Part 48 (1/2)

”How is Sir Gervaise Oakes to-day? I hope untouched in the late affair with the enemy?”

”Quite well, I thank you, sir. Has the Carnatic received any serious injury in the battle?”

”None to mention, Sir Gervaise. A rough sc.r.a.pe of the foremast; but not enough to alarm us, now the weather has moderated; a little rigging cut, and a couple of raps in the hull.”

”Have your people suffered, sir?”

”Two killed and seven wounded, Sir Gervaise. Good lads, most of 'em; but enough like 'em remain.”

”I understand, then, Captain Parker, that you report the Carnatic fit for any service?”

”As much so as my poor abilities enable me to make her, Sir Gervaise Oakes,” answered the other, a little alarmed at the formality and precision of the question. ”Meet her with the helm--meet her with the helm.”

All this pa.s.sed while the Carnatic was making her half-board, and, the helm being righted, she now slowly and majestically fell off with her broadside to the admiral, gathering way as her canva.s.s began to draw again. At this instant, when the yard-arms of the two s.h.i.+ps were about a hundred feet asunder, and just as the Carnatic drew up fairly abeam, Sir Gervaise Oakes raised his hat, stepped quickly to the side of the p.o.o.p, waved his hand for silence, and spoke with a distinctness that rendered his words audible to all in both vessels.

”Captain Parker,” he said, ”I wish, publicly, to thank you for your n.o.ble conduct this day. I have always said a surer support could never follow a commander-in-chief into battle; you have more than proved my opinion to be true. I wish, publicly, to thank you, sir.”

”Sir Gervaise--I cannot express--G.o.d bless you, Sir Gervaise!”

”I have but one fault to find with you, sir, and that is easily pardoned.”

”I'm sure I hope so, sir.”

”You handled your s.h.i.+p so rapidly and so surely, that _we_ had hardly time to get out of the way of your guns!”

Old Parker could not now have answered had his life depended on it; but he bowed, and dashed a hand across his eyes. There was but a moment to say any more.

”If His Majesty's sword be not laid on _your_ shoulder for this day's work, sir, it shall be no fault of mine,” added Sir Gervaise, waving his hat in adieu.

While this dialogue lasted, so profound was the stillness in the two s.h.i.+ps, that the wash of the water under the bows of the Carnatic, was the only sound to interfere with Sir Gervaise's clarion voice; but the instant he ceased to speak, the crews of both vessels rose as one man, and cheered. The officers joined heartily, and to complete the compliment, the commander-in-chief ordered his own marines to present arms to the pa.s.sing vessel. Then it was that, every sail drawing, again the Carnatic took a sudden start, and shot nearly her length ahead, on the summit of a sea. In half a minute more, she was ahead of the Plantagenet's flying-jib-boom-end, steering a little free, so as not to throw the admiral to leeward.

The Carnatic was scarcely out of the way, before the Achilles was ready to take her place. This s.h.i.+p, having more room, had easily luffed to windward of the Plantagenet, simply letting go her bowlines, as her bows doubled on the admiral's stern, in order to check her way.

”How do you do to-day, Sir Gervaise?” called out Lord Morganic, without waiting for the commander-in-chief's hail--”allow me to congratulate you, sir, on the exploits of this glorious day!”

”I thank you, my lord, and wish to say I am satisfied with the behaviour of your s.h.i.+p. You've _all_ done well, and I desire to thank you _all_.

Is the Achilles injured?”

”Nothing to speak of, sir. A little rigging gone, and here and there a stick.”

”Have you lost any men, my lord? I desire particularly to know the condition of each s.h.i.+p.”

”Some eight or ten poor fellows, I believe, Sir Gervaise; but we are ready to engage this instant.”

”It is well, my lord; steady your bowlines, and make room for the Thunderer.”

Morganic gave the order, but as his s.h.i.+p drew ahead he called out in a pertinacious way,--”I hope, Sir Gervaise, you don't mean to give that other lame duck up. I've got my first lieutenant on board one of 'em, and confess to a desire to put the second on board another.”

”Ay--ay--Morganic, _we_ knock down the birds, and _you_ bag 'em. I'll give you more sport in the same way, before I've done with ye.”

This little concession, even Sir Gervaise Oakes, a man not accustomed to trifle in matters of duty, saw fit to make to the other's rank; and the Achilles withdrew from before the flag-s.h.i.+p, as the curtain is drawn from before the scene.