Part 37 (1/2)
”Well, it seems to me, sir, that if we keep the Spanish flag up--”
”We may be sunk,” the captain broke in.
”We might, sir, but it is very unlikely, especially if we run in more to the sh.o.r.e; but you see, if we are fired at by the frigate, it will never enter the minds of the Spaniards that we are anything but what we seem and, if we like, we can anchor right under their batteries, in the middle of their craft. It will be dark by the time we get in, and we might take our pick of them.”
”That is a splendid idea, Bob!
”This boy is getting too sharp for us, altogether, Joe. He is as full of ideas as a s.h.i.+p's biscuit is of weevils.
”Keep her off, helmsman. That will do.”
Again and again the frigate fired, but she was two miles away and, though the shot went skipping over the water near the brig, none of them struck her. The men, unable to understand why they were running the gauntlet of the frigate's fire, looked inquiringly towards the p.o.o.p.
”It is all right, lads,” the captain said. ”There is not much fear of the frigate hitting us, and it is worth risking it. The Spaniards on sh.o.r.e will never dream that we are English, and we can bring up in the thick of them.”
There was a good deal of laughing and amus.e.m.e.nt, among the men, as they understood the captain's motive in allowing the brig to be made a target of. As she drew in towards sh.o.r.e the frigate's fire ceased, and her course was changed off sh.o.r.e.
”No nearer,” the captain said to the helmsman. ”Keep her a little farther off sh.o.r.e.
”There is not much water here, Joe,” for a man had been heaving the lead, ever since they had changed their course. ”We have not got a fathom under her keel. You see, the frigate did not like to come any closer. She would have cut us off, if there had been deep water right up.”
An hour later the brig dropped anchor off Cartagena, at little more than a quarter of a mile from one of the batteries that guarded the entrance to the port, and close to two or three of the craft that had been first chased by the frigate. These, as they were going on in the morning, had not entered the harbour with their consorts; for it was already getting dusk.
”Not much fear of their coming to ask any questions, this evening,”
Joe Lockett said. ”The Spaniards are not given to troubling themselves unnecessarily and, as we are outside the port, we are no one's business in particular.”
At this moment a hail came from the vessel anch.o.r.ed ahead of them.
Bob went to the bulwark. The brig had swung head to wind, and was broadside on with the other craft.
”You have not suffered from the fire of that accursed s.h.i.+p, I hope?” the captain of the barque shouted.
”No, senor; not a shot struck us.”
”You were fortunate. We were hulled twice, and had a man killed by a splinter.
”This is a rough welcome home to us. We have just returned from Lima, and have heard nothing about the war till we anch.o.r.ed off Alicante, yesterday. We heard some firing as we came through the Straits; but thought it was only one of the s.h.i.+ps, or forts, practising at a mark. It was lucky we put in at Alicante; or we should have had no suspicion, and should have let that frigate sail up alongside of us, without trying to escape.”
”You were fortunate, indeed,” Bob shouted back ”We had, ourselves, a narrow escape of being captured by a s.h.i.+p of war, near Malaga.
The Alonzo is only from Cadiz, with grain and olive oil.”
”Do you think there is any fear of that rascally Englishman trying to cut us out with his boats, tonight?”
”Not the slightest,” Bob replied, confidently. ”They would never venture on that. Those batteries on sh.o.r.e would blow them out of the water, and they would know very well they would not have a shadow of chance of taking us out for, even if they captured us, the batteries would send us to the bottom, in no time. Oh, no! you are perfectly safe from the frigate, here.”
The Spanish captain raised his hat. Bob did the same, and both left the side of their s.h.i.+ps.
”Well, what does he say, Bob?” the captain asked.
”I think you are in luck this time, captain, and no mistake.”
”How is that, Bob?”