The next morning, as we expected, the orders came down for the Indiaman
to go round to the river. The wind was fair, but light; we hove up and
made sail, stemming the last of the ebb. When the flood made, the wind
died away, so that we made but little progress, much to the annoyance of
those on board, who were naturally impatient to land after so tedious a
voyage. Towards the evening it fell calm, and a fog-bank rose on the
horizon to the eastward. There were still two hours of daylight, when,
as I was sweeping the horizon with my glass, I discovered the three
masts of a vessel with no sails set on them. As she was a long way off
I went half-way up the main rigging to have a better view of her, and
made her out to be a large lugger. I went down to the poop, where
Bramble stood smoking a cheroot with some of the officers of the ship.
"Father," says I, "there's a large lugger on our beam, with her sails
lowered down. I caught her masts with the glass just now."
"Then she's a French privateer, you may depend upon it," replied
Bramble, "and she means to try to take us by surprise to-night."
The officers went down and reported it to the captain: the glasses were
fixed upon her, and there was little doubt as to what she was.
"Lucky you discovered her, boy, for we might have been surprised, that's
a fact," said the captain; "however, now she shall catch a Tartar."
"She's waiting for the fog, captain," said Bramble, "which will come
rolling down with the shift of wind in about an hour or two, I expect;
and then we must allow her another hour to get alongside of us. Depend
upon it she has plenty of men, and intends to try to board us in the
fog."
Everybody was now on the _qui vive_; the women were, as usual,
frightened; the men passengers looked grave, the Lascars rather
unsteady; but we had forty English seamen and a hundred invalid soldiers
on board, who could all be depended upon. The guns were loaded and
shotted, and the invalid soldiers were mustered; muskets and ammunition
handed up; the bayonets fixed, unfixed again; and then they were ordered
to remain on the booms with their accoutrements on and their muskets by
their sides. The officers still kept their glasses on the lugger, until
at last the fog came down and we could see her no more.
The officers who commanded the invalids, after a consultation with the
captain, at which Bramble assisted, told off their men into two parties,
one of them being appointed to assist the seamen with their bayonets in
repelling the boarders (should the attempt be made), and the other to
fire upon them and into the deck of the vessel when she came alongside.
The Lascars were stationed at the guns, in case they might be required;
but no great dependence was placed upon their services.
By the time that these arrangements had been made, the fog had reached
the Indiaman, and we were at the same time taken aback with the easterly
breeze which brought it down to us: being near to the land, we put the
ship's head off shore. The wind continued light and the water smooth,
but the fog thickened every minute: at last we could hardly see as far
as the foremast of the vessel.
"He'll be puzzled to find us, I think," said the captain.
"He'll find us, never fear," replied Bramble. "He has calculated the
time of the fog reaching us, and he knows that we must lay our head
off-shore--to be sure, we might give him the go-by if we bore up and ran
back again to the Downs."
"I think I see myself bearing up and running away from a rascally French
privateer," said the captain. "Keep a sharp look-out there forward."
"Ay, ay, sir," replied the chief officer.
Half an hour more passed, and by our calculation the privateer should
have been on board of us, but we could see nothing of her, although the
fog had cleared up a little. The soldiers were now ordered to load
their muskets. I was on the poop with Bramble, when, happening to turn
and look aft (the very opposite direction from which the privateer was
to be expected), I saw her three lug-sails looming in the mist, just on
the quarter, not half a cable's length from us. I jumped down to where
the captain was standing, and said to him, "There she is, sir, close on
our lee quarter." The captain sprang on the poop, saw the vessel, and
ordered the men to come aft in silence. The tramp of the soldiers' feet
was scarcely over when the lugger was alongside of us, her masts banging
against our main and mizen chains as she rolled with the swell under our
lee. The Frenchmen gave a cheer, which told us how very numerous they
were: they climbed up the side and into the chains like cats, and in a
few seconds all was noise, confusion, and smoke. It was impossible to
know what the result was to be for about a minute, when the cheers from
our own men announced that the assailants had been beaten back. But
hardly had the cheering ceased on our side when another cheer was heard
from the lugger, and the attempt to gain our decks was repeated. This
time the Frenchmen fought more obstinately than before, and it was
nearly five minutes before they were repelled. It was not yet dark
(although the fog was thick), and you could make out their countenances
pretty clear: a more wild reckless set of fellows I never beheld, and
they certainly fought very gallantly, but they were driven back again;
and once more were the cheers from the British seamen and soldiers mixed
up with the execrations and shouts of the still contending, although
retreating, Frenchmen.
Just at this period of the conflict I was standing on the poop by
Bramble, who had been watching the result, when he said, "Tom, come with
me: do you jump into the main chains with a double part of the topsail
halyards fall, and when the lugger's mast strikes against the chains as
she rolls into us, pass the tail round it underneath the rigging, and
hand the end in to me."
We both leapt off the poop; he gave me the bight of the halyards. I
crept out of the port into the chains and passed it round the lugger's
main-mast, as he told me, handing in the bight to him, which he belayed
slack to the main-sheet kevel. At the time I perceived a man lying
wounded or dead in the main chains, but I paid no attention to him
until, as I was about to get on board, he attracted my attention by
seizing my leg, and making his teeth meet in the small part of it, above
the ankle. I could not help crying out, I was so taken by surprise with
the pain; however, I kicked him off, and turning to look at him, I found
it was a wounded Frenchman, who, perceiving what I was about, had paid
me that compliment. As soon as I was on board I heard the captain say
to Bramble, "Well, pilot, he has had enough of it."
"Yes, and he won't escape, captain, for Tom has got him fast by the
masthead, and they dare not climb up to cut themselves adrift. All that
you have to do now is to let the soldiers fire on his decks until they
run below, and then our men can board and take possession of her."
The captain, perceiving that the vessel was made fast, gave the
necessary orders. The soldiers lined the hammock nettings and chains,
and such a shower of musketry was poured into her decks that the
Frenchmen were soon driven below, and our seamen then slipped down her
rigging, boarded, and took possession of her. The prisoners having been
ordered up and passed into the forehold, the wounded men were then
looked after. We had eleven wounded, but none killed; the Frenchman had
eight killed and seventeen wounded; among others, the captain, who had
headed the second attempt to board. She was called the _Pucelle
d'Orleans_, of twelve guns and a hundred and twenty-five men.
It was two or three hours before we were again aft to rights, and a
party sent on board of the prize; and then there was again another kind
of confusion, from the congratulations, drinking healths, the women
coming up on deck, etcetera; however, the weather continued light, so it
was of no consequence. That Frenchman bit very hard, and I limped for
three or four days afterwards.
"Well, Tom," said Bramble, "I see you've got nerve, so all's right. You
had better go and lie down now, for you must be tired; I'll call you in
the morning."
Very glad was I to limp to bed. All night I dreamt of nothing but
volleys of musketry, and boarding and reboarding, and being wounded in
the leg, and then I would awake with the smart of the Frenchman's teeth.
The next morning when I came on deck, the captain thanked me for my
services, and said that the lugger would have escaped had it not been
for me. I replied that it was Bramble who prevented her escape, as I
should not have thought of making her fast if I had not been told.
"That's all true enough," replied the captain; "but how many of your
age, having been told to do it, would have done it, Tom? I shall not
forget you."
I went on the poop to Bramble, who, as usual, had his short pipe in his
hand; and I certainly was pleased when I saw what a beautiful craft we
had helped to capture. She sat like a swan on the water, and sailed
round and round us with the greatest ease.
In the afternoon we anchored at the Nore, and sent away all the
prisoners to Sheerness. I must not forget to say how very kind and
generous the passengers were to me. They made a great many presents,
some of value, as I afterwards found out; and I was glad to receive them
that I might give them to Virginia and those who had been friendly to
me.
The next morning we arrived off Greenwich, and Bramble told me to go on
shore and remain with my father and mother until he came down, which he
would do in a few days, and pay a visit to his old friend Anderson. I
landed with all my contraband articles in the boat, but no one thought
of stopping or searching the former "Poor Jack." My insignificance was
my protection; and I arrived safely at Fisher's Alley with all my
curiosities and prohibited effects. When I entered the house, I
perceived that there was a third person sitting in company with my
mother and Virginia; but Virginia sprang to me, and I threw down my
bundles with which I was loaded, and pressed her in my arms. Although I
had been absent but four months, she appeared to be very much grown, and
in every way improved. As soon as I had released her, I offered my hand
to my mother, who took it very coldly, and then observed, "Tom, you will
be _so_ ungenteel; don't you see there is a gentleman here?"
"I beg his pardon, mother," replied I; "but I could only see my sister
just then."
"And I admire your feeling, Tom," replied the party. "Mrs Saunders,
you must not scold him for that. How do you do, Tom, and how do you
like your profession?" continued he, holding out his hand.
I took his hand, and looking at him I recognised him. "Oh, sir! you are
the gentleman who was sitting in the room when we called upon Sir
Hercules and her ladyship."
"I am so, Tom, and I promised Sir Hercules that I would have an eye to
you all, and be of any use to you that I could. My name is Wilson, and
I'm what the sailors call a shark, that is, I'm a lawyer."
"Well, you don't appear as if you would bite, sir," replied I, as I
looked at his venerable and kind face.
"No, no, we never frighten people by our looks. We don't carry our
teeth with us; but I have several rows of them, all upon shelves in my
chambers, called the `Statutes at Large,' and by other names."
He then entered into conversation with me, and I told him most of what
had passed, of course not forgetting that the Indiaman we had brought up
the river had captured a privateer. He sat about an hour, and then went
away, desiring me to call upon him. I was not sorry when he went, as I
wished to show my presents to Virginia, and give her those which she
liked best. When Virginia had selected for herself, or rather I had
forced upon her all she most admired, I gave a cut ivory card-case, a
filigree needle-case, and a small red scarf to my mother, who, for the
first time in her life, appeared pleased with me, and said that they
were very _genteel_, and she was much obliged to me. The remainder I
put away in my room upstairs, intending to keep some for Bessy, and give
the others to Mrs St. Felix, the doctor, and old Nanny.
I then went to the hospital and found out my father, old Anderson, and
Ben. I narrated to them much more circumstantially than I did to the
old lawyer the particulars of the capture of the privateer. Anderson
put a great many inquiries to me, as to my liking my profession, and
also concerning little Bessy, whose history I communicated to him.
After my father and Ben had left, he gave me a great deal of advice, all
of which I trust that I treasured up.
"I hear," said he, "that Spicer has been talking a good deal about you,
and inquiring very often when you were expected to return. Were you
very intimate with that man?"
I replied in the negative, and then narrated the whole history of the
spy-glass, the erasure of the name by Mrs St. Felix, and the
recognition of it by Spicer.
"You did right to leave him in his error relative to where you received
the glass from," said Peter Anderson; "there is some mystery there which
time may unravel, but do not say a word of it to any one, Tom. I am
glad that you have told me, as in case you are away, and anything should
occur, I shall know how to act."
I must acknowledge that I now walked proudly through the streets of
Greenwich. I was no longer Poor Jack, but I was earning my livelihood
in my profession. I had reason to be still prouder when, two days
afterwards, Mr Wilson came to my mother's with the newspaper in his
hand in which there was a long account of the capture of the privateer,
and the conduct of Bramble and of me spoken of in the highest terms.
This he read aloud to my mother and Virginia. I watched my sister. The
tears filled her eyes as she listened, and when Mr Wilson had done, her
arms were round my neck, and her smiles were mixed with her tears, and
sometimes she would laugh as she cried. Oh! how I loved her then, for I
felt how dearly she loved me; even my mother appeared gratified,
although she said nothing, but continued to repair the lace veil upon
which she had been employed. That evening I went with Virginia to call
upon Mrs St. Felix, taking with me the presents I had laid aside for
her. She welcomed me as usual, and accepted what I brought for her
without hesitation and with many thanks.
"Well, Mr Tom," said she, "I'll just put away all your nice little
remembrances, and then I'll tell you that I've heard all about your
behaviour in the fight with the privateer, and I've no doubt but that,
if you continue to go on as you've begun, you will one day have a leg
the less, as your father has before you."
"I hope not," replied I; "two legs are better than one."
"Yes, when you want to run away, that's true. I see now why you're so
anxious to save your legs."
"But, Mrs St. Felix, if it had not been for that good spy-glass you
gave me, I never should have discovered the privateer, and we should not
have been prepared for her."
"Well, that's fortunate; it didn't prove a glass too much, anyhow, or
you'd have seen double. I suppose, then, all these pretty things are my
share of the prize-money."
"No, they are no value, except to prove to you that Poor Jack has not
forgotten your kindness, and never will."
"That I believe; and believing that, I suppose you have not forgotten
old Nanny."
"No; but I have not seen her yet. I intend to go to-morrow; but I have
something for the doctor. He is not at home, will you give it to him?"
"Certainly: you know I am as good as a mother to him."
"I think the doctor would rather you'd be a wife to him."
"That's a foolish idea that's in many people's heads, Tom, which I'll
thank you to contradict. I never intend to change my name."
"Don't make too sure," replied I; and I added at a venture (why, I know
not, but I had formed the idea in my mind that St. Felix was not her
proper name), "you may change it yet for your real name."
"Tom, Tom," cried the widow, "what do you mean?"
"Nothing," replied I, "I was only joking."
"Well then, don't talk such nonsense, or I shall send you out of the
shop."
I had, however, it appeared, struck upon a chord which jarred, and all
the spirits of Mrs St. Felix vanished at once. So Virginia and I
wished her a good evening, and returned home.