It had been arranged that True Blue should visit Paul Pringle and his
other friends at Emsworth before returning to his ship. The day for his
leaving London was fixed. He had seen all the sights and been several
times to the play; and though he thought it all very amusing, he was, in
truth, beginning to get somewhat tired of the sort of life. As to Lady
Elmore and her daughters, he thought them, as he said, next door to
angels, and would have gone through fire and water to serve them.
One morning he awoke just as the footman walked in with a jug of hot
water, and, leaving it on the washhand stand, retired without saying a
word. Sir Henry had directed that he should be waited on exactly as he
was himself. True Blue jumped out of bed; but when he came to put on
his clothes, they had disappeared. In their stead there was a
midshipman's uniform suit, dirk, and hat, and cockade complete, while a
chest stood open, containing shirts, and socks, and shoes, and a
quadrant, and books--indeed, a most perfect outfit.
"There's a mistake," he said to himself. "They have been and brought
Sir Henry's traps in here, and John has carried off my clothes, and
forgot to bring them back. I never do like ringing the bell, it seems
so fine-gentleman-like. Still, if he doesn't come, it will be the only
way to get to him." While waiting, he was looking about, when his eye
fell on a paper on the dressing-table. His own name was on it. It was
a document from the Admiralty, directing Mr Billy True Blue Freeborn,
midshipman of H.M. frigate _Ruby_, to go down and join her in a week's
time. He rubbed his eyes--he read the paper over and over again; he
shook himself, for he thought that he must be still in bed and asleep,
and then he very nearly burst into tears.
"No, no!" he exclaimed passionately; "it's what I don't want to be. I
can't be and won't be. I'll not go and be above Paul, and Abel, and
Peter, and Tom, which I should be if I was on the quarterdeck: I
shouldn't be one of them any longer. I couldn't mess with them and talk
with them, as I have always done. I know my place; I like Sir Henry and
many of the other young gentlemen very much, and even Mr Nott, though
he does play curious pranks now and then; but I never wished to be one
of them, and what's more, I won't, and so my mind is made up."
Just then he saw another document on the table. It was a letter
addressed to him. He opened it and found that it came from Paul
Pringle. It began:
"Dear Godson,--That you must always be to me. Who should come to see
me first, as I left the hospital, but our Captain--bless him! He
tells me there is talk of putting you on the quarterdeck. Now, that's
what I never wished for you, any more than your own father did. His
last words were, `Let him be brought up as a true British seaman.'
"That's what your other godfathers and I have done for you--as you'll
allow, Billy. Well, as to the quarterdeck idea, we all met and had a
talk about it. The long and the short of what we came to is, that you
must do as you wish. A man may, we allow, be on the quarterdeck, and
yet be a true British sailor all over. Many of our officers are such,
no doubt of it, every inch of them; but whether a man is the happier
or the better for being an officer, without being in the way born to
it--that's the question. We wouldn't stand in your way, Billy, only
we feel that we shouldn't be to each other what we were. We don't say
that it ought to make a great difference, but it would. That's the
conclusion we've come to. Bless you heartily, boy, we all say,
whatever course you steer.--Your loving godfather, Paul Pringle."
True Blue read the epistle over several times. Though signed by
Pringle, it had partly been written by Abel Bush, and partly by Peter
Ogle. It contained a postscript, inviting him to come down to Emsworth,
whatever the determination he might come to, as his many friends there
were anxious to see him.
The mention of his old friends roused up thoughts and feelings in which,
for some time past, he had not indulged. Both Peter Ogle and Abel Bush
were married men, with large families. With them he felt how perfectly
at home and happy he should be. One of them, too, Mary Ogle, though
rather younger than himself, had always been his counsellor and friend,
and had also materially assisted in giving him the amount of knowledge
he possessed in reading and writing. Had it not been for her, he
confessed that he would have remained a sad dunce.
After he had thought over the letter, he exclaimed, "Then again, now, if
I was an officer I should have to go with the other officers wherever
they went; and when the ship came into port, I should be for starting
off for London, and couldn't go and stay comfortably with my old
friends. No, I'm thankful to Sir Henry--I am, indeed; but I've made up
my mind."
He rang the bell. When John appeared, he asked for his clothes.
"There they are, sir," said John, pointing to the midshipman's uniform.
"I see; but I want the clothes I wore yesterday, John," said True Blue.
"Master said those were for you, sir," explained John.
"I'm not going to put on those clothes, John," said True Blue quietly.
"They don't suit me, and I don't suit them."
The footman was astonished.
"But they will make you an officer and a gentleman," said he earnestly.
"That's just what I don't want to be, John," answered True Blue. "They
wouldn't do it, either. It isn't the clothes makes the man. You know
that. Bring me back my own jacket and trousers. I know Sir Henry won't
be angry with you. I'll set it all right. There's a good chap, now--do
as I ask you."
John still hesitated.
"Very well," continued True Blue, "if you don't, I'll just jump into bed
again, and there I'll stay. The only clothes I'll put on are my own.
They were brand new only last week, and I've not done with them."
John, seeing that the young sailor was in earnest, went and brought back
his clothes. True Blue was soon dressed, and considerable
disappointment was expressed on the countenances of the ladies as they
entered the breakfast-room, when, instead of the gay-looking midshipman
they expected to see, they found him in his seaman's dress. He looked
up frankly, and not in the slightest degree abashed.
"My lady," he said, "I know what you and Sir Henry intended for me, and
there isn't a part of my heart that doesn't thank you; but d'ye see, my
lady, I was born a true sailor, and a true sailor I wish to be. I have
old friends--I can't leave them. I know what I'm fitted for, and I
shouldn't be happy in a midshipman's berth. I know, too, that it was
all done in great kindness; but it's a thousand limes more than I
deserve. I shall always love you, my lady, and the young ladies, and
Sir Henry; and if ever he gets a ship, it will be my pride to be with
him and to be his coxswain. There's only one favour more I have to
ask--it is that Sir Henry will set to rights the order about my having a
midshipman's rating aboard the _Ruby_. It's a great favour, I'll allow;
but it's one I don't deserve and don't want. I've made up my mind about
it, and, my lady, you will let me be as I was--I was very happy, and
shall not be happier as an officer."
"I think very likely not," said Lady Elmore, taking his hand. "But,
Freeborn, we are all anxious to show our gratitude to you. Can you
point out how it may best be done?"
"That's it, my lady!" exclaimed True Blue vehemently. "I have done
nothing to speak of, and I do not wish for anything. Let me just think
about you all, and how kind you've been to me, and that's all I want.
If I serve with Sir Henry, I'll always be by his side, and I'll do my
best to keep the Frenchmen's cutlasses off his head."
"Thanks, thanks, my boy. Your love for my son makes me take a double
interest in you," said Lady Elmore warmly; and then she added, "still I
wish that you would allow us somewhat to lighten the load of obligation
we owe you."
As True Blue had not the slightest notion what this meant, he made no
reply.
Everybody in the house was sorry to part with the frank-spoken young
sailor. Even the butler and footman begged him to accept some token of
remembrance; and Mrs Jellybag, the housekeeper, put him up a box
containing all sorts of good things, which, she told him, he might share
with his friends down at Emsworth. He reached Emsworth in the evening,
and right hearty was the welcome he received from all the members of the
Ogle and Bush families, though not more kind than that old Mrs Pringle
and Paul bestowed on him.
The whole party assembled to tea and supper at Mrs Pringle's, and he
had not been many minutes in the house before he unpacked his chest and
produced his box of good things for them. He insisted on serving them
out himself, and he managed to slip the largest piece of cake into
Mary's plate, and somehow to give her a double allowance of jam.
Then there were a couple of pounds of tea,--a rare luxury in those days,
except among the richer classes,--and some bottles of homemade wines or
cordials, which served still more to cheer the hearts of the guests.
The pipes were brought in and fragrant tobacco smoked, and songs were
called for. Paul and Abel struck up. True Blue sang some of his best,
and, as he every now and then gave Mary a sly kiss, suiting the action
to the words of his songs, he never felt so happy in his life.
Supper was scarcely over when there was a rap at the door, and a
well-known voice exclaiming, "What cheer, mates, what cheer?"
Billy sprang from his stool, and, lifting the latch, cried out, "Come
in, Sam, come in! Hurrah! here's Sam Smatch. We were just wishing for
you to help us to shake down our supper, but little thought to see you."
"Why, d'ye see, I wasn't wanted aboard, and so I got leave and just
worked my way along here, playing at the publics and taking my time
about it," said Sam.
"Not getting drunk, I hope, Sam?" asked Paul.
"Why, as to that, Paul, d'ye see, sometimes more liquor got into my head
than went down into my heels; and so, you see, the heels was
overballasted-like and kicked up a bit, just as the old _Terrible_ used
to do in a heavy sea; but as to being drunk, don't for to go and think
such a thing of me, Paul,--I, who was always fit to look after the
cook's coppers when no one else could have told whether they had beef
and duff or round-shot boiling in them."
The black's countenance and the twinkle of his eyes belied his words,
but he was not the less welcome. Paul told him to sit down, and he was
soon doing ample justice to the remains of the supper. Without a word
the table was cleared away. Mrs Pringle and the older people retired
into the wide chimney recess. Sam, taking his fiddle, mounted on a
meal-tub, which stood in a corner by the old clock, and then, striking
up one of his merriest tunes, he soon had all the lads and lasses
capering and frisking about before him, True Blue being the most lively
and active of them all. Never did his heart and heels feel so light as
he bounded up and down the room with Mary by his side, sometimes
grasping her hands, and sometimes whirling round and round, while both
were shrieking and laughing in the exuberance of their spirits.
He felt as if a load had been taken off his mind. Once more he was
among his old friends and associates, and, without confessing the fact
to himself, he infinitely preferred being with them to enjoying all the
luxury and refinement which Lady Elmore's house in London had afforded.
So the days flew rapidly by till the party of seamen had once more to
rejoin their ship.
She was bound for the Mediterranean. The first port they entered was
Toulon. The town and the surrounding fortifications were held by the
Royalists, aided by British, Spanish, Sardinians, and Neapolitan troops,
and strong parties of seamen from the English and Spanish squadron. The
Republican troops were besieging the place, vowing vengeance against
their countrymen who opposed them. Lord Hood, the British
Commander-in-Chief, was expecting a reinforcement of Austrian troops to
defend the town. He sent some ships to convey them, but an answer was
returned that they could not be spared; and the Republican army having
increased rapidly in numbers and gained several posts, a council of war
was held to deliberate as to the advisability of longer holding the
place. The result was that Toulon must be abandoned. It was the
death-knell to thousands of the inhabitants.
Several important objects had to be accomplished. The ships of war must
first be carried out of the harbour, the defenders withdrawn from the
batteries, the Royalist inhabitants got off, and, finally, all the
French ships, magazines, and stores which could not be removed
destroyed.
It was an anxious and awful period. Between forty and fifty thousand
Republican troops were preparing to storm the works, which, covering a
vast extent of ground, were defended by less than eleven thousand. Sir
Sydney Smith had volunteered to destroy the magazines and ships.
On the 18th of December, all the troops, having been withdrawn from the
forts, were concentrated in the town. Happily the weather was fine and
the sea smooth. The enemy had been so severely handled that they
advanced cautiously. Among those who volunteered to accompany Sir
Sydney Smith was Mr Alston, one of the lieutenants of the _Ruby_. Mr
Nott, too, was of his party, as was Abel Bush, and True Blue got leave
to go also.
The Neapolitan troops, by their dastardly desertion of the fort of the
Mississi, at which they were stationed, nearly disconcerted all the
arrangements. Great numbers of the inhabitants had already gone on
board the ships of war.
Sir Sydney Smith had with him the _Swallow_, a small lateen-rigged
vessel, three English and three Spanish gunboats, and the _Vulcan_
fireship, under charge of Captain Charles Hare, with a brigade of boats
in attendance.
The ships had got out; the boats of the fleet were waiting to carry off
the troops. Already shot and shell from the surrounding heights were
beginning to fall thickly into the harbour. The galley slaves in the
arsenal, 800 in number, were threatening to interfere, but were kept in
check by the gunboats; the Republicans were descending the hill in
numbers, and opening fire with musketry and cannon on the British and
Spanish.
Night came on; the fireship, towed by the boats, entered the basin. Her
well-shotted guns were pointed so as to keep the enemy in check. The
Spaniards had undertaken to scuttle the _Iris_ frigate, which contained
several thousand barrels of powder, as also another powder vessel, the
_Montreal_ frigate.
Hitherto Sir Sydney Smith and his gallant companions had performed all
their operations in darkness, the only light being the flashes of the
cannon and muskets playing on them. At length ten o'clock struck--a
single rocket ascended into the air. In an instant the fireship and all
the trains leading to the different magazines and stores were ignited.
The boats lay alongside the former, ready to take off the crew. There
was a loud explosion--the priming had burst, and the brave Captain Hare
narrowly escaped with his life. "To the boats, lads, for your lives!"
he shouted.
Mr Nott and True Blue were assisting him. Not a moment was to be lost.
Upwards burst the flames with terrific fury, literally scorching them
as they ran along the deck to jump into the boats. Abel Bush caught
True Blue, or he would have been overboard.
"Bravo, boy!" cried Abel; "you've done it well."
"Yes, we've done it; but where's the Captain?" asked True Blue, about to
spring back to look for him.
Just then the Captain appeared, with his clothes almost burnt off his
back. The flames of the burning ships, the storehouses and magazines,
now clearly exposed to the view of the exasperated Republicans those who
were engaged in the work of destruction, and showers of shot and shell
soon came rattling down among them. Still the gallant seamen persevered
in the work they had undertaken, when suddenly the very air seemed to be
rent in two; the masts, rigging, and deck of the _Iris_ rose upwards in
a mass of flame, shattering two gunboats which happened to be close to
her, and scattering her burning fragments far and wide around her among
the boats. The brave fellows in the latter, heedless of the danger,
dashed on to assist the crews of the gunboats. Several people in one
had been killed; but the whole crew of the other, though she had been
blown into the air, were picked up alive.
"That is the ship the lazy Spaniards undertook to scuttle!" exclaimed
Mr Alston after they had picked up all the poor fellows they could
find. "However, bear a hand; we have plenty of work before us. There
are two seventy-fours. We must destroy them by some means or other."
When, however, they reached the seventy-fours, they found them full of
French prisoners, who seemed inclined to protect them.
"Very well, gentlemen," shouted Sir Sydney; "it will be a painful
necessity to have to burn you in the ships!"
The hint was taken, and the prisoners thankfully allowed themselves to
be conveyed to the nearest point of land.
The British ran no little risk in this undertaking, for the French far
outnumbered them; but no attempt at rising was made; and now the two
ships, _Heros_ and _Themistocle_, being cleared of their occupants, were
set on fire in every direction, and were soon blazing up brightly.
In every direction similar large bonfires were lighting up the harbour
and shores of Toulon, among which the British boats were incessantly
plying, carrying off the remaining troops and rescuing the terrified
inhabitants.
At length the work of destruction, as far as means would allow, was
well-nigh accomplished, when another fearful explosion, even greater
than the first, took place, close to where the tender and the boats were
at the moment passing.
It was the frigate _Montreal_. Down came around the boats a complete
avalanche of burning timbers, huge guns, masts, spars, and blocks,
rattling, and crashing, and hissing into the water. The seamen, already
almost exhausted with their exertions, could scarcely attempt even to
escape the fiery shower. Many of the poor fellows sank down at their
oars, and those in each boat believed that their comrades had been
destroyed; but when they drew out of the circle of destruction and
mustered once more, not one had been injured.
Although fired on by the Republicans, who had taken possession of Forts
Balaguier and Aiguillette, the boats slowly pulled out to join the fleet
already outside. A few only, whose crews had strength left, returned to
aid the flying inhabitants. The last of the troops had been embarked
under the able management of Captain Elphinstone, of the _Robust_, and
other Captains, without the loss of a man, the _Robust_ being the last
ship to leave the harbour when the infuriated Republicans, breathing
vengeance on the helpless inhabitants, rushed into the city.
The terrible intelligence reached them that even in the suburbs neither
age nor sex had been spared. Husbands seized their wives or daughters,
mothers their children, and, rushing from their houses, fled towards the
water, where their friends had already long ago embarked. Shot and
shell were remorselessly fired down on them; numbers were cut in pieces
as they fled. Every step they heard behind they thought came from a
pursuing foe. Many, unable to reach the boats, preferring instant death
to the bayonets of their countrymen, rushed, with their infants in their
arms, and perished in the waves.
Daylight approached, and with sorrowful reluctance the brave seamen had
to draw off from the scene of destruction to avoid falling into the
hands of the enemy.
The boat in which True Blue pulled the bow oar was one of the last to
quit the harbour, and for many a day afterwards the shrieks of the
hapless Toulonese, murdered by their countrymen, rang in his ears.