Part 3 (1/2)

The letter was from a friend of his, and told of the arrival at Bermuda of Jack's s.h.i.+p, and all Jack's doings on sh.o.r.e; and how the _Ocean Pride_ was ordered home; and how, if things turned out well, and she wasn't captured by a Frenchman five times her size, she might be expected back in a fortnight.

”O dear, dear Mr. Richards, I'm so happy; I mean, you know, that Flora will--”

”Yes, yes; Flora, of course, you sly little puss. There! never blush; I guess I know your secret--Jack, eh?--Ah, Sir Digby, you and I are too old to understand the tender pa.s.sion, aren't we?”

”Yes--that is, no. You better speak for yourself, sir. I--I--I believe I have an appointment--I--Good evening, Miss Keane.”

Sir Digby Auld's exit was not an impressive one.

With an amused look on his face, Richards watched him till the closed door shut out the view; then he stretched out his st.u.r.dy legs, threw himself back in his chair, and laughed until the rafters rang.

CHAPTER IV.

THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE.

”The deck it was their field of fame, And ocean was their grave.”

”Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed; The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.”

The good s.h.i.+p _Ocean Pride_ was a twenty-gun frigate, with a crew of nearly three hundred as brave fellows as ever waved cutla.s.s or pulled lanyard for the honour and defence of their native land. In January 1793, when the great war broke out between Britain and France, she was homeward bound from the West Indies and South America, where she had been cruising, and had hardly reached Portsmouth ere she received orders to take in additional stores and proceed forthwith to sea again. No leave was granted to men or officers. The sick were simply bundled on sh.o.r.e, additional men s.h.i.+pped, and she was off again within eight-and-forty hours of her arrival in port.

For the _Ocean Pride_ was a crack cruiser for those brave days, in which seamen were sailors and seamans.h.i.+p a fine art.

Sir Sidney Salt was not only brave, but daring almost to a fault. He believed most thoroughly and completely in the supremacy of British seamen to French; but discipline and drill he looked upon as his mainstays, fore and aft. His success had proved that he was correct in system, not once but often during the past twelve months; for more than one of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps, larger even than his own, had been destroyed or taken by the _Ocean Pride_ and her gallant crew. Boat actions had been fought also: she had been engaged with batteries; her men had cut out prizes from under the very guns of these; and they had fought on sh.o.r.e too, side by side with marines and soldiers.

”It would be but the fortune of war,” said Sir Sidney to his commander as they stood together on the quarter-deck, ”were this frigate, that is now bearing down so boldly on us, to destroy us.”

The commander grasped his sword with his left hand, and his features were grimly set as he made reply,--

”True, sir, true. It would be but the fortune of war. Well, she may destroy us; she shall never take us.”

”Boldly spoken, Miller. It would indeed be a disgrace to lower our flag to a s.h.i.+p of about our own size, and that s.h.i.+p a Frenchman. But see how boldly she carries herself. Top-gallant sails down; all trim fore and aft; guns run out; and hark! was that a cheer?”

”Yes, sir; a French one.”

”Ha, ha, ha! Well, they shall hear a British one anon. Depend upon it, Miller, that frigate has a consort, and she is not far off at this moment, and--”

A puff of white smoke, with a point of fire in its centre, was now seen curling round the enemy's bows, and the roar of the cannon interrupted the captain's speech, and next moment a shot came ricochetting across from wave-top to wave-top, and pa.s.sed harmlessly by on the starboard side.

”The fellow is beginning to be afraid already,” said Miller, laughing.

”Yes; and depend upon it that shot was meant to keep his courage up.

But if he thinks we are to have a long-range duel he is miserably mistaken. Set the fore-soldier, Miller. We'll walk to windward of him if we can.”

The _Ocean Pride_ was now more closely hauled, and seemed for a time to bear away from the foe. The movement evidently puzzled the Frenchman.

Was John Bull sheering off? Would he presently put round on the other tack and show them a clean pair of heels?