CHAPTER XXXIX.
As the Starboard went ashore the Port Watch came on board, all withtheir new brooms. There was the Captain, Bob Mainstay, by name, and hisfirst Lieutenant, Ben Backstay, a good sailor and true. There was also afull compliment of other officers and men. Amongst the rest there wasthe cheery little midshipman, Random Jack, who was now on the eve of hispromotion. It was wonderful how this little fellow had pushed himself tothe front.
Wonders, it is known, never cease; but it was a strange sight to see thePort Watch rowed on board by Ojabberaway boatmen. When theweather-beaten old captain of the other watch saw this he smiled in amanner that was peculiar to him and said: "That won't last!" Then, as ifspeaking to himself, he added, "I wonder now, what was their price.Humph! there is nothing that Bob Mainstay can either promise, or give,that I cannot go beyond. Unless indeed, he and his crew chuck overboardall their principles. Ah! there's the rub. Principles and politics don'talways pull together, and politics often, being the stronger of the two,pulls principles round with a bang."
Now there was an animated discussion all along the hard and amongst thePress, as to whether or not the Port Watch had been rowed on board bythe Ojabberaways. Many were prepared to swear that it was so; that therecould be no mistake about the matter. Others declared it was one ofthose optical delusions which are for ever happening to surprise andmystify people. Those who see the supernatural in almost everything,declared that this was merely a deception brought about by the devil.The Buccaneer's people were ready to believe almost anything justaccording to the party they belonged to, or the principles theyprofessed. Indeed their credulity was so great in most things that thecunning rogue frequently reaped a rich harvest out of them. Astrologerswere all dead, but the people, some of them, still dabbled in magic andbelieved in spiritualism.
Before the Port Watch left the shore they promised to do no end ofthings and their parting with the poor Beggar Woman, Patriotism, wasmost affecting. They said that so long as they had charge of the oldShip she should want for nothing. In fact everybody was to be made happyand like the ending of all good books, and works of fiction, virtue onall sides was to be rewarded. But the atmosphere of that old Shipclouded the best of memories. Besides, every one knows that promises arequite as cumbersome baggage as a conscience, and all those who wish toget on in the world must unload themselves of the one, as readily asthey do of the other.
Many of the crew of the Ship of State kept their consciences on board ofthe old Hulk alongside, where they were cleaned and repaired and sentfor when wanted.
The daily press having had their usual battle, settled down to dictateto the watch in charge what they had to do and what they had not to do.Indirectly it pretty well ruled the roost; told the captain what man hewas to put here, and what man there; but Captain Mainstay filled up hisdifferent posts according to his own way of thinking, always bearing inview, of course, the Buccaneer's cherished custom. All this took somelittle time, for you cannot get things to fit on such principles all ofa sudden. Accidents will happen, and chance will occasionally put asquare man into a square hole and then he has with much difficulty to bepulled out and a round hole found for him.
New brooms invariably sweep clean and the Port Watch set themselves towork to clean up the mess left behind by old Dogvane and his lot. No onekicked up more dust than did the, at one time, little middy, who for hisgood behaviour was made steward of the household of the Buccaneer'sIndian Princess. It was his duty to watch over her; to guard her againsther enemies and especially to keep an eye upon the wicked Bandit of theEast.
They all agreed for once, and declared that old Dogvane had left thingsin a terrible state of muddle, and they were unanimous in the beliefthat they had only stepped on board just in the nick of time to save theold Buccaneer from complete ruin; but this belief was also common to theother watch when they took charge. The cook's galley they said was in ashocking state and full of nothing but cheese parings; while he hadscribbled all over the place, "the Upper Chamber must be destroyed." Allpeople have their peculiarities, their whims and their fancies, and theclever little cook was not without his.
When the cook reached the shore, he went about with his barrel organ andsang songs about the iniquities of the other watch; of their indecenthaste to get on board the old Ship and grab the emoluments attached tothe several offices. The cook being placed in easy circumstances, by theprofits he received from his barrel organ, could afford to be virtuouslyindignant.
Scarcely had the Port Watch settled down to their work than things wentwrong with them. They did not in shaping their course make due allowancefor the current of Public opinion, which at times set very strong, andthe old Ship of State got into difficulties. Over the ship's side theywent as quickly as they had climbed on board and the helm was againplaced in the hands of that experienced old salt, William Dogvane, whowas, however, requested by the Buccaneer to keep his weather eye open,for that if he caught him again napping it would be the worse for him.
"Master," said the captain, "it is no use your putting me on board thisold ship unless you give me powers sufficient to keep the wild andmutinous Ojabberaways in order. They are simply playing the very devil."
This to the Buccaneer was a hopeful sign, for Dogvane had always beenaccused of sympathizing with this people and indeed of playing intotheir hands. With Dogvane came the conspirators of the cook's caboose.They still held together, though the carpenter was drifting away fromhis old comrades, into a purer and brighter atmosphere. The cook waslike that pattern sailor, Billy Taylor, full of mirth and full of glee.
One fine morning the whole of the Buccaneer's island was awakened by agreat hubbub on board of the old Ship. The Church Hulk was slumbering ina peaceful repose after her recent rude shaking. She had again settleddown to her usual state.
Notwithstanding what old Dogvane had said to the contrary he soon beganintriguing with the Ojabberaways and he made a rapid shift, coming tothe conclusion that nothing would make the Ojabberaways eternally happy,but to give them everything they wanted. He said the old Ship thuslightened would ride easily ever afterwards. The cook, however, true tohis hobby, said that it would be a great pity to waste the Ojabberawayswhen there was the whole of the Buccaneer's Upper Chamber weighing theold Ship down by the stern, and generally retarding her progress, andinterfering considerably with her steering.
Things looked very bad, and Random Jack who was ashore was mosteloquent, and declared for his part he should never be surprised to seea flare up on board the old Ship, when, no doubt, honest sailors wouldcome by their dues. The noise upon the Ship of State roused up the crewof the ship alongside, for if there was to be a mutiny, or any thing ofthat kind going on, they felt sure they would be boarded, robbed, andcast adrift.
The Life of a Celebrated Buccaneer Page 39
