"Will you give me permission to go down and see my poor men? It will be
a consolation to them to know that I am safe, for one who is my
foster-brother is much attached to me, and the other is a faithful
fellow."
The midshipman seemed struck at hearing this, and at once said that he
would obtain permission from his lieutenant. He went into the cabin,
and quickly returned, saying that I might go and see the men. Taking a
lantern which he ordered one of the crew to bring me, I went down into
the hold, and there, in a small space on some planks placed on the
cargo, and surrounded by casks, I found Larry and Ben Nash, with
handcuffs on their wrists, and their legs tied, seated side by side.
"Is it yourself, Mr Terence?" exclaimed Larry, as I appeared. "Have
you come to set us free? Have you got the brig again?"
"I wish that I had," I answered, "but there's no such good luck for us.
I'm a prisoner at large, and I have obtained permission to come and see
you, as I wanted to know how you're getting on, and how it all
happened."
"Shure it's bad enough for myself, Mr Terence, but it's worse for poor
Ben here, for just look at him,--he's got a mighty ugly prong in his
side, another in his shoulder, and a knock in his head, which was enough
to do for him. Tim Logan was killed entirely; but don't mind me, just
look to Ben, he can scarcely speak."
Ben's face was pale as death.
"Where are you hurt, Nash?" I asked.
He groaned as he told me.
"But it's water I want, sir; the fellows haven't brought us any since we
were down here. Once Dan Hoolan came to look at us, and when I asked
him for some, he turned away with a growl, swearing I might die of
thirst before he would bring me any."
Immediately on hearing this I sprang on deck, and begged La Touche to
let me have a jug of water. He ordered one of the Frenchmen to bring it
to me, and I returned with it. I first gave some to Nash, who, though
he eagerly bent forward his head as I lifted the jug to his lips, seemed
to have a difficulty in swallowing. I next put it to Larry's mouth, and
he quickly gulped down the contents.
"Shure, that does a boy good," he exclaimed, drawing breath. "I
wouldn't have taken it all, if I had been after thinking that Ben would
have been wanting it."
"I hope easily to get some more if he requires it," I said; but on
looking at poor Ben it appeared to me that neither water nor food would
restore him. He was leaning back, gasping violently. His eyes, as I
held the lantern to them, appeared to have lost all animation. I put
the lantern down on the deck, and supported him in my arms.
"It's cruel in those fellows to keep the manacles on him while he's
suffering thus," I exclaimed. "I'll ask La Touche to have them taken
off. He could no longer, even if he had a will, interfere with them."
Springing on deck, I made my request to La Touche; he replied that he
would go below and consult his commanding officer. He soon returned.
"If you think that the man is really dying, Lieutenant Dubois will give
you leave to do as you desire," he said, "but you must be answerable for
him."
"I feel certain that he will die unless he is properly cared for," I
answered.
He called to one of the blacks who belonged to the armourer's crew on
board the French frigate, and told him to go below and knock off the
Englishman's irons. I thought I might put in a word for Larry.
"May they release my foster-brother?" I asked. "Poor fellow, he did
but his duty in defending the brig, and I'll be responsible for his good
conduct."
"Yes. Lieutenant Dubois fancied that I spoke of both of them, and for
my part, I am very willing to do as you wish," he answered.
I hurried below, accompanied by the black. Nash was still breathing
hard, and scarcely had the armourer commenced operations, when the poor
fellow fell back in my arms, his spirit set free before his body was
liberated from the irons. The black continued knocking away, quite
indifferent to what had occurred.
"It's all over with poor Ben," exclaimed Larry, who was eagerly watching
the operation.
"Yes, he's gone," I answered, as I felt the honest seaman's wrist.
The black finished his work, and then stretched the body out on the
deck.
"And now, my friend, I'll beg of you to release this young fellow," I
said. "You wouldn't like to have irons on your wrists longer than you
could help."
"Not de first time I hab dem on, and big chain too; but dis nuttin',"
said the black, and a few blows sufficed to set Larry free.
He sprang to his feet, knocking his head against the deck above him with
a force which brought him down again, but fortunately the crown of an
Irishman's head is thicker than that of most people, and he quickly
recovered himself.
Telling him to sit quiet till I got leave for him to appear, I went on
deck to report the death of Nash.
"Ah, they told me the man was badly hurt," said La Touche. "He was a
brave fellow, for he fought desperately. We will bury him forthwith."
"And my follower, may he return on deck?" I asked. "Both of us will be
glad to assist in navigating the ship, if our services are required."
"Yes, you can do so; but I do not think that you will return the
compliment we paid you, by attempting to retake the brig from us," he
answered, laughing.
"You are right, monsieur," I answered. "I have given you my word to
that effect, and the word of an English officer is never broken."
La Touche winced. "I took no part," he observed, "in capturing the
brig; you'll understand that."
I made no reply, though I was convinced that all along he was cognisant
of the plot and plans of his lieutenant. The treachery of Hoolan and
his companions enabled him to succeed with greater ease than he could
otherwise have expected.
With the assistance of the black armourer, Larry and I sewed Ben up in a
piece of canvas which he obtained for us, with a shot at the feet. We
then together carried the body to a port, and launched it overboard, no
one offering to render assistance, but at the same time not interfering
with our proceedings. When Lieutenant Dubois came on deck, he bowed
politely to me, and we exchanged a few words, but he didn't appear
inclined to enter into conversation. Perhaps he felt conscious that he
was guilty of treachery in allowing his men to mutiny, even if he had
not instigated them to do so, after the kind way in which he had been
treated. Of course Nettleship made a great mistake in allowing him and
the midshipman to remain on board; but judging them by his own sense of
honour, he could not suppose it possible they would take advantage of
his generosity, and even dream of attempting to recapture the brig.
Larry, when I was on deck, always kept close to me, and he asked whether
I could obtain permission for him to sleep under the companion ladder,
or anywhere aft, so that he might be within call.
"In truth, Mr Terence, I'm not fond of the looks Dan Hoolan casts at me
when I go forward," he said. "I shouldn't be surprised on waking some
night to find him after cutting my throat or giving me a knock on the
head, for he knows that if it hadn't been for poor Ben and Tim Logan and
me, he would have tried to kill you, Mr Terence, that you might not
appear against him; but we fought as long as we could, till the French
lieutenant came on deck, and there was only myself remaining unhurt."
I felt very certain that what Larry said was true, and La Touche
afterwards corroborated the account. How Larry had escaped seemed a
wonder, till I heard that he had seized a handspike, and using it as a
shillelah, or rather as a singlestick, had kept his enemies at bay, and
defended himself. Whenever I saw Hoolan on deck, I observed that he
cast sinister looks at Larry and me, and I felt very sure that if he had
an opportunity he would carry out his threat of putting an end to us.
When I told La Touche of Larry's wish, and his reason for it, after
speaking to the lieutenant, he said it should be complied with. At
meal-time the officers invited me into the cabin, and, to do them
justice, treated me with as much courtesy as if I had been a willing
guest.
"We have changed places, but we hope that you don't bear us any
ill-will," said La Touche, filling up my glass with claret. "Here's to
your health, and may our friendship endure as long as our lives. When
peace is established between our two countries which I suppose will be
some day or other, I shall be enchanted if you will pay me a visit at my
father's chateau in Normandy."
"With the greatest pleasure in the world," I answered; "though I confess
I didn't think you would play me so cruel a trick." I didn't wish to
use a harsher expression.
"Believe me, monsieur, that it was from no design of mine. I but
performed my duty. Until the vessel was in the hands of the mutineers,
I was not aware myself of what was going to happen. Monsieur Dubois
will corroborate what I state."
"La Touche speaks but the truth," said the lieutenant. "He acted under
my orders, for, knowing his sense of honour, I didn't confide my plan to
him."
I was very glad to hear this, as I was much inclined to like La Touche,
and was grieved to suppose that I had been disappointed in him.
The weather, after the hurricane which had been the chief cause of my
misfortune, rapidly moderated, and became very fine; and though the wind
was generally light, the brig made good way to the south-westward.
During the day one of the Frenchmen, or La Touche himself, was
constantly at the masthead, on the look-out for vessels, either to avoid
suspicious strangers, or hoping to fall in with one of their cruisers.
The lieutenant had at first intended to steer for Havanna, on the
northern coast of Cuba; but just as we passed the latitude of Jamaica
the wind shifted to the westward, and he determined to run for
Port-au-Prince, at the westward end of Saint Domingo. He didn't conceal
his intentions from me; indeed there was no object in his doing so. He
asked me whether we were likely to fall in with English cruisers between
Jamaica and Cuba. I told him what I believed to be the case, that they
would most probably be found on the south or west side of the island,
looking out for the French and Spanish fleets expected to be coming from
Havanna.
"I am surprised, indeed, that we have not fallen in with one of our
cruisers already," I said.
"There is a reason for that," he remarked. "The hurricane, of which we
only felt the edge, will have driven them into port, or have sent them
ashore, or to the bottom. I thought of that before I ventured here, and
calculated that it must have been some days before they could put to sea
again."
I believed that the lieutenant was right, and it lessened my hopes of
the brig being retaken; still I did not abandon them altogether, and the
thought contributed to keep up my spirits.
Supper over, after a few turns on deck I begged leave to turn in and
finish out the sleep which had been so disagreeably interrupted the
previous morning. Both the officers begged I would return to the berth
I had previously occupied. I thought it best to accept their courtesy.
When Larry saw me go below, he came down the companion ladder, and after
attending on me, as I told him he might do, he stowed himself away under
it. When I awoke next morning, finding myself in my old berth, for a
few seconds I forgot all that had occurred, and fancied myself still in
command of the brig, but the reality soon came back to me. With
anything but pleasant feelings I turned out, and having dressed, went on
deck. Larry, who had slept undisturbed, followed me up.
"I'm after thinking, Mr Terence, that Dan was looking for me, but, as
good fortune would have it, I found an empty biscuit cask, so what did I
do but poke my head into it, and cover my neck up with a thick
handkerchief," said Larry, as he stood by my side. "Thinks I to myself,
if Master Dan wants to be after giving me a whack on the skull, I shall
have had time to jump up before he has done for me; but the spalpeen did
not find me out, I've a notion, and I'll be on the watch for him if he
does, another night."
I found La Touche on deck, and we exchanged salutations. The brig was
under all sail, standing to the eastward. I cast my eye eagerly astern,
half hoping to see a British man-of-war in chase of us; but I found that
the Frenchmen were carrying all sail, as was but natural, to reach their
destination as fast as possible. I could just distinguish to the
southward the distant mountains of Jamaica, rising like a blue irregular
line above the horizon. Nothing could be more beautiful than the
weather. The sky was bright; the ocean glittered in the rays of the
rising sun.
In spite of this, I could not keep my spirits up, and put away the
thoughts of the fate in store for me. Instead of serving my country,
gaining honour and promotion, and passing my time in the society of
shipmates to whom I was much attached, I was doomed to be imprisoned in
some out-of-the-way part of Saint Domingo, or sent across the Atlantic
to be shut up in a French fortress, as I knew that other officers had
been.
Now that their hopes of escaping increased, the Frenchmen became still
more courteous, and did their best to make my stay on board pleasant. I
should have been glad to have regained my liberty, but certainly should
have pitied them if we had been captured.
At length we made the west side of Saint Domingo, and, entering the Bay
of Gonavez, ran up to the harbour at its eastern extremity. Here we
found a considerable number of men-of-war at anchor. We were at once
visited by several officers, who seemed surprised to hear that we had
been at sea and escaped being wrecked, every ship in the harbour having
lost masts or spars, or received other serious damage.
Lieutenant Dubois had promised that he would keep us on board as long as
possible, as we should, on being landed, have been moved away into the
interior. I was, of course, very glad to take advantage of his kind
offer.
We had not been long at anchor before an officer came off from the shore
with an official-looking packet. I was in the cabin when he delivered
it to Lieutenant Dubois.
"The governor has heard of your arrival, and of the undamaged condition
of your vessel," said the officer. "He is desirous of sending important
information to Admiral the Count de Grasse, who will probably be found
at the island of Guadaloupe, and he desires that you will sail
forthwith, and convey these despatches. There is no vessel in harbour
fit to go, and he considers your arrival a fortunate circumstance."
Dubois at once expressed his satisfaction, and promised to sail without
a moment's delay. I was afraid that he might consider it necessary to
send Larry and me on shore; but I thought it prudent to say nothing, and
continued seated as if I belonged to the vessel. The French officer
from the shore made no remark, and having performed his commission,
speedily took his departure.
"All right," said Dubois to me; "I'm not compelled to land you, and if
you like we can continue our voyage together. It will give you a better
chance of escape if the fortune of war should throw me into the hands of
one of your ships; but I have no intention of being caught if I can help
it."
I thanked him very much, and assured him that nothing would give me
greater pleasure than being once more able to play the host to him.
Before we sailed, however, six more hands, whom he had asked for, were
sent on board to strengthen his crew; but Hoolan and the other mutineers
were allowed to remain, for which I was sorry. Perhaps they would
rather have gone on shore, for if the brig were recaptured, they would,
to a certainty, have to grace her yard-arms before many days had passed
over their heads.
We had to beat out of the harbour, but rounding Cape Tiburon we got a
fair wind, and stood away for Guadaloupe.
We had a long passage before us, and I was continually thinking of what
the fortune of war might bring about. My fear was that we might fall in
with a French cruiser, to which Lieutenant Dubois might consider it his
duty to deliver up his despatches, that they might be conveyed more
speedily to their destination, and that we might have to return to Saint
Domingo. Still I did my utmost to look at the bright side of the
picture; and I fancied how pleasant it would be to find the brig under
the guns of an English frigate,--perhaps the _Liffy_ herself.
I had another secret source of satisfaction: I had given my word to La
Touche simply not to interfere with the discipline of the ship, and I
had made myself answerable that Larry would not; although I had said
nothing about not attempting to make my escape, should an opportunity
occur, though that was very remote indeed. In a French port it would be
useless, as I should only tumble out of the frying-pan into the fire, or
find myself among enemies. I could not speak French well enough to pass
for a Frenchmen, and Larry's tongue would at once have betrayed him.
Still hope kept me up, although what to hope for was indistinct and
uncertain.
Larry, having somewhat got over his unpleasant suspicions of Hoolan's
intentions, was as merry as usual, and in the evening kept his fiddle
going, and the Frenchman and blacks dancing to their heart's content.
He, however, was disinclined to remain forward after dark, and came back
to his hiding-place under the companion ladder, where he was allowed to
sleep under the supposition that he was there to attend on me.
I should have said that when the officer from the shore had delivered
his despatches to Lieutenant Dubois, the latter, instead of locking them
up in his own berth, put them into a drawer in the cabin table. Of
their contents I, of course, was kept in ignorance,--indeed, I was not
certain that Lieutenant Dubois himself knew their purport.
I do not even now like to speak of the thoughts which passed through my
mind about these despatches. I was greatly troubled by them. Sometimes
the idea occurred to me that when no one was in the cabin, I might throw
them out of the stern port, and take the consequences of my act; but
then I should be making an ungrateful return to the young French
officers who had treated me so courteously. I dreaded to commit an act
which might be dishonourable; at the same time, it was evident that by
destroying the despatches I should be benefiting my country. From the
eagerness which the officer who brought the packet had shown to get it
off, I was convinced that it was of great importance, and that perhaps
the fate of some of our islands might depend on its delivery. I was
surprised at Dubois' carelessness at leaving it exposed, though less at
La Touche, who, though a good-natured fellow, was harum-scarum and
thoughtless in the extreme. Perhaps he might have returned me the
compliment.
The wind was light; and there seemed every probability that we should
make a long passage. So much the better, I thought. While we were at
sea I was in good spirits, for I knew that there was a good chance of
the brig being recaptured. Larry kept the crew alive with his fiddle
forward, and even Dan Hoolan looked somewhat less surly than usual; at
the same time Larry kept out of his way, and never trusted himself at
night on deck when I was not there. Whether he was right in his
suspicions or not was uncertain, but at all events Hoolan was a ruffian,
and a traitor to his country.
I treated Larry as, of course, an officer does not usually treat an
ordinary seaman. He was one night walking the deck with me, and we were
talking of Ballinahone and our early days, when he suddenly said,
"Shure, Mr Terence, there's something on your mind. I've thought so
more than once. Just say now what it is."
"You are clever, Larry, to find that out," I answered. "It's your love
for me enables you to do it. It's nothing you would think much about.
I'm troubled with the thoughts that we are carrying despatches to the
French admiral, which, if delivered, may cause some serious injury to
our country. They are kept in the drawer of the cabin table, and I
might at any moment throw them overboard, and defeat the Frenchmen's
object."
The moment I said this I regretted it, as it struck me that it was like
instigating Larry to do what I would not do myself. The effect on him
was what I supposed my words would produce, for he at once replied,
"Thin, shure, overboard they go before the world's many hours older."
"No, no, Larry! you mistake me," I exclaimed. "That's just what I don't
want you to do. If it has to be done, I'll do it myself, and I forbid
you to touch the packet I insist on your promising me that you will
not."
Very unwillingly Larry gave the promise, and I knew that I could trust
him. I then let the subject drop, regretting that I had broached it to
my faithful follower.
"If the Frenchman choose to hang me, I will not bring the same fate on
him," I thought.