Part 22 (1/2)

Suddenly about noon the wind dropped, but whether or not it was gaining strength for a fresh blow I was not certain. I asked La Touche. He replied that he could not tell, but that it might be so, and that it would be wise to be prepared for it. The seas tumbled about so much that I could not bring the brig to the wind. I, however, first set the fore, and then the main-topsail, and kept her before it to avoid the risk of the seas p.o.o.ping us. The clouds at length began to disperse, and in a short time the sea itself went down.

I lost no time in bringing the brig to the wind, making more sail, and shaping a course for Jamaica. Before nightfall the clouds had entirely disappeared; and the setting sun cast a radiant glow over the sky and sea, as the brig, heeling over to the breeze, sped on her way.

”I congratulate you, monsieur, on the change of weather, for I should have been grieved as much as you would, had the brig been lost,” said La Touche, coming up to me. ”Still there's many a slip between the cup and the lip,”--he gave an equivalent proverb in French. ”If one of our cruisers appears, you'll have to congratulate me, though I hope you'll receive the same courteous treatment that I have enjoyed from you, and for which I have to thank you.”

”I have no fear of that,” I replied. ”Your cruiser has not yet appeared. The _Good Luck_ is fortunately a fast craft, and we'll do all we can to put her at her best speed.”

We had been unable to sit down to table during the hurricane, and had had no time to take a regular meal since; but me of the French seamen, who acted as steward, now placed a very substantial one on the table. I played the part of host, and La Touche that of guest. His messmate was too ill to get up, he said, but notwithstanding, though a sick man, he managed to consume a fair quant.i.ty of the viands La Touche took to him.

”There ought to be some good wine in this locker, if the bottles were not broken during the hurricane,” said La Touche, rising and lifting up the lid. Groping about, he produced a couple of bottles of claret, and another of cognac.

”There are several more here, so that we need not stint ourselves,” he said, laughing.

A corkscrew was soon found. I took a couple of gla.s.ses. The wine was excellent, there was no doubt about that. La Touche pressed me to take a third. ”Come, we must pledge each other,” he said, replenis.h.i.+ng my gla.s.s, and filling up his own. ”Here's to the continuance of our friends.h.i.+p.”

I felt pretty well tired, as I had been up the whole of the last night, and a good portion of the previous one, so I was not sorry to have something to set me up. We struck our gla.s.ses together, and wished each other health, prosperity, and promotion.

”You like the wine,” said La Touche. ”Come--another gla.s.s; now we must finish the bottle, and I don't wish to take a larger share than you have.”

”No, no, my friend,” I answered, thinking there was something peculiar in his manner. ”I command this craft, and must keep a cool head on my shoulders, but I have no objection to your finis.h.i.+ng the bottle, and taking a second, if you like.”

In vain he pressed me, for the more he pressed, the more determined I became not to take another drop. I found the wine indeed stronger than I had supposed it was. Besides which, I recollected the major's advice, which strengthened me in my resolution.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

TREACHERY.

After supper we rose to go on deck. I observed as we did so, that La Touche replaced the bottle in the locker. I felt more inclined to go to sleep than to pace the deck, but I resolved to take the first watch, that Nash might have the middle one. The wind had fallen still more, the moonbeams cast a silvery light over the ocean. La Touche, who had followed me out of the cabin, joined me, and we walked up and down for some time. At length, giving a yawn, he said--

”If monsieur does not wish me to keep watch, which I shall be happy to do, I shall turn in, for I can scarcely keep my eyes open.”

”Thank you,” I said; ”but I cannot disobey my orders, though I should place perfect confidence in your honour.”

”I am much obliged to you for the compliment,” he replied in a hesitating tone; and wis.h.i.+ng me good-night, and a pleasant watch, he dived below.

I continued walking up and down the deck, doing my utmost to keep myself awake. Seeing Larry, I called to him to come to me. One of our men was at the helm. I asked Larry how the people were getting on forward.

”We're all as friendly as bees, Mr Terence. Shure the Frenchmen are mighty pleasant fellows, though I wouldn't be after trusting to them too much. The steward has got some bottles of the crathur, and he's been serving it out pretty freely. I have been afraid that Dan Hoolan and Mat would be after taking more than is good for them, though Dan's head, to be sure, could stand las.h.i.+ns of liquor, and be none the worse for it.”

”Take care, and not be tempted yourself, Larry,” I said.

”No, no, Mr Terence, I know my duty too well for that, though the Frenchmen in their love of me tried to force it down my throat.”

”I wish you could manage to find the bottles of liquor, and bring them aft, or heave them overboard; it would be putting temptation out of the men's way,” I said.

”Shure, Mr Terence, I'll obey your orders, though the Frenchmen won't be loving me so much, if they find out it was myself that did it.”

While Larry went forward to carry out my directions, I continued my solitary walk. I was afraid even to rest against the bulwarks for a moment, or I should have been off to sleep like a shot. Even as it was, as I stood on deck watching the canvas, to see that the man at the helm was steering properly, I more than once became unconscious of where I was. Though my eyes might not have closed, I lost the power of seeing, now fancying myself on the deck of the frigate, now on board the _Soleil_, and I heard the voices of Nettles.h.i.+p and Tom Pim talking to each other, though except that they were speaking about me, I could not make out what they said. Now I opened my eyes. ”No higher!” I sang out, as I saw the head-sails almost aback. The helmsman turned the spokes of the wheel, and the sails filled I continued my walk, but soon again stopped. I went to the binnacle lamp to look at my watch. It still wanted half an hour to midnight. I would have given much to have had that half hour over; and it was with the greatest difficulty that I managed to stand upright. Once more as I stood, now looking out forward, now at the sails, strange voices sounded in my ears, and my senses wandered.

”Faith, Mr Terence, the spalpeens have been too sharp for me; I could only find one bottle of spirits, and that was empty. The blacks are as drunk as fiddlers, and the Frenchmen seem to have lost their senses, while Dan Hoolan and the rest of our men are much the same, barrin' Tim Logan here, at the helm, and Ben Nash, and he's fast asleep, waiting for me to call him, and relieve you.”