Part 21 (1/2)

”Give her a shot, Tom,” said Nettles.h.i.+p. ”We mustn't let her lead us out of our course.”

Tom and I hurried forward, and, training the gun ourselves, fired. The chase took no notice of the first shot, but we quickly again loaded, and managed to send a second plump on board her. To our satisfaction, she immediately rounded to, when we were soon up to her, we also heaving to to windward.

”You shall board her, Paddy,” said Nettles.h.i.+p. ”Take care to let the Frenchmen understand that it was fortunate for them we didn't sink the brig.”

Larry, Hoolan, and four other men, formed my boat's crew, all of us of course being armed to the teeth. We found only ten men on board, three of whom were blacks, the rest French, under the command of a young French mids.h.i.+pman. He at once handed me his sword, with a polite bow.

As I understood French,--I forget if I before said so,--I learnt from him that the brig was, as we supposed, English; that she had been captured a week before by a French corvette; and that he was on his way to Saint Domingo. He looked a little downcast on losing his command, but shrugged his shoulders, and observed that it was ”_la fortune de la guerre_.” I requested him and five of his white crew to accompany me on board my s.h.i.+p. He replied that he was ready, and begged that he might be allowed to carry his traps with him.

”Certainly, monsieur,” I replied; and he dived down below, as he said, to pack them up. As he was much longer in the cabin than I considered necessary, I grew impatient, and followed him. I found him talking to a person in bed in one of the side-berths.

”I ought, monsieur, to have told you that I have a brother aspirant, who is very ill; and I fear that it might cause his death were he to be removed. Your captain would be conferring a great favour on us both, were he to allow me to remain with him, as no one else is so well able to nurse him as I am.”

”I'll ask him,” I said, looking at the sick youth, who certainly appeared very ill. I regret, however, that I cannot delay longer, so you must come with me.

”I'll obey you, monsieur,” said the mids.h.i.+pman; and exchanging a few more words with his sick companion, he followed me on deck.

Leaving Larry and two other men on board, I made three of the Frenchmen take their places in the boat, and returned to the _Soleil_ with the young Frenchman. I told Nettles.h.i.+p of the request he had made.

”I don't like to refuse him, as what he says is no doubt true,” said Nettles.h.i.+p; ”but we must take care that he plays us no tricks.”

”Then am I to tell him that he may return on board the brig?” I asked.

”Yes, you may take him with you, for I intend to send you in charge of the prize, as I can't spare Tom; but Nash shall go with you,--you couldn't have a better man;--and so with five hands, and the help of the blacks you speak of, and a couple of the Frenchmen, you'll be able to work the vessel, and by keeping in our wake you'll easily find your way to Port Royal.” I was highly pleased at the confidence Nettles.h.i.+p placed in me, especially as Tom was not a bit jealous.

”Nettles.h.i.+p thinks that as I'm a little chap I shouldn't inspire the same respect among the Frenchmen that you will,” he said, as we shook hands before I went down the side.

The brig was the _Good Luck_, bound from Barbadoes to Halifax when she had been captured. The French mids.h.i.+pman, who was profuse in his expressions of grat.i.tude for being allowed to return to look after his sick messmate, told me that his name was La Touche.

As soon as the boat which had brought me on board had gone back to the _Soleil_ she made sail, and I followed in her wake. I at once mustered my crew. The two Frenchmen said that they were perfectly ready to do as their officer wished.

”I desire you, then, to obey monsieur, who is in command of this vessel,” said La Touche.

”Certainly we will obey him,” answered the Frenchmen, making flouris.h.i.+ng bows.

The blacks, two of whom spoke English, said also that they were ready to obey me.

On looking at the men, I saw that not only Dan Hoolan, but two of the men who had been pressed with him, had also been sent; but then I had Ben and Larry, on whom I could thoroughly rely; and the others, while we kept close to the _Soleil_, would not venture to attempt any treachery.

In less than an hour the wind fell very light. I saw, notwithstanding this, by the way in which the brig slipped through the water, that she was remarkably fast for an English merchant vessel. This was satisfactory, as I felt sure that during the night I was not likely to fall behind the _Soleil_.

As the day drew on the wind fell altogether, and we lay becalmed at a short distance from each other. I divided my crew into two watches. I took one with Larry, two of our own crew, a Frenchman, and a black. Ben had charge of the other, with the remainder. I did not think it prudent to let La Touche take a watch, though he politely offered to do so. The night was excessively hot, and I felt more inclined to remain on deck than below. After La Touche and I had had supper, he said he would remain in the cabin to look after his sick friend. One of the Frenchmen acted as steward, and the other as cook. The former frequently came into the cabin to bring us our meals, and to take food to the sick mids.h.i.+pman.

I kept the first watch, and Ben relieved me at midnight, when I lay down on deck, on a mattress I had brought up from the cabin, under a small awning rigged near the after-part of the vessel. I had been asleep for a couple of hours or more, when I was awakened by feeling the vessel heel suddenly over.

”All hands on deck! Shorten sail!” shouted Ben in a l.u.s.ty voice.

I sprang to my feet. There was not a moment to lose. La Touche, who had been awakened at the same time, rushed up on deck, followed by another person, who appeared to be as active as any one. As rapidly as we could, we let fly the topgallant sheets, lowered the peak, and brailed up the foresail, while the helm was put up. The brig righted, fortunately not carrying away the masts, and off we flew before the wind. The Frenchmen and blacks behaved remarkably well, and ran aloft to reef the topsails, and stow the lighter sails, which were flapping loudly as they blew out with the wind.

The sky had become overcast; the scud flew rapidly along, just above our heads, as it seemed, while the spoon-drift, blown off from rising seas, covered the ocean with a sheet of white.

When all immediate danger was over, the stranger who had so mysteriously shown himself slipped down the companion ladder, and I was too busy to ask La Touche who he was. I naturally concluded that he was the sick mids.h.i.+pman La Touche had been so tenderly nursing.