Charley Laurel: A Story of Adventure by Sea and Land

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

  REUNION.

  During the first few weeks we were on the island, Bill and I builtourselves a comfortable hut, and planted a plot of ground with roots andseeds given to us by our host, several boxes of which, he said, hadfortunately been washed on shore from the wreck. Great had been myastonishment to find who he was. I had been narrating my previousadventures. When I came to give him an account of Miss Kitty, I sawthat he was deeply interested. He asked me question upon question. Itold him of her belief that her father was still alive, and of herresolution not to marry till his return home.

  "Then, dear boy, I pray more than ever that we may make our escape erelong, for I am her long missing father, Lieutenant Raglan. Misfortunehas pursued me for many years, but I shall be recompensed by finding mychild all you describe her."

  I had not expected to find her father so old a man, but I discoveredthat care and anxiety had whitened his hair and furrowed his cheeks, andthat he was not nearly so advanced in years as he had at first appeared.

  But I must be brief in my account of our stay on the island. I havenot, indeed, many incidents to describe. We employed our time infishing, searching for birds' egg and turtle eggs, and trapping birds.We also found a raft, on which we hoped to be able to push off to anyvessel which might at length approach the coast.

  I did not forget Miss Kitty's earnest wish that her father should bebrought to a knowledge of the Truth. This encouraged me to speak tohim. I then expressed my regret that we had no Bible, observing whatcomfort it would have afforded us, how impossible it is without it forman to know God's laws, and, consequently, to obey them.

  "But surely, my young friend, men lead very moral and good lives withoutreading the Bible."

  "They owe their knowledge of what is good and moral to the Bible alone,sir," I answered. "They get it secondhand, it is true, just as they gettheir knowledge of God from the Bible, although they may never look intoit. Without the Bible we should still be worshipping blocks of stone,or creeping things, or the sun and stars. Without it man would neverhave discovered what God is, or how He desires to be worshipped."

  And I then went on, as well as I was able, to speak of God's love toman, which induced Him to form His plan of salvation so exactly suitedto man's wants.

  "I am sure, sir," I continued, "God, who formed this beautiful world andfilled it with wonders, cannot have left us without a revelation ofHimself, and nowhere else but in the Bible can we find that revelation."

  I happily recollected many important passages from the Scriptures, whichI quoted.

  The old officer said he would think over the subject, and I left him inhis hut, evidently meditating seriously on it. Day after day heintroduced it, and now seemed only to take pleasure in talking of it.He was surprised to find how much Bill knew, and how clearly he couldexplain himself.

  When people have absorbing subjects of conversation the time passesrapidly by.

  I was one day seated with my new friend in the hut, when Bill rushed in,exclaiming:

  "A sail in sight! a sail in sight! She is standing this way!"

  We hurried to the top of the hill above the hut. A large ship wasapproaching the island. The wind was off shore, the sea calm. Wehoisted the flag, and then hastily collecting some provisions, put themon our raft, and shoved off, determined to run every risk rather thanallow her to pass us. It might have been a hard matter to get back ifwe failed to intercept her. We had brought a long pole with a flag atthe end, to attract her attention. We exerted all our strength topaddle off. The wind was light, but in our favour. On she stood, as ifintending to give the island a wide berth. We had got a considerabledistance from the land. Mr Raglan moved the flag to and fro.

  "We are seen, we are seen!" he exclaimed, as the ship altered her coursedirectly for us. In a short time she hove-to; a boat was lowered andpulled up to us. We sprang into her. Questions were eagerly asked asto who we were.

  "And what ship is yours?" inquired Mr Raglan.

  "The _Harmony_, Captain Falconer," was the answer.

  I rejoiced to hear this.

  We were quickly on deck, and welcomed cordially as strangers by CaptainFalconer, who did not recognise me. I lost no time, however, in makingmyself known, and in telling him who Mr Raglan was. I need not say howgreat was his satisfaction on receiving this information. He bestowedall the care and attention he possibly could on the old officer, andtreated him as a son would a father.

  I had not, while on the island, mentioned Captain Falconer's name to MrRaglan, who had, therefore, no idea that he was his daughter's affiancedhusband.

  "I consider your friend one of the finest officers of the merchantservice I ever met," he said to me, one day. "A noble fellow. I cannever be grateful enough for the attention he shows me."

  The _Harmony_ was homeward-bound.

  As there was no one to do the duty of third mate, Captain Falconer gaveme the berth, and much gratified me by saying how well pleased he waswith the way I performed my work. The discipline of the ship wasexcellent, favourably contrasting with that of the _Phoebe_. CaptainFalconer, following the example of her former commander, had prayersevery morning and evening in his cabin, and a regular service for themen on Sundays, while he had a supply of excellent books for theirinstruction.

  Mr Raglan was always ready to enter into conversation on religioussubjects with the captain, and from the day we got on board he became adiligent reader of the Bible.

  We had a quick passage to England. As soon as we reached the Thames,Captain Falconer gave me leave to go on shore, that I might visit mykind friend Mr Dear, who would, I knew, be under the belief that I hadbeen lost.

  Mr Raglan accompanied me, as I hoped that Mr Dear would be able toinform him where his daughter was residing. He had left his office whenwe arrived, and we therefore took a coach and drove to his residence.We were shown by the servant into the drawing-room, while she went tocall her master, who was in the garden. The window was open, and we sawhim walking along a path, accompanied by two ladies. He soon came intothe drawing-room.

  "Oh, my dear Laurel!" he exclaimed, in a voice broken by agitation, ashe took my hands. "You are as one risen from the dead; we had given youup as lost. My wife will, indeed, be rejoiced to see you; and there isanother lady here who will be glad to find that you are in the land ofthe living. Poor girl, when we heard her history we invited her to stayhere, and positively refused to let her leave us."

  He said this before he appeared to notice Mr Raglan. I felt somewhatembarrassed as to what to do, but I thought it best to introduce himbefore Mrs Dear and Miss Kitty came in.

  I scarcely knew what effect the sudden announcement that his daughterwas actually in his sight might have on the old officer. I resolved, inthe first instance, simply to tell Mr Dear that his unknown visitor wasa naval officer, who, having been shipwrecked, had come home in the_Harmony_, and then to get him to leave the room with me, that I mightconsult him in private. I did as I intended.

  "I am very glad to see you, sir," exclaimed Mr Dear. "Pray be seatedon this sofa, and excuse me: my young friend here has a word or two tosay to me. Come along, Charley," and we left the room.

  As soon as we were in the passage I told him who the officer was.

  "Bless me!" he cried out, "that is extraordinary. I am, indeed,delighted. Will you go back and tell him that you hope his daughterwill soon be with him, and then slip out again, and we will prepare MissKitty. I want your assistance, for I am afraid I shall be letting thetruth out too soon."

  I felt somewhat nervous, but I managed to break the news to my friend,and then, hurrying out. I joined Mr Dear in the garden. We found theladies seated in an arbour at the further end. Miss Kitty, knowing meat once, uttered a cry of surprise, and ran forward with outstretchedhands to meet me.

  "I do not believe in ghosts," she said, "or I might have supposed that Isaw yours. How did you escape?"

  "What, is this Charley Laurel?" cr
ied Mrs Dear, giving me a kindwelcome, before I could answer Miss Kitty's question, which she herselfrepeated.

  I soon told them, and this gave me an opportunity of mentioning theshipwrecked officer who had saved my life. I went on describing him,keeping my eyes fixed on Miss Kitty's face, till she exclaimed suddenly:

  "Oh, Charley, tell me; is he not my father? And you say he came homewith you?"

  "Yes," I answered; "and he is even now waiting to see you."

  "Oh, take me to him! take me to him!" she cried out.

  Mr and Mrs Dear accompanied her to the house, and, leading her to thedrawing-room door, left her with her long-lost parent.

  I need scarcely say that Captain Falconer next day made his appearanceat the house, and before he went away Mr Raglan gladly accepted him asa son-in-law.

  I was glad to find that Captain Renton was again to take command of the_Phoebe_, though I should have preferred sailing with Captain Falconer.He, however, it had been arranged, in consequence of his marriage,should remain on shore for a year or two, to superintend the fitting outof Messrs. Dear and Ashe's ships.

  I made two voyages in the _Phoebe_, and returned on the last as herfirst mate. So high a character did Captain Renton give me, that myemployers promised me the command of a ship they were about to despatchto the West Indies. I passed the short time I was able to spend onshore in visiting Mr Dear and Captain and Mrs Falconer, with whomCaptain Raglan, for I was glad to find he was promoted, resided.

  My ship, the _Ellen_, was at length ready for sea. I felt as proud as Isuppose most young officers do, when they first assume the command of afine vessel; and as I surveyed the _Ellen_, I was satisfied that she wasall I could desire.

  "You need not be jealous of Falconer," said Mr Dear, who accompanied meon board. "You have now got a wife of your own, and I hope she willprove true and faithful."

  Being allowed three mates, I offered the berth of third mate to Dick,who, though no navigator, was as good a seaman as I could desire to haveunder me.

  "I am obliged to you, Captain Laurel, but I am afraid I ha'n't make muchof a hand of the quadrant, or managing those chronometer affairs," heanswered, modestly; "though I know the stars pretty well, and can dotdown what is wanted in the log."

  "I won't trouble you about that," I said; "you can manage the men, whichis more important. We have a rough lot, I fear."

  Dick without farther ado accepted the appointment.

  We were bound, in the first instance, for Barbadoes, but expected tovisit other islands on our return. We had a fine run across theAtlantic. Though at first I felt a little strange, sitting in dignifiedsolitude in my cabin, I soon got accustomed to it.

  The first and second mates were sensible fellows, and learned to esteemDick for his excellent qualities. He managed the men admirably, and gotmore work out of them than they could, so that all things went smoothly.He did not abuse them for swearing or coarse language, but, by bringingout his Bible, he got them to listen; and then, pointing to God's Word,asked them whether such and such things could be right in His sight.Thus by degrees they were induced to give up a habit which had becomewith most of them a second nature.

  We had just made the north end of the Caribbean Islands soon afterdaylight, and were going about, to beat up to our port, as the wind wasagainst us, when the look-out at the mast-head caught sight of a largeship which appeared to be on shore on a reef. Her sails were furled,and she was heeling over greatly. I accordingly stood on, to render herany assistance she might require. As we drew near her, we saw that shewas, indeed, hard and fast, while a heavy sea broke on the reef andthreatened her with destruction. Through my glass I could see that thecrew were employed in lowering the yards, probably for the purpose ofbuilding a raft. I, ordering the first mate to stand off the land,lowered two boats. I took the command of one, and Dick of the other,and we pulled towards the wreck. The tide was rising, and as we gotnear we saw that the breakers were dashing with increasing fury againstthe ship. A boat crowded with people had got away on the lee sidetowards the land, and another, attempting to follow her example, wasswamped, and we feared that all the people in her were lost. Toapproach on the weather side was impossible. I therefore directed Dickto follow me, and pulled away to the south'ard, hoping to get round it,as I did not believe that it extended many miles in that direction. Wehad, however, a long pull, and by the time we got into comparativelysmooth water, having passed round the southern end of the reef, I wasafraid that the fate of those on board must be sealed. When we againmade out the ship, I feared that my worst anticipations had beenfulfilled, for the sea broke completely over her. Her masts were goneand her upper works washed away. I got as near as I could, but coulddistinguish no human being on board. Her crew must either have beencarried away by the sea, or made their escape in the boats, or on theraft they were forming, if, as I doubted, they had had time to finishit. Away to the westward rose a rocky island, which, from itsappearance, I guessed was uninhabited, and I thought that in allprobability any who had escaped would attempt to effect a landing on it.As in their hurry they were not likely to have carried eitherprovisions or water, I determined to pull to the island, to relieve anyof the people who might have reached it. As we drew near, I saw thatthe sea was breaking heavily on the weather shore, but I had no doubt ofbeing able to land on the lee side. We had a long pull before us; butthe men exerted themselves, and I still hoped to get back to the shipbefore night closed in.