Part 50 (1/2)

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.

The Spanish crew understood his gestures more than his words, and with might and main pulled back to the flag-s.h.i.+p. As we went on, the shot fell like hail around us, but providentially none of us were hit. On getting to the opposite side of the s.h.i.+p, the admiral and Vernon were lifted on board. The rest of us quickly followed. Vernon was at once carried below to be placed under the care of the surgeon; while, without waiting to change our wet clothes, we hurried to the guns, to encourage the Spanish crew, some of whom appeared to think they had had enough of it. Don Barcelo, however, retired to his cabin, and, having changed his uniform, shortly afterwards reappeared. He showed no wish, however, to make another attempt to land, but sent off despatches by an officer to the commander of the land forces. What were their contents did not at the time transpire. He continued, however, pacing the deck, watching, as far as the smoke would allow, the other s.h.i.+ps, and the forts opposed to us.

”I very much doubt whether we shall thrash the Algerines after all,”

said Nettles.h.i.+p to me. ”The villains fight desperately, and I can't see that we have made a single breach in any part of the walls. See! two more of our galleys have sunk; and I have seen half-a-dozen gun or mortar boats go down. Several of the s.h.i.+ps and frigates are already tremendously cut about. The old Don is a plucky fellow, or he wouldn't keep at it so long.”

While he was speaking the admiral came up, pointing first towards a sinking vessel, and then at one of the boats alongside.

”Just ask him, Paddy, if he doesn't want me to go and rescue the fellows,” said Nettles.h.i.+p. I addressed the admiral in French, which he understood tolerably well.

”Yes, I shall be obliged to him if he will. My officers and men are required to fight the s.h.i.+p,” answered the admiral.

”They don't exactly like the sort of work,” observed Nettles.h.i.+p; ”but I'll go willingly.”

”And I will go with you,” I said.

We ran down and got into the boat, followed by Larry and Patchett, the rest of our crew being made up of Spaniards, who were ordered by their officers to man the boat. Away we pulled, and had time to save a good many people from the vessel, which had sunk before we reached her. We were exposed all the time to the shot, which came splas.h.i.+ng into the water close to us. I heartily hoped that none would come aboard, for, crowded as the boat was, a number of the people must have been killed.

There was no necessity to tell the Spanish crew to give way, for they were eager enough to get back.

Soon after returning on board, the admiral, having received intelligence from the sh.o.r.e that the attack had again failed, threw out a signal to his s.h.i.+ps to discontinue the action. Fortunately the wind enabled us to stand off the sh.o.r.e, in spite of the shattered condition of many of the s.h.i.+ps, when we anch.o.r.ed out of range of the enemy's guns. As soon as we had brought up, Nettles.h.i.+p and I went down to see Vernon. Though the surgeon had told him that the wound was a bad one, he didn't complain.

”I fear, after all, that we shall not succeed, and I advise you, Nettles.h.i.+p, to return on board your brig, and get her into a condition to put to sea,” he said. ”The admiral may not be able to help you as I could wish, and you will have to look out for yourself.”

Nettles.h.i.+p thanked him for his advice, saying that he intended to follow it, as we could not further a.s.sist the cause, and that it was our duty to get the brig to Gibraltar as soon as possible.

The admiral had invited both of us to supper in the cabin. He spoke in the highest terms of Vernon, and said that he had intended to give him command of one of his s.h.i.+ps, that he might lead the next attack.

”I wish, gentlemen, also to show you my high sense of the a.s.sistance you have rendered me by coming on board,” he added.

When I translated this to Nettles.h.i.+p, he said--

”Tell the old fellow that I shall be obliged to him if he'll send a dozen of his best hands, with such spars and rigging as we require, to set up jury-masts.”

”It shall be done to-morrow,” replied the admiral. ”I intend to give the crew of my s.h.i.+ps a short breathing-time before I again renew the attack.”

Though we were ready enough to fight, we were not sorry to find the next day that the old Don was as good as his word, and had sent us on board a sufficient number of spars, which, with the aid of his men, enabled us to set up jury-masts, and to get the brig into condition for putting to sea. The Spaniards worked very well, and as soon as their task was accomplished, Larry offered to give them a tune on his fiddle.

When, however, he began sc.r.a.ping away, instead of jumping up, and toeing and heeling it as Frenchmen would have done, they stood with their arms folded, gravely listening to his strains.

”Arrah, now, my boys, there is no quicksilver in your heels,” he exclaimed, observing their apathy. ”What's the use of playing to such grave dons as you?” We then tried them with a song, but with no better effect. At last their officer, who took supper with us in the cabin, ordered them into the boat, and they pulled back to their s.h.i.+p.

”I say, Paddy,” said Tom, ”I wish that you would let me go instead of you to-morrow, if the dons make another attack on the city. I daresay Nettles.h.i.+p will consent, if you ask him.”

I did not like to disappoint Tom, but at the same time, as I should thereby be avoiding danger, it was just the request to which I could not well agree.

Nettles.h.i.+p, however, settled the matter. ”To tell you the truth,” he answered, ”I have been thinking over what is our duty, and have arrived at the conclusion that, now the brig is ready for sea, we ought to make the best of our way to Gibraltar. As far as I can judge, no impression has been made on the city; and if the Spaniards and their allies could not succeed while their s.h.i.+ps were in good order, they are less likely to do anything now. Had the Spanish admiral requested our a.s.sistance, we should have been bound to afford it; but as he said nothing on the subject, I don't feel called upon to offer it again.”

We, however, remained at anchor during the night. The next day the fleet showed no signs of renewing the attack, though righting was taking place on sh.o.r.e. Nettles.h.i.+p, however, having desired me to accompany him, we pulled on board the flag-s.h.i.+p to bid farewell to Don Barcelo and Henry Vernon. The admiral again thanked us, but, from the remarks he made, I judged that he was rather anxious than otherwise that we should go away, so as not to witness his defeat. When I wished him success, he looked very gloomy, and made no reply. Having paid him our respects, we went down into the c.o.c.kpit to see Vernon, who was, we were sorry to find, suffering greatly. The surgeon, however, who was present, a.s.sured me that his wound was not mortal, though it would be some time before he recovered. When Nettles.h.i.+p told him his intention of leaving the fleet, he replied that it was the wisest thing he could do.