Part 44 (1/2)
I then entered into a detail of all that had pa.s.sed between Lord de Versely and me, and also what the admiral had said to me.
”All's right, Mr Keene,” replied Bob; ”and let the admiral only give us something to do and I think you'll believe me when I say that the boatswain of the Firefly will back you as long as he has a pin to stand upon.”
”That I'm sure of, Bob; you will ever be my right-hand man. There are two mids.h.i.+pmen on board, I perceive: what sort of lads may they be?”
”I haven't had time to find out; but you have a capital s.h.i.+p's company-- that the gunner and carpenter both say.”
”And a very fine vessel, Bob.”
”Yes, sir, and a regular flyer, they say, if she is well managed. You have never been in a schooner, Mr Keene, but I have, and for nearly three years, and I know how to handle one as well as most people.”
”So much the better, Cross, for I know nothing about it. Come, I will ring the bell; I suppose some one will answer it.” A lad made his appearance.
”Were you Mr Williams's servant?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Get me out a bottle of wine and some gla.s.ses--there, that will do.”
”Now, Bob, let's drink success to the Firefly.”
”Here's success to the Firefly, Mr Keene, and success to the captain.
May you do well in her, and be soon out of her.”
”Thank you, Bob: here's your health, and may we long sail together.”
Bob and I finished the bottle, and then we parted.
The next day, I was very busy in examining my vessel and my s.h.i.+p's company. The schooner was a beautiful model, very broad in the beam, and very low in the water; she mounted one long bra.s.s thirty-two-pounder forward on a circular sweep, so that it could be trained in every direction; abaft, she had four bra.s.s nine-pound carronades. My s.h.i.+p's company consisted of sixty men and officers; that is, myself, two mids, boatswain, gunner, and carpenter. The mids were young lads of about sixteen years of age, a Mr Brown and a Mr Black, gawky tall boys, with their hands thrust too far though the sleeves of their jackets, and their legs pulled too far through their trowsers; in fact, they were growing lads, who had nothing but their pay to subsist upon, being both sons of warrant officers. They bore very good characters, and I resolved to patronise them, and the first thing which I did was, to present them each with a new suit of uniform and a few other necessaries, so as to make them look respectable; a most unheard-of piece of patronage, and which it is, therefore, my boast to record. The fact is, I was resolved that my schooner should look respectable; my s.h.i.+p's company were really a very fine body of men, most of them tall and stout, and I had received a very good character of them from the officer who had invalided. I had taken all his stores and furniture off his hands, for I had plenty of money, and to spare.
As soon as I had examined my s.h.i.+p's company, I made them a speech, the which, although they were bound to hear it, I shall not inflict upon the reader, and I then went down and examined every portion of the vessel, ascertained what there was in her and where everything was. Bob Cross accompanied me in this latter duty, which was not over till dinner-time.
The next morning my signal was made, and I went up to the admiral.
”Mr Keene,” said the admiral, ”here are despatches to take down to the governor of Curacao. When can you be ready?”
”Now, sir,” replied I; ”and if you will make the signal for the Firefly to weigh anchor, there will be so much time gained.”
”Very good, Keene; tell them to make the signal. You must make all the haste you can, as they are important. Here are your orders: after you have delivered your despatches, you will be allowed to cruise down in that quarter, as I understand there are some very mischievous vessels in that direction. I hope you will give me a good account of one or two of them, if you fall in with them.”
”I will do my best, sir,” replied I.
”Well, I sent you on purpose. I have ordered the senior officer at Curacao to forward the return despatches by the Mosquito, that you may have a chance. I won't ask you to stay to dinner, as it is an affair that presses, so of course you will carry a press of sail. Good-bye, and I wish you success.”
I took my leave of the admiral and hastened down to the town. In an hour afterwards the Firefly was driving along with a fine breeze on the quarter, and long before night the vessels in the harbour were not to be distinguished. The breeze freshened after the sun went down, and I remained on deck, carrying on to the last moment. Bob Cross once or twice ventured to say, that we had better reduce the sail; but I told Bob that the admiral was very anxious that I should make a quick pa.s.sage.
”Yes, Mr Keene, but 'turning the turtle' is not making a quick pa.s.sage, except to the other world, and the admiral does not wish his despatches to go there. She is a fine boat, sir, but there may be too much sail carried on a good vessel: the men say she never has been so pressed before.”
”Well, you are right, Bob, and so we will take a little off her.”
”Yes, sir; it's my watch coming on now, and I will carry all she can bear with safety, and I think she will go quite as fast as she does now.