Part 27 (1/2)
”Glad to see you safe on board, Finnahan,” he said. ”Now give me the information you have brought. I'll hear about your adventures afterwards.”
”I have just escaped from a brig, sir, that is carrying despatches to the French admiral at Guadaloupe, and as she may at any moment slip out of the harbour, I thought you would like to know of it, that you may follow and capture her as soon as she gets to a sufficient distance from this place.”
”How do you know she has despatches?” he asked.
”I heard the French officer who came on board tell the lieutenant in command of the brig what they were, and I saw them in the drawer of the cabin table. I supposed that the lieutenant put them there that they might be handy to throw overboard, should he find at any time that the brig was likely to be recaptured.”
”Then why didn't you bring them away with you?” asked the captain. ”You made your own escape--you might easily, I should have thought, have got hold of them.”
”I felt in honour bound not to do so, sir. I was trusted on board; but as I had not given my word not to escape, I felt justified in getting away when the opportunity offered.”
”I consider you acted rightly,” said the captain. ”A man cannot have too nice a sense of honour; at the same time I believe you would have gained great credit if you had brought them off. Much may depend on our getting hold of them. However, we must do our best to capture the brig, and prevent her delivering them to the French admiral. You deserve credit as it is for making your escape, and I'm glad you got off without breaking your parole. I should have regretted to find that you had done that. Now call Mr Saunders, and--hillo! my lad, you're dripping wet!
Go and s.h.i.+ft into dry clothes, or rather, if you're not wanted, turn into your hammock and get some sleep. You have not had much of that to-night, I conclude.”
Getting a lantern from the sentry, I at once repaired to old ”Rough-and-Ready's” cabin.
”Mr Saunders,” I shouted, ”the captain wants to see you.” He jumped up in a moment wide awake--a good first lieutenant always sleeps with one eye open.
”Why, where do you come from, youngster?” he asked, as, throwing his night-cap on the pillow, he rapidly slipped into his clothes.
I very briefly told him while he finished dressing, which took him scarcely a minute, and he then hastened to the captain's cabin, while I gladly went below and had my marine roused up to get me out some dry clothes from my chest and to sling my hammock. I inquired for Larry, who I found had gone forward. In a short time he came aft, having also got into dry clothes.
”Mighty glad we've got away from the brig, Mr Terence,” he said; ”but still I'm as sorrowful as a pig in a gale of wind. The first thing the men axed me for was my fiddle, and bedad I left it aboard the brig; so if she gets away I'll never be after seeing it again.”
”We must hope to take her,” I said. ”Depend on it the captain will keep a look-out on her movements, and we shall then recover your fiddle, though I'm afraid we shall not get hold of the despatches.”
”Is it them bundle of papers in the drawer you're speaking of?” asked Larry. ”I was after thinking it would be as well to bring them away, in case the captain should like to have a look at them, so I just put them in my s.h.i.+rt before I slipped out of the cabin window. I hope I won't be called a thief for taking them. Here they are, Mr Terence;” and he handed me the packet which I had seen in the drawer.
I hurried aft with it to the captain. I found him and the first lieutenant in the cabin.
”Why, what's this?” exclaimed the captain, as I gave him the packet.
I told him that I believed it contained the despatches sent from Port-au-Prince; and that my companion, Larry Harrigan, unknown to me, had brought them away.
”What! and you gave him a hint to do so?” said the captain.
”No, indeed I didn't, sir,” I answered firmly, though I blushed as I then explained, that although I had spoken to Larry about them, it was with no intention of inducing him to do what I was unwilling to do myself. ”I had told him of them, sir,” I said; ”but I give you my word of honour that I had no thought at the time of his getting hold of them.
I did meditate, I confess, throwing them overboard; but under the circ.u.mstances I came to the conclusion that I had no right to do that, independent of the risk of being severely dealt with by the Frenchmen, should my act be discovered.”
”Well, well, I believe you, Finnahan,” said the captain in a kind tone.
”We have got them, and we must take them at once to Sir Samuel Hood. We need care very little about the brig now.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
OLD FRIENDS.
”Hadn't you better, sir, see what they contain?” observed Mr Saunders.
”It's just possible, too, that the commander of the brig knows their contents, and will communicate it verbally to the French admiral, or perhaps he may have duplicates on board.”