Roger Kyffin's Ward
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on by his father."
"One's no better than the other, in my opinion," muttered Paul."However, sir, if you will tell the poor ladies what has happened in asgentle a way as possible, I will bless you for it. As for me, I couldnot do it, that I could not."
With a sad heart Mr. Kyffin took his way through the grounds, hoping tofall in with Mabel and her aunt. Paul Gauntlett in the meantime keptguard at the door, while two other stout fellows with bludgeonsappearing round the corner of the house, induced the besiegers to keepat a respectful distance.
Mr. Kyffin soon met the two ladies. He had no doubt who they were, andat once introduced himself. The result of his announcement, though madeas cautiously as possible, can better be imagined than described.
"If it is so, God's will be done!" said Madam Everard, whose wholethoughts were centred in her niece, whom she and Roger Kyffin withdifficulty bore to the house. The news soon flew around the place, andDr. Jessop hearing it at once repaired to Stanmore, where he found hisold friend Roger Kyffin.
For several days Mabel lay almost unconscious, attended carefully by Dr.Jessop, through whose speedy arrival, in all human probability, her lifehad been saved.
Scarcely had she begun to recover, than Mr. Sleech, armed with furtherauthority, arrived at the Park. Mr. Wallis was in consultation withMadam Everard. She and her niece must remove at the bidding of herbrother-in-law.
"Nothing can be done," said Mr. Wallis. "At all events, no attempt mustbe made to prevent his being admitted into the house." With a heavyheart Paul Gauntlett heard the lawyer's decision, though even then heseemed very doubtful whether he ought to submit to Madam Everard'sorders.
"I would rather a thousand times have fought it out to the last, anddied in the breach," he exclaimed, dashing his stick on the floor."However, if it must be, it must be, and it's not the first time ascoundrel has gained the day and got into the place of an honest man."
Paul had abundance of occupation for the remainder of his stay atStanmore.
With a countenance in which sorrow, anger, and indignation were blended,he assisted in packing up the property belonging to Madam Everard andher niece. This was at once conveyed to Lynderton, where a house hadbeen secured for them. In as short a time as possible they removed fromStanmore Park with everything they possessed. Scarcely were they out ofthe house than Mr. Sleech and his family took possession.
Silas, however, lost the satisfaction of taking up his abode at the Parkas the owner, for Mr. Coppinger informed him that he must either give uphis situation or return to the counting-house. He selected the latteralternative, greatly to Mr. Kyffin's surprise. The estimation in whichthat gentleman held Mr. Silas Sleech had of late been considerablylowered. He once had thought him a hard-working, plodding, honestfellow who could be thoroughly trusted--a valuable man in acounting-house. Several circumstances had of late come under Mr.Kyffin's notice with regard to Silas Sleech's mode of life. What he sawof him at Stanmore and heard of him at Lynderton had also yet furtherlowered him in his estimation. His mind was one especially addicted toforming combinations. He put several things he had seen and heard ofMr. Sleech together. To this he added his own opinion on certaindocuments which Mr. Sleech had produced, with apparent unwillingness, tocriminate Harry.
He also found from the porter in Idol Lane that the two young men hadbeen in the constant habit of going out together, and very often notreturning till a late hour. These and other circumstances which neednot be narrated, made Mr. Kyffin resolve to watch very narrowly theproceedings of Mr. Sleech for the future. Suspicion is more easilyaroused than quieted. On further inquiries he had no doubt that theletter for which Silas Sleech had called during his absence, addressedto his house at Hampstead, was from Harry, and that it had beenpurposely withheld, although Silas declared, when taxed with receivingit, that he had forwarded it to Ireland. Altogether there was a fairprospect that the rogueries of Mr. Silas Sleech would be brought tolight. Still, however, he sat at his desk, working on with apparentlythe greatest diligence, and the same unmoved countenance as usual.
In the meantime Mr. Sleech had taken possession of Stanmore for his son,and he and his family were making themselves thoroughly at home in theirown fashion. They were somewhat indignant that the neighbourhood didnot immediately call and pay that respect which their relatives had beenaccustomed to receive. It cannot be supposed that Mr. Wallis, nor evenDr. Jessop, had been silent with regard to the way Mr. Sleech hadbehaved to his sister-in-law and niece, while Paul Gauntlett took everyopportunity of describing how he had defended the house, and how theyhad ultimately outmanoeuvred him.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
ON THE RAFT.
We must now go back to a solitary raft which bore Captain Everard, HarryTryon, and Jacob Tuttle tossing on the bosom of the wide Atlantic. Thesea, after the foundering of the frigate, had gone down, and severalcasks had floated, which had been secured by the occupants of the raft.One contained bread, another meat, and a third, more valuable still,water. By these means there seemed a prospect that those on the raftmight preserve their lives. Still, as day after day passed by, andtheir provisions decreased, the fate from which they had at one timeexpected to escape, again appeared to approach them.
Eagerly they strained their eyes, in the hope of seeing a sail, but thesun rose and the sun went down again and still they floated all lonelyon the ocean. The last drop of water was expended, not a particle offood remained. They knew that a few days might probably end theirexistence. Harry Tryon kept up his spirits, and endeavoured to sustainthose of Captain Everard, who felt acutely the loss of his ship. Harry,however, had not made himself known to him, while Jacob Tuttle alwaysaddressed him by the name of Brown. One of their number was sinkingfast, another poor fellow had become delirious. It seemed too likelythat they would drop off one by one till none remained upon the raft.Again the weather became threatening. A dense mist lay over the water.Few of those on the raft expected to see another daybreak. At length,however, the dawn appeared, but still the mist surrounded them.Suddenly it broke, and the bright sun burst forth and shed his rays onthe white canvas of a vessel close to them. They shouted and waved.Their voices could not have been heard, but they were seen. The vesselbore down upon them, and in a few minutes they were hoisted safely onboard.
The vessel was from the Saint Lawrence, homeward bound. They weretreated with kindness. The weather was fine. For many days they madegood progress. They were expecting in the course of another day tosight the Irish coast. A gale sprung up. They were driven off thecoast. The brig was dismasted, and lay helpless on the tossing ocean.Just when about to get up jury masts, a strange sail hove in sight. Shewas a French privateer, and the battered vessel became her prize. Theofficers of the merchantman, with Captain Everard and part of theEnglish crew, were taken on board the privateer; but several men, amongwhom were Jacob Tuttle and Harry, were left on board the brig to assistthe prize-master in navigating her into port. Fortunately, however, onher voyage the prize was separated from the privateer, and wasrecaptured by a British man-of-war, to whose decks Harry and Tuttle,with several other able-bodied seamen, were transferred, while the prizewas sent into Falmouth.
Harry soon discovered that all ships in the British navy were not alike,and he and Tuttle often wished themselves on board the "Brilliant,"under the command of Captain Everard.
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
THE MUTINY AT THE NORE, AND HOW THE HERO BECAME IMPLICATED IN IT.
Once more Harry gazed on the coast of England. He felt an earnestlonging to go on shore and see Mabel. He wished to tell her that herfather had escaped death, and that, although a prisoner, he might soonreturn home. The "Latona," the frigate on board which Harry foundhimself, sailed swiftly up the Channel, and rounding the Isle of Wight,came to an anchor at Spithead. A large fleet lay there, under thecommand of Lord Bridport. Harry, with several others, asked leave to goon shore. He was sternly refused. The captain of the frigate was oneof those men who seemed to t
ake delight in tyrannising over their crewsand in making them miserable. No, not although Harry pleaded hisshipwreck and the suffering he had gone through. The captain turned adeaf ear to his entreaties. Several ships' companies had similar causesof complaint.
Harry soon discovered that something was going forward among the men,but he was not trusted. Disaffection rapidly spread among the crews ofthe ships. At length they began to speak openly of their grievances.Harry, finding it impossible to get on shore, wrote two letters: one toMabel, the other to Roger Kyffin. He told Mabel, that in all thedangers he had gone through, he was true to her as ever. He describedthe sinking of the ship, and his satisfaction at having been the meansof saving her father's life. His chief disappointment was at notfinding himself, as yet, on the quarter-deck, but still he trusted thatan opportunity would occur to enable him to make his way there. To Mr.Kyffin he wrote as