Part 38 (1/2)
As the wave, after dashi+ng furiously on the shore, rolled back again, a few shattered tiing to the te water, but they were speedily hushed, and of the struggling wretches twowave on the shi+ngly beach, together with the bodies of several already nu the dead
When Captain Martin came to muster the shi+pwrecked men saved by his exertions, he found that upwards of three hundred of the crew of his late antagonist had perished, seventy alone having landed in safety
Leaving a party on the beach to watch lest any istrate led the way up the cliff The French that they were to be treated as prisoners of war Some of them, aided by the British seamen, carried those who had been too much injured to walk
After they had arrived at a spot where some shelter was found fro a halt, sent for Rayner, and told him to assure the Frenchmen that he did not look upon them as eneers who, having been driven on the English coast by the eleht to expect assistance and kind treatment from the inhabitants, and that such it was his wish to afford theratitude rose from the lips of the Frenchmen when Rayner had translated what Captain Martin had said The istrate then offered to receive as entle followed by other persons, and beforethe whole of the shi+pwrecked sea three or four officers, the only ones saved The poor fellows endeavoured by every way in their power to sho grateful they were for the kindness they were receiving
Captain Martin's first care was to write an account of the occurrence to the Ad a hope that the shi+pwrecked creould be sent back as soon as possible to France
By return of post, which was not, however, until the end of three or four days, Captain Martin had the satisfaction of receiving a letter fro of his conduct, and directing that the French and ot ready, sent back to Cherbourg or some other French port
News of the battered state of the _Thisbe_ having been received at the Adate was ordered round to escort her into port, as she was not in a position to put to sea safely by herself The Frenchht northerly breeze springing up, they sailed together for Ply the whole passage, when the Frenchot, volunteered to work them
Rayner had ed to eratitude for the kindness he had received
Directly he returned on board, Rayner went to Jack, who that Jack had been wounded, begged permission to see him, and from thathim as if he had been his own son
It was curious to see the way the English sailors treated their French guests who had so lately been engaged with the from bruises and exposure on the wreck These were nursed with a tender care, as if they had been wos had been hurt, and feeding two or three, whose hands or ar babies
The rest of the Frenchmen who had escaped injury quickly recovered their spirits, and ht to the sound of Bob Rosin's fiddle; and Bob, a one-legged negro, who perforeneral of the shi+p, was never tired of playing as long as he could get any one to dance
The style of performance of the two nationalities was very different, but both received their share of applause from one another The Frenchmen leapt into the air, whirled, bounded and skipped, while the British tars did the double-shuffle and performed the various evolutions of the hornpipe, to the admiration of their Gallic rivals
By the time they had reached Ply, and many of the Frenchallant entertainers, all protesting that they should always re the hope that they should never ain except as friends
Sad it is that men, ould be ever ready to live on friendly terms and advance their mutual interests, should, by the ahter and injure each other, as has unhappily been the case for so hout the whole civilised portion of the world
As soon as the anchor was dropped, Rayner asked for leave to go on shore with Captain Turgot, to visit Mrs Crofton, and learn how Pierre was getting on
”You ht, as there is plenty of work to be done,” answered the first lieutenant
”Thank you, sir,” said Rayner; and he hurried below to tell Captain Turgot to get ready
They shoved off by the first boat going on shore They walked on quickly through the streets of Ply Mrs Crofton and Mary, and of witnessing thebetween the honest Frenchman and his son
”I hope that we shall find Pierre recovered; but the doctor said his wound would take long to heal, and you must not be surprised if he is still unable to ot ”Our friends will take very good care of him, and perhaps you would like to remain behind until he is well”
”I would wish to be with hiot and Jeannette, who, if they do not see me, will suppose that I arieve to leave my boy behind, but I know that he will be well cared for, and I cannot tell you, rateful I am Little did I think, when I picked you up out of the water, how amply you would return the service I did you”
”I certainly did not expect in any way to be able to repay it,” said Rayner, ”or, to say the truth, to feel the regard for Frenchmen which I do for you and your son”
Rayner found Mrs Crofton and her daughter seated in the drawing-roos were over, and he had introduced Captain Turgot, he inquired after Pierre, expecting, through not seeing hione out for a short walk, as the doctor tells him to be in the fresh air aswith the help of a stick,” answered Mrs Crofton ”I hope his father has not come to take him away, for we shall be very sorry to lose hio without being exchanged,”