Part 45 (1/2)

Harry would often gladly have talked with Jacob about Hurlston and his family, but the etiquette of a man of war prevented him from doing so.

He thus remained in ignorance of a circ.u.mstance which would have greatly raised his hopes of overcoming his father's objection to his marriage with May, for all the time he had supposed that Sir Ralph believed May to be, as he did, Dame Halliburt's daughter, and had been surprised that he had not spoken more strongly on the subject. His only other supposition was that Sir Ralph had made no enquiries as to May's parentage, and took it for granted that she was the orphan child of some friends of his cousins, whom they had charitably adopted.

The _Thisbe_ continued her course day after day over the world of waters. Though a constant look-out had been kept, no prizes had been made, and no enemy's cruisers encountered. Both the captain and officers hoped before long to find some work either to bring them credit or prize money.

Light and baffling winds had of late detained the _Thisbe_, when, having got somewhat out of her course, Saint Ann, one of the Seych.e.l.le Islands, was sighted. Captain Headland stood in for the Mahe Roads, in the hopes that some of the enemy's privateers or merchantmen might be anch.o.r.ed there, and might be cut out without detaining him long.

The opportunity must not be lost. The wind favoured them, for, instead of blowing off-sh.o.r.e as it generally does, the sea-breeze carried them swiftly towards the harbour.

Eager eyes were on the look-out. A large s.h.i.+p was discovered at anchor without her foremast. From her appearance she would evidently be a prize worth taking; but whether or not she was too strongly armed to allow the _Thisbe_ to make the attempt was the question. As she could not move, Captain Headland stood in close enough to ascertain this, and determined, should her size give him a fair hope of conquest, to attack her.

The cables were ranged with springs ready for anchoring, and the s.h.i.+p cleared for action. All on board eagerly hoped that they might have work to do, and every telescope was turned towards the stranger.

The _Thisbe_ had hoisted French colours, that her expected antagonist might not take the alarm, and run on sh.o.r.e to avoid her.

It was at length ascertained that the stranger was a flush deck s.h.i.+p, and ten guns were counted on the only side visible. Though she was apparently larger than the _Thisbe_, and more heavily armed, Captain Headland no longer hesitated, while the master volunteered to take the s.h.i.+p in among the numerous shoals which guarded the entrance of the harbour. Taking his station on the fore-yardarm, guided by the colour of the water, he gave directions to the helmsman how to steer.

The stranger remained quietly at anchor, apparently not suspecting the character of her visitor.

Harry was amused, as he went from gun to gun, to hear the remarks of some of the men who saw the French flag flying at the peak of the corvette.

”I thought our craft was an English s.h.i.+p, and we British tars, and now I see we be turned into mounseers,” said one, c.o.c.king his eye at the tricoloured flag.

”If we be, my boy, we will show yonder s.h.i.+p that the mounseers can fight their guns as well as British tars for once in a way,” remarked another who stood near him.

”Never you fear, mate, that gay-coloured flag will come down fast enough before we open fire.”

The last speaker was right--the moment to which all were looking forward was approaching. Every man was at his station. Not a word was now spoken except by the master as he issued his orders from the yardarm.

The stranger gave no signs that she was aware of the approach of an enemy.

”We will run alongside and carry her by boarding; it will save our anchoring, and we shall not injure her spars--an important object, as I hope we may have to carry her off to sea,” observed the captain to his first lieutenant.

The _Thisbe_ was now within 200 yards of the stranger's bows, when the master gave notice that there was a shoal ahead extending on either hand, while on sh.o.r.e a battery was seen commanding the pa.s.sage, and several smaller vessels at anchor under it.

Headland instantly gave the order to anchor. The crew swarmed aloft to hand sails, the French colours was hauled down, and the English run up at the peak. At the same moment the stranger opened a hot fire from the whole of her broadside.

”Fire,” cried Captain Headland, and the _Thisbe_ returned the warm salute she had received.

The battery on sh.o.r.e and the small vessels at the same time began peppering away at her.

Broadsides were exchanged with great rapidity between the combatants.

The firing calming the light wind which had been blowing, the two s.h.i.+ps were soon shrouded in a canopy of smoke. The English crew redoubled their efforts. Several had been struck, yet two only lay dead on her deck.

The Frenchman's fire, however, at length began to slacken, and in little more than a quarter of an hour down came the tricoloured flag, loud cheers bursting from the throats of the _Thisbe's_ crew. A boat was instantly sent under the command of the second lieutenant to take possession of the prize, but as he was pulling alongside the Frenchmen were seen lowering their boats, in which a considerable number made their escape to the sh.o.r.e.

The battery continued firing, and Captain Headland directed Harry to land with a boat's crew and silence it. Jacob accompanied him. The smaller vessels meantime cut their cables, some running on sh.o.r.e, and others endeavouring to make their escape through the intricate pa.s.sages, where the English s.h.i.+p could not follow them.

Harry, ordering his men to give way, pulled rapidly for the beach, exposed to a hot fire of musketry in addition to that from the heavy guns in the battery. Forming his men, he led the way up the steep bank.

The battery had been rapidly thrown up, and offered no insuperable impediment. Sword in hand he leaped over the parapet, followed closely by Jacob and the rest of his men.