Part 24 (2/2)

”Right again,” whispered the mids.h.i.+pman.

”And what port are we bound to, now?”

”Let me see--homeward-bound--Falmouth, sir.”

”What sort of a place is Boston?”

”Pretty considerable of a place, sir.”

”Very straight streets, ain't they?”

”Yes, sir; cow-paths, cut by sheep-walks, and intersected with hen-tracks.”

”When did we fire the first gun?”

”Well, sir, just as we were leaving Falmouth, ten months ago--signal-gun, sir.”

”Where did we fire the first _shotted_ gun, sir?--and what was the name of the privateer we took upon that occasion?”

”'Pears to me, sir, at that time I was on the sick list. Yes, sir, that must have been the time; I had the brain fever, and lost my mind for a while.”

”Master-at-arms, take this man away.”

”Where shall I take him, sir?” touching his cap.

”Go, and air him on the forecastle.”

So they resumed their devious wanderings. At last, they descended to the berth-deck. It being now breakfast-time, the master-at-arms, a good-humored man, very kindly' introduced our hero to his mess, and presented him with breakfast, during which he in vain endeavored, by all sorts of subtle blandishments, to worm out his secret.

At length Israel was set at liberty; and whenever there was any important duty to be done, volunteered to it with such cheerful alacrity, and approved himself so docile and excellent a seaman, that he conciliated the approbation of all the officers, as well as the captain; while his general sociability served, in the end, to turn in his favor the suspicious hearts of the mariners. Perceiving his good qualities, both as a sailor and man, the captain of the maintop applied for his admission into that section of the s.h.i.+p; where, still improving upon his former reputation, our hero did duty for the residue of the voyage.

One pleasant afternoon, the last of the pa.s.sage, when the s.h.i.+p was nearing the Lizard, within a few hours' sail of her port, the officer-of-the-deck, happening to glance upwards towards the maintop, descried Israel there, leaning very leisurely over the rail, looking mildly down where the officer stood.

”Well, Peter Perkins, you seem to belong to the maintop, after all.”

”I always told you so, sir,” smiled Israel benevolently down upon him, ”though, at first, you remember, sir, you would not believe it.”

CHAPTER XXI.

SAMSON AMONG THE PHILISTINES.

At length, as the s.h.i.+p, gliding on past three or four vessels at anchor in the roadstead--one, a man-of-war just furling her sails--came nigh Falmouth town, Israel, from his perch, saw crowds in violent commotion on the sh.o.r.e, while the adjacent roofs were covered with sightseers. A large man-of-war cutter was just landing its occupants, among whom were a corporal's guard and three officers, besides the naval lieutenant and boat's crew. Some of this company having landed, and formed a sort of lane among the mob, two trim soldiers, armed to the teeth, rose in the stern-sheets; and between them, a martial man of Patagonian stature, their ragged and handcuffed captive, whose defiant head overshadowed theirs, as St. Paul's dome its inferior steeples. Immediately the mob raised a shout, pressing in curiosity towards the colossal stranger; so that, drawing their swords, four of the soldiers had to force a pa.s.sage for their comrades, who followed on, conducting the giant.

As the letter of marque drew still nigher, Israel heard the officer in command of the party ash.o.r.e shouting, ”To the castle! to the castle!”

and so, surrounded by shouting throngs, the company moved on, preceded by the three drawn swords, ever and anon flourished at the rioters, towards a large grim pile on a cliff about a mile from the landing. Long as they were in sight, the bulky form of the captive was seen at times swayingly towering over the flas.h.i.+ng bayonets and cutla.s.ses, like a great whale breaching amid a hostile retinue of sword-fish. Now and then, too, with barbaric scorn, he taunted them with cramped gestures of his manacled hands.

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