CHAPTER EIGHT.
When Owen regained his senses he found himself in a hammock in the sickbay of the frigate, with Mike and Nat close alongside of him.
"How do you feel, Mike?" asked Nat, who had not observed that Owen wasawake.
"Mighty quare, but not sorry to find myself here. I hope Mr Hartleywill come to soon. They seem to treat him as one of us."
"He ought to be with the officers aft," said Nat. "The mate is withthem, I suppose, but I have not seen him."
"Shure he'll not fail to make himself out to be a big man somehow orother," said Mike. "He'll be after swaring he was the captain of theship, although he will forget to say that it was through him that shewas cast away."
The conversation was cut short by the appearance of the surgeon, whoobserved, as he glanced over the hammocks--
"I am glad to see you are coming round again, lads."
He stopped by Owen's side.
"Well, boy, how do you feel?" he inquired, in a kind tone.
"Very weak, sir," said Owen; "but all I want is food and water."
"You shall have an ample supply by-and-by, but in your present state youmust take only a little at a time."
One of the sick bay attendants brought in three small basins of broth,from one of which the doctor fed Owen.
"Thank you, sir," said Owen, "though I think I might save you thattrouble."
"You shall be welcome to do so next time," answered the doctor, smiling.
"What rating did you hold on board the ship you belonged to?" asked thesurgeon.
"I was a passenger, although I did duty as a midshipman."
"Why, the captain described you as a ship's boy," observed the doctor.
"Arrah, shure, he'd not the captain at all, at all," exclaimed Mike,lifting up his head; "he was first mate until the raal capt'n died. Butmaybe he didn't say how the ship came to be cast away."
The doctor made no reply to the Irishman's remark. "I must see aboutthis," he said to himself.
Owen and his companions remained in their hammocks for a couple of days,when they all declared themselves strong enough to get up. A large tubwas brought them to wash in, and they were supplied by the purser with aseaman's suit apiece. Owen was thankful to put on clean clothing, asthe garments he had on when wrecked were worn completely into rags.Thus habited, although in the dress of a common seaman, he certainly didnot look like an ordinary ship's boy. Still, he was allowed to remainforward with his two companions. As yet they had seen nothing of MrScoones, who was, they understood, occupying one of the officers' cabinsaft.
Owen found that they were on board the "Sylvia," a thirty-six gunfrigate, commanded by Captain Stanhope, on her way to Batavia. He hadreason to suspect that the sand-bank on which they had been wrecked wasfurther to the westward than Mr Scoones had supposed, and that had theynot been picked up they would have perished long before reaching Java.
Having now sufficiently recovered to do duty, they were placed in awatch under the command of the second lieutenant, Mr Leigh. Owenconcluded that this was as it should be. It did not occur to him thatit would be of any use to explain who he was, and to endeavour to obtaina better position on board. He thought it but natural that he should beexpected to work, and he was ready to do duty in any station in which hewas placed. He supposed that his friend the doctor had forgotten him,or had not thought fit to carry out his intentions. Owen, who had beenaccustomed to go aloft while on board the "Druid," soon attracted theattention of Lieutenant Leigh by the activity and diligence with whichhe performed all his duties. The lieutenant at length spoke to him.
"If you go on as you have begun, you will become a smart seaman," hesaid, in a kind tone.
"Thank you, sir," answered Owen, touching his hat; "I will do my best."
"What is your name?" asked the lieutenant.
"Owen Hartley, sir."
"Owen Hartley!" repeated a tall midshipman, who was in Mr Leigh'swatch, and who was standing near. He looked hard at Owen, but said nomore.
It struck Owen, as he glanced at the midshipman, that he had seen himsomewhere before, but he could not at first recollect where it was.
He puzzled his brains for some time. At last he inquired themidshipman's name of one of the men, pointing him out as he walked thedeck.
"That is Mr Ashurst, a sprig of nobility of some sort," was the answer."Take care you don't get foul of him. He carries on with a pretty highhand when he has the chance, especially if you go away with him in aboat, or he is in command on any occasion."
Shortly afterwards a squall was seen coming up, and the variousnecessary orders were issued for the shortening of sail. The midshipmenhurried to their posts, repeating the orders they had received. MrAshurst came forward, shouting out, as he did so, to the men.
"Yes, those are the very same tones," thought Owen, and he recognisedthe naval officer who, with his brother, had been thrown out of theircarriage, and whom he had assisted in getting to rights again. "Hisbrother called him Reginald. If this midshipman's name is the same Ishall have no doubt about the matter."
Owen had not hitherto been stationed aloft, but one of the other boyswas on the sick list.
"What are you doing on deck here, you idle young rascal?" exclaimed MrAshurst. "Quick, up the rigging and help to hand the fore royal."
Owen obeyed, and flew up aloft. The lighter sails were quickly handed.The topsails were reefed, and the crew called down; the frigate stood onher proper course. The way Mr Ashurst addressed Owen convinced himthat he was the person he supposed.
"I will take care not to give him any cause of offence, for he isevidently not an amiable person," thought Owen.
A few minutes afterwards the look-out at the masthead shouted--
"A sail on the weather bow!"
One of the officers immediately went aloft. On his return the bearingsof the stranger were taken. She was a large ship, standing in for theland.
The frigate was immediately put about. The squall having blown over,all sail was made in chase. Many surmises were expressed as to what shewas, but it was a general opinion that she was a French frigate.
"If she is, we shall have a fight, and take her too," cried one of themen near whom Owen was standing.
"Little doubt about that, mates," observed another.
Such were the expressions uttered by the crew. Owen felt as eager asany one. He had not come to sea to fight, but he knew that even onboard the "Druid" they might have fallen in with an enemy and have hadto defend themselves.
"Is there any chance of her getting away, Mr Hartley?" asked Nat, whonever forgot their relative positions, though Owen treated him as afriend.
"No," replied Owen; "for this frigate sails very fast, and from what Ihear, Captain Stanhope is not likely to let an enemy escape him if hecan help it."
"I feel somewhat strange at the thoughts of having round shot andbullets flying about our ears," said Nat.
"We must run our chance along with the rest," answered Owen.
Mr Scoones, who had only come on deck that day for the first time, onseeing that there was a prospect of a sharp engagement, seemed to wishthat he had kept below. After pacing up and down several times, hespoke to the first lieutenant.
"As I have had some experience in dressing wounds, although, of course,I should wish to see the fight on deck, I may be of assistance to thedoctor. With your leave I will go into the cock-pit and offer to helphim."
The first lieutenant looked at him hard, suspecting the reasons.
"You are a passenger, and we do not expect you to fight, so do as youplease," he answered.
Mr Scoones immediately dived below. The doctor, who had been arrangingthe various instruments and dressings which he expected would berequired, received Mr Scoones coldly.
"You have not thought of bringing the two boys and the seaman saved withyou. They might like to escape the risk of being shot."
"They have entered as part of the ship's company, and must run theirc
hance," answered Mr Scoones.
"I thought as much," remarked the doctor, and continued his preparationswithout further accepting the offer made him.
The "Sylvia" showed herself to be a fast craft as she rapidly gained onthe chase. As yet, however, the colours of the latter had not beenshown. It was possible, after all, that she might prove to be a friend.All hands were on deck watching the chase. A loud cheer rose from thecrew as the French flag flew out from the stranger's peak. She hadtacked several times to keep the weather gauge, which it was CaptainStanhope's wish to obtain. She was seen to be a frigate of the samesize as the "Sylvia," if not larger. The decks were now cleared foraction, and the drum beat to quarters. Owen found that he and the otherboys were to be employed in bringing up powder from the magazines inflannel bags placed in buckets. They had then to sit on them until thepowder was wanted for loading the guns.
He would rather have been employed on some other duty, as he would thushave seen what was going forward. Still he did not for a moment thinkof trying to avoid what he was ordered to do. It was a satisfaction tofind that Nat was near him.
"I don't half like it," said Nat; "but there is no one to care for me ifI'm killed, except my old grandmother, and my brothers and sisters.You'll tell them all about me, and take them my love, won't you, MrHartley?"
"Yes, I will not forget your message, and I assure you, Nat, that Ishould care very much indeed if you were to be killed," answered Owen."But do not be down-hearted; it will be a great thing to have been in afight, although we may have taken no very active part in it."
Owen and Nat were stationed on the main deck, and had just brought uptheir powder from below.
"Hold your tongues, youngsters," said a midshipman, who just thenpassed. Owen recognised Mr Ashurst; he looked pale, but whether thiswas from the thoughts of the coming fight, or from some other cause,Owen could not tell. He was stationed at the guns which it was Owen'sduty to keep supplied.
The second lieutenant passed along the deck, speaking an encouragingword to the men at each of the guns, while he gave the orders in regardto their mode of firing.
He then turned to the boys, and addressed a few kind remarks to them.
During this time the French frigate had shortened sail, showing that shehad no intention of avoiding an action.
Owen could only get a glimpse of her through the port. The "Sylvia" hadtacked several times. Again Mr Leigh came along the deck.
"In another minute we shall pass under the enemy's stern, and every gunfrom forward is to be fired in succession," he cried.
Just as he spoke, loud roars were heard, and several of the Frenchmen'sshot struck the frigate's upper works, none penetrating to the maindeck.
Owen peered out eagerly to try and get a glimpse of the enemy; thentheir own guns began firing, the crew cheering as their shot told withconsiderable effect. The French frigate, however, which had immediatelyluffed up, though too late to avoid being raked, returned the fire withher other broadside. The two frigates ran on together to the eastward,exchanging broadsides as fast as the guns could be run in and loaded.
"I wonder when she's going to give in?" said Nat to Owen as theyreturned from below with a fresh supply of powder.
"Before long, if we continue pounding her as we have hitherto done,"said Owen, who after the first shots had been fired felt as cool as hehad ever done in his life. Nat, too, recovered his self-possession, andseemed to have lost all his fears. Still, it was a trying time foryoungsters who had never before been in battle. Round shot at timesstruck the ship in quick succession. Three or four men had been killedon the main deck, and others had been carried below badly wounded. Owenhad observed Mr Ashurst constantly moving about, evidently in no veryhappy frame of mind.
"I say," observed Nat, "I rather think he doesn't half like it,"pointing at the midshipman as he spoke.
"You have no right to think that," answered Owen. At that moment a shotstruck the cill of the port nearest to the spot where Owen was seated,killing one man and wounding another, then flying across the deck closeto Mr Ashurst, it committed further havoc on the other side, laying lowanother of the crew.
The midshipman gave a spring and fell over near Owen, who was at thatmoment supplying his gun with powder. As soon as he was at liberty,Owen endeavoured to help the midshipman.
"Are you hurt, sir?" he asked.
"I don't know--I thought I was," answered Mr Ashurst, getting on hisfeet.
His reply produced a laugh from several of the men who heard him. Hewalked away without uttering a word of thanks to Owen for his goodintentions. Another broadside was fired, when a loud cheer burst forthfrom the crew on the upper deck, and was echoed by those on the maindeck.
"She has struck! she has struck!"
The English frigate had been a good deal cut up. The Frenchman had losther foremast and main topmast, while her hull was severely battered.The "Sylvia" was hove to, and Mr Leigh, with a boat's crew, sent totake possession of the prize. She proved to be the "Venus," forty-fourguns. Her captain having been killed, the first lieutenant presentedhis sword to Mr Leigh; as he did so he pointed to a number of dead anddying men about the decks, observing with a sigh--
"We did not yield until we had no hope of success. It is the fortune ofwar."
"You have fought bravely, monsieur, and you and your crew will betreated as brave men," answered Mr Leigh.
He then ordered that the dead should be hove overboard, and the woundedcarried below, to be attended to by the surgeon. He also directed theFrench officers and most of the crew to prepare for going on board theEnglish frigate, though a few were retained for attending to the sick.The remainder of the "Sylvia's" boats which had escaped damage now camealongside with fresh hands to form the prize crew and to carry off theFrenchmen. Mr Leigh, leaving the prize in charge of the master's mate,who had accompanied him, returned on board the frigate to deliver theswords he had received, and report the state of the prize.
"I intend you to have charge of the prize, and you can take any handsyou choose with you," said Captain Stanhope.
Mr Leigh having selected two or three more men, observed--
"I will take the lads we picked up the other day; they are sharpfellows, especially one of them, and may be useful."
Owen and Nat were summoned and ordered to get into the boat with theother men, among whom was Mike Coffey. Owen was well pleased to havebeen selected by Mr Leigh.
"We shall be out of the way, too, of that midshipman Mr Ashurst,"observed Nat. "He is a regular bully when he has the chance."
On reaching the deck of the prize, however, what was theirdisappointment to find that Mr Ashurst had gone on board her in one ofthe other boats. He looked hard at Owen as he came up the side.
"Who sent you here, boy?" he asked.
"I was ordered to come," answered Owen, touching his hat.
"Well, look out, and see that you behave yourself," said the midshipman,as he walked away.
Owen felt a sickening sensation as he looked along the decks of theprize. Those of the "Sylvia" had been bad enough. These, although thedead and wounded had been removed, were still covered in every directionwith blood, while they were thickly strewed with shattered spars,fragments of bulwarks, blocks, pieces of rope, and torn sails, whilefrom below came up cries and groans of the wounded, either waiting tohave their hurts dressed or already in the surgeon's hands. As thefrigates were at the time not far from the coast of Celebes, everyeffort was made to repair the more serious damages, in order to enablethem to haul off the shore before nightfall. The first thing to be donewas to get up a fore jury mast. Rather more than a third of the Frenchcrew still remained on board the prize; but as all hands were requiredfor this work, Mr Leigh waited to send them away until it had beenaccomplished. Most of them, indeed, appeared willing to lend theirhelp. It was nightfall, however, before sail could once more be made onthe frigate. By that time it came on to blow very hard, and the seagetting up, made it dangerous fo
r the boats to pass to and fro. CaptainStanhope, therefore, sent word to Mr Leigh to retain the remainder ofthe prisoners, and should the frigates get parted, to steer for Marrack,the nearest port on the Java coast where shelter could be found. Thefort protecting the harbour had a short time before been captured byLieutenant Lyons with two boats' crews. The captain's last directionsto Lieutenant Leigh were to keep a sharp look-out on his prisoners. Thewind increased, and the night became very dark. The English crewremained on deck, but most of the Frenchmen went below. All the sailthe frigate could carry was set, but it soon became evident that she wasmaking little or no way off the shore.
Captain Stanhope had directed Mr Leigh to keep the lead going, and toanchor should the prize drift into shoal water. He accordingly orderedthe cables to be ranged ready for that emergency. Owen had beenactively engaged the whole day, and Mr Leigh had employed him to carryorders to the different parties at work. Soon after nightfall the"Sylvia" was lost sight of; as, for her own safety, she had beencompelled to get a good offing, Captain Stanhope not being willing torun the risk of anchoring on a lee shore. His intention was, however,to stand in the next morning and rejoin the prize. Had the wind beenbut moderate, the "Venus" would have run but little risk. Blowing,however, heavily, as it now did, Mr Leigh could not help acknowledgingthat they were in considerable danger. Though under reduced sail, shefortunately stayed very easily. The lieutenant, therefore, did nothesitate to go about as often as he considered necessary. A look-outwas kept for the land, and every time she tacked the lead was hove, butas no bottom had yet been found, it was hoped she might yet be aconsiderable distance from it. The French crew had remained quietlybelow, one or two only occasionally coming on deck, apparently toascertain the position of the ship.
Strange that even at this time of peril Mr Ashurst should have treatedOwen in his usual tyrannical manner. He never met him without utteringa word of abuse. Two or three times he took up a rope's end and struckhim, declaring that he was idling or not obeying orders. At last Owencould bear it no longer.
"You are perfectly well aware, Mr Ashurst, that you have no right totreat me thus," he said in a firm voice. "You are placing yourself inmy power, for were I to complain of you, you would be punished. I haveno wish to do that, but I must beg that you will desist."
"Who are you, to speak like this to me?" exclaimed the midshipman,apparently astonished at Owen's language and manner.
"Were I your inferior in birth and education I should have a perfectright to expostulate," said Owen.
"In birth--in birth and education! You, a contemptible ship's boy, putyourself on an equality with a nobleman's son!" exclaimed Ashurst.
"I am not placing myself on an equality, for I am not a nobleman's son,but I am the son of a gentleman, and have received a gentleman'seducation, and have, I hope, the feelings of one," answered Owen, histemper rising in a way he found it difficult to quell; "all, however, Iinsist on is that you should not strike or abuse me, for by so doing, asyou well know, you are acting contrary to the articles of war."
"A young sea lawyer, are you!" cried Ashurst. "Look out for squallswhen we get on board the frigate again."
"Has it occurred to you, Mr Ashurst, that if this gale continues we maynever get there?" asked Owen, feeling suddenly prompted to put thequestion. "We have a wild rocky coast under our lee, and should theanchors fail to hold, we may, before morning, be cast on it with littlehope of any one on board escaping."
"Who told you that?" asked Ashurst, in a changed tone.
"My own sense and observation," answered Owen. "When Mr Leigh sent meinto the cabin this afternoon, I examined the Frenchman's chart, whichlay open on the table, and I saw the sort of coast we are off. I do notwish to alarm you, nor any one else, but I only tell you what I know tobe the state of the case."
"Does Mr Leigh think the same?" inquired Ashurst, in the same tone hewould have used to an equal.
"I have no doubt he does, but of course he would not tell the crew untilit was absolutely necessary to do so; unless he had foreseen that weshould probably have to anchor he would not have ordered the cables tobe ranged."
"I hope things are not so bad as you think, Hartley," observed Ashurst,although, at the same time, his voice belied his words. Withoutapologising to Owen, he walked away in a very different manner to thathe had just before assumed.
"It is a great shame that that midshipman should treat you as he does,"said Nat. "Although he is civil enough now, he will be as bad as everbefore long, and I have made up my mind what to do."
"You'd better not interfere, Nat," said Owen. "The officers probablywould not listen to you, and you would only get yourself into badodour."
Nat did not exactly understand what that meant, but he did not minddoing anything which might benefit Owen. By midnight the gale hadincreased considerably, and the English crew, in addition to theirprevious exertions--having to work hard at the pumps--were almostworn-out. It was difficult, therefore, to spare hands to keep a properlook-out on the French prisoners.
Mr Leigh, calling Owen, sent him below to ascertain what they wereabout.
"I must get the fellows to take their spell at the pumps, if not, theirlives will be sacrificed as well as ours."
This last remark Owen did not hear, although the same idea had occurredto him.
Supposing him to be an ordinary ship's boy, who had come among them forcuriosity, the prisoners took little notice of him. The greater numberwere collected together in the fore-part of the lower deck. Some wereplaying cards, others with dice or dominoes. Some were lying down,others singing snatches of songs, talking and laughing, appearing tohave forgotten altogether that they were prisoners. One group, composedchiefly, it seemed, of petty officers and able seamen, were standingtogether, engaged in more earnest conversation.
Owen, as he had been directed to do, stood by, counting their numbers,concealed by the foremast from the last-mentioned group. Taking nonotice of Owen the Frenchmen continued their conversation. He was onthe point of going away to report that the prisoners seemed very quiet,when he caught some words which made him listen with more attention.Although not accustomed to hear French spoken by Frenchmen, he hadfrequently read and talked French with his mother, and was wellacquainted with the ordinary phrases in use. The Frenchmen went on.They spoke of the danger the ship was in. That before long she mustanchor, when probably half the crew would lie down to rest, while theother half would be kept at the pumps. They appeared to know the coast;there were several islands abreast where they then were, with channelsbetween them. Their intention was to master the English crew, cut thecables, and, making sail by dawn, to run through one of these channels,where the "Venus" might lie completely concealed. They would then havetime to repair damages, and as soon as the English frigate had goneaway, supposing her prize to be lost, they might make their escape.Only two French officers, however, remained on board who understoodnavigation, and they must be gained over. This the French boatswainundertook to do. Some thought their officers would not agree to theplan.
"Then they must be forced to do so," answered the boatswain; "we willmake them prisoners as well as the English, or heave them all overboardtogether."
"That would be dangerous," remarked another, "for should we be retaken,they would hang us."
"The fortune of war, my friend," answered the boatswain; "remain whereyou are, that the English may see that you are amusing yourselves, whileI pay a visit to our lieutenant and the young Aspirante. They surelywill not refuse to enter into our plan."
Owen waited some time longer, but finding that he was not likely to gainany further information he stole sway, concealed by the darkness, fromwhere he had been standing, unperceived, as he hoped, by any of theprisoners. The boatswain, he believed, had not yet gone aft, hetherefore hastened to report what he had heard to Mr Leigh.
"This is important information you have brought me," observed LieutenantLeigh. "We can easily thwart the Frenchmen's plot, and I
doubt whethertheir two officers would agree to it. I had no idea you understoodFrench. The first thing to be done is to send a gang of these fellowsto the pumps. They shall work whether they like it or not."
Calling Mr Stewart, the master's mate, who had accompanied him, MrLeigh directed him to take a dozen armed men and to bring up thirty ofthe French crew. "If they refuse, let them understand that they will beplaced in irons. Hartley, accompany Mr Stewart, and tell the Frenchmenwhy they are wanted."
The order was speedily put into execution. The Frenchmen grumbled, butas they had been deprived of all their weapons they could make noresistance, and the number required were marched up to the main deck.The French boatswain and several of his companions were greatlyastonished, shortly afterwards, to find themselves handcuffed by anotherparty of English seamen accompanied by their officers.
"You deserve it, you rascals," said the French lieutenant. "Did yousuppose we should break our word of honour, and join you in yourvillainous plot?"
The greater number of the prisoners were now kept at the pumps, with theexception of those in irons and attending to the sick. In vain theyexpostulated. They could not deny that they intended to try andrecapture the ship. The English crew were thus greatly relieved, and aportion were enabled to lie down and obtain the rest they so muchrequired.
Thus night wore on, and as yet no sign of land had been discovered.Again the lead was hove. It gave twenty fathoms, shortly afterwardsfifteen; and at the same moment, during a lull in the gale, the roar ofbreakers on a rocky shore could be heard.
Mr Leigh instantly gave the order to prepare for anchoring. The canvaswas quickly taken in and the anchor let go. This was the moment theFrenchmen had intended to carry their plot into execution. The Englishofficers, with a party of men, well armed, kept watch on them, anddeprived of their leaders they dared not make the attempt. It was now aquestion whether the anchor would hold. A second had been got ready tolet go if necessary, and the French lieutenant undertook, should theypart from that, to pilot the frigate through one of the channels ofwhich the boatswain had spoken, where she could remain in safety untilthe gale was over.
"I will trust you," said Mr Leigh, shaking him by the hand. "You haveproved yourself a man of honour."
Notwithstanding the promised assistance of the French lieutenant, MrLeigh felt considerable anxiety as to what might be the fate of thefrigate. The French crew might still rise and attempt to retake theprize should they find themselves at a distance from the "Sylvia." Thecoast, too, was dangerous in the extreme, and it might be foundimpossible to reach the channel through which it was proposed to pass.Before sail could be made the frigate might be driven on the rocks underher lee, or the sails, if set, might be blown to tatters before shecould again be brought to an anchor. With forebodings of evil,Lieutenant Leigh paced the deck. The night passed slowly away; whenmorning dawned the "Sylvia" was nowhere to be seen. The gale blew asfuriously as ever. Captain Stanhope, in the crippled state to which hisship had been reduced by the action, although she had suffered much lessthan her opponent, had evidently considered it his duty to keep off theshore. "I should have done the same," thought Mr Leigh. "He wouldhave risked the `Sylvia's' safety by coming to our assistance. It wasright to leave us to our fate."
Although a long scope of cable had been run out, the "Venus" rodeuneasily over the heavy seas which came rolling in. Now she rose, nowshe pitched into them, as they passed under her, while the spray inthick showers broke over her bows.
Still the stout cable held, although the lieutenant cast many an anxiouslook astern, where little more than a quarter of a mile away thebreakers burst with a continual roar on the rock-bound coast. Theycould distinguish the entrance to the passage some distance to thenorthward, but even had all the masts of the "Venus" been standing, anda strong crew been ready to make sail, the difficulty of gaining itwould have been very great. Should the French prisoners have succeededin carrying out their design, the frigate would have been cast away.The fate of the wounded would have been certain, and few of those onboard would have escaped.
Ashurst still continued his ill-treatment of Owen. Nat saw him againstrike him.
"It is the last time he shall do that," exclaimed Nat, who was a witnessof what took place.
Without speaking to Owen, he hurried aft to where Mr Leigh wasstanding.
"Please, sir, I've something to say to you," said Nat, touching his hat.
"What is it, boy?" asked the lieutenant, concluding that Nat had to givehim some information regarding the conduct of the French prisoners."Are the fellows down below inclined to be mutinous?"
"I don't think so, sir," answered Nat; "but what I want to say is aboutMr Owen Hartley, who first found out their plot and saved us all fromhaving our throats cut. He is a gentleman, sir, and came out with us asa passenger on board the `Druid,' and I think, sir, if this had beenknown, he would not have been sent forward amongst us boys. MrScoones, our first mate, who pretended to be the captain, knows it aswell as I do, but he had a spite against Mr Hartley, and so declaredthat he was a ship's boy, and allowed him to be rated as such on boardthe `Sylvia.' Mike Coffey, who belonged to the old ship, will tell you,sir, that what I say is true."
"I am ready to believe what you say, and when we return on board thefrigate I will speak to the captain on the subject. But what makes youcome up now to say this? I wish that you had given me the informationbefore."
"Please, sir, Mr Hartley didn't wish me to do that," answered Nat, "butI could stand it no longer when I saw, every hour in the day, MrAshurst knocking him about and abusing him as if he were a dog. Hewon't complain himself, so I made up my mind to complain for him, for Iwas sure you would not allow Mr Ashurst to behave in that way if youknew it."
"Certainly not, my lad," answered the lieutenant, who, not standing onhis dignity or resenting the unusual conduct of a boy for presuming tobring a complaint against a midshipman, respected Nat for his boldnessand eagerness to protect his friend. "Send Mr Hartley aft to me, butdo not let Mr Ashurst discover that you have complained of him."
Nat harried forward. As soon as he could find Owen, without saying whathe had done, he told him that Mr Leigh wished to speak with him. Owenwent aft, not knowing what the lieutenant could have to say.
"Hartley," said Mr Leigh, "you appear to be superior to the other boys.In what capacity were you serving on board the ship in which you werecast away?"
Owen told him that he had come out as a passenger, but that,understanding mathematics and the principles of navigation, he hadendeavoured to perfect himself in the science, as also to gain aknowledge of seamanship, although he had no intention of becoming asailor, considering himself bound to return to the office in which hehad been employed. Mr Leigh then questioned him, and learned moreabout his history.
"Had Captain Stanhope known this he would, I think, very likely, had youwished to enter the navy, have placed you on the quarter-deck. Icannot, of course, alter your rating now, but I will appoint you to actas my clerk, and I will let Mr Stewart and Mr Ashurst know that youare to mess with us, and that they are to treat you as a brotherofficer."
Owen could scarcely believe his senses when he heard this. How wouldAshurst now behave to him? He himself would not of course refer to thetreatment he had received from the hands of the midshipman, but wouldact as if nothing unpleasant had occurred between them. Mr Stewart,the master's mate, who was an amiable young man, had always treated himkindly, and would, he was sure, do so now.
It was nearly the dinner hour. "You will come at once into the cabin,"said Mr Leigh; "there is no reason for delay."
Owen made his way forward, and told Nat what had happened.
Nat, who pretended to look very much surprised, said he was very glad tohear of Owen's good fortune. "But it's only your due," he added, "andplease for the future remember that you are now in the midshipmen'sberth, and a gentleman, that I am only a ship's boy, and treat meaccordingly."
"I hope, N
at, I shall always treat you as a true friend, for such youhave been to me," said Owen.
There was no time to lose. Owen managed to wash his hands and brush hishair, so that he might appear as neat as possible.
Mr Stewart had the watch, but Ashurst was in the cabin. He looked hardat Owen as he entered, supposing that he had come to receive someorders, or to wait at table. The two French officers were about to taketheir seats.
"I am glad to see you, Hartley," said Mr Leigh, when he came in.
Ashurst stared, and the colour rose to his brow.
"Messieurs," said Mr Leigh, turning to the French officers, "I beg tointroduce this young gentleman to you. Ashurst, I now make him known toyou as I intend to employ him as my clerk, and he will soon become yourmessmate, for I have little doubt, if he wishes it, when we return tothe frigate, that Captain Stanhope will place him as a midshipman on thequarter-deck."
The first impulse of Ashurst on hearing this was to get up from thetable, but he sat down again and fixed his eyes on Owen without saying aword. Owen, who at first felt somewhat strange at being thus suddenlyintroduced into the society of gentlemen, soon recovered himself, andbehaved as might have been expected. He addressed Mr Leigh withfreedom but perfect propriety, and spoke to the French officers in theirown language. Although the eldest understood a little English, yet heexpressed himself with difficulty in it.
Whenever Ashurst looked at him it was with a frown on his brow. He didnot once speak to him, even though Mr Leigh attempted to make him doso. The dinner was got over rapidly, for it was not a time when thecommanding officer could be long absent from the deck. The weathercontinued as before. So great was the strain on the cable that itappeared every instant ready to part. Hands were stationed at thestoppers of the second, ready to let it go should the first fail.
Owen had been sent into the cabin to make out some lists from noteswhich Mr Leigh gave him, the French lieutenant having supplied him withwriting materials for the purpose.
Mr Leigh called Ashurst, who was on deck, to come to him.
"I am surprised at your conduct to young Hartley," he said. "I havemyself observed it, and I should have supposed, now that I have thoughtfit to place him on the quarter-deck, that you would have welcomed himas a messmate. He is gentlemanly and well-informed, and I have no doubtthat he is, as he states, a gentleman by birth."
"Pretenders often assume good manners when they have an object in doingso," answered Ashurst, in a scornful tone; "he appeared as a ship's boy,and I treated him as such, and made him do his duty."
"You may have bullied others, but you have shown a special ill-feelingtowards this lad," answered Mr Leigh, feeling annoyed at the manner inwhich the midshipman spoke. "In future I beg that you will treat him asan equal."
"An equal, indeed! Do you forget, Mr Leigh, that I am the son of anobleman, and that he is or was till a few minutes ago, merely a ship'sboy!" exclaimed the midshipman, in a voice which made Mr Leigh almostsmile.
"Had you said that in your berth, you would have been laughed at by allyour messmates," observed Mr Leigh, "Come, come, I cannot listen tosuch nonsense. While you remain on board the prize, treat him as Idesire, and when we rejoin the `Sylvia' Captain Stanhope will see toit." Ashurst walked away, muttering something which Mr Leigh did nothear. All day long the weather continued the same as before, and nightcame on without any signs of an abatement of the gale. The British crewwere well-nigh worn-out. Although the Frenchmen were now compelled tolabour at the pumps, the English took a spell. They had, besides, towatch the prisoners, and be always on deck ready to let go the anchorand make sail. Not until morning did the wind begin to fall, althoughthe sea appeared as heavy as ever. It burst forth again and blew withgreater fury than before. Suddenly the cry arose--
"The cable has parted!"
"Let go the best bower," cried Lieutenant Leigh.
In an instant the stoppers were cut, and the cable ran at a rapid rate,setting the hawse hole on fire. The danger had been seen, and men stoodready with buckets of water to heave over it. The cable ran out to itsfull range.
"Does the anchor hold, Stewart?" asked the lieutenant.
"Yes, sir, it holds," answered the master's mate.
"Thank Heaven!" ejaculated Mr Leigh.
Before the fresh anchor brought up the ship, she had drifted much nearerthe rocks. Should this cable part her destruction was inevitable.
The gale seemed to have exhausted itself by its last effort, and thewind now rapidly fell. Still the breakers burst with the same fury asbefore under the stern. More anxiously than ever every one on boardwaited for daylight.
As soon as it came, the lieutenant ordered all hands to get fresh stayson the jury mast preparatory to making sail, his intention being, shouldthe wind come off the shore, to stand away from the coast, in hopes offalling in with the "Sylvia," and not finding her, at once to steer acourse for Marrack.
At length a light wind began to blow off the land, but it was notsufficiently strong to make it prudent to cut the cable. Gradually itincreased.
"All hands make sail!" shouted Mr Leigh.
The Frenchmen were as eager as the English crew to hoist away. Thecable was cut and the prize stood off from the dangerous coast.