Part 47 (2/2)
”Nor should I, sir,” Captain O'Halloran said. ”My wife is, naturally, very much upset.”
”That is natural enough,” the governor said. ”Still, she has every reason to be proud of her brother. A man could risk his life for no higher object than that for which Mr. Repton has undertaken this expedition.
”How do you suppose he got away?”
”I have no idea, sir. He may have got down by ropes, from the back of the Rock--the way the deserters generally choose.”
”Yes; but if he got down without breaking his neck, he would still have to pa.s.s our line of sentries, and also through the Spaniards.”
”He is a very good swimmer, general; and may have struck out, and landed beyond the Spanish forts. Of course, he may have started from the Old Mole, and swam across to the head of the bay. He is sure to have thought the matter well out. He is very sharp and, if anyone could get through, I should say Bob could. He speaks the language like a native.”
”I have heard of him before,” the governor said, smiling. ”Captain Langton told us of the boy's doings, when he was away in that privateer brig; and how he took in the frigate, and was the means of the brig capturing those two valuable prizes, and how he had swam on board a Spanish sloop of war. He said that no officer could have shown greater pluck, and coolness.
”I sincerely hope that no harm will come to him; but how--even if he succeeds in getting through the Spanish lines--he can manage, single handed, to get back here in a boat, is more than I can see.
Well, I sincerely trust that no harm will come to him.”
As the governor, with two or three of his staff, now came along, Captain O'Halloran went up to him.
”I am glad to say, sir,” he said, ”that young Repton has just returned, and that he has brought in thirty cases of fruit.”
”I am extremely glad to hear it, Captain O'Halloran,” the governor said, warmly. ”When it was reported to me, an hour since, that the Spanish fort and one of their cruisers were firing at a small boat, that was making her way in from the east, the thought struck me that it might be your brother-in-law.
”Where is he?”
”He is just coming round to the Mole, sir. Doctor Burke and myself are going to meet him.”
”I will go down with you,” the governor said. ”Those oranges are worth a thousand pounds a box, to the sick.”
The party reached the Mole before the boat came in; for after rounding the Point she had been becalmed, and the fishermen had lowered the sail and betaken themselves to their oars again. Bob felt a little uncomfortable when, as the boat rowed up to the landing stairs, he saw General Eliott, with a group of officers, standing at the top. He was relieved when, on ascending the steps, the governor stepped forward and shook him warmly by the hand.
”I ought to begin by scolding you, for breaking out of the fortress without leave; but I am too pleased with the success of your venture, and too much gratified at the spirit that prompted you to undertake it, to say a word. Captain O'Halloran tells me that you have brought in thirty cases of fruit.”
”Yes, sir. I have ten cases of oranges, and twenty of lemons. I propose, with your permission, to send half of these up to the hospitals, for the use of the sick there. The others I intend for the use of the women and children of the garrison, and townspeople.
Doctor Burke will see for me that they are distributed where they will do most good.”
”Well, my lad, I thank you most cordially for your n.o.ble gift to the troops; and there is not a man here who will not feel grateful to you, for the relief it will afford to the women and children. I shall be very glad if you will dine with me, today; and you can then tell me how you have managed what I thought, when I first heard of your absence, was a sheer impossibility.
”Captain O'Halloran, I trust that you and Mrs. O'Halloran will also give me the pleasure of your company, at dinner, today.”
”If you please, sir,” Bob said, ”will you give these two boatmen a pa.s.s, permitting them to go out after dark, tonight. I promised them that they should not be detained. It is of the greatest importance to them that they should get back before their absence is discovered.”
”Certainly,” the governor said; and at once ordered one of the officers of the staff to see that the pa.s.s was given; and orders issued, to the officers of the batteries, to allow the boat to pa.s.s out in the dark, unquestioned.
As soon as the governor walked away, with his staff, Bob was heartily greeted by Captain O'Halloran and the doctor.
”You have given us a fine fright, Bob,” the former said, ”and your sister has been in a desperate way about you. However, now that you have come back safe, I suppose she will forgive you.
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