Mr. Midshipman Easy
Page 39
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
A COUNCIL OF WAR, IN WHICH JACK DECIDES THAT HE WILL HAVE ONE MORECRUISE.
As Captain Sawbridge did not return on board that evening, Easy went onshore and called upon him at the Governor's, to whom he was introduced,and received an invitation to dine with him. As Gascoigne could notcome on shore, our hero took this opportunity of making his request toCaptain Sawbridge, stating that the person he had with him was not suchas he wished and could confide everything to; that is, not one to whomhe could talk to about Agnes. Jack, as he found that Captain Sawbridgedid not immediately assent, pressed the matter hard; at last CaptainSawbridge, who reflected that Gascoigne's interest hereafter would bemuch greater through his friend Easy than any other quarter, and thatthe more the friendship was cemented the more advantageous it mightprove to Gascoigne, gave his consent to our hero's wish, who called onboard the _Latona_ to acquaint Gascoigne and the first lieutenant ofCaptain Sawbridge's intentions, and then went on board of _Rebiera_ andordered Mesty to come with his portmanteau on shore to the inn, that hemight dress for dinner. Gascoigne, now considered as not belonging tothe _Latona_, was permitted to accompany him; and Jack found himselflooking out of the window at which he had hung out his trousers upon thememorable occasion when the boatswain had to follow his own precept, ofduty before decency.
"What scenes of adventure I have passed through since that," thoughtJack; "not much more than four years ago, then not three weeks in theservice." Whereupon Jack fell into a deep reverie, and thought of thebaboon and of Agnes.
The repairs of the _Latona_ were all made good by the next day, andGascoigne, having received his discharge-ticket, went on board the_Rebiera_. The gun-boat was put into the hands of the agent, andshortly afterwards purchased by Government. The _Rebiera's_ crew didnot, however, obtain their prize-money and share of the head-money, forshe had seventy men on board, until their return, but, as they did, theyhad broken the ice, and that was everything. Moreover, it gave themconfidence in themselves, in their vessel, and in their commander. Ourhero weighed a short time after the _Latona_, having first taken leaveof Captain Sawbridge, and committed to his care a letter to DrMiddleton.
Once more behold the trio together--the two midshipmen hanging over thetaffrail, and Mesty standing by them. They had rounded Europa Point,and with a fine breeze off the land, were lying close-hauled along theSpanish shore. Mr Oxbelly was also walking near them.
"When I was cruising here it was very different," observed Jack; "I hada vessel which I did not know how to manage, a crew which I could notcommand, and had it not been for Mesty, what would have become of me?"
"Massa Easy, you know very well how to get out of scrapes, anyhow."
"Yes, and how to get into them," continued Gascoigne.
"And how to get others out of them, too, Ned."
"`No more of that Hal, an thou lovest me,'" quoted Gascoigne. "I haveoften wondered what has been the lot of poor Azar."
"The lot of most women, Ned, in every country--prized at first,neglected afterwards--the lot she might have had with you."
"Perhaps so," replied Ned, with a sigh.
"Massa Easy, you get eberybody out of scrape; you get me out of scrape."
"I do not recollect how, Mesty."
"You get me out from boil kettle for young gentlemen--dat devil ofscrape."
"And I'm sure I've got you out of a scrape, Mr Oxbelly."
"How so, Mr Easy?"
"How so!--have I not prevented your quarrelling with your wife everynight?"
"Certainly, sir, you have been the means. But, do you know, when wewere engaging the other day, I could not help saying to myself, `I wishmy wife was here now, holding little Billy at the hatchway.'"
"But at night, Mr Oxbelly."
"At night!--why, then I'm afraid I should have wished her home again--it's astonishing how comfortable I sleep now every night. Besides, inthis climate it would be intolerable. Mrs Oxbelly is a very largewoman--very large indeed."
"Well, but now we must hold a council of war. Are we to run up thecoast, or to shape our course direct for Palermo?"
"Course direct, and we shall take nothing, that is certain," saidGascoigne.
"If we take nothing we shall make no prize-money," continued Oxbelly.
"If we make no prize-money the men will be discontented," said Easy.
"If no ab noting to do--it will be damned 'tupid," continued Mesty.
"Now then the other side of the question. If we steer for Palermo, weshall be sooner there and sooner home."
"To which I reply," said Gascoigne, "that the shorter the cruise is, theless I shall have of your company."
"And I shall have to sleep with Mrs Oxbelly," continued Oxbelly.
"Hab fine ship, fine gun, fine men, and do noting," cried Mesty. "By depower, I no like dat, Massa Easy."
"You want eight months of coming of age, Jack," observed Gascoigne.
"It won't make a difference of more than three or four weeks," said MrOxbelly; "and the expenses have been very great."
"But--"
"But what, Jack?"
"Agnes."
"Agnes will be better defended going home by men who have beenaccustomed to be in action. And, as for her waiting a little longer, itwill only make her love you a little more."
"Sleep single a little longer, Mr Easy, it's very pleasant," said MrOxbelly.
"That's not very bad advice of yours," observed Gascoigne.
"_Stop a little_, Massa Easy," said Mesty, "you know dat very goodadvice."
"Well, then," replied Jack, "I will, as I am quite in the minority. Wewill work up the whole coast--up to Toulon. After all, there'ssomething very pleasant in commanding your own ship, and I'm not in ahurry to resign it--so that point's decided."
The _Rebiera_ was steered in to the land, and at sunset they were notfour miles from the lofty blue mountains which overhang the town ofMalaga. There were many vessels lying at the bottom of the bay, closein with the town; the wind now fell light, and the _Rebiera_, as shecould not fetch the town, tacked as if she were a merchant vesselstanding in, and showed American colours, a hint which they took fromperceiving three or four large vessels lying in the outer roads, withthe colours of that nation hoisted at the peak.
"What is your intention, Jack?" said Gascoigne.
"I'll be hanged if I know yet. I think of working up to the outerroads, and anchoring at night--boarding the American vessels, andgaining intelligence."
"Not a bad idea; we shall then learn if there is anything to be done,and if not, we may be off at daylight."
"The pratique boat will not come off after sunset."
"And if they did, we could pass for an American, bound to Barcelona oranywhere else--the outer roads where the vessels lie are hardly withingun-shot."
Mesty, who had resumed his sailor's clothes, now observed, "What we do,Massa Easy, we do quickly--time for all ting, time for show face andfight--time for hide face, crawl, and steal."
"Very true, Mesty, we'll crawl this time, and steal if we can. It's notthe warfare I like best of the two."
"Both good, Massa Easy; suppose you no steal board of polacca ship, younot see Missy Agnes."
"Very true, Mesty. 'Bout ship, Mr Oxbelly."
"Mr Oxbelly not good for boat sarvice," observed Mesty, showing histeeth.
It was dark before the _Rebiera_ was anchored in the outer roads, acable's length astern of the outermost American vessel. One of herquarter-boats was lowered down, and Gascoigne and our hero pulledalongside, and, lying on their oars, hailed, and asked the name of thevessel.
"So help me Gad, just now I forget her name," replied a negro, lookingover the gangway.
"Who's the captain?"
"So help me Gad, he gone on shore."
"Is the mate on board?"
"No, so help me Gad--he gone shore too."
"Who is aboard then?"
"So help me Gad, nobody on board but Pompey--and dat me."
"No, sar; but to-night great pleasure on shore. Eberybody dance andsing, get drunk, kick up bobbery, and all dat."
"What, is it a festival?"
"So help me Gad, I no know, sar."
"Is there any one on board of the other vessels?"
"Eberybody gone on shore. Suppose they have black man, he stay onboard."
"Good-night, Pompey."
"Good-night, sar. Who I say call when captain come on board?"
"Captain Easy."
"Captain He-see, very well, sar."
Our hero pulled to another ship, and found it equally deserted; but atthe third he found the second mate, with his arm in a sling, and fromhim they gained the information that it was a great festival, being thelast day of the carnival; and that every one was thinking of nothing butamusement.
"I've a notion," said the mate, in reply, "that you're American."
"You've guessed right," replied Jack.
"What ship, and from what port?"
"Rhode Island, the _Susan and Mary_," replied Gascoigne.
"I thought you were north. We're of New York. What news do you bring?"
"Nothing," replied he, "we are from Liverpool last."
A succession of questions was now put by the American mate, and answeredvery skilfully by Gascoigne, who then inquired how the market was?
It was necessary to make and reply to all these inquiries before theycould ask apparently indifferent questions of American traders; at lastGascoigne inquired:
"Do you think they would allow us to go on shore? the pratique boat hasnot been on board."
"They'll never find you out if you are off before daylight; I doubt ifthey know that you are anchored. Besides, from Liverpool you would havea clean bill of health, and if they found it out, they would not saymuch; they're not over-particular, I've a notion."
"What are those vessels lying inshore?"
"I guess, they have olive oil on board, the chief on 'em. But there aretwo double lateens come in from Valparaiso the day before yesterday,with hides and copper. How they 'scaped the British, I can't tell, butthey did, that's sure enough."
"Good-night, then."
"You won't take a glass of sling this fine night, with a countryman?"
"To-morrow, my good fellow, to-morrow; we must go on shore now."
Our hero and Gascoigne returned on board the _Rebiera_, consulted withOxbelly and Mesty, and then manned and armed the two quarter and sternboats. They thought it advisable not to hoist out their long-boat; nofire-arms were permitted to be taken lest, going off by accident orotherwise, an alarm should be given. Our hero and Mesty proceeded inthe first boat, and pulled in for the town; Gascoigne shortly after inthe second, and the boatswain, in the jolly-boat, followed at somedistance.
There was no notice taken of them; they pulled gently down to thelanding-place, which was deserted. There was a blaze of light, and thesounds of revelry in every quarter on shore; but the vessels appearedequally deserted as the American ones in the offing.
Finding themselves unobserved, for they had taken the precaution to pullonly two oars in each boat, they dropped gently alongside one of thedouble-masted lateen vessels, and Mesty stepped on board. He peepeddown in the cabin, and perceived a man lying on the lockers; he came upin his stealthy manner, closed the hatch softly, and said, "all right."Jack left Gascoigne to take out this vessel, which he did verysuccessfully, for it was very dark; and although there were sentriesposted not far off, their eyes and ears were turned towards the town,listening to the music.
A second vessel, her consort, was boarded in the same way, but here theyfound a man on deck, whom they were obliged to seize and gag. They puthim down in the cabin, and Mesty, with another boat's crew, cut hercables and swept her gently out towards the American vessels. One morevessel was required, and Jack, pulling two oars as usual, saluted agalliot heavily laden, but of what her cargo consisted was not known.In this vessel they found two men in the cabin playing cards, whom theyseized and bound, and cutting her cables were obliged to make sail uponher, as she was much too large to sweep out. As they were making sailthey, however, met with an interruption which they did not expect. Thecrew belonging to the vessel, having had enough amusement for theevening, and intending to sail the next morning, had thought it right tocome off sooner than the others: it was then about midnight or a littlelater, and while some of Jack's men were aloft, for he had six with him,Jack, to his annoyance, heard a boat coming off from the shore, the menin her singing a chorus. The galliot was at that time just understeerage way, her topsail had been loosed and her jib hoisted, but theformer had not been sheeted home, for the three men below could not, inthe dark, find the ropes. The other three men were on the foreyardloosing the foresail, and Jack was undetermined whether to call themdown immediately or to allow them to loose the sail, and thus get goodway on the vessel, so as to prevent the boat, which was loaded with men,from overtaking them. The boat was not more than twenty yards from thegalliot, when, not finding her where they left her, they pulled to theright and lay on their oars. This gave a moment of time, but they verysoon spied her out. "Carambo!" was the exclamation--and the head of theboat was pulled round.
"Down, my lads, in a moment by the swifters," cried Jack. "Here's aboat on board of us."
The men were in a few seconds on deck, and the others, who had nowsheeted home the topsails, hastened aft. The vessel soon gathered way,but before that her way was sufficient, the boat had pulled under thecounter, and the Spaniards, letting their oars swing fore and aft, wereclimbing up, their knives in their teeth. A scuffle ensued, and theywere thrown down again, but they renewed their attempt. Our hero,perceiving a small water or wine cask lashed to the gunwale, cut itloose with his cutlass, and, with one of the men who was by his side,pushed it over, and dropped it into the boat. It struck the gunwale,stove a plank, and the boat began to fill rapidly; in the meantime thegalliot had gained way--the boat could not longer be held on, from itsweight, and dropped astern with the men in it. Those who were half inand half out were left clinging to the gunwale of the vessel, and asthey climbed up were secured and put down in the cabin. Fortunately, nofire-arms having been used on either side, the alarm was not givengenerally, but the sentry reported fighting on board one of the vessels,and the people of the guard-boat were collected, and pulled out; butthey only arrived in time to see that the galliot was under way, andthat the two other vessels from Valparaiso were not in their berths.
They hastened on shore, gave the alarm; the gunboats, of which therewere three at the mole, were ordered out, but half the crew and all theofficers were on shore, some at balls, others drinking at taverns orposadas; before they could be collected all three vessels were alongsideof the _Rebiera_; and not aware that anything had been discovered, ourhero and his crew were lulled in security. Jack had gone on board,leaving fourteen of his men on board the galliot--Gascoigne had done thesame--Mesty still remained on board his vessel; and they werecongratulating themselves, and ordering the men on board to thewindlass, when they heard the sound of oars.
"Silence!--what is that?" exclaimed Oxbelly. "The gun-boats orrow-boats, as sure as I'm alive!"
At this moment Mesty jumped up the side.
"Massa Easy, I hear row-boat not far off."
"So do we, Mesty. Gascoigne, jump into the boat--tell the men in theprizes to make all sail right out, and leave us to defend theirretreat--stay on board of one and divide your men."
"Dat all right, Massa Easy.--Mr Gascoigne, be smart--and now, sar, cutcable and make sail; no time get up anchor."
This order was given, but although the men were aloft in a moment, andvery expeditious, as the _Rebiera_ payed her head round and the jib washoisted, they could perceive the boom of the three gun-boats pulling andsailing not five cables' length from them.
Although rathershort-handed, topsails, courses, and top-gallant sails were soon set,the men down to their quarters, and the guns cast loose, before thegun-boats were close under their stern. Then Jack rounded to, bracedup, and the _Rebiera_ stood across them to the westward.
"Why the devil don't they fire?" said Jack.
"I tink because they no ab powder," said Mesty.
Mesty was right--the ammunition chests of the gun-boats were alwayslanded when they were at the mole, in case of accidents, which mightarise from the crew being continually with cigars in their mouths, andin the hurry they had quite forgotten to put them on board.
"At all events, we have powder," said Jack, "and now we'll prove it.Grape and canister, my lads, and take good aim."
The commanders of the gun-boats had hailed each other, and agreed toboard the _Rebiera_, but she now had good way on her, and sailed fasterthan they pulled. A well-directed broadside astonished them--they hadno idea of her force; and the execution done was so great, that theyfirst lay on their oars and then pulled back to the mole with all speed,leaving the _Rebiera_ in quiet possession of her prizes, which hadalready gained two miles in the offing.
The _Rebiera_, as soon as Jack perceived that the gun-boats hadretreated, was put before the wind, and soon closed with her captures,when she was hove-to till daylight with the three vessels in company.Gascoigne returned on board, prize-masters were selected, and Jackdetermined to keep them all with him, and take them to Palermo.