THE CROSSED HEART.
When two impetuous streams join and flow together, their course must
needs be swift--whether to flow into the sweet and happy valley, or into
the dark and horrid gulf. Thus while my uncle occupied himself in one
matter, Lady Biddy busied herself in another, and both to the equipment
of this new expedition; so that in an incredible short space of time all
provision was achieved, and we were ready to set out.
First there were ships to be procured, and seamen to serve them. For
better choice, Sir Bartlemy journeyed over to Portsmouth, taking me with
him, and a well-stuffed purse, together with a dozen lusty servants for
our safe escort through those lawless and dangerous parts which lay
betwixt Truro and Exeter, where no man rides safe.
Being come without mishap to Portsmouth, Sir Bartlemy went to an old
acquaintance of his, a broker and a very honest man, and with him we
went and examined all those ships that were to sell, choosing in the end
two that were after his heart; excellent fair ships too, sound and
swift, that had sailed the seas, one two years and the other four; for
Sir Bartlemy would have no new ships, but only such as had stood the
test of tempest, and were fully seasoned.
While this was a-doing I made a discovery which gave me no little
concern. The broker would have us look at a French ship, albeit Sir
Bartlemy declared he would trust himself in no timbers that had not
grown in England; however, to humor him, we went to the side of the
harbor where she lay. But at the first sight of her my uncle turned up
his nose, and began to find a hundred faults, finally declaring that
nothing good ever came out of France save her wines, and that it would
be time better spent to drink a pint of Bordeaux than to go further with
the examination of such a cursed piece of shipbuilding. With that he
invited the broker to crack a bottle in an adjacent tavern, which they
did without further ado. But something in the look of this ship arousing
my curiosity, I feigned to have no liking for wine, and getting the
broker's leave to visit the ship, I hired a wherry and was carried to
her.
_La Belle Esperance_ was her name, and she was painted quite fresh in
very lively colors, after the sort of French ships; but for all that
when I got on board my suspicions were stronger than ever; for the make
of the ship (being little altered) was, as I may say, familiar to me.
And straight I went into the coach, and so to the little cabin on the
larboard side, and there on a certain timber I sought and found this
mark, cut deep in the wood:
[Illustration: Heart with horizontal line through center]
Then I knew beyond doubt that this ship, despite its new name and fresh
paint, was none other than the _Sure Hawk_. For this crossed heart was
my cipher (making the letters B. P. after a fashion if looked at
sidelong) which I had engraved with my own hand and of my own invention.
I needed no further proof, but, being greatly troubled, went straightway
ashore. And there finding occasion to speak privately with the broker, I
questioned him concerning this ship: how long she had lain at
Portsmouth, etc.
"Why, sir," says he, very civilly, "she has been here three weeks, and
no more. To tell you the truth, she was a French pirate, though I said
nothing of that matter to Sir Bartlemy to add to his prejudice. But she
is a good ship, and was taken by some honest Englishmen trading in
spices."
"And what was the name of their ship who took this?" I asked.
"That I cannot tell you," he replies, "for their ship was so disabled in
the fight that they had to abandon her and come home in this."
"Do you know these men or their captain?"
"No, sir, for they were of Hull; but I believe the captain's name was
Adams, for I heard of him yesterday."
"In what respect?"
"It was in this wise. He bought a new ship of a brother broker here--the
French vessel being not to his taste, nor big enough for his
purpose--and sailed it hence to fit out and victual at Hull, where his
crew would fain see their friends; and to Hull we thought he had gone.
But my friend having necessity to go to St. Ives, in Cornwall, did there
see this very ship, and Captain Adams with his men ashore, all drunk as
any fiddlers; which amazed him, so that he spoke of it as a thing not to
be understood."
But I understood this well enough, and therefore I laid the whole matter
before my uncle, and would have had him go with me to St. Ives, where I
doubted not but we should find Captain Adams to be Rodrigues, and so lay
him and his rascally crew by the heels, besides seizing his ship for our
redress.
But my uncle would not agree to this.
"For," says he, "in the first place, it is a tedious business to stir
the Admiralty to our profit, and in that time this Rodrigues--curse his
bones!--may get wind of our intent and slip through our fingers; and,
secondly, I hold it best not to stir up a sleeping dog, but to get on
while one is safe. Added to which, every moment's delay is as much as a
year of suffering to Harry."
To this I could make no objection, so I agreed to keep what I knew
secret. But I perceived full well that my uncle, had he not openly
expressed to his friend such contempt for the French ship (as he thought
her) would have let Sir Harry wait until he had proved her to be the
_Sure Hawk_ and brought Rodrigues to justice, for he was very revengeful
when roused, and full of hatred for the man who cheated him; but because
he feared ridicule--having condemned that for worthless which but twelve
months before he had bought for the best ship ever built--he would do
nothing. For which weakness, God knows, he was fully punished in the
end.
Our business being brought to an end at Portsmouth, we sailed our new
ships into Falmouth Haven; and their names were the _Sea Lion_ and the
_Faithful Friend_. And here were piles of merchandise waiting to be
shipped, for Lady Biddy Fane had faithfully bought and prepared every
sort of thing in just proportion as before our going Sir Bartlemy had
set down an inventory; and none but a capable woman of stout purpose and
strong heart could have done so much.
To work went all to get this store aboard--the very house servants being
pressed into service (such as they could compass), under the direction
of Lady Biddy; yet could not all be done in a day, nor much less than
three weeks, and no time lost.
All this time my mind was exceedingly uneasy, less Rodrigues should hear
of our expedition, and seek to do us harm. And with this dread I made
inquiries (privately) if during my absence any one had called to see me,
and I found no one had asked for me. Then I felt sure that Rodrigues or
Parsons and his men were at Penzance, and none others but they. For
otherwise to a certainty the wives and sweethearts of those men drawn
from Penny-come-quick and Truro to our first venture, hearing as they
must of my return, would have sought me for tidings of them. And if they
were in communication with those men, then must our enemies know that I
had come back, and that another expedition was fitting out. I knew the
nature of Rodrigues--subtile and daring wretch!--merciless in the
pursuit of plunder, and bloody as those beasts of prey which will kill,
though they be too surfeited to eat, their quarry.
At length all was ready for our departure. Lady Biddy having paid off
all her servants (save a good wench whom she took with her) sent her
plate and treasures to a silver-smith in Exeter; and so, to cut this
matter short, put her estate in the hands of a trusty steward, and bade
farewell to her friends. We all got on board: my uncle and Lady Biddy in
the _Faithful Friend_, which was the larger and better ship of the two,
and I in the _Sea Lion_. For though Sir Bartlemy would have had me with
him, and Lady Biddy said nothing to discourage me therefrom, yet did I
feel that it would be better that I should not see her, fearing her
beauty might stir up the passion in my breast, and lead me again into
evil thoughts.
It was arranged that the breeze proving prosperous the next morning we
should depart at break of day; and license was given to the crew to make
merry on board till ten o'clock, that they might start with a cheerful
heart.
Now while the men were rejoicing after the fashion of mariners, there
comes a wherry alongside with a woman in it; and this woman cries out to
know if Jack Stone is aboard that ship or the _Faithful Friend_. There
was no man of our crew with that name; but this woman being comely and
buxom, with a merry face, the men did pretend that Jack Stone was
aboard, but too drunk to stir; and with that they asked her to come up
and give him a kiss for farewell.
"Why," says she, coming up the side without more ado, "do you start so
soon? Jack told me yesterday you did not set out for a week."
"We sail at daybreak, sweetheart," says the gunner, taking her about the
waist.
And this was what she had come to learn, as I feel convinced; for as
soon as she had heard as much as was to be pumped out of these fuddled
fellows, she left them, and was rowed ashore, never having again asked
after the man she called Jack Stone.
The purser being a sober man, I asked him if he knew the woman, and he
told me he knew her well for a Penzance woman.
"Then," thinks I, "Rodrigues has brought his ship round to be near us,
and he has sent this woman for a spy. From Penzance she has come on this
mission, and to Penzance she has returned; and so God help us."