Part 39 (2/2)

The moment we brought up, the vessel was surrounded by boats, the news of our arrival having preceded us. Before landing, all the officers again expressed their thanks to our gallant preserver, who, I hope, received the reward he so well merited, from our Government, we ourselves being unable to offer him any. None of us, indeed, had more than the clothes we wore, and a few articles we had been able to carry off with us from the wreck.

We were received with the greatest kindness and hospitality by the inhabitants of Saint John's. Nettles.h.i.+p, Tom, and I were lodged together in the house of a merchant, whose wife and daughters, pitying our condition, did everything they could to restore us to health.

Certainly we were very unlike the gay mids.h.i.+pmen we appeared when we sailed from Jamaica. Both the young ladies were very nice girls; but Tom confided to me that his heart had become hard as adamant since Lucy's cruel treatment of him.

”It will soften by and by, Tom,” I answered, laughing, though I could not say that I felt mine inclined to yield to their attractions.

We agreed, however, that Nettles.h.i.+p, as we thought, would knock under.

What might have been the case I don't know; but as soon as the men had somewhat recovered from their hards.h.i.+ps,--there being no man-o'-war likely to call off the place,--the captain chartered two merchant brigs to convey himself and the survivors of the _Hector_ to Halifax, Nova Scotia, whence he expected to get a pa.s.sage home for us to England.

Nettles.h.i.+p, Tom, and I, accompanied by Larry, had to go on board the _Jane_, one of the vessels, of which Captain Drury went in charge; while Captain Bouchier, though still not recovered from his wound, went in the other, the _John Thomas_.

I did not mention it at the time, but Larry had managed to save his riddle uninjured when he left the _Hector_, and his appearance with it under his arm afforded no small amount of satisfaction to the crew of the _Jane_.

The _John Thomas_ proved a much faster sailer than the brig, and soon ran ahead of us. We had just lost sight of Cape Race when a sail was made out, standing towards us from the southward.

”I don't like her looks,” observed Nettles.h.i.+p to me, as she approached.

”I shouldn't be surprised if she proves to be a French privateer.”

The captain appeared to be of this opinion, for, after: examining the stranger through his gla.s.s, he ordered all the sail we could carry to be set, and stood away right before the wind, to the north-west. The stranger, however, came up with us hand over hand. In a short time the French ensign was seen blowing out at her peak, leaving no doubt as to her character.

”We must not be taken, lads. I trust to you to fight to the last, before we strike our flag,” cried the captain.

The crew cheered, and promised to do their best.

The _Jane_ had six nine-pounders, while the enemy carried twice as many guns, evidently of much heavier metal. As a few men only were required to work them, the captain ordered the rest to go under shelter. Tom and I were among those ordered below. In a short time we heard our guns go off, and the shot of the enemy came rattling on board. Presently there came a crash, and we guessed that the privateer had run us alongside.

”On deck, lads!” cried the captain. ”Boarders, repel boarders.”

At the summons we eagerly rushed up through every hatchway, to see a number of Frenchmen swarming on board; but they didn't get far beyond the bulwarks before they were driven back, we in return boarding them.

Tom and I led our men into the fore part of the vessel. More and more of our fellows followed. The Frenchmen gave way, some leaped below, others ran aft, where they encountered Nettles.h.i.+p and his party; in less than five minutes the privateer was ours, and Larry, shouting--

”Wallop-a-hoo-aboo! Erin go bragh!” hauled down her colours.

The enemy had so completely been taken by surprise, that they had offered but a slight resistance, and few, therefore, had lost their lives, while we had only half a dozen wounded. Captain Drury, with two-thirds of our men, went on board the prize, retaining the larger number of our prisoners; while Nettles.h.i.+p, Tom, and I remained in the _Jane_, with orders to follow close astern.

”We must take care, Paddy, that our prisoners don't play us the same trick yours played you,” said Nettles.h.i.+p. ”They would like to try it, no doubt.”

We had thirty prisoners to look after.

”I'll take remarkably good care that they don't do that,” I answered; ”and to make sure, it would be as well to keep them in durance vile till we reach Halifax.”

The Frenchmen grumbled at finding that they were to have their arms lashed behind them, and be kept below under charge of a couple of sentries. They were somewhat more contented when we fed them carefully, and told them that it was because we considered them brave fellows, and felt sure that if they had the opportunity they would take the brig from us, that we were obliged to treat them so unceremoniously. Fortunately the wind held fair, and we had a quick pa.s.sage to Halifax, where we arrived before the harbour was frozen up. Of course we gained great credit for our last exploit at that favourite naval station.

We found the _Maidstone_ frigate just about to sail for England, on board of which all who were well enough were ordered home. We were pretty considerably crowded, but we were a merry set, and had plenty to talk about. The mids.h.i.+pmen of the _Maidstone_, which had been for some time at Halifax, spoke warmly of the kindness they had received, and of the fascinations of the young ladies of the place, except an old mate and an a.s.sistant-surgeon, who declared that they had been abominably treated, and jilted by half-a-dozen whose hearts they thought they had won.

Old Grumpus, the master's mate, was especially bitter. ”Look here,” he said, producing a sketch which he had made. ”See these old ladies seated on chairs on the quay, watching their daughters fis.h.i.+ng. There are a dozen girls at least, with long rods and hooks, baited with all sorts of odds and ends. And see what sort of fish they're after,--naval officers--marine officers--and of all ranks, from an admiral down to a young mids.h.i.+pman. And there's a stout dame--she can't be called a young lady exactly--casting her hook towards a st.u.r.dy boatswain.

”'Look here,' one of them cries out, 'mother, mother, I've got a bite.'

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