CHAPTER XI.
A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD.
"So! You report that you were chased by some enemy? I've readit--I've read the commodore's letter. What were you chased by, sir?"
"I can't be sure what they were, sir. I took them for privateers. Thefirst of 'em gave me a shot my fourth day out. Another followed methree days later. Peppered at me for an hour at long range. Bothtimes I escaped 'em in the night."
"I'm glad you did! I think the commodore is right about you, sir.Take your own course, always. Be ready to take the _Termagant_ acrossagain as soon as she's loaded."
"Repairs, sir," said Captain Watts, for the dignified officer beforewhom he stood was the port admiral in command of the British port ofLiverpool. "Foremast sprung, sir. She wants a new maintopmast.She'll need all her spars, or I'm mistaken. If I'm to be in her she'lluse her canvas, sir. I've no fancy for falling again into the clutchesof the rebels."
"They might hang you this time, eh?" said the admiral, pleasantly, asif that were a bit of a joke. "They might, indeed. Send in yourrequisitions; you shall have your repairs. I'll order them at once.Now, sir, is there anything else?"
"Yes, sir," said Watts; "I wish to report what I heard concerning rebelprivateers and new provincial cruisers. That is, it may all be alreadyreported."
"Heave ahead!" interrupted the admiral. "Tell what you've heard. Yournews is as likely to be correct as any other. Go on, sir."
"It's the old story o' the rats and the cheese, sir," said Luke. "Thebigger the cheese, the more the rats. Our trade's the fat they mean tocut into, sir. I heard o' rebel privateers fittin' out all along theNew England coast. They told me o' some in North Carolina, out o' theNeuse River. Some from Virginny, up the Potomac and the James. Somedown in South Carolina and Georgia; but I can't say but what as bad asany are comin' out o' the Chesapeake and the Delaware. What we'regoin' to need is more light cruisers off the Irish coast, sir, and inthe channels."
"Ha, ha!" laughed the great official. "The Yankee pirates'll nevershow themselves on this coast. Go now; we can pick 'em up as fast asthey come."
Captain Luke Watts had kept his word to the British authorities. Hehad piloted the _Termagant_ safely into her harbor. He was, therefore,above and beyond any possible suspicions as to his loyalty. There wasnothing to prevent him from delivering, not only his packages ofvaluable furs, but also any other parcels which he had brought with himfrom America.
"All right!" he said to himself, as he swung out of the port admiral'soffice. "They'll know better one o' these days. I'm glad to be told,though, that they mean to remain off their guard till they're waked up.I wish they'd send a few more o' their best ships somewhere else.Captain Lyme Avery and a lot more like him are coming this way prettysoon."
He was only halfway correct in that assertion, for Captain Avery andthe _Noank_ were not just then in shape to sail for England. Aftertheir noteworthy adventures with pirates and slavers, there had beenmany hours of plain sailing, in company with the rescued _SantaTeresa_. The second morning was well advanced when the two vesselsfound themselves only a mile or so outside of the ample harbor of PortoRico. They had also tacked within speaking distance of each other.
"Senor Avery," sang out Captain Velasquez, "I have the honor to make afriendly suggestion."
"I'm ready, thank you, senor," said Captain Avery. "What is it?"
"Let the _Santa Teresa_ go ahead and look in. I'll send a boat backwith a Carib pilot. There might be a British cruiser in port."
"That's the very thing I was thinkin' of," said the captain of the_Noank_. "A thousand thanks, senor. We'll heave to."
Very little more needed to be said. There were other sails in sight,of various sorts and sizes, but not one of them carried the red-crossflag of England.
As for the _Noank_, all her ports were closed, there was a tarpaulinover her pivot-gun, and she was a peaceable appearing merchantschooner. Even the bunting at her masthead was a fraud, for itdeclared of her that she came from France, and was not to be molestedwithout proper authority.
"It's a kind of lie!" muttered Guert Ten Eyck. "They say all is fairin war, but I don't want to run up anything but an American flag. Idon't half like to go ashore, either."
Nobody else on board, perhaps, was in sympathy with that part of hisprejudices, but then his "going ashore" might mean a longer stay thanthat of any other sailor. The more he thought of it, the less he likedit.
"Father," said Vine Avery, after hearing the Spanish captain, "letGuert and me take a boat now, and pull in behind 'em. If we see anydanger, we can streak it back at once."
"Good!" said the captain. "Take the small cutter and Coco and theIndian. They speak Spanish."
Off went Vine, and in a few minutes more a small and sharp-nosed boatmanned by four rowers was dancing along into the harbor mouth.
"Splendid!" exclaimed Guert, staring this way and that way, landward,as he pulled. "This all beats anything I ever heard of it. Hullo!"
"Lobster!" growled Coco.
"One, two, three, four sugar-boat," came from Up-na-tan. "_Noank_ getsome of 'em. Big frigate no good."
That may have been his opinion, but she looked as if she would be ofsome account in a naval combat, that splendid British frigate, so tautand trim, lying there at her anchor. The sails now furled along heryards could be opened quickly enough, and there would then be no othership of her size, of any other nation on earth, that she need fear tomeet.
"Forty guns," said Up-na-tan. "Knock hole in _Noank_. Wait, now. Seewhat ole Spaniard do."
"It looks kind o' rugged for us," thought Guert. "We can't run intoport at all. If we did we'd never get out again."
The captain of the _Santa Teresa_ was keeping his promise. His shipwas taking in sail, and a well-manned boat was lowering from her side.
"Here they come," said Guert. "We'll know more when they get here."
"No," said Up-na-tan. "Ole chief see frigate himself. Know what do.All Cap'n Avery want is Carib pilot. Tell him where go. Up-na-tanknow Cuba lagoons, not Porto Rico. So Coco."
On came the Spanish boat, and as it drew nearer they could recognizeCaptain Velasquez himself in the stern-sheets, ready to answer theirhail.
"Senor," he said to Vine Avery, "there is one more British cruiser,farther in. Pedro, here, will go back with you and pilot your schoonerto a safe mooring, up the coast. Only friends will come to see youthere. You may watch for a green flag on the shore, or a green lightafter dark."
"Thank you, senor," said Vine. "All right. Let him come aboard."
Lightly as a panther, with wonderful quickness of motion, a short,slight, dark-faced fellow sprang over into the cutter.
"Me Pedro," he said. "Fight for Americano. Save he troat frompicaroon."
The Carib, therefore, could make himself understood in English, and hewas eager to express his personal gratitude for his rescue from piratesand sharks.
"Now, senor," said Captain Velasquez, "we will run in and make ourreport. After that is done, you may rely upon all that our authoritiescan do for you. You will find that Spaniards can be grateful. SenoraAlvarez and Senora Paez wish me to say that their young friend mustsoon be at their house."
Guert expressed his thanks and willingness a little lamely, and theuppermost thought in his mind was:--
"There! I hardly know what I said. I'll pick up every Spanish word Ican get hold of, while I'm among 'em."
"Pull back hard!" said Up-na-tan. "Vine lose no time. Ole chief seemen jump around on frigate. See go to capstan. Come out soon."
He had a red man's eye for signs, and nothing escaped him. None of hiscompanions, not even Coco, had noticed the fact that a number ofBritish sailors were going aloft, or that there were men gathering atthe frigate's capstan as if they had designs upon the anchor.
A very different kind of man, as sharp in some respects as theManhattan himself, had all that while been taking observations througha good telesco
pe. He was in a somewhat weather-beaten uniform of aBritish first lieutenant, and he stood on the quarter-deck of the_Tigress_, reporting to his captain:--
"Small boat, sir, from outside the harbor. Yankee-built cutter. TwoAmerican sailors, I take 'em to be. One nigger. One mulatto, I'd say.Now they are meeting a boat from the Spanish trader that's coming in.Of course, sir, there's a rebel craft o' some sort somewhere outside,waiting to know if it's safe to come in."
"All right, Mackenzie," replied the captain of the _Tigress_. "We mustcatch her. Up anchor!"
"Ay, ay, sir," said Mackenzie, "but no canvas out till that Yankeescout-boat gets away. They needn't suspect we're after em."
"Trust your head, my boy," replied his bluff commander. "You're asea-fox, my dear fellow, but you won't steal a march on any Yankee,right away. They're as cunning as Mohawks. Speak that Spaniard, ifshe comes within hail."
That was precisely what the captain of the _Santa Teresa_ had decidednot to do, if he could help it. The moment he was again on board ofhis own ship, he took the helm himself, and he made as wide a sheereasterly as he could. Owing to the channel and the position of the_Tigress_, however, the best he could do was to escape miscellaneousconversation. He could not quite avoid coming within speaking-trumpetrange. The hoarse hail of the British lieutenant reached him clearlyenough.
"Ship ahoy! What ship's that?"
"_Santa Teresa_. Barcelona to Porto Rico. Passengers and cargo. Whatship's that?"
"His Britannic Majesty's _Tigress_, Captain Frobisher," repliedMackenzie. "You've seen rough weather, eh? One o' your sticks gone?"
"Knocked out," returned Velasquez. "We were mauled by a buccaneer. Wegot away from him."
"Where did you leave the American?" was the lieutenant's next question,made as confidently as if he had actually seen the _Noank_. "What isshe, anyhow?"
The Spanish captain was silent for a moment in utter astonishment. Howcould the Englishman have known anything about it? His very surprise,however, defeated his prudence, and he answered:--
"Heavy schooner, bound in. She won't try it, now you are here."
"All right," came cheerily back; "I saw you send her a pilot. I'llreport you."
"Caramba!" shouted Velasquez, in sudden anger. "Report! I hope yourAmerican rebels will beat you on land and sea! They have my good will,with all my heart!"
"That's so, I declare!" exclaimed the British officer, lowering hisglass. "I might have known it. It's the old grudge between Englandand Spain. No wonder the Yankees get away from us as they do. All theAmerican colonies are in league together against all Europe. We'llhunt down that Yankee schooner, though, in spite of 'em. Humph! To besnubbed in this way by the skipper of a Barcelona trader! I'll reporthim! What's the world coming to!"
The _Santa Teresa_, under very light canvas, was now making her slowway to her wharf, to which her arrival signals had already summoned agrowing throng of expectant people. Among these, of course, were themercantile men who were interested in the ship and her cargo, and manymore were the friends and relatives of her crew and passengers.Besides these, there were naval, military, and custom-house officials,and persons who were eager for the latest news from Europe.
As the _Santa Teresa_ floated nearer, hats and handkerchiefs began towave on board and on the shore. The first words that were sentlandward, however, were in the tremendously excited treble of oldSenora Paez.
"Praise God!" she called out. "Praise to Our Lady! We were rescuedfrom the pirates! We were saved from death by an American privateer!God bless the Americans and give them their freedom!"
Little she knew and less she cared that her enthusiastic utteranceswere heard by loyal subjects of the king of England. Hardly a cable'slength away was anchored a stout corvette of twenty-eight guns, whoseofficers and men, up to that moment, had been observing the new arrivalquite listlessly.
Instantly, now, there began a stir on board of her, and a boat preparedto put off to the _Santa Teresa_ upon an errand of inquiry. Before itcould be lowered, however, the corvette herself was hailed by a boatfrom the _Tigress_.
"Up anchor, is it? Yankee trader outside?" was half angrily thrownback at that boat's message. "Ay, ay! we're coming. You may tellCaptain Frobisher it isn't any trader. It's one of those Connecticutpirates. We've learned that right here.--All hands away! Up anchor,lieutenant! That old woman has told us what we're going to do."
Swiftly indeed the questions and answers were exchanging between thecrowded wharf and the thrilling news-bringers on the _Santa Teresa_.Loud and repeated were the cheers for _los Americanos_ and their pluckylittle cruiser. The British consul at Porto Rico was one of thelisteners, and he muttered discontentedly:--
"The rebels will get all the help and information they need. Not anEnglish merchant keel in port or due here would be safe if it weren'tfor the _Tigress_ and the _Hermione_. Think of it! Six cargoes readyto go out, and they'll all have to run the Yankee gantlet. There maybe more than one privateer, you know."
Straight to the wharf steered the _Santa Teresa_. No sooner was hergang-plank out than her passengers poured over it to be welcomed afterthe exuberant Spanish fashion.
The _Tigress_, away out at the harbor mouth, was already under way, andthe _Hermione_ would soon follow her. There was a change in the stateof feeling on board the frigate, however, after the return of the boatfrom the corvette.
"A privateer, they say?" said Captain Frobisher. "That's bad. Shebeat off a pirate for the Spaniard? What do you make of that,Mackenzie?"
"It's easy to read, sir," replied his foxy second in command. "It's asplain as print. The Americans are wiser than we are. They know enoughto carry heavy guns. Not many of 'em, I take it, but altogether toomuch metal for any of these murderous picaroons."
"I'm glad they were, my boy," said the captain, heartily. "I hope theysent the devils to the bottom. I'm afraid we're to have trouble withthose fellows, my boy. They can't face our cruisers, to be sure, butthey may play havoc with our merchant marine. The admiralty must takesevere measures with some of them."
"We'll try and do that ourselves with this one out yonder," said thelieutenant, but his duties called him away, and he did not explainprecisely what was in his angry mind concerning the _Noank_.
That very saucy little man-of-war was not trying to look any furtherinto the guarded harbor of Porto Rico. Vine Avery and his crew hadreturned with their report of danger. They also reported whatever theyhad learned of the British merchant craft, and Captain Avery had,therefore, several things to think of.
"Now, Pedro," he said to the Carib pilot, "what next?"
"Run into lagoon to-night," said Pedro. "_Noank_ get through inlet atlow water. British ship stick on bar. Schooner come out again whencaptain say ready. Safe!"
"I understand that," said the captain, thoughtfully. "Our draft willlet us in. Almost any British man-o'-war would draw too much."
"No!" replied the Carib; "captain wrong. High water on bar, deepenough for small corvette. All right. British no find channel, Deepwater inside reef."
"That's it, is it?" said the captain. "Then the sooner we are throughthat channel, the better. All sail on, Sam. Let her go!"
The crew had already crowded around Guert Ten Eyck and his friends tohear what they had to tell. There did not seem to be anything likedisappointment among them. They had expected to hear of Britishcruisers here away. They had known, all along, that only by sharp anddaring work could they hope to find or capture their intended prizes.
"What do you think, Sam?" asked the captain, as soon as the _Noank_ wasonce more flying along. "Doesn't this begin to look a little squally?"
"Well, no," said the mate, soberly. "It looks like we'd best lie lowfor a while, that's all. What I'm thinkin' of is this. What if thisCarib's lagoon and the channel into it are known to the British, or ifthey should be discovered while we're cooped up in there? They'd besure to come in after us in boats. Most likely th
ey'd come at night.We must make calculations on that."
"That's what we can do," growled the captain. "A boat attack'd standfor hard fightin'. I ain't so sure the chances would be against us.I'll tell you what, Sam Prentice, all that's left of a gang o' boatswon't be enough to board and carry the _Noank_."
"Not if we're watchin'," said Sam.
"We won't stay in any longer'n we can help," said the captain. "I'mhopin' we are to get the right kind of information from the Spaniards."
"Not from their authorities," grimly responded the mate. "They won'tdo anything to make trouble between them and the British. Porto Ricois buildin' up a prime Liverpool trade just now."
"Sam!" exclaimed his friend, "you don't know human natur'! After aPorto Rico planter has been paid for his sugar, he doesn't care acopper what harbor it goes to. Besides, I'll bet on the _Santa Teresa_people. I took 'em for the right kind all 'round."
"I'm glad they're safe, anyhow," said Prentice. "That puts me in mindof another thing, Lyme. I kind o' like it that we're not to run intoPorto Rico first thing. The Spanish lawyers might put in a claim onGroot and get him shot or hung. I've talked with him. He isn't a badsort of Dutchman."
"We'll take care of him," said the captain. "Only man we saved. Primegood seaman. He'll be one more first-rate fighter, too, when we needhim."
So the _Noank_ sped on, and the two British men-of-war came sailing outof the harbor to chase her.