Flight
I had no sooner made up my mind than I immediately began to take
steps to put my plan into execution, for the _Golden Hope_ was to
sail at early morn on the following day, and twenty good miles had
to be covered betwixt sunset and sunrise, were I to be in time.
My great regret was that I was unable to let Constance know of my
departure; but beyond that I cared little.
I managed to secrete the best part of a loaf, some cheese, and a
small flask of milk; and unobserved I secured a lengthy rope, which
I hid under my bed.
Longer and more tedious than ever seemed the evening prayers, but at
last my uncle bade me retire for the night. I lay abed till I heard
him fastening my door on the outside, as was his wont, and go to his
room. Then, when all was quiet, I hurriedly dressed, packed my food
in a wallet, and prepared to escape by the window. As 'twas a calm
moonlight night, the tree that served my father's murderer so timely
did not sway sufficiently for me to descend by it, and for that
reason I had provided myself with the rope.
This I passed round a leg of the massive bedstead, throwing the two
ends out of the casement on to the ground. Noiselessly I slipped
out, and grasping both parts of the rope, I descended hand over
hand. Then it was an easy matter to pull the rope down after me, so
as to remove all traces of my escape, which, I hoped, would prevent
my flight being discovered for some hours later than otherwise.
Having hidden the rope, I set out with a rapid stride and beating
heart on my long walk to Poole Town.
For the first few miles my route lay over well-known ground, but
soon I plunged into the thickest portion of the forest, where the
tall branches, meeting overhead, shut out the moonlight. 'Twas a
weird journey in the dead of night, with not a sound save my own
footsteps and the occasional hooting of an owl in the tree tops.
At length I left the confines of the New Forest, the road continuing
hilly yet fair-going; and having gotten well into the swing, I
footed it strongly.
Just as I reached the meeting of two fork roads I heard the distant
thud of a horse's hoofs, which came rapidly nearer and nearer.
Could my flight have been discovered already?
Plunging through a gap in the bushes I stood, my heart throbbing
violently, expecting every moment to see my uncle's manservant on my
track; but in a cloud of dust that rose slowly in the bright
moonlight a horseman galloped madly past, his hair flying out behind
him by reason of his speed through the still night air.
Hardly had he gone past when I again heard the thud of horses'
hoofs, and riding apparently in close pursuit came four men, with
set faces and loose rein. They, too, disappeared, but I could not
summon up courage to resume my way until the last sounds of the
pursuers had died away in the dim distance.
Then I came in sight of a town of considerable size, dominated by a
lofty square tower. This I guessed rightly to be Christchurch.
On reaching a long stone bridge I halted at one of the recesses to
rest awhile, making a meal of the food I had brought, for the walk
had made me ravenous.
'Twas a glorious view. Standing out clearly in the moonlight was the
long, regular outline of the priory church, the graceful tower of
which I had seen a long way down the road. The moonbeams danced on
the placid waters of an inland sea, while from farther still, beyond
a lofty, flat-topped hill, came the sound of the swell of the
English Channel roaring on the sandy shore.
Beneath the bridge flowed the river, swiftly and silently, though
oft the stillness was broken by the splash of a lordly salmon. "The
stream and I have both the same purpose," thought I. "Each would
gain the sea, though by different means."
My reverie was broken by the clatter of horsemen, and fearing to be
stopped and questioned, I ran down the approach to the bridge and,
vaulting over the low parapet, stood ankle deep in the dewy grass,
scarce daring to raise my eyes above the coping.
'Twas the same troop of horsemen I had seen a short while ago, and
in their midst, his legs bound beneath his horse's belly, rode the
man they had pursued, entreating and reviling his captors almost in
the same breath.
Once again I proceeded on my way, keeping close to the side of the
main street, where the moon threw deep shadows athwart the cobbles;
and once again I was brought to a standstill.
Hobbling down the street was a decrepit old man, muffled in a long
cloak. In his left hand he carried a lantern, while his right
grasped a halberd--though why thus armed I am at pains to suggest,
for so tottering were his footsteps that I could have knocked him
down with ease. Neither could he have had good sight, for he passed
me, as I stood flattened against a door, within three paces, and,
halting in the middle of the road, croaked:
"One o' the clock, and a fine morning, and all's well."
Three hours more and day would be breaking. If I were to be on Poole
Quay by sunrise no time must be lost, so directly the way was clear
I set off at a steady trot, never stopping till I had gained a
second bridge and had reached the foot of a steep hill, from the
summit of which I saw I had completely shaken off the dust of
Christchurch.
For the next five or six miles 'twas up and down, with occasional
glimpses of the sea away on my left; and just as the pale dawn began
to glimmer in the east, I saw from the brow of a lofty hill the
whole extent of Poole Harbour spread out like a map, the undulating
downs that I knew afterwards to be Purbeck Heights being barely
visible against the dark grey sky.
Half an hour later I was threading my way down the narrow High
Street, guided by the tall masts of the shipping in the harbour.
At length I reached the quay, and stood bewildered by the maze of
vessels of all sorts, sizes, and rigs. Although 'twas yet early,
there was much bustling about--fishermen returning from their
night's work, and men, heavy-eyed as the result of their previous
night's carouse, stumbling back to their ships; while already the
creaking of tackle and the hoarse shouts of seamen proclaimed that
more than one vessel was getting under way.
I had two immediate objects in view. I must avoid Captain Jeremy,
for I was very doubtful whether he would take me aboard the Golden
Hope. I must also find the ship, and manage to stow myself away till
she set sail.
Once more luck was in my favour, for as I made my way along the
slippery wharf I espied a large, wall-sided brig, with tall masts,
from which the sails hung loosely, awaiting but to be sheeted home.
Beneath her small, square stern ports were the words _Golden Hope_.
Even as I looked at her from a safe distance a heavy footstep caused
me to turn round, and to my surprise I saw no other than 'Enery.
He recognized me in an instant, and gripping me by the shoulder he
exclaimed:
"Avast there, Master Hammond, what brings you here?"
"I've run away from home. Don't betray me, Henry," I replied; "I
want to go with Captain Miles, and I'm afraid he'll not take me."
"Say 'Enery an' I'll answer to my name," said the seaman
reprovingly. "Why, if so be you wants to go to sea, why shouldn't
you? Why shouldn't you, I wants to know?"
"Perchance Captain Jeremy will not see eye to eye with me in that
matter; though, once we are fairly out at sea----"
"'Nough said, young maaester. Sink me if I don't do my best, for you
were as true as steel to us when we were shut up in that hole in
Brockenhurst Heath. Come on, and look sharp about it."
So saying, he led the way to a dirty, disreputable inn situated in a
narrow street leading off the quay. Here he spoke a few words to a
ferrety, blear-eyed man, handing tankards of spirits to the crowd of
seafaring men who thronged there in spite of the time of day.
"Up aloft," said the man, jerking his thumb in the direction of a
rough ladder that led to a room above.
[Illustration: I DESCENDED HAND OVER HAND]
Here 'Enery provided me with a pair of heavy sea boots which, when I
had slipped my legs into them, reached almost to my thighs. Next I
donned a long oilskin coat, cracked all over by the heat of the sun
and smelling most vilely; while on my head 'Enery clapped a
tarpaulin, the back of which rested betwixt my shoulder-blades.
Stepping back, he examined me critically; then, not satisfied with
his handiwork, he crossed over to the hearth, and covering his hand
with soot, he smothered my face till I was as dusky as a blackamoor.
"It's all plain sailing now," he remarked approvingly; and sallying
out into the street, we regained the quay.
"'Ere, clap hold o' that," exclaimed 'Enery, pointing to a heavy
sack, and, hoisting it on to my shoulders, he also seized a similar
article, and told me to follow him.
There was a constant stream of men engaged in the same task, some of
them seamen belonging to the ship, others longshoremen hired to
assist in the loading.
As I crossed the quay I saw Captain Jeremy, looking very smart in a
maroon-coloured coat, dark blue breeches, and long boots, while on
his head he sported a full-bottomed peruke, surmounted by a
three-cornered hat.
Bending low with my burden, I passed him in great dread lest he
should penetrate my disguise, but, to my great relief, he went by
unsuspectingly, and the next moment I staggered up the narrow,
creaking gangway and gained the deck of the _Golden Hope_.
Large as she appeared when viewed from the quay, the size of the
brig astonished me. She was about 200 tons burthen, and carried nine
seven-pounder pieces abroadside, with two small swivelled guns on
her poop.
Betwixt the masts a yawning hatchway and a stout longboat occupied
nearly all the space amidships; and down the hatch descended the
stream of laden men, jostling against those who, having got rid of
their burdens, were returning to the shore for more.
Passing out of the dazzling light, for the sun was now well up in
the heavens, the sudden change to the gloom of the hold made it hard
for me to distinguish my surroundings until my eyes grew accustomed
to the semi-darkness.
The floor of the hold was composed of rough planks, with a narrow
hatch to gain access to the ballast. On either side I could discern
the stout curved frames, while overhead, save where the hatch gaped
to the light of day, huge timbers crossed athwart ship barely five
feet from the floor. The whole place smelt strongly of tar; mingled
with a dozen different odours, all more or less obnoxious to my
nostrils.
Having relieved myself of the sack, I followed 'Enery towards the
fore end of the hold, where a low bulkhead, barely three feet in
height, separated the cargo and stores from the cable tier. There
two neatly coiled ropes, thicker than my leg above the knee,
occupied the greater part of the limited space, their ends vanishing
through two small apertures in the deck above.
This I saw by the feeble glimmer of a horn lantern.
"Here's your mess for awhile, till I gives you the word," said
'Enery. "I'll pass you down a pannikin of water and some hard tack
as soon as I can. No one will see you here, but take care of yon
cable, for if we've got to let go in a hurry you'll find yourself
capsized in a brace of shakes."
"Let go what?" I asked, bewildered by his warning.
"The anchor, Maaester Hammond. We never know when we've got to let
go, 'specially if she misses stays as we beat down the harbour."
Fearing to betray my ignorance, I refrained from asking him what
missing stays meant; and, promising to look me up as soon as his
duties would permit, the old seaman hastened away, and I was left in
solitude, though the men were still at work stowing the stores in
the after part of the hold.
At length the stream of hold trimmers gradually slackened and died
away; the hatches were replaced, and the hold was in darkness, save
for the dull yellow glimmer of the lantern that 'Enery had
thoughtfully left for my benefit.
It seemed several hours before the old seaman reappeared, bringing
the promised biscuit and water.
"Cap'n's come aboard," he announced. "We're just going to warp out,
for the wind's dead in our teeth. 'Twill be a long job, I'll allow,
afore we clear the bar. Never mind, Maaester Hammond; keep your heart
up, and watch the cable."
With this repeated warning he again left me, and soon afterwards I
heard the tramp of many feet on deck, mingled with hoarse orders
that were faintly borne to my ears.
The _Golden Hope_ was under way.