"For your sake I may wish it, though I shall not be sorry if we fall in
with one of our own cruisers before the voyage is ended."
"Very naturally; but should she appear, we will try our best to get away
from her," I said, laughing.
At length daylight broke. A wild scene the ocean presented; the foaming
seas dancing up on all sides, through which the brig was struggling
onwards. It seemed to me that the wind was blowing stronger than ever,
and I began to fear that we should be driven over towards the reefs and
shoals upon the American coast before it had ceased. If so, shipwreck
was almost certain, and the chance of saving our lives would be small
indeed. Still I kept up my spirits, and took care not to express my
fears to my shipmates.
Suddenly about noon the wind dropped, but whether or not it was gaining
strength for a fresh blow I was not certain. I asked La Touche. He
replied that he could not tell, but that it might be so, and that it
would be wise to be prepared for it. The seas tumbled about so much
that I could not bring the brig to the wind. I, however, first set the
fore, and then the main-topsail, and kept her before it to avoid the
risk of the seas pooping us. The clouds at length began to disperse,
and in a short time the sea itself went down.
I lost no time in bringing the brig to the wind, making more sail, and
shaping a course for Jamaica. Before nightfall the clouds had entirely
disappeared; and the setting sun cast a radiant glow over the sky and
sea, as the brig, heeling over to the breeze, sped on her way.
"I congratulate you, monsieur, on the change of weather, for I should
have been grieved as much as you would, had the brig been lost," said La
Touche, coming up to me. "Still there's many a slip between the cup and
the lip,"--he gave an equivalent proverb in French. "If one of our
cruisers appears, you'll have to congratulate me, though I hope you'll
receive the same courteous treatment that I have enjoyed from you, and
for which I have to thank you."
"I have no fear of that," I replied. "Your cruiser has not yet
appeared. The _Good Luck_ is fortunately a fast craft, and we'll do all
we can to put her at her best speed."
We had been unable to sit down to table during the hurricane, and had
had no time to take a regular meal since; but me of the French seamen,
who acted as steward, now placed a very substantial one on the table. I
played the part of host, and La Touche that of guest. His messmate was
too ill to get up, he said, but notwithstanding, though a sick man, he
managed to consume a fair quantity of the viands La Touche took to him.
"There ought to be some good wine in this locker, if the bottles were
not broken during the hurricane," said La Touche, rising and lifting up
the lid. Groping about, he produced a couple of bottles of claret, and
another of cognac.
"There are several more here, so that we need not stint ourselves," he
said, laughing.
A corkscrew was soon found. I took a couple of glasses. The wine was
excellent, there was no doubt about that. La Touche pressed me to take
a third. "Come, we must pledge each other," he said, replenishing my
glass, and filling up his own. "Here's to the continuance of our
friendship."
I felt pretty well tired, as I had been up the whole of the last night,
and a good portion of the previous one, so I was not sorry to have
something to set me up. We struck our glasses together, and wished each
other health, prosperity, and promotion.
"You like the wine," said La Touche. "Come--another glass; now we must
finish the bottle, and I don't wish to take a larger share than you
have."
"No, no, my friend," I answered, thinking there was something peculiar
in his manner. "I command this craft, and must keep a cool head on my
shoulders, but I have no objection to your finishing the bottle, and
taking a second, if you like."
In vain he pressed me, for the more he pressed, the more determined I
became not to take another drop. I found the wine indeed stronger than
I had supposed it was. Besides which, I recollected the major's advice,
which strengthened me in my resolution.