The Cruise of the Frolic

  CHAPTER NINETEEN.

  THE ENGAGEMENT--OUR DESPERATE CONDITION--A FRIEND IN SIGHT--OUR ENEMYFLIES--MALTA.

  By this time the first faint streaks of early dawn had appeared in thesky; but in that latitude the sun does not take long to get above thehorizon, and daylight was on us almost as soon as the brig had again gotus within range of her guns. Two or three shots struck our hull, and atthe same time the enemy opened a fire of musketry on us; but the piratesdid not prove themselves better marksmen with their small-arms than theyhad hitherto done with their heavier guns.

  "Oh, I wish the rascals would but attempt to run us aboard!" exclaimedHearty. "To think of their impudence in daring to knock holes in theside of my yacht!"

  "There spoke a true Briton," observed Bubble as he once more ran out hisgun. "He does not think any thing of being shot at; but the idea ofhaving his property injured, or his home invaded, rouses all his anger.Here goes though; I'll see if we can't pay them off in their own coin,with some change in our favour."

  Will was a capital marksman, and as cool as a cucumber, which was morethan most of our men were, though not one was wanting in pluck. Hepulled the trigger, and as I watched to see the effects of his fire, Isaw two men fall on the pirate's deck, while some white splinters flyingfrom the mainmast showed us that the shot had, as well, done some damageto the vessel herself.

  "Hurra! bravo, Bubble!" I shouted, and the crew echoed my cry, which,rising in full chorus, must have reached the ears of our enemy, andshowed them that we were not likely to prove as easy a prey as theymight have fancied. "Another such a shot as that, and I believe theywill up helm and be off," I exclaimed.

  "I'll do my best," answered Bubble, fanning himself with hisbroad-brimmed hat, for the weather was very hot, and he had been making,for him, somewhat unusual exertions.

  Will now trained his gun with great care: a great deal depended on afortunate shot. "If we could but bring down one of his masts, or make ahole through his sides, we should win the day even now," he exclaimed,kneeling down to aim with more deliberation; "a ten-pound note to theman who wounds a mast, or sends a shot between wind and water." As heafterwards acknowledged, the ten pounds was truly a widow's mite withhim, for he hadn't another such sum in his locker to back it.

  "I'll make it twenty," cried Hearty, who really seemed to enjoy theexcitement of the adventure; "come, let us see who will win it."

  "I have," cried Bubble, jumping up and clapping his hands like aschoolboy, as he watched with intense eagerness his shot strike the hullof the brig just at the water-line, sending the white splinters flyingin every direction.

  "Fairly won, Bubble, fairly won!" we all exclaimed; "if they don't plugthat hole pretty quickly, they will soon find their jackets wetter thanthey like."

  In return for the mischief we had done him, the pirate let fly his wholebroadside at us. He was every instant drawing nearer and nearer, eitherto give his guns more effect, or to attempt carrying us by boarding. Heprobably fancied that we were by this time weakened by loss of men, ashe very likely was not aware of the little effect produced by his ownguns. Dismasted as we were, and low in the water, we presented, indeed,a somewhat difficult mark to hit. The pirate's approach gave us anotheradvantage, as we were now able to bring our own musketry into play,which somewhat made up for the lightness of our guns. We had a greatadvantage also in the rapid way we were able to load our guns, whichwere of brass, while our opponents' were probably of iron. Our muskets,too, were kept constantly at work; Ruggles, the steward, and Pepper, theboy, being set to load them as fast as they were discharged, whileCarstairs had a first-rate rifle, with which he picked off every fellowwhose red cap appeared above the bulwarks with as much _sang froid_ ashe would have knocked over a partridge on the 1st of September.

  As our yachtsmen had had no practice with their guns, they were notparticularly good shots, so that none of them surpassed Bubble in theaccuracy of their aim, greatly to his delight. The enemy's shot nowbegan to fall rather thicker around us, while two or three of our peoplewere hit with their musket-balls. None of them were hurt sufficientlyto make them leave the deck; we could not, however, expect that thisstate of impunity would long continue. I every now and then turned aneye on Bubble to watch his energetic proceedings, though I had enough todo to load and fire away with my own musket. On a sudden, as he jumpedup to watch the effect of his shot, I saw him stagger back and fall onthe deck; I sprang forward to raise him up, "Oh, it's nothing, nothing,"he exclaimed, turning, however, at the same time very pale; "only thewind of a shot or a little more; but it's a new sensation; took me bysurprise; just set me on my legs again, and I shall be all to rightssoon."

  This, however, was more than I could do, poor fellow. He had been hit,and badly too, I was afraid; I sent Ruggles down for a glass of brandyand water. "Just bring up a flask, and a jug of water also," said I,"others may want it." Bubble was much revived by the draught, andbinding a handkerchief over his side, which was really wounded, thoughnot so badly as I feared, with the greatest pluck he again went to hisgun.

  During this interval the enemy had ceased firing, having shot some wayahead of us, but he now again tacked, and, looking well up to windward,stood towards us on a line which would enable him to run us aboard, ifhe pleased, or to strike us so directly amidships, that there was everyprobability of his sinking us. This last proceeding was the one most tobe feared, and I felt sure that he would not scruple so to do. I couldnot tell if my friends saw the terrific danger we were in; I thoughtnot, for they went on peppering away with their fire-arms, and laughingand cheering, as if the whole affair was a very good joke. I confessthat my heart sank within me as I contemplated the fate which awaitedus. "How soon will those gay and gallant spirits be quenched in death,"I thought. "How completely will our remorseless enemies triumph. Theyhave all this time been merely playing with us as a cat does with amouse." Five minutes more would, I calculated, consummate thecatastrophe. A minute had, however, scarcely passed, when I saw thebrig square away her yards; and putting up her helm, off she went beforethe wind. Her courses were let fall; topgallant-sails were set,studding-sails and royals soon followed. Every stitch of canvas shecould carry was got on her, while not the slightest further attentiondid she pay to us. I rubbed my eyes, for I could scarcely believe mysenses. We, however, continued firing away as long as there was thechance of a shot reaching her, and then our men set up such a jovial,hearty cheer, which if it could have reached the ears of the pirates,would have convinced them that we had still an abundance of fight leftin us.

  What had caused the enemy so suddenly to haul off was now the wonder.At all events, I trust that we were thankful for our unexpecteddeliverance. When I pointed out to my companions the danger we had beenin, they at once saw it themselves. Porpoise had seen it, indeed, allalong, but had concealed his apprehension as I had done mine.

  "The rascal found we were too tough a morsel to swallow, so thought hehad better let us alone at once," said Hearty.

  "I cannot think that," I observed; "he had some other reason, depend onit." I was right; the mystery was soon solved. All hands at once setto work to fit and rig the jury-masts, when we were called from ouroccupation by a cheer from Bubble, whose wound made it clearly dangerousfor him to exert himself in any way.

  "A sail, a sail!" he exclaimed; "a big ship, too, I suspect."

  I looked in the direction in which he pointed away to windward, wherethe topsails of a ship appeared rising above the horizon; from theirsquareness I judged her to be a man-of-war. The rising sun just tingedthe weather-side of her canvas, as she bore down on us with a streak oflight which made her stand out in bold relief against the deep blue sky.The pirate crew had, of course, seen her from aloft long before wecould have done so. She was welcome in every way, as she would probablyenable us to get into port. The only provoking part of the businesswas, that the pirate would in all probability get away with impunity.Had she but come on the scene an hour earlier, she would, probab
ly, havebeen down upon us before either we or the pirate could have seen her,and would most assuredly have nabbed our amigo.

  "Never mind," said Porpoise, "the fellow can scarcely get out of theStraits, even if he wishes it, and if I ever fall in with him within theboundaries of the Mediterranean, I have no fear of not knowing himagain; we shall hear more of him by and by, depend on it."

  Our fighting had given us an appetite, so we went to breakfast with nolittle satisfaction, though we had not much time to spare for it.Bubble would not acknowledge that his wound was of consequence, thoughhe let me look to it, as I did to the hurts of the other poor fellowswho were hit. From the appearance they presented, I was truly glad thatthere was a good prospect of their having surgical aid without delay.They did not know, as I did, that their wounds would be far more painfulin a few hours than they were at that time, so they made very light ofthem. As the stranger drew nearer, we made her out to be asloop-of-war, and the ensign flying from her peak showed her to beBritish; she had been standing so as to pass a little way to thewestward of us. When, however, she made us out, which she did not dotill she was quite close to us, she altered her course and was soonhove-to, a few cables' length to leeward. A boat was lowered, and, withan officer in the stern-sheets, came pulling towards us.

  "What in the name of wonder is the matter?" exclaimed the officer,standing up and surveying us with no little surprise.

  "Why, Sprat, the matter is that we have been dismasted in a whitesquall, which would have sent many a craft to the bottom," answeredPorpoise, who in the officer recognised an old shipmate; "we since thenhave been made a target of by a rascally pirate, whose mastheads havescarcely yet sunk beneath the horizon."

  "If that is the case, we must see if we cannot catch her," answeredLieutenant Sprat, who was second lieutenant of the corvette.

  "What, sir! leave us rolling helplessly about here like an empty tub?"exclaimed Hearty, in a dolorous tone. "But never mind, if you think youcan catch her, I dare say we can take care of ourselves."

  "I'll report the state of things to Captain Arden, and learn what hewishes," quoth Lieutenant Sprat, as he pulled back to his ship.

  In another minute the corvette's jolly-boat was seen leaving her side,while she, putting up her helm, stood away in the direction the piratehad taken. The jolly-boat soon came alongside, with a midshipman andsix men.

  "Captain Arden has sent me with the carpenter's mate and some of hiscrew to help you in," quoth Master Middie, addressing Porpoise; "we'llsoon get a new mast into you, and carry you safely to old Gib, orwherever you want to go."

  Porpoise looked at him, and evidently felt very much inclined to laugh.He was one of the shortest lads in a midshipman's uniform I ever saw;but he was broad-shouldered, and had a countenance which showed clearlythat he very well knew what he was about.

  "Thank you," answered Porpoise; "we shall be much beholden to you Idoubt not, though we should have been glad if your captain had sent us adoctor as well. May I ask your name, young gentleman?"

  "Mite, sir; Anthony Mite," answered the midshipman, a little taken abackat Porpoise's manner.

  The old lieutenant did not quite like his patronising airs.

  "I thought so," observed our worthy skipper; "your father was a shipmateof mine, youngster, and you are very like him."

  "In knowing my father you knew a brave man, I hope, sir, you willallow," replied Master Mite, with much spirit.

  "But I did not know that you were in the service. A better or braverfellow never stepped," answered Porpoise, warmly, putting out his hand."I've no doubt you are worthy of him, youngster. We'll have a yarnabout him by and by. However, just now, we must try to get the craft insailing trim again."

  Small as the young midshipman was in stature, he soon made it evidentthat he was of the true stuff which forms a hero. He was here, there,and everywhere, pulling and hauling, directing and encouraging. Sorapid were his movements, that his body seemed ubiquitous, while thetone of his voice showed that he was well accustomed to command and tobe obeyed. We had no reason to complain of either the officer orlabourers Captain Arden had sent us. Meantime I had been keeping my eyeon the proceedings of the corvette. She at first stood away steadily tothe northward and eastward, in the direction the brig had taken, and itseemed evident that she had her in sight; then she altered her course tothe westward, but finally disappeared below the horizon, steering nearlydue north.

  "If the man-of-war has still the brig in sight, the latter must bemaking for some Spanish port, where the pirates hope to lie concealedtill the search for them is over," I thought to myself. "However,Sandgate, if he really is the commander, is up to all sorts of dodges,and will very likely, somehow or other, manage to make his escape."

  As may be supposed, we watched very anxiously for the re-appearance ofthe corvette, but the sun went down, and we saw nothing of her.However, we had by this time got up apologies for three masts, and,moreover, managed to make sail on them.

  It was a great satisfaction to feel the poor little barkie once moreslipping through the water, though at a much slower pace than usual.

  As I feared, both Bubble and the men who had been wounded began, towardsmidnight, to complain somewhat of their hurts. While we were allsitting round the table in the cabin at supper, before turning in,Hearty, as Porpoise had done, expressed his regret that Captain Ardenhad not sent us a surgeon.

  "Oh, we didn't know that any one was hurt," observed Mr Mite. "Butnever mind, I understand something of doctoring. I can bleed infirst-rate style, I can tell you. Don't you think I had better try myhand?"

  "Thank you, they have been bled enough already, I suspect," answeredHearty. "I'm afraid no one on board can do much good to them. I onlypray the wind may hold, and that we may soon get into Gibraltar."

  But Master Mite was not so easily turned aside from his purpose oftrying his hand as a surgeon. He begged hard that he might, at allevents, be allowed to examine the men's wounds.

  We of course assured our young friend that we did not doubt his surgicaltalents; but still declined allowing him to operate on any of theyacht's crew. We were not sorry, however, to let him take the middlewatch, which he volunteered to do, for both Porpoise and I and old Snowwere regularly worn out. The wind held fair, and there was not much ofit. The night passed away quietly, and when morning broke we saw thecorvette standing after us. She had been, as I expected, unsuccessfulin her chase of the Greek brig. She had made all sail after a craftwhich she took for her, but on coming up with the chase, discovered herto be an honest trader laden with corn. She now took us in tow, and inthe afternoon we reached the Rock.

  Hearty very soon heard that the "Zebra" had gone on to Malta, with MissMizen on board, and from the way he received the information, Isuspected that his feelings towards her were of a warmer character thanI at first supposed. He was very anxious to be away again, and urged onPorpoise to do his utmost to expedite the refitting of the yacht.Fortunately, we were able to procure a spar intended for the mast of aman-of-war schooner, and which was not refused to the application of anMP. In a week the little craft was all to rights again, and once moreon her way to that little military hot-house--the far-famed island ofMalta.