*CHAPTER XVII*
*In the Guadalquivir*
In the Dumps--Messages--A Fellow Passenger--A Match--Marcamiento--TheDespatch Disappears--A Quick Recovery--Pepito Expostulates--PerezPlunges--Returned with Thanks--Mr. Frere--An Opportunity--AVolunteer--Pepito's Present--Before the Gale
The sadness which overshadowed the whole army was partly alleviated bythe bustle of embarkation. The battle had been won; the object of thegreat retreat had been achieved. There was nothing to be gained bypostponing the return of the victorious but battered army to England.Delay would have enabled reinforcements to reach Soult, which mightplace him in a position to renew his attack with better hope of success;while the state of the British army was such that it was impossible tofollow up their success by a pursuit of the French. Sir John Hope,therefore, upon whom the command had fallen through Moore's death, gaveorders that the embarkation of the troops should be hastened, and withintwenty-four hours the men were aboard the transports, ready to set sailfor home.
Jack was resting in the afternoon with the officers of his company.Illness and fatigue had worn them all to shadows. Pomeroy was wounded,Smith was so haggard as to be hardly recognizable, while Shirley'sspirits had forsaken him, and his chums were too much depressed even toobject to the melancholy dirges which he quoted, on the homoeopathicprinciple, for his own solace. Jack alone retained something of his oldcheerfulness, and he was doing his best to hearten his companions,before their turn came to embark, when a messenger entered, saying thatSir John Hope desired to see Mr. Lumsden at once. He hurried off, andreturned half an hour later with even greater cheerfulness in his eyesand gait.
"What do you think, you fellows?" he cried. "I am not going to sailwith you after all!"
"Thank heaven!" said Pomeroy, with his head bandaged.
Jack smiled at his old chum's petulance.
"I'm not so thankful, Pommy," he said. "But for one thing I'd muchrather go home with you. As it is--"
"Well, what's your one thing?" said Smith, as he paused.
"I'll tell you some day. I don't want to leave Spain just now, that'sall."
"What are you going to do, then?" asked Pomeroy.
"Hope is sending me with a despatch to Seville, to Mr. Frere, ourminister there. I'm to put myself at his orders. The general thinksthat people at home will be so mad at this retreat that they'll howl forleaving Spain to its fate; so it's very probable that I shall not belong behind you. And you'll be as fit as fiddles when I see you again."
"My own mother wouldn't know me now," said Smith. "You always have hadall the luck. Ten chances to one you'll be promoted again, while we,what with our wretched condition and that awful Bay of Biscay, shalleither be thrown to the fishes on the way home or drop into our gravesas soon as we get there."
"'Call for the robin redbreast and the wren,'" quoted Shirley dolefully.
"Now, Shirley, cheer up!" said Jack. "Don't give all the fellows theblues."
"Faith, no," said the voice of Captain O'Hare, who had heard the lastwords as he entered. "I'm so weak myself I could hardly kill a fly, butI'm captain o' this company, and I won't have my men driven into thedumps. There's that Wilkes, now. I left him outside, smoking someunmentionable stuff with his mates, singing 'Down among the dead men',in a voice that would scare an undertaker. 'Faith,' says I, 'it'sdelighted ye ought to be, seeing ye're a sergeant before your time.''Sir,' says he, 'I'm only promoted cos poor Sergeant Jones is down amongthe dead men, and what I want to know is, whether it ain't my dooty tohave the nat'ral feelings of a man and a brother.' But what's this Ihear, Lumsden?--we leave you behind, eh?"
"Yes, though I hope you'll soon be out again. Surely our governmentwon't throw up the sponge!"
"Bedad, not if they ask my advice. No Englishman, let alone anIrishman, ever turned his back for good on a Frenchman yet; and as thewar secretary's an Irishman, why, I prophesy we'll be wid ye in sixmonths, my boy."
"Oh! but I'll be home long before then. There's one thing I'd like tostay in Spain for, but I see little chance of doing anything in it tillthe war's over, and then it'll be too late, so no doubt Mr. Frere willsend me home at once."
"Ah! And your one thing?"
"A precious secret," interposed Pomeroy. "Lumsden's a mystery-man eversince he picked up that brat Pepito, who's the owner of the evil eye ifever gipsy was. Some cock-and-bull story of a hidden treasure, or abeautiful heiress, or something of that kind, if the truth was known;but Jack's as mum as a mile-stone."
A bugle sounded outside the house.
"That's our call, my boys," said the captain. "Come now, out and getthe men into order, and march 'em off with as much decency as their ragsadmit. God bless ye, my boy! please the powers we'll have you back inthe mess yet."
"'Fare thee well, but not for ever!'" said Shirley, giving Jack a heartygrip.
"Good luck, old chap!" added Smith. "Give my love to the heiress Pepitofinds for you, and if you should happen to come across the Grampus, takemy advice--don't gamble."
Pomeroy shook hands silently.
"You'll give my love to the old people, Pommy?" said Jack. "I haven'thad time to write to them since we left Salamanca. You can give themall the news."
Then they went among the men. Sergeant Wilkes looked astonished as hefiled past and saw that Jack was not among his company, and Jack feltsure that he "wanted to know" more emphatically than ever, especiallywhen, on turning suddenly, he found that Pepito was making farewellgrimaces at all his friends in the regiment.
"Now, Pepito," said Jack sternly, "if you're to come with me, you mustlearn to behave yourself. Cut away and get my things ready; our shipleaves at nine to-night."
Jack's departure, however, had to be deferred until the followingmorning, the wind being unfavourable. Early on the 18th of January,then, he went on board a bergantin of some 300 tons, carrying hisdespatch for Mr. Frere in a waterproof bag, and followed by Pepitobearing the few articles he had been able to save out of hiswell-stocked kit of a few months before. Sir John Hope, when takingleave of him, had asked him to put in, if possible, at Vigo, and reportto General Craufurd, if he were still there, the recent happenings atCorunna.
His errand fortunately fitted in with the instructions of the master ofthe brig. Jack had to spend the night at Vigo, where he learned thatCraufurd had embarked his brigade some days before, and had alreadysailed for home. Next morning he was standing on deck, watching the lastbales of a miscellaneous cargo as they were lowered into the hold, when,looking along the quay, he saw hurrying towards him two figures which herecognized with no little astonishment. The one was a tall Spaniard inmilitary uniform; the other, still taller, was covered with a raggedbrown cloak, and staggered along under the weight of a large valise.Perceiving Jack's eyes fixed on him, the foremost figure waved his handwith easy condescension, and smiled, and when he was still several yardsaway, began to speak:
"Ah, amigo mio, you look surprised! As for me, I am both surprised anddelighted. I had not hoped for the pleasure of an old comrade's companyon this voyage. We will talk over old times, Jackino, and help eachother to face the perils of the sea."
"You anticipate a storm, then?" said Jack, with a meaning look.
"Not anticipate, my friend; but one must be prepared. And there is oneperil that, storm or no storm, every traveller has to endure."
"That is?"
"Mareamiento, amigo mio! The motion of a ship produces an unpleasantperturbation of the internal organs, resulting in--"
Jack laughed.
"That's your peril! Well, it's one that everyone has to face forhimself. If I were you, when you feel the perturbation beginning, Ishould lie on my back."
"But then I should have to turn over," said Miguel seriously. "However,you do not ask why I am prepared to endure this disagreeable accident oftravel; you show no curiosity, my dear friend."
"About other people's business--no. But I see that your man appearsn
one the worse for the punishment which, no doubt, the Marquis of LaRomana awarded him for his outrage at Astorga--you remember?--theoccasion when you were so much shocked at the man's heartlesstreachery."
"I remember well, dear friend. Perez was the victim of a suddentemptation, poor fellow. You see, he has only one eye. He is not allthere. Oh, he was punished! He was made to take off his uniform--ithad gold lace, you remember?--and to dress as a servant, and that, to aman of Perez' illustrious connections and personal pride, was a great,an overpowering humiliation. He felt the disgrace so keenly that heassured me he could not live unless I took him back into my service.What could I do? I could not be responsible for the miserable wretch'sself-destruction. I did what every man of heart would have done, and--But we are moving, my friend; the ship is oscillating like a child'scradle; the wind catches the sails. Yes, the voyage has begun. I thinkI will--ah!--descend."
As Miguel, leaning on the arm of his follower, disappeared down thecompanion-way, Jack noticed a large rent in the man's cloak, into whichanother material, by no means a good match, had been clumsily darned.He started, and drew out of his pocket a jagged remnant of cloth, thesole memento of his narrow escape at Cacabellos. In general appearanceit closely resembled the material worn by the Spaniard; but as both werebrown, and Spanish cloaks were usually of this colour, it would not beeasy, without close examination, to establish their identity.
"It may be merely a coincidence," thought Jack, "but it's queer, anyway.I have no doubt he owes me a grudge; I hit him rather hard. And Miguel,who doesn't love me either, would not be above reminding him of it."
With a careless resolve to be on his guard, Jack dismissed the matterfor the moment. For two days he saw nothing more of Miguel. The windwas fresh, and while Jack revelled in the rapid progress, and felthimself braced by the keen salt air, Miguel, his man, and Pepito allpassed through various stages of misery and despair. Pepito was thefirst to recover, and from him Jack learnt that Miguel had intended toattempt the journey southwards overland, but that, having accidentallycaught sight of Jack in Vigo, he had made enquiries, and determined torisk the sea-passage in his company. This information Pepito had pickedup from one of the seamen, who had been accosted and questioned by Perezbefore they left the harbour.
"Two villains, Senor!" said Pepito, as he concluded his story. "They donot love the Senor," he added, significantly fingering the small knifethat protruded from his sash. The action, like the weapon itself, wastwo-edged. It was a warning to Jack and a menace to the two Spaniards,who had just crawled for the first time from below, and, unwashed andunshorn, presented anything but a formidable appearance. Nevertheless,whenever he moved, Jack felt that Perez was watching him. He neversucceeded in catching him in the act; he felt rather than saw the glareof the man's forlorn eye.
Miguel volunteered the information that he was carrying despatches fromLa Romana to the Supreme Junta at Seville, and asked Jack what errandhad brought him southwards. Jack, however, evaded the question,enquiring into the present circumstances of La Romana's rabble, and itsprospects of escaping destruction. The Spaniard was evidently annoyedat Jack's want of communicativeness. He gave the shortest answers to hisquestions, and then, with a malicious gleam in his eyes, turned theconversation into another channel.
"And when my errand at Seville is accomplished," he said in his blandesttones, "I shall make my best speed to Saragossa, where I shall find mypearl, my rose, querida mia, the lovely Juanita. Pity, Jackino, Icannot invite you to my wedding. It would give you so much pleasure tosee the two friends of your childhood united in the holy bonds ofwedlock; and when--"
But Jack had moved away; he walked forward and watched the prow cuttingits white furrow, thinking of the old days when Juanita and he had bothdetested Miguel Priego, and wondering how the girl could have beenpersuaded to plight her troth to such a man.
The skipper told him that he hoped to make the mouth of the Guadalquiviron the evening of the fourth day after leaving Vigo. He proposed toanchor there for the night, and sail up to Seville next day. Jack wasso eager to reach his destination and deliver his despatch that hehalf-resolved to have himself put ashore at San Lucar, and finish thejourney overland. With this intention, when one evening the lights ofSan Lucar were sighted, he went to his cabin for his despatch-bag,telling Pepito to carry his few belongings on deck. Lifting the bag, hewas struck by the appearance of fine scratches on the hasp of the lock.He held it close to the flame of his lamp to examine it more thoroughly,and found in a moment that the lock had been forced and the despatchabstracted.
"Pepito," he said quickly to the boy, "do you know anything about this?"
"Nothing, Senor."
"The truth?"
"Fear makes lies, Senor; I know no fear."
"We shall not go ashore to-night. Have you seen anyone in my cabin?"
"No, Senor."
"Very well. Say nothing about this."
Jack sat down to reflect. Neither captain nor crew could have anyinterest in stealing a despatch. The bag had contained nothing else.Miguel and his man were the only other passengers beside himself andPepito. What would it profit either of them to tamper with the bag? Thepossession of the despatch would be of real advantage to neither ofthem; its loss would be merely an annoyance to himself. Anyhow, thedespatch was gone; it remained to be discovered whether it had beentaken by Miguel or Perez.
Pepito had been watching Jack's face. He seemed to divine what hismaster was thinking, for he came up to him and said quickly:
"Senor, I know the Busne. The paper is gone, and I will find outwhere."
Jack looked back at him for a moment without speaking, then he nodded,and Pepito hastened away with the light footstep of a cat.
Two hours afterwards he returned, with a grin of glee upon his elfinface, and a paper in his right hand.
"Senor's paper," he said. Then, bringing his left hand from behind hisback, he produced a second paper, saying:
"The Busno's paper too. Both were together in the Busno's bag, beneaththe Busno's pillow."
Jack frowned. He looked at the address on the second paper; it ran:"The Marquis of La Romana to their excellencies the Supreme Junta atSeville."
"You must take this back, Pepito," he said.
"No, no," said the boy, his eyes gleaming. "The Busno and the one-eyedman are asleep; I should wake them if I took the paper back. The Busnotook Senor's paper. Very well, I, Pepito, take the Busno's; and I willtear it in pieces, and throw it into the sea."
"No," replied Jack. "You are a clever boy, but you must learn to dothings in my way, not your own. I will give back the paper myself."
Pepito shrugged, as though expressing his inability to understand anEnglishman's mad way of doing things. An idea had come to Jack; he wouldnot restore the despatch at present, but would wait until the morning.Placing them both inside his tunic, and buttoning it up, he lay down andsettled himself to sleep.
Soon after daylight Jack heard angry, excited voices in Miguel's cabin.It was evident that the master had discovered his loss, and that the manwas bearing the first brunt of his vexation. Gradually the voicesdropped to a whisper, then there was silence, and Jack detected a softfootfall in the passage. The catch of the little cabin-door was slowlyraised; Jack coughed gently, the catch dropped noiselessly, and thevisitor disappeared without a sound.
At breakfast Miguel, evidently preoccupied and ill at ease, made noreference to the subject. As Jack had anticipated, he was not sureenough of his ground to report his loss to the captain. But his lookbecame more and more anxious, even agitated, as the vessel worked itsway in long reaches up the river. Perez, lounging against the bulwarks,was keenly watching Pepito, in whose somewhat provocative bearing heseemed to find cause for suspicion. The gipsy was even more monkey-likethan usual, swarming up and down the yards, flitting around and abovehis scowling enemy with a disconcerting assumption that Perez wasnon-existent.
Suddenly, while Jack was watching the play
of sunlight on the mountainranges in the east, he heard a cry, followed instantly by a splash onthe port side. He sprang across the deck, noticing as he did so thehalf-recumbent form of Perez lolling unconcernedly at the spot he hadoccupied for the past hour. There was nothing to be seen in thesluggish river below, and for a moment Jack was inclined to think thathis ears had deceived him; but even as the thought passed through hismind he caught sight of a small dark object rising above the surfacesome yards in the wake of the vessel. With a loud cry "Man overboard!"he threw off his cloak, sprang on the bulwark, and dived into the river.The water was icy cold, but fortunately in these lower reaches thecurrent ran slowly, and when he came to the surface, with the rapidityof a practised swimmer, he saw the small black head much nearer than hehad expected. In another second the reason was clear; the owner of thehead was swimming towards him with slow leisurely strokes, and Jackbegan to regret his precipitancy.
"The Senor will get wet," cried Pepito as he approached. His tone wasthat of aggrieved expostulation. "He will spoil his fine clothes. Ayde mi! Why will the Senor be so rash? And he has only one uniform.Now he will have to travel as a Busno. Ay de mi!"
Jack had now turned, and was swimming hard against the current. Heheard Pepito remonstrating in his wake, but although he treasured theremembrance afterwards, he was in no mood at the time to be amused withhis follower's untimely zeal. His heavy boots and water-logged clothes,to say nothing of the numbing cold of the water, made swimming anythingbut an agreeable exercise, and he was heartily glad when he clamberedinto a boat that had been promptly lowered from the ship. Pepitofollowed him a few seconds later, looking not unlike a water rat as heemerged dripping from the river, in which he seemed perfectly at home.In the boat the boy showed him, with an expressive grin, a piece of ropeabout five feet long. He had dragged it with him out of the river."What are you doing with that?" enquired Jack sharply.
"It belongs to the ship," was the reply. "Pepito is not a thief; hemust give it back."
"How came you to fall in?"
"I was swinging on the rope."
"And it got untied?"
"No; it was cut."
Jack started and looked closely at the end of the rope, which Pepitohanded to him with a chuckle of enjoyment. It had evidently been severedwith a knife.
"Perez?" enquired Jack.
"Yes, Senor," said Pepito.
They had by this time come under the ship's quarter, and a rope-ladderwas let down for their benefit.
"Stay where you are for a moment," said Jack to the bos'un; "I amsending another passenger."
As he clambered over the bulwarks Miguel met him with assumedsolicitude.
"You English are such sea-dogs, there is no keeping you out of thewater. I trust, my friend, you will not suffer a chill. At this timeof the year--"
He was warming to his theme when Jack stepped quietly through the littleknot of seamen gathered on the deck, and went straight towards Perez,who was still lolling against the bulwarks, with a gleam of maliciousenjoyment in his solitary eye. Before the man was aware of what wascoming, Jack had seized him by the waistband, and, using the bulwark asa fulcrum, had tilted him over into the river.
Then Jack went below and changed his dripping garments for the Spanishdress which he carried with him in case of emergency. He noticed as hedid so that in his absence his effects had been thoroughly ransacked.
When he came on deck he found that Perez, by no means a favourite withthe sailors, had been hauled out with extreme deliberation, afterswallowing some quarts of the turbid waters of the Guadalquivir. Heglared at Jack with concentrated malignity, but was physically incapableof reprisal, even if his morale had not been impaired by the knowledgethat he had only got his deserts.
The captain listened gravely to Jack's explanation, and examined thesevered rope with a judicial air. Jack did not consider it necessary tomake any reference to the incident of the despatches.
"I suppose," said the captain, "that the Senor will wish to lodge aninformation? A friend of mine is well acquainted with a man of law inthe Calle del Amor de Dios, a very able man--he has one case of assaultthat has lasted thirteen years."
"Thank you!" said Jack with a smile; "but as I only propose to stay inSeville for a few days, I fear I shall have to forgo your friend'sfriend's assistance."
The captain looked disappointed.
At length the vessel passed the Torre del Oro, a crenelated octagonaltower near the landing-stage. The brig was moored, Miguel and his man,who had been below since the incident, came on deck at the last moment,and ostentatiously ignoring Jack's presence, stepped across the gangwayon to the quay. As Miguel passed him, however, Jack quietly touched himon the shoulder.
"Allow me, Don Miguel," he said, "to hand you this packet. It wasfound--you can perhaps guess where--with some property of mine. I haveno occasion for the one; you will perhaps permit me to retain theother?"
A dull flush mounted to Miguel's cheeks. He took the despatch without aword, gave Jack a glance in which humiliation, chagrin, and undisguisedhatred were strangely mingled, and prepared to move off.
"A word," continued Jack, "before we part. Your Polyphemus is doubtlessa very devoted servant, but if we meet again, and I find him still atyour elbow, you will pardon me if I betray a little suspicion."
Jack turned abruptly away, leaving Miguel for once at a loss for anadequate answer. By the time he had recovered himself, Jack, followedby Pepito, was half-way across the quay.
Jack had never been in Seville before. He was struck by the forest ofmasts from ships lining the river bank, by the whitewashed houses builtin Moorish fashion, with barricaded windows, and the narrow, busy,cobbled streets. It was a fine clear day, and for almost the first timesince he landed, four months before, at Mondego Bay, he felt the drywarmth of a southern climate. He found his way with Pepito along theriver bank, past the bull ring, to a comfortable inn in the Plaza Nueva,and having there made himself as presentable as his worn and fadedgarments allowed, he set off for the Alcazar, where he had learnt thatthe British minister was then in conference with the Junta.
He had some curiosity to meet Mr. Hookham Frere. It had been common talkin the army that Sir John Moore had received a number of almost insolentepistles from the minister, who had gone quite beyond his province indictating the course of action which he thought the commander-in-chiefshould follow. Mr. Frere, indeed, was not cut out for the delicate workof an ambassador, and he was perhaps as little surprised as anybodywhen, two months later, he was recalled by the dissatisfied Governmentat home. He was no doubt worried by the mingled vacillation,braggadocio, and incompetence of the Spanish authorities with whom hehad to deal, and in truth their behaviour was such as would have triedthe temper of a more patient and self-assured man than Mr. Frere.
He received Jack in a private room, and read the despatch in silence,save when the news of Sir John Moore's death provoked an exclamation.He folded the paper and laid it down on the table before him.
"Poor fellow!" he said. "He always said he hoped to die after a greatvictory. You knew him, sir?"
"Yes, sir," said Jack. "I had the honour to serve under him through thecampaign, and he was very kind to me."
"Ah! I am afraid our relations were a little clouded of late. I actedfor the best. I did some things I now regret; they were due partly tomy lack of trustworthy information. And now, though we have won avictory, we have had to leave the country. The army might perhaps havesailed to Lisbon instead of returning home."
"I beg pardon, sir, but if you saw the horrible state of our men youwould be the last to say that. They're worn out with illness and hardwork, eaten with vermin, and have nothing but rags to cover themselveswith. I came off better than most, and you see what a condition myuniform is in."
"Terrible!--I had hoped so much from this expedition. The Spaniards haveindeed been given a breathing-space, but they will make little of it.And they are so untrustworthy, so untrustworthy, Mr. Lumsden
. At thistime, of course, it is of the utmost importance that the real state ofthings should be known to all the Spanish generals in all parts of thecountry; but I cannot depend on the Junta here telling the truth. Thereis General Palafox, for instance, in Saragossa, a young man for whosetalents I have the highest admiration; he is, as you may perhaps know,besieged by the French, and the Junta has encouraged him with the newsthat great battles are being won for Spain, and that armies will shortlymarch to his relief. All humbug, humbug! Buoyed up by false hopes, hewill resist to the bitter end, and the poor people of Saragossa mayendure all the nameless horrors of a protracted siege only to findthemselves disappointed and deceived. And then they will blame us,accuse us of deserting them in their extremity. It would be difficultnow for any messenger to reach him; but in any case I cannot depend onthe Junta's telling him the truth. I am weary of it all."
Jack had listened to this speech with growing eagerness. It suggested ameans by which he might fulfil what had been his dearest wish ever sincehe met Miguel in Salamanca--to see Juanita Alvarez, and learn forhimself that she had really of her own free-will consented to trust herlife and happiness to Miguel Priego. Until now it had seemed idle tohope for such an opportunity, but why should he not offer his servicesto Mr. Frere and volunteer to convey to Palafox a true account of theprogress of events elsewhere? And Palafox!--he had a private reason forseeing him. "Palafox the man, Palafox the name!"--the phrase in DonFernan's letter had never left his memory. At odd moments, when freefrom his duties, he had found himself conning the words over and overagain; and lately he had begun to wonder whether the mysterious messagewere not connected in some way with Juanita--whether there were not somestrange link binding Palafox and Juanita and himself together. Hisregiment had gone home; he was now under the orders of the Britishminister; he had been in dangerous places and circumstances of perilbefore; why not combine the public service with his private ends, andstart for Saragossa? His mind was made up.
"Let me convey a message to General Palafox," he said.
"You! It is preposterous. You would go to your death. How could you,an Englishman, and an English officer, hope to penetrate the Frenchlines? You would be caught and shot."
And then Jack gave the minister a brief account of himself, his earlyyears in Spain, his recent work for Sir John Moore done in the guise ofa Spaniard.
"And so you see, sir," he concluded, "you could hardly find anyone, notactually a Spaniard, with better chances of success than I have. I havebeen in Saragossa before, and I have some command of Spanish--and I amnot afraid, sir."
Mr. Frere was evidently taken with the suggestion. He had listened withgrowing interest to Jack's modest story, and smiled at his account ofhis conversation with the boastful commissary and his subsequentadventure with the Spanish stablemen.
"And this gipsy boy of yours--would you propose to take him with you?"
"Yes, sir; my chums regard him as my familiar spirit, and I myself havebegun to cherish a sort of belief that I sha'n't come to much harm if heis near at hand."
"Well, Mr. Lumsden, I am much interested in your story; I think, if Imay say so, that you have shown great capacity and resourcefulness, andfully justified poor Sir John's confidence, and I confess, after seeingand hearing you, that I have every hope of your succeeding in this,perhaps the most difficult, certainly the most hazardous, of all yourenterprises. And now, as that is settled, we must lose no time. Whenwill you be ready to start?"
"When the first ship sails, sir."
"You will go by ship, then?"
"It will perhaps be quicker, and safer on the whole."
"What about French frigates?"
"I must take my chance of them. Luckily I kept the Spanish dress givenme by Don Pedro de Gracioso; Pepito has it in my bundle. I shall, ofcourse, go as a Spaniard."
"I wish I had your youthful confidence!" Mr. Frere sighed. "Very well;find out when the boat sails northward, and I will have my despatch forGeneral Palafox ready at any time."
"You will answer for me to the military authorities, sir?"
"Certainly. You may assume that you have six months' leave; and for mypart, I do not suppose that your regiment will require your services anymore in Spain."
At the conclusion of the interview Jack stepped into the street with alight-heartedness he had not known for many a day. The winter, with allits fatigues and disappointments, was passing away; he felt a strangeassurance that with the coming spring the tide of his affairs would turntowards achievement and happiness; and he returned to his inn with abuoyancy and eagerness in his gait that caused many a head to turn andmany a face to smile.
With Pepito he hastened at once to the quay by the Torre del Oro, onlyto learn that no vessel would sail for the northern ports for some days."We can't wait for that," he said to himself, and immediately sought outthe owner of a large fishing-smack he saw in the offing. After somebargaining he arranged to hire the craft with its crew, to sail, windand weather being favourable, next morning.
On the way back to their inn he set a seal to the hold he hadunwittingly obtained on the gipsy's affections. Coming to aclockmaker's, he stopped, looked in at the window, then entered, andsoon returned carrying a huge silver watch, which he handed with itschain to Pepito.
"There, youngster," he said, "that's a little reward for the servicesyou have done me. Take care you don't lose it."
The boy beamed his delight, and pranced along the street in unfeignedecstasy.
The sun shone brightly next morning, and the wind blew fresh.Accompanied by Pepito, Jack, in his Spanish dress, went down to thequay, where, however, he found that the master of the smack was notdisposed to sail. He foretold a strong gale from the south-west, andwished to postpone his departure till the next day; but Jack was soeager to arrive at Saragossa that he would brook no delay. After anhour's arguing and coaxing, and the promise of double pay, he inducedthe mariner to attempt the voyage, and at nine o'clock the smack castoff and sailed slowly down the river. The wind increased in force asshe approached the mouth. On reaching the open sea she encountered thefull force of the blast, and, swinging round, scudded before the wind ata speed that promised a fast passage.
Boys of the Light Brigade: A Story of Spain and the Peninsular War Page 20
