In those moments of peril Hilary hardly knew how it all happened, but
fortunately the men with him were men-of-war's men, and accustomed to
prompt obedience. The helm was put down hard as the strange vessel came
swiftly on, seeming to the young officer like his fate, and in an
instant his instinct of self-preservation suggested to him that he had
better run forward, and, as the stranger struck the _Kestrel_, leap from
the low bulwark and catch at one of the stays. His activity, he knew,
would do the rest.
Then discipline set in and reminded him that he was in charge of the
deck, and that his duty was to think of the safety of his men and the
cutter--last of all, of himself.
The stranger showed no lights, a suspicious fact which Hilary afterwards
recalled, and she came on as the cutter rapidly answered her helm,
seeming at first as if she would go right over the little sloop of war,
but when the collision came, so well had the _Kestrel_ swerved aside,
the stranger's bowsprit went between jib and staysail, and struck the
cutter just behind the figurehead.
There was a grinding crash, a loud yell from the oncoming vessel; the
_Kestrel_ went over almost on her beam-ends, and then the stranger
scraped on by her bows, carrying away bowsprit, jibboom, and the sails.
"Chien de fool Jean Bool, fish, dog!" roared a voice from the side of
the large schooner, for such Hilary could now see it was. "Vat for you
no hoist light? I run you down."
"Hoist your own lights, you French idiot!" shouted back Hilary between
his hands. "Ahoy, there! heave-to!"
There was a good deal of shouting and confusion on board the schooner,
which went on several hundred yards before her way was stopped; but
before this Hilary had ordered out the two boats; for there was no need
to hail the men below, with "All hands on deck!"
The men came tumbling up in the lightest of costumes, one of the
foremost being the lieutenant, with his nether garments in one hand, his
cocked hat in the other.
"Quick!" he shouted. "Into the boats before she goes down!"
"No, no, sir!" cried Hilary excitedly. "Let's see the mischief first.
Is she making water, carpenter?"
"Can't see as she is," replied that worthy. "We've lost the bowsprit
and figurehead, and there's some planks started; but I think we shall
float."
"Of course; yes," cried Lieutenant Lipscombe. "Back from those boats,
men! I'll blow the brains out of the mutinous dog who dares to enter
first. Discipline must be maintained. Here, Waters, let me lean
against you."
"Ay, ay, sir!" said the gunner; and the lieutenant proceeded to insert
his legs in the portion of his uniform intended to keep his lower man
warm.
"Now, Mr Leigh," he shouted, as he stamped upon the deck with his bare
feet; "what have you to say to this?"
"Regular wreck forward, sir," replied Hilary, who had been examining the
extent of the mischief.
"My fate for leaving you in charge," cried the lieutenant. "Where was
the lookout?"
"Two boats coming from the schooner, sir," said Tom Tully. "They've got
lanterns, and they're full of men."
"Then it's the vessel we were looking for," cried Hilary. "Quick, sir,
give orders, or they'll board and take us before we can stir."
"Mr Leigh," said the lieutenant, with dignity, "I command this ship."
He walked slowly to the side, and peered at the coming boats, while
Hilary stood fretting and fuming at his side. There was, however,
something so ominous in the look of the boats, dimly-seen though they
were through the murky night, that the lieutenant did give orders, and
cutlasses and boarding-pikes were seized, the men then clustering about
their officers.
"She ar'n't making a drop o' water," said the carpenter just then--an
announcement which seemed to put heart into the crew, who now watched
the coming of the boats.
"Hey! Hoop!" shouted a voice. "What sheeps is that? Are you sink?"
"May I answer, sir?" whispered Hilary.
"Yes, Mr Leigh; and be quick."
"Ahoy! What ship's that?" cried Hilary.
There was no response, only a buzz of conversation reached their ears,
and the boats came rapidly on, the occupants of the _Kestrel's_ deck
seeing that they separated and changed position, so as to board on each
bow, for the cutter now lay with her sail flapping, like a log upon the
water.
"She's an enemy, sir," whispered Hilary; and he did not alter his
opinion as the boats neared.
"All raight. We come take you off, sailor boy," cried the same voice
that had hailed. "You shall be safe before you vill sink you sheep."
The lieutenant seemed to have come to himself, and to be a little more
matter-of-fact and sane in his actions, for he now ordered Waters to
load the long gun, and the gunner eagerly slipped away.
"There, that will do," cried the lieutenant now. "We are not sinking.
What ship's that?"
The boats stopped for a moment, and there was again a whispering on
board; but the next instant they came on.
"Stop there, or I'll sink you!" cried the lieutenant. But the boats now
dashed on, and it was evidently a case of fighting and beating them off.
Every man grasped his weapon, and a thrill of excitement ran through
Hilary as he felt that he was really about to engage in what might be a
serious fight. Fortunately for the crew of the _Kestrel_, both of the
boats were not able to board at once, for that on the larboard bow was
driven right into the wreck of the jibboom and sail, which, with the
attendant cordage, proved to be sufficient to hamper their progress for
the time being, while the other boat dashed alongside with a French
cheer, and, sword in hand, the crew swarmed over on to the deck.
It was bravely done; and, had they met with a less stout resistance, the
_Kestrel_ would have been captured. But, as it was, they had Englishmen
to deal with, and Hilary and about ten of the crew met them bravely,
Hilary going down, though, from the first blow--one from a
boarding-pike. This, however, so enraged the _Kestrels_ that they beat
back the attacking party, cutting down several and literally hurling
others over into their boat, which hauled off, not liking its reception.
Meanwhile, after a struggle, the crew of the other boat got itself clear
of the tangle, and came on to the attack, to find themselves, after a
sharp struggle, repulsed by the lieutenant and his party, the leader
fighting bravely and well.
It was evident that the commander of the schooner had realised the
character of the vessel with which he had been in collision, and had
hoped to make an easy capture of her, if she did not prove to be in a
sinking state. If she were, motives of humanity had prompted him to
take off the crew, if they needed help. The task, however, had proved
more severe than he anticipated, and the two boats were now together,
with their leaders evidently in consultation.
The next minute an order was evidently given, and the boats turned,
separated, and began to row back.
The schooner could only be made out now by a light she had hoisted; but
this was quite sufficient for Billy Waters, who stood ready by his gun
waiting for orders. Possibly he might have hit and sunk one of the
boats, but the lieutenant did not seem to wish for this, but began
giving his orders with unwonted energy, trying to make sail upon the
_Kestrel_, which lay there upon the water, with one of her wings, as it
were, so crippled that he found it would take quite half an hour before
she could be cleared.
"It's of no use, Mr Leigh," he cried excitedly. "I wanted to board and
take this schooner, and we cannot get alongside. Take charge of the
gun, sir, and try and bring down one of her spars. Let's cripple her
too. I'll order out the boats to board her."
"Ay, ay, sir," said Hilary, delighted at the energy shown by his chief.
"Now, Billy Waters, send a shot through her mainmast. I'd aim straight
at her light."
"Which on 'em, sir?" said the gunner drily.
"Why, that one! There's only one," cried Hilary sharply.
"Look alive! and--ah--how provoking, the light's out!"
"Ay, sir, they've dowsed their light now the boats know where to go, and
it would be only waste o' good powder and round shot to go plumping 'em
into that there bank o' blackness out yonder."
"Well, Mr Leigh, why don't you fire?" shouted the lieutenant.
"Beg pardon, sir, but there's nothing to fire at," replied Hilary.
"Fire at the schooner's light, sir,--fire at her light," cried the
lieutenant indignantly. "Bless my soul, Mr Leigh," he said, bustling
up. "Here, let me lay the gun, and--eh?--what?--the light out?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then why, in the name of common sense, Mr Leigh, didn't you fire
before it went out?"
"Didn't get no orders," growled Billy Waters.
"Silence, sir; how dare you speak!" cried the lieutenant. "But are you
sure the light's out, Mr Leigh?"
"There isn't a sign of it, sir."
"Then--then how are we to manage about the boats?"
There was a momentary silence, during which, as the men stood ready to
man the two boats that had been lowered, the lieutenant and his junior
tried to make out where the schooner lay, but on every side, as the
_Kestrel_ lay softly rolling in the trough of the sea, a thick bank of
darkness seemed to be closing them in, and pursuit of the schooner by
boats would have been as mad a venture as could have been set upon by
the officer of a ship.