TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS--CHASED BY A PRIVATEER--THE PRESSED MEN
ARMED--THE FIGHT--DICK'S GALLANTRY--CAPTURE OF THE LUGGER--PRIZE CREW
SENT ON BOARD--ATTEMPT OF THE FRENCHMEN TO TAKE THE CUTTER--DICK
HARGRAVE'S PRESENCE OF MIND--RECEPTION ON BOARD THE FRIGATE--NEARLY
FLOGGED--BEN RUDALL'S STATEMENT--THE CAPTAIN'S DILEMMA--DICK'S
GRATITUDE.
Dick was not the only occupant of the cutter's hold. There were several
other men--some pressed, others released from prison on condition of
serving on board the fleet; and these for security were kept down below,
until they were placed on board the ships for which they were destined.
Besides them there were a few volunteers, mostly young men, who had
joined at the places at which the cutter had touched.
Daylight was streaming down the hatchway when Dick awoke. The cutter
was still at anchor. He knew that although he was so near home there
was no chance of his friends learning where he was, and of their trying
to obtain his release. His father he would rather not see. He made
out, from the conversation going on around him, that the cutter was
bound down to Plymouth, with men for the _Wolf_, to replace those who
had been killed and wounded. If he had any wish, it was that the vessel
would get under way. He was eager to face the worst, and get it over as
soon as possible. A dull stupor at length came over him, and for long
he sat neither asleep nor awake, without thinking. He could hear the
tramp of feet overhead; still the vessel remained stationary. He was
aroused when the breakfast was served out to him and the other
prisoners. He ate mechanically, exchanging only a few words with those
near him, and then went off into the same state as before. At length he
heard feet descending the companion ladder, and looking up, he saw the
officer who had captured him holding a lantern in his hand, accompanied
by two persons, whom he recognised as Lord Reginald and Mr Voules.
"Is that the young fellow, my lord, who deserted from the _Wolf_," asked
the officer.
"No doubt about it," answered Lord Reginald. "I'm glad you have caught
him."
"I should have known him from among a hundred," said Voules, "though he
has got out of his sea rig. Take care that he doesn't get away from
you. I should be sorry if he escapes the flogging he'll get on board!"
"You see I have him fast enough at present," answered the officer,
pointing to the handcuffs on Dick's wrists, "He may be very clever, but
he'll not get out of those in a hurry."
The midshipmen looked round, but could identify no other prisoners as
deserters from their ship.
"I shall not sail until the tide makes to the westward; so if your
lordship intends to honour me by returning in the cutter to Plymouth,
you will have time to go back to Elverston and get your traps," Dick
heard the lieutenant observe as they ascended the companion ladder; but
the reply did not reach his ears. As the cutter remained stationary, he
had good reason to fear that the two midshipmen would take a passage in
her, and that he should be subjected to their taunts and ill-treatment,
and have no chance of being set at liberty, which he might otherwise
have had when they once got to sea. Whether or not he was right in his
conjectures he could not tell. He heard several persons come on board;
then the anchor was hove up, and the cutter got under way. He would
have given much to have sent a message on shore, but he had no
opportunity.
A fresh breeze carried the cutter along at a good rate. Before
nightfall she was off Portland. Hitherto neither Lord Reginald nor
Voules had come below.
"I only hope they'll not show themselves, for it will be a hard matter
to keep a quiet tongue in my head if they speak to me," thought Dick.
"It will be all the same, though, for I shall be flogged to a certainty
when I am on board again, and I should like to give them my mind first."
Though below, Dick could judge pretty accurately what the cutter was
about. She was evidently making little or no way, for he could hear not
the slightest sound of a ripple against her side. She lay, indeed,
becalmed, in West Bay, between Portland and The Start. It was night,
and the men round him were asleep, as their loud snores in various tones
told him. He would have had no inclination to talk, however, had they
been awake. The only other sounds which reached him were the occasional
footsteps of the watch on deck, as they paced over his head, or the
creaking of the jaws of the mainboom and gaff, and, now and then, the
flap of the mainsail. In vain he tried to get one subject out of his
head--the thought of the flogging. Not that he dreaded the pain he
should suffer one-tenth part so much as he did the disgrace. His
father's heart would well-nigh break should he hear of it. The stout
English yeoman was as proud in his way as was the Marquis of Elverston.
"It is he--he, that Lord Reginald, who has brought me to this!" he
muttered, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. "If ever I have
the chance I will be revenged on him! I must, I could not help it."
Dick conjured up a fearful picture--the young lord in his power, his
hand upon his throat. He forgot that it was through his own folly that
he had enabled Lord Reginald to treat him in the way he had done. Had
he kept free of the smugglers, had he not been tempted to desert, Lord
Reginald, when exhibiting his ill feeling, would have been seen by all
to be in the wrong.
The cutter made no way during the night, and though she drifted to the
westward with one tide, the flood carried her as far back again; so that
when morning broke The Start and Portland Bill were almost at equal
distances from her. Dick dozed off while the crew were washing decks.
He was only fully aroused when, as before, breakfast was brought down
for the prisoners. After some time, sounds of laughter and frequent
footsteps reached his ears, and he guessed that the commander with his
young passengers were walking the deck after their breakfast. Presently
he heard the former order the steward to hand him his spyglass.
"What is she, Mr Mason?" asked Lord Reginald.
"A large lugger, at all events. She may be a Jersey privateer, or she
may be French. As she is bringing up a fresh breeze from the eastward,
we shall know more about her soon."
"Suppose she is French, shall you attack her?" asked Voules, in a tone
which showed no great satisfaction at the thoughts of such an event
taking place.
"She is more likely to attack us, as she probably carries six or eight
guns and one long nine-pounder. Such is the armament of most of those
craft, and twice as many hands as we can muster, while we have only got
our four small carronades, which are of very little use except at close
quarters."
"Then I suppose we shall have to run for it," said Voules; "there'll be
no honour or glory in fighting her."
"I shouldn't like to have to run from an enemy unless she was very much
larger than yonder craft appears to be," exclaimed Lord Reginald.
"As to that, my lord, we must do our best not to be taken, and shall
have to fight for it. We have hands enough to work our guns, but if she
runs us aboard, her numerous crew will tell fearfully in her favour."
"But you have a good many prisoners below; I suppose they could be
trusted to help us?" said Lord Reginald.
"I shouldn't like to put cutlasses into their hands; they might turn
against us," observed Voules.
"No fear of that," answered the lieutenant; "they are Englishmen, and if
they see an enemy will fight fast enough. I shall trust them, at all
events, and as soon as I can make out whether yonder lugger hails from
Jersey or not, I will have them on deck and arm them."
Dick, as he heard this, heartily hoped that the stranger might prove an
enemy. The rest of the prisoners, he judged, from the remarks they
made, were much of his way of thinking.
"The mounseers won't make any difference between us and the crew, if
we're taken," observed one of the men.
"Right there, mate; better have a jolly stand-up fight than be sitting
down here all day, doing nothing," remarked another.
The officers had gone aft, and Dick could not hear what was said. In a
short time, however, he knew that the cutter was moving by the rippling
against her side.
Presently she heeled over slightly, showing that the breeze was
freshening, and he heard the order to set the squaresail and
square-topsail. There was little doubt, then, that the commander was
following the advice given by Mr Voules, making the best of his way to
the westward. He would do that under ordinary circumstances. It was
still uncertain whether the lugger which had brought up the breeze was a
friend or an enemy.
He had heard the order to hoist the ensign, and some time afterwards a
voice called out, "That's a French craft, I'll take my davy, though we
can't see her colours."
Again some time elapsed, when a gun was heard, but the sound was so
faint that Dick thought the vessel which fired it must be at a great
distance. Presently Mr Mason came down into the hold.
"Lads," he said, looking round, "you are all Englishmen, though you are
pressed against your will to serve his Majesty. I put it to you,
whether--as I think it likely we are somewhat over-matched--you'll fight
to preserve this vessel and to save yourself being carried to a French
prison. I have come down to give you your liberty, as I am sure that
you will all make the same answer, and if cutlasses are put into your
hands, that you'll fight as bravely as any men on board. We shall then,
I have no fear, lick the lugger, and carry her as a prize into Plymouth
harbour."
A hearty cheer was given. "We'll thrash the mounseers; no fear about
that," answered the men; Dick joining as warmly as any one.
The men's handcuffs were soon taken off. Dick, on finding himself free,
sprang to his feet and grasped the cutlass which was put into his hands.
On reaching the deck he found the cutter was prepared for action. Two
of the guns were trained aft, boarding-pikes were placed along the
bulwarks. An arm-chest stood open, containing pistols, hand-grenades,
swords, and cutlasses, while a number of muskets lay on the companion
hatch.
The two midshipmen, with pistols in their belts and cutlasses at their
sides, stood watching the lugger, which under press of sail was coming
up astern. She was evidently a much faster craft than the cutter,
though the latter was a stout vessel of her class. The lugger now began
to fire her long gun; the shot, though failing to strike, pitched
sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other side of the cutter.
"Why don't we try and knock away some of her spars?" observed Lord
Reginald.
"Little use firing our pop-guns," answered the commander; "our shot
won't reach her as yet."
Presently the long gun sent its missile through the cutter's squaresail.
Another shortly afterwards made a second hole, but did no other damage.
"Those fellows know how to handle their gun. We shall see how they
behave when we get them within range of ours. Stand by, Beal, to give
it them," he said to the gunner, who had brought a match from the galley
fire.
The guns were fired almost simultaneously. What effect their shot
produced could not be seen, though Beal declared that one, if not both,
struck the lugger. They did not, however, stop her way. She fired her
long gun in return. It was well aimed, for down came the squaresail,
the halliards shot away. The lugger's crew were heard cheering.
"Shout away, my fine fellows!" cried Beal; "we'll make you sing a
different note if you come alongside."
Hands were instantly ordered to repair the damage. It took some time,
however, to bend fresh halliards and hoist up the yard. During the
interval, the lugger had gained considerably on the cutter, but this
enabled the latter to fire her stern chasers with more effect. The men
worked vigorously, loading and firing almost as fast as the lugger's
crew did their long gun. Still, with short guns the aim was uncertain,
and of the many shots fired, comparatively few did any damage to the
enemy. Mr Mason's object was to get to the other side of The Start,
when probably the firing might attract the attention of some man-of-war
near the mouth of Plymouth harbour, which might come out to the rescue.
He was determined, however, to fight to the last, rather than yield his
vessel. The Frenchman's object was evidently to knock away some of the
cutter's spars, to get alongside as soon as possible, trusting to obtain
the victory by boarding her, well aware of the small crew she was likely
to carry; probably, also, supposing that she conveying specie or
valuable stores to Plymouth, as was frequently done, instead of sending
them by land. Most of the damage inflicted on the cutter was therefore
aloft. Her sails already showed many holes. Her starboard backstay had
been shot away, her topmast was wounded, though it still stood. Mr
Mason now made preparations for what he saw was inevitable.
"When the cutter boards, my lads, remember we must not only drive back
the boarders, but follow them into their own vessel and take her. Even
if we wished it, should we lose any of our spars, we could not get away
from her. It is pretty certain that her guns are heavier than ours.
Lord Reginald, I'll get you to stand by the helm with half a dozen hands
to manage the cutter in case we are separated, and all the rest of you
will board with me. Lads, I'll depend upon you to carry that craft. I
know what privateersmen are like, when they see cold steel in their
faces. They'll come on boldly enough at first, but when once beaten
back, they'll turn tail like hounds, and skulk for shelter below."
The cheers which rose from the throats of the crew, joined in heartily
by Dick and the rest of the pressed men, gave promise of victory, in
spite of the odds which might be against them. The firing was continued
by both vessels as fast as the guns could be loaded, the lugger
gradually gaining on the chase.
The lieutenant ordered as many hands as were required, to drag over the
two stern guns to the side on which the lugger might come up; while the
other two were loaded with musket-balls ready to fire into her.
At length, a shot aimed high by the lugger struck the cutter's topmast.
The spar held on for a minute, but a stronger puff of wind filling the
sail, with a loud crash it gave way, and down came the gaff-topsail and
square-topsail. The mainsail and squaresail still, however, stood. The
lugger now came up hand over hand. The two stern chasers were once more
fired. The lugger was steering for the cutter's starboard quarter. In
a few minutes the guns were dragged over to the starboard side and run
through the two after ports, while the other remaining gun was hauled up
with equal rapidity to the same side.
"Lower away the squaresail; down with the helm. Now fire, lads!"
Four guns were simultaneously discharged, raking the lugger fore and
aft. The next instant the helm was again put up, or the lugger would
have run into her stem on. Instead of this, striking on the counter,
she ranged up alongside. A large body of men were seen grouped on the
forecastle armed with pikes and cutlasses. The moment the sides of the
two vessels touched, with loud shouts, led by one of their officers,
they leaped on board, many to meet their doom, for before they reached
the deck they were cut down by the stalwart arms of the British seamen.
Others followed, but, met with a bristling array of pikes and cutlasses
in their faces, they dared not spring from their own bulwarks. The men
aft, under the command of Lord Reginald, had been keeping up a warm fire
of musketry, when the lieutenant, turning his head, saw a party of the
enemy kept in reserve, about to board the cutter aft. He instantly
sprang towards the threatened point, followed by several who had
gallantly been keeping the first party of boarders in check. Among them
was Dick Hargrave and several of his companions. Leading the French
boarders was a big fellow with huge bushy whiskers, and a red
handkerchief tied round his head. With a sword of a size which few men
could have wielded, he made a desperate slash at the lieutenant, which
would have brought him to the deck, had not Dick sprang forward and,
interposing his cutlass, dealt the next instant such a blow on the sword
arm of the giant, that the fellow's weapon dropped from his hand.
"Thank you, my good fellow, I saw what you did," said the lieutenant.
"Now lads, we will drive these Frenchmen below, as we promised them.
All of you follow me!" and, led by the lieutenant and Dick, the English
crew threw themselves on the lugger's deck, trusting rather to their
cutlasses and stout arms than to any other weapons.
Voules, with those who had remained on the cutter's forecastle, now
gained a footing on the fore part of the lugger's deck. Her crew fought
bravely, but besides their big officer, many of them were cut down.
Inch by inch the lieutenant and his men made their way forward, until
the quarter-deck was cleared, the Frenchmen being either killed or
wounded, or driven down the main-hatchway or overboard. One of their
officers alone remained alive, and, seeing that all hope of gaining the
victory was lost, he shouted out "We surrender!" Dick, who knew the
meaning of the cry, repeated it in English, and running aft to the peak
halliards, quickly hauled down the Frenchman's ensign.
"Well done, my lad!" cried Lieutenant Mason. "I'll not forget you."
The Frenchmen, who had hitherto kept their cutlasses in their hands,
threw them on the deck, asking for quarter for themselves and their
companions below. Their officer, coming aft, surrendered his sword.
Those below now being called up one by one, were transferred to the
cutter's hold, and Mr Voules, with eight men, including Dick Hargrave,
was sent on board the lugger to navigate her into Plymouth.
"You will keep close to me, Mr Voules," said Lieutenant Mason, "for I
have as many prisoners on board as I can well manage, and should they be
disposed to rise upon us they might succeed if we don't keep a bright
look-out."
The French privateersmen were indeed a very rough-looking set of
fellows. By the way they had fought they showed that they were capable
of daring and doing any act of violence. Although nearly twenty had
been killed or wounded, they still far outnumbered the cutter's crew,
now reduced by three killed and five wounded, as well as by those sent
on board the lugger.
The two vessels were soon separated, though they kept as close as they
could together. Voules and his men had enough to do, heaving the dead
overboard and attending to the wounded, while they had to wash down the
bloodstained decks. Some of the rigging, too, required knotting and
splicing, and several shot-holes had to be plugged in the vessel's side.
It was the first command Voules had ever enjoyed, and he walked the
deck with his spyglass under his arm, issuing his orders in an
authoritative tone. At last his eye fell upon Dick, who was engaged in
some work which it appeared he was not doing according to the
midshipman's notion of the way it ought to be done.
"What are you about there, you lubberly hound?" he shouted out,
springing up to him with a rope's end. Dick leaped out of his way, and
the uplifted rope fell on the back of another man, who turned round with
a look of no little astonishment.
"I beg pardon, sir, but you hit somewhat hard," said the man. "I'll
splice this here rope for the lad, for if he's not quite up to it, he
knows how to use his cutlass, at any rate. If it hadn't been for him,
our commander would be among those poor fellows who have lost the number
of their mess in this here fight."
"Belay the slack of your jaw, fellow!" exclaimed Voules, turning away.
The man thrust his tongue into his cheek as he caught the eye of another
seaman standing near him.
Dick kept out of the midshipman's way as much as he could, though he
continued actively engaged as before. His spirits rose with the feeling
that he was at liberty, and that he had gained Lieutenant Mason's good
opinion. "I wish that I had been allowed to remain on board the cutter.
I could serve under her commander, and do my duty. But when I get on
board the frigate, all will be changed, I fear," he said to himself;
"however, I must not think about that. I must do my duty as well as I
can now, and maybe he'll speak a word for me, though I have little to
expect from such fellows as Mr Voules and his friend."
The breeze continued, The Start was passed, the Eddystone light came in
sight. No one on board the vessels turned in. The whole crew on board
the lugger could only just manage her sails, while that of the cutter
were required to keep a watch on the prisoners. The two vessels kept
close together, Voules every now and then hailing the cutter, to learn
if all was right on board her. The lugger had twice to shorten sail, or
she would have run ahead. Dick, as he walked forward, kept his eye on
the cutter. The idea had come into his head that the Frenchmen might
rise on their captors. He had formed a higher estimate of their courage
than had most of his shipmates. The lugger was now about twenty fathoms
off on the cutter's quarter. Voules, who had become very hungry,
telling the man at the helm to keep the vessel as she was going, dived
below, in the hopes of finding something to eat. Two or three of the
men, following his example, had gone below, with the same object in
view. Dick, who was standing on the lugger's forecastle, with his eye
turned towards the cutter, suddenly saw a flash, though there was no
report. This was immediately followed by shouts and oaths.
"Starboard!" he cried out to the man at the helm; "there's something
going wrong on board the cutter."
The lugger was just then feeling the breeze, and forging ahead. This
brought her bows close to the cutter's side. Dick could see that a
struggle was going on around the main hatchway, up which a number of
figures were forcing themselves. His cries brought the lugger's men
forward. To lash the two vessels together was the work of a moment, and
then he, with five of his shipmates, leaped down on the cutter's deck.
Their arrival turned the scales in favour of the crew, who, surprised by
a sudden uprising of the French prisoners, were struggling hard to keep
them down, several having incautiously unbuckled their cutlasses while
engaged in repairing the rigging. Lieutenant Mason and Lord Reginald
were aft, at supper. So sudden and silent had been the rising, that
they had only just before reached the scene of action when the lugger
ran alongside. "Thank you, Voules; you came in the nick of time," cried
Lieutenant Mason, when the Frenchmen were forced below.
Voules made no reply. He had been busily engaged in the lugger's cabin,
and was not aware of what had taken place until all was over.
"It was this here lad, sir, who did it," exclaimed the seaman who had
received the blow aimed at Dick's shoulders; "he see'd what was
happening. If it hadn't been for him, no one else would have found it
out."
"Thank you, Richard Hargrave; that is the second time to-day you have
rendered me good service," said Lieutenant Mason.
"Richard Hargrave!" said Lord Reginald; "he is the last person I should
have thought likely to do anything worthy of praise."
"Depend upon it, your lordship will find there is something in that lad,
if he has the opportunity of proving it," observed Lieutenant Mason.
No lives had been lost in the outbreak. Order was quickly restored, the
lashings cast off, and the lugger's crew returning to her, the two
vessels pursued their course as before. The Frenchmen now saw that all
hope of escape was gone, and quietly submitted to their fate.
The night was sufficiently light to enable the cutter and her prize to
make their way up Plymouth harbour. Before the day broke they were both
safe at anchor in Hamoze, close to where the _Wolf_ lay.
Soon after sunrise Lieutenant Mason, with the two midshipmen he had
brought for the frigate, went alongside her. Captain Moubray, who was
on board, at once desired to see him. Having given an account of the
capture of the lugger and described the good conduct of the pressed men,
and especially mentioned Richard Hargrave, he added, "He saved my life,
sir, in boarding the lugger, and afterwards, when the Frenchmen were on
the point of breaking out of the hold, he brought the lugger alongside
just in time to enable us to drive them below without bloodshed. He
had, I understand, deserted from the frigate, but as he was in the first
instance pressed, I trust that you will pardon him, and judge rather by
the way he has lately behaved than his past conduct."
"I'll take the account you give into consideration, Mr Mason," answered
the captain. "To prevent desertion, it is absolutely necessary to
punish those who are retaken; but I should be very unwilling to do so in
this instance. I will see this Richard Hargrave, and if I can overlook
his offence without injury to the discipline of the ship, I will gladly
do so."
With this promise, Lieutenant Mason was obliged to remain satisfied. It
was all he could do to show his gratitude to Dick for saving his life.
He had, however, several duties to perform--to get rid of his prisoners,
and to hand the lugger over to the prize agents. On paying his respects
to the admiral, he received many compliments on his gallantry, and a
promise that his conduct would be duly reported. He then mentioned Dick
Hargrave's conduct. "Very praiseworthy," observed the admiral. "I am
glad you have spoken of him to Captain Moubray, who will doubtless see
that he is rewarded, and keep an eye on him in future."
Dick, soon after he got on board, fell in with Ben Rudall. Ben looked
very downcast.
"Sorry to see you back, Dick," he said. "What has happened? Did you
manage to get home and see my old woman, and give her the money? or did
they catch you afore, and take it from you?"
Dick briefly explained all that had happened, and gave an account of the
action with the lugger, and how the lieutenant had spoken of him.
"That's good luck for you. It may save you from what I got. I thought
I was safe off, but I was brought back, and had a taste of the cat in
consequence."
Dick received a very different greeting from what he had expected. The
news of his behaviour had spread from mouth to mouth, and he was looked
upon by his messmates in a far better light than formerly. Seamen are
always ready to acknowledge merit, and his attempt to desert was
overlooked, especially when it was known among the men that he had been
put up to it by Ben Rudall. He was naturally somewhat nervous as to how
he might be treated by the captain, not being aware that Lieutenant
Mason had spoken in his favour, for he had no hope that Lord Reginald or
Voules would have mentioned his conduct on board the cutter.
At length his name was called along the decks. He hurried aft. The
master-at-arms, who had been looking for him, told him that he was
wanted on the quarterdeck. He screwed up his courage to brave the
worst. He found the captain and first lieutenant standing aft, as he
approached, hat in hand.
"Richard Hargrave, you entered some time back on board this ship, and
deserted. You made no attempt to return of your own accord, and were
retaken. You know the punishment, and discipline requires that it
should be inflicted," said the captain in a stern voice.
"I was pressed against my will, sir; and I did my duty in the action
with the French frigate which we took. But I wanted to see my mother
and blind sister, and I ran, and can't deny it. Now I've been brought
back, I'll try to do my duty. That's what I've got to say, sir."
"Have you nothing more to say?" asked the captain.
"Yes. When I was set free, I did duty on board the cutter, and helped
to take the French lugger. The commander says I saved his life; and
afterwards, when I was on board the prize, it was through me that the
lugger was brought alongside the cutter, and the Frenchmen, who were
rising on her crew, were overpowered."
"You acted well, then, on both occasions?" said the captain.
"Yes; I did what I thought was my duty," answered Dick.
"Still, you do not deny that you deserted, and had no intention of
returning?" observed Captain Moubray.
"I cannot deny it, sir," said Dick.
"You know that desertion is always punished by flogging?" said the
captain.
"Yes," answered Dick; "if it were not for the disgrace I shouldn't mind
it."
"It is a greater disgrace to desert your ship," said the captain; "but
discipline must be maintained, although, considering your gallant
conduct on board the cutter, I would gladly overlook your crime."
Just as Dick was expecting to hear his sentence pronounced, he was
conscious that some one, who had come up, was standing by his side, and
glancing round, he saw Ben Rudall.
"Beg pardon, Captain Moubray, for speaking, but I makes bold in this
here case to come for'ard, as I knows more about the desertion of this
lad than any one else," said Ben, giving a pull at his hair. "I put him
up to it, as I had been the cause of his being taken, and as I knowed
that he is the only son of his father and mother, they would be main
glad to have him back again; and I had made up my mind to go too, as I
have a wife and children at home waiting for me, but I was taken and
brought back."
"Then you merit the punishment more than he does," said the captain.
"That's just it, sir; and I axes the favour of being flogged instead of
him. My hide is tough, and can bear it; but his is young and tender,
and ain't been accustomed to hard blows."
The captain looked greatly puzzled. He was struck by Ben's magnanimity,
if so it could be called, in being ready to sacrifice himself, and was
therefore unwilling to punish him; yet the crime of inciting another to
desert was greater even than the act of desertion, and he felt, as the
man had acknowledged it, that he ought to be punished as a warning to
others.
The first lieutenant relieved him of his dilemma by observing that,
"That man has already been flogged for attempting to desert, and I may
venture to think that it would not do to punish him again for the same
crime."
"You are right, Mr Curling. The discipline of the ship will not
suffer, should I overlook this lad's offence in consideration of the
gallantry he has displayed."
"I feel sure of it, sir. It would do more harm to punish than to pardon
him."
"Go forward, my man," said the captain, addressing Rudall. "I have
heard what you say about this lad, and let it be known among the men,
that although he is let off this time, I will not again pardon any
attempt at desertion, whatever may be the excuse offered."
Ben, pulling a lock of his hair, obeyed the captain's orders, and went
forward, exhibiting very little trace of the lawless, vaunting smuggler
he had appeared to Dick on board the _Nancy_.
"And now, Richard Hargrave," said the captain, addressing Dick, "you
made a bad commencement by committing a grave crime, but you have shown
that you are capable of performing your duty well and gallantly. Your
late conduct atones in a great measure for your previous behaviour; and
as you know what your duty is, I would urge you to perform it, in spite
of the bad example or advice of such associates as may try to lead you
into evil. Remember that the eyes of the officers will be upon you, and
I shall be glad to hear a favourable report of your conduct."
Dick, grateful to the captain for pardoning him, and especially for the
last encouraging words which he had spoken, could with difficulty
refrain from bursting into tears. His breast heaved, a choking
sensation came into his throat, and he was unable to utter a word beyond
"Thank you, sir; thank you, sir;" and making the usual salute, he turned
round and hurried below.