CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.
FRESH SUCCESSES AND PERILS.
Our hero had now got the first step up the ratlines as an officer. Asthe _Lily's_ repairs were likely to occupy some time, Captain Saltwellhad, by the admiral's permission, fitted out one of the prizes, a fineand fast little schooner, to which the name of the _Active_ had beengiven. He intended to man her from his own and the _Ariel's_ crews, andto send her cruising in search of the piratical craft which, under theguise of privateers, in vast numbers infested those seas.
The admiral had intended to send a _protege_ of his own in charge of thevessel, but that officer was taken ill, and both Lieutenant Horrocks andthe first lieutenant of the _Ariel_ were engaged in attending to theirrespective ships.
Rayner was sent for, and the command was offered to him. He accepted itwith delight, and begged that Crofton might be allowed to accompany him.He took also Jack and Brown, and though he did not ask for TomFletcher, Tom was sent among the men drafted for the purpose.
The schooner was furnished with four carronades and two longsix-pounders. Her crew mustered twenty men.
"We can dare and do anything in such a craft as this," he exclaimed,enthusiastically, as he and Oliver were walking the deck together, whilethe schooner, under all sail, was steering a course for San Domingo.
Before long they both dared and did several gallant actions. Just asthey had sighted the land they fell in with three piratical feluccas,either one of which was a match for the _Active_.
One, after a desperate resistance, was captured, another was sunk, andthe third, while the British crew were securing their first prize, andendeavouring to save the drowning men, effected her escape. She was,however, shortly afterwards taken, and on the return of the _Active_ toPort Royal with her prizes, the thanks of the merchants of Jamaica wereoffered to Lieutenant Rayner for the service he had rendered tocommerce.
The admiral the next day sent for Rayner, and received him with morecordiality than is generally awarded to junior officers. Havinglistened to his report, and commended him for his gallantry.
"How soon will you be ready to sail again?" he asked.
"Directly our damages have been repaired, and they won't take long,sir," was the answer.
"That is right. I have received information that a desperate fellow incommand of a craft somewhat larger than the _Active_ has been pillagingvessels of all nations, and it will be a feather in your cap if you takeher."
"I'll do my best, sir," answered Rayner.
In two days the _Active_ was again at sea. Within a fortnight, after along chase, she had fought and driven on shore a large schooner, got heroff again, and recaptured two of her prizes, returning in triumph withall three to Jamaica.
He and Oliver were highly complimented on their success. The admiral,who was still in the harbour, invited them to dine on board theflagship.
"Mr Horrocks has just obtained his promotion, and you are thus, MrRayner, first lieutenant of the _Lily_; and, Mr Crofton, I intend togive you an acting order as second lieutenant, and I hope that beforelong you will be confirmed in your rank."
This was good news. With happy hearts the two friends went on board the_Lily_, which was now ready for sea. They found Lieutenant Horrockspacking up, ready to go on board a frigate just sailing for England.
"I expect to enjoy a few weeks' hunting before I get a ship, and when Ido get one I shall be very glad to have you, Rayner, with me, should yoube unemployed," he said as they parted.
Rayner would have preferred retaining the command of the _Active_, butan officer older than himself was appointed to her, and he could notcomplain.
Once more the _Lily_ was at sea. She cruised for some months, duringwhich she captured several prizes, and cut out two others in a verygallant manner under the guns of a strong battery. Oliver soonafterwards had the satisfaction of being confirmed in his rank aslieutenant.
Though Commander Saltwell made honourable mention of our hero on eachoccasion, he received no further recognition of his services. "I haveno business to complain," he observed. "My position is only that ofmany others who have done more than I have, but I should like to bewearing an epaulette on my right shoulder when we get home, and obtain acommand with you, Oliver, as my first lieutenant."
With this exception, Rayner never alluded to the subject.
The _Lily's_ cruise was nearly up. She had lately sent away in herprizes her master and several petty officers and seamen, so that out ofher establishment she could scarcely muster more than a hundred men.
It was night, a light breeze blowing, the island of Desirade bearingsouth-east by south, distant six or seven leagues. The two lieutenantshad been talking of home. In a few months they expected to be atPlymouth, and Rayner's thoughts had been occupied, as they often were,with his brother officer's sweet sister, Mary Crofton.
Rayner had just come on deck to relieve Oliver, who had the middlewatch. He had been pacing the deck, waiting for daylight, to commencethe morning operation of washing decks, and was looking to windward,when, as the light slowly increased, at some little distance off he madeout the dim outline of a large ship. Whether she was a friend or foe hecould not determine; if the latter, the position of the _Lily_ wascritical in the extreme. He instantly sent the midshipman of the watchto arouse the commander, who hurried on deck. After watching thestranger for a few seconds, they both came to the conclusion that shewas a frigate, and, as they knew of no English vessel of her classlikely to be thereabouts, that she was French.
"Turn the hands up and make sail," said the commander. "We shallprobably have to fight, but when the odds are so decidedly against us,it is my duty to avoid an action if I can."
The crew at the boatswain's summons came tumbling up from below. Allsail was immediately made, and the _Lily's_ head directed to thenorth-west. She was seen, however, and quickly followed by the frigate,the freshening breeze giving an advantage to the larger vessel, which,having the weather-gauge, and sailing remarkably fast rapidlyapproached.
"We've caught a Tartar at last!" exclaimed Tom. "The sooner we go belowand put on our best clothes he better; we shall be taken aboard herbefore the day's much older."
"How do you dare to say that!" cried Jack. "Look up there, you see ourflag flying aloft, and I for one would sooner have our tight littlecraft sent to the bottom than be ordered to strike it. Our skipperhasn't given in yet, and if he falls our first lieutenant will fight theship as long as he has a plank to stand on."
Some of the crew, however, appeared to side with Tom, and showed aninclination to desert their guns.
Rayner and Oliver went among them and cheered them up.
"Lads!" cried the commander, who had observed some of them wavering asthey gazed with looks of alarm at their powerful enemy, "most of youhave sailed in the _Lily_ with me since she was first commissioned. Youknow that I have never exposed your lives unnecessarily, and that wehave always succeeded in whatever we have undertaken. You have gained aname for yourselves and our ship, and I hope you will not sully thatname by showing the white feather. Although yonder ship is twice as bigas we are, still we must try to beat her off, and it will not be myfault if we don't."
The men cheered heartily, and went to their guns. Every preparation forbattle being made--to the surprise of her own crew, and much more so tothat of the Frenchman--the commandant ordered her to be hove-to.
"Don't fire a shot until I tell you, lads!" he cried out.
Many looked at the stranger with anxious eyes; the flag of France wasflying from her peak. Eighteen guns grinned out from her ports oneither side--twice the number of those carried by the _Lily_, and of afar heavier calibre. As she got within range she opened fire, her shotflying through the _Lily's_ sails, cutting her rigging and injuringseveral of her spars, but her guns were so elevated that not a man washit on deck.
"Steady, lads! We must wait until she gets near enough to make everyone of our guns tell!" cried the commander.
Even when
going into action a British seaman often indulges in jokes,but on this occasion every man maintained a grim silence.
"Now, lads!" shouted the commander, "give it them!"
At the short distance the enemy now was from them the broadside toldwith terrible effect, the shot crashing through her ports and sides,while the shrieks and groans of the wounded were clearly distinguishedfrom the _Lily's_ deck.
The British crew, working with redoubled energy, hauled their guns inand out, and fired with wonderful rapidity, truly tossing them about asif they had been playthings. The French also fired, but far moreslowly, sending hardly one shot to the _Lily's_ two. The officers wentabout the deck encouraging the men and laying hold of the tackles toassist them in their labours. At any moment a well-directed broadsidefrom the frigate might leave the corvette a mere wreck on the ocean, orsend her to the bottom. Every man on board knew this; but while theirofficers kept their flag flying at the peak, they were ready to worktheir guns and struggle to the last.
An hour and a half had passed since the French frigate had opened herfire, and still the little sloop held out. Commander Saltwell's greatobject was to avoid being run down or boarded. This he managed to do byskilful manoeuvring. At length Rayner, through his glass, observed thecrew of the frigate running about her deck as if in considerableconfusion. Once more the _Lily_ fired, but what was the astonishment ofthe British seamen to see her haul her main-tack aboard and begin tomake all sail, putting her head to the northward. To follow wasimpossible, as the _Lily_ had every brace and bowline, all her afterbackstays, several of her lower shrouds, and other parts of her rigging,shot away.
Her sails were also torn, her mainmast and main-topsail yard andforeyard a good deal injured. Yet though she had received these seriousdamages aloft, strange to say one man alone of her crew had beenslightly injured.
"We must repair damages, lads, and then go and look after the enemy,"cried the commander.
The guns being run in and secured, every officer, man, and boy set towork, the commander with the rest. In a wonderfully short time thestanding rigging was knotted or spliced, fresh running rigging rove, newsails bent, and the _Lily_ was standing in the direction in which herlate antagonist had some time before disappeared.
Not long after, however, the man at the mast-head discovered a largeship on the lee beam in the direction of Guadaloupe. The _Lily_ at oncesteered towards the stranger, when in the afternoon she came up with avessel under French colours, which endeavoured to escape. Several shotswere fired. The stranger sailed on.
"She looks like an English ship," observed the commander. "It willnever do to let her get away. See what you can do, Crofton."
Oliver went forward and trained the foremost gun. He fired, and downcame the stranger's main-topsail yard. On this she hauled down hercolours and hove-to.
She proved to be, as the commander had supposed, a large Englishmerchantman, a prize to the French frigate. The prisoners were at onceremoved, and the second lieutenant sent with a prize crew on board, whenthe _Lily_ took her in tow. The wind was light, but a heavy swell sentthe prize several times almost aboard the corvette, which was at lengthcompelled to cast her adrift.
The next morning the look-out from the mast-head of the _Lily_ announceda sail on the lee bow. In a short time, daylight increasing, she wasseen to be a frigate, and no doubt her late antagonist. CaptainSaltwell at once bore down on her, making a signal to the prize to do solikewise, and at the same time running up several signals as if speakinganother ship to windward.
On this the frigate, making all sail, stood away, and as she had theheels both of the _Lily_ and her prize, was soon out of sight.
Captain Saltwell, satisfied, as he had every reason to be, with hisachievement, ordered the course to be shared for Jamaica.
On his arrival he found his commission as post-captain waiting for him.He had won it by constant and hard service.
"As I cannot reward you for the gallant way in which you beat off theFrench frigate and recaptured the merchant ship worth several thousandpounds, I must see what can be done for your first lieutenant," said theadmiral. "I will apply for his promotion, and in the meantime will givehim an acting order to command the _Lily_, and to take her home."
Captain Saltwell, thanking the admiral, expressed his intention to takea passage in his old ship.
The news quickly spread fore and aft that the _Lily_ was to be senthome. Loud cheers rose from many a stout throat, the invalids, of whichthere were not a few, joining in the chorus from below. One-third ofthose who had come out had either fallen fighting in the many actions inwhich she had been engaged, or, struck down by yellow fever, lay in thegraveyard of Port Royal. No time was lost in getting fresh water andprovisions on board.
Never did crew work with more good-will than they did on this occasion.
The _Lily_ was soon ready for sea, and with a fair breeze ran out ofPort Royal harbour. The war was still raging as furiously as ever, andthe officers and crew well knew that before they could reach the shoresof old England they might have another battle or two to fight. Perhaps,in their heart of hearts, they would have preferred, for once in a way,a peaceful voyage. A look-out, however, was kept, but the Atlantic wascrossed, and the chops of the Channel reached, without meeting a foe.Here the _Lily_ encountered a strong easterly gale, and in vain for manydays endeavoured to beat up to her destination.
Having sighted Scilly, she was standing off the land, from which she wasat a considerable distance under close-reefed topsails, when the windsuddenly dropped, and soon afterwards shifted to the southwards. Thehelm was put down, and the crew flew aloft to shake out the reefs.
They were thus engaged when a sail was seen to the south-east. The_Lily_, standing on the opposite tack, rapidly neared her. Every glasson board was directed towards the stranger. She was a ship apparentlyof much the same size as the _Lily_, but whether an English cruiser oran enemy it was difficult to determine.
The _Lily_, by keeping away, might have weathered the Lizard and avoidedher. Such an idea did not enter the young commander's head. On thecontrary, he kept the ship close to the wind, so that by again goingabout he might prevent the stranger from passing him.
His glass had never been off her. Suddenly he exclaimed, "Hurrah! she'sFrench. I caught sight of her flag as she luffed up! Hands about ship!We'll fight her, Captain Saltwell?" he added, turning to his formercommander.
"No doubt about it," said Captain Saltwell, "I should if I were in yourplace."
The drum beat to quarters, the crew hurried to their stations, and everypreparation was made for the expected battle. The stranger, afterstanding on some way, hauled up, so as to keep the weather-gauge, and,at the same time; to draw the _Lily_ farther away from the Englishcoast.
Once more the latter tacked, and passing under the stranger's stern,poured in a raking broadside.
The stranger, coming about, returned the fire; but as the shot flew fromher guns down came her mizenmast, and she fell off before the wind.
The crew of the _Lily_ cheered, and running in their guns, quickly fireda third broadside.
The two ships now ran on side by side, Rayner having shortened sail soas to avoid shooting ahead of his antagonist. Notwithstanding the lossof their mizenmast, the Frenchmen fought with spirit for some time, buttheir fire at length began to slacken, while the British seamencontinued to work their guns with the same energy as at first.
Rayner now ordered the mizen-topsail and spanker to be set, and directedthe crews of the starboard guns to refrain from firing until he shouldgive the word; then putting down the helm, he suddenly luffed up, andstood across the bows of his opponent.
"Fire!" he cried; and gun after gun was fired in succession, the shottelling with fearful effect as they swept the deck of the French ship.The latter put down her helm in a vain attempt to avoid being raked, buther bowsprit catching in the mizen rigging of the _Lily_, Oliver,calling to Jack and several other men, securely lashed it ther
e, inspite of the fire which the marines from the enemy's forecastle openedon him and his companions.
The bullets from the Frenchmen's muskets came rattling sharply on board.Two of the seamen were hit, and just at the same moment their youngcommander was seen to fall. A midshipman and the purser, who werestanding by his side, caught him in their arms.