I have always had a slight suspicion that the following narrative is notquite true. It was related to me by an old seaman who, among otherincidents of a somewhat adventurous career, claimed to have receivedNapoleon's sword at the battle of Trafalgar, and a wound in the back atWaterloo. I prefer to tell it in my own way, his being so garnished withnautical terms and expletives as to be half unintelligible and somewhathorrifying. Our talk had been of love and courtship, and after making mea present of several tips, invented by himself, and consideredinvaluable by his friends, he related this story of the courtship of achum of his as illustrating the great lengths to which young bloods wereprepared to go in his days to attain their ends.
It was a fine clear day in June when Hezekiah Lewis, captain and partowner of the schooner Thames, bound from London to Aberdeen, anchoredoff the little out-of-the-way town of Orford in Suffolk. Among otherantiquities, the town possessed Hezekiah's widowed mother, and whenthere was no very great hurry--the world went slower in those days--thedutiful son used to go ashore in the ship's boat, and after a filial tapat his mother's window, which often startled the old woman considerably,pass on his way to see a young lady to whom he had already proposed fivetimes without effect.
The mate and crew of the schooner, seven all told, drew up in a littleknot as the skipper, in his shore-going clothes, appeared on deck, andregarded him with an air of grinning, mysterious interest.
"Now you all know what you have got to do?" queried the skipper.
"Ay, ay," replied the crew, grinning still more deeply.
Hezekiah regarded them closely, and then ordering the boat to belowered, scrambled over the side, and was pulled swiftly towards theshore.
A sharp scream, and a breathless "Lawk-a-mussy me!" as he tapped at hismother's window, assured him that the old lady was alive and well, andhe continued on his way until he brought up at a small but pretty housein the next road.
"Morning, Mr. Rumbolt," said he heartily to a stout, red-faced man, whosat smoking in the doorway.
"Morning, cap'n, morning," said the red-faced man.
"Is the rheumatism any better?" inquired Hezekiah anxiously, as hegrasped the other's huge hand.
"So, so," said the other. "But it ain't the rheumatism so much whattroubles me," he resumed, lowering his voice, and looking roundcautiously. "It's Kate."
"What?" said the skipper.
"You've heard of a man being henpecked?" continued Mr. Rumbolt, in tonesof husky confidence.
The captain nodded.
"I'm CHICK-PECKED" murmured the other.
"What?" inquired the astonished mariner again.
"Chick-pecked," repeated Mr. Rumbolt firmly. "CHIK-PEKED. D'yeunderstand me?"
The captain said that he did, and stood silent awhile, with the air of aman who wants to say something, but is half afraid to. At last, with adesperate appearance of resolution, he bent down to the old man's ear.
"That's the deaf 'un," said Mr. Rumbolt promptly.
Hezekiah changed ears, speaking at first slowly and awkwardly, butbecoming more fluent as he warmed with his subject; while the expressionof his listener's face gradually changed from incredulous bewildermentto one of uncontrollable mirth. He became so uproarious that he was fainto push the captain away from him, and lean back in his chair and chokeand laugh until he nearly lost his breath, at which crisis a remarkablypretty girl appeared from the back of the house, and patted him withhearty good will.
"That'll do, my dear," said the choking Mr. Rumbolt. "Here's CaptainLewis."
"I can see him," said his daughter calmly. "What's he standing on oneleg for?"
The skipper, who really was standing in a somewhat constrained attitude,coloured violently, and planted both feet firmly on the ground.
"Being as I was passing close in, Miss Rumbolt," said he, "and comingashore to see mother"--
To the captain's discomfort, manifestations of a further attack on thepart of Mr. Rumbolt appeared, but were promptly quelled by the daughter.
"Mother?" she repeated encouragingly,
"I thought I'd come on and ask you just to pay a sort o' flying visit tothe Thames." "Thank you, I'm comfortable enough where I am," said thegirl.
"I've got a couple of monkeys and a bear aboard, which I 'm taking to amenagerie in Aberdeen," continued the captain, "and the thought struckme you might possibly like to see 'em." "Well, I don't know," said thedamsel in a flutter. "Is it a big bear?"
"Have you ever seen an elephant?" inquired Hezekiah cautiously.
"Only in pictures," replied the girl.
"Well, it's as big as that, nearly," said he.
The temptation was irresistible, and Miss Rumbolt, telling her fatherthat she should not be long, disappeared into the house in search of herhat and jacket, and ten minutes later the brawny rowers were gazingtheir fill into her deep blue eyes as she sat in the stern of the boat,and told Lewis to behave himself.
It was but a short pull out to the schooner, and Miss Rumbolt was soonon the deck, lavishing endearments on the monkey, and energeticallyprodding the bear with a handspike to make him growl. The noise of theoffended animal as he strove to get through the bars of his cage wasterrific, and the girl was in the full enjoyment of it, when she becameaware of a louder noise still, and, turning round, saw the seamen at thewindlass.
"Why, what are they doing?" she demanded, "getting up anchor?"
"Ahoy, there!" shouted Hezekiah sternly. "What are you doing with thatwindlass?"
As he spoke, the anchor peeped over the edge of the bows, and one of theseamen running past them took the helm.
"Now then," shouted the fellow, "stand by. Look lively there with themsails."
Obeying a light touch of the helm, the schooner's bow-sprit slowly swunground from the land, and the crew, hauling lustily on the ropes, beganto hoist the sails.
"What the devil are you up to?" thundered the skipper. "Have you allgone mad? What does it all mean?"
"It means," said one of the seamen, whose fat, amiable face was marredby a fearful scowl, "that we've got a new skipper."
"Good heavens, a mutiny!" exclaimed the skipper, startingmelodramatically against the cage, and starting hastily away again."Where's the mate?"
"He's with us," said another seaman, brandishing his sheath knife, andscowling fearfully. "He's our new captain."
In confirmation of this the mate now appeared from below with an axe inhis hand, and, approaching his captain, roughly ordered him below.
"I'll defend this lady with my life," cried Hezekiah, taking thehandspike from Kate, and raising it above his head.
"Nobody'll hurt a hair of her beautiful head," said the mate, with atender smile.
"Then I yield," said the skipper, drawing himself up, and delivering thehandspike with the air of a defeated admiral tendering his sword.
"Good," said the mate briefly, as one of the men took it.
"What!" demanded Miss Rumbolt excitedly, "aren't you going to fightthem? Here, give me the handspike."
Before the mate could interfere, the sailor, with thoughtless obedience,handed it over, and Miss Rumbolt at once tried to knock him over thehead. Being thwarted in this design by the man taking flight, she losther temper entirely, and bore down like a hurricane on the remainingmembers of the crew who were just approaching.
They scattered at once, and ran up the rigging like cats, and for a fewmoments the girl held the deck; then the mate crept up behind her, andwith the air of a man whose job exactly suited him, clasped her tightlyround the waist, while one of the seamen disarmed her.
"You must both go below till we've settled what to do with you," saidthe mate, reluctantly releasing her.
With a wistful glance at the handspike, the girl walked to the cabin,followed slowly by the skipper.
"This is a bad business," said the latter, shaking his head solemnly, asthe indignant Miss Rumbolt seated herself.
"Don't talk to me, you coward!" said the girl energetically.
The skipper started.
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"I made three of 'em run," said Miss Rumbolt, "and you did nothing. Youjust stood still, and let them take the ship. I'm ashamed of you."
The skipper's defence was interrupted by a hoarse voice shouting to themto come on deck, where they found the mutinous crew gathered aft roundthe mate. The girl cast a look at the shore, which was now dim andindistinct, and turned somewhat pale as the serious nature of herposition forced itself upon her.
"Lewis," said the mate.
"Well," growled the skipper.
"This ship's going in the lace and brandy trade, and if so be as you'resensible you can go with it as mate, d'ye hear?"
"An' s'pose I do; what about the lady?" inquired the captain.
"You and the lady'll have to get spliced," said the mate sternly. "Thenthere'll be no tales told. A Scotch marriage is as good as any, andwe'll just lay off and put you ashore, and you can get tied up as rightas ninepence."
"Marry a coward like that?" demanded Miss Rumbolt, with spirit; "not ifI know it. Why, I'd sooner marry that old man at the helm."
"Old Bill's got three wives a'ready to my sartin knowledge," spoke upone of the sailors. "The lady's got to marry Cap'n Lewis, so don't let'shave no fuss about it."
"I won't," said the lady, stamping violently.
The mutineers appeared to be in a dilemma, and, following the example ofthe mate, scratched their heads thoughtfully.
"We thought you liked him," said the mate, at last, feebly.
"You had no business to think," said Miss Rumbolt. "You are bad men, andyou'll all be hung, every one of you; I shall come and see it." "Thecap'n's welcome to her for me," murmured the helmsman in a husky whisperto the man next to him. "The vixen!"
"Very good," said the mate. "If you won't, you won't. This end of theship'll belong to you after eight o'clock of a night. Lewis, you must gofor'ard with the men."
"And what are you going to do with me after?" inquired the fairprisoner.
The seven men shrugged their shoulders helplessly, and Hezekiah, lookingdepressed, lit his pipe, and went and leaned over the side.
The day passed quietly. The orders were given by the mate, and Hezekiahlounged moodily about, a prisoner at large. At eight o'clock MissRumbolt was given the key of the state-room, and the men who were not inthe watch went below.
The morning broke fine and clear with a light breeze, which, towardsmid-day, dropped entirely, and the schooner lay rocking lazily on a seaof glassy smoothness. The sun beat fiercely down, bringing the freshpaint on the taffrail up in blisters, and sorely trying the tempers ofthe men who were doing odd jobs on deck.
The cabin, where the two victims of a mutinous crew had retired forcoolness, got more and more stuffy, until at length even the scorchingdeck seemed preferable, and the girl, with a faint hope of finding ashady corner, went languidly up the companion-ladder.
For some time the skipper sat alone, pondering gloomily over the stateof affairs as he smoked his short pipe. He was aroused at length fromhis apathy by the sound of the companion being noisily closed, whileloud frightened cries and hurrying footsteps on deck announced thatsomething extraordinary was happening. As he rose to his feet he wasconfronted by Kate Rumbolt, who, panting and excited, waved a big keybefore him.
"I've done it," she cried, her eyes sparkling.
"Done what?" shouted the mystified skipper.
"Let the bear loose," said the girl. "Ha, ha! you should have seen themrun. You should have seen the fat sailor!"
"Let the--phew--let the-- Good heavens! here's a pretty kettle of fish!"he choked.
"Listen to them shouting," cried the exultant Kate, clapping her hands."Just listen."
"Those shouts are from aloft," said Hezekiah sternly, "where you and Iought to be."
"I've closed the companion," said the girl reassuringly.
"Closed the companion!" repeated Hezekiah, as he drew his knife. "He cansmash it like cardboard, if the fit takes him. Go in here."
He opened the door of his state-room.
"Shan't!" said Miss Rumbolt politely.
"Go in at once!" cried the skipper. "Quick with you."
"Sha--" began Miss Rumbolt again. Then she caught his eye, and went inlike a lamb. "You come too," she said prettily.
"I've got to look after my ship and my men," said the skipper. "Isuppose you thought the ship would steer itself, didn't you?"
"Mutineers deserve to be eaten," whimpered Miss Rumbolt piously,somewhat taken aback by the skipper's demeanour.
Hezekiah looked at her.
"They're not mutineers, Kate," he said quietly. "It was just a piece ofmad folly of mine. They're as honest a set of old sea dogs as everbreathed, and I only hope they are all safe up aloft. I'm going to lockyou in; but don't be frightened, it shan't hurt you."
He slammed the door on her protests, and locked it, and, slipping thekey of the cage in his pocket, took a firm grip of his knife, and,running up the steps, gained the deck. Then his breath came more freely,for the mate, who was standing a little way up the fore rigging, aftertempting the bear with his foot, had succeeded in dropping a noose overits head. The brute made a furious attempt to extricate itself, but themen hurried down with other lines, and in a short space of time the bearpresented much the same appearance as the lion in Aesop's Fables, andwas dragged and pushed, a heated and indignant mass of fur, back to itscage.
Having locked up one prisoner the skipper went below and released theother, who passed quickly from a somewhat hysterical condition to one ofsuch haughty disdain that the captain was thoroughly cowed, and stoodhumbly aside to let her pass.
The fat seaman was standing in front of the cage as she reached it, andregarding the bear with much satisfaction until Kate sidled up to him,and begged him, as a personal favour, to go in the cage and undo it.
"Undo it! Why he'd kill me!" gasped the fat seaman, aghast at suchsimplicity.
"I don't think he would," said his tormenter, with a bewitching smile;"and I'll wear a lock of your hair all my life if you do. But you'dbetter give it to me before you go in."
"I ain't going in," said the fat sailor shortly.
"Not for me?" queried Kate archly.
"Not for fifty like you," replied the old man firmly. "He nearly had mewhen he was loose. I can't think how he got out."
"Why, I let him out," said Miss Rumbolt airily. "Just for a little run.How would you like to be shut up all day?"
The sailor was just going to tell her with more fluency than politenesswhen he was interrupted. "That'll do," said the skipper, who had comebehind them. "Go for'ard, you. There's been enough of this fooling; thelady thought you had taken the ship. Thompson, I'll take the helm;there's a little wind coming. Stand by there."
He walked aft and relieved the steersman, awkwardly conscious that themen were becoming more and more interested in the situation, and alsothat Kate could hear some of their remarks. As he pondered over thesubject, and tried to think of a way out of it, the cause of all thetrouble came and stood by him.
"Did my father know of this?" she inquired.
"I don't know that he did exactly," said the skipper uneasily. "I justtold him not to expect you back that night."
"And what did he say?" said she.
"Said he wouldn't sit up," said the skipper, grinning, despite himself.
Kate drew a breath the length of which boded no good to her parent, andlooked over the side.
"I was afraid of that traveller chap from Ipswich," said Hezekiah, aftera pause. "Your father told me he was hanging round you again, so Ithought I--well, I was a blamed fool anyway."
"See how ridiculous you have made me look before all these men," saidthe girl angrily.
"They've been with me for years," said Hezekiah apologetically, "and themate said it was a magnificent idea. He quite raved about it, he did. Iwouldn't have done it with some crews, but we've had some dirty timestogether, and they've stood by me well. But of course that's nothing todo with you. It's been an adventure I'm very sorry for, very."
"A pretty safe adventure for YOU," said the girl scornfully. "YOU didn'trisk much. Look here, I like brave men. If you go in the cage and undothat bear, I'll marry you. That's what I call an adventure."
"Smith," called the skipper quietly, "come and take the helm a bit."
The seaman obeyed, and Lewis, accompanied by the girl, walked forward.
At the bear's cage he stopped, and, fumbling in his pocket for the key,steadily regarded the brute as it lay gnashing its teeth, and trying invain to bite the ropes which bound it.
"You're afraid," said the girl tauntingly; "you're quite white."
The captain made no reply, but eyed her so steadily that her gaze fell.He drew the key from his pocket and inserted it in the huge lock, andwas just turning it, when a soft arm was drawn through his, and a softvoice murmured sweetly in his ear, "Never mind about the old bear."
And he did not mind.
THE COOK OF THE "GANNET"