IN WHICH OUR HERO FINDS OUT THAT TRIGONOMETRY IS NOT ONLY NECESSARY TO
NAVIGATION, BUT MAY BE REQUIRED IN SETTLING AFFAIRS OF HONOUR.
As Captain Wilson truly said, he was too busy even to hear Jack's story
that night, for they were anxious to have both vessels ready to make
sail as soon as a breeze should spring up, for the Spaniards had vessels
of war at Carthagena, which was not ten miles off, and had known the
result of the action: it was therefore necessary to change their
position as soon as possible. Mr Sawbridge was on board the prize,
which was a corvette mounting two guns more than the _Harpy_, and called
the _Cacafuogo_.
She had escaped from Cadiz, run through the straits in the night, and
was three miles from Carthagena when she was captured, which she
certainly never would have been but for Jack's fortunately blundering
against the cape with his armed vessel, so that Captain Wilson and Mr
Sawbridge (both of whom were promoted, the first to the rank of
post-captain, the second to that of commander), may be said to be
indebted to Jack for their good fortune. The _Harpy_ had lost nineteen
men, killed and wounded, and the Spanish corvette forty-seven.
Altogether, it was a very creditable affair.
At two o'clock in the morning, the vessels were ready, everything had
been done that could be done in so short a time, and they stood under
easy sail during the night for Gibraltar, the _Nostra Senora del
Carmen_, under the charge of Jolliffe, keeping company. Jolliffe had
the advantage over his shipmates, of first hearing Jack's adventures,
with which he was much astonished as well as amused--even Captain Wilson
was not more happy to see Jack than was the worthy master's mate. About
nine o'clock the _Harpy_ hove-to, and sent a boat on board for our hero
and the men who had been so long with him in the prize, and then hoisted
out the pinnace to fetch on board the dollars, which were of more
importance. Jack, as he bade adieu to Jolliffe, took out of his pocket
and presented him with the _articles of war_, which, as they had been so
useful to him, he thought Jolliffe could not do without, and then went
down the side: the men were already in the boat, casting imploring looks
upon Jack, to raise feelings of compassion, and Mesty took his seat by
our hero in a very sulky humour, probably because he did not like the
idea of having again "to boil de kettle for de young gentlemen." Even
Jack felt a little melancholy at resigning his command, and he looked
back at the green petticoat, which blew out gracefully from the mast,
for Jolliffe had determined that he would not haul down the colours
under which Jack had fought so gallant an action.
Jack's narration, as may be imagined, occupied a large part of the
forenoon; and, although Jack did not attempt to deny that he had seen
the recall signal of Mr Sawbridge, yet, as his account went on, the
captain became so interested that at the end of it he quite forgot to
point out to Jack the impropriety of not obeying orders. He gave Jack
great credit for his conduct, and was also much pleased with that of
Mesty. Jack took the opportunity of stating Mesty's aversion to his
present employment, and his recommendation was graciously received.
Jack also succeeded in obtaining the pardon of the men, in consideration
of their subsequent good behaviour; but notwithstanding this promise on
the part of Captain Wilson, they were ordered to be put in irons for the
present. However, Jack told Mesty, and Mesty told the men, that they
would be released with a reprimand when they arrived at Gibraltar, so
all that the men cared for was a fair wind.
Captain Wilson informed Jack that after his joining the admiral he had
been sent to Malta with the prizes, and that, supposing the cutter to
have been sunk, he had written to his father, acquainting him with his
son's death, at which our hero was much grieved, for he knew what sorrow
it would occasion, particularly to his poor mother. "But," thought
Jack, "if she is unhappy for three months, she will be overjoyed for
three more when she hears that I am alive, so it will be all square at
the end of the six; and as soon as I arrive at Gibraltar I will write,
and, as the wind is fair, that will be to-morrow or next day."
After a long conversation Jack was graciously dismissed, Captain Wilson
being satisfied from what he had heard that Jack would turn out a very
good officer, and had already forgotten all about equality and the
rights of man; but there Captain Wilson was mistaken--tares sown in
infancy are not so soon rooted out.
Jack went on deck as soon as the captain had dismissed him, and found
the captain and officers of the Spanish corvette standing aft, looking
very seriously at the _Nostra Senora del Carmen_. When they saw our
hero, who Captain Wilson had told them was the young officer who had
barred their entrance into Carthagena, they turned their eyes upon him
not quite so graciously as they might have done.
Jack, with his usual politeness, took off his hat to the Spanish
captain, and, glad to have an opportunity of sporting his Spanish,
expressed the usual wish that he might live a thousand years. The
Spanish captain, who had reason to wish that Jack had gone to the devil
at least twenty-four hours before, was equally complimentary, and then
begged to be informed what the colours were that Jack had hoisted during
the action. Jack replied that they were colours to which every Spanish
gentleman considered it no disgrace to surrender, although always ready
to engage, and frequently at tempting to board. Upon which the Spanish
captain was very much puzzled. Captain Wilson, who under stood a little
Spanish, then interrupted by observing:
"By-the-bye, Mr Easy, what colours did you hoist up? we could not make
them out. I see Mr Jolliffe still keeps them up at the peak."
"Yes, sir," replied Jack, rather puzzled what to call them, but at last
he replied that it was the banner of equality and the rights of man.
Captain Wilson frowned, and Jack, perceiving that he was displeased,
then told him the whole story, whereupon Captain Wilson laughed, and
Jack then also explained, in Spanish, to the officers of the corvette,
who replied that it was not the first time, and would not be the last,
that men had got into a scrape through a petticoat.
The Spanish captain complimented Jack on his Spanish, which was really
very good (for in two months, with nothing else in the world to do, he
had made great progress), and asked him where he had learned it.