while he stroked his chin, and awaited a pause in order to +make a suitable reply, but an exclamation from Bill Bowls changed the +subject abruptly. + +"Ho! boys," he cried, "there goes the Admiral." + +A tremendous crash followed his words, and the _Vanguard_ was seen to +pour a broadside into the _Spartiate_--as before related. + +The men of the _Majestic_ gazed eagerly at the Admiral's ship, which was +almost enveloped in thick smoke as they passed ahead, but an order from +Captain Westcott to be ready for action called the attention of every +man on his duty. Whatever might have been, at that moment, the thoughts +of the hundreds of men on board the _Majestic_, the whole soul and body +of every man appeared to be concentrated on his own gun, as he awaited +in stern silence the order to act. + +It came at last, but somewhat differently from what had been expected. +A sudden and peculiar motion was felt in the ship, and it was found that +she had got entangled with the main rigging of one of the French vessels +astern of the _L'Orient_. Instantly men were sent aloft to cut clear, +but before this could be accomplished a perfect storm of shot and shell +was sent into them from the towering sides of the three-decker. Men +fell on all sides before they had an opportunity of firing a shot; again +and again the crushing shower of metal came; spars and masts fell; the +rigging was cut up terribly, and in a short time the _Majestic_ would +certainly have been sunk had she not fortunately managed to swing clear. +A moment afterwards Captain Westcott, finding himself close alongside +the _Heureux_--the ninth ship of the enemy's line--gave the word to open +fire, and Bill Bowls had at last the satisfaction of being allowed to +apply a light to the touch-hole of his gun. Seventy-four men had for +some time past felt their fingers itching with an almost irresistible +desire to do this, and now upwards of thirty of them were allowed to +gratify their wish. Instantly the good ship received a shock that +caused her to quiver from the trucks to the keel, as her broadside went +crashing into the _Heureux_. + +No longer was there impatient inaction on board the _Majestic_, for not +only did the _Heureux_ reply vigorously, but the _Tonnant_--the eighth +of the enemy's line--opened fire on their other side. The _Majestic_ +therefore fought on both sides. Throughout the whole ship the stalwart, +half-naked men heaved at the huge guns. Everywhere, from stem to stern, +was exhibited in full swing the active processes of sponging out, +passing along powder and ball, ramming home the charges, running out, +working the handspikes, stepping aside to avoid the recoil--and the +whole operation of working the guns, as only British seamen know how to +work them! All this was done in the midst of smoke, flame, crashing +shot, and flying splinters, while the decks were slippery with human +blood, and strewn with dead men, from amongst whom the wounded were +raised as tenderly as the desperate circumstances in which they were +placed would admit of, and carried below. Many of those who were thus +raised never reached the cockpit, but again fell, along with those who +bore them. + +One of the men at the gun where Bill Bowls was at work was in the act of +handing a round shot to Bill, when a ball entered the port-hole and hit +him on the head, scattering his brains over the gun. Bill sprang +forward to catch him in his arms, but slipped on the bloody deck and +fell. That fall saved his life, for at the same moment a musket ball +entered the port and passed close over his head, shattering the arm of a +poor boy--one of those brave little fellows called powder-monkeys--who +was in the act of carrying a cartridge to Ben Bolter. Ben could not +delay the loading of the piece to assist the little fellow, who used his +remaining strength to stagger forward and deliver the cartridge before +he fell, but he shouted hastily to a passing shipmate-- + +"Here, Davis, carry this poor little chap to the cockpit." + +Davis turned and took the boy in his arms. He had almost reached the +main hatchway when a shell entered the ship and burst close to him. One +fragment killed the boy, and another almost cut Davis in two. They fell +and died together. + +For a long time this terrible firing at short range went on, and many +men fell on both sides. Among others, Captain Westcott was killed. He +was the only captain who fell in that battle, and was one who, had his +life been spared, would certainly have risen to the highest rank in the +service. He had "risen from the ranks," having been the son of a baker +in Devonshire, and gained the honourable station in which he lost his +life solely through his conspicuous abilities and courage. + +Up to this point none of those who are principally concerned in this +tale had received any hurt, beyond a few insignificant scratches, but +soon after the death of the little boy, Tom Riggles received a severe +wound in the leg from a splinter. He was carried below by Bill and Ben. + +"It's all over with me," he said in a desponding tone as they went +slowly down the ladders; "I knows it'll be a case o' ampitation." + +"Don't you go for to git down-hearted, Tom," said Ben earnestly. +"You're too tough to be killed easy." + +"Well, I _is_ tough, but wot'll toughness do for a feller agin iron +shot. I feels just now as if a red-hot skewer wos rumblin' about among +the marrow of my back-bone, an' I've got no feelin' in my leg at all. +Depend upon it, messmates, it's a bad case." + +His comrades did not reply, because they had reached the gloomy place +where the surgeons were engaged at their dreadful work. They laid Tom +down on a locker. + +"Good-bye, lads," said Tom, as they were about to turn away, "p'r'aps +I'll not see ye again, so give us a shake o' yer flippers." + +Bill and Ben silently squeezed their comrade's hand, being unable to +speak, and then hastened back to their stations. + +It was about this time that the _L'Orient_ caught fire, and when Bill +and his friend reached the deck, sheets of flame were already leaping +out at the port-holes of the gigantic ship. The sides of the _L'Orient_ +had been recently painted, and the paint-buckets and oil-jars which +stood on the poop soon caught, and added brilliancy to the great +conflagration which speedily followed the first outbreak of fire. It +was about nine o'clock when the fire was first observed. Before this +the gallant French Admiral had perished. Although three times wounded, +Brueys refused to quit his post. At length a shot almost cut him in +two, but still he refused to go below, and desired to be left to die on +his quarter-deck. He was spared the pain of witnessing the destruction +of his vessel. + +Soon the flames got the mastery, and blazing upward like a mighty torch, +threw a strong and appropriate light over the scene of battle. The +greater part of the crew of the _L'Orient_ displayed a degree of courage +which could not be surpassed, for they stuck to their guns to the very +last; continuing to fire from the lower deck while the fire was raging +above them, although they knew full well the dire and instantaneous +destruction that must ensue when the fire reached the magazine. + +The position and flags of the two fleets were now clearly seen, for it +was almost as light as day, and the fight went on with unabated fury +until about ten o'clock, when, with a terrific explosion, the _L'Orient_ +blew up. So tremendous was the shock that it seemed to paralyse the +combatants for a little, for both fleets ceased to fire, and there +ensued a profound silence, which continued for some time. The first +sound that broke the solemn stillness was the splash of the falling +spars of the giant ship as they descended from the immense height to +which they had been shot! + +Of the hundreds of human beings who manned that ship, scarcely a tithe +were saved. About seventy were rescued by English boats. The scattered +and burning fragments fell around like rain, and there was much fear +lest these should set some of the neighbouring vessels on fire. Two +large pieces of burning wreck fell into the _Swiftsure_, and a port fire +into the _Alexander_, but these were quickly extinguished. + +On board the _Majestic_ also, some portions of burning material fell. +While these were being extinguished, one of the boats was ordered out to +do all that was possible to save the drowning Frenchmen. Among the +first to jump into this boat were Bill Bowls and Ben Bolter. Bill took +the bow oar, Ben the second, and in a few moments they were pulling +cautiously amid the debris of the wreck, helping to haul on board such +poor fellows as they could get hold of. The work was difficult, because +comparative darkness followed the explosion, and as the fight was soon +resumed, the thunder of heavy guns, together with the plunging of ball, +exploding of shell, and whizzing of chain-shot overhead, rendered the +service one of danger as well as difficulty. + +It was observed by the men of the _Majestic's_ boat that several French +boats were moving about on the same errand of mercy with themselves, and +it was a strange as well as interesting sight to see those who, a few +minutes before, had been bent on taking each other's lives, now as +earnestly engaged in the work of saving life! + +"Back your starboard oars," shouted Ben, just as they passed one of the +French boats; "there's a man swimming on the port bow--that's it; +steady; lend a hand, Bill; now then, in with him." + +A man was hoisted over the gunwale as he spoke, and the boat passed +onward. Just then a round shot from one of the more distant ships of +the fleet--whether English or French they could not tell--struck the +water a few yards from them, sending a column of spray high into the +air. Instead of sinking, the shot ricochetted from the water and +carried away the bow of the boat in passing, whirling it round and +almost overturning it. At the same moment the sea rushed in and swamped +it, leaving the crew in the water. + +Our hero made an involuntary grasp at the thing that happened to be +nearest him. This was the head of his friend Ben Bolter, who had been +seated on the thwart in front of him. Ben returned the grasp promptly, +and having somehow in the confusion of the plunge, taken it into his +head that he was in the grasp of a Frenchman, he endeavoured to throttle +Bill. Bill, not being easily throttled, forthwith proceeded to choke +Ben, and a struggle ensued which might have ended fatally for both, had +not a piece of wreck fortunately touched Ben on the shoulder. He seized +hold of it, Bill did the same, and then they set about the fight with +more precision. + +"Come on, ye puddock-eater!" cried Ben, again seizing Bill by the +throat. + +"Hallo, Ben!" + +"Why, wot--is't you, Bill? Well, now, if I didn't take 'e for a +Mounseer!" + +Before more could be said a boat was observed rowing close past them. +Ben hailed it. + +"Ho!" cried a voice, as the men rested on their oars and listened. + +"Lend a hand, shipmates," cried Ben, "on yer port bow." + +The oars were dipped at once, the boat ranged up, and the two men were +assisted into it. + +"It's all well as ends well, as I've heerd the play-actors say," +observed Ben Bolter, as he shook the water from his garments. "I say, +lads, what ship do you belong to?" + +"Ve has de honair to b'long to _Le Guillaume Tell_," replied one of the +men. + +"Hallo, Bill!" whispered Ben, "it's a French boat, an' we're nabbed. +Prisoners o' war, as sure as my name's BB! Wot's to be done?" + +"I'll make a bolt, sink or swim," whispered our hero. + +"You vill sit still," said the man who had already spoken to them, +laying a hand on Bill's shoulder. + +Bill jumped up and made a desperate attempt to leap overboard, but two +men seized him. Ben sprang to the rescue instantly, but he also was +overpowered by numbers, and the hands of both were tied behind their +backs. A few minutes later and they were handed up the side of the +French ship. + +When day broke on the morning of the 2nd of August, the firing still +continued, but it was comparatively feeble, for nearly every ship of the +French fleet had been taken. Only the _Guillaume Tell_ and the +_Genereux_--the two rear ships of the enemy--had their colours flying. + +These, with two frigates, cut their cables and stood out to sea. The +_Zealous_ pursued, but as there was no other British ship in a fit state +to support her, she was recalled; the four vessels, therefore, escaped +at that time, but they were captured not long afterwards. Thus ended +the famous battle of the Nile, in regard to which Nelson said that it +was a "conquest" rather than a victory. + +Of thirteen sail of the line, nine were taken and two burnt; and two of +their four frigates were burnt. The British loss in killed and wounded +amounted to 896; that of the French was estimated at 2000. + +The victory was most complete. The French fleet was annihilated. As +might be supposed, the hero of the Nile was, after this, almost +worshipped as a demigod. It is worthy of remark here that Nelson, as +soon as the conquest was completed, sent orders through the fleet that +thanksgiving should be returned, in every ship, to Almighty God, for the +victory with which He had blessed His Majesty's arms. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +OUR HERO AND HIS MESSMATE GET INTO TROUBLE. + +On the night after the battle, Bill Bowls and Ben Bolter were sent on +board a French transport ship. + +As they sat beside each other, in irons, and securely lodged under +hatches, these stout men of war lamented their hard fate thus-- + +"I say, Bill, this is wot I calls a fix!" + +"That's so, Ben--a bad fix." + +There was silence for a few minutes, then Ben resumed-- + +"Now, d'ye see, this here war may go on for ever so long--years it may +be--an' here we are on our way to a French prison, where we'll have the +pleasure, mayhap, of spendin' our youth in twirlin' our thumbs or +bangin' our heads agin the bars of our cage." + +"There ain't a prison in France as'll hold me," said Bill Bowls +resolutely. + +"No? how d'ye 'xpect to git out--seein' that the walls and doors ain't +made o' butter, nor yet o' turnips?" inquired Ben. + +"I'll go up the chimbley," said Bill savagely, for his mind had reverted +to Nelly Blyth, and he could not bear to think of prolonged +imprisonment. + +"But wot if they've got no chimbleys?" + +"I'll try the winders." + +"But if the winders is tight barred, wot then?" + +"Why, then, I'll bust 'em, or I'll bust myself, that's all." + +"Humph!" ejaculated Ben. + +Again there was a prolonged silence, during which the friends moodily +meditated on the dark prospects before them. + +"If we could only have bin killed in action," said Bill, "that would +have been some comfort." + +"Not so sure o' that, messmate," said Ben. "There's no sayin' wot may +turn up. P'r'aps the war will end soon, an' that's not onlikely, for +we've whipped the Mounseers on sea, an' it won't be difficult for our +lobsters to lick 'em on land. P'r'aps there'll be an exchange of +prisoners, an' we may have a chance of another brush with them one o' +these days. If the wust comes to the wust, we can try to break out o' +jail and run a muck for our lives. Never say die is my motto." + +Bill Bowls did not assent to these sentiments in words, but he clenched +his fettered hands, set his teeth together, and gave his comrade a look +which assured him that whatever might be attempted he would act a +vigorous part. + +A few days later the transport entered a harbour, and a guard came on +board to take charge of the prisoners, of whom there were about twenty. +As they were being led to the jail of the town, Bill whispered to his +comrade-- + +"Look out sharp as ye go along, Ben, an' keep as close to me as ye can." + +"All right, my lad," muttered Ben, as he followed the soldiers who +specially guarded himself. + +Ben did not suppose that Bill intended then and there to make a sudden +struggle for freedom, because he knew that, with fettered wrists, in a +strange port, the very name of which they did not know, and surrounded +by armed enemies, such an attempt would be utterly hopeless; he +therefore concluded, correctly, that his companion wished him to take +the bearings (as he expressed it) of the port, and of the streets +through which they should pass. Accordingly he kept his "weather-eye +open." + +The French soldiers who conducted the seamen to prison, although stout +athletic fellows, and, doubtless, capable of fighting like heroes, were +short of stature, so that the British tars looked down on them with a +patronising expression of countenance, and one or two even ventured on a +few facetious remarks. Bill Bowls and Ben Bolter, who both measured +above six feet in their stockings, towered above the crowd like two +giants. + +"It's a purty place intirely," said an Irish sailor, with a smiling +countenance, looking round upon the houses, and nodding to a group of +pretty girls who were regarding the prisoners with looks of pity. "What +may be the name of it, av I may make bowld to inquire?" + +The question was addressed to the soldier on his right, but the man paid +no attention. So the Irishman repeated it, but without drawing forth a +reply. + +"Sure, yer a paltry thing that can't give a civil answer to a civil +question." + +"He don't understand Irish, Pat, try him with English," said Ben Bolter. + +"Ah, then," said Pat, "ye'd better try that yersilf, only yer so high up +there he won't be able to hear ye." + +Before Ben had an opportunity of trying the experiment, however, they +had arrived at the jail. After they had passed in, the heavy door was +shut with a clang, and bolted and barred behind them. + +It is probable that not one of the poor fellows who heard the sound, +escaped a sensation of sinking at the heart, but certain it is that not +one condescended to show his feelings in his looks. + +They were all put into a large empty room, the window of which looked +into a stone passage, which was itself lighted from the roof; the door +was shut, locked, bolted, and barred, and they were left to their +meditations. + +They had not remained long there, however, when the bolts and bars were +heard moving again. + +"What say 'e to a rush, lads?" whispered one of the men eagerly. + +"Agreed," said Bill Bowls, starting forward; "I'll lead you, boys." + +"No man can fight with his hands tied," growled one of the others. +"You'll only be spoilin' a better chance, mayhap." + +At that moment the last bolt was withdrawn, and the door swung open, +revealing several files of soldiers with muskets, and bayonets fixed, in +the passage. This sight decided the question of a rush! + +Four of the soldiers entered with the turnkey. The latter, going up to +Bill Bowls and Ben Bolter, said to them in broken English:-- + +"You follows de soldat." + +Much surprised, but in silence, they obeyed the command. + +As they were going out, one of their comrades said, "Good-bye, mates: +it's plain they've taken ye for admirals on account o' yer size!" + +"Niver a taste," said the Irishman before mentioned, "'tis bein' led, +they are, to exekooshion--" + +The remainder of this consolatory suggestion was cut off by the shutting +of the door. + +After traversing several passages, the turnkey stopped before a small +door studded with iron nails, and, selecting one of his huge keys, +opened it, while the soldiers ranged up on either side. + +The turnkey, who was a tall, powerful man, stepped back, and, looking at +Bill, pointed to the cell with his finger, as much as to say, "Go in." + +Bill looked at him and at the soldiers for a moment, clenched his fists, +and drew his breath short, but as one of the guard quietly brought his +musket to the charge, he heaved a sigh, bent his head, and, passing +under the low doorway, entered the cell. + +"Are we to stop long here, Mister Turnkey?" asked Ben, as he was about +to follow. + +The man vouchsafed no reply, but again pointed to the cell. + +"I've always heered ye wos a purlite nation," said Ben, as he followed +his messmate; "but there's room for improvement." + +The door was shut, and the two friends stood for a few minutes in the +centre of their cell, gazing in silence around the blank walls. + +The appearance of their prison was undoubtedly depressing, for there was +nothing whatever in it to arrest the eye, except a wooden bench in one +corner, and the small grated window which was situated near the top of +one of the walls. + +"What d'ye think o' this?" asked Ben, after some time, sitting down on +the bench. + +"I think I won't be able to stand it," said Bill, flinging himself +recklessly down beside his friend, and thrusting his hands deep into his +trouser pockets. + +"Don't take on so bad, messmate," said Ben, in a reproving tone. +"Gittin' sulky with fate ain't no manner o' use. As our messmate +Flinders used to say, `Be aisy, an' if ye can't be aisy, be as aisy as +ye can.' There's wot I calls sound wisdom in that." + +"Very true, Ben; nevertheless the sound wisdom in _that_ won't avail to +get us out o' _this_." + +"No doubt, but it'll help us to bear this with equablenimity while we're +here, an' set our minds free to think about the best way o' makin' our +escape." + +At this Bill made an effort to throw off the desperate humour which had +taken possession of him, and he so far succeeded that he was enabled to +converse earnestly with his friend. + +"Wot are we to do?" asked Bill gloomily. + +"To see, first of all, what lies outside o' that there port-hole," +answered Ben. "Git on my shoulders, Bill, an' see if ye can reach it." + +Ben stood against the wall, and his friend climbed on his shoulders, but +so high was the window, that he could not reach to within a foot of it. +They overcame this difficulty, however, by dragging the bench to the +wall, and standing upon it. + +"I see nothin'," said Bill, "but the sky an' the sea, an' the +prison-yard, which appears to me to be fifty or sixty feet below us." + +"That's not comfortin'," observed Ben, as he replaced the bench in its +corner. + +"What's your advice now?" asked Bill. + +"That we remain on our good behaviour a bit," replied Ben, "an' see wot +they means to do with us, an' whether a chance o' some sort won't turn +up." + +"Well, that's a good plan--anyhow, it's an easy one to begin with--so +we'll try it for a day or two." + +In accordance with this resolve, the two sailors called into play all +the patience, prudence, and philosophy of which they were possessed, and +during the three days that followed their incarceration, presented such +a meek, gentle, resigned aspect; that the stoniest heart of the most +iron-moulded turnkey ought to have been melted; but the particular +turnkey of that prison was made of something more or less than mortal +mould, for he declined to answer questions,--declined even to open his +lips, or look as if he heard the voices of his prisoners, and took no +notice of them farther than to fetch their food at regular intervals and +take away the empty plates. He, however, removed their manacles; but +whether of his own good-will or by order they did not know. + +"Now, Ben," said Bill on the evening of the third day, as they sat +beside each other twirling their thumbs, "this here sort o' thing will +never do. I mean for to make a dash when the turnkey comes in the +mornin'; will you help me?" + +"I'm yer man," said Ben; "but how d'ye mean to set about it?" + +"Well, somewhat in this fashion:--W'enever he opens the door I'll clap +my hand on his mouth to stop his pipe, and you'll slip behind him, throw +yer arms about him, and hold on till I tie a handkerchief over his +mouth. Arter that we'll tie his hands and feet with whatever we can git +hold of--his own necktie, mayhap--take the keys from him, and git out +the best way we can." + +"H'm; but wot if we don't know the right turnin's to take, an' run +straight into the jaws of other turnkeys, p'r'aps, or find other doors +an' gates that his bunch o' keys won't open?" + +"Why, then, we'll just fail, that's all; an' if they should scrag us for +it, no matter." + +"It's a bad look-out, but I'll try," said Ben. + +Next morning this plan was put in execution. When the turnkey entered +the cell, Bill seized him and clapped his hand on his mouth. The man +struggled powerfully, but Ben held him in a grasp so tight that he was +as helpless as an infant. + +"Keep yer mind easy, Mounseer, we won't hurt 'e," said Ben, while his +comrade was busy gagging him. + +"Now, then, lift him into the corner," whispered Bill. + +Ben and he carried the turnkey, whom they had tied hand and foot with +handkerchiefs and neckties, into the interior of the cell, left him +there, locked the door on him, and immediately ran along the passage, +turned a corner, and came in sight of an iron grating, on the other side +of which sat a man in a dress similar to that of the turnkey they had +left behind them. They at once drew back and tried to conceal +themselves, but the man had caught sight of them, and gave the alarm. + +Seeing that their case was desperate, Bill rushed at the grating with +all his force and threw himself heavily against it. The whole building +appeared to quiver with the shock; but the caged tiger has a better +chance of smashing his iron bars than poor Bill Bowls had. Twice he +flung his whole weight against the barrier, and the second time Ben +helped him; but their efforts were in vain. A moment later and a party +of soldiers marched up to the grating on the outside. At the same time +a noise was heard at the other end of the passage. Turning round, the +sailors observed that another gate had been opened, and a party of armed +men admitted, who advanced with levelled muskets. + +Seeing this, Bill burst into a bitter laugh, and flung down the keys +with a force that caused the long passage to echo again, as he +exclaimed-- + +"It's all up with us, Ben. We may as well give in at once." + +"That's so," said Ben sadly, as he suffered himself to be handcuffed, +after which he and his companion in misfortune were conducted back to +their cell. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +BILL AND BEN SET THEIR BRAINS TO STEEP WITH UNCONQUERABLE PERSEVERANCE. + +In its slow but steady revolution, the wheel of fortune had now +apparently brought Bill Bowls and Ben Bolter to the lowest possible +point; and the former of these worthies consoled himself with the +reflection that, as things could scarcely get worse with them, it was +probable they would get better. His friend disputed this point. + +"It's all very well," said Ben, crossing his legs and clasping his hands +over his knees, as he swayed himself to and fro, "to talk about havin' +come to the wust; but we've not got to that p'int by a long way. Why, +suppose that, instead o' bein' here, sound in wind and limb, though +summat unfort'nate in regard to the matter o' liberty,--suppose, I say, +that we wos lyin' in hospital with our right legs an' mayhap our left +arms took off with a round shot." + +"Oh, if you go for to _supposin'_," said Bill, "you may suppose +anything. Why not suppose at once that we was lyin' in hospital with +both legs and arms took off by round shot, an' both eyes put out with +canister, an' our heads an' trunks carried away by grape-shot?" + +"I didn't suppose that," said Ben quietly, "because that would be the +best instead o' the wust state we could come to, seein' that we'd know +an' care nothin' about it. Hows'ever, here we are, low enough, an' +havin' made an assault on the turnkey, it's not likely we'll get much +favour at the hands of the Mounseers; so it comes to this, that we must +set our brains to steep, an' see if we can't hit upon some dodge or +other to escape." + +"That's what we must do," assented Bill Bowls, knitting his brows, and +gazing abstractedly at the blank wall opposite. "To git out o' this +here stone jug is what I've set my heart on, so the sooner we set about +it the better." + +"Just so," said Ben. "Well, then, let's begin. Wot d'ye propose fust?" + +To this Bill replied that he must think over it. Accordingly, he did +think over it, and his comrade assisted him, for the space of three +calendar months, without any satisfactory result. But the curious thing +about it was that, while these men revolved in their minds every +conceivable plan with unflagging eagerness, and were compelled to give +up each, after brooding over it for a considerable time, finding that it +was unworkable, they were not dispirited, but rather became more intense +in their meditations, and ingenious as well as hopeful in their +devisings. + +"If we could only git hold of a file to cut a bar o' the winder with, +an' a rope to let ourselves down with, I think we could manage to git +over the walls somehow." + +"If we was to tear our jackets, trousers, vests, and shirts into strips, +an' make a rope of 'em, it might be long enough," suggested Bill. + +"That's so, boy, but as we would be stark naked before we got it +finished, I fear the turnkey would suspec' there wos somethin' wrong +somehow." + +Ben Bolter sighed deeply as he spoke, because at that moment a ray of +sunshine shot through the little window, and brought the free fresh air +and the broad blue sea vividly to his remembrance. For the first time +he experienced a deep sinking of the heart, and he looked at his comrade +with an expression of something like despair. + +"Cheer up," said Bill, observing and thoroughly understanding the look. +"Never say die, as long as there's a--shot--in--" + +He was too much depressed and listless to finish the sentence. + +"I wonder," resumed Ben, "if the Mounseers treat all their prisoners of +war as bad as they treat us." + +"Don't think they do," replied Bill. "I've no doubt it's 'cause we +sarved 'em as we did when they first put us in quod." + +"Oh, if they would only give us summat to do!" exclaimed Ben, with +sudden vehemence. + +It seemed as if the poor fellow's prayer were directly answered, for at +that moment the door opened, and the governor, or some other official of +the prison, entered the cell. + +"You must vork," he said, going up to Bill. + +"We'll be only too glad to work, yer honour, if you'll give us work to +do." + +"Ver' good; fat can you vork?" + +"We can turn handy to a'most anything, yer honour," said Ben eagerly. + +It turned out, however, after a considerable amount of talk, that, +beyond steering a ship, reefing topsails, splicing ropes, tying every +species of complex knot, and other nautical matters, the two seamen +could not claim to be professionally acquainted with any sort of +handicraft. Somewhat discomfited, Ben at last said with a perplexed +air-- + +"Well, yer honour, we'll try anything ye choose to put us at. I had a +brother once who was a sort of tinker to trade, an' great at mendin' +pots, pans, old umbrellas, and the like. I wos used to help him when a +boy. P'r'aps if yer honour, now, has got a old umbrella as wants +refittin', I might try my hand on that." + +The governor smiled. "Vell, I do tink I have von old omberilla. You +sall try for to mend him." + +Next day saw Bill and Ben surrounded by tools, scraps of wood and +whalebone, bits of brass and tin, etcetera, busy as bees, and as happy +as any two children who have invented a new game. + +Ben mended the umbrella admirably. At the same time, Bill fashioned and +carved two or three paper-knives of wood with great neatness. But when +it was discovered that they could sew sail-cloth expeditiously and well, +a quantity of that material was given to them, and they were ordered to +make sacks. They set to work accordingly, and made sack after sack +until they grew so wearied of the monotonous work that Ben said it made +him wish to sit down in sackcloth and ashes; whereupon Bill remarked +that if the Mounseers would only give them the sack altogether, it would +be very much to their credit. + +Soon the imprisoned mariners began again to plot and plan their escape. +Of course they thought of making ropes of the sail-cloth and twine with +which they wrought, but as the turnkey took the material away every +night, and brought it back every morning, they gave up this idea, as +they had given up many other ideas before. + +At last, one afternoon, Bill looked up from his work, hit his thigh a +slap which produced a pistol-shot crack that echoed up into the high +ceiling of the cell, as he exclaimed, "I've got it!" + +"I hope you'll give us a bit of it, then," said Ben, "if it's worth +havin'." + +"I'll give you the benefit of it, anyhow," said Bill, throwing down his +tools and eagerly beginning to expound the new plan which had struck him +and caused him to strike his thigh. It was to this effect:-- + +That they should beg the turnkey to let them have another old umbrella +to work at by way of recreation, as the sack-making was rather +monotonous; that, if they should be successful in prevailing on him to +grant their request, they should work at the umbrella very slowly, so as +to give them time to carry out their plan, which was to form a sort of +parachute by adding sail-cloth round the margin of the umbrella so as to +extend it to twice its circumference. After it should be finished they +were to seize a fitting opportunity, cut the bars of their window, and, +with the machine, leap down into the yard below. + +"Wot!" exclaimed Ben, "jump together!" + +"Ay, why not, Ben? Sink or swim, together, boy." + +"Very true, but I've got my doubts about flyin' together. Better do it +one at a time, and send the umbrella up by means of a piece of twine." + +"Well, we might do it in that way," said Bill; "but what d'ye think o' +the plan?" + +"Fuss rate," said Ben, "we'll try it at once." + +In accordance with this resolution, Ben made his petition that night, +very humbly, to the turnkey, who at first turned a deaf ear to him, but +was finally prevailed on to fetch them one of his own umbrellas to be +repaired. It happened to be a very large one of the good old stout and +bulgy make, and in this respect was the better suited to their purpose. +All the tools necessary for the work of repair were supplied except a +file. This, however, was brought to them, when Ben pointed out, with +much earnestness, that if he had such an implement he could clean up and +beautify the ivory handle to such an extent that its owner would not +recognise it. + +This device of improving the ivory handle turned out to be a happy hit, +for it enabled Ben to keep the umbrella much longer by him than would +otherwise have been possible, for the purpose of covering it with +elaborate and really beautiful carving, the progress of which was +watched by the turnkey with much interest from day to day. + +Having gained their end the sailors wrought with indefatigable zeal, and +resolutely overcame the difficulties that met them from time to time. +Each day they dragged the bench under the window. Ben got upon it, and +Bill climbed on his shoulders, by which means he could just reach the +iron grating of the window, and there, for half-an-hour at a time, he +cautiously used the file. They thought this enough of time to bestow on +the work, because the bars could be easily filed through before the +parachute was ready. + +In the preparation of the umbrella, the first difficulty that met them +was how they were to conceal their private work when the turnkey came in +the evenings to take away their materials for sack-making. After some +examination they discovered a plank in the floor, in the corner where +they were wont to sleep, which was loose and easily forced up with one +of Bill's unfinished paper-knives, which he made very strong for this +special purpose! Beneath there was sufficient room to stow away the +cloth with which they fashioned the additional breadth to the umbrella. +To have cabbaged at one time all the sail-cloth that was required would +have risked discovery; they therefore appropriated small scraps each +day, and sewed these neatly together until they had enough. Soon they +had a ring of canvas formed, into the centre of which the umbrella +fitted exactly, and this ring was so cut and sewn in gores that it +formed a continuation of the umbrella, which was thus made to spread out +and cover a space of about nine or ten feet in diameter. All round the +extremity or margin of the ring, cords of twisted twine were fixed, at +intervals of about six inches. There were about sixty of these cords or +stays, all of which met and were fastened at the end of the handle. A +stout line, made of four-ply twine, was fastened at the top of the +umbrella, and passing through a small hole in it was tied round the +whalebones inside, and twisted down the stick to the handle, to which it +was firmly secured. By this means the whole machine was, as it were, +bound together. + +All these additionals and fixings had, however, to be so constructed +that they could be removed, or affixed with some rapidity, for there was +always before the sailors the chance that the turnkey might look in to +observe how their work was progressing. + +Indeed one afternoon they were almost discovered at work on the +parachute. The turnkey was heard coming along the passage when Ben was +in the act of fitting on the new appendages, and the key was actually in +the door before the last shred of them was thrust into the hole in the +floor, and the loose plank shut down! Ben immediately flung several of +the sacks over the place, and then turning suddenly round on his comrade +began to pommel him soundly by way of accounting for the flushed +condition of his countenance. + +Thus taken by surprise, Bill returned the blows with interest, and the +combatants were separated by the turnkey when in a rather breathless +condition! + +"If you do so more agin, you sall go separate," said the turnkey. + +The mere thought of separation at such a moment struck like a chill to +the hearts of the sailors, who forthwith shook hands, and vowed +earnestly that they would "never do it again." In order to conciliate +the man, Ben took up the umbrella, and pointing to the beautifully +carved handle said-- + +"You see it's all but finished, and I'm very anxious to git it done, so +if you'll let me keep it by me all to-night, I'll work as long as I can +see, and be at it the first thing in the morning." + +The man, pleased at the unusual interest which Ben took in the worn-out +piece of goods, agreed to let him keep it by him. After carrying away +all the other materials, and looking round to see that all was right, he +locked them up for the night. + +Left to themselves, they at once began to prepare for action. They drew +forth all the different parts of the parachute (for such it really was, +although the machine so named had never been seen, but only heard of, by +the seamen), and disposed them in such a manner beside the hole in the +floor as to be ready at a moment's notice, either to be fitted on to the +umbrella or thrust back into the place of concealment. + +Their manacles had been taken off at the time they began to work, so +that these were no longer impediments in the way. + +"Now, Bill, are the bars sure to give way, d'ye think?" + +"Sartin sure," said Bill; "they're holdin' by nothin' thicker than a +pin." + +"Very good, then, let's go to work. In an hour or so it will be dark +enough to try our flyin' machine, and then good-bye to France--or to the +world. It's neck or nothin', d'ye see?" + +"All right," answered Bill. + +They sat down to work in good earnest. The spreading rim of canvas, +instead of being tagged on as on former occasions, was now sewn securely +to the umbrella, and when the latter was expanded, the canvas hung down +all round it, and the numerous stays hung quite loose. Ben expected +that the rapidity of the descent would suddenly expand this appendage, +and check the speed. The ends of the loose cords were gathered up and +fastened to the handle, as was also the binding-cord before referred +to--all of which was done with that thoroughness of workmanship for +which sailors are celebrated. + +Then a stout cord was fastened to one of the stanchions of the window, +which had been left uncut for the purpose. + +When everything was ready the adventurous sailors began to experience +all the anxiety which is inseparable from an action involving much +danger, liability to frustration, and requiring the utmost caution +combined with energy. + +They waited until they thought the night was at its darkest. When all +sounds around them had ceased, they took off their shoes and carefully +lifted the bench to the wall under the window. Ben went up first by +mounting on Bill's shoulders. With one powerful wrench he pulled the +iron framework of the window into the room, and handed it down to Bill, +who stooped a little and placed it gently against the wall. His comrade +then thrust his head and shoulders out at the window, and while in that +awkward position spread his jacket over the sill. This was intended to +protect the cord which was fastened to the top of the umbrella, and by +which it was to be drawn up after his descent. + +When this was done, Bill clambered up by the cord which hung from the +uncut stanchion, and pushed the umbrella past Ben's body until he got +hold of the end of it, and drew it out altogether. Bill then descended +into the cell, having the small cord in his hand, and watched the +motions of his comrade with intense anxiety. + +The window was so small that Ben could barely get his head and shoulders +through it. There was no possibility of his getting on his feet or his +knees to make a leap. The only course that remained for him, therefore, +was to expand the umbrella, hold on tight, and then wriggle out until he +should lose his balance and fall head foremost! It was an awful +position. Bold though the seaman was, and desperate the circumstances, +his strong frame quivered when he gazed down and felt himself gradually +toppling. The height he knew to be little short of sixty feet, but in +the dark night it appeared an abyss of horrible profundity. A cold +sweat broke out upon him, and for one moment he felt an almost +irresistible tendency to let go the umbrella and clutch the window-sill, +but he was too late. Like lightning he shot down for a couple of yards; +then the parachute expanded and checked him with such violence, as he +swung round, that he nearly lost his hold and was thrown into a +horizontal position--first on one side, then on the other. Finally, he +reached the ground with a shock that almost took away his breath. He +sat still for a moment or two, then rose slowly and shook himself, to +ascertain whether he were still alive and sound! Immediately after he +examined the parachute, found it all right, and gave his comrade the +signal--a couple of tugs at the cord--to haul up. + +Bill was scarcely less agitated than his friend. He had seen Ben's legs +disappear with a suddenness that told eloquently of his having taken +flight, and stood in the cell above listening intently, while large +drops of perspiration coursed down his face. On feeling the tug at the +string, a mountain appeared to be lifted off his chest. Carefully he +pulled up the umbrella. When it showed its point above the window-sill +he clambered up and went through the same terrible ordeal. He was not, +however, so fortunate as his friend, for, when he jumped, three of the +stays gave way, which had the effect of slightly deranging the motion of +the umbrella, and he came to the ground with such violence that he lay +stunned and motionless, leading his horrified comrade to fear that he +was killed. In a few minutes, however, he revived, and, on examination, +found that no bones had been broken. + +"Now, Ben, what next?" said Bill, getting up, and giving himself a +shake. + +"The wall," said Ben, "can't be far from where we stand. If there wos +only a bit of moonshine it would help us." + +"Better as it is," whispered Bill, groping about, for the night was so +intensely dark that it was scarcely possible to see a yard. "I knows +the way to the harbour, if we only manage to get out.--Ah, here's the +wall, but it's an oncommon high one!" + +This was indeed too true. The top of the wall was faintly visible like +a black line across the dark sky, and when Ben mounted on Bill's +shoulders, it was found that he could only reach to within three feet of +the bristling iron spikes with which it was surmounted. For +half-an-hour they groped about, and made the discovery that they were in +a small enclosure with bare walls of fifteen feet in height around them, +and not a projection of any kind large enough for a mouse to lay hold +of! In these circumstances many men would have given way to despair; +but that was a condition of mind which neither of our tars ever thought +of falling into. In the course of their explorations they came against +each other, and immediately began an animated conversation in whispers, +the result of which was that they groped for the umbrella, and, having +found it, cut off all the cords about it, with which they proceeded to +plait a rope strong enough to bear their weight. They sat down in +silence to the work, leaning against the prison wall, and wrought for a +full hour with the diligence of men whose freedom depends on their +efforts. When finished, the rope was found to be about a yard too short +for their purpose; but this defect was remedied by means of the canvas +of their parachute, which they tore up into strips, twisted into an +additional piece of rope, and spliced it to the other. A large loop was +made on the end of it. Going once more to the wall, Ben mounted on +Bill's shoulders, and threw the loop over the top of the wall; it +caught, as had been expected, on one of the iron spikes. Ben then +easily hauled himself up, hand over hand, and, getting hold of two +spikes, raised himself so that he could see over the wall. Immediately +after he descended. + +"I sees nothin', Bill, so we must just go over and take our chance." + +Bill agreed. Ben folded his coat, and ascending again, spread it over +the spikes, so that he could lean on them with his chest without being +pierced. Having re-ascended, Bill followed; the rope was then hauled +up, and lowered on the other side. In another moment they slipped down, +and stood on the ground. + +"Now, the question is, where are we!" whispered Bill. "P'r'aps we're +only in another yard after all." + +The sound of footsteps pacing slowly towards them was heard at that +moment. + +"I do believe," whispered Bill, in an excited tone, "that we've got into +the street, an' that's the sentry. Let's bolt." + +"We can't bolt," said Ben, "'cause, if I took my bearin's right, he's +between us an' the shore, an' it would be of no manner o' use boltin' +into the country to be hunted down like a couple of foxes." + +"Then we'll floor him to begin with," whispered Bill. + +"That's so," said Ben. + +The sentry approached, and the sailors drew up close against the wall. +Presently his dark form became faintly visible. Bill rushed at him at +once, and delivered a blow that might have felled an ox at the spot +where he supposed his chest was, sending the man back almost heels over +head, while his arms rattled on the pavement. Instantly there were +heard the sounds of opening locks, bolts, and bars. The two friends +fled, and shouts were heard behind them, while lights flashed in various +directions. + +"This way, Bill," cried Ben, turning down a narrow lane to avoid a lamp +which came in sight when they turned a corner. A couple of belated and +drunken French fishermen happened to observe them, and gave chase. +"Hold on, Ben, let's drop, and trip 'em up," said Bill. + +"All right," replied Ben; "down with 'e." + +They stopped suddenly, and squatted as low as possible. The lane was +very narrow; the fishermen were close behind; they tumbled right over +them, and fell heavily on their faces. While they were rising, our +heroes knocked them both insensible, and hastily appropriating their +coats and red caps put them on as they ran. By this time a crowd of +fishermen, sailors, and others, among whom were a few soldiers and +turnkeys with lanterns, were pursuing the fugitives as fast as was +possible in so dark a night. Bill suggested that they should turn into +a dark corner, and dodge them. The suggestion was acted on at once. +They dashed round the first corner they came to, and then, instead of +continuing their flight, turned sharp to the left, and hid in a doorway. +The pursuers came pouring round the corner, shouting wildly. When the +thickest of the crowd was opposite their place of concealment, Bill and +Ben rushed into the midst of them with a shout, imitating the tones of +the Frenchmen as nearly as possible, but taking care to avoid the use of +word, and thus they joined in the pursuit! Gradually they fell behind, +as if out-run, and, when they found themselves in rear, turned about, +and made off in the opposite direction, then, diverging to the left, +they headed again towards the shore, ran down to the beach, and leaped +into the first boat they came to. + +It happened to be a very small one,--a sort of dinghy. Ben thought it +was too small, and was about to leap out and search for a larger, when +lights suddenly appeared, and the shouts of the pursuers--who had +discovered the _ruse_--were heard as they approached. + +"Shove off, Ben!" + +"Hurrah, my hearties!" cried the seaman with a stentorian shout as he +seized an oar. + +Next moment the little boat was flying over the smooth water of the +port, the silence of which was now broken by exclamations and cries from +the shipping in reply to those from the shore; while the splashing of +oars were heard in all directions as men leaped into boats and rowed +about at random. Darkness favoured the Englishmen, but it also proved +the cause of their being very nearly re-captured; for they were within +two yards of the battery at the mouth of the harbour before they +observed it, and swerved aside just in time to avoid a collision. But +they had been seen, and a random discharge of musketry followed. This +was succeeded by the sudden blaze of a blue light, which revealed the +whole port swarming with boats and armed men,--a sight which acted so +powerfully on the warlike spirits of the sailors that they started up +simultaneously, flung their red caps into the air, and gave vent to a +hearty British cheer, which Ben Bolter followed up as they resumed the +oars, with "Old England for ever! farewell, Mounseers!" + +The blue light went out and left everything in darkness thicker than +ever, but not before a rapid though ineffective discharge of musketry +had been made from the battery. Another blue light, however, showed +that the fugitives were getting rapidly out to sea beyond the range of +musketry, and that boats were leaving the port in chase. Before the +light expired a cloud of smoke burst from the battery, and the roar of a +heavy gun rushed over the sea. An instant later and the water was torn +up by grape-shot all round the little boat; but not a ball touched them +save one, which struck Bill Bowls on the left hand and cut off his +thumb. + +"I think there's a mast and sail in the bottom of the boat, and here +comes a breeze," said Ben; "give me your oar, and try to hoist it, +Bill." + +Without mentioning his wound, our hero did as he was bid; and not until +the boat was leaping over the ruffled sea did he condescend to bind up +the wounded hand with his necktie. Soon they were beyond the range of +blue lights and artillery. + +"Have 'e any notion what course we're steerin'?" inquired Bill. + +"None wotsomediver," answered Ben. + +Soon after that, however, the sky cleared a little, and Bill got sight +of part of the constellation of the Great Bear. Although the pole-star +was not visible, he guessed pretty nearly its position, and thus +ascertained that the breeze came from the south-west. Trimming the +lug-sail accordingly, the tars turned the prow of the little craft to +the northward, and steered for the shores of old England. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +About a year after this stirring incident, a remarkably noisy party was +assembled at tea in the prim little parlour of Mrs Blyth's cottage in +Fairway. Besides the meek old soul herself, there were present on that +occasion our old friends Ben Bolter and Tom Riggles, the latter of whom +flourished a wooden stump instead of a right leg, and wore the garb of a +Greenwich pensioner. His change of circumstances did not appear to have +decreased his love for tobacco. Ben had obtained leave of absence from +his ship for a day or two, and, after having delighted the heart of his +old mother by a visit, had called at the cottage to pay his respects to +his old messmate, little thinking that he would find Tom Riggles there +before him. Miss Bessy Blunt was also present; and it was plain, from +the expression of her speaking countenance, that she had not forgiven +Ben, but tolerated him under protest. Our hero and sweet Nelly Blyth +were not of the party, however, because they happened just then to +prefer a quiet chat in the summer-house in the back-garden. We will not +presume to detail much of the conversation that passed between them. +One or two of the concluding sentences must suffice. + +"Yes, Bill," said Nelly, in reply to something that her companion had +whispered in her ear, "you know well enough that I am glad to-morrow is +our wedding-day. I have told you so already, fifty times at least." + +"Only thrice, Nell, if so often," said Bill. "Well, that _was_ the +luckiest shot the Frenchmen ever fired at me; for if I hadn't had my +thumb took off I couldn't have left the sarvice, d'ye see; and that +would have delayed my marriage with you, Nell. But now, as the old song +says-- + + "`No more I'll roam + Away from home, + Across the stormy sea. + I'll anchor here, + My Nelly dear, + And live for love and thee.'" + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Battle and the Breeze, by R.M. Ballantyne + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE *** + +***** This file should be named 23370.txt or 23370.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/3/7/23370/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +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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