CHAPTER EIGHT.
The Spanish frigate lay moored head and stern, with her ports open, andthe light from her fighting-lanterns streaming through them. The crew,awakened by the firing, had hurried to their quarters, and were nowrapidly discharging their guns, sending their shot right and left,though happily, it seemed, without any definite aim. A shot passedclose over the captain's head; so close that Paul expected for a momentto see him fall, but he did not even notice the circumstance, and onlyurged his men to pull up alongside the enemy. The pinnace was crossingthe frigate's bows. Suddenly her way was checked.
"She's aground, sir," cried the coxswain. "A rope has caught ourrudder--unship it, man," answered the captain, who was as cool as ifabout to go on board his own ship.
In another instant the pinnace had hooked on to the Spaniard's bows; andher crew, led by their brave captain, were climbing up to gain a footingon their forecastle. Paul's heart beat quick--not with fear, but withthe belief that the moment for distinguishing himself had arrived. Heresolved to follow the captain closely. Captain Walford had hold of theanchor which hung at the bows, when his foot slipped, and he would havefallen back, had he not caught at the lanyard and hauled himself up.The delay, though brief, enabled some of the men to be up before him.Paul was among the number; and, finding a rope, he hove it to thecaptain, which enabled him to gain the deck. Not an enemy was found;but, looking down on the main-deck, the English discovered the Spaniardsat their quarters, not dreaming, it seemed, that the foe already stoodon the deck of their ship. There they stood, some loading, othersfiring; fierce-looking fellows enough as the light of the lanterns fellon their countenances. The foresail had been left laid across the deckready for bending, and the thick folds of the canvass served as a screento the first of the gallant hoarders while the rest were climbing up.Not a moment was to be lost, and before the Spaniards had discoveredthat the English were on board, a party of the latter, led by theirbrave captain, were literally in the midst of them, fighting their waytowards the quarter-deck, where it had been arranged that all theparties should rendezvous.
The Spaniards, taken by surprise, were cut down or leaped to the righthand or to the left to escape the cutlasses of the boarders. At length,however, some of the Spaniards rallied; and, led by one of theirofficers, made so furious an attack on the captain's party that he andmost of his men were separated from each other. Paul had stuck by hiscaptain from the first. His arm was not very strong, but he was active;and, while he managed to avoid the blows of his enemies, he bestowedseveral as he leaped nimbly on. He, with the captain and Reuben Cole,had nearly gained the quarter-deck when a Spaniard rushed at the latter,and knocked him over with the butt-end of a musket. At the same momentthe captain's foot slipped, and another Spaniard striking him a furiousblow on the head, he fell senseless on the coaming of the hatchway, verynearly going over below. Paul fully believed that his brave captain waskilled, and that his last moment was come. The Spaniard was about torepeat the blow when Paul, springing in, regardless of consequences tohimself, cut him so severely under the arm with his sword that the manmissed his aim, and he himself fell headlong down the hatchway.
Paul then, while he laid about him with his weapon, did the best thinghe could by shouting at the top of his voice, "Help! help!--the captainis down--help! help!" at the same time laying about him in so energetica way that none of the Spaniards seemed disposed to come within reach ofhis weapon. His shouts quickly brought several of the crew of the_Cerberus_ to the rescue; and, while some kept the Spaniards at bay, theothers assisted the captain, who was recovering from the effects of theblow, to rise. Paul, as soon as he saw the captain on his feet, hurriedwith two of his companions to the assistance of Reuben Cole, just intime to prevent some Spaniards from giving him his quietus. Reuben'shead was a tolerably thick one; and, notwithstanding the severity of theblow, he quickly came to himself; and, seizing his cutlass with rightgood will, joined the party under the captain, who were employed inpreventing the Spaniards from regaining possession of the quarter-deck.Meantime, several separate combats were going on in different parts ofthe ship. The Spaniards, as they recovered from their first surprise,rallied in considerable numbers; and, attacking the boatswain's party,which had been separated from that of the captain's, fought their wayforward and re-took the forecastle. Paul could only discern what wasgoing forward by the flashes of the pistols of the combatants on deck,and of the great guns which those below still continued to fire. Asyet, however, the English mustered but few hands, considering themagnitude of the enterprise. Paul anxiously looked for the arrival ofthe other boats. Now some dark forms were seen rising above the hammocknettings. The Spaniards rushed to repel them, but at the same momentthe cry was raised that others were appearing on the opposite side.Others came swarming over the bows, another party climbed up on thequarter. The shouts and cries of the combatants increased. On everyside was heard the clashing of steel and the sharp crack of pistols.The British marines now formed on deck, and, led by their officers,charged the Spaniards. The bravest of the latter, who had beenattacking the captain, threw down their arms and cried for mercy orleaped below. They were quickly followed by Bruff and Devereux, whodrove them into the after-cabin, where some sixty of them lay down theirweapons and begged for quarter. Others, however, still held out. Thegame was not won; reinforcements might come from the shore, and thegun-boats might pull up and prove awkward customers. The deck was,however, literally strewed with the bodies of the Spaniards, while asyet not an Englishman was killed, though many were badly wounded. Manyof the Spaniards still held out bravely under the forecastle, and otherson the main-deck; but the gunner and two men, though severely wounded,had got possession of the wheel. The seamen who had gone aloft loosedthe foretop sail, the carpenters cut the stern cable, the best bower wascut at the same moment, just in time to prevent the ship from cantingthe wrong way.
The boats took the frigate in tow, and though as yet those on deck werescarcely in possession of the ship, directly she was seen to be moving,the batteries on either side opened a hot fire on her, but, undaunted,the brave crews rowed on in spite of the shot whizzing over their heads,and the efforts of the yet unsubdued portion of the Spaniards to regainthe ship. Those of the latter who attempted to defend the forecastlesuffered most, and were nearly all killed or driven overboard. Stillthe victory was not assured; a cry was raised that the Spaniardsretreating below were forcing open the magazine for the purpose ofblowing up the ship.
Devereux was the first to hear the report, and calling on Paul, who wasnear him, and a few others to follow, he leaped down the hatchway, andsword in hand dashed in among the astonished Spaniards, who withcrowbars had just succeeded in breaking open the door of the magazine.One man grasped a pistol ready to fire into it. Paul, who felt hisspirits raised to the highest pitch, and ready to dare and do any deed,however desperate, sprang into the midst of the group and struck up theSpaniard's arm, the pistol going off and the bullet lodging in the deckabove. Several of the others were cut down by Devereux and his men, andthe rest, strange as it may seem, fell on their knees and begged forquarter; though an instant before they were preparing to send themselvesand their foes suddenly into eternity.
"Quarter! Pretty sort of quarter you deserve, ye blackguards, forwishing to blow up the ship after all the trouble we've had to takeher," cried Reuben, giving one of the Spaniards, who still stood at thedoor of the magazine, a kick which lifted him half-way up the ladderleading to the deck above.
All opposition after this ceased below, but there was work enough tosecure the prisoners and prevent them from making any similar attempt tothat which had just been so happily frustrated. The hands on deck weremeantime employed in making sail with all speed; and good reason hadthey for so doing, for the shot from a hundred guns were flying aboveand around them, some crashing on board and others going through thesails and cutting the running and standing rigging; but in spite of theiron shower not a man aloft shrank from his duty.
As soon as a bracewas cut, or a shroud severed, eager hands were ready to repair thedamage. The gallant captain, though bleeding from more than one wound,stood by the mizen shrouds conning the ship, and not till she was clearof the harbour and no shot came near her did he relinquish his post.
The triumphant moment was, however, when the two frigates neared eachother, and the victors shouted out, "We have got her--we have got her,without the loss of a man, though we have some pretty severe scratchesamong us. Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!"
Loud and hearty were the cheers; but there was too little time formaking speeches. Most of the prisoners were removed to the _Cerberus_.A prize-crew, under the command of the second lieutenant, was put onboard the re-captured frigate, and a course was immediately shaped forJamaica. When Paul at length was able to turn into his hammock he feltvery low-spirited. Not a word had been said of anything that had beendone. He felt that he had certainly saved the captain's life, and hadin all probability prevented the ship from being blown up. Yet he wouldnot be his own trumpeter, and he thought that very likely no one hadobserved what he had done, and that it would be entirely overlooked."Well, I should not care so much for myself," he thought, "but dearmother--how she would rejoice to hear that I had made my own way up tothe quarter-deck. It can't be helped, I must wait for anotheropportunity."
The fate Paul dreaded has been that of many who have struggled on yearafter year in the hopes of winning fame, and have after all missed theobject at which they aimed.
It was reported that the captain was suffering severely from his wounds,and for some days he did not appear on deck. Devereux, however, had notforgotten Paul, and took the first occasion to tell him that he wouldmention him to the captain as having preserved the ship and all theirlives from destruction. Paul, on this, felt very much inclined to saythat he had been the means also of preserving the captain's life. "No,I won't, though," he thought; "the captain will make inquiries as towhat happened when he was struck down, and the men who saw me defendinghim will surely tell him the truth."
He therefore simply thanked Devereux for his kind intentions.
"You know, sir, that what I did was to save my own life as well as thatof others," he added.
"Very true, but still I think that the captain will consider yourconduct worthy of reward," answered Devereux.
To Reuben, Paul was more communicative.
"But do you know which were the men who came when you called for help?"asked the former.
Paul could not be positive as to one of them, on account of the darknessand confusion.
"Then I must find out, my lad, and make all things square," mutteredReuben, as he walked away.
The victors had plenty of hard work in putting the prize to rights, inmanning her and their own ship, and in looking after the prisoners.However, not long after they had lost sight of land, a sail hove insight. Chase was made, and the stranger proved to be a Spanishschooner. She quickly hauled down her colours, and a boat was sent tobring her captain on board. The Don stood, hat in hand, trembling inevery joint, at the gangway, his long sallow face drawn down to twiceits usual length, expecting to be carried off a prisoner, and to havehis vessel destroyed. As Captain Walford was unable to come on deck,Mr Order received him. If it had been possible for a Don to throw uphis hat and to shout for joy, the Spanish skipper would have done itwhen the first-lieutenant told him, that if he would undertake to carrythe prisoners back to Puerto Cabello in his schooner, he might go free.He did not skip, or throw up his hat, or sing, but advancing with a deepbow, one hand holding his hat, and the other pressed on his heart, hegave the lieutenant an embrace and then retired to the gangway. MrOrder did not exhibit any sign of satisfaction at this proceeding, butit was too ridiculous to make him angry; so he told him to get on boardand prepare for the reception of his countrymen. The Spanish prisonerswere soon tumbled into the boats, and heartily glad were the Englishseamen to be rid of them.
"Their habits are filthy, and as to manners, they have none," was theopinion generally formed of them on board.
"Now, if we'd have had as many mounseers, they'd have been fiddling andsinging away as merry as crickets, and been good sport to us--long aforethis," observed Reuben to Paul, as the schooner made sail to thesouthward.
Although the captain's hurts were severe, he was, after some days, ableto come on deck. He looked pale and weak, but there was fire in his eyeand a smile on his lip as he glanced at the captured frigate sailing ata few cables' length abeam.
"Let the people come aft, Mr Order," he said in a cheerful voice.
The crew were soon assembled, hat in hand, looking up to their captainwith eager countenances as he opened his lips.
"My lads," he said, "I have been unable before to thank you, as I dofrom my heart, for the gallant way in which you carried out my wishesthe other night when you re-took yonder frigate, so disgracefully heldby the Spaniards. Where all did well, it is difficult to select thosemost deserving of praise, yet to the second-lieutenant and the boatswainand gunner my thanks are especially due, as they are to the surgeon forthe able support he gave me. They will, I trust, receive the rewardthey merit in due time; but there is another person to whom I am mostgrateful, and whom I have it in my power to reward, as he fullydeserves, immediately. To his presence of mind I find the preservationof the lives of all on board the prize is due, and I fully believe, thathad it not been for his courage, I should not have been conscious of theglorious achievement we have accomplished. Paul Gerrard, come up here.Accept this dirk from me as a slight token of gratitude, and fromhenceforth consider yourself a quarter-deck officer--a midshipman."
Paul, his eyes sparkling, his countenance beaming, and his heartbeating, sprang forward, helped on by the arms of the crew, allsympathising with his feelings. The captain shook him warmly by thehand before giving him his dirk--an example followed by all the officersand midshipmen, and by none more cordially than by Devereux and O'Grady.They then took him by the arm and hurried him below, where he found asuit of uniform, in which they speedily clothed him and returned withhim in triumph on deck. Their appearance was the signal for the crew togive three as hearty cheers as ever burst from the throats of aman-of-war's crew. Paul's heart was too full to speak, and he couldwith difficulty stammer out his thanks to his captain. He felt indeedas if he had already reached the summit of his ambition. The captainreminded him, however, that he had a long way yet to climb, by observingthat he had only just got his foot on the lower ratline, but that, if hewent on as he had begun, he would certainly, if he lived, get to thetop. The advice was indeed, from beginning to end, very good, but neednot be repeated. Paul was so cordially received in the midshipmen'sberth, that he soon felt himself perfectly at home, though he did notforget that he had a short time before served at the table at which henow sat.
The frigates arrived without accident at Jamaica, where the officers andcrew received all the honours and marks of respect they so justlymerited. The _Cerberus_ required no repairs, and the prize was quicklygot ready for sea. Captain Walford, however, suffered so severely fromhis wounds, that he was ordered home to recruit his strength. Devereuxand O'Grady had never entirely recovered from their illness, and theyalso obtained leave to go home. Paul was very sorry to lose them, notbeing aware how much he was himself knocked up by the hardships he hadgone through. Three or four days before the ship was to sail, thedoctor came into the berth, and looking hard at him, desired to feel hispulse.
"I thought so," he remarked. "You feel rather queer, my boy, don'tyou?"
"Yes, sir, very ill," said Paul; "I don't know what is the matter withme."
"But I do," answered the doctor. "A fever is coming on, and the sooneryou are out of this the better. I'll speak to the captain about you."
The fever did come on. Paul was sent to the hospital on shore, where hewas tenderly nursed by Devereux, aided by O'Grady; the _Cerberus_,meantime, having sailed on a cruise under the command of Mr Order. Asno ship of war was going home,
Captain Walford took his passage in asugar-laden merchantman, having Devereux and O'Grady with him, and hegot Paul also invalided home. Paul's chief source of delight was thethought that he should present himself to his mother and sisters as areal veritable midshipman, in the uniform he so often in his dreams hadworn, and of the happiness he should afford them. Their ship was not avery fast one, though she could carry a vast number of hogsheads ofsugar, and was remarkably comfortable. The captain was more like a kindfather and a good-natured tutor than most skippers, and they all had avery pleasant time of it. Paul had had no time for study while he was aship-boy, and so the captain advised him to apply himself to navigationand to general reading; and he did so with so much good will, that,during the voyage, he made considerable progress. They were nearing themouth of the Channel.
"In another week we shall be at home," said Paul.
"Yes, it will be jolly," answered Devereux. "You must come and see me,you know, at the Hall, and I'll introduce you to my family, and they'llmake you amends somehow or other, if they can; they must, I amdetermined."
"Thank you heartily, Devereux," answered Paul; "but the short time I amlikely to be at home I must spend with my mother, and though I know yourkind wishes, people generally will not look with much respect on aperson who was till lately a mere ship-boy."
"No fear of that, Gerrard; but we'll see, we'll see," answered Devereux.
"A sail on the weather bow," shouted the look-out from aloft, "standingacross our course."
The West Indiaman, the _Guava_ was her name, went floundering on asbefore; the master, however, who had gone aloft, kept his glass on thestranger. After some time he came down, his countenance rather palerthan usual.
"She has tacked and is standing towards us," he said, addressing CaptainWalford.
"Sorry to hear it, Mr Turtle. Is she big or little?"
"Why, sir, she has very square yards, and has much the look of a foreignman-of-war," answered the master.
"Umph! If she is Spanish we may beat her off, but if she proves French,she may be a somewhat tough customer; however, you will try, of course,Mr Turtle."
"If you advise resistance, we'll make it, sir, and do our best," saidCaptain Turtle, who, though fat, had no lack of spirit.
"By all means. Turn the hands up, load the guns, and open thearm-chest," was the answer.
The crew of the _Guava_, which was rather of a mixed character--blacks,mulattoes, Malays, Portuguese, and other foreigners,--were not veryeager for the fight, but when they saw the spirit of the naval officers,especially of the young midshipmen, they loaded the guns, stuck thepistols in their belts, and girded on their cutlasses to prepare for thefight.
The _Guava_, of course, could not hope to escape by flight, so thesafest course was to put a bold face on the matter, and to stand on.The stranger rapidly approached. There could no longer be any doubt asto her nationality, though no colours flew from her peak. She waspronounced to be French, though whether a national ship or a privateerwas doubtful.
"If she is a privateer and we are taken, our chances of fair treatmentare very small," observed Captain Walford.
"It will be hard lines for the skipper, after performing so gallant anaction, to fall into the hands of the enemy," observed O'Grady. "For mypart, I'd sooner blow up the ship."
"Not much to be gained by that," answered Devereux. "Let us fight likemen and yield with dignity, if we are overmatched."
"The right sentiment," said Captain Walford. "There is no disgrace inbeing conquered by a superior force."
"As I fear that we shall be," muttered the master of the _Guava_. "Now,if I'd been left alone, I'd have knocked under at once. We've not theshadow of a chance."
"Then it's not like Captain Turtle's own shadow," whispered O'Grady, whocould even at that moment indulge in a joke.
Matters were indeed becoming serious. The stranger was, it was soonseen, a powerful vessel, cither a large corvette or a small frigate,against which the heavily-rigged, ill-manned and slightly-armed merchantship, had scarcely a chance. Still, such chance as there was, theEnglish resolved to try. The order was given to fire high at theenemy's rigging, and the rest of the crew stood prepared to make allpossible sail directly any of the Frenchman's spars were knocked away.Paul had been so accustomed to believe that whatever his captainundertook he would succeed in doing, that he had no fears on thesubject. The _Guava_ rolled on, the stranger approached, close-hauled.Captain Turtle, with a sigh, pronounced her to be a privateer, and alarge frigate-built ship. She would have to pass, however, some littleway astern of the _Guava_, if she continued steering as she was thendoing. Suddenly she kept away, and fired a broadside from long guns,the shot flying among the _Guava's_ rigging and doing much damage. Themerchantman's guns could not reply with any effect, her shot fallingshort. The Frenchman saw his advantage. His shot came rattling onboard the _Guava_, her spars and blocks falling thickly from aloft. Atlength the former was seen drawing near, evidently to range upalongside; and many of the crew, fancying that resistance was hopeless,ran below to secure their best clothes and valuables, while theofficers, with heavy hearts, throwing their swords overboard, sawCaptain Turtle haul down the colours. The Frenchmen were soon on board.They proved to be, not regular combatants, but rascally privateers;fellows who go forth to plunder their fellow-men, not for the sake ofovercoming the enemies of their country and obtaining peace, but for thegreed of gain, careless of the loss and suffering they inflict. Thesewere of the worst sort. Their delight was unbounded, when they foundthat they had not only taken a rich prize, for sugar at that timefetched a high price in France, but had taken at one haul a post-captainand several officers, for besides the three midshipmen, there were twolieutenants, a surgeon, and master, going home for their health. Theprivateer's-men began by plundering the vessel and stripping the crew ofevery article they possessed about them, except the clothes they stoodin. They took the property of the officers, but did not, at first, takeanything from their persons. Captain Walford retained his coolness andself-possession, notwithstanding the annoyances he suffered, and theinsults he received. The other officers imitated him. They were alltransferred to the privateer.
"To what French port are we to be carried?" he asked of his captain.
"To Brest--and it will be a long time before you see salt-water afterthat," was the answer.
"Probably never--if we are not to be liberated till France conquersEngland," said Captain Walford, quietly.
"Sa-a-a, you may be free, then, sooner than you expect," cried theFrenchman.
In about five days, the privateer, with her rich prize, entered Brestharbour. The prisoners were treated on landing with very scantceremony, and were thrust into the common prison--the officers in onesmall room and the men in another. In those days the amenities ofwarfare were little attended to. It was all rough, bloody, desperate,cruel work. In truth, it is seldom otherwise. The prisoners were notkept long at Brest, but one fine morning in spring, after a not overluxurious breakfast of black bread, salt fish, and thin coffee, weremustered outside the prison to begin their march into the interior. Themidshipmen kept together and amused themselves by singing, joking, andtelling stories, keeping up their spirits as well as they could. Theirguards were rough, unfeeling fellows, who paid no attention to theircomforts, but made them trudge on in rain or sunshine, sometimesbespattered with mud, and at others covered with dust, parched withthirst, and ready to drop from the heat. The country people, however,looked on them with compassion, and many a glass of wine, a cup ofcoffee, and a handful of fruits and cakes, were offered to them as theypassed through the villages on their road.
"Och, if some of those pretty little villagers who are so kind withtheir cakes would just increase their compassion and help us to get outof the claws of these ugly blackguards, I'd be grateful to them from thebottom of my soul to the end of my days," said O'Grady to Paul, as theyapproached a hamlet in a hilly, thickly-wooded part of the country.
It wa
s in the afternoon, and, although they generally marched on muchlater, to their surprise, the captain of their guard, for some reasonbest known to himself, called a halt. Instead of being placed inprison, as there was none in the village, they were billeted about indifferent houses, with one or two guards over each. Paul and O'Gradyfound themselves, together with Reuben Cole and two other men, in a neathouse on the borders of the village. They were the first disposed of,so that where their companions were lodged they could not tell. Thepeople of the house did not appear to regard their guards with friendlyeyes, so that they concluded that they were not attached to the presentorder of things.
"See that you render them up safe to us to-morrow morning," said thecaptain to an old gentleman, who appeared to be the master of the house.
"I am not a gaoler, and can be answerable for no one," was the reply, atwhich the captain shook his fist and rode off, exclaiming, "Take care,take care!"
Though very unwilling to receive the prisoners, the old gentlemantreated them with a courtesy which seemed to arise rather from respectto himself than from any regard he entertained for them. The twomidshipmen were shown into one small room, and the seamen, with theirguards, into another. In the room occupied by O'Grady and Paul, therewas a table and chairs and a sofa, while the view from the windowconsisted of a well-kept garden and vineyard, a green meadow and woodedhills beyond. As far as accommodation was concerned, they had little ofwhich to complain; but they were very hungry, and O'Grady began tocomplain that the old Frenchman intended to starve them.
"I'll go and shout and try to get something," he cried out, but he foundthat the door was locked outside.
The window was too high from the ground to allow them to jump out, andas they would probably be caught, and punished for attempting to runaway, they agreed to stay where they were. At length the door opened,and a bright-eyed, nicely-dressed girl came in with a tray covered withedibles, and a bottle of wine in her hands. They stood up as sheentered, and bowed. She smiled, and expressed her sympathy for theirmisfortunes. Paul had, hitherto, not let the Frenchmen know that heunderstood French.
"I think that I may venture to speak to her," he said to O'Grady. "Shewould not have said that if she didn't wish to assist us."
O'Grady agreed that it would be perfectly safe, and so Paul addressedher in the choicest French he could command, and told her how they hadbeen coming home in a merchantman, and had been captured, and robbed ofall they possessed, instead of being, as they had hoped, in a few daysin the bosom of their families, with their mothers and brothers andsisters.
"And you both have brothers and sisters, and they long to see you,doubtless," said the little girl.
"Oh yes, and we long to see them," exclaimed Paul, believing that he hadmoved her heart.
She sighed. "Ah, I once had many, but they are all now in the world ofspirits; they cannot come to me, but for their sakes I will try to serveyou," answered the girl.
"Oh, thank you, thank you!" said Paul. "If you could help us to get outof this house, and to hide away till the pursuit is over, we should beeternally grateful."
She smiled as she answered--
"You are too precipitate. If you were to escape from this house, myfather would be punished. Means may be found, however. We have no lovefor these regicides, and owe them no allegiance; but you must havepatience."
"It is a hard thing to exercise; however, we are very much obliged toyou," said Paul.
"Just ask her her name," put in O'Grady. "Tell her we should wish toknow what to call one who for ever after this must dwell like a brightstar in our memories, especially one who is so lovely and amiable."
"That's rather a long speech to translate, and perhaps she won't likeall those compliments," remarked Paul.
"Won't she, though?" said O'Grady, who had seen rather more of the worldthan his companion; "try her, at all events."
Paul translated as well as he could what Paddy had said, and as thelatter stood with his hand on his heart, and bowed at the same time, theyoung lady was not left in doubt as to who was the originator of theaddress. Paddy was remarkably good-looking and tall for his age, andthe young lady was in no way displeased, and replied that her name wasRosalie, and that she was her father's only daughter. She had had twobrothers, both of whom had been carried away by the conscription. Onehad been killed in a battle with the Austrians, and the other was stillserving in the ranks, though he ought long ago to have been promoted.
"Ah! the cruel fighting," she added; "our rulers take away those we lovebest, and care not what becomes of them, or of the hearts they break,and bring with sorrow to the grave."
Rosalie soon recovered herself, and, wiping her eyes, told themidshipmen that she would come back again when they had eaten theirsupper, and would in the meantime try and devise some means to enablethem to make their escape while they were travelling.
"She's a sweet, pretty little girl," observed O'Grady, after Rosalie hadgone. "She'll help us if she can, and do you know I think that she is aProtestant, for I don't see any pictures of saints and such-like figuresstuck about the walls as we do in most other French houses?"
"It is possible; but what difference can that make to you?" asked Paul.
"Why, you see, Gerrard, I have fallen in love with her, and I'm thinkingthat if she helps us to make our escape, when the war is over, I'll comeback and ask her to marry me."
Paul laughed at his friend's resolve. It was not at all an uncommon onefor midshipmen in those days to entertain, whatever may be the case atpresent. They enjoyed their meal, and agreed that they had not eatenanything half so good as the dishes they were discussing for many a longday. Rosalie came back in about an hour. She said that she had beenthinking over the matter ever since, and talking it over with an oldaunt--a very wise woman, fertile in resources of all sorts. She advisedthat the young Englishmen should pretend to be sick, and that if thecaptain consented to leave them behind, so much the better; but if not,and, as was most probable, he insisted on their walking on as before,they should lag behind, and limp on till they came to a certain spotwhich she described. They would rise for some time, till the road ledalong the side of a wooded height, with cliffs on one side, and a steep,sloping, brushwood--covered bank on the other, with a stream far down inthe valley below. There was a peculiar white stone at the side of theroad, on which they were to sit to pretend to rest themselves. If theycould manage to slip behind the stone for an instant, they might rolland scramble down the bank to a considerable distance before they werediscovered. They were then to make their way through the brushwood andto cross the stream, which was fordable, when they would find anotherroad, invisible from the one above. They were to run along it to theright, till they came to an old hollow tree, in which they were to hidethemselves, unless they were overtaken by a covered cart, driven by aman in white. He would slacken his speed, and they were to jump inimmediately without a word, and be covered up, while the cart woulddrive on. They would be conveyed to the house of some friends to theEnglish, with whom they would remain till the search for them hadceased, when they would be able to make their escape to the coast indisguise. After that, they must manage as best they could to get acrossthe Channel.
"The first part is easy enough, if Miss Rosalie would give us the loanof a little white paint or chalk," observed O'Grady; "but, faith, therest of the business is rather ticklish, though there's nothing liketrying, and we shall have some fun for our money at all events."
"I wish that Reuben Cole could manage to run with us. He'd go fastenough if Miss Rosalie's friends would take care of him," remarked Paul.
"You can but ask her," said O'Grady. "Tell her that he's been with youever since you came to sea, and that you can't be separated from him."
Rosalie heard all Paul had to say, and promised that she would try toarrange matters as he wished. Paul then described Reuben, and gaveRosalie a slip of paper, on which he wrote: "Follow the bearer, and cometo us." Though Reuben was no great scholar, h
e hoped that he might beable to read this.
"Tell her she's an angel," exclaimed O'Grady, as Rosalie took the paper."I wish that I could speak French, to say it myself; but I'll set towork and learn at once. Ask her if she'll teach me."
Rosalie laughed, and replied that she thought the young Irishman wouldprove an apt scholar, though she could not understand how, under thecircumstances, she could manage to do as he proposed.
"Och! but I've a mighty great mind to tell her at once all I intend todo, and just clinch the matter," cried Paddy; but Paul wouldn'tundertake to translate for him, and advised him to restrain his feelingsfor the present.
It was getting near midnight, when a gentle rap was heard at the door,and Reuben poked in his head. The arrangements which had been made weresoon explained to him, and he undertook to feign lameness and to dropbehind and roll down the bank as they were to do.
"You sees, young gentlemen, if they goes in chase of me, that'll giveyou a better chance of getting off. If they catches me, there'll be nogreat harm done; they won't get me to fight for them, that I'll tellthem, and if I get off scot free, why there's little doubt but that I'llbe able to lend you a hand in getting to the coast, and crossing thewater afterwards."
The arrangements being made, Reuben stole down to rejoin the otherseamen, and the midshipmen then coiling themselves up in their blanketsin different corners of the room, resolved to remain there till summonedin the morning, were soon asleep.
When their guards appeared, they made signs that they could not move,O'Grady singing out, "Medecin, medecin," by which he wished to intimatethat he wanted physic, and they thought that he asked for a doctor. Inspite, however, of all their remonstrances, they were compelled to getup and dress by sundry applications of a scabbard.
They found a breakfast prepared for them in the hall, though they hadbut a few minutes allowed them to consume it before they were driven onthrough the town to join the rest of the prisoners, no time beingallowed them to bid farewell to Rosalie and her father. She, indeed,had wisely kept out of their way to prevent any suspicion. They limpedalong, looking as woe-begone as they could, though their hearts were inno way sad. Their only regret was, that they must part from Devereuxand their captain, but they consoled themselves by believing that theycould report where they were, and thus manage to get them exchanged.
"We are nearing the spot," said Paul. "This is the scenery Rosaliedescribed, and this must be the hill. I hope Reuben understands what heis to do. Ah! there is the stone. Come, let us sit down."
They made signs to the last guard that they would follow. Believingthat they were ill he allowed them to remain. They saw that Reuben waswatching them.
"We mustn't stay long, though," said O'Grady.
"No; now's the time. Over we go," cried Paul; and suiting the action tothe word, over he rolled, followed by O'Grady, and both were speedilyhid from sight in the brushwood.