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Won from the Waves, a novel by William H. G. Kingston |
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Chapter 42. The Lugger Again |
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_ CHAPTER FORTY TWO. THE LUGGER AGAIN A Post-Chaise which had conveyed Harry and the general to Portsmouth drove up to the "George," just as Captain Headland, who was living there, returned from a visit to his ship. The old general, thinking that Harry would benefit by his society, had insisted on accompanying him, declaring that he had promised Lady Castleton to see him safe on board his frigate. Sir Ralph, suspecting perhaps that Harry might take it into his head to run off with May, had encouraged the general in doing as he had offered, little aware that there was no risk of such an occurrence happening, while the general took good care to show that he had not come as a spy on his actions. Harry, indeed, was too generous to suspect him of such a proceeding. The general having shaken hands with Headland, went into the hotel, as he said, to order rooms, leaving the two friends alone. He guessed that the captain would have enquiries to make about Julia. They joined him before long in the sitting-room he had engaged, and Headland thanked him heartily for the invitation which Harry had just delivered. The general had ordered dinner, and insisted on the two young officers being his guests for the day. "You shall give me a return dinner on board the _Thisbe_," he observed. The dinner was the best the hotel could supply, and the wines were good, the general keeping his guests well amused. "By-the-bye, I daresay you two young men would rather sail together than cruise in different ships, and as I have a modicum of interest in high quarters, though I do not boast of much, if you wish, Captain Headland, to apply for Harry, it is possible that I may induce the Lords Commissioners to grant your request, unless Harry would prefer remaining as he is." Both Headland and Harry begged the general would do as he proposed. "Well, do you write the official letter, and I will support it," said the general, "and if necessary I will run up to town and see my official friends. Harry will get a longer spell on shore to recover from the hurts he received from those rascally highwaymen. I cannot compliment the police of your county for not catching them though. I always felt when riding about, the unpleasant possibility of having a bullet sent through my head." Harry said the search for them was not over, however, and that Mr Groocock especially was taking every means in his power to discover them, though, for his part, as they had failed in their attempt, unless to prevent their attacking anyone else, he had no wish to have them brought to justice, as it might compel him to remain on shore as a witness. Little was the general aware when he made this offer that Sir Ralph had expressly got the young men appointed to different ships, and had taken care that Headland's should be destined for a foreign station. How far, had he known this, he would have ventured to counteract the baronet's arrangements it is difficult to say. The next morning Harry joined the _Aurora_. The same day he paid Headland a visit on board the _Thisbe_, which had just come out of dock and been brought alongside the hulk. She was a remarkably fine corvette of eighteen guns, just such a craft as a young officer would be proud to command, and, from her build, both he and Headland thought she would prove very fast. Within a week Harry found himself superseded, and appointed first lieutenant of the _Thisbe_. Orders came down the next day to hurry on with her equipment, and Portsmouth was again alive with preparations for war. Lord Whitworth's final interview with Napoleon had taken place. The First Consul had stormed, and threatened, and insulted the English ambassador. All doubts as to his intentions vanished. The whole of England was aroused, for her shores were threatened with invasion. The militia were called out, and volunteers rapidly enrolled. A few months later, the great minister of England, his tall, gaunt figure dressed in regimental scarlet, might have been seen in his character of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, at the head of 3000 volunteers, drilling them as he best could. Not only he, however, but every Lord-lieutenant of England and Scotland was endeavouring to prepare his countrymen to drive the invaders from their sacred shores back into the Channel should they audaciously venture to cross it. In a short time, nearly 400,000 men, providing their own clothing, receiving no pay, and enjoying no privileges, sprang up at a word--a noble congregation of citizens, united as one individual soul, ready to fight to the death as long as a Frenchman remained in arms on their native soil. As soon as war was declared, the general bade his naval friends farewell. "Though laid on the shelf so far as foreign service was concerned," he observed, "it would be found, he hoped, that there was still some life left in him for duty at home." The _Thisbe_ was rapidly got ready for sea. Though any men who had sailed with Captain Headland were willing to join her, there was great difficulty in procuring hands, and he knew too well the importance of having an efficient crew, to take any but the best men. The _Thisbe_ at length sailed with sealed orders, though still short handed. Unless she could obtain the remainder of her crew by taking them out of any homeward-bound vessels or fishing-boats, she was to put into Plymouth to make up her complement. She was to avoid, however, touching anywhere, and to proceed, if possible, with all despatch on her voyage southward. She lost sight of the Needles just as the sun sank into the ocean. A light breeze to the northward filling her sails, she made some progress during the night, but as morning approached, a thick fog came on, and she lay almost becalmed on the glass like sea. It was Harry's morning watch. Look-outs were stationed aloft to catch the first glimpse of any sail which might be near, though their hulls and lower rigging would be hidden by the mist. It was a time when vigilance was doubly necessary, for it was possible that an enemy's cruiser might have ventured thus far towards the English coast in the hopes of capturing any homeward-bound merchantmen in ignorance of the war. At length dawn broke, and the mist assumed that silvery hue which showed that the sun was about once more to rise above the horizon. All hands were on deck, employed in the morning duties of a man-of-war's crew. The sails which had hitherto hung down against the masts gave several loud flaps, then gradually bulged out, and the ship obtaining steerage way, once more glided slowly onwards. Harry sent a midshipman forward to see that the look-outs had their eyes open. Suddenly the fog lifted. "A sail on the lee-bow," shouted the midshipman. "A lugger close-hauled standing across our course, sir." At that moment the captain came on deck. "She shows no colours," again shouted the midshipman. "We will speak her whatever she is," observed the captain. The order was given to trim sails, and the corvette was steered so as to cut off the lugger should she continue on her present course. Those on board the stranger only just then discovered the ship of war, and instead of continuing on close-hauled as before, she stood away with her sheets eased off to the southward. "That looks suspicious," observed Headland. "If she were honest, she would not try to avoid us." It was soon evident that the lugger was a fast craft. Every sail the _Thisbe_ could carry was set, while the lugger, spreading out her broad canvas, did her best to escape. "Perhaps the fellows think we may press some of them, and are simply anxious to escape being overhauled," observed Harry. Though the lugger made good way, the loftier sails of the _Thisbe_ carried her quickly through the water, and her commander and Harry hoped that she would deserve the character they first formed of her. At length they got near enough to the lugger to send a shot from a bow-chaser as a signal to heave to. She, however, took no notice of it, and stood on. Other shots were fired in the hopes of knocking away some of her spars, and compelling her to obey. At length a shot had the desired effect, and her main-halyards being shot away, her huge mainsail came down on deck. To avoid the risk of the broadside which might follow, the lugger came up into the wind. A boat, under the second lieutenant De Vere, was lowered to ascertain the character of the vessel. Some thought that she would prove to be a smuggler, with possibly a cargo on board. She was so completely under the lee of the corvette that everything going on on deck was seen. "We may, at all events, get some of those fellows. Give them the option of volunteering whatever they are, but if they refuse, pick out half-a-dozen of the best hands, Mr De Vere," said the captain. "Ay, ay, sir," was the answer, and the lieutenant proceeded on board. He was seen to dive down below, and in a short time to return and muster the men on deck. They seemed by their movements inclined to refuse submission to his orders, but he pointed to the guns of the corvette as his authority, and one after the other having gone below to get their bags, they descended the side into the boat. Six men had already been secured, whether they had volunteered or not it was difficult to say, when a struggle was seen to be taking place forward between some of the lugger's crew and a man who had made his way up the fore hatch. He dashed those who tried to stop him aside, and sprang aft to the lieutenant. A short discussion took place between De Vere and the master of the lugger. While it was going forward, the man took the opportunity of leaping over the side into the boat. The second lieutenant, apparently considering that the lugger still had more hands than she required, now selected four additional men, who, evidently in a very sulky humour, obeyed his summons. With the eleven men thus obtained he returned to the ship. The breeze freshening, Headland was unwilling to delay longer, and therefore hailing the lugger, gave her permission to continue on her course, when the corvette's sails being filled, she once more stood down channel. The newly pressed men were summoned aft. "I cannot say that they were volunteers except this man," said De Vere, pointing to the one who had been seen to leap into the boat, a fine strong young fellow, though he looked somewhat pale and ill, while his jacket had been torn, and his head cut in the struggle. "He was willing enough to join, though the others tried to prevent him." The men gave in their names. They were hardy-looking, but of a somewhat ruffianly appearance. They were not the less likely to prove useful seamen, only it would be necessary to keep a sharp look-out on them while the corvette was in Plymouth Sound. When Harry asked the name of the man of whom De Vere had been speaking, he replied-- "Jacob Halliburt." Harry looked at him, wondering whether he could be old Adam's son, and, as he supposed, May's brother. He did not wish just then to ask the question in public. He had no doubts, however, when the young man stated that he had been carried off some time before from his home by the lugger's crew, and kept a prisoner on board ever since, being compelled to do duty when at sea, but being shut down in the hold whenever she was in port or might have an opportunity of making his escape. "This was my only chance, sir, so I made a dash for it, and knocked down the fellows who tried to stop me, as I had a hundred times rather serve aboard a man-of-war than remain with such rascally lawless fellows." "You did very right," said De Vere, "and you will find it to your advantage." Before the day was over three large ships had been boarded, one of which had picked up a ship's crew of twenty men at sea. It seemed hard for the poor fellows after the dangers they had gone through not to return to their friends on shore; but necessity has no law. The greater number were sent on board the corvette, which, with several of the ship's crew, fully made up her complement. As Headland was eager to get to sea, he was glad thus to avoid the necessity of having to touch at Plymouth, where it would have required great vigilance to prevent some of the lately pressed men from escaping. _ |
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