Part 66 (1/2)
”You say true,” said Cleveland, ”it is not in his nature. I will instantly write a note to Minna.” And he ran down to the cabin for that purpose, where he wasted much paper, ere, with a trembling hand, and throbbing heart, he achieved such a letter as he hoped might prevail on Minna to permit him a farewell meeting on the succeeding morning.
His adherent, Bunce, in the meanwhile, sought out Fletcher, of whose support to second any motion whatever, he accounted himself perfectly sure; and, followed by this trusty satellite, he intruded himself on the awful presence of Hawkins the boatswain, and Derrick the quarter-master, who were regaling themselves with a can of rumbo, after the fatiguing duty of the day.
”Here comes he can tell us,” said Derrick.--”So, Master Lieutenant, for so we must call you now, I think, let us have a peep into your counsels--When will the anchor be a-trip?”
”When it pleases heaven, Master Quarter-master,” answered Bunce, ”for I know no more than the stern-post.”
”Why, d----n my b.u.t.tons,” said Derrick, ”do we not weigh this tide?”
”Or to-morrow's tide, at farthest?” said the Boatswain--”Why, what have we been slaving the whole company for, to get all these stores aboard?”
”Gentlemen,” said Bunce, ”you are to know that Cupid has laid our Captain on board, carried the vessel, and nailed down his wits under hatches.”
”What sort of play-stuff is all this?” said the Boatswain, gruffly. ”If you have any thing to tell us, say it in a word, like a man.”
”Howsomdever,” said Fletcher, ”I always think Jack Bunce speaks like a man, and acts like a man too--and so, d'ye see”----
”Hold your peace, dear d.i.c.k, best of bullybacks, be silent,” said Bunce--”Gentlemen, in one word, the Captain is in love.”
”Why, now, only think of that!” said the Boatswain; ”not but that I have been in love as often as any man, when the s.h.i.+p was laid up.”
”Well, but,” continued Bunce, ”Captain Cleveland is in love--Yes--Prince Volscius is in love; and, though that's the cue for laughing on the stage, it is no laughing matter here. He expects to meet the girl to-morrow, for the last time; and that, we all know, leads to another meeting, and another, and so on till the Halcyon is down on us, and then we may look for more kicks than halfpence.”
”By --,” said the Boatswain, with a sounding oath, ”we'll have a mutiny, and not allow him to go ash.o.r.e,--eh, Derrick?”
”And the best way, too,” said Derrick.
”What d'ye think of it, Jack Bunce?” said Fletcher, in whose ears this counsel sounded very sagely, but who still bent a wistful look upon his companion.
”Why, look ye, gentlemen,” said Bunce, ”I will mutiny none, and stap my vitals if any of you shall!”
”Why, then I won't, for one,” said Fletcher; ”but what are we to do, since howsomdever”----
”Stopper your jaw, d.i.c.k, will you?” said Bunce.--”Now, Boatswain, I am partly of your mind, that the Captain must be brought to reason by a little wholesome force. But you all know he has the spirit of a lion, and will do nothing unless he is allowed to hold on his own course.
Well, I'll go ash.o.r.e and make this appointment. The girl comes to the rendezvous in the morning, and the Captain goes ash.o.r.e--we take a good boat's crew with us, to row against tide and current, and we will be ready at the signal, to jump ash.o.r.e and bring off the Captain and the girl, whether they will or no. The pet-child will not quarrel with us, since we bring off his whirligig along with him; and if he is still fractious, why, we will weigh anchor without his orders, and let him come to his senses at leisure, and know his friends another time.”
”Why, this has a face with it, Master Derrick,” said Hawkins.
”Jack Bunce is always right,” said Fletcher; ”howsomdever, the Captain will shoot some of us, that is certain.”
”Hold your jaw, d.i.c.k,” said Bunce; ”pray, who the devil cares, do you think, whether you are shot or hanged?”
”Why, it don't much argufy for the matter of that,” replied d.i.c.k; ”howsomdever”----
”Be quiet, I tell you,” said his inexorable patron, ”and hear me out.--We will take him at unawares, so that he shall neither have time to use cutla.s.s nor pops; and I myself, for the dear love I bear him, will be the first to lay him on his back. There is a nice tight-going bit of a pinnace, that is a consort of this chase of the Captain's,--if I have an opportunity, I'll snap her up on my own account.”
”Yes, yes,” said Derrick, ”let you alone for keeping on the look-out for your own comforts.”
”Faith, nay,” said Bunce, ”I only s.n.a.t.c.h at them when they come fairly in my way, or are purchased by dint of my own wit; and none of you could have fallen on such a plan as this. We shall have the Captain with us, head, hand, and heart and all, besides making a scene fit to finish a comedy. So I will go ash.o.r.e to make the appointment, and do you possess some of the gentlemen who are still sober, and fit to be trusted, with the knowledge of our intentions.”
Bunce, with his friend Fletcher, departed accordingly, and the two veteran pirates remained looking at each other in silence, until the Boatswain spoke at last. ”Blow me, Derrick, if I like these two daffadandilly young fellows; they are not the true breed. Why, they are no more like the rovers I have known, than this sloop is to a first-rate. Why, there was old Sharpe that read prayers to his s.h.i.+p's company every Sunday, what would he have said to have heard it proposed to bring two wenches on board?”