Mr Ringer and his family treated me with the greatest kindness; indeed,
nothing could surpass the hospitality of the inhabitants of Jamaica; and
it was with the utmost difficulty, when I got better, that the doctor
could get him to allow me to be carried to the barracks, where the
fresher air would assist me in regaining my strength. Larry, of course,
spent most of his time with me; indeed, had I not insisted on his going
out, he never would have left my bedside.
I was now every day expecting the return of the frigate, when I believed
that, well or ill, I should have to go on board her.
"That must depend on circumstances, my lad," said Dr McManus. "For if
you can't go, you can't. The captain must find another opportunity of
getting you on board."
"But suppose the frigate has to fight an action, I would not be absent
on any account," I exclaimed.
"With a fractured tibia, and the inflammation which would be sure to
supervene, you would not render much service to your country," observed
the doctor. "When you have sufficiently recovered you can get back to
Port Royal, and rejoin your ship; she's not likely to be sent to a
distance while the enemy's fleet threaten the island. Indeed, we
require all the forces on shore and afloat we can collect. I don't
quite understand what we shall do if we are attacked here, though I'm
very sure we shall fight to the last before we let the French and
Spanish land."
I saw that there was no use in arguing the point, but I was determined,
if I could, to go off and rejoin my ship. Larry did his best to console
me.
"It's not a bad place to be in, if you only had the use of your legs,
Mr Terence. Them nager boys and girls are mighty funny creatures.
What bothers me most is that I didn't bring my fiddle on shore, for sure
if I had, it would have been after setting them all dancing, till they
danced out of their black skins. It's rare fun to see them laughing as
if they'd split their sides, when I sing to them. They bate us Irishmen
hollow at that fun, I'll allow. I find it a hard matter to contain
myself when I see them rolling their eyes and showing their white teeth
as they stretch their mouths from ear to ear."