Part 9 (1/2)

”Not that you will require an introduction,” he answered; ”my uncle never forgets those he has once known, and, though grown, you are not altered much from the little fellow I remember at Lyme.”

I felt bound to put in a word for my two friends, as also for Martin, whose brave conduct on board the _Charles_ I described, when he refused to fire at the _Constant Warwick_.

”It would not become me to make promises to you,” he replied, ”but you may depend upon it that the admiral will not overlook such conduct, and as s...o...b..ok is an experienced seaman, he will gladly place him in some position of trust on board.”

The other frigate which had a.s.sisted in the capture of the _Charles_ was, I should have said, the _Seaford_. The breeze freshening, we had no opportunity of going on board the _Triumph_, Admiral Blake's flag-s.h.i.+p, as he was pressing on under all sail in chase of the corsairs. The frigates led the way, and the next morning, from the mast-head of the _Constant Warwick_, we caught sight of well-nigh a score of s.h.i.+ps right ahead. That they were those of Prince Rupert we had no doubt; but they must have seen us coming, and having no stomach to engage in fight--for they knew by this time who commanded the English fleet--they pressed on before us.

We continued in chase under every st.i.tch of canvas we could carry, hoping to come up with one or more of the rearmost s.h.i.+ps and to bring them to action, so as to keep them employed till the rest of the fleet should arrive and compel them to strike. The breeze freshened, and the _Constant Warwick_, followed closely by two other frigates, tore through the water, as if eager to overtake her foes.

”Hold on, good sticks!” cried the captain, looking aloft. ”Time enough to go overboard when we have grappled the enemy.”

The topgallant masts bent like willow wands, and I expected every moment to see them fall, but though the lofty sails tugged and tugged, yet they held fast, and we hoped that we should yet be in time to stop some of the corsairs before they could get into harbour. The _Triumph_ was still far away astern, followed by the rest of the fleet, our captain doing his best to drive his s.h.i.+p through the water. The corsairs did not gain upon us, and we well knew that for a good hour or more we should have them to ourselves, should we overtake them. Captain Stayner walked the deck, now casting his eye ahead at the enemy, now aloft at the straining canvas, and now astern, to judge, by the way the sails of the _Triumph_ were blowing out, how the wind was holding in that direction. Presently the lofty canvas was seen to hang down against the masts, then slowly to blow out again. In a short time our own royals and topgallant sails followed their bad example. The captain gave a stamp of impatience on the deck. The breeze was falling, even the topsails and courses no longer bellied out as before. Still, the frigates glided on, but the sluggish eddies astern showed how greatly their speed had decreased.

At length, on the larboard bow, the old head of Kinsale appeared in sight, with Prince Rupert's s.h.i.+ps pa.s.sing round it. Still, they too might get becalmed and a change of wind enable us to approach them. Our hopes, however, were doomed to be disappointed. Though the wind was light, they moved as fast as we did, and the lighter vessels getting out their sweeps, they ere long disappeared, shrouded by the gloom of evening, and by the time we came off the mouth of the harbour not a sail was to be discerned.

”Though they have escaped us this time, we have shut the rats up in their hole, and they will find it a hard matter to get out again to seek for prey,” observed the captain.

”Can't we go in and destroy them?” inquired Lancelot of Mr Blake.

”From the information we have received, we judge that it would be a hazardous undertaking,” he answered. ”There are castles on either side of the harbour, and the corsairs have thrown up earthworks, armed with heavy guns, for the protection of their s.h.i.+ps, so that they would blow us out of the water should we attempt to enter. We must content ourselves with blockading them.”

Such, I afterwards found, was the plan adopted. We stood on and off the land to watch the entrance. The next morning the whole fleet arrived, forming a line from the old head of Kinsale northward, which Prince Rupert, daring as he was, would not, it was believed, attempt to break through. It was somewhat trying work. Night and day a vigilant watch was kept, great care being required so that each s.h.i.+p should maintain her proper position, and that one should not run foul of the other.

According to his promise, Mr Blake took Lancelot, d.i.c.k, and me, with Martin s...o...b..ok, on board the _Triumph_. The admiral recognised me immediately, and remembered also what he had said to my father.

”Would you wish to remain with me?” he asked. ”Should such be your desire, you shall become my cabin boy, and when you have gained a knowledge of navigation and seamans.h.i.+p, you shall, without delay, be made an officer.”

”Such I desire above all things,” I answered, ”and I am deeply grateful for the offer.”

”And your friends here,” he continued, looking at Lancelot and d.i.c.k.

”Were they with us at the siege of Lyme?”

”They were, sir, and we all three worked together to throw up the embankments,” I answered.

”Good! they appear likely lads, and I will watch over their interests, if the Lord spares my life.”

Lancelot and d.i.c.k made proper acknowledgment of the admiral's intended kindness. I then bethought me that now was the time to speak a word for Martin, and told the admiral how he had behaved on board the _Charles_, being ready to lose his own life rather than fire at the Parliamentary s.h.i.+ps.

”Brave fellow! I remember him when he served with your father and mine,” he observed. ”He shall have a post on board such as his merit deserves. I will see to it.”

Several captains from other s.h.i.+ps coming on board, we retired, following young Robert Blake, who took us into the gun room, where he introduced us to such of the officers of the s.h.i.+p as were below.

I had long been wis.h.i.+ng to hear from Lieutenant Blake how his uncle had become an admiral, and I now took the opportunity of asking him.

”Simply because he is one of the most worthy men the Parliament could find,” he answered. ”His great talents, his undaunted bravery, are well-known, and although he had not before been to sea, the Government felt sure that he would be able to fill the post, and seeing him as we do now at the head of naval affairs, no one would suppose that he was fifty years of age before he set his foot on the deck of a s.h.i.+p as commander, taking precedence of such men as Captains Penn, Jordan, Ascue, Stayner, and Lawson, while Admirals Deane and Popham, though of the same rank, yield to his judgment.”

For the benefit of those who may not be acquainted with the history of one of the most famous of England's sea commanders, I may here note that Admiral Blake, eldest son of a highly-esteemed merchant, Humphrey Blake, trading with Spain and other foreign parts, was born at Bridgwater in the year of grace 1598, and that he had many brothers and sisters.

When a boy he studied navigation and the routine of sea duties from his father and some of his captains who had come to live on sh.o.r.e, but at that time his own taste made him wish to obtain a knowledge of literature, and at sixteen he entered as an undergraduate at Saint Alban's Hall, Oxford, whence he removed to Wadham College. Here he remained several years, until his father being reduced in circ.u.mstances from the failure of many of his enterprises, he returned home to watch over the interests of his family. He had, I should have said, offered himself as a candidate for a scholars.h.i.+p then vacant at Merton, but Sir Henry Saville, the warden, who delighted in tall men, objecting to him on account of his height which fell below his standard of manly perfection, refused to admit him, and the admiral, after he had been summoned to the death-bed of his father, did not again return to Oxford.

For some years he remained at Bridgwater, chiefly occupied with the care of his mother and brothers and sisters. At the same time he was a keen observer of pa.s.sing events. His indignation was aroused by the persecutions of Bishop Laud and his attempt to impose the Papal system on his country. When the King, after a lapse of many years, summoned a parliament, the admiral, then Mr Blake, went up as member for Bridgwater. Soon afterwards came the outbreak in Ireland, when forty thousand Protestants were murdered by the Papists, who a.s.serted that the King sanctioned their b.l.o.o.d.y acts. Although this might not have been the case, the Parliament demanded that a fleet and army should be placed at their disposal to quell the rebels. Soon afterwards the King, leaving London, raised his standard at Northampton, and declared war against the Parliament and those who sided with it. Mr Blake was among the first gentlemen who took up arms in the south of England in defence of the people's right, his first military achievement being the gallant defence of Prior's Hill, Bristol. The rest of his career up to the time of which I am speaking I have already mentioned, and I may truly say that he had never been defeated. He had, for some time before I was received on board his flag-s.h.i.+p, been engaged in reforming the navy, into which numerous corruptions had crept. His great object was to see that the men were duly paid and well fed, that hospitals were provided for the wounded, and that stout seaworthy s.h.i.+ps were alone employed. He perseveringly engaged even in the most minute details, to add to the comfort of his men, and already they had learned to trust and revere him. His fame had spread even among the Royalists, numbers of whom, escaping when opportunities occurred, eagerly came on board our s.h.i.+ps to serve under his flag. That flag was now a red-cross on a white ground, and that banner was destined soon to claim the respect of England's foes, wherever it was seen waving at the peak.