Part 34 (1/2)
”I'm sure, at all events, to fall in with a slaver or two, or perhaps have some such work as that of Saint Juan cut out for me,” said Jack.
”I am now, I believe, to be ordered to Havannah, so Johnny Ferong a.s.sured me yesterday, and as he is certain to be well informed, I expect every hour to receive my despatches from the admiral.”
While Jack was speaking, a boat was seen coming down the harbour, and in a short time he received from the officer who came in her an order to proceed at once to Havannah, and on his way to keep a sharp lookout for slavers, of which it was known there were a good many on the coast. He at the same time got a letter from Murray, who had been residing with his friends at Saint David's since he gave up the command of the _Supplejack_. We may take a glance at its contents, which thus ran:--
”Dear Jack,--Since I cannot tear myself away from this Eden, though had I a pair of wings I would do so for a brief s.p.a.ce, to see how you are getting on on board the little brig, I must beg you to be content with the few lines I have the time to write, before our sable 'Mercury' starts for Kingston. I am, as you may suspect, supremely happy. Stella has recovered her spirits, and every day becomes more attractive. It is beautiful to see her watch over my young kinsman Archy, who is slowly recovering from his dangerous wound. The doctor says that had it not been for her watchful care he would have succ.u.mbed to the fever, which attacked him after his arrival here.
”You ask me when our marriage is to take place. Stella will not hear of it; her father's death is too recent; and she will not tempt me away from my duty, for she thinks that if I became a married man I shall wish to remain on sh.o.r.e; and I cannot help acknowledging that, in that respect, she is right. She wants me, at all events, to serve as a commander till I obtain a post-rank; and her kind friends here offer her a home till she has one of her own.
”I long for the time, however, when I may take her to Scotland as my bride and present her to my family. In truth, though I have often fancied that nothing would make me wish to leave the navy, I have begun to meditate doing so rather than be separated from her.
Perhaps, however, I may be able to persuade her to yield to my wishes, and as the _Tudor_ will probably remain on the station, I shall constantly be returning to port and be able to enjoy her society.
”I am sure, you say, to get command of the corvette, provided Grafton goes home; and the doctors say that there is no chance of his recovering out here.
”Stella desires to be kindly remembered to you, as do all your friends at Saint David's. You have won their hearts, I a.s.sure you, and they will be happy to see you whenever you return to Jamaica.
”They press me to remain here till I am ordered to join the s.h.i.+p; and as you may suppose, I am perfectly happy to accept their hospitality.
”My cousin Archy desires to be remembered to those young reefers, your brother Tom and Desmond. I hope some day to be among them and a.s.sist in keeping them out of mischief. Give my kind regards to Terence, and believe me,
”Your very affectionate friend,
”Alexander Murray.”
Jack had no time to answer this letter, as, the breeze proving favourable, he was obliged to put to sea according to his instructions.
During his run westward he kept a bright lookout for slavers in all directions. It was just daylight; a mist lay on the surface of the ocean, which completely shut out any object at a distance; while a light breeze from the South-east filled the brig's sails and impelled her at the rate of two or three knots an hour through the water. Harry Bevan, who had joined from the frigate, was officer of the watch. The men, with trowsers tucked up and buckets in hand, were about to commence the operation of was.h.i.+ng decks.
”I say,” exclaimed Tom, who had been sent forward on some duty, ”I never believed in the great sea serpent, but, as sure as I'm alive, that must be the fellow right ahead, wriggling along at a tremendous rate! If you listen you'll hear the noise he's making!”
”Broken water ahead!” shouted the lookout forward.
”That I'm sure it cannot be!” said Bevan.
He, however, as a precaution, brought the brig to the wind, and directed Tom to call the commander. Jack was quickly on deck.
”Keep her away again!” he exclaimed, after he had examined the object which had so astonished Tom. ”That is neither the head nor tail of the big sea serpent, but a shoal of turtles, which having come from the Bay of Honduras, are bound for the Cayman Islands, where they are going to lay their eggs?” he said, laughing heartily at Tom's notion.
The brig was soon in the midst of them, their columns dividing to get out of her way. It was wonderful the noise they made, as their fins rapidly struck the water in their onward course. Soon afterwards the mist lifted, and the lofty trees which grew on the great Cayman could be seen rising out of the water some fifteen miles off, appearing like a grove of masts emerging from the ocean. Directly afterwards the mist, which still hung in the west, was swept away, exposing to view the sails of a square topsail schooner s.h.i.+ning in the rays of the sun with snowy whiteness. Jack immediately ordered the brig to be kept away, and made all sail in chase. The schooner held her course for some time, but at length discovering that the brig had kept away, set also every st.i.tch of canvas she could carry. This at once betrayed her character, for had she been an honest trader, she would have had no reason to run from an English brig.
The crew felt as eager to overtake her as did the commander. It was the first of this sort of work they had had, and they indulged with immense satisfaction in the idea of carrying back a prize full of slaves to Port Royal.
Long Tom was got ready for action, as it was not likely that the slaver, if such she was, would yield without making every effort to escape. The chase showed that she had a remarkably nimble pair of heels, for fast as the _Supplejack_ was, after a couple of hours had pa.s.sed by, she appeared to have gained little or nothing on her.
”Do you think we shall take her?” asked Tom of Needham, who had been appointed as gunner of the _Supplejack_.
”If the wind freshens, and we have the first of it before it reaches her, we may get her within range of Long Tom, and it then won't be my fault if we don't bring down some of her spars; but if night comes on before our shot can reach her, she may manage to slip out of our hands in the dark.”
”But we have most of the day before us, and we surely shall get up with her before then,” observed Tom.
”You see, we have run on already two hours, and are no nearer than at first,” said Needham. ”If we were to chase her round the world, and she was to sail twelve knots to our ten, she would soon be out of sight, so I don't feel very certain that we shall have her ladys.h.i.+p; but if we miss her this time we may fall in with her another.”