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diff --git a/old/55151-0.txt b/old/55151-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5e02354..0000000 --- a/old/55151-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4668 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Armed Ship America, by James Otis - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Armed Ship America - or, When We Sailed From Salem - -Author: James Otis - -Illustrator: J. W. Kennedy - -Release Date: July 19, 2017 [EBook #55151] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARMED SHIP AMERICA *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - THE ARMED SHIP AMERICA - - OR - - WHEN WE SAILED FROM SALEM - - - - -[Illustration: “IT WAS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT WE COULD MAKE OUR WAY TO THE -HEAD OF THE DOCK.”] - - - - - THE - ARMED SHIP AMERICA - OR - WHEN WE SAILED FROM SALEM - - - BY - JAMES OTIS - - AUTHOR OF - “THE CRUISE OF THE COMET,” “THE BOYS OF - FORT SCHUYLER,” “JENNY WREN’S - BOARDING-HOUSE,” ETC. - - - Illustrated by - J. W. KENNEDY - - - [Illustration] - - - BOSTON - DANA ESTES & COMPANY - 1900 - - - - - _Copyright, 1900_ - BY DANA ESTES & COMPANY - - - Colonial Press: - Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. - Boston, Mass., U. S. A. - - - - -“In the United States every possible encouragement should be given to -privateering in time of war with a commercial nation. We have tens -of thousands of seamen that without it would be destitute of the -means of support, and useless to their country. Our national ships -are too few in number to give employment to one-twentieth part of -them, or retaliate the acts of the enemy. By licensing private-armed -vessels, the whole naval force of the nation is truly brought to -bear on the foe; and while the contest lasts, that it may have the -speedier termination, let every individual contribute his mite, in the -best way he can, to distress and harass the enemy, and compel him to -peace.”--_From a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1812._ - - - - -NOTE. - - -A package of manuscript, the pages of which had evidently been cut from -an old ledger or journal, each leaf yellowed by time and worn as if -with much use, lately came into the possession of him who, rightfully -or wrongfully, claims to be the author of the yarn spun between these -covers. Both sides of the paper were covered with writing in a boyish -hand, and much of the subject matter related to private affairs such -as could be of no especial interest to the general reader. All that -had reference to the cruise of the private-armed ship _America_, and -the doings of the writer, Nathan Crowninshield, and his comrade, Simon -Ropes, has been preserved herein. It is set down very nearly as it -was written eighty years ago, by the lad from Salem, who, at the time -of preparing the manuscript, was living on Staten Island in New York -Bay. That it is a true and faithful account of the eventful cruise, we -know full well, since the more important happenings have been verified -by documents to be found in the custom-houses at Salem, Boston, and -Portland, Maine. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. AN OPPORTUNITY 13 - II. UNDER WAY 28 - III. OMENS 43 - IV. GHOSTS 59 - V. THE PRISONERS 74 - VI. A STERN CHASE 89 - VII. A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE 105 - VIII. CHEERING INFORMATION 120 - IX. THE OUTBREAK 134 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - PAGE - - “IT WAS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT WE COULD MAKE OUR - WAY TO THE HEAD OF THE DOCK.” _Frontispiece_ - - “THE OLD GUNNER STRAIGHTENED HIMSELF UP, SURVEYING - BOTH SIMON AND ME.” 30 - - “‘I AM NOT ASKING YOU LADS TO TELL TALES OUT OF - SCHOOL,’ THE CAPTAIN SAID.” 46 - - “SUDDENLY I SAW, RISING OUT FROM THE FORECASTLE - HATCHWAY, A WHITE MASS.” 62 - - “‘WE DON’T COUNT ON GIVING A DOUBLE PORTION TO ANY - ONE OF YOU THIS NOON.’” 87 - - “WHAT A CHEER WENT UP FROM OUR MEN.” 131 - - “WE DIVIDED OURSELVES INTO TWO WATCHES.” 135 - - “IN ANOTHER INSTANT THE BOARDING PIKE WOULD HAVE - FOUND ITS WAY THROUGH MY BODY.” 140 - - - - - THE ARMED SHIP AMERICA; - OR, - WHEN WE SAILED FROM SALEM. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -AN OPPORTUNITY. - - -It is not my intention to claim that Simon Ropes, son of that famous -mariner, Captain Joseph Ropes, or myself, Nathan Crowninshield, nephew -and cousin of the well-known Salem firm of ship-owners, the Messrs. -George Crowninshield and Sons, bore any important part in the war -between the United States and Great Britain which was begun in the -year 1812; but that we two lads did all which might be expected from -youngsters of our age is a fact that can be proven by more than one -sailing-master or seaman hailing from the Massachusetts coast. - -It is near to eight years since Simon Ropes and I signed articles for a -cruise on board the private-armed ship _America_. - -Then Simon, who was the elder, had just turned fifteen years, and I was -three months his junior. - -Why we were allowed to ship on board such a famous craft as the -_America_, should be set down first in this tale, which I am writing -simply in order that, after we have grown to be old men, it may be -possible for us to recall more minutely the events in which we bore -some little share than if we trusted solely to memory. - -If, perchance, this poor attempt at what a clerkly mind might fashion -into a most entertaining story should at any time come into the -possession of others, it is well that I repeat why it has been written, -lest strangers think I did it simply for the self-glorification of -Simon and myself, instead of which the tale has been preserved, if it -so chance it be preserved any length of time, for the purpose of making -public the doings of all on board that armed ship hailing from Salem, -which wrought so much injury to British shipping. - -The _America_ was built in Salem, in 1804, and should have been given -some other name because of the fact that many have since believed her -to be the same craft which made a cruise in 1802, when the United -States was at war with France. - -Our ship was Salem built, of three hundred and fifty tons burthen, -carrying twenty guns, and with a complement of from one hundred and -fifty to one hundred and seventy-five men. - -She was then, and I believe of a verity is now, the fastest ship -afloat, being credited with having brought into port, during this last -war, one million, one hundred thousand dollars’ worth of property; with -having destroyed nearly as much more, and netting her owners, between -September of 1812 and April, 1815, six hundred thousand dollars. - -She is owned by the Messrs. George Crowninshield and Sons, the senior -member of which firm is my uncle, a whole-souled, generous man, as -all who know him can testify, and none better than myself; for from -the time my father, Captain Benjamin Crowninshield, died, which was -in 1810, Uncle George cared for the widow and son of his brother more -tenderly than the majority of men care for their own. - -It was in August of the year 1812 when the _America_ was overhauled and -made ready for a privateering cruise. Previous to that time she had -been in the merchant service, and earned for herself much credit, it -being stated by those who sailed her that there was nothing afloat to -which she could not show her heels. - -When the people of the United States had finally discovered that -patience ceased to be a virtue, that the time was arrived when we -as a nation should protect our own seamen against Great Britain’s -press-gangs, my uncle and cousins decided that the good ship _America_ -should take part in the struggle, by teaching the Britishers a much -needed lesson at the same time that she brought in many dollars to her -owners. - -Captain Joseph Ropes, Simon’s father, was allowed to be the most -skilful navigator and the ablest sailing-master in the United States. - -In view of what has been done since then by privateersmen from -Portland and Baltimore, it would seem as if that which has just been -set down is a rash statement, and yet must I hold to it, for when the -war broke out Captain Joseph could have commanded any vessel, outside -the navy, which struck his fancy. - -We of Salem believed, and this belief was afterward proven to be -correct, that the _America_ was by long odds the finest craft of her -kind afloat, and therefore the people along the Massachusetts coast -took it for granted that she would be commanded by Captain Ropes. - -The ship was well worthy such a master, and certain it was she would -never come to grief through any carelessness or misjudgment of his. - -Therefore, when it was announced that Captain Ropes would sail the -_America_, no one in or around Salem expressed surprise, or even -intimated that a better choice could have been made. - -While the ship was being fitted for sea, Simon and I, as may be -supposed, were constantly on board of her, watching the men as they -put in place the twenty formidable-looking guns, and listening to the -yarns told by old Joshua Seabury, who had, during the war with Tripoli, -proven himself as good a gunner as he was seaman, than which no greater -praise could be bestowed. - -“Master Josh,” we lads designated him, and very careful were we to tack -on the “Master” since the day he flogged Daniel Kelley with a rope’s -end, for daring to call him “Josh.” - -A good friend to Simon and me was the gunner, and, before he had been -given the charge of superintending the arming of the _America_, he -spent much time with us two lads, spinning yarns of his adventures with -the Tripolitan pirates. - -There was not another lad in Salem allowed to come over the rail of -the _America_ while Master Josh was aboard, and even though one of us -was the nephew of the owner, and the other the son of the captain, -we two would have been denied the privilege but for the fact of our -friendliness with the old gunner. - -We little dreamed, during the early days of the war, that through the -old man’s friendship we would become members of the famous ship’s crew, -for where there were so many eager to sign articles it did not seem -likely Captain Ropes would lumber his craft with green lads. - -From the first hour the work of arming the ship was begun, Simon and I -watched keenly every portion of the work, and I question if a single -block was put in place, if the smallest rope or hawser was stretched, -without our knowledge. When Master Josh desired to send word ashore, -either Simon or I was selected as the messenger. In case any trifling -task within our power was to be performed, the old sailor called upon -us for assistance, as if we were in duty bound to render it, and -right proud were we of such distinction, for it was a distinction -to be ordered here or there by a man who had fought the Tripolitan -pirates,--a man who had borne his share in the destruction of the -_Philadelphia_ when she lay beneath the guns of Tripoli. - -Well, this condition of affairs, so far as we two lads were concerned, -went on throughout the month of August, and until the ship was so -far in readiness for the cruise that the water and provisions were -being put on board. Then Simon and I were literally astounded by a -proposition which the old gunner made as if it was the natural outcome -of events. - -We two lads were lounging around the gun-deck after the day’s work had -come to a close. Master Josh was seated on a small-arms-chest smoking -his pipe and enjoying a well-earned rest before turning in. - -Simon, believing we had earned the right to hear a yarn from the old -gunner, began leading up to the subject by asking questions concerning -the destruction of the _Philadelphia_, knowing full well that once we -could get Master Josh warmed up to the affair, he would hold to it so -long as we might be able to listen. - -On this night the scheme was not a success, much to our disappointment. -He answered Simon’s questions curtly, while his mind seemed to be far -away from that which he ordinarily was only too willing to hold forth -on, and I was beginning to feel as if we had been in a certain measure -defrauded of our rights, when Master Josh said suddenly, startling me -almost out of my wits by the boldness of the idea: - -“Are you two lads countin’ on shippin’ aboard this ’ere craft?” - -“Do you mean Nathan and me?” Simon asked, in astonishment. - -“Ay, lad, and why not ‘Nathan and me’?” - -“Why not?” Simon repeated. “Do you allow that my father would take -on two boys, when able seamen are tumbling over each other in their -eagerness to ship aboard the _America_?” - -“Well, what of that?” and the old man puffed vigorously at his pipe. - -“I reckon we would stand little chance against those who are begging -Captain Ropes for permission to ship aboard this craft,” I said, and -for the hundredth time there came into my heart the thought that, if -we might be allowed to join the crew, it was possible we could show -ourselves worthy the great honour; but yet I realised how hopeless was -such an ambition. - -“How old was your father when he first went to sea?” Master Josh asked -of Simon. - -“Nearly three years younger than I am now.” - -“An’ I allow some captain gave him a chance, else he never’d earned the -name he’s made.” - -“That goes without saying,” Simon replied, as if in bewilderment, for -he failed to understand what the old man was driving at. - -“Then it stands to reason he should do as good a service for his own -son; an’ if George Crowninshield can’t serve his nephew a friendly turn -at a time when everything is to be gained, things have come to a pretty -pass.” - -Simon and I stared at the old man in silence, for it seemed much as if -he had taken leave of his senses. - -From the moment it was known that the _America_ would be armed as a -privateer, the ablest seamen from far and near were coming into Salem -with the hope of being allowed to ship on board her, and one could not -walk the length of the town without hearing on this corner or on that -speculations as to who would be the lucky men when the articles were -ready for the signing. - -The old gunner smoked on, as if the subject had come to an end so far -as he was concerned, and, the hope which had been so often in my heart -growing stronger, I ventured to ask, but with a certain hesitation as -if I were simply proving my folly: - -“Do you suppose, Master Josh, that it would be of any use for Simon and -me to beg of Captain Ropes or Uncle George that we be allowed to go on -this cruise?” - -“Do you suppose, Nathan Crowninshield, that Captain Ropes or Uncle -George would get down on their knees an’ beg you two to come on this -’ere cruise, if it so be you never let on that you was achin’ for the -chance?” Master Josh asked, mockingly. - -I caught at the words eagerly, believing, as I afterward came to know -was the truth, that in them lay a suggestion to us. - -The old man had no mind to openly advise us lads to apply for a berth -aboard the _America_, but would have been well pleased for us to do so. - -Instead of continuing the conversation, Master Josh smothered the fire -in the bowl of his pipe with his thumb, and, without giving further -heed to us, walked forward, leaving Simon and me staring at each other -as we tried to put into shape the thoughts aroused by his words, which -were forming themselves in our minds. - -How long we sat there gazing at each other like a couple of stupids I -know not, but after a certain time it flashed across me that we were -showing ourselves dull indeed by not following the advice contained in -the old man’s words, and moving closely to Simon, as if fearing some -one might overhear and make sport of us for having such high and mighty -notions, I whispered: - -“Surely it can do no harm if we apply for berths on board this ship?” - -“Are you so puffed up as to believe that we might be allowed to sign -articles?” Simon asked, in a scornful tone, and, now grown bold because -of increased hope, I said, as if having weighed well the matter, -although of a verity it had come only with Master Josh’s speech: - -“There’s an old saying, that if nothing be ventured nothing can be -gained, and surely we shall be in no serious condition if your father -and my uncle refuse permission for us to become members of the crew.” - -“We are like to gain their laughter and scorn; but nothing more,” Simon -replied. - -“Well, and surely that is not so serious a matter. In these times two -men will hardly give many hours to making sport of a couple of lads, -and, as Master Josh has said, they will never ask us to join the crew -unless we show a desire.” - -“I am not of the mind to make such a simple of myself,” Simon replied, -doggedly; whereat, nettled by his words, I said, bravely: - -“If you but come with me I will do the talking, and afterward, if it so -be your pleasure, you may deny that there was in your mind any idea we -might be taken on.” - -He looked at me for a moment as if questioning whether I was in my -right mind, and then said, in the tone of one who would drive a sharp -bargain: - -“If you make the request known this night, Nathan Crowninshield, I will -stand by your side while the words are spoken, and take upon myself -such blame as may follow; but it must be done before we go to bed, for -I’ll not try to sleep while there’s any prospect of such a possibility.” - -“By those words you are admitting there is a chance that we be allowed -to ship.” - -“Perhaps so.” - -“Then come with me, and we’ll have the matter settled at once. I am -ready to do even more than make a simple request, on the possibility -that we might leave port on board this ship.” - -“My father was to be in your uncle’s counting-room to-night, so I heard -him tell mother, and if your courage holds good, we two may be laughed -at by all the clerks in the Crowninshields’ office before an hour has -passed.” - -Simon could have pursued no wiser course, had he wished to urge me on -to such a step; for by his tone I understood him to intimate that I was -afraid to make the attempt, and without further parley I cried: - -“Follow me, unless it so be you are afraid! I count on asking -permission from the captain and owner of this ship to sail in her, when -she goes forth to work destruction upon British craft.” - -Then, perhaps, fearing lest the courage should ooze out at my fingers’ -ends, I went rapidly on deck, over the rail, and headed straight for -the office of the owners. - -Under almost any other circumstances I would not have dared to enter -that portion of the counting-room where my Uncle George transacted the -more private business of the concern; but at this time I was made bold -by desperation, knowing full well that a delay of five minutes or more -might serve to shake the resolution I had formed. - -My Uncle George and Captain Ropes were holding what I could well fancy -was a private consultation on matters concerning the ship, and both -looked up in surprise, not unmixed with anger, when we two lads stood -before them. - -I knew from the expression on my uncle’s face that it was in his mind -to say something harsh concerning our intrusion; and, feeling as if I -had destroyed what little chance we might have had by such a display of -rudeness, I blurted out the request which was formed in my mind, before -either of the gentlemen had time to speak. - -“We have come to ask that we be allowed to ship on board the _America_, -and do so because of certain words just let fall by Master Josh,” I -said, using every effort to speak distinctly, and at the same time -rapidly. “My excuse for thus venturing here unbidden is that I dared -not wait longer lest I lack the courage to make the request.” - -“What has Joshua Seabury been saying to you?” my uncle asked, sharply. -“Why should he above all others think that two boys may be allowed to -call themselves members of an armed ship’s crew?” - -Being thus called upon to defend myself, as it were, I repeated in -substance the few words the old man had spoken, laying considerable -stress upon the fact that Captain Ropes was three years younger than -Simon and me when he first went to sea, and urging that, if Master Josh -would take us under his tuition, we should beyond a question pay our -footing, even though we might not earn the smallest wages. - -Because of the fear--I might almost say the belief, that our request -would be treated with disdain, and thinking another opportunity to make -our wishes known might not present itself, I succeeded in stating our -case fairly well, as I believed. - -Before having concluded with all the arguments which presented -themselves to my mind, I saw Captain Ropes look at his son in a -friendly fashion, and then glance inquiringly at my uncle, whereat the -latter, observing the mute question, answered: - -“Two lads like those would simply be so much useless lumber aboard the -ship, eh, captain?” - -My heart sank at what I believed was the beginning of a refusal; but -rose very suddenly when Simon’s father replied, with an air which told -that he considered our request in a certain degree important: - -“Unless we count on setting some of the men to do boy’s duty, we are -like to need a few lads, Master Crowninshield.” - -“Ay; but you want such as have had some experience.” - -“If old Joshua Seabury cares to take these two lads under his wing, -I’ll answer for it they will be experienced before we get well settled -down to our work,” the captain replied, grimly, and Simon furtively -kicked me, as if to say that fortune was smiling upon us. - -“I question much if your mother would give her permission for you to -join the _America’s_ crew, Nathan,” my uncle said, after a brief pause. - -“She is willing, sir, that I become a sailor, as was my father before -me, and surely could not refuse her permission if I should have such -opportunity of serving an apprenticeship as would come under the -command of a sailor like Captain Ropes.” - -“You have turned that nicely, my lad,” Simon’s father said, with a -chuckle, “and if it so be Master Crowninshield is willing to trust you -aboard the _America_, my boy shall go, too; but I give you both fair -warning that you will be treated the same as any lads whom I had never -seen.” - -“We ask for nothing more than that, sir,” Simon said, quickly, and I -understood, although the formal permission had not really been given, -that we two boys were favoured far above many able seamen of Salem, -inasmuch as we would leave port on board the staunchest and swiftest -privateer afloat. - -Well, not to make too many words of what is in fact a short story, it -is enough for me to say that, when Simon Ropes and I went to bed that -night, it was with the knowledge that on the following morning we might -present ourselves to the old gunner as lads belonging to the _America_, -under his charge. - -It is true my mother wept some while I gleefully told her of the good -fortune which was mine; but never a word did she speak against the -project, for again and again had we talked of the day when I should set -off to follow in my father’s footsteps. - -She must have realised that in a lifetime I might never hope to have -such an opportunity of becoming a sailor as now presented itself, -and while I doubt not that her heart trembled as she thought of our -engaging in a regular battle, no remonstrance was made against it. - -Simon Ropes and I did not give words to the exultation both felt, when -we parted for the night. - -Already had we begun to realise the responsibilities which would be -ours. Even now we understood somewhat of the sorrow that must come when -we parted with our mothers, and had a vague idea that when we left -Salem it might be never to return. - -Therefore it was we gave token of our joy only by a silent clasp of the -hand. - -I am not ashamed to set it down that my pillow was wet with tears that -night, as I lay thinking of the many days which must pass before I -should see my home again, if indeed I ever did, and I dwelt much longer -on my mother’s grief and my own loneliness, when we should be parted, -than on the glory which might be mine in case I lived to be clasped in -her loving arms again. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -UNDER WAY. - - -Although there was no possibility the _America_ could leave port within -ten days, under the most favourable circumstances, Simon Ropes and I -presented ourselves on board next morning before the sun had risen, as -if fearing the privateer might get under way while we were making ready. - -Having counted on surprising Master Josh by announcing that we were -to sign articles as members of the crew whenever the papers were made -ready, we were disappointed. - -I believe the old man had been firmly convinced that Simon’s father and -my uncle would allow us to ship, once the desire was made known, for he -treated our coming as a matter of course, and, to our great surprise, -ceased from that moment to be the friendly friend we had ever known him. - -Instead of asking if we would kindly do this or that, or explaining -that it would be to our advantage if we learned to make such a splice -or tie a particular knot, he drove us to work like slaves, and one -would have fancied that we met him for the first time on that morning. - -Having partaken of a scanty breakfast, owing to our eagerness to be -on board the ship at an early hour, it was by no means pleasant to -run here or there at the old gunner’s call, or, when one was doing -his best, to be sharply reprimanded because he had not succeeded in -accomplishing more. - -In fact, the change in his manner was so decided and disagreeable that -I came to believe something had gone wrong over night, and took counsel -with Simon concerning it. - -The result of our conference was that we made up our minds to demand an -explanation from Master Josh, and without delay. - -We were ready to obey him while he spoke us in friendly fashion, but -when it came to being ordered about as if we were hardly better than -the dirt beneath his feet, we were disposed to raise forcible and -emphatic objections. - -Simon insisted that I should be the one to demand an explanation, -promising to stand close behind me meanwhile, thus showing that he was -in full accord with all I said, and without delay we sought out the old -man. - -At the time he chanced to be working upon Number One gun, on the -starboard side, and although it is certain he saw us approaching, never -so much as a sign of consciousness did he give. - -This seeming indifference nettled me quite as much as had his suddenly -assumed tone of command, and I broke out hotly, asking why it was that -he took unto himself so many high and mighty airs without due cause, so -far as we could understand. - -The old man ceased his work very suddenly when I began to speak, and, -before having come to the end of the reproaches, I believed of a verity -he was minded to raise his hand against me. - -He evidently thought better of it, however, for when I was come to an -end of words, the old gunner straightened himself up, surveying both -Simon and me from head to foot, after which he asked, in what sounded -very much like a jeering tone: - -[Illustration: “THE OLD GUNNER STRAIGHTENED HIMSELF UP, SURVEYING BOTH -SIMON AND ME.”] - -“Did I understand you two lads aright this morning, when it was allowed -that you’d the same as shipped aboard the _America_?” - -“Of course you did,” I said, quickly, not realising what turn he was -giving to the situation. “There could have been no mistake when we said -that permission had been given us, both by Captain Ropes and my Uncle -George.” - -“Then it is allowed that you are the same as members of the crew, eh?” - -“How else can it be?” - -“That was the way I understood it, and now hark ye, lads. Is it in your -mind that boys aboard ship are to be dandled an’ petted? Have you got -the idee that every man Jack of us must take off his hat ’cause one of -you happens to be son of the captain, an’ the other a nephew of the -owner?” - -I looked at Simon, not knowing what reply to make to such a question, -and he gazed at me in mute astonishment. - -“You may as well make up your minds as to what you count on bein’ -aboard this ship, ’cause the matter’s got to be settled mighty -soon,” the old gunner said, solemnly. “I took it for granted that you -was rated as boys; but if it so be you’re reckonin’ on makin’ the -cruise for pleasure, an’ settin’ yourselves above the others with high -an’ lofty airs ’cause of your relationship, why, then, we’ll have a -plain understandin’ from the start. It ain’t allowed that passengers -may mosey ’round here for’ard,--leastways it never has been on any ship -I was aboard of; so you’ll excuse me for takin’ the liberty of settin’ -you about a sailorman’s duties, otherwise I’ll call the crew of the -captain’s gig to escort you into the cabin, where you seem to belong.” - -The old man tugged at the lock of hair over his forehead, as he scraped -with one foot, in what he believed to be the proper kind of a bow, and -started aft as if to carry out his threat. - -Now, although I had never been to sea, I knew enough of a sailorman’s -life to understand that if the remainder of the crew got the slightest -inkling of what had just happened, our lives would be far from pleasant -during the cruise; therefore, I checked him by clutching at his arm, -imploringly, as I cried: - -“We were in the wrong when we complained, Master Josh. Surely you have -known us long enough to believe that we no more intend to shirk our -duties than to play the part of passengers. It was because you had -changed so completely that we came to you with the questions in our -mouths.” - -“Accordin’ to your talk, it seems that you understand the matter -without my goin’ into very many explanations,” the old man said, grimly. - -“What you have said is the same as an explanation, sir,” Simon meekly -replied. “If you will please set us about some task we’ll agree never -to raise another question, however changed your manner may be.” - -“Well, I allow it’s jest as well if we let it drop at that,” the old -gunner said, thoughtfully, “an’ for the sake of your peace of mind in -the future, I’d have you youngsters understand that, once we’re under -way, you will be expected to do such work as is given to boys, without -turnin’ rusty in case one of us don’t happen to handle you with gloves -on. Sailorin’ is a serious business, but nothin’ as compared with -privateerin’. On a cruise like the one we’re countin’ to make, it’s a -matter of jumpin’ to orders from the youngest to the oldest, an’ no -back talk. I had the idee that you was to be took under my wing, so to -speak.” - -“Have you seen Simon’s father or my uncle?” I asked, quickly, now -beginning to understand why the old man had turned about so suddenly in -his behaviour. - -“It may be I had a bit of a chin with one or the other of ’em last -night.” - -“And you were told to jump down on us the first thing, this morning, so -that we might know our stations without being allowed time in which to -make fools of ourselves?” - -“I can’t rightly say it was exactly as you put it, lad. I was given to -understand that it depended on me to make sailormen out of you, if it -so be there was stuff enough of the kind inside your young skins, an’ -such bein’ the case, from this out there will be no explanations made. -When things don’t go to suit you, I’m allowin’ you’d best swallow ’em, -or take the chances of knowin’ how heavy the rope’s end is when it’s -laid on a lad’s back in proper fashion. Now then, if you’ve had enough -of this cacklin’, get to work, an’ see to it you stick at the job, for -there’ll be no sodgerin’ aboard this ship either by young or old, that -you can depend on.” - -It can well be understood that from this moment we held our peace -whether affairs were to our liking or not, and, also, that we never -again presumed upon the friendliness which the old gunner had -previously displayed; but buckled with a will to whatever task we were -set at. - -Before this day came to an end both of us realised fully that we were -no more than any other two boys who might have been allowed to ship -aboard the privateer, and that no favours were to be shown because of -relationship either to the captain or owner. - -Now, it is not my purpose to set down here anything more than may be -necessary to a thorough understanding of what Simon Ropes and I did and -saw while we were aboard the _America_, and because there was nothing -of interest in the fitting out of the ship I count on passing over all -which occurred from the day we were taught our true station among the -crew of the ship, until she was gotten under way, at half-past eleven -o’clock on the morning of Monday, September 7th, in the year of grace -1812. - -I do not reckon on making mention of the parting with my mother. - -It was far too sad a scene to be described in written words, and -too sacred, according to my way of thinking, to be held up for the -amusement or derision of youngsters. - -It is enough if I say that when I went on board, less than an hour -before the ship was gotten under way, my eyes were red and swollen with -much weeping, and I met Simon Ropes, who looked as if his experience -had been much the same as mine. - -There was no need of words between us. Each understood what was in the -other’s heart, and at that moment, if it could have been done without -holding ourselves up to the scorn of our acquaintances, I believe of -a verity both of us would have fled from the ship, even though we had -formally signed the articles, and, therefore, would be looked upon as -deserters if we went on shore without permission. - -For my part, I know that never before nor since has my heart been as -heavy as on that September morning when I made my way through the -throng of men, women, and children that lined the shore, to the boat -which was in waiting to carry me on board. - -My schoolmates would have gathered around me, envious of what they were -pleased to term my good fortune. At another time their words would have -been like sweetest music in my ears; but on this morning it was as if -they mocked me, so bowed down was I by the grief born of that first -parting, and I refused to hold any converse with them, thereby laying -myself open to the charge of being “stuck up.” - -I said to myself that, had I realised what it might cost a lad to leave -his mother,--the best friend he can ever know in this world,--not all -the glory nor the money that could be gained during the most successful -privateering cruise would have tempted me to bring so much of grief -upon her. - -However, I had shipped as a boy aboard the _America_. There was never -a lad of my acquaintance in town who had not been made aware of this -fact, and the shame of being called a coward prevented me from doing -that which I most desired. - -Simon and I were aboard the same boat, but neither spoke during the -short passage from the shore to the ship. - -When we came over the rail the old gunner was standing near by and my -heart warmed toward him as never before, because of the words which he -spoke at that sad time: - -“Find something with which to keep yourselves busy, lads,” he said, in -a most friendly tone. “Having been through with this kind of business -myself, I’ve got a pretty good idee of how you’re feelin’, an’ there’s -nothin’ better calculated to make you worse than idleness. Hard work -an’ plenty of it is what will do you a power of good for the next four -an’ twenty hours.” - -And hard work we got. - -It was as if Master Josh racked his brains to set us task after task in -rapid succession, one coming upon the heels of the other so rapidly -that we absolutely had no time for thought, and afterward I understood -how wholesome was his medicine. - -As I have said, the shore was lined with people waiting for the -_America_ to get under way, and when finally the anchor was tripped, a -shout went up from the throng which thrilled our hearts, and caused me -for an instant to forget that in the town was a woman weeping,--a woman -who loved me dearly, as I did her. - -Well, we were off at last, and the first and worst wrench caused by the -breaking of home ties was over, so far as I was concerned, save that it -left my heart sore and bruised. - -By noon we were off Baker’s Island heading due southeast, and I -realised that the voyage was really begun, when the good ship rose and -fell upon the ocean swell with a motion well calculated to upset the -stomach of a landsman. - -Simon Ropes and I considered ourselves fairly good sailormen, and yet, -before night came, we were paying the same penalty, and in quite as -severe a form, as the veriest landsman who ever ventured outside the -harbour. - -This sickness was, in a certain degree, a benefit, since it caused -us to forget the loneliness which had come upon us with the parting, -and not until eight and forty hours had passed did we venture to show -ourselves above the gun-deck. - -Once in the open air, after our long sojourn below, it was as if we had -suddenly emerged upon a scene of warfare. - -The ship was under easy canvas, and needed but little conning. Both -watches were on deck, and the third officer, Mr. Tibbetts, was -instructing the crew in the use of small arms, Captain Ropes and the -remainder of his officers acting as spectators, but taking a hand, now -and then, in the lessons. - -I may as well say here that, from this time forth, whenever the weather -permitted, and there were no important tasks to be performed, the men -spent their time working the great guns, or drilling with small arms, -and such practice never came to an end throughout the cruise, however -expert we grew to be. - -No one gave any heed to Simon and me, until Master Josh chanced to -espy us, and then, although we were feeling far from well, it became -necessary for us to join in the drill. - -We left port at noon on Monday, and had not attempted to get out of our -hammocks until Wednesday was well-nigh spent. - -By the time supper was served, however, we were quite ready for the -food, thanks to the labour performed, although it was dished up in -anything rather than a palatable fashion, as compared with what we had -been accustomed to in our homes. - -I was not a weak-stomached lad; but sitting around a mess-kid, filled -with greasy-looking stuff, which was given the name of hash, and taking -my share with half a dozen tarry-handed sailors, who were neither -careful of their person nor their language, drinking, if one drank at -all, the odd-looking stuff which was called tea, would have destroyed -the appetite that had come upon me, save for the fact that I had fasted -so long. - -Before a week passed, however, Simon and I were equal to the emergency, -and in good condition to get our full share of whatsoever was served, -save when it came to the allotment of rum, of which each man had half -a pint poured into his pannikin, twice a day, and at this our stomachs -rebelled. We never could bring ourselves to drink it, but traded the -stuff for whatsoever our messmates chose to offer in exchange. - -Until Thursday night we had such weather as would delight fresh-water -sailors, with, perhaps, a trifle overmuch wind, in the opinion of -landsmen, and then came our first experience of a storm at sea, when -the ship rose and fell, seeming now to throw herself against the great -walls of water, or again rolling until it was as if she lay completely -on her beam ends. - -The howling of the wind, the rattle of cordage, the groaning of -timbers, and the shrieking of the waters when they leaped inboard, -as if eager to overwhelm us, was sufficient to terrify all save the -stoutest-hearted, and yet, after a time, even before the gale was at -its height, Simon and I came to take it all quite calmly. By observing -those around us, we could see that there was not even the shadow of a -fear in the hearts of any, because all knew full well the strength and -staunchness of the ship, and to them the gale was a friendly one, since -it carried them more swiftly in the desired direction. - -Since Master Josh had taken us under his wing, we were assigned to the -same watch with him, and although, where the crew was so large, there -was absolutely nothing for boys to do, the old man never allowed us to -shirk our duties in this respect. - -We were forced to remain on deck, exactly as if the welfare of the ship -depended upon our being there, and no exception was made during this -first storm. - -“You may as well take all that comes to a sailorman’s lot, lads,” -Master Josh said, when we were ordered to the spar-deck, on the morning -after the storm had burst upon us, while the ship was tumbling, -plunging, and pitching at such a rate that the most experienced of the -crew were forced to clutch at this thing or that, in order to make -their way forward or aft. “If you get in the habit of stayin’ below, -just ’cause there happens to be a little breeze, your chances of ever -bein’ rated as able seamen will be small.” - -We literally clawed our way up on the spar-deck, Simon shouting in my -ear, for the din was so great that only by the severest exertions could -he make himself heard: - -“If this is what Master Josh calls a ‘breeze,’ I hope we may never be -afloat in one of his gales.” - -Our coming on deck was needless, since no one called upon us for any -service, and we would have been unable to perform the slightest task -even had it been required. - -We took up our stations near the foremast, where we might the better -hold ourselves steady, and there remained, knowing full well that we -were not adding to our store of knowledge in the slightest degree. - -So far as making sailormen of ourselves was concerned, we might just as -well have remained in the hammocks on the gun-deck, and it would have -been vastly more comfortable, for we were wet to the skin within five -minutes after having come above. - -Save for the fact that the men went about their duties unconcernedly, -with no show of alarm, and behaving much as if this sort of weather was -not only to be expected but pleasing, I should have believed the ship -was in the greatest danger, and in truth it was many minutes before I -could look up at the waves, which now and then towered far above us, -without feeling positive that death was very near at hand. - -After a time, however, we became in a certain degree accustomed to the -tumult, and found it possible to watch what was going on around us with -some degree of intelligence. - -I noticed with mild curiosity that five men were on the maintopmast, -and wondered whether it was their purpose to snug down the canvas, or -if the captain had it in his mind to show more sail to the howling wind. - -They were so nearly above me that I could not clearly observe their -movements, and while I stood gazing at them, rather because I had -nothing else with which to occupy my mind than that their movements -particularly interested me, a sharper gust of wind than we had so far -felt came swooping down upon us, causing the ship to lay over until her -yard-arm ploughed off the tops of the white-capped billows. - -The little company aloft continued at their task as if there was -nothing in the situation to cause alarm, and slowly, inch by inch as -it were, the gallant craft came up nearly to an even keel, only to be -whirled back once more by what was like unto a cloud of wind, and then -was mingled with the shrieking and howling and hissing the sound as of -splintering wood. - -Even as I gazed the spar was carried away, the heavy ropes snapping -like whip-cords under a tremendous strain. - -It was as if my heart stood still, and breath failed me when those five -brave fellows, one of whom lived in Salem within a stone’s throw of -my mother’s dwelling, were engulfed in that angry sea, upon which it -seemed as if no craft smaller than our ship could possibly live. - -Fortunately, others beside myself had seen the disaster, and then, -although I did not realise it at just that moment, we came to -understand of how much advantage was the constant drill and practice to -which the men had been subjected since the hour of leaving port. - -Captain Ropes chanced to be on deck at the fatal instant, and there was -no more of confusion or apparent excitement when the ship was put about -than if we had been executing some ordinary manœuvre in fair weather. - -At the first cry betokening danger every man went to his station, and -the orders which came from the quarter-deck were obeyed almost as soon -as spoken, with such effect that it seemed to me as if no more than -three minutes elapsed before our course was completely changed. - -I came to understand, however, that much more time had passed than I -supposed, on seeing how far away was the splintered spar to which our -shipmates were clinging, knowing full well that whatsoever of aid was -possible in such an angry tumult of waters would be given them. - -But for the fact of having been on board the _America_ at this time, I -could set down a most thrilling description of what might have occurred -from the moment the spar was carried away until the half-drowned men -were brought aboard; but having been there, I am forced to say it was -all as commonplace, and the work performed as methodically, as during -the simplest manœuvre which can be imagined. - -In less than half an hour our five messmates were with us once more, -and all hands were engaged in making ready a new spar. - -The extra amount of labour required, and the short deviation from -our course, appeared to Simon and me to be the only result of this -accident; but when we were below once more, where we could hear the -men yarning and arguing as sailors will, I came to understand that the -mishap might work serious mischief in the future. - -One and all of the crew insisted that we had begun the voyage with a -bad omen; that this breaking of a new spar when we were hardly more -than out of port, was a sign that the cruise would be a disastrous -one, more particularly since it occurred on a Friday, and the foremost -among the croakers was none other than Master Joshua Seabury, he whom -Simon Ropes and I looked up to as the ablest, bravest seaman that ever -jockeyed a yard-arm. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -OMENS. - - -It was only after the gale had died away, and a new topmast had been -sent aloft, that we lads came to understand how much mischief or -trouble, whichever you choose to term it, might come of that disaster -which had terminated so happily. - -Once our watch was at leisure, the men began speculating upon the -significance of what they were pleased to call an “omen,” and those -whom I had looked upon as the bravest appeared to be the most -disheartened by the mishap. - -The breaking of the spar, which was doubtless brought about by some -serious defect in the timber, dismayed them, and one and all argued as -if eager to prove that the accident was but the forerunner of direst -disaster. - -Master Joshua looked grave as any owl while he told a yarn of a vessel -which had lost a spar while leaving port, and was never heard of -afterward, declaring solemnly that the mishap had come about solely as -a means of warning the crew not to sail in the craft. - -“But if they had already left the port, how would it be possible for -the men to go back, even though the captain had been willing to stand -by and see his crew desert?” Simon asked, innocently, whereat Master -Joshua fell into a passion, because “a boy” had dared make such foolish -inquiries regarding what was as “plain as the nose on a man’s face.” - -“It ain’t for the likes of you to be askin’ questions about the signs -that are sent to sailormen,” he roared, shaking his fist at the lad who -was simply trying to gain what might prove to be useful information. -“Anybody who ain’t a natural born fool knows that sich things are seen -by them as live on the ocean, an’ the pity of it is there are idjuts -what can’t take warnin’.” - -“Then you’re ready to believe that this ’ere cruise won’t be a payin’ -one, eh?” the captain of Number Four gun asked, seriously. - -“Accordin’ to what I’ve seen in this ’ere world, I wouldn’t want to -put very many hopes on the _America’s_ ever gettin’ into the home port -again.” - -After this gloomy prediction, for such it was because of the tone in -which the words had been spoken, all hands began to look down in the -mouth, and it can well be imagined that even Simon and I were feeling -far from cheerful. - -Had any other member of the crew suggested such a possibility, simply -because we had carried away a topmast immediately after leaving port, -I could have laughed at him; but Joshua Seabury was, to my mind, the -ablest seaman afloat, and all he said carried great weight with it, so -far as I was concerned. - -The old man lighted his pipe in a sorrowful manner, as if saying to -himself that the good ship might founder before he could finish his -smoke, and the remainder of the crew began to spin yarns regarding -signs and omens of which they had heard, until the whole boiling of -them were worked up into the most doleful frame of mind. - -Had the word been passed just then that a British privateer was in -sight, I question if any undue excitement would have been shown by our -men, so positive did all appear to be that we were on the eve of some -great disaster. - -At first Simon and I were disposed to laugh at these senseless -forebodings, even though Master Joshua himself had been the first to -give them words; but, later, it appeared to me as if much mischief -might befall us because the men were so bent on persuading themselves -that the carrying away of the topmast, especially on a Friday, was a -token that some more than ordinarily serious danger threatened. - -It would be reasonable to suppose that every privateersman was in -danger so long as he remained afloat searching for the enemy; but to -peril which had so good a foundation, these superstitious sailors gave -no heed. - -It was to them as if we had been protected until the moment after the -topmast fell, and then we were not only left to our own devices, but -given to understand that we could not escape even the ordinary dangers -of the sea. - -In reading over what has just been set down, I find that I have failed -in giving a good idea of the state of mind into which every man Jack -among us had fallen. - -Perhaps at the time Simon and I did not fully realise what all this -arguing, speech-making, and yarn-spinning on the subject of omens might -amount to, but we had more than an inkling when, at a late hour on the -second night after the topmast fell, while we were lounging about the -deck simply because our watch was supposed to be on duty, Captain Ropes -called for us to come aft. - -Up to this moment he had given no heed whatsoever to Simon; it was as -if the lad ceased to be a relative of his the moment he came aboard -the ship as one of the crew, and I was feeling more than a trifle sore -because my comrade’s father appeared to be copying so perfectly after -Master Josh. - -“I’m not asking you lads to tell tales out of school,” the captain -said, when we had followed him into the after-cabin where he had his -quarters; “but I would like to know if the men are still chewing over -the loss of the topmast.” - -[Illustration: “‘I AM NOT ASKING YOU LADS TO TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL,’ -THE CAPTAIN SAID.”] - -Simon, who had seemingly failed to observe that his father no longer -treated him as a son, at once gave a very good description of the -situation of affairs forward, and when his story was come to an end the -captain dismissed us exactly as he would have dismissed two lads whom -he had never met before; but I guessed that he was disturbed in mind -because of the foolish fears of the men. - -We two lounged forward again, once we were at liberty, and I would have -spoken with Simon concerning his father’s odd behaviour, but that the -lad cut me short by saying, quite curtly: - -“Before coming on board I was told plainly what might be expected, -therefore I can’t complain. My father first went to sea with an uncle, -and now he is giving me the same treatment which he then received.” - -“But where would be the harm if he allowed us the run of the cabin, now -and then?” I asked, petulantly. “It would please me right well to sit -at his table once or twice in a week.” - -“That you will never do while we are members of the crew,” Simon -replied, with a laugh, “and perhaps it is quite as well.” - -“I’d like to know how you can figure that out?” and now I was grown -quite hot. “If my uncle was on board, I venture to say both of us would -be eating there every day in the week.” - -“Which might not be to our advantage. Now the men treat us as belonging -to their mess; but if we ate in the cabin while pretending to do duty -forward, father says our lives would soon be made burdensome, and -surely he ought to know.” - -To my mind the argument was a feeble one, not worthy a brave man like -Captain Ropes; but I held my peace, understanding that it could hardly -be pleasing for Simon to hear me criticise his father. - -While the crew discussed the supposed ominous omen, I brooded over the -fancied injustice of the captain toward Simon and myself, and in a very -short time succeeded in believing that I was a veritable victim. - -Simon Ropes displayed more sound common sense than all the remainder -of us put together, and from that time when he stood up like a man -battling against the fancies and whims of the men, with never one, not -even I who counted myself his comrade, to back him, I came to know the -lad for the hero he afterward proved himself to be when the decks were -slippery with American blood. - -Within two days after the topmast had been carried away the men were -in very nearly a mutinous mood, some claiming that the _America_ -should put back sufficiently long to cast off the spell of ill fortune -which had been thrown over her, and others declaring that at the first -opportunity they would desert, believing they were morally entitled to -do so in order to save their own lives. - -“If it was only a case of standin’ up in a fair fight, no matter how -big might be the odds against us, I’d willingly take my chances with -the others, because I shipped for such work,” one of the younger men -of the crew said more than once in my hearing. “But this flyin’ in the -face of bad luck, with a warnin’ plain before us, is more’n I bargained -for.” - -As a matter of course, his messmates should have reported him for -uttering words which were well calculated to destroy the discipline -of the ship; but it was as if nearly every man on board, save the -officers, were in much the same way of thinking. - -It was not simply the carrying away of a spar which so disturbed the -crew; but, rather, the manner in which it was done, together with the -time of the accident, all of which we lads heard discussed during -nearly every hour while we were off duty. - -The topmast was a new spar, and there was no apparent reason for its -breaking; the gale was not heavy enough to cause the mishap, and the -men refused to entertain the very reasonable explanation that there -had been some defect in the timber, which escaped the notice of the -spar-makers. - -Then again, the accident had occurred on the first Friday after -leaving port, and before we had sighted the sail of an enemy. Such -a combination of circumstances, so the old shellbacks declared, was -sufficient to stamp the affair as an omen of the most pronounced -character. - -The fact that all the men who had been aloft were saved, without even -so much as a scratch, was brought forward by Simon, whenever the crew -would condescend to listen to him, as a good reason why we should look -upon the matter as one of good rather than bad significance, but day by -day the mutinous talk grew louder. - -The topmast had been carried away on the eleventh day of September, -and not until the twenty-third of the same month did we fall in with a -craft of any description. - -The absence of vessels when we were in the track of the enemy’s -merchant-ships was, to this superstitious crew, only additional proof -that they were correct in their fancies. - -The sun was just showing himself above the horizon on the day -last mentioned, when the lookout shouted what, under different -circumstances, would have been most welcome news. - -A craft of some description was in sight; but so far away that it was -impossible to make out anything save what, to Simon and I, looked like -nothing more than the wing of a sea-bird outlined against the clear sky -to leeward. - -Certain it is the men would have grumbled had our ship’s course not -been altered on the instant, and then, when this was done, even before -the captain knew what kind of a craft he was steering for, every man -Jack of them began making the most dismal predictions. - -Now we were to learn the meaning of the omen, the men said, walking -moodily to and fro as if certain that death was very close aboard. We -would find the stranger an English frigate, at the very least, and the -cruise of the _America_ as an American vessel would come to an end -before sunset. - -I believe of a verity that, had we fallen in with a Britisher who -carried no greater weight of metal than ourselves, these predictions -would have come true, so dispirited were the crew, and while we slowly -drew nearer the strange sail, Simon and I stood well forward, burning -with the most painful anxiety, fancying we were approaching some -terrible doom. - -Before two hours had passed, such a lady for sailing was the ship, we -could see clearly the topsails of the chase, and the most outspoken -grumbler among us declared that she was nothing more formidable than a -British merchant-brig. - -The majority of the crew began to recover their courage and their -spirits; but a few of the older shellbacks insisted that, whether the -stranger was a peaceful merchantman or a heavily armed privateer, we -were about to learn the true meaning of the omen. - -And so we did learn the meaning, or, rather, that it had no meaning at -all,--at least, nothing that was to work us harm at the beginning of -the voyage. - -Within an hour of noon we had overhauled and brought to the British -brig _James and Charlotte_, Lavitt, master, from Liverpool, bound for -St. John’s with a cargo of hats, dry goods, and a general assortment of -merchandise. - -One gun had been fired to bring her to, and no more powder than the -single charge was burned in the capture of what all hands knew beyond a -peradventure was a valuable prize. - -It would have pleased me well had I been allowed to board her; but -Captain Ropes was not disposed to spend any idle time when there were, -perhaps, other merchantmen to be overhauled. - -Without delay a prize-crew of six, under command of Mr. Tibbetts, was -thrown on board, after which we stretched away on our course with -eleven prisoners in the hold, and the master of the captured brig -quartered aft, he having passed his word of honour to make no attempt -to communicate with the other Britishers. - -The tongues of those off duty began to wag furiously once we stood away -from the brig, and now had come the time when those who argued the -strongest that we were doomed to some terrible misfortune, and among -whom was Master Josh, were forced to bear such ridicule as only a crew -of sailormen can invent. - -Simon and I believed that the capture of this first prize, which was -a rich one, such as should go far toward tasselling our neckerchiefs -with dollars, would bring to an end all the mutinous talk we had been -hearing, and, during the remainder of this day, we were correct. - -Next morning, however, the croakers had decided that one vessel -captured was no sign the omen was for the good rather than the bad, and -straightway began figuring how the traverse might be worked to bring -ruin upon us. - -This last stage of the believers in omens was not as serious as the -first, since there were very many who contented themselves with -reckoning how much would be coming to us from the prize, in case Mr. -Tibbetts succeeded in getting her to a home port, and when one sets -dollars against old women’s whims, the odds are decidedly in favour of -the former. - -Now from this time out we had so much of drill during fair weather, -that the croakers really did not have time to present their foolish -views in detail, and we two lads counted on the matter dying a natural -death; but in this we were mistaken. - -Were I to set down here all we did or said while the _America_ cruised -here or there, without sighting any save a friendly sail, the words -would fill an enormous book, and, when they had been read, would amount -to nothing. - -Life aboard ship, as Simon and I soon came to understand, grows very -monotonous after a certain time, and we who had nothing more exciting -than the continual drills with small arms, exercise at the great guns, -and lessons in working ship under every emergency, soon grew sick at -heart because of the lack of adventure. - -It goes without saying that, during this time of comparative idleness, -Simon Ropes and I were educated into very fair sailors, as well as -privateersmen, and, before many weeks had passed, came to believe we -could hold our own with the oldest shellback on board. - -Now and then Captain Ropes condescended to speak with us; but a -stranger would not have believed that my comrade was his son, or I the -nephew of the ship’s owner. - -As a matter of course we two lads were thoroughly instructed as to our -duties in event of an engagement, and day after day did we serve the -gunners with ammunition, which it was necessary we should carry back to -the magazine when the drill was at an end. - -When the days lengthened into weeks after the capture of our first -prize, and we came across nothing flying the British flag, the croakers -sprang up very strong once more, and during our watch below we heard -so much about omens and signs that I literally turned sick at heart -whenever I came across a group who were harping on the loss of a new -topmast on the first Friday after leaving port. - -The prisoners must have had a sorry time of it; they were kept in the -hold, except two hours each day when they came up for fresh air and -exercise, and I dare venture to say that they longed as heartily as -did our crew that another capture might be made, because then their -chances of being sent ashore would be so much the greater. - -Simon and I saw but little of these unfortunates, for the very good -reason that we kept out of their way so far as possible. - -It was by no means pleasant to watch the poor fellows when they came -on deck eager and thirsty for a breath of sweet air, and we made it -our business to be engaged in some other part of the ship while they -were pacing to and fro on deck, guarded by eight or ten men with loaded -muskets in their hands. - -During all this long, weary time of watching, hoping, and predicting -evil, we came to know what a gallant craft was ours. - -There was ample opportunity to test her sailing qualities under every -condition of weather, and never a man on board who did not come to -believe she could overhaul or show her heels to anything afloat. - -We skirted along the coast of Portugal, passing the island of St. -Michael on the fifth of October, and yet not until a full month later, -that is to say, on the sixth day of November, did we sight another -craft flying the cross of St. George. - -During all this time our croakers had kept their tongues wagging -industriously, declaring that the next time we saw the British flag -it would be at the topmast head of an English ship of the line, which -would speedily verify the predictions represented by the faulty topmast. - -It was as if we had been at sea half a lifetime when the lookout -reported a brig-rigged craft to windward, and after she was brought -into view of us on deck we knew beyond question that we had almost -within our clutches another British craft. - -The cruise did not bid fair to be what is known as a “lucky” one if -the game was to be found so few and far between; but we were ready to -welcome anything that might break the monotony, even though it should -be a Britisher that far out-classed us. - -A little fighting then, with some blood-letting, would have been good -medicine for those who were grown mutinous once more, and I fancied, -from what could be told by the expression on the faces of the officers, -that a regular battle, providing we might get the best of it, would be -welcomed, even though there were no dollars to be gained. - -We were not to overhaul this second Britisher without some labour, -as we soon came to understand, for the brig was a smart sailer, and -more than once before she was brought to did it appear as if she might -succeed in giving us the slip, despite the good qualities of our ship. - -From ten o’clock in the forenoon until nearly daybreak next morning, -we staggered on under full press of canvas, not gaining more than two -miles in all that time, and then Master Josh began to breed discontent -by declaring that we were astern of no less a craft than the _Flying -Dutchman_ herself. - -“We’ll board her even if she’s full to the scuppers with ghosts,” -the boatswain said, smiting his thigh with his hand as if bent on -splintering the bone. “We’ve had enough of signs an’ tokens since -this ’ere cruise began, an’ I’m comin’ to believe that our ill luck -is caused by it. I’m not settin’ myself up to put this whole ship’s -company into proper trim; but this much I’ll swear to, the next man -who begins to croak about what’s goin’ to happen jest because a -cross-grained timber went adrift in a gale, will come mighty nigh -havin’ to settle the question once an’ for all with me. I’m not a -fightin’ man naturally, neither am I willin’ to hear so much chin over -nothin’ more’n might have been expected.” - -Both Simon and I were fully prepared to see these words provoke such -a quarrel as only the master-at-arms could quell; but to our surprise -not a word was spoken in reply. Every man Jack of the croakers held his -peace, although there were many among them, notably Master Josh, who -might have given the boatswain more of a task than he wanted, had it -come to a game of fisticuffs. - -Most likely the fact that we were in chase of what might prove a rich -prize prevented the men from indulging in a fight; but certain it is -that the challenge, for it could be taken as nothing less, was not -accepted. - -I noted with considerable satisfaction, however, that we heard no more -about omens during the remainder of the race, which came to an end -about noon, with the British brig _Benjamin_ lying to about half a mile -to leeward, and Captain Ropes calling off a prize-crew to take her in -charge. - -This craft, the second we had taken, was bound for England from -Newfoundland, laden with fish, and commanded by James Collins. - -We took from her the mate and seven men, leaving on board her captain, -one man, and a boy, and sent from the _America_ Joseph Dixon and -eight men, with orders to make any port in the United States north of -Nantucket. - -There was no time spent in overhauling the prize. As soon as the -prisoners could be brought aboard we were off, leaving Master Dixon to -his own devices, so far as keeping clear of British armed vessels was -concerned. - -Both Simon and I had hoped the prisoners taken from the _James and -Charlotte_ would be sent away; but instead of thus clearing the ship, -we received an addition of eight others, and, what concerned us two -lads most nearly, we were told off to care for the enemy in the way of -keeping them supplied with food and water. - -It was the most distasteful task ever set me; but there was no use -in trying to cry off from it, and, even had it been ten times worse -than really was the case, I would not have uttered a single word of -complaint, save, perhaps, to my comrade, for there had been full and -plenty of grumbling on this cruise. - -Our duties, as we soon learned from the second officer, consisted in -carrying from the cook’s quarters to the hold the food served out for -each meal, and also to have an eye over the prisoners during a certain -portion of each day, when the full crew was required to be on deck at -the regular drill. - -Thus it was that we two lads found ourselves beyond control of Master -Josh, who had not proven himself a very good instructor, owing to the -severe attack of fear and grumbling which had come upon him with the -carrying away of the topmast, and I for one was not sorry to make -the change, although almost any other duty than that of guarding and -feeding the prisoners would have been more to my liking. - -I could not prevent a certain feeling of pity for these poor fellows, -who were thus kept in close confinement for no other reason than that -their king was at war with the United States, and it is possible that -both us lads did somewhat toward making the imprisonment less irksome -at times. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -GHOSTS. - - -By waiting upon the prisoners, Simon Ropes and I gained certain -information of greater or less value, although there was in the task -nothing to give us pleasure. - -When it had been announced that we were at war once more with the -British king, I believed that all Englishmen were our sworn enemies, as -I held it my duty to be theirs; but before we two lads had been four -and twenty hours in our new station aboard the _America_, I came to -understand that at least a certain portion of the Britishers were, in a -degree, friendly toward us. - -As, for instance, these sailors whom we held prisoners complained quite -as bitterly as had we, because the king’s ships impressed their men, -and it really seemed as if the mariners of both countries had equal -cause for complaint, although, as a matter of course, it was not as bad -in the case of the Britisher to be impressed, in order that he might -help defend his country, as it was for the American to be taken against -his will into the service of a monarch whom he had no reason to love or -respect. - -These Britishers, weary of the long imprisonment, were more than -willing to hold converse with us lads, and as we loitered in the dark -hold, after having brought their food, we heard many and many a story -of cruelty practised by the officers of the English navy against their -own people, until it seemed as if the king’s subjects had quite as much -reason to rise against his Majesty as had we in ’76. - -However, it is not for me to set down such information as is doubtless -known to many of our people already; but I must confine myself to the -principal events which occurred while Simon Ropes and I served on board -the armed ship _America_, and now has come the time when the most -thrilling of our experiences is to be related. - -It was on the second night after we had parted company with the -_Benjamin_, and there was no more than air enough stirring to give the -ship steerageway, while a certain mist hung over the water, partially -obscuring the faint light of the stars. - -At sunset, not the faintest glimmer of a sail had been seen, in either -direction, and while the breeze held so light it was certain nothing -would heave in sight, therefore were the men on the lookout more -careless, knowing full well their watchfulness would be vain. - -Simon and I had come up from the hold about eight o’clock, having -loitered there a certain length of time after the guard was changed, in -order to talk with the prisoners, and, coming on to the gun-deck, saw -there the men separated in little groups, as they had been almost every -night since that Friday mishap. - -We knew full well what was the subject of their conversation or -discussion, whichever it might be called, and, wearied with the theme, -we continued on to the spar-deck, not minded to hear for the hundredth -time what fate befell this craft or that, to whose crew had been given -an omen similar to the one which came to us shortly after leaving Salem. - -Only a small portion of the watch on duty were awake. There was nothing -to be done, and the majority of the men, wearied with the work of the -day, were taking advantage of every opportunity for cat-naps, when the -officers’ backs were turned. - -Simon and I, new to the duty of caring for prisoners, were heavy-hearted -because of the suffering which we knew the poor fellows were enduring, -and felt no desire for slumber. Indeed, had we been so minded, there was -nothing to have prevented our turning in at that moment, since we were -no longer forced to serve with either watch, save at such times as all -hands might be called. - -Just abaft the mizzenmast was our favourite lounging-place at such -times, and there we went on this night, thinking only of those whom we -had left in the ship’s hold, forgetting, for the time being, the evil -predictions of Master Josh and his messmates. - -I was not conscious of gazing in any one direction. In fact, there -was nothing to be seen. Owing to the gloom, the men, as they moved -listlessly about, appeared to be faint shadows rather than human -beings, and the air was so light that we failed to distinguish the -break of foam, as the waves swept either side our craft. - -It was as if we were motionless, save for the lazy swell on which the -ship rose and fell so gently that one was hardly conscious of any -movement. - -Simon and I were speaking of what had been told us by one of the -prisoners, who, three years before, had been taken out of a British -merchantman by one of the king’s ships. - -We discussed the injustice of thus making slaves of free men, and -unconsciously, perhaps because of the quiet everywhere around, our -voices sank into whispers. - -Then it was that suddenly I saw rising out from the forecastle hatchway -a white mass. - -[Illustration: “SUDDENLY I SAW, RISING OUT FROM THE FORECASTLE -HATCHWAY, A WHITE MASS.”] - -I failed to distinguish any semblance of a human form, and yet, even -in the darkness could see that this--whatever it might be--occupied no -more space than would have been taken up by a man’s body. - -Fear seized upon me at once, but even in my terror and bewilderment, I -wondered how it was possible for me thus plainly to discern anything -at such a distance, while the darkness was so dense as to prevent my -seeing members of the watch standing near at hand. - -Just for an instant I fancied myself the victim of a delusion; but as I -sat bolt upright, gazing forward with my very heart in my eyes, Simon -Ropes grasped me by the arm nervously, yet firmly. - -Then I knew that he had seen the same shape, and was no less alarmed -than I. - -An exclamation of fear from out the darkness, twenty paces or more -away, told that we two were not the only ones who had seen this -strange sight, and immediately came a hail from the quarter-deck: - -“Who’s that yelling like a baby?” - -“It’s me; Tim Stubbs.” - -“What’s the matter?” - -“There’s a ghost, sir, come out of the forecastle hatch.” - -“Have you turned fool?” the officer asked, angrily, and I dimly -understood that it was Mr. Fernald, the second mate, who was speaking. - -“It’s a ghost all the same, sir,” the man replied, in quavering tones, -while at that moment the shape, or whatever it might be, seemed to fade -away, and on the instant was gone. - -“It is out of sight now, sir,” some one shouted from near the foremast; -“but it was a ghost all the same, an’ that I’ll swear to!” - -“Get below there, Stubbs, an’ see who’s trying to make a fool of you,” -Mr. Fernald cried, whereat the sailor slouched slowly off, muttering -to himself, and I knew full well that if any search was to be made Tim -Stubbs would not be the one to conduct it. - -Immediately the apparition, if so it can be called, had vanished, one -could hear from this point and that on deck the voices of the men in -hoarse whispers or mutterings, thus showing that nearly all of the -watch had seen the singular thing. - -Mr. Fernald most likely understood that the discipline of the ship -depended upon putting an end to any such fancy as that we had a ghost -aboard. - -Not contenting himself with having ordered Stubbs below, he ran forward -at full speed, calling loudly for a lantern as he dropped through the -forecastle hatch. - -I doubt if a single member of the watch followed him. - -There had been so much talk of omens and signs since the first Friday -that the minds of the men were in good condition to believe whatsoever -smacked of the superstitious, and at the moment--ay, for many a long -day afterward--I was firmly convinced that the form which had risen -through the hatchway was not of this earth. - -What with the shouting of the mate, his rapid footsteps on the deck as -he ran forward, and the muttering of the men, no little disturbance was -created, thanks to the stillness of the night, and while Simon and I -crouched abaft the mizzenmast, not daring to so much as speak, we heard -Captain Ropes’s voice as he came up from the cabin: - -“What’s goin’ on here?” he asked of the helmsman, and the latter -replied, as if giving the most commonplace information: - -“There’s a bloomin’ ghost for’ard, sir, an’ the second officer’s gone -to catch him.” - -The captain gave vent to an exclamation of impatience, and striding to -the break of the quarter-deck, he shouted: - -“Forward there!” - -“Ay, ay, sir,” came from a dozen voices. - -“What’s the cause of this disturbance?” - -“There’s a ghost in the forecastle, sir.” - -I heard the captain literally snort as he smothered an exclamation of -anger, and a moment later he asked: - -“Where is Mr. Fernald?” - -“Gone after the ghost, sir.” - -“What do you mean by that?” was the angry question. - -“There was a big something white popped up out of the fo’castle, sir, -an’ it smelled like a graveyard.” - -“There was regular fire come out of its face,” another added, whose -imagination was more vivid. - -“Let’s go back an’ tell father what we’ve seen,” Simon whispered to -me, and I caught at the suggestion eagerly, anxious to hear what -explanation the captain might make of the strange thing which had -appeared to us. - -Silently as possible, lest the men should think we were gone aft -talebearing, the lad and I moved back to the break of the quarter-deck, -and were close at the captain’s feet before he observed us. - -“Who is that?” he asked, peering down, and Simon replied: - -“It’s me, father, and Nathan Crowninshield. We saw what the man called -a ghost, and were frightened by it.” - -“Then you had best go ashore when next we make port, an’ say that you -are not fitted for sailormen,” the captain cried, sharply. “Are you all -turned fools that a shadow shall persuade you there’s a ghost aboard?” - -“It was not a shadow, sir,” I made bold to say. “Simon and I were -sitting just abaft the mizzenmast, and I saw something white rise -out of the forecastle hatchway, even before any one spoke. Then it -disappeared as the men began calling one to another.” - -“What was it like?” the captain asked, with a scornful laugh. - -“Like nothing, sir,” Simon replied. “It was simply a white shape, but -there was no fire about it, as one of the men has stated, neither did I -detect any odour.” - -“Of course you didn’t, because there was nothing in the hatchway. Most -likely it was a reflection of the canvas.” - -“How could there be a reflection on a night like this, sir?” a voice -asked from out the darkness. “This ’ere is worse than a fog-storm for -smother, an’ if them as were amidships saw something come out of the -fore-hatchway, it is more than could be done if one of the crew was -nearabout there.” - -All this was truth, as I realised on the instant. - -Strain my eyes as I might, it was impossible to see the figure of the -speaker, and yet I knew full well that the white form in the hatchway -had loomed up clearly, not indistinctly, as it would seem should be the -case if it were a gleam from a piece of canvas. - -Before the captain could reply to the sailor, Mr. Fernald came aft -carrying a lighted lantern, and Simon’s father asked, impatiently: - -“Well, what did you find?” - -“Nothing, sir. I reckon some of the men must have been playing pranks.” - -“They will have cause to regret anything of the kind, if I can catch -them at it,” the captain said, angrily, and then, wheeling about, went -straight into the cabin, followed by the second officer, who doubtless -understood, as did I, that Simon’s father preferred the report should -be made where none of the crew might overhear. - -Once the two officers left the deck, it was as if every man’s tongue -had suddenly been unloosed, and the watch below, most likely disturbed -by the running about, came pouring up to learn the cause of the unusual -noise. - -Then it was we learned the result of the second officer’s search. - -Some of the men had seen him come down with the lantern and search -about the gun-deck, but it was certain he failed to find anything. - -Now it can well be fancied into what a state of excitement we were -plunged, Simon and I among the others. - -Those who had clung to the belief that the carrying away of the topmast -was an omen of ill fortune declared the apparition in white to be a -second warning, and I question if there was a man forward of the cabin -who did not feel decidedly uneasy in mind. - -It was nearly morning before Simon and I could compose ourselves -sufficiently to turn in, and when, after a short time of slumber broken -by most disagreeable dreams, I leaped out of the swinging bed, it was -only to find the men in such a mental condition as it is difficult to -describe. - -The crew of the _America_, who had deemed themselves a fit match for -twice their number of Britishers, were vanquished by a defective spar, -and a something the character of which I could not then decide upon. - -Nor was it possible for Simon and I to laugh at their fears. - -We knew full well that there had been a form in the hatchway which -showed itself even amid the gloom, and no one could give it a name. - -Perhaps, if Mr. Fernald had not made an immediate search, we might have -persuaded ourselves that some one of the crew had been playing a trick; -but as it was, there had not been sufficient time elapse from the -vanishing of the apparition until the first officer went below with the -lantern for any mischief-maker to have concealed himself. - -It is not my intention to make any attempt at setting down here all -that was said on the subject during the day. There is not time enough -in my life to write all the foolishness I heard before nightfall. - -Both my comrade and myself had given little heed to the carrying -away of the topmast on Friday; but the whiteness in the hatchway was -something which disturbed us greatly, and I literally trembled when we -were forced to go into the dark hold to feed the prisoners. - -The day passed without mishap or important event, however. - -From the officers we heard nothing whatsoever concerning the matter, -and the men talked about it altogether too much to please me. - -We saw no sail during this day, and when night came the ship was -bowling along before a six-knot breeze, which should have blown from -our minds all the fancies that had taken possession of them. - -But the darkness found us one and all more given over to superstitious -fears than before. - -Both watches remained on deck, and I knew that not a man loitered -below, unless he took especial precautions to hide himself, for when -Simon and I came up from our task in the hold, no person could be seen -on the gun-deck. - -From the eldest to the youngest they shunned the darkness, and seemed -to believe safety could be found only in the open air. - -Simon and I, having discussed the singular subject during the day until -we were sick and tired of it, were stretched at full length just under -the break of the quarter, amidships, listening to the buzz of voices -around us, and hearing now and then a hum of conversation from the -officers aft, who were pacing to and fro in couples, as if fearing that -this new phase of affairs might breed trouble. - -It was a time when one would say the most adroit could not play a -trick, and yet suddenly, as distinctly as if the words had been bawled -through a speaking-trumpet, came the cry: - -“Put back! The cruise is ended!” - -For a single instant after the words rang out clear and sharp, not a -sound could be heard save the seething waves as the stem of the ship -divided them, or the whistling of the wind amid canvas and cordage. - -Then came a quick, angry cry from the captain: - -“Let every man come aft! Every one of you! We’ll break up this -tomfoolery before I’m many hours older!” - -It was much as if the crew were eager to obey the order, and in a -twinkling the ship was crowded near the break of the quarter, until -Simon and I were like to be trodden upon. - -Then came a command which we could not hear, and immediately afterward -the second and third officers went forward. - -I understood full well that the captain counted on finding some one -skulking forward, who was trying to work upon the fears of the men, -which had been aroused by the apparition of the night previous. - -However, in case the officers failed to find any one nearabout the -hatchway from which the voice seemed to come, it would hardly be a -fair test, since any one of those forward might have spoken the words, -although not without having been detected by some of his companions. - -At all events, the search was carried on evidently with great care, for -fully fifteen minutes elapsed before the two officers reappeared, and -meanwhile Simon and I, being sorely crowded against the break of the -quarter, had made bold to clamber up, by the aid of the men, until we -could sit upon the edge of the deck. - -We were not more than six feet distant from Captain Ropes when the -officers made their report, and I distinctly heard Mr. Fernald say: - -“We found nothing, sir. There is not a man below save those in the hold -who are guarding the prisoners.” - -“Where are the cooks?” the captain cried. - -“Here, sir! Here, sir! Here, sir!” came from as many different points -amid the throng. - -“Divide your watches, Mr. Fernald! Let us see who is skulking!” the -captain added, a moment later. - -Those belonging to the starboard watch were sent to the starboard side, -and those in the port watch, opposite, until the men were ranged in -double lines from the quarter-deck forward, Simon and I taking our -places with the rest, after which the captain and Mr. Fernald made a -tour of inspection. - -This investigation did not please Simon’s father, as was shown when it -had come to an end, and he called for us two lads to follow him with -lanterns, while Mr. Fernald was to write down each man’s name as he -stood in line. - -In this manner, after considerable time had been spent, a list of the -crew was written out, including the helmsman, who, as a matter of -course, had not left his station. - -Then we went below; found the guards on duty, and added their names to -the list. - -This done, the captain went on deck, and after he had counted the -written names, as I knew because Simon and I held the lanterns that he -might see clearly, he advanced to the break of the quarter, and said: - -“It is clear to me, my men, that there is some one on board bent upon -doing a mischief. You from Massachusetts have heads too hard to believe -that there may be such things as ghosts who show themselves in the -darkness and shout with human voices. It is not necessary for me to -tell you, as I would children, that such things are impossible,--that -one who has left this world has no desire to return. It would be a -foolish sailorman who, having gotten into a better place, should care -to come back, particularly on board ship. I repeat that some one of -you is trying to do a mischief, and warn all hands that before many -hours have passed I will discover the offender. Then you may be certain -there will be such punishment dealt out as won’t soon be forgotten. -If, however, the guilty man chooses now to acknowledge what is little -less than a crime, he shall be forgiven; but let him hold his peace -five minutes longer, and he will wish he had never shipped on board the -_America_.” - -The captain paused as if really expecting that some member of the crew -would step forward and acknowledge that he had played the part of -ghost; but not a man moved. - -I saw the old shell-backs look curiously at each other, some of them -with an expression on their faces which told plainly that, unless the -ghost himself came forward, the captain would gain no information. - -Well, Simon’s father waited while one might have counted twenty, and -then said, in a voice which was far from firm, because of the efforts -to control his anger: - -“The starboard watch may go below, and since it is a pleasure for -some one here to act the part of ghost, I will see to it that he is -converted into one before four and twenty hours have passed! Unless -you were all old women, there would be no necessity for any words. You -would know full well how ridiculous all this flummery is; but since -you have turned women and are ready to tremble at the lightest sound, -declaring it comes from another world, I will see to it the offender -is brought up with a round turn. In addition, I’ll give that man who -talks too much about this foolishness a round dozen by way of reminding -him that there’s nothing ghostly in the lash of the cat. Now get below!” - -The starboard watch obeyed on the instant, and Simon and I, thinking -it might not be well to loiter on deck while the captain was in such a -temper, followed them. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE PRISONERS. - - -I have made an attempt at describing the general situation on board the -_America_ while her crew had nothing more alarming to wag their tongues -over than the carrying away of the topmast, but have spent my time in -vain trying to show how they twisted that mishap into the ugliest kind -of an omen. - -Previous to the appearance of the supposed ghost, it seemed as if the -conduct of the crew could not be more mutinous unless, indeed, they had -risen with deadly intent against their officers; but now we two came to -understand that the former condition of affairs was as nothing compared -with the present. - -Then the men had no more weighty subject for conversation than -something which was really not out of the common, unless one chose -to so twist it in his mind, and there remained ample opportunity for -argument and individual belief. - -Now, however, the situation was changed. - -There was no opportunity for argument as to what had been seen and -heard, since every man Jack of us could do no less than give the same -evidence. - -It was no longer an omen which might be construed equally well to mean -good or evil; but a fact, to which the officers could testify as well -as the men. - -When the starboard watch gained the gun-deck, after having been so -soundly rated by the captain, it was as if each man was paralysed with -fear by that mysterious thing which had come upon us. - -During many moments no one spoke. Each seemed to be waiting for the -other, and not daring to venture a remark until the conversation had -been opened. - -Those of the men whose hammocks were slung well forward clustered aft, -where some of the elder members of the watch were lighting their pipes -preparatory to a smoking-match, when, as we lads knew full well, all -the occurrences of the evening would be discussed. - -None of the crew appeared willing to remain in the vicinity of the -forward hatchway, and more than one sat facing aft, lest there might -yet be some horrible thing to be seen in the bow of the ship. - -During this time of silence the thought came to me suddenly that -Captain Ropes himself must have been in a certain degree impressed by -the voice, else would he have tried to convince the men that it was -nothing supernatural, instead of railing at them as he did. - -The mind of a sailorman can be coaxed into almost whatsoever channel -you will; but it is not often possible to force it. - -Simon remained very near my side, and I was truly thankful that he did -so, because it seemed to me as if I really needed close contact with -some human being upon whom I could rely, in order to aid me in warding -off the terrible thing which appeared to threaten all on board. - -When the men’s tongues were finally loosened, there was no loud -talking, no angry exclamations, no vehement putting forth of this or -that opinion; all hands were subdued and solemn as though taking part -in some religious service the precise nature of which they did not -understand, and throughout the entire night--for no man so much as -dreamed of turning in--never a voice was raised to a high key. - -Even Master Josh, who ordinarily felt bound to make himself heard -from one end of the gun-deck to the other whenever he put forth an -opinion, was as low-voiced as any woman, and failed to assert the -authority which he usually claimed belonged to him by virtue of age and -experience. - -I might fill many pages while attempting to describe the scene which -was presented by the starboard watch during the time allotted it below, -and afterward by those of the port watch when they came off duty, and -yet not succeed in portraying the situation as it really presented -itself to Simon and me. - -Therefore I will make no further effort at picturing it; but content -myself by saying that it was as fearsome a night as I have ever -experienced, and since that day both Simon and I have been in some -exceedingly painful situations. - -There were two facts prominent in the minds of all. First, that some -ghostly visitor had come aboard, and second, that it was necessary for -the safety of all the _America_ be immediately steered on a direct -course for home. - -On these two points there was no difference of opinion; but concerning -the outcome many were disposed to take the most gloomy view. - -I believe of a verity that a full half of the crew were convinced we -should never see port again; that the ship and all on board were doomed -beyond the shadow of hope. - -With such ideas in their minds, the men were in a most dangerous frame -of mind. - -But few words were needed to bring about a veritable mutiny, and had a -single one of them offered himself as leader, I have no question but -that an attempt would have been made, within the hour, to force Captain -Ropes to do the bidding of those who should have obeyed him. - -One can well fancy how much blood would have been spilled in event -of an uprising, and, bearing this evident fact in mind, it is not -difficult to image the feelings of Simon and myself as we stood betwixt -that most terrible tragedy of the sea--a mutiny--and the approaching -doom foretold by the ghostly visitor. - -As I have said, no man occupied his hammock that night, and those who -had not remained on deck during the entire time of darkness sought the -open air with the first dawning of day. - -As may be expected, Simon and I followed them, for we were not minded -to remain alone on the gun-deck, where it was yet dark, and I looked -forward with dread to the hour when we must go into the hold to carry -the prisoners’ food. - -Captain Ropes and his officers must have been well aware of the -dangerous condition of mind into which the men were fallen, for no less -than three paced the quarter-deck constantly, and when an order was -given they took extra care that it should be obeyed promptly, as if -fearing lest the first indication of such delay as might be counted for -insubordination should prove to be the match that exploded a magazine -of fear and passion. - -I observed, too, that all the officers carried their side-arms as they -would have done on the eve of an engagement, and they kept vigilant -watch upon every one of us. - -As a matter of course, it would have been impossible to prevent the -men from talking among themselves; but I noticed that, when there was -any disposition on the part of the crew to gather into little groups, -some order was given which would necessitate their separation, and much -useless work laid out as if for no other purpose than to keep our time -fully occupied. - -It was like unto standing upon the summit of a volcano which threatens -to belch forth flame and death at any instant, and the minutes were to -me as hours. - -Then the word was passed from the cook-house that breakfast for the -prisoners had been made ready, and Simon and I went very unwillingly to -take charge of it. - -It was evident that even we two lads would not be allowed to loiter in -our work, for Mr. Fernald called sharply after us, as we were going -slowly forward: - -“Bear a hand there, lads! There is to be no sodgerin’ this mornin’!” - -We quickened our pace, Simon whispering to me, as we did so: - -“I wonder if he would step out lively in case it was his duty to go -below alone.” - -“He did last night, when all the money in the world wouldn’t have -tempted me to drop through the fore-hatch.” - -“That was because he had to do so, or own himself a coward before the -captain.” - -“And we are in exactly the same plight,” I said, taking heart as he -grew timid. “While it is a fact that I’m afraid to go below, I’d give -up all my share of prize-money rather than let Mr. Fernald understand -exactly what is in my mind.” - -Like all imaginary dangers, this venturing into the hold of the ship -amounted to nothing, and when we were come to the prison, which on -board vessels is called the “brig,” I breathed more freely, for, having -once descended through the hatch where had appeared the apparition, -courage began to return. - -The sailors who had acted as guard during the night welcomed our -coming, and went on deck as soon as might be, eager to learn the cause -of the disturbance during the evening previous. - -We two lads were now in charge of the Britishers, and, save when they -were taken on deck for exercise, would be held responsible for their -safety until night came once more. - -We served out the food as usual, and while doing so it appeared to me -as if one man was presenting himself a second time for the allowance, -whereupon I asked: - -“Were you not the third in line when we began to serve breakfast?” - -“If I had been you wouldn’t see me here now, because I’d be workin’ my -jaws over the scanty allowance.” - -“There is nothing scanty about it,” Simon cried, indignantly. “You are -receiving the same amount of food as does any member of our crew.” - -“Well, I’m not grumbling except you are trying to cheat me out of my -portion,” the man said, half apologetically, and without further ado -I handed him a pannikin, for we carried each man’s allowance in a -separate dish, to the end that the stronger might not take advantage of -the weaker, saying to myself as I did so: - -“If that fellow has been served, as I fancy, we shall come out short -before all are fed.” - -A moment later it appeared that I had wronged the man, for nineteen -pannikins had been passed into the brig, which was exactly the number -necessary if each prisoner was to receive one. - -Even with this proof I felt puzzled, for it surely seemed as if one man -had gotten a double allowance, and, without really intending to do so, -I counted the prisoners as they were squatting here or there busily -engaged with the meal. - -There were but eighteen. - -Again I counted, arriving at the same conclusion. - -It did not seem possible one man alone could have escaped, for if such -an opportunity had presented itself, why did not some of the others -take advantage of it? And yet where was this nineteenth prisoner? - -On board the ship, as a matter of course. - -Therefore, so I argued to myself quickly, if there had been an escape, -it must have occurred after Mr. Fernald searched the ship on the -evening previous, when was heard that strange voice, and yet the door -of the brig was securely fastened, while two men had, supposedly, kept -watch all night. - -Now it came to me that I might be mistaken, although that was hardly -probable, and beckoning to Simon to come aft with me to such a distance -from the prisoners that the words could not be overheard, I asked him -the question: - -“How many prisoners did we take from the _James and Charlotte_?” - -“Twelve all told,” he replied. “Eleven came down here, and the captain -went into the cabin.” - -“How many came to us from the _Benjamin_?” - -“Eight, and they are all here.” - -“That should make nineteen,” I repeated half to myself. - -“Ay, of course it does. What have you in your head now?” - -“Go and count the Britishers.” - -“I can do that as I stand here,” and Simon commenced, stopping when he -had ended with eighteen, and beginning over again. - -“Is there one missing?” he asked, as if doubting the evidence of his -own senses. - -Well, we puzzled over that matter half an hour or more, examining every -portion of the brig without allowing the prisoners to understand what -we were about, and it was impossible to arrive at any other conclusion. - -There were but eighteen men in the brig, and yet the prison remained as -it ever had been, so secure that anything larger than a cat could not -have gotten out. - -Then we went aft a short distance, to discuss the matter, and Simon -repeated again and again this question: - -“What could it advantage a man to escape from the brig, in case an -opportunity presented itself? By so doing he would shut himself off -from taking exercise in the open air once a day, and stand a chance of -getting mighty hungry.” - -“Now I am positive that the fellow to whom I spoke took two allowances.” - -“How can it avail the man who is free, if there be one outside? With a -guard kept night and day, nothing could be passed out from the brig.” - -I failed to answer his question, yet the fact remained that, -apparently, one of the prisoners was missing, and lest we should have -made a mistake in supposing nineteen had been confined in the brig, I -proposed to go quietly on deck and ask some one of the men the same -questions I had asked Simon. - -He, however, refused to be left alone, and I did not count him a coward -because of his fears. - -What with the apparition and ghostly voice, and the possibility that a -Britisher might be roaming around the hold ready to make an attempt -in case a single sentinel should be left on duty, it was by no means -cheerful to take one’s chances alone. - -Those sailors who had been acting as guard during the night left their -muskets, when they went on deck, according to custom, nearabout the -ladder leading to the gun-deck, in case we might need them. - -Heretofore the weapons had remained undisturbed, because while the door -of the brig was firmly secured it did not seem as if we had any use for -them. - -Now, however, I armed myself with a musket, Simon doing the same, and -once more we retired out of ear-shot for consultation. - -There was in my mind a very well-defined idea that we should, without -delay, acquaint the captain of our discovery, and yet I was eager to -first avoid the possibility of a mistake by questioning some of the men -as to the number of prisoners we had taken aboard, lest we be laughed -at for entertaining cowardly fears. - -My mind was in such a whirl, what with one thing and another happening -during the past four and twenty hours, that I was not willing to accept -as evidence the fact that the cooks had filled nineteen pannikins with -food. - -I suggested as much to Simon, whereupon he declared that nothing would -induce him to remain in the hold alone; but that if I was so eager the -matter be settled at once, he would go on deck, leaving me to stand -guard. - -Then I suddenly came to the conclusion that no great harm could be -done, at least during this forenoon when we were keeping careful -watch, and it might be as well that we wait until the prisoners were -taken out for exercise. - -The Britishers must have understood that there was something unusual in -the wind, for it had been our custom to pass the time in conversation -with them, whereas we now held ourselves aloof, not even offering to -tell them what the weather might be. - -They talked in low tones among themselves for awhile, and finally one -called out: - -“What was the rumpus last night?” - -“How did you know there was any?” I asked, thinking to learn how much -they had heard. - -“A man would need to be both blind and deaf who couldn’t understand -something was wrong when all hands were runnin’ back an’ forth. One of -the officers came down here and searched the hold as if he’d lost his -prize-money.” - -“It seems you know more about it than we do, for I could not have said -the hold was searched last night.” - -“It may have been that your mate was on a tour of inspection; but -at all events he gave this part of the craft a pretty thorough -overhauling. Did anything go wrong?” - -I was not minded that the prisoners should know in what condition was -our crew, lest, if a favourable opportunity presented itself, they -might think it possible to rise against us successfully, although it -would have been a ridiculous notion for eighteen men, unarmed, to -attack one hundred and fifty, with all the weapons on the ship at -their disposal. - -Therefore I refused to answer the question by holding my peace, and, -most likely understanding that there was some good reason for my -silence, the Britishers gave over questioning. - -The time had come when a half a dozen or more of our men should come -down to take the prisoners on deck for exercise, and when they arrived -I was resolved to ask that some of them act in our stead while we went -aft for an interview with the captain. - -We waited impatiently, Simon and I both puzzling our brains over the -supposed fact that one of the Britishers was missing, at the same time -that we speculated with fear upon the events of the previous evening. - -The hours passed, and no one came to our relief. - -The unfortunate men, whose only pleasure, I might almost say comfort, -consisted in an hour spent in the open air, began to complain bitterly, -and ask us again and again why the necessary exercise was forbidden -them. - -“We have no reason to suppose that you will not be taken on deck,” -Simon said, petulantly, after the question had been asked a dozen -times. “Unless there may be a chance of taking another prize, some of -the crew must surely be here very soon.” - -These words of my comrade served to explain to my satisfaction why we -had been left so long alone. - -Beyond a question something had come in sight, and the _America_ was -in close pursuit, which would explain why the Britishers were denied -their brief time of comparative liberty. - -It seemed to me as if it must be two or three hours past noon, when a -voice from the hatch which led into the hold cried out: - -“Here’s your grub, lads! Come up an’ get it!” - -Quickly I ran to the foot of the ladder, shouting Mr. Fernald’s name at -the full strength of my lungs, for although it seemed impossible one of -the mates would have performed such a task as bringing food from the -galley, the voice sounded strangely like his. - -No reply was received to my outcries, and when I gained the top of the -ladder the gun-deck was deserted. - -Nearby the hatchway were the pannikins of food; but I gave no heed -to them as I stood gazing around me, rapidly giving way to fear and -apprehension. - -“What’s the matter?” Simon cried, coming hurriedly to the foot of the -ladder. - -“That’s what I don’t know. Here are the prisoners’ dinners, and yet no -one has come to relieve us.” - -In silence, and like two stupids, I stood at the top and he at the foot -of the ladder, gazing at each other in what was very like terror, and -then, understanding that we were giving the Britishers an exhibition of -cowardice, I said, sharply: - -“If they have neglected us, it is no reason why we should not do our -duty. Stand by to take this grub, and I’ll pass it down.” - -Simon obeyed, and when all the pannikins were ranged in front of the -brig ready for distribution, I came below, saying to the prisoners as I -did so: - -“We don’t count on giving a double portion to any one of you this noon, -so form in line and hold your pannikins in plain sight until all are -delivered.” - -[Illustration: “‘WE DON’T COUNT ON GIVING A DOUBLE PORTION TO ANY ONE -OF YOU THIS NOON.’”] - -There was in front of the brig a small bar which, on being removed, -gave an aperture sufficiently large to pass in food or water, and -through this the prisoners were served. - -As a matter of course, there was one pannikin left after each man had -gotten his portion, and I fancied all the Britishers looked grievously -disappointed because we had thus been careful in the distribution of -food. - -“What are we to do with this one?” Simon asked, lifting the remaining -dish. - -“I reckon we had better divide what is in it, for it seems much as if -we had been forgotten this day.” - -“But surely they count on relieving us for a time.” - -“They haven’t done so as yet, and whoever brought the grub was in a -tremendous hurry.” - -“What do you suppose can be happening on deck?” the lad asked, in a -whisper, and I, rendered irritable because a similar question was in my -own mind, causing me decided fear, replied, sharply: - -“What good can come of our speculating about matters on deck? We have -been set to this work, and should be men enough to take what comes, or -get along on what fails us, without grumbling.” - -“It must be they have sighted a Britisher, and are giving chase,” the -lad said, as if trying by thus speaking to persuade himself such was -the case, while I, now become a prey to gloomy fears, said, without -believing what I spoke: - -“That must be the reason why whoever brought the grub was in such a -hurry to get on deck again.” - -This reply appeared to satisfy Simon; but I was very near to believing -that the _America’s_ crew had broken forth in open mutiny. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -A STERN CHASE. - - -We two lads were given over to fear and anxiety, as the hours went by -and no one came to relieve us. - -We had partially satisfied our hunger with the contents of the -nineteenth pannikin, and had plenty of water close at hand with which -to quench our thirst; but even though we had suffered for both these -necessaries, it would have been as nothing compared to the distress of -mind while imagining that the worst might be happening on deck. - -The prisoners must have understood, both because they had not been -taken out for exercise and owing to our being thus neglected, that -something serious was in the wind. - -For a time they plied us with questions, and then, realising that we -either could or would not afford them any satisfaction, gave over the -attempt. - -I fancied they appeared disturbed, as if it were possible to guess -somewhat of the situation, and I also wondered if there were really -another man, who, having by some mysterious means gotten out of the -brig, lurked about near at hand ready to do whatsoever he might toward -releasing his comrades. - -Before noon we understood that the wind was increasing in force, for -the ship plunged into the deeps of the waves and clambered up again in -such manner as told that she was labouring heavily. - -Other than by the motion of the craft it was impossible to even guess -what might be going on above, save that we might be in pursuit of an -enemy. - -We knew full well our crew was so strong in numbers that a dozen men -might have been spared, even in the midst of the most furious tempest, -to relieve us for at least so long as would be necessary to get our -dinner. - -Because of our mental anxiety, it was impossible to form any fair idea -regarding the passage of time; but it seemed to me as if the night must -have come, when Simon said, in a whisper, his voice quavering wofully: - -“Would you be willing to stay here alone, while I went on deck to learn -what may be happening?” - -“It seems positive one of the prisoners is outside the brig, and it -might be that, when there was only a single boy on guard, he would make -an attempt at setting his comrades free,” I replied, rejoicing that I -had so valid an excuse to give; for, of a verity, I should have been in -sore distress at being forced to remain there alone, even though all -the Britishers were safe within the prison. - -“I would give much to know why they have seemingly forgotten us,” the -lad said, with a long-drawn sigh. - -“Then stay here, and I’ll find out in a twinkling.” - -“If it is dangerous for you to be here alone, surely I should not be -asked to take the chances.” - -“I’m not asking you; but simply showing how we may learn what has -happened.” - -“Some one must come in course of time, no matter how much mischief has -been done, and perhaps it is just as well if we wait patiently,” he -said, with an effort to speak in a cheery strain, and at that instant I -could have cried aloud with joy, for the gleam of dull light from the -hatchway was shut off by the figure of a man. - -It was Tim Stubbs, who had come thus tardily to our relief, and I dare -venture to say he was never before greeted so warmly or heartily. - -Both us lads ran toward him, laying hold of his garments before he -could descend the ladder, as if we feared he might reconsider his -purpose of paying us a visit. - -“Had quite a long spell of standin’ watch, eh, boys?” he cried, -cheerily, glancing quickly around, to make certain all was well. - -“We’ve been here all day, and the cooks have even forgotten to bring -the prisoners’ supper. What is the matter?” I cried, impatiently. - -“I reckon the Britishers can hold on till night before they howl for -another feed.” - -“Isn’t it dark yet?” Simon asked, in surprise. - -“Dark, lad? No, nor it won’t be for three or four hours. The crew have -just been served with dinner. I got through with my share of the grub -first, an’ slipped down here without orders, to see how you was comin’ -on.” - -“What has happened that you’ve been kept waiting so long for something -to eat?” Simon cried, and I began to despair of getting any information -from this sailor, who had stood our friend ever since we recovered from -the attack of homesickness and seasickness. - -“First an’ foremost, the wind got up a bit, all in a jump, an’ we had -a lively job gettin’ the old hooker snugged down to it. Then we’d no -more’n--” - -“Have we run into another gale?” Simon interrupted. - -“Well, lad, I allow we’ve got what you might call a leetle more’n half -a full breeze, with the chances that there’ll be greater weight to the -wind before mornin’.” - -“Was it so bad that, out of all the crew, none could come down here to -relieve us a few moments?” I asked, irritably, for there was in my mind -a sense of being needlessly neglected. - -“Not exactly that, lad; but we’d no sooner snugged her down in good -shape, when a Britisher heaves in sight. Nothin’ would satisfy the -old man but that we must shake two reefs out of the topsails, an’ set -the maintopgallantsail. It wasn’t what you might call easy work, an’, -accordin’ to my thinkin’, we’re likely to carry away another spar -before midnight.” - -“And you’ve been at that work all day?” Simon cried, incredulously. - -“Well, it amounts to that, for we’ve humped ourselves lively since the -word was given to shorten sail, which didn’t come till nigh on to noon. -The old man racked his brains all the mornin’ to find somethin’ to keep -us busy, an’ you can make up your mind that there was no sodgerin’ -while he stumped the quarter-deck, lookin’ sour enough to shame -vinegar.” - -“Why weren’t the prisoners taken on deck for exercise?” - -“That’s a question the captain may best answer. All I can say is, -that every man Jack of us has been on the clean jump since you came -below. If the old man thinks he can work last night’s business out of -our heads, he’s makin’ a big mistake. The port watch had no more’n -got below than they fell to jawin’ about it livelier than ever. Josh -Seabury says there’s a chance to save our lives if the _America’s_ -course is changed right soon.” - -“You’ll hardly see the ship heading for home while there’s a Britisher -in sight, and I should think the men would be ashamed to speak of such -a possibility,” Simon cried, stoutly, and it was no more than right for -him to say whatsoever he might by way of defending his father. - -“Well, the Britisher is in sight, an’ that’s about all you can say,” -Tim Stubbs replied, reflectively. “We’ve picked up somethin’ this time -that ain’t to be overhauled in short order. It’s a question in my mind -which craft is the best sailer. Both of ’em has the same rig, an’ it’s -a toss-up whether we’re gainin’ ground or fallin’ astern.” - -“Are we carrying much sail?” Simon asked. - -“You’ll think so when you look aloft. We’re dressed out in fine-weather -style, with every rag tuggin’ at the spars fit to jump ’em clean out -of the old hooker, even if they was the best timber ever cut. If the -_America_ holds all her sticks till mornin’, I’ll be willin’ to say -that I didn’t hear any ghost’s voice last night, nor see a bit of white -in the fore-hatchway.” - -“Is it a ship we’re chasing?” I asked, with a view of preventing Stubbs -from dwelling on that very disagreeable happening. - -“Ay, lad, an’ a clipper. I counted that the _America_ could outsail -anything that ever floated; but she’s come mighty nigh to meetin’ her -match this time. I’ll venture to say there isn’t the difference of half -a cable’s-length betwixt us and her, from what there was when she first -hove in sight. She brought down a fog bank with her, an’ was showin’ -topgallantsails when we sighted. It ain’t any two to one but that she -carries as much metal as we, an’ even if we overhaul her, there won’t -be any child’s play to follow.” - -“If the Britisher is well armed, why should she run away?” Simon asked, -now grown so interested in the chase that the fears which had assailed -him were almost forgotten. - -“Most likely she can’t make up her mind how heavy we are, or she -may have no stomach for a fight jest now; but it’s certain that we -won’t put a prize-crew on board, if it so be we overhaul her, which I -misdoubt, without payin’ a good price for the privilege.” - -It can well be imagined that the prisoners were listening eagerly to -all Stubbs was saying. - -We three had remained near the foot of the ladder, within four or five -yards of the door of the brig, and the sailor spoke in a tone so loud -that they could not fail to catch every word. - -As I came suddenly to realise this once more, my thoughts went back -to the fact that one of the men had succeeded in getting out of the -prison, and straightway the desire to give such information to the -captain or Mr. Fernald grew strong within me. - -For an instant I made up my mind to explain the situation to Stubbs, -but checked myself as I came to understand that it was my duty to first -make the captain acquainted with what we had learned. - -“Is there any good reason why you can’t hold on here for a spell?” I -asked, abruptly, interrupting the sailor as he was about to tell us -more regarding the chase. - -“There’s no knowin’ when all hands may be called, an’ while the old man -has got such a lively bee in his bonnet I wouldn’t like to be missin’ -when wanted.” - -“But it isn’t reasonable to keep us here all day on a stretch, without -food, when there are so many aboard who must be idling,” I cried, hotly. - -“I grant you that, lad; but it’s the captain’s business to send orders -that you be relieved.” - -“If you’ll stand here five minutes, I’ll tell the captain what you -are doing, and why we pressed you into service,” Simon said, eagerly, -whereupon I, believing that one of the prisoners was probably lurking -about close at hand ready for mischief, understood that it would not be -safe for Stubbs to remain on duty alone unless we had first warned him -of the possible danger. - -“Stubbs shall stay here with me, and you may go on deck, Simon,” I -cried, giving my comrade a look which I hoped he would understand as -meaning that he was to acquaint his father with what we had learned. - -The lad nodded his head as if in reply to my glance, and, without -waiting for the sailor’s permission, ran up the ladder at full speed. - -I asked Stubbs if the men still felt disturbed by last night’s -occurrences, whereupon he replied, in a tone which plainly told that he -thought me a simple for venturing such a question: - -“After you’ve seen a thing, an’ heard a thing speak, how’re you -goin’ to get it out of your head, simply because the captain gives -the command that you must? We’ll allow that the carryin’ away of the -topmast on a Friday didn’t signify nothin’, an’ that Josh Seabury is -way off his reckonin’ when he holds that it was a warnin’ for us to -bring this ’ere cruise to an end. That leaves us free an’ clear up to -last night, when that bloomin’ thing popped out of the fore-hatchway. -Now you’ll agree, as must every honest man, that shadows don’t show -white, an’ stars can’t throw out any light when the mist covers ’em -entirely. It couldn’t be anything more or less than a ghost, lad.” - -“But there are no such things, Stubbs!” I cried, hoping to convince -myself by speaking in a loud tone. “No one but a foolish old shellback -like Master Joshua would ever allow that there are ghosts.” - -“When you see a thing, you’re bound to believe in it, no matter what -any one else may say,” the sailor replied, stubbornly. “But as Josh -Seabury asks: Allowin’ that all hands of us fell to dreamin’, an’ -neither you, nor me, nor the rest of the watch saw anything, what do -you make of the order for us to put back to port? Who or what was it -yelled the words in sich a way as no livin’ man can yell, an’ what did -the thing mean by sayin’ the cruise was ended?” - -It would have been better for my own peace of mind if I had not brought -the conversation around to this point. - -Instead of convincing Stubbs there were no such things as ghosts, he -had, by repeating Master Joshua’s arguments, almost persuaded me that -we had seen and heard a veritable spirit, whose mission it was to warn -us of impending danger. - -I fell silent, and the sailor began filling his pipe as he walked -toward the prison, bent on holding friendly converse with those who, -through the unlawful acts of the king, had unwittingly become our -enemies. - -The Britishers questioned him eagerly concerning the chase, and he -freely gave the desired information, discussing with them the chances -of overhauling the ship, which he appeared to consider were very slight. - -I did not care to listen, even though I burned to learn all that had -taken place while Simon and I were forced to remain in the darkness. - -Talking with Stubbs concerning the events of the previous evening had -aroused all my nervous fears, and I was quite prepared to believe that -whosoever had escaped from the brig was making ready to attack us, -although what might have been gained if all the prisoners were at that -moment released from the brig, I could not have explained. - -Standing with my back to the ladder lest some one might creep up from -behind, and my musket ready for immediate use, I waited, feverishly -impatient, for Simon’s return. - -He came after perhaps half an hour had passed, although the time seemed -to me much longer than that, and I saw at once he had failed in his -purpose. - -“You didn’t speak with your father!” I cried, in a tone of reproof, and -indeed for the instant it was to me as if the lad had failed because of -negligence. - -“It couldn’t be done,” he said in a half-whisper. “Word has been passed -that none of the crew are to come aft even so far as the break of the -deck, without being summoned, and the third officer stands there, -holding for dear life on the mizzen-shrouds, lest the heavy waves sweep -him over the rail, to stop any who dare make the venture.” - -“I should have tried it at all hazards. There isn’t an officer on board -who would have prevented you from gaining speech with your father.” - -“That was what I believed, but soon learned my mistake. The boatswain -pulled me back, and when I told him that I must speak with the captain -at once on important business, he swore he’d put me in irons if I -didn’t go forward.” - -“What is the meaning of such orders?” I asked, indignantly, and Simon -whispered in my ear: - -“Master Joshua told me the port watch had sworn the ship should be put -about without loss of time, and were making for the quarter-deck when -the captain and two of the mates drove them back at the point of their -pistols. It’s little less than mutiny, and the men openly admit as -much.” - -“But surely you wouldn’t be mistaken for a mutineer!” - -“The third officer and the boatswain must obey orders, and you know -full well that I don’t count as being the captain’s son while we’re -members of the crew.” - -Surely the situation must be serious if such precautions had been -taken, and I said to myself that the cruise was indeed likely to be -ended very shortly, omens or no omens, unless there was a speedy change -in affairs. - -Then, after a pause, and rather for the sake of continuing a -conversation than because I had any real curiosity regarding the -matter, I asked: - -“Did you see the Britisher?” - -“Ay, and she’s staggering under the same canvas as we. It doesn’t -seem possible either craft can stand up very long under such a press -of sail. It is blowing a full gale; our decks are awash, and the ship -is burying herself to such an extent that every third or fourth wave -sweeps over her from stem to stern. It’s enough to make a fellow turn -pale with fear, to stand there five minutes watching the surge towering -on either hand, ahead and astern, even above the mastheads. Twice, -while trying to make my way aft, I was like to being washed overboard. -Some of the men say that my father is doing his best to make good the -words spoken by the ghost last night, for it surely seems as if the -cruise would be ended very shortly.” - -Simon’s courage was no better than mine, and verily we were an unhappy -pair. - -At that moment there came before my eyes a picture of the home in Salem -where my mother awaited the return of her son, and I wondered why I -should have been such a fool as ever to leave her when there was no -real need for so doing. - -Then I bethought me of our own immediate trouble, and asked, angrily: - -“Did you learn why we have been left here so long? Are we to be -starved?” - -“I question much if those aft remember that we were left in charge of -the prisoners, or, remembering it, if they suppose that we have not -been relieved.” - -“If both watches have been kept on deck since daylight, who could have -taken our places?” I cried, angrily. - -“With a veritable mutiny on hand, a gale of wind, and a Britisher to -be caught, we two lads don’t cut any great figure on board just at -present,” Simon replied, with a faint smile, and then I understood that -his heart was even more sore than mine, because of having been denied -the privilege of going aft, particularly since he had seldom made the -attempt. - -Tim Stubbs discovered about this time that he should be on the -gun-deck, and would have left us hurriedly but that I clutched at his -arm, holding him sufficiently long to ask: - -“Do you intend that we shall spend four and twenty hours here alone, -with nothing to eat?” - -“It isn’t anything I can help, lad. I’ll speak to the bo’sun about it, -if I get the chance.” - -Then he freed himself from my grasp and was gone, leaving Simon and me -gazing discontentedly into each other’s eyes. - -Lest he who chances to read these lines should be brought to think that -Simon Ropes and I were babies, who could not remain on duty twelve -hours at a stretch without weeping and wailing over it, let me call -attention to the general situation, which was sufficient to take the -heart out of lads far stronger than we two. - -Had it been necessary for us to stand guard four and twenty hours, -or even twice that length of time on a stretch, because we were in -pursuit of an enemy, the labour would have seemed as nothing. Or, had -any ordinary event in a sailorman’s life rendered it important that -we should perform even a more laborious task, not a word of complaint -would have been heard from our lips. - -It was the nameless dread which had come upon us since the evening -previous; the haunting fear that one of the prisoners was lying in wait -to make a sudden attack; the possibility that the men might rise in -mutiny,--it was all these which rendered us timid and peevish. - -We gave way to terror unnecessarily at this particular time, however, -for Tim Stubbs had hardly more than left us before two old shellbacks -came down to relieve us, stipulating, as we hastened toward the ladder -in our eagerness to breathe the fresh air once more, that we should -bring them news of the chase from time to time. - -“We’ll keep you posted,” I cried, “and you in turn are to be on the -alert every instant. Have your muskets where they may be come at -handily, and be quick at facing about in case you hear any unusual -noise from behind.” - -Some of the prisoners looked at me oddly as I gave this advice, which -was as near as I cared to come at revealing what I believed to be the -true state of affairs, and one of the sailors asked: - -“Have you lads grown chicken-hearted from bein’ down here in the dark? -What need have we of muskets while the Britishers remain safe behind -them ’ere wooden bars?” - -“There’s no knowing what might happen,” I replied, speaking gravely in -order that the words should have more weight. “It isn’t safe to think -everything is in proper order when there’s a chance that appearances -may be deceitful.” - -I was looking full in the face of one of the prisoners as I spoke, and -it seemed to me that the fellow changed colour; but of this I could not -be positive. - -However, I did not stop many seconds to observe the effect of my words. - -It seemed to me certain I could succeed in gaining speech with the -captain, regardless of the orders that no one should go aft, and I -followed Simon on deck, feeling that such time of suspense as had been -caused by the Britishers would soon be at an end. - -On the gun-deck we found the watch off duty, or a certain number of the -men, crouching very close together in private converse, and this, to my -mind, boded no good. - -They ceased talking as Simon and I approached, which was additional -proof that they had been plotting mischief. - -Surely the gale, which appeared, judging from the ship’s motions, to be -increasing in force each instant, and the knowledge that we were in hot -pursuit of an enemy, should have kept their thoughts from mutiny; but -that which they had seen and heard was too mysterious and uncanny to be -driven from their minds, whatever the counter attraction. - -Simon and I literally clawed our way along, forced to keep a firm -hold continually upon something, else the terrific upward bounds and -downward plunges of the ship would have flung us headlong against the -gun-carriages. - -I had never before found it so difficult to keep my footing; never -believed a huge ship could be tossed in such fashion by the wind and -waves. - -It seemed to me in the highest degree foolhardy to continue the chase -under such circumstances, and I questioned if it had not already been -abandoned. - -“What sail are we under?” I asked of the man nearest, bawling the words -in his ear because the uproar even down there between decks was so -great that one was forced to shout in order to make himself heard. - -“Carryin’ everything that can be jammed on her,” the sailor replied, -with a growl of discontent. “The captain is bound to make good the -words of the ghost, an’, accordin’ to the looks of things, I’d say the -cruise is like to be ended in short order.” - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE. - - -It surely seemed as if the possibility of capturing the chase might -have kept the men’s thoughts, for a time at least, from those -mysterious happenings which had sown the seeds of mutiny among us; but -yet such was not the case. - -For my part, the gale which was buffeting the ship, because she dare -show such a press of canvas that at times it appeared as if the fabric -lay upon her beam ends, was enough to banish all thought of that which -occurred and could not readily be explained. - -Had the _America_ been snugged down in proper condition to meet the -furious blasts, the tempest might have howled yet louder without -causing a single sensation of uneasiness or fear, because we knew full -well that the good ship was fit to meet any ordinary tumult of nature. - -But when, in the midst of what might almost be called a tempest, her -captain had ordered that she be given as much canvas as could be -carried, without literally burying her, then was the situation such as -seemed to demand the attention of every one. - -Had these mutinously inclined sailors cried out against Captain -Ropes’s thus forcing the ship to her utmost point of endurance, then -would there have been method in their madness. - -Instead of this, however, they allowed their minds to dwell upon the -past, shrinking before the imaginary evils, and apparently giving no -heed to the imminent danger which threatened. - -As these thoughts came into my mind, I stood clasping with both hands -the stanchion, lest I be hurled like a shuttle-cock around the deck, -lost in amazement because the men could be so keen in following their -own superstitions, and so dull to present surroundings. - -Simon, who had been following close at my heels, and was now swaying to -and fro at my side as he clutched the same support, said, after we had -surveyed the groups of mutinous sailormen: - -“Let us try to go on deck. It may be that we shall succeed in having -speech with my father, and it appears to me necessary he should know -what we have learned.” - -Anything was preferable to remaining there, so I said to myself, -although doubting if it would be possible for us to gain the spar-deck. - -Waiting until the ship was comparatively steady for an instant, we -forsook the stanchion to make a rush for the next nearest stationary -object to which we could cling, and thus, by short stages, after no -little expenditure of time, succeeded in gaining the hatch, which had -been left open only sufficiently wide to admit of the passage of a -man’s body. - -Here we stood on the ladder, with our heads just showing above the -combing, witnessing such a terrifying spectacle as I had never before -seen. - -To describe the ship as she literally wallowed through the foaming -waters, is beyond my power. - -There were times when it appeared to me as if the gun-deck was two feet -beneath the surface, and, in a twinkling, both of us lads were drenched -to the skin, although, as I have said, only our heads and shoulders -were exposed. - -The labouring craft, carrying such a press of canvas as prevented her -from rising to the waves, literally ploughed her way through them. -The spars groaned as they buckled to the wind, until it appeared each -instant as if they must go by the board. Now and then, when we were so -far beneath the yawning chasms of water that the force of the gale was -shut off from us momentarily, the slatting of chains and bolt-ropes -made a din so great that it could not have been equalled by an army of -blacksmiths hammering at their anvils. - -A wilder or more awe-inspiring scene cannot be imagined, and to Simon -and me, inexperienced as we were in a seafaring life, the peril -appeared exceeding great. - -Now and then, far in the distance, directly over the bow, could be seen -the topsails of the chase, who must have been making as heavy weather -of it as we were, and I said to myself that it was no longer a question -of measuring strength between Britisher and Yankee, but simply a -contest which would be decided in favour of the ship that had been most -carefully and strongly constructed. - -To pursue an enemy under such conditions seemed little less than -madness; yet I afterward came to believe that Captain Ropes’s -recklessness, at such a time, was far more potent toward subduing the -mutiny of the crew than any other course he might have pursued. - -There was no need for us to discuss the question of trying to gain -speech with the captain. - -It would have been literally impossible for either of us to have made -our way aft to the quarter-deck, even though no one stood ready to -oppose us, and this Simon understood as well as I. - -Clutching me by the arm to attract attention, for in such a place one -might have bawled himself hoarse, without making his words heard twelve -inches away, Simon motioned for me to descend, and with no little -difficulty we made our way once more to the gun-deck. - -Here, in a corner which was sheltered by one of the gun-carriages, -we contrived to carry on a fragmentary conversation, during which it -was agreed that the crew should not be told of what we had discovered -regarding the prisoners until we could gain speech with the captain. - -While the ship was labouring so violently, there was little danger that -those in the brig would attempt any mischief, however favourable an -opportunity presented itself, and we would be warranted in holding our -peace, so long as both of us remained on the alert. - -As a matter of course, under ordinary circumstances, we would not have -hesitated to inform the men that one of the Britishers had escaped, -and this would have been clearly our duty; but now, while they were in -a state of mutiny, so to speak, it seemed advisable that we keep secret -what had been learned. - -It was impossible to pay a visit to the cook’s quarters for the purpose -of getting food, and we knew beyond a peradventure that all hands must -content themselves with bread and water until the gale had so far -abated as to render work in the kitchen possible. - -Although such a task was in the highest degree distasteful, we lads -descended into the hold after having held this brief consultation, and -there remained, much to the surprise of those sailors who were on guard. - -Here the tumult, save as shown by the plunging and rolling of the ship, -was comparatively slight, and we might have indulged in conversation -without great exertion; but neither of us felt inclined for words at -such a time. - -I fancied Simon Ropes was much in the same frame of mind as myself. It -seemed as if death was close upon us, and that the next instant might -seal our doom. - -The Britishers were naturally eager to learn what was being done, and, -thinking they would be more disposed to defer any plans of escape which -might have been made, if the truth were known, I readily explained to -them the situation as it had been presented to me. - -After this was done, Simon and I, each holding a loaded musket, and on -the alert for any noise which might proclaim the whereabouts of that -man who had succeeded in getting out of the brig, sat with our backs -against the bulkhead, having in such position a full view of those who -should be closely guarded. - -Even now, as memory goes back, I am surprised that we lads were not -wholly overcome by terror. - -The ship staggering under canvas enough to bury her; the tempest raging -and howling, eager to destroy the handiwork of man; the mutinous crew -on the gun-deck plotting, perhaps, against their officers, and in the -hold nineteen men ready to risk their lives in an effort to escape. - -It was a series of perils which one would say must finally overwhelm -us, and I saw but little hope in the future. - -There is no reason why I should dwell at length upon all these terrors, -for they menaced us until we lads were numb with despair. - -During all that night the _America_ staggered on, like some living -thing pursued by the furies, and, meanwhile, Simon Ropes and I shared -the duties of the guard, not daring to tell them that we knew of more -danger in the work than they imagined. - -At some time in the evening ship’s biscuit and cold boiled pork had -been served, for the cooks were unable to prepare even a pannikin of -tea, and when morning came the situation remained unchanged. - -One of the sailors who had stood guard with us attempted to make his -way on deck, and came back reporting much the same state of affairs as -when we had tried to gain speech with Captain Ropes. - -The hours passed slowly; breakfast was the same as the supper of the -night previous, and we munched the dry bread, washing it down with -water from the scuttle-butt which had been lashed in the hold to supply -the prisoners, while our bodies were bruised and sore from being flung -about, despite all our efforts to remain in one position, when the -motions of the ship were most violent. - -As the forenoon wore on, I fancied that the ship laboured less heavily, -and those of the sailors who remained in the hold with us predicted -that the gale would have come to an end before sunset; but none -believed we might be able to come up with the chase. - -Then it was that all of us were astounded by a call to quarters, and -the bo’sun’s mate who brought us the order announced that the hatch on -the gun-deck leading to the hold was to be fixed in place with bars, -in order that the prisoners’ guard might be at liberty to take their -proper stations with the remainder of the crew. - -It seemed absolutely impossible that Captain Ropes could have it in -mind to open an engagement under such conditions of the weather, and -yet the order brought to us told plainly that we were come within range -of the chase, and also that she was disposed to show fight rather than -surrender peaceably. - -The sailormen who were with us looked grave and disturbed as they -prepared to obey the command, and we two lads were literally bewildered -by mingled fear and astonishment. - -However, the hatch was secured in place so firmly that, even though all -the Britishers succeeded in getting out of the brig, they could not -leave the hold. - -When we stood on the gun-deck once more, quivering with fear at the -thought of taking part in a battle, I, despite all my timorousness, did -not fail to see all the details. - -The ports had been opened, and through one or the other, from time to -time, came great jets of water as the waves dashed against the ship, -flooding the deck until our gunners stood knee-deep in the briny surge. - -The hatchway leading to the magazine was guarded by two men, who held -it in place as the seas came aboard, and stood ready to open it for the -gunners’ assistants whenever they were forced to descend for ammunition. - -I question now, since having come to know more regarding such affairs, -if sailormen ever took part in a queerer engagement than we were making -ready for. - -Fancy loading heavy guns when the powder must be held in the arms of -the men lest it be rendered worthless by moisture! Think of two or -three sailors holding their coats or strips of tarpaulin around the -cartridge while it was being placed in the muzzle of the piece, to -guard against a sudden inrush of the water! Picture to yourself the -ship plunging, rising, rolling, and tossing about while the men made -ready to shed the blood of their fellow creatures! - -Now and then, as the fabric rose heavily upon the mountains of water, -we could see to leeward, half a gunshot distant, a ship which looked to -be the very counterpart of our own, save that the cross of St. George -was floating where we displayed the stars and stripes. - -All show of mutiny had disappeared from the faces of the crew, so far -as I could make out. - -The strangeness of the situation had driven away all discontent, and -once more was the _America_ manned by big-hearted, whole-souled Yankee -sailors. - -During the drills which had been carried on regularly from the -beginning of the cruise, Simon and I came to know that our stations -in time of an engagement were at Master Joshua’s gun, and although it -was not possible lads like us could be of any assistance in carrying -ammunition while the ship was plunging so violently, we went to our -posts as if counting on rendering all necessary service. - -“Yonder is a prize well worth the taking, lads,” Master Josh shouted as -we approached, and it was easy for us to understand that he had in mind -something different from omens and signs of danger. “She’s every inch -as good a sailer as the _America_, and but for the carrying away of her -topmast, we never should have overhauled her.” - -“She must be an armed vessel, else we would not have been called to -quarters,” I ventured to say, speaking like a simple, for such a -statement under the circumstances was needless. - -“Ay, lad, but carrying less metal than do we.” - -“In such case I should think it would be wiser for her to surrender -than fight,” Simon added. - -I knew by my own heart that he was wishing such might be the case, for -an engagement at any time was by no means to our liking, and while the -gale raged so furiously it seemed doubly terrible. - -“She’s reckonin’ on cripplin’ us by some lucky shot, and thereby makin’ -her escape. Marksmanship won’t count for a great deal in this weather, -and it’ll be more by accident than good wit if a single ball hits its -target.” - -“Are Simon and I to bring up ammunition?” I asked, yet knowing full -well we could not accomplish the task. - -“We’ll leave that for some of the other sailormen this time, lad. You -wouldn’t get one charge in a dozen up here without wetting it. It’ll -be a case of firing whenever there’s a chance, which won’t be often, -accordin’ to my way of thinkin’, an’ we can afford to take our time -about it.” - -Men were stationed from the ladder of the after-hatchway to the -quarter-deck, not more than two feet apart, that the captain’s commands -might pass from one to the other, and those on deck were clinging to -life-lines, so I was told, lest they be washed overboard by the angry -waters. - -“Fire as often as you can reload, and strive to cripple her spars -rather than the hull!” came the word, whereupon the engagement was -opened by Master Josh himself. - -It was only with difficulty we could hear the report of the gun above -the roar of the tempest; but while the ship was rising on a towering -wave we were able to watch the flight of the missile. - -It overshot its mark, and the old gunner gave vent to an exclamation of -anger. - -Then I saw a cloud of smoke emerge from one of the Britisher’s ports, -and almost immediately it was dispersed by the rising wind. - -She also had opened fire, and, like us, her first shot was a vain one. - -This engagement was not like unto any I ever dreamed of, and when half -an hour had passed neither ship was the worse for it, so far as could -be seen. - -Both craft held their course, neither sailing faster nor slower than -the other, but moving onward at the same relative distance, as if we -were engaged in a friendly race. - -The fact that none of the Britisher’s shots had come aboard gave me -courage, and I almost brought myself to believe that they would not be -able to hit us. - -Not being forced to perform any duties, Simon and I acted as spectators -of this odd battle, and were speculating upon the chances that our -gunners might succeed in shooting away one of the enemy’s spars, when -suddenly there was a hideous crashing of the timbers, cries of pain at -the gun nearest to us but one, and for the first time I saw the white -deck crimsoned with the blood of my countrymen. - -Fortune had favoured the Britisher so far, at least, and now fear took -possession of me. - -The lifeless bodies of two men, and one of them he with whom I had been -speaking five minutes before, were rolled to and fro on the deck as the -ship leaped and plunged, while another was being helped to the cockpit -by comrades, that his wounds might be dressed. - -From that moment I failed to realise all that took place. After the -first flush of cowardice, a fever took possession of me. - -I prayed fervently that our next shot might work more injury than -theirs had done; the thirst for blood was full upon me, and I saw -everywhere before my eyes that ominous crimson hue. - -For how long a time this singular battle was waged I knew not; but -afterward came to learn that no less than two hours elapsed, from the -time Carleton and Hawley had been killed, before the Britisher hauled -down the cross of St. George. - -Three times had the _America’s_ hull been struck, and our gunners -declared that we had sent home no less than ten shot, one of which -wounded the enemy’s mizzenmast, within six feet of the deck, so badly -that it fell ten minutes later, while another carried away all the -spars above the mainmasthead. - -During this time the wind had lulled until it was no more than a full -sailing breeze, but the sea was yet running mountains high. - -No blood had been spilled aboard our craft after the first successful -shot, and even while the engagement was on had the sailors cared for -the bodies of their two dead messmates. - -Well, the prize was ours, providing we could board her, and I came out -of the fever of excitement nervous and trembling, as if having lived -four and twenty hours under the very shadow of the death angel’s wings. - -The _America_ was hove to, for it would be useless to think of boarding -the stranger while the sea was so high, and until the next morning we -lay close by the prize. - -Meanwhile, Simon and I, aided by two of the sailors, kept watch over -the prisoners. - -During all this time we had had no opportunity to speak with the -captain, and, in fact, made no especial effort to do so. - -The chance would come later without our seeming to court it, and -meanwhile four armed men should be able to prevent that single -Britisher, who lurked somewhere in the hold, from doing us a mischief. - -The prisoners remained in the brig, apparently unable to escape from -such close quarters, and, despite all our efforts, neither my comrade -nor I could discover in what way one of them had gotten free. - -The capture of the ship was a godsend to us at that time, for, with -such a prize before them, the men who had been on the verge of -mutiny could not well insist that the omens had been for evil, and -it was, during this night at least, as if they had forgotten all the -disagreeable and mysterious events. - -At daybreak next morning, Simon and I, having taken turns at sleeping -during the night, went on deck. Before us, not more than two miles -away, lay the captured ship. - -The sea was yet boisterous, but not to such an extent as would prevent -our taking possession of the stranger, and already were the boats -afloat. - -We came soon to learn that our prize was the _Ralph Nickerson_, of and -for London from Quebec, laden with lumber, and carrying eight guns with -a strong crew. - -Her burthen was full twenty tons more than ours, and a finer craft -could not be found outside the United States. - -“If it so be that we succeed in carryin’ her to port, there’s fifty or -sixty thousand dollars’ worth of prize-money, my boys!” one of the men -said to his companions, as a group of old shellbacks stood amidships -watching our boats pulling toward the Britisher. “Sixty thousand -dollars added to what we’ve already taken won’t be small pickin’s for -any of us.” - -“We’ll hope to have more of the same kind of omens,” Mr. Fernald, who -chanced to pass in time to hear the remark, cried, cheerily. “You who -have been persuading yourselves that we were bound straight for Davy -Jones’s locker must feel rather small this morning. The cruise isn’t -ended yet, and we’ll put that ship into Salem, or I’m a Dutchman!” - -“That’s all very well, sir,” one of the older men replied; “but what -about the ghost that can talk?” - -“It strikes me that he’s a liar,” Mr. Fernald said, laughingly. -“Or else he’s out of his latitude when he attempts to predict for -sailormen. Suppose we had heeded whatever it was that tried to frighten -us, and put about for home? It would have been the same as throwin’ -away fifty thousand good dollars.” - -The majority of the sailors on deck began to look foolish, realising -how groundless had been their fears, and it was left for Joshua Seabury -to revive the superstitions which had been temporarily driven away by -the smell of burning powder. - -“We are not out of the woods yet,” he cried. “No one can say with -certainty that we’ll carry yonder ship into port, and who knows how -soon we’ll be layin’ under the lee of a British frigate, waiting for -them to board us?” - -“You should hide your head in shame, Joshua Seabury!” Mr. Fernald said, -angrily. “A man like you, counted as being the best gunner on the -Massachusetts coast, one who fought with credit at Tripoli, to give way -like a baby because some one of your messmates played a foolish trick!” - -Having said this, the officer turned on his heel, as if regretting that -he had stopped to bandy words with the men, and went aft, Simon and I -following with the hope that we might find an opportunity of speaking -to Captain Ropes. - -He was standing near the wheel, glass in hand, watching the movements -of the boats, and no one checked us as we went toward him. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -CHEERING INFORMATION. - - -When we came near the captain both us lads halted, and neither dared -make any effort at attracting his attention, save we might do so by -silence. - -We stood two or three feet away, much like culprits who had come to -beg for pardon, and there waited until the commander of the _America_ -chanced to take the glass from his eyes. - -Seeing us quite by accident, as it were, he looked wondrously -surprised, as if it were difficult for him to realise that we could -have so far transgressed sea customs as to venture unbidden on the -quarter-deck. - -Although Captain Joseph Ropes should have been the one to show respect -when he and I met, because of the fact that he was my uncle’s employee, -and I was a step above him in station when we were ashore, I dared not -open my mouth, while he gazed at me curiously, with an expression of -severe disapproval upon his face. - -But for the fact that Simon was with me, and succeeded in plucking up -heart at that moment, the interview which we had been waiting for so -long would have come to naught, owing to my being tongue-tied. - -My comrade, however, rendered desperate, as he afterward told me, by -the thought that we might be forced to go forward again without having -communicated our secret, stepped close by his father’s side, and said, -in a low, yet emphatic tone: - -“Nathan and I have discovered that which we believe you should know at -once, sir.” - -Captain Ropes glanced around quickly to learn if any other might have -overheard his son’s words, and then said, in a low tone: - -“Tell me quickly what you have learned, and do it in such manner that -no one may suspect we are holding private converse.” - -“There are but eighteen prisoners in the brig, sir, and yet by Nathan -Crowninshield’s reckoning, as well as my own, there should be nineteen.” - -“Nineteen were sent below,” the captain said, after a brief pause, -during which I fancied he was running over in his mind the number of -Britishers taken. - -“There are but eighteen now, sir.” - -“Are you two lads the only ones aboard ship who know that one of the -men is missing?” - -“So it would seem, sir. The cooks send nineteen pannikins when meals -are served, and one of the prisoners comes forward twice for rations, -in order to hide the absence of his companion.” - -“So! And that’s the ghost, eh? You lads have done me a service which -shall be rewarded later. Have you spoken with any of the crew on the -subject?” - -“No, sir; we thought it best to come first to you, and should have done -so yesterday, had it been possible to get aft.” - -“You have acted wisely; continue to hold your peace, and share guard -duty with the sailors in order that he who has gained his liberty may -not do a mischief. When the proper time comes, we’ll have a search for -the missing man. Go forward now, and remember that this matter is not -to be mentioned to the men.” - -I was more than a little disappointed with the result of the interview, -as Simon and I, obeying the captain’s command, took up our proper -stations once more. - -There had been in my mind the idea that some startling change would be -the result of our communication, and yet I fancied Captain Ropes looked -upon the matter as of but little importance, even though he declared we -had rendered important service. - -We lads might have conversed at greater length with the commander of -the ship and yet failed of attracting the attention of our messmates, -so intent were all upon watching the _America’s_ boats as they neared -the prize. - -Taking possession of the _Ralph Nickerson_ did not vary from previous -work of this kind. - -The commander of the ship, having surrendered when he hauled down his -flag, received our men with due submission, and when the boats returned -they brought with them thirty-three sailors, the first officer, and the -captain, as prisoners. - -The sea yet ran high, and it was no slight task to get the Britishers -aboard safely, for many of them were so disgruntled and stubborn over -being captured as to take the chances of being drowned rather than help -themselves in the slightest degree. - -John Proctor, our fourth mate, and eleven men were sent on board the -_Ralph Nickerson_ as a prize-crew, and such of the enemy’s men as had -been left in their own craft already were agreed, in consideration of -being set at liberty when port was made, to aid in working the ship. - -No more than three hours were thus spent before the captured vessel -was under way, steering westward, and the _America_ laid on such a -course as it was believed would bring her in the track of the enemy’s -merchantmen. - -The wounds which the prize had received during the engagement would be -attended to on her passage to the United States. While all the injuries -might have been speedily repaired had we laid alongside of her so that -our crew could aid in the work, Captain Ropes did not consider it wise -to remain near at hand, lest a British cruiser should heave in sight, -and, on seeing the two ships hove to, understand all that had occurred. - -Now that my mind was set at rest concerning what the seamen believed -had been a ghostly visitor, I found new cause for alarm. - -First, however, let me set down the conclusion which Simon and I -arrived at concerning that which had so alarmed our crew. - -The fact that one of the prisoners was missing from the brig seemed to -us--and from the expression on Captain Ropes’s face I fancied he looked -at the matter much the same as we did--conclusive proof that he who was -at liberty had played the part of ghost, although how it might have -been contrived we did not attempt to explain. - -Of course we knew full well that there were no such things as spirits, -even though we had been seriously alarmed, and it was not necessary we -should reason out the entire scheme in order to say with good certainty -that it had been brought about by the Britisher who should at this -moment have been in the brig. - -It was to me as if the visit of the supposed ghost had never occurred, -the new danger being so imminent as to drive all else from my mind. - -This peril lay, so I believed, in the number of prisoners we had on -board. - -There were, or should be, fifty-two in the hold, and three aft. Our -crew, which numbered, when we left port, one hundred and sixty-three -all told, had been weakened considerably by the prize-crews thrown -aboard the captured craft. - -Twelve men in all were sent to the _Ralph Nickerson_, eight took charge -of the _Benjamin_, and seven were sent into the _James and Charlotte_, -making twenty-seven in all. - -This reduced our number to one hundred and thirty-six, and although -such a force should overwhelm fifty-five Britishers if they took it -into their heads to rise, the enemy was sufficiently strong, more -particularly if our people were taken by surprise, to cause serious -trouble. - -While thus casting about to find food for anxiety, I took well into -account the fact that, should the prisoners succeed in releasing -themselves, they would fight desperately, and not be blamed for so -doing, since they could only look forward to imprisonment when we made -the home port. - -And they had good cause for venturing their lives in the effort to -escape, if they knew how their countrymen treated such of the Americans -as were captured, because they might reasonably conclude that we of -the United States would be equally brutal with those who fell into our -hands. - -It must not be supposed that I remained idle in order to cast up all -these accounts which might work to our disadvantage. - -I have simply set down here that which came into my mind like flashes -of light, as Simon Ropes and I walked forward to obey his father’s -command. - -As the captain had left the matter, we were responsible in a certain -degree for the prisoners, and both of us were bent on showing, if -possible, that we could be depended upon even for such a difficult task -as this. - -We went directly into the hold, and there found as lively a scene of -confusion and tumult as can well be imagined. - -The Britishers whom we had taken from the other prizes were noisily -greeting the newcomers, and eagerly questioning them concerning the -news of the world from a British standpoint. - -The brig was so full as to make it appear that the men were packed like -herrings in a box, and I wondered how it might be possible for them to -lie down at night without being stowed two or three deep over the floor -of the prison. - -“How may it be possible to take so many out for exercise?” Simon asked, -in dismay, and I understood from the question that there was in his -mind somewhat of that which had been troubling me. - -“They can go out in squads, I reckon, for it is not likely the captain -would allow all these on deck at the same time. However, that need give -us little concern, for it is our business to see that he who runs at -liberty somewhere in the hold be prevented from doing a mischief.” - -“I cannot understand why matters are allowed to remain in this -condition,” Simon said, as if speaking to himself. “It would have been -more seemly, according to my way of thinking, had an immediate search -been made for the Britisher who has succeeded in getting out of the -brig. While he is at liberty much mischief may be done, however well we -perform our duty.” - -“It appears that your father is not of the same mind, and we can set it -down as a fact that he knows best what should be done.” - -“But think of the chances for trouble, while one of the Britishers is -free to move about the hold as he chooses!” - -It was as if Simon’s fears gave me courage, for I replied, stoutly, as -one might who never knew what it was to be timorous: - -“We have no right to question the captain’s wisdom, and should think -only of carrying out his wishes to the letter.” - -Simon made no reply, for a lad cannot well grumble against his father’s -commands, and we loitered around as if from no other motive than that -of curiosity, while the prisoners were making a tumult with their -greetings and questionings. - -Before the day was come to an end Simon suggested to me that we take it -upon ourselves to find the man who had escaped. - -Since the last batch of prisoners had arrived the guard was strengthened, -and now, as I understood from Mr. Fernald, no less than three of the -crew would be on duty constantly, even during an engagement, therefore -might Simon and I make search for this solitary Britisher if it so -pleased us. - -But I was not minded to act upon his suggestion, believing Captain -Ropes would have ordered an immediate search, unless it was his purpose -to so conduct the matter that the _America’s_ crew should understand -beyond a peradventure who had played the part of ghost. - -If we two lads took the matter in our own hands, we might upset the -commander’s plans most seriously. - -Therefore it was that we hung about the brig, regardless of the fact -that the men detailed as guard expressed no little surprise because of -our willingness to remain below while we might be on deck; and one day -after another passed, while the _America_ cruised to and fro in the -track of merchantmen, as if her commander had forgotten equally his son -and those whom the latter had been set to watch. - -Each day the prisoners were taken on deck, twelve or fourteen at a -time, and the fellow who had succeeded in freeing himself from the brig -must have come to the conclusion that his was an unwise move, since he -had thus deprived himself of the privilege of fresh air. - -We were seldom on the gun-deck, Simon and I, and therefore had -little idea of how our men were behaving, save as we overheard the -conversation between the sailors on duty in the hold. - -Through this slight source of information we gathered that the majority -of the crew were quite willing to forget their previous belief in the -ghostly visitor; but the elder men, among them Master Josh, held to the -idea as strongly as if their happiness depended upon its being proven a -fact. - -Our success had lessened the fears of the superstitious, and none of -the men had overmuch to say concerning the significance of our carrying -away a spar on the first Friday after leaving port. - -That portion of our troubles had been cast aside once and for all, as a -lying omen. - -Each morning I expected that Simon and I would be summoned aft by the -captain, and each day was I grievously disappointed in my expectations. - -The prisoners, now so formidable in number, knowing that there was one -on the outside who, at the first favourable opportunity, would aid -them, grew insolent, jeering at the guard until it seemed positive our -men would so far forget themselves as to raise their hands against -apparently helpless captives. - -Then came that morning when, judging from the confident bearing and -outspoken threats of the Britishers, I made certain they were prepared -to strike a blow of some kind, and I had called Simon Ropes aside with -the intention of suggesting to him that we go aft once more to tell his -father how much mischief was brewing, when we heard a great commotion -on deck. - -The guard, who had been ordered not to leave their posts of duty -under any circumstances, except by express orders, urged that we lads -ascertain what had caused the seeming disturbance. - -I was the more willing to comply with such request because in the -performance we might get an opportunity of speaking privately to -Simon’s father, and with all speed the lad and I went on to the -spar-deck, finding there both watches in the highest state of -excitement, as well they might be, for off to leeward, not more than -four or five miles away, could be seen a full-rigged ship. - -“Is she a Britisher?” I asked of the man nearest me, and he replied, -confidently: - -“Ay, lad, there’s no mistaking her build and rigging. She hails from -England, or I’m a Dutchman, and so heavily loaded with whatsoever may -be the cargo that we’ll find in her a prize worth taking.” - -“Providing her captain isn’t in a condition to object,” I replied, -with a smile, whereat the man said, cheerily, as if he found in the -fact no little pleasure: - -“She’s armed, lad, so I’ve heard the officers say, an’ shows six ports -on a side, therefore it stands to reason she carries no less than -twelve guns.” - -“And probably can put up as severe a fight as did the _Nickerson_,” -Simon added, grimly. - -“Well, I am allowin’ we need exercise of that kind, lad. What with -omens, an’ ghosts, an’ near to downright mutiny, this ’ere crew is -gettin’ so rusty that a little blood-lettin’ will work to their -advantage. I hold to it a privateersman gets into a bad condition if he -ain’t knocked around just about so much, an’ our prizes thus far have -come too easy. If we could suddenly find ourselves within range of a -British sloop-of-war it would do us a world of good.” - -“I’m thinkin’ you’d change your song if anything like that should -happen,” Simon said, with a laugh, whereat the sailor, who was an -exceeding sensible man, gave us a long lecture upon the necessity of -running a privateersman into serious danger now and then for the sake -of holding him in proper discipline. - -Well, it was destined that we should not receive any very painful -lesson on this day, despite the fact that the stranger was reasonably -well armed. - -Before two hours had passed we threw a shot across the Britisher’s bow, -and sent another into her mizzen rigging which did no little damage. - -Then her captain showed that he must have had more milk than blood -in his veins, for without discharging a single piece,--and we were now -come so near as to see that she did indeed carry twelve guns,--he hove -to quietly as any lamb. - -Some of our people fancied there was a trick in all this; that when we -came to board her we would find ourselves in hot water; but Captain -Ropes was not the man to take any chances of this kind. - -The _America_ hauled around under the stranger’s stern, where she could -rake her fore and aft with a broadside, and then the boats were lowered -away,--four of them, under command of Mr. Fernald. - -It was the quietest capture one can imagine. - -The Britisher did not make even a protest as our people swarmed over -the rail, and when Mr. Fernald returned, leaving on board twenty men to -hold possession, we knew that we had as a prize the British twelve-gun -ship _Hope_, from St. Thomas for Glasgow, with a cargo of sugar, rum, -and cotton. - -What a cheer went up from our men when Captain Ropes, after a brief -conversation with the first officer, stepped forward to the break of -the quarter-deck and announced the fact in much the same words I have -just set down! - -[Illustration: “WHAT A CHEER WENT UP FROM OUR MEN.”] - -The men yelled themselves hoarse, for this ship would prove by all odds -the most valuable prize we had taken, and if the _America_ turned about -on the home run now, without adding further to her captures, we had -indeed made a most successful cruise of what at one time threatened to -end in disaster. - -But good fortune was not to desert us with the capture of the _Hope_, -for Mr. Fernald had brought with him such news as caused the blood of -every member of the crew, including Simon and me, to tingle, and thus -did the captain impart it to his men: - -“You lads who have been arguin’ an’ speechifyin’ ever since we left -port, tryin’ to prove that the _America_ was doomed because a rotten -spar chanced to carry away on a Friday, have thus far been disappointed -in all your doleful predictions. Not even the appearance of your -so-called ghost, and that sepulchral voice which you claimed to have -heard, could spoil our luck. We have already made a paying cruise of -it, such a one as will tassel well our neckerchiefs with dollars, and -yet there is more to come. Mr. Fernald brings the information, gathered -from the master of the prize, that yonder ship left St. Thomas three -days ago, one of a fleet of forty-five merchantmen under convoy of the -sloops-of-war _Ringdove_ and _Scorpion_. We are in the vicinity of that -rich fleet, my lads, and if we fail to pick up two or three good prizes -out of it, it will be only through our own neglect.” - -Then the men fell to shouting once more, jumping and dancing around the -deck like a pack of savages, and one of them cried out, in a tone so -loud that it could be heard distinctly by all hands: - -“Three cheers for the bloomin’ ghost what has brought us into such -luck!” - -The men laughed, and then cheered until the Britishers on board the -_Hope_ must have believed we had entirely lost our heads over their -capture. - -When the excitement had died away somewhat, Captain Ropes, still facing -us near the break of the quarter, said: - -“I allow, my lads, that we are a fairly good match for any British -sloop-of-war afloat, and while I’m not hankerin’ for a fight which -would bring in no dollars on the tail of it, we can afford to take the -chances of meeting one of the king’s vessels while we pick up a stray -merchantman. We’ll get rid of this prize as soon as may be, an’ then -turn our attention to what should, within the next eight an’ forty -hours, put us in fair shape to swing the _America’s_ nose toward home. -Bo’sun Valpey will choose twelve men as a prize-crew, an’ take charge -of the _Hope_, making for the nearest port north of New York. Stir -yourselves lively, my boys, for there’s no time to be lost!” - -I question if at that moment a single member of the crew, not excepting -Master Joshua, remembered any of the alleged omens which had seemingly -threatened disaster to us all. - -Every man Jack of them fluttered about with a will, and before another -hour was passed a prize-crew had been thrown aboard the captured ship. -We had thirty-one additional prisoners in the hold, making eighty-three -in all, and the _Hope_ was crowding on all sail with her nose pointing -northward. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE OUTBREAK. - - -When we parted company with the _Hope_ there was among the crew of the -_America_ but one thought, one idea, and that the capture of other -craft belonging to the _St. Thomas_ fleet. - -The richly laden ship had but whetted the appetite of the men for more, -and some of the most sanguine believed we might remain in the midst of -the fleet, seizing a vessel here and there, until we no longer had men -enough on board to make up a prize-crew. - -That we would succeed in capturing one or more other craft out of all -the number that had left port seemed absolutely certain, even though -the convoying sloops-of-war came across us while we were at our work, -for, as Captain Ropes had said, we could make it exceeding lively for -either the _Ringdove_ or the _Scorpion_. - -The men were so busily occupied with figuring up the amount of -prize-money which had been, and was to be, earned, that they had no -time to spend on possible ghosts, omens of any kind, or such happenings -as had nearly converted honest Yankee sailors into mutineers. - -It seemed to Simon and me that the danger from this source had -disappeared entirely; but we were so seriously disturbed as to be -wofully frightened over what might happen if the prisoners concluded to -make an effort toward capturing the ship. - -We speculated long and in vain trying to decide why the captain should -have thus neglected to take some steps toward recapturing the Britisher -who was lurking in the _America’s_ hold awaiting an opportunity to free -his fellow. - -Now we were positive this fellow had played the ghost by appearing in -the fore-hatchway, as well as by shouting his senseless warning; but -how he had contrived to bring himself into view, when the night was so -dark that the lookouts could not distinguish objects at a distance of -two yards, was more than we could conjecture. - -Simon and I had remained constantly on watch from the moment we -discovered one of the prisoners to be missing, and since our having -warned the captain not less than three of the sailors were also on duty -in the hold. - -At no time did both of us lads sleep during the same moment. We divided -ourselves into two watches, and indulged in naps lasting no more than -an hour. - -[Illustration: “WE DIVIDED OURSELVES INTO TWO WATCHES.”] - -Since we could thus rest as well in the daytime as at night, neither of -us felt any evil effects from remaining constantly on the alert. - -Never once during all this time did we either hear or see the prisoner -who remained hidden somewhere in the hold, nor could we make certain, -now that there were so many captives, whether those in the brig got -more food than sufficed for their number. - -It was only reasonable to believe, however, that the Britishers found -ample opportunity to feed their comrade from the allowance dealt out, -and also that he was ready to open an attack whenever the proper time -had come. - -On this day after we parted company with the _Hope_, praying that the -prize-crew might succeed in taking her to an American port, where she -could be sold for our benefit, it seemed necessary we two lads should -exercise more vigilance than ever before, because the excitement among -our crew was so great that those detailed for duty as prisoners’ guard -gave heed to what was going on above, rather than to watching the -throng of enemies which was so rapidly increasing in size. - -The brig was no longer large enough to admit of all lying down to sleep -at the same time, and it was certain some different arrangement must be -made when night came. - -Once we should be forced to give certain of the number free run of the -hold, the danger to ourselves would be vastly increased, so Simon and I -argued. - -Because of the fact that we were in the immediate vicinity of a large -fleet, some sail of which we hoped to capture, word had been passed -to the effect that the prisoners would not be allowed to come on deck -for exercise until further orders, and when this was made known to the -Britishers they became so bold as to indulge in open threats of what -they were able to do. - -Some of the most reckless declared they could leave the brig at will, -and that the _America_ would be their prize in due course of time. - -Simon and I discussed the advisability of going again to the captain, -and would have done so but for fear of being laughed at as cowards who -were afraid of unarmed and imprisoned men. - -It was hardly probable Captain Ropes had forgotten the report we made, -and it seemed certain he would take some steps to shun the danger when, -in his opinion, the time was ripe for such a move. - -As I have already said, the excitement among our crew was so great that -it seemed impossible for those detailed as guard to remain below; but -one or the other of the three men was constantly running on deck to -learn if a sail had hove in sight. - -Thus it was we came to know that, about an hour before sunset, the -lookout had sighted a heavily laden brig, and the _America_ was put -about in full chase. - -Perhaps because of this fact no attempt was made to provide better -accommodations for the prisoners. - -They were forced to remain packed in the prison, many of them unable -to lie down, and their threats and insubordination increased to an -alarming degree. - -“We shall have trouble before morning,” Simon said, in a tone of -studied carelessness to one of the sentinels, hoping thereby to put the -man more on his guard; but the latter replied, indifferently: - -“Don’t get fancies into your head, lad. Them ’ere Britishers are where -they can’t work any mischief, no matter how ripe they may be for it. -When you’ve seen as many prisoners aboard ship as have come my way, -you won’t bother yourself about what is possible for them to do while -they’re unarmed an’ packed in snug as those fellows are.” - -Fortunately, my comrade and I had not become so familiar with -privateering as to render us careless, else the good ship _America_ -would never have sailed into a Yankee port with the stars and stripes -flying, and this much Captain Ropes has said time and time again. - -Although we knew our muskets were in proper condition, Simon insisted -they be discharged and reloaded, in order that we might be certain they -were in working order, and he took both weapons on deck, where, after -having received permission from Mr. Fernald, he emptied them. - -When he returned, and while we were charging the weapons, the lad told -me that the brig was yet in sight to the southward, and we stood every -chance of overhauling her unless the wind should fail. - -Just at that time, however, we gave very little heed to the possibility -of another capture. - -In the hold of the _America_ we were confronted by such a situation as -taxed our courage to the utmost. - -While it was yet daylight we tried to sleep; but in vain, and after -supper had been served we sat against the bulkhead, where none could -come upon us from the rear, watching closely the snugly packed throng -of Britishers as cats watch a lot of rats. - -With all our precautions, the decisive moment came when we were least -expecting it. - -It was about ten o’clock at night. Two of the guard were on deck, -having been drawn there by news that the chase was being rapidly -overhauled, when I saw a man suddenly spring out of what had appeared -to be a solid stanchion, as it looked to me, and before I had time to -raise a cry the door of the brig was thrown open, the prisoners pouring -out like swarming bees. - -The sailor, who should have been on the alert, was standing near the -foot of the ladder, waiting to learn from his two comrades who had gone -on deck as to the chances of our coming up with the chase, and not -until I cried out did he realise his danger. - -By that time, the Britishers were upon him, and he went down like a man -of straw, apparently trampled under their feet, as the foremost made a -rush for the gun-deck, knowing full well that there would be found arms -in plenty. - -As a rule, I am a coward; but at that moment, my hand never so much as -quivered, while I took careful aim at the leader, and he fell off the -ladder at the same instant the report of my musket rang out, knocking -down those who were immediately below him. - -In a twinkling the entire mob had turned on us lads. They came as does -a foaming wave, seeking to engulf whosoever shall have lingered on the -sands, and involuntarily I closed my eyes while raising the musket like -a club, in order to shut out that blow which seemingly would deprive me -of life. - -Fortunately, Simon’s musket was loaded, and he dropped the foremost in -his tracks while the infuriated men were a dozen paces distant, thereby -checking the advance ever so slightly, and in that brief interval I -gathered my senses once more. - -It seemed certain I would be killed, and with this belief came such -courage as I had never believed could be mine. - -Swinging the musket above my head, I rushed straight toward the -pale-faced man I had seen apparently coming out of the solid stanchion, -and not until I had taken two or three paces toward him did he show his -weapon. - -He--and it could be none other than the man who had played the part of -ghost--had possessed himself of a boarding-pike, and I understood from -the gleam in his eyes that he counted on running me through. - -I brought down the musket with a force that would have floored him -like an ox; but he was prepared for such an attack, and my weapon was -splintered on the deck timbers, leaving me with arms so numb that, -even though my life depended upon the movement, I could not raise such -fragments as my hands still clutched. - -In another instant the boarding-pike would have found its way through -my body, and then, as if the blow had been delivered over my shoulder, -I saw the butt of a musket fall full upon the fellow’s head, crushing -him to the deck. - -[Illustration: “IN ANOTHER INSTANT THE BOARDING PIKE WOULD HAVE FOUND -ITS WAY THROUGH MY BODY.”] - -Some of the men who were loitering on the gun-deck have declared I -yelled like a maniac for help; but of that I have no knowledge. - -When the battle was over,--and it proved to be such a battle as -I hope never to take part in again,--I was not conscious of having -uttered the slightest cry from the moment when the prisoners swarmed -out of the brig. - -I only know that I struck again and again with the barrel of the -musket, which was all of the weapon remaining in my hands, and before -me it seemed as if hundreds upon hundreds of infuriated Britishers were -pressing forward, intent only on delivering a fatal blow. - -What has been set down above is not quite true, for I remember that -Simon Ropes stood by my side, fighting manfully, and doing twice the -execution that was within my power, for his weapon was uninjured, and -the butt of it fell on more than one man’s head, crushing it to a pulp, -or seeming to do so. - -It is said that we were in the hold keeping back the desperate -Britishers no more than three minutes, but it seemed to me as if a full -hour passed before I saw dimly a file of sailors, armed with muskets -and cutlasses, descending the ladder, shooting with careful aim as they -came. - -Then it was as if a veil fell suddenly over my eyes; sparks of seeming -fire danced beneath my eyelids, and I knew no more. - -When consciousness returned I was in the cockpit being attended to by -the surgeon, and Simon Ropes, bandaged and wrapped in white cloth until -only a comrade would recognise him, lay still as death. - -“Is he dead?” I managed to ask, although the simple act of moving my -tongue caused pain. - -“Not a bit of it, lad. Both he and you will live many a long day yet, -unless it so chances that you foolishly stand in the path of a British -ball when it comes aboard,” the stern-visaged yet kindly doctor said, -in a cheery tone. “You two lads are rather the worse for wear, I’ll -admit; but you’ve proven yourselves men on this night, and, what’s -more, have saved the _America_. But for you I doubt not that all hands -of us would now be dead, or in the brig with our late prisoners as -guards over us.” - -“Did we indeed do as much, sir?” I asked, despite the pain, for the -words sounded very sweet in my ears. - -“It is a fact, and Captain Ropes himself said as much not ten minutes -ago. What is more, the ghost has been discovered.” - -“Ay, sir, Simon and I have known without seeing him, these ten days -past; but how was he discovered?” - -“Joshua Seabury came upon his hiding-place quite by accident, after the -scrimmage was over, and the Britishers packed in the brig once more. -There, also, was found that with which he clothed himself when the men -saw the form so plainly although the night was dark.” - -“What was it, sir?” I cried, eagerly, trying to rise on my elbow, but -falling back with a groan immediately afterward. - -“Neither more nor less than a piece of white bunting, beneath which he -admits having carried a lantern found on the gun-deck while all hands -were above. The light shining through the thin fabric disclosed his -form, and yet was sufficiently thick to hide the shape of the flame.” - -“Do all the crew know this, sir?” - -“You may be sure they do. Captain Ropes took good care it should be no -secret, and there’s not a man aboard who is not ashamed to admit he -ever believed in a ghost.” - -When this brief conversation had come to an end I was assailed by a -sensation of faintness which overpowered me, and could only close my -eyes in utter helplessness. - -Simon Ropes and I were yet in the cockpit when the _America_ captured -her fifth prize, the British brig _Dart_, laden with rum and cotton, -and carrying eight guns. - -While we lay below unable to move, the enemy had been overhauled, -submitting without attempting to strike a blow, and we were the richer -by just so much prize-money in prospect. - -Although not a gun had been fired, two of the prisoners lost their -lives. - -It seems, as we heard later from Master Joshua, that our third officer, -Mr. Sparhawk, together with Thomas Fuller, a boatswain’s mate, had been -among those sent to board the prize. On returning to the _America_ in -order to make a report, they brought with them five prisoners; their -boat was stove under the _America’s_ counter, and two of the Britishers -were drowned. - -Anthony Caulfield, an able seaman who understood navigation, was put -in charge of the prize, together with eight of our men. And twenty -prisoners were added to the number in the hold. - -The _Dart_ was headed for Salem without delay, and our ship cruised -back and forth, hoping to sight yet other vessels of the fleet. - -Simon and I were not seriously wounded. The prisoners had had no -weapons, therefore our only injuries came from blows with bare fists, -save the one on my head which was caused by the barrel of my own -musket, that had been wrested from my grasp. - -Within eight and forty hours we were able to go on deck, and then, to -our great surprise, we learned that the _America_ was steering a course -which would speedily bring her into Salem Harbour. - -It had been necessary to part with so many of the crew in order to man -the prizes, that we were short-handed, and there was nothing left for -us save to make the home port as soon as possible, that we might take -on board those who had probably arrived there in advance of us. - -Captain Ropes ordered us lads into his cabin immediately we made our -appearance on the spar-deck in company with the surgeon, and, once -there, he spoke such words of praise as cause my ears to tingle even at -this late day. - -He appeared to believe that we had indeed saved the ship from being -captured by the prisoners, and declared that when the prize-money was -distributed our shares should be the same as those of the gunners. - -There were many other promises given by him voluntarily; but I do not -propose to set them down here, for they were all made good when we -sailed aboard the _America_ on her second cruise, and that yarn shall -be spun at some future time if I decide to put in writing, for the -pleasure of Simon Ropes and myself, all which befell us then. - -It is enough now if I say it was the captain’s orders that we two -lads live aft during the homeward voyage, and right well did we enjoy -ourselves when our wounds were so far healed that they ceased to give -us pain. - -We often indulged in a chat with Master Joshua; but neither of us ever -broached the subject of omens, and I observed with no slight amusement -that he claimed to have known from the moment we weighed anchor in -Salem Harbour that our cruise would be most prosperous. - -And it was prosperous; we had taken five rich prizes in a few over one -hundred days, which was more than the majority of privateersmen could -say. - -Every man Jack of us would have dollars in plenty once the captured -vessels were sold, and, what was far better, could say with good truth -that we had done even more than our share in inflicting injury upon the -enemy. - -We talked all these things over while the _America_ was driven swiftly -by favouring winds toward the Massachusetts coast, never dreaming but -that we had come to an end of taking prizes until after going ashore at -Salem. - -Therefore it was we were almost astonished when, the voyage being more -than half completed, the lookouts announced that a sail was in sight, -and the information was given in a tone which told plainly the belief -of the men that another Britisher was within our grasp. - -It was on the sixteenth day of December, when we were near the Western -Islands, that this sail came in view from the southeast. - -We in the cabin were making a long story of breakfast as a means of -passing the time, when the lookout hailed, and he who has ever served -on a privateer knows full well the excitement which was immediately -after apparent on our decks. - -I might fill page after page with an account of what was said or done -from eight o’clock on that morning until nearly noon, when we had the -Britisher close under our guns, for we could sail nearly two miles to -her one; but so much has already been set down here concerning a chase -that I shall say, without further preamble, it was quickly at an end -once we came within range. - -It was the brig _Euphemia_, of Glasgow, bound for Gibraltar from La -Guayra, with four hundred thousand pounds of coffee on board, which we -had overhauled, and, although the Britisher carried ten guns and was -manned by thirty-five men, she submitted to capture as peacefully as if -she had been a child. - -We had only to fire a shot across her bows after she was beneath our -guns, and the deed was done. - -That valuable cargo and staunch vessel was ours without further parley, -and would serve to swell the amount of prize-money until our men’s -heads swam with thinking of the good hard dollars which would be theirs -once we made Salem again. - -This last capture rejoiced me more than had any of the others; not -particularly on account of the rich cargo, but because she had fallen -into our hands so easily, and when we believed we had done, for the -time being, with capturing Britishers. - -The king, who claimed the right to overhaul our vessels in order -to impress Yankees under the subterfuge that they had once been -Englishmen, would soon learn how much of blood and treasure it was -necessary to spend in the effort to make good the claim, if indeed he -ever could. - -Well, we made a prize of the _Euphemia_; displaced Captain John Gray, -who commanded her when she left La Guayra, by our boatswain’s mate, -Archibald S. Dennis, and threw on board eleven men to take the places -of the twenty-one sailors and two officers we made prisoners. - -The remainder of the crew promised to obey faithfully the new master, -and were allowed to remain aboard the craft they had counted on taking -into a British port. - -Four hundred thousand pounds of coffee is not to be picked up on the -ocean every day, and it can well be fancied that our crew, what was -left of them, made exceeding merry over the capture; but any one of -them might have been reduced to a state of shame had the cook but -whispered in his ear the single word “ghost.” - -After we were on our course once more, in company with the prize, which -we did not count on losing sight of, all hands came to understand why -Captain Ropes, who had the name of being most greedy when Britishers -were to be captured, was so willing to steer for the home port before -we had been at sea four months. - -The truth leaked out when we were put on an allowance of three and -one-half pints of water per day for each man, including the officers, -and before we sighted Baker’s Island once more every man Jack of us -knew what it was to be thirsty. - -The prisoners, despite all they would have done, were given the same -amount of water as Captain Ropes himself had, and this fact was some -consolation to me as I thought of what such a throng must suffer in the -narrow confines of the brig. - -Neither Simon Ropes nor I felt hardly toward them because of the -injuries they had inflicted upon us. - -In fact, it seemed only natural they should attempt to capture the -ship, when what seemed a favourable opportunity presented itself, -and I have no doubt but that we two lads, barring the possibility of -our being too cowardly, would have made a similar effort under like -circumstances. - -We longed for water as a miser longs for gold, prisoners and Americans -alike, before we reached port, and never again will I say that money -can buy all which is needed in this world. - -We sailed proudly up past Baker’s Island, one hundred and twenty-two -days after having passed it outward bound, and in that time we had -captured six prizes that were afterward valued at one hundred and -fifty-eight thousand dollars. - -Show me a privateer afloat during the war just ended, which made more -valuable captures, or was more successful in getting her prizes into -port! - -The _James and Charlotte_ was carried by Mr. Tibbetts safely into -Salem Harbour. The _Benjamin_ put into Nantucket, after having been -chased for fifty-two hours by a British sloop-of-war, and, later, was -sold at auction in Boston. Mr. Proctor ran the _Ralph Nickerson_ into -Marblehead, where her cargo of lumber found a ready sale, and Mr. -Valpey successfully piloted the _Hope_ into Boston Bay. The _Dart_ -arrived at Salem without mishap, and her merchandise is remembered to -this day by the people of the eastern coast, while the _Euphemia_ was -chased, but succeeded in gaining the harbour of Portland, Maine, three -days after we arrived at the home port. - -We had not lost a single prize, which was another matter to give us -more than our share of pride, and from the hour our anchor was dropped -on the seventh day of January, in the year 1813, the fame of the -_America_ spread from Maine to South Carolina. - -Captain Ropes took good care that the people of Salem should know what -Simon and I had done when the prisoners attempted to capture the ship, -and as we went ashore it was with difficulty we could make our way to -the head of the dock, because of the throngs which were bent on showing -their appreciation of our services. - -I should have had sufficient courage to explain that on my part it was -all an accident; that if there had been any idea in my mind of the -danger which threatened, I might not have remained in the hold of the -ship to check the rush; but even though I had screamed at the full -strength of my lungs none would have heard, so great was the uproar, -or, hearing, would have taken heed after Simon’s father had given his -account of the affair. - -As a matter of fact, I hardly realised that I was receiving praise -which had not been earned; the thought of being clasped in my mother’s -arms once more, knowing she was convinced I had done my full duty, was -so great that all else passed unheeded, and until her dear arms folded -me closely to her breast I did not fully understand what part I was -playing in this reception given by the good people of Salem. - -I came to appreciate it fully, however, at a later day, and to be -exceeding proud of its being said on every street corner concerning -Simon Ropes and myself, that we had shown ourselves to be the equal of -any who sailed from Salem on board the armed ship _America_. - - - THE END. - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected. - - --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Armed Ship America, by James Otis - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARMED SHIP AMERICA *** - -***** This file should be named 55151-0.txt or 55151-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/1/5/55151/ - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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