"Oh, well," he observed, "I don't know how you'll get on with her; she's
a queer one to look at, and I expect she'll want some learnin' before
you'll be able to handle her properly. Have you had any experience in a
fore-and-after?"
"Only in boats," I replied. "The barge of my old ship, the _Colossus_,
was rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner, and I've sailed her many's the
time; and I suppose all fore-and-afters are handled in pretty much the
same way. The matter of mere size won't make very much difference, I
imagine."
"Well, I expect you'll find the _Wasp_ a bit different," observed my
companion; "she's such a queer model, you see--everything about her is
exactly the opposite of what we think it should be. She has tremendous
beam, and no draught of water worth speakin' of; an outrageously long
tapering bow, and a short, squat stern--But there, you'll see her
presently. But there's no doubt about it, she can sail--there's nothing
in this harbour that can look at her; and as for working, why, I've been
told that she has been known to be round and full on the other tack
twenty seconds after puttin' the helm down!"
"Well, that is good news at all events," I remarked. "I like a nice,
smart-working ship--Why, Henderson, where in the world did you spring
from? and how is it that you are not away in the frigate?" I exclaimed,
as we encountered a figure that was perfectly familiar to me.
"For the same reason as yourself, Mr Delamere," answered the man,
touching his hat. "I was on my beam-ends in the hospital when she went
to sea--bowled over in the scrimmage wi' that brigantine, same as you
was."
"And where are you, and what doing now?" I demanded.
"Why, sir, I'm aboard the guardship, along wi' another or two of our
chaps as was discharged from the hospital about the same time as I was,"
answered the man--formerly one of the _Europa's_ quartermasters.
"Oh, indeed," I replied, very much surprised, for I had not known that
there were others as well as myself put ashore from the frigate; "and
are you all ready for duty again?" I asked.
"Ay, that we are, sir," answered Henderson, "and shall be glad enough to
get to sea and have a mouthful of fresh air once more. This bein' in
harbour is all very well for a change, but a man soon gets enough of it;
and, a'ter all, it ain't half so comfortable as bein' at sea."
"Then in that case," said I, seeing my way to getting one good hand, at
least, "perhaps you may be willing to volunteer for a little schooner
that the Admiral is going to give me to go pirate-hunting in?"
"Ay, that indeed I will, Mr Delamere, and glad of the chance," answered
Henderson heartily; "and perhaps, sir," he added, "I could help you to
two or three more good men, if so be as you happen to want 'em."
"Well, I think it more than likely that I shall," said I, "so just keep
your eyes open in that direction. I shall no doubt see you again
to-morrow or next day, when we can have a further chat."
Henderson touched his hat and turned away, and the master-attendant and
I made our way along the wharf to the landing-steps. Here he directed
four men to jump down into his gig and spread the cushions in the
stern-sheets, while he went into his office to procure the keys which
were to afford us access to the interior of my "seventy-four," as the
Admiral had jestingly called her. Then, descending the steps and taking
our places in the gig, Carline seized the yoke-lines, gave the word to
shove off, and away we went, across the upper end of the harbour and
through the boat channel, past Gallows Point, whereon stood the stout
posts and beam from which the five ringleaders of the pirates taken
aboard the brigantine had been launched into eternity.