CHAPTER XXVIII.
WILLIS PROVES THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BE FREE IS TO GET SENT TOPRISON--AN ESCAPE--A DISCOVERY--PROMOTIONS--SOMNAMBULISM.
Three weeks after the events narrated in the foregoing chapter, thethrice-rescued produce of Oceania had been converted into the currentcoin of the empire.
The greater portion of the proceeds was placed at the disposal ofWillis, to facilitate him in procuring the means of returning to NewSwitzerland. He--like connoisseurs who buy up seemingly worthlesspictures, because they have detected, or fancy they have detected,some masterly touches rarely found on modern canvas--had bought, not aship, but the remains of what had once been one. This he obtained foralmost nothing, but he knew the value of his purchase. The carcass wasrefitted under his own eye, and, when it left the ship-yard, looked asif it had been launched for the first time. The timbers were old; butthe cabins and all the internal fittings were new; a few sheets ofcopper and the paint-brush accomplished the rest. When the mast wasfitted in, and the new sails bent, the little sloop looked as jauntyas a nautilus, and, according to Willis himself, was the smartestlittle craft that ever hoisted a union-jack.
Whether the captain and the missionary still entertained the beliefthat the Pilot's wits had gone a wool-gathering or not, certain it isthat they had followed his instructions, in so far as to relinquishtheir parole, and thus to lose their personal liberty. They were bothsecurely locked up in one of the rooms or cells of the old palace orcastle of Francois I., which was then, and perhaps is still, used asthe state prison of Havre de Grace. This fortalice chiefly consists ofa battlemented round tower, supported by strong bastions, andpierced, here and there, by small windows, strongly barred. The footof the tower is bathed by the sea, which, as Willis afterwardsremarked, was not only a favor granted to the tower, but likewise anobligation conferred upon themselves.
When the Pilot's purchase had been completely refitted, storesshipped, papers obtained, and every requisite made for the outwardvoyage, the departure of the three adventurers was announced, and acrowd assembled on shore to see their ship leave the harbor. She wastowed out to the roads, where she lay tranquilly mirrored in the sea,ready to start the moment her commander stepped on board. NeitherFritz nor Jack, however, had yet completed their preparations. For themoment, therefore, the vessel was left in charge of some Frenchseamen, whom Willis, however, had taken care to engage only for ashort period.
Somewhere about a week after this, Fritz and Jack, in a small boat,painted perfectly black and manned by four stout rowers, with muffledoars, were lurking about the fortalice already mentioned. The nightwas pitch dark, and there was no moon. The waves beat sullenly on thefoot of the tower and surged back upon themselves, like an enragedenemy making an abortive attempt to storm the walls of a town. Not aword was uttered, and the young men were intently listening, as ifexpecting to hear some preconcerted signal.
Meanwhile, in one of the rooms or cells of the round tower, aboutsixty feet above the level of the sea, Captain Littlestone, themissionary, and the Pilot were engaged in a whispered conversation,through which might be detected the dull sound of an oiled fileworking against iron. The cell was ample in size, but the stone wallswere without covering of any kind. It was lighted during the day byone of the apertures we have already described; the thickness of thewalls did not permit the rays of the sun to penetrate to the interior,and at the time of which we speak the apartment was perfectly dark.
"I should like to see the warder," whispered Willis, "when he comes,with his bundle of keys and his night-cap in his hand, to wish yourhonors good morning, but, in point of fact, to see whether yourhonors are in safe custody. How astonished the old rascal will be! Ho,ho, ho!"
"My good fellow," said the missionary, "it is scarcely time to laughyet. It is just possible we may escape; but vain boasting is in nocase deserving of approbation. It is, indeed, scarcely consistent withthe dignity of my cloth to be engaged in breaking out of a prison;still, I am a man of peace, and not a man of war."
"No," said Willis, "you are not; but I wish to goodness you were aseventy-four--under the right colors, of course."
"I was going to remark," continued the missionary, "that I am a man ofpeace, and, consequently, do not think that I am justly entitled to betreated as a prisoner of war. Under these circumstances, I am, nodoubt, justified in shaking off my bonds in any way that is open tome; the more particularly as the apostle Paul was once rescued frombondage in a similar way."
"He was let down from a window in a basket, was he not?"
"Yes; whilst journeying in the city of Damascus, the governor, whosename was Avetas resolved to arrest him and accordingly placed sentriesat all the gates. Paul, however was permitted to pass through a house,the windows of which overhung the walls of the town, whence, as yousay, he was let down in a basket, and escaped."[J]
"I trust your reverence will be in much the same position as theapostle, by-and-by--only you will have to dispense with the basket,"said Willis.
"I have no wish to remain in bondage longer than is absolutelynecessary," said the minister; "but there still seem difficulties inthe way."
"Yes," said Willis, plying the file with redoubled energy, "this irongives me more bother than I anticipated; but it is the nature of ironto be hard; however, it will not be long before we are all out ofbondage, as your reverence calls it."
"May not the warder discover our escape, and raise an alarm in timeto retake us?" inquired the missionary.
"No, I think not," replied the captain; "thanks to our habit ofsleeping with our faces to the wall, he will be deceived by thedummies we have placed in the beds, for he always approaches ontip-toe not to awake us."
"That may be for the first round; but the second will assuredlydisclose our absence."
"Very likely," remarked Willis; "he will then go right up to the beds,and shake the dummies by the shoulders, and say, Does your honor notknow that it is ten o'clock, and that your breakfast is cooling? Thedummies will, of course, not condescend to reply, and then--but whatmatters? By that time we shall have shaken out our top-sail, andpursuit will be out of the question. I should like to see the craftthat will overtake us when once we are a couple of miles ahead."
"Poor man!" said the missionary, sighing; "our escape may, perhaps,cost him his place."
"No fear of that," said Willis; "perhaps, at first, he will make anattempt to tear his hair, but, as he wears a wig, that will not domuch mischief."
"I shall, however, leave my purse on the table," said the missionary;"as it is tolerably well filled, that may afford the poor fellow someconsolation."
"And I shall do the same," said the captain.
"If that does not console him for being deprived of the pleasure ofour society, I do not know what will," observed Willis.
"It is now two o'clock," said the captain, feeling his watch, "and thewarder goes his first rounds at three; we have therefore just one hourfor our preparations."
"I have severed one bar," said Willis, "and the other is nearlythrough at one end, so keep your minds perfectly at ease."
"Your patience and equanimity, Willis, does you infinite credit," saidthe missionary. "Minister of the Gospel though I be, I fear that I donot possess these qualities to the same extent, for, to confess thetruth, I feel an inward yearning to be free, and yet am restless andanxious."
"There is no great use in being in a hurry," said the Pilot; "themore haste the less speed, you know."
"True; but might not these bars have been sawn through before? If thishad been done, our flight would have been, at least, lessprecipitate."
"You forget, Mr. Wolston," said the captain, "that we did not knowtill nine o'clock the affair was to come off to-night."
"And I could not come any sooner to tell you," remarked the Pilot; "Ihad the greatest difficulty in the world to get in here; the maritimecommissary would not take me into custody."
"I forgot to ask you how you contrived to get incarcerated," observedthe captain; "you were not a p
risoner, and could not plead yourparole."
"No; and consequently I had to plead something else."
"Willis," said the missionary, "the work you are engaged in must bevery fatiguing, let me exercise my strength upon the bars for a shorttime."
"If you like, minister, but keep the file well oiled."
"What, motive, then, did you urge, Willis?" inquired CaptainLittlestone.
"'Mr. Commissary,' said I, 'one of your frigates captured the Englishcutter _Nelson_ some time ago, but the capture was not complete.'
"'How so?' inquired the commissary.
"'Because, Mr. Commissary,' said I, 'you did not capture theboatswain, and a British ship without a boatswain is no good; it islike a body without a soul.'
"'Is that all you have to tell me?' said the commissary, looking glum.
"'No,' said I, 'to make the capture complete, you have still to arrestthe boatswain, and here he is standing before you--I am the man; buthaving been detained by family affairs in the Pacific Ocean, I couldnot surrender myself any sooner.'
"'And what do you want me to do with you?' said he.
"'Why, what you would have done with me had I been on board the_Nelson_, to be sure.'
"'What! take you prisoner?'
"'Yes, commissary.'
"'You wish me to do so?'
"'Yes, certainly,'
"'Is it possible?'
"'Then you refuse to take me into custody, Mr. Commissary?' said I.
"'Yes, positively,' said he; 'we take prisoners, but we do not acceptthem when offered.'
"'Then you will not allow me to join my captain in his adversity?'
"'Your captain is as great a fool as yourself,' said he; 'he need nothave gone to prison unless he liked.'
"'That was a matter of taste on his part, Mr. Commissary, but is amatter of duty on mine,'"
"This bar is nearly through," whispered the missionary.
"There is no time to be lost," said the captain; "the warder will beround in a quarter of an hour."
"Well," continued Willis, "the commissary began to get angry, he roseup, and was about to leave the room, when I placed myself resolutelybefore him.
"'Sir,' said I, 'one word more--you know the French laws; be goodenough to tell me what crime will most surely and most promptly sendme to prison.'
"'Oh, there are plenty of them,' said he, laughing.
"'Well, commissary,' says I, 'suppose I knock you down here on thespot, will that do?"
"Was that not going a little too far, Willis?"
"What could I do? The ship was all ready, everybody on board butyourselves, circumstances were pressing, and you know I would havefloored him as gently as possible."
At this moment the bar yielded. To the end of a piece of twine, whichWillis had rolled round his body, a piece of stone was attached; thishe let down till it touched the water, and then the caw of a crow rangthrough the air.
"That was a very good imitation, Willis," said the captain. "You didnot break any of the commissary's bones, did you?"
"No; the threat was quite sufficient; he would not yield to myprayers, but he yielded to my impudence, and ordered me into custody.At first, however, I was thrust into an underground cell; but Iobtained, or rather my louis obtained for me, permission to chum withyou; and, by the way, what a frightful staircase I had to mount! thatmore than any thing else, obliges us to get down by the window."
Willis, who continued to hold one end of the cord, at the sound of awhistle drew it up, and found attached to the other end a stout ropeladder. This he made fast to the bars of the window that stillremained intact. At the request of the minister, all three then fellupon their knees and uttered a short prayer. Immediately after,Wolston went out of the window and began to descend, the captainfollowed, and Willis brought up the rear. All three were cautiouslyprogressing downwards, when the missionary called out he had forgottento _forget_ his purse.
"I have made the same omission," said the captain; "hand yours up,Wolston."
The missionary accordingly held up his with one hand whilst he held onthe ladder with the other. The captain bent down to take it, but foundhe could not reach it without endangering his equilibrium. They bothmade some desperate efforts to accomplish the feat, but the thing wasimpossible.
"I see no help for it," said the missionary, "but to ascend all threeagain."
"That is awkward," said the captain.
"Gentlemen," said Willis, "three o'clock is striking on the prisonclock; the warder will be round in two minutes."
"God sometimes permits good actions to go _unrewarded_," said themissionary; "but he never _punishes_ them."
"Let us re-ascend, then," said the captain.
"So be it," said Willis, going upwards.
They had scarcely time to re-enter the cell before they heard thesound of steps and the clank of keys in the corridor. The stepsdiscontinued at their door, and a key was thrust into the lock.
"What is the matter?" cried the captain from his bed, as the gaolerthrust his head inside the door.
"Why," said the warder, "I heard a noise, and thought that your honormight be ill."
"Thank you for your attention, Ambroise," replied the captain, in ahalf sleepy tone; "but you have been deceived, we are all quite well."
"Entirely so," added the missionary.
"All right old fellow!" cried Willis, with a yawn.
This triple affirmation, which assured him, not only of the health,but also of the custody of his prisoners, seemed satisfactory to thegaoler.
"I am sorry to have awoke your honors," said he, as he withdrew hishead and relocked the door; "it must have been in the room overhead."
"Good?" said Willis, "the old rascal expects nothing."
Two well-lined purses were laid on the table, and in a few minutesmore the three men resumed their position on the ladder in the sameorder as before. They arrived safely in the boat, where they werecordially welcomed by Fritz and Jack. The men were then ordered topull for their lives to the ship, which they did with a hearty will.The instant they stepped on board the anchor was weighed, and whenmorning broke not a vestige of the old tower of Havre de Grace wasanywhere to be seen.
"Why," exclaimed the captain, looking about him with an air ofastonishment, "this is my own vessel!"
"Yes, captain," said Willis, touching his cap, "and I am its boatswainor pilot, whichever your honor chooses to call me."
"But how did you obtain possession of her?"
"By right of purchase she belongs to our friends, Masters Fritz andJack, but they have agreed to waive their claim, providing you proceedwith them to New Switzerland."
"I agree most willingly to these conditions," said CaptainLittlestone, addressing the two brothers, "the more so that mydestination was Sydney when the _Nelson_ was captured."
"In the meantime, captain," said Fritz, "my brother and I have torequest that you will resume the command, and treat us as passengers."
"Thank you, my friends, thank you. Willis, are all the old crew onboard?"
"All that were in Havre, your honor; I commissioned Bill Stubbs topick them up, and he managed to smuggle them all on board."
"Then pipe all hands on deck."
"Aye, aye, captain," said Willis, sounding his whistle.
When the men were mustered, Littlestone made a short speech to them,told them that they would receive pay for the time they had been inthe enemy's power, and inquired whether they were all willing tocontinue the voyage under his command. This question was responded toby a general assent.
"Then," he continued, turning to Willis, "the share you have had inthe rescue of the _Nelson_ and its crew, conjointly with my interestat the Admiralty, will, I have not the slightest doubt, obtain for youthe well-merited rank of lieutenant of his Majesty's navy. I have,therefore, to request that you will assume that position on boardduring the voyage, until confirmed by the arrival of your commission."
"Thank your honor," said Willis, bowing.
"And now,
lieutenant, you will be kind enough to rate William Stubbson the books as boatswain."
"Aye, aye, captain," said Willis, handing his whistle to Bill.
"Pipe to breakfast," said the captain.
"Aye, aye, sir," replied the new boatswain, sounding the whistle.
"By the way," said Littlestone, turning to Jack, "I do not see thesurgeon you spoke of on board. How is this?"
"He is on board for all that," said Jack, drawing an official lookingdocument out of his pocket; "be kind enough to read that."
The captain accordingly read as follows:--
"_Havre, 15th October, 1812._
"This is to certify that Mr. Jack Becker has, for some time, been a student in the hospitals of this town, and that he has successfully passed through a stringent examination as to his acquaintance with the diagnosis and cure of various diseases; as also as to his knowledge of the practice of physic and surgery generally.
"He has specially directed his attention to the treatment of cancer, and has performed several operations for the eradication of that malady to the satisfaction of the surgeon in chief and my own.
(Signed) "GARAY DE NEVRES, M.D., Inspector of the Hospitals".
This document was countersigned, sealed, and stamped by the mayor, theprefect, and other authorities of the department.
"How have you contrived to obtain so satisfactory a certificate in soshort a period?" inquired the captain.
"I was introduced to the chief surgeon by the medical man on board the_Boudeuse_. I stated my position to him, and, probably, he threwfacilities in my way of obtaining the object I had in view that were,perhaps, rarely accorded to others. All the cases of cancer, forexample, were placed under my care; I had, therefore, an opportunityof observing a great many phases and varieties of that disease."
"Are you determined to follow up the profession of surgery, then?"
"Yes, captain; I have shipped a medicine chest on board, a completeassortment of instruments, and a collection of English, French, andGerman medical works. It is my intention to make myself thoroughlyfamiliar with the theory of the science, and trust to chance forpractice."
"Then allow me, Mr. Becker, to rate you as surgeon of the _Nelson_ forthe outward voyage. Will you accept the office?"
"With pleasure, Captain; but, at the same time, I trust there will beno occasion to exercise my skill."
"No one can say what may happen; disease turns up where it is leastexpected. Lieutenant," he added, turning to Willis, "be kind enough torate Mr. Becker on the ship's books as surgeon."
"Aye, Aye, sir."
Meantime the _Nelson_ was making her way rapidly along the Frenchcoast, and had already crossed the Bay of Biscay. The _Nelson_ behavedherself admirably, and took to her new gear with excellent grace. Allwas going merrily as a marriage bell. They did not now run very muchrisk of cruisers, as Fritz had French papers perfectly _en regle_, andCaptain Littlestone would have had little difficulty to prove hisidentity; besides, the speed of the _Nelson_ was sufficient to securetheir safety in cases where danger was to be apprehended.
One night, about four bells (ten o'clock), when Willis was lazilylolling in his hammock, doubtless ruminating on his newly-acquireddignity, his cabin-door gradually opened, and the captain entered.Willis stared at first, thinking he might have something important tocommunicate, but he only muttered something about a cloud gathering inthe west. This was too much for Willis; it resembled his formermeditations so vividly, that he leaped out of his hammock, seizedLittlestone by the collar, and called loudly for Fritz and Jack.
"It is not very respectfull, captain, to handle you in this way; butthe case is urgent, and I should like to have the mystery cleared up."
The two brothers, when they entered the cabin, beheld Willis holdingthe captain tightly in his arms.
"I have caught him at last, you see," said the Pilot.
"So it would appear," observed Jack; "but are you not aware thecaptain is asleep?"
And so it was Littlestone had walked from his own cabin to that ofWillis in a state of somnambulism.
"What is the matter?" inquired the latter, when he became conscious ofhis position.
"Nothing is the matter, captain," replied Jack, "only you have beenwalking in your sleep."
"Ah--yes--it must be so!" exclaimed Littlestone; gazing about him witha troubled air. "Have I not paid you a visit of this kind before,Willis?"
"Yes, often."
"Where?"
"On board the _Boudeuse_."
"That must have been the craft I was transferred to, then, after thecapture of the _Nelson_. Just call Mr. Wolston, and let us have thematter explained."
On comparing notes, it appeared that the captain and the missionaryhad been on board the _Boudeuse_. Both had been ill, and both had beenclosely confined to their cabin during the entire voyage, partly onaccount of their being prisoners of war, and partly on account oftheir illness. On one occasion, but on one only, the captain hadescaped from his cabin during the night. Willis might, therefore, haveseen him once, but that he had seen him oftener was only a dream.
"It appears, then," said Littlestone, "that my illness has left thisunfortunate tendency to sleep-walking. I shall, therefore, placemyself in your hands, Master Jack; perhaps you may be able to chase itaway."
"I will do my best, captain; and I think I may venture to promise acure."
Willis was sorry for the captain's sleeplessness, but he was glad thatthe mystery hanging over them both had been so far cleared up. Hisvisions and dreams had been a source of constant annoyance to him; butnow that their origin had been discovered, he felt that henceforwardhe might sleep in peace.
After a rapid run, the sloop cast anchor off the Cape. Here CaptainLittlestone reported himself to the commander on the station, andreceived fresh papers. He also sent off a despatch to the Lords of theAdmiralty, in which he reported the capture and rescue of his ship. Heinformed them that his own escape and that of the crew was entirelyowing to the tact and daring of Willis, the boatswain, whom, inconsequence, he had nominated his second in command, _vice_ LieutenantDunsford, deceased; the appointment subject, of course, to theirlordship's approval.
Willis wrote a long letter to his wife, informing her of his expectedpromotion, adding that, in a year or so after the receipt of hiscommission, he should retire on half-pay, and then emigrate to adelightful country, where he had been promised a vast estate. He saidthat, probably, he should have an entire island to himself, andpossibly have the command of the fleet; but he thought it as well tosay nothing about tigers, sharks, and chimpanzees.
The missionary also wrote to England, relinquishing his charge inSouth Africa, and requesting a mission amongst the benightedinhabitants of the Pacific Ocean, where he stated he was desirous ofsettling for family reasons, and where besides, he said, he would havea wider and equally interesting field for his labors.
The two brothers found at the Cape a large sum of money at theirdisposal; this, however, they had now no immediate use for; they,consequently, left it to await the arrival of Frank and Ernest, who,in all probability, would return with the _Nelson_.
The arrangements made, the _Nelson_ was fully armed and manned, anample supply of stores and ammunition was shipped, the mails in Sydneywere taken on board, and the sloop resumed her voyage.
FOOTNOTES:
[J] 2nd Cor., xi., 32.