Part 21 (2/2)

”All, Ma.s.sa Geral, I see him all pack in e wagon, for e Bubbalo town--all, except dis here I find in Miss Mungummery cabin under e pillow.”

As he spoke, the negro quitted his half rec.u.mbent position, and drew from his breast a small clasped pocket book, on a steel entablature adorning the cover of which, were the initials of the young lady just named.

”How is it Sambo, that you had not sooner spoken of this?

The pocket book contains papers that may be of importance; and yet there is now no means of forwarding it, unless I delay the schooner.”

”I only find him hab an hour ago, Ma.s.sa Geral, when I go to make e beds and put e cabin to rights,” said the old man, in a tone that showed he felt, and was pained by the reproof of his young master. ”Dis here too,” producing a small ivory handled penknife, ”I find same time in e Gubbanor's dater's bed.”

Gerald extended his hand to receive it. ”A penknife in the bed of the Governor's daughters!” he repeated with surprise. Ruminating a moment he added to himself, ”By heaven, it must be so--it is then as I expected. Would that I had had this proof of their partic.i.p.ation before they quitted the schooner. Very well, Sambo, no blame can attach to you--go to sleep, my good fellow, but not beyond the time I have given you.”

”Tankee, Ma.s.sa Geral, ”and drawing the collar of his pea jacket close under his ears, the negro again extended himself at his length upon the arm chest.

The first idea of the young Commander on descending to the cabin, was to examine the blade of the penknife.

Pa.s.sing it over his finger, he perceived that the edge had that particular bluntness which would have been produced by cutting through a rope, and on closer examination he found it full of numerous fine notches, apparently the result of the resistance it had met with.

His next care was to examine the severed portions of the rope itself, and in these he could observe, by the reflection of the lamp, near which he held them minute particles of steel, which left no doubt in his mind that this had been the instrument by which the separation of Desborough's bonds had been effected. We will not venture to a.s.sert what were the actual feelings of the officer, on making this discovery; but it may be supposed, that, added to the great annoyance he felt at the escape of the settler, his esteem for those who had so positively denied all knowledge of, or partic.i.p.ation in, the evasion was sensibly diminished; and yet it was not without pain that he came to a conclusion of the unworthiness of those whom he had known from boyhood, and loved no less than he had known.

In the fulness of his indignation at their duplicity, he now came to the resolution of staying the departure the schooner, yet a few hours, that he might have an opportunity of going ash.o.r.e himself, presenting this undoubted evidence of their guilt, and taxing them boldly with the purpose to which it had been appropriated. Perhaps there was another secret motive which induced this determination, and that was, the opportunity it would afford him of again seeing his beloved Matilda, and delivering her pocket book with his own hand.

This resolution taken, without deeming it necessary to countermand his order to Sambo, he placed the knife in a pocket in the breast of his uniform, where he had already deposited the souvenir; and having retired to his own cabin, was about to undress himself, when he fancied he could distinguish, through one of the stern windows of the schooner, sounds similar to those of m.u.f.fled oars. While he yet listened breathlessly to satisfy himself whether he had not been deceived, a dark form came hurriedly, yet noiselessly, down the steps of the cabin. Gerald turned, and discovered Sambo, who now perfectly awake, indicated by his manner, he was the bearer of some alarming intelligence. His report confirmed the suspicion already entertained by himself, and at that moment he fancied he heard the same subdued sounds but multiplied in several distinct points. A vague sense of danger came over the mind of the officer, and although his crew consisted of a mere handful of men, he at once resolved to defend himself to the last, against whatever force might be led to the attack. While Sambo hastened to arouse the men, he girded his cutla.s.s and pistols around his loins, and taking down two huge blunderbusses from a beam in the ceiling of the cabin, loaded them heavily with musket b.a.l.l.s. Thus armed he sprang once more upon deck.

The alarm was soon given, and the preparation became general, but neither among the watch, who slumbered in the forecastle, nor those who had turned into their hammocks, was there the slightest indication of confusion.

These latter ”tumbled up,” with no other addition to the s.h.i.+rts in which they had left their cots, then their trousers, a light state of costume to which those who were ”boxed up” in their pea jackets and great coats on the forecastle, soon reduced themselves also--not but that the fog admitted of much warmer raiment, but that their activity might be unimpeded--handkerchiefed heads and tucked up sleeves, with the habiliments which we have named, being the most approved fighting dress in the navy.

Meanwhile, although nothing could be distinguished through the fog, the sounds which had originally attracted the notice of the officer and his trusty servant, increased, despite of the caution evidently used, to such a degree as to be now audible to all on board. What most excited the astonishment of the crew, and the suspicion of Gerald, was the exactness of the course taken by the advancing boats, in which not the slightest deviation was perceptible.

It was evident that they were guided by some one who had well studied the distance and bearing of the schooner from the sh.o.r.e, and as it was impossible to hope that even the fog would afford them concealment from the approaching enemy, all that was left them, was to make the best defence they could. One other alternative remained, it is true, and this was to cut their cable and allow themselves to drop down silently out of the course by which the boats were advancing, but as this step involved the possibility of running ash.o.r.e on the American coast, when the same danger of captivity would await them, Gerald, after an instant's consideration, rejected the idea, prefering the worthier and more chivalrous dependence on his own and crew's exertions.

From the moment of the general arming, the long gun, which we have already shown to const.i.tute the sole defence of the schooner, was brought nearer to the insh.o.r.e gang-way, and mounted on its elevated pivot, with its formidable muzzle overtopping and projecting above the low bulwarks, could in an instant be brought to bear on whatever point it might be found advisable to vomit forth its ma.s.s of wrath, consisting of grape, cannister, and chain shot. On this gun indeed, the general expectation much depended, for the crew, composed of sixteen men only, exclusive of petty officers, could hope to make hut a poor resistance, despite of all the resolution they might bring into the contest, against a squadron of well armed boats, unless some very considerable diminution in the numbers and efforts of these latter should be made by ”old Sally,” before they actually came to close quarters. The weakness of the crew was in a great degree attributable to the schooner having been employed as a cartel; a fact which must moreover explain the want of caution, on this occasion, on the part of Gerald, whose reputation for vigilance, in all matters of duty, was universally acknowledged. It had not occurred to him that the instant he landed his prisoners his vessel ceased to be a cartel, and therefore a fit subject for the enterprize of his enemies, or the probability is, that in the hour in which he had landed them he would again have weighed anchor, and made the best of his way back to Amherstburg.

”Stand by your gun, men--steady,” whispered the officer, as the noise of many oars immediately abreast, and at a distance of not more than twenty yards, announced that the main effort of their enemies was about to be made in that quarter. ”Depress a little--there you have her--now into them--fire.”

Fiz-z-z-z, and a small pyramid of light rose from the breech of the gun, which sufficed, during the moment it lasted, to discover three boats filled with armed men, advancing immediately opposite, while two others could be seen diverging, apparently one towards the quarter, the other towards the bows of the devoted little vessel.

The crew bent their gaze eagerly over her side, to witness the havoc they expected to ensue among their enemies. To their surprise and mortification there was no report.

The advancing boats gave three deriding cheers.

”D--n my eyes, if I didn't say she would miss fire, from having her breech unkivered last night,” shouted the man who held the match, and who was no other than Tom Fluke.

”Quick, here, give us a picker.”

A picker was handed to him by one, who also held the powder horn for priming.

”Its no use,” he pursued, throwing away the wire, and springing to the deck. ”She's a spike in the touch-hole, and the devil himself wouldn't get it out now.”

”A spike!--what mean you?” eagerly demanded Gerald.

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