"Glad to have you back, youngster," cried Nettleship.
Tom Pim grasped my hand, and seemed unwilling to let it go, though he
didn't say as much as many of the others. I had to answer whole volleys
of questions from my messmates, who were all eager to know what had
happened to me. I described our narrow escape from the town, and
modestly touched on the part I had taken in rescuing Mr Martin and his
wife and daughter.
"Glad to see you uphold the honour of the cloth," said Nettleship; "we
should never see anybody in danger, and not try to help them at the risk
of our lives."
I was amply repaid by the praises my messmates bestowed upon me, for
they knew that I had only told them the truth without exaggeration. I
asked what they expected we should do next.
"Look out for the French and Spanish fleets, which have long been
threatening to pay the island a visit, and take possession of it, if
they can," answered Nettleship. "Why they have not come before now I
don't know; but there's some reason for it, I suppose."
The sound of music, and the stamp of feet, as I went forward in the
evening, showed me that Larry's fiddle had been taken care of; and there
he was, scraping away in high glee, setting his messmates dancing
merrily to his music, they not troubling their heads about the fierce
work which was in store for them. He had received, he afterwards told
me, a hearty welcome from all hands, who were delighted to get him back
among them.
The next morning Nettleship went on shore. We were most of us in the
berth when he returned.
"I have grand news, boys; not so much for us, though, as for the people
of Jamaica. The governor has received information that the Spanish and
French fleets were caught in the late hurricane, as they were cruising
off Cape Francois. Two Spanish ships foundered, two more were driven no
one knows where, and four were dismasted. Two Frenchmen were dismasted,
one went to the bottom, and another was driven on shore, while the rest,
considerably battered, had to bear away to Havanna."
"How do you know that it's all true?" asked several of the mess.
"I heard it from the captain himself, and, what's more, we're to sail
forthwith to carry the information to Sir Samuel Hood, who is supposed
to be at Barbadoes. He sent me on to direct Mr Saunders to get the
ship ready for sea, so that we may sail the moment he comes on board."
The boatswain's call, summoning all hands on deck, prevented us from
asking any further questions. It not being known at what moment the
ship might be sent to sea, she was kept well provided with water and
fresh provisions, so that we had nothing to wait for from the shore,
except a few of the officers, who had gone to Port Royal.
Blue Peter was hoisted and a gun fired, as a signal for them to come
off. The topsails were loosed, the cable hove short, and we were ready
to start at the first puff of the land breeze that might come off the
mountains. We were all anxiously looking out for the appearance of the
captain. The moment his gig came alongside, she was hoisted up, the
anchor hove in, the sails let fall, and we glided out of the harbour.
Under the influence of the land breeze, with studding-sails set below
and aloft, we ran on at a rapid rate, expecting that we should reach
Barbadoes in about a week at the furthest. When once away from the
land, the wind dropped, and for hours we lay becalmed. The next morning
we got a light breeze, which enabled us to steer our course. A constant
look-out was kept for the enemy, for though the main body of the French
fleet was said to be in harbour, it was likely that their cruisers would
be met with.
Nettleship, Tom Pim, and I were in the morning watch. The first ruddy
streaks, harbingers of the rising sun, had appeared in the eastern sky,
when the look-out who had been sent aloft shouted, "A sail on the
lee-bow."