Part 1 (1/2)
Paul Gerrard
by WHG Kingston
CHAPTER ONE
Darkness had set in The as blowing strong fro rain, which even tarpaulins, or the thickest of Flushi+ng coats, would scarcely resist A heavy sea also was running, such as is often to bethe month of November, at which time of the year, in the latter part of the last century, a fine frigate was struggling with the elements, in a brave attempt to beat out into the open ocean She was under close-reefed topsails; but even with this snug canvas she often heeled over to the blast, till her lee-ports were buried in the foa waters Now she rose to the su trough below; and ever and anon as she dashed onward in spite of all opposition, a mass of water would strike her boith a clap like that of thunder, and rising over her bulwarks, would deluge her deck fore and aft, and appear as if about to overwhelether A portion of the officers and crew stood at their posts on deck, now and then shaking the water from their hats and coats, after they had been covered with a thicker shower than usual of rain or spray, or looking up aloft at the straining canvas, or out over the dark expanse of ocean; but all of the only that their watch were over, that they ht enjoy such comforts as were to be found below, and take part in the conviviality which, in spite of the gale, was going forward
It was Saturday night, and fore and aft the ti enthusiastically drunk,--nowhere more enthusiastically than in the midshi+pht-hearted inmates had in reality either one or the other What cared they for the tued above their heads? They had a stout shi+p and trusted officers, and their heads and insides ell accusto, in which their gallant frigate the _Cerberus_ was at that ate, commanded by Captain Walford, had lately been put in commission, and many of her officers and midshi+pmen had only joined just before the shi+p sailed, and were thus coate was now bound out to a distant station, where foes orthy of her, it was hoped, would be encountered, and prize-money without stint be made
The midshi+pmen's berth of the _Cerberus_ was a compartment of so with eons, and captain's and purser's clerks,--sorey heads, and others boys scarcely in their teens, of all characters and dispositions, the sons of nobles of the proudest na of plebeians, who had little to boast of on that score, or on any other; but the boys ain faues and shouts of laughter which proceeded out of that narrow berth, rose even above the creaking of bulkheads, the howling of the wind, and the roar of the waves
The atmosphere was somewhat dense and redolent of ruht of the three purser's dips which burned in some battered tin candlesticks, secured by lanyards to the table At one end of the table over which he presided as caterer, sat Tony Noakes, an old -blossomed nose and bloodshot eyes told of many a past debauch
”Here's to my own true love, Sally Pounce,” he shouted in a husky voice, lifting to his lips a stiff glass of grog, which was eyed wistfully by Tilly Blake, a young midshi+pman, from whose share of rum he had abstracted its contents
”Mrs Noakes that is to be,” cried out Tilly in a sharp tone ”But I say, she'll not stand having her grog drunk up”
”That rester,” exclailance towards the audacious h,” put in Paddy O'Grady, who had also been deprived of the larger portion of his grog
Most of the youngsters, on finding others inclined to stand up for their rights, ed at this, Noakes threatened the n punishhts of man or midshi+pood-looking youth, who himself wore the uniform of a midshi+phts and dignity of the oldsters, or the service will soon go to ruin,” cried the old lass of his favourite liquor ”You show your sense, Devereux, and deserve your supper, but--there's no beef on the table Here boy--boy Gerrard--bring the beef; be s there as if you saw a ghost”
The boy thus summoned was a fine lad of about fourteen, his shi+rt collar thrown back showing his neck, which supported a well-forent and pleasant, but at thatunhappiness, and a feeling of dislike to, or dread of, those on who A midshi+pmen's boy has seldom a pleasant time of it under any circuh often unsuccessfully, to please his nu like a stuffed pig?” exclaimed Devereux, as near the door ”It is the beef, not your calf's head ant Away now, be sh from all those sufficiently sober to understand a joke
”The beef, sir; what beef?” asked boy Gerrard in a tone of alar a biscuit at the boy's head It was fortunate that no heavy missile was in his hand ”Take that to sharpen your wits”
Devereux laughed with others at the old lance at him as he hurried off to the midshi+p, boy Gerrard was seen staggering along the deck towards the berth with a huge piece of salt beef in his hands, and endeavouring to keep his legs as the frigate gave a heavy lurch or pitched forward, as she forced her way over the tuazed at the berth of his ht that he could reach it in another run He made the attempt, but it was down hill, and before he could save hih not the dish, into the very centre of the table, whence it bounded off and hit O'Grady, the Irish midshi+pman, a blow on the eye, which knocked hi into the berth, and prepared for the speedy punishht him would follow
”By the piper, but I'll teach you to keep a taughter gripe of the beef for the future, you spalpeen,” exclai himself, and about to hurl back the joint at the head of the unfortunate boy, when his ar,--”Preserve the beef and your temper, Paddy, and if boy Gerrard, after proper trial, shall be found to have purposely hurled the meat at your wise caput, he shall be forthwith delivered over to condign punishuments; I'll break the chap's head, and listen to the up to put his threat into execution
Devereux again held hi, ”Break the boy's head if you like; I have no interest in preserving it, except that we may not find another boy to take his place; but you uments before you commence operations”
”Hear, hear! lawyer Devereux is about to open his mouth,” cried several voices
”Come, pass me the beef, and let me put some of it into my mouth, which is open already,” exclai just descended fro outer coat, had taken his seat at the table His hair and whiskers were still ith spray, his hands showed signs of service, and his fine open countenance--full of good-nature, and yet expressive of courage and deterh his crisp, curling, light hair showed that he was still in the early prientlemen of the jury, and belay your jaw-tackles you who have no business in the e, I will plead boy Gerrard's cause against Paddy O'Grady, Esquire, ate _Cerberus_,” cried Devereux, striking the table with his fist, a proceeding which obtained a o back to first causes You understand, gentle, which has kicked up a heavy sea, which is tossing about our stout shi+p in a way to make it difficult for a seas, and therefore I suggest--”
”Belay all that, Master Long-tongue,” shouted Noakes; ”if the boy is to be cobbed, why let's cob him; if not, why let him fill the mustard-pot, for it's e poor Gerrard forthwith; others, who had not had their supper, insisted on the ained his point in setting hishis object, sent off Gerrard for a supply of the required condiment It was O'Grady's next watch on deck; and thus before Gerrard returned, he had been compelled to leave the berth