We were quickly on deck, and welcomed cordially as strangers by Captain
Falconer, who did not recognise me. I lost no time, however, in making
myself known, and in telling him who Mr Raglan was. I need not say how
great was his satisfaction on receiving this information. He bestowed
all the care and attention he possibly could on the old officer, and
treated him as a son would a father.
I had not, while on the island, mentioned Captain Falconer's name to Mr
Raglan, who had, therefore, no idea that he was his daughter's affianced
husband.
"I consider your friend one of the finest officers of the merchant
service I ever met," he said to me, one day. "A noble fellow. I can
never be grateful enough for the attention he shows me."
The _Harmony_ was homeward-bound.
As there was no one to do the duty of third mate, Captain Falconer gave
me the berth, and much gratified me by saying how well pleased he was
with the way I performed my work. The discipline of the ship was
excellent, favourably contrasting with that of the _Phoebe_. Captain
Falconer, following the example of her former commander, had prayers
every morning and evening in his cabin, and a regular service for the
men on Sundays, while he had a supply of excellent books for their
instruction.
Mr Raglan was always ready to enter into conversation on religious
subjects with the captain, and from the day we got on board he became a
diligent reader of the Bible.
We had a quick passage to England. As soon as we reached the Thames,
Captain Falconer gave me leave to go on shore, that I might visit my
kind friend Mr Dear, who would, I knew, be under the belief that I had
been lost.
Mr Raglan accompanied me, as I hoped that Mr Dear would be able to
inform him where his daughter was residing. He had left his office when
we arrived, and we therefore took a coach and drove to his residence.
We were shown by the servant into the drawing-room, while she went to
call her master, who was in the garden. The window was open, and we saw
him walking along a path, accompanied by two ladies. He soon came into
the drawing-room.
"Oh, my dear Laurel!" he exclaimed, in a voice broken by agitation, as
he took my hands. "You are as one risen from the dead; we had given you
up as lost. My wife will, indeed, be rejoiced to see you; and there is
another lady here who will be glad to find that you are in the land of
the living. Poor girl, when we heard her history we invited her to stay
here, and positively refused to let her leave us."
He said this before he appeared to notice Mr Raglan. I felt somewhat
embarrassed as to what to do, but I thought it best to introduce him
before Mrs Dear and Miss Kitty came in.
I scarcely knew what effect the sudden announcement that his daughter
was actually in his sight might have on the old officer. I resolved, in
the first instance, simply to tell Mr Dear that his unknown visitor was
a naval officer, who, having been shipwrecked, had come home in the
_Harmony_, and then to get him to leave the room with me, that I might
consult him in private. I did as I intended.
"I am very glad to see you, sir," exclaimed Mr Dear. "Pray be seated
on this sofa, and excuse me: my young friend here has a word or two to
say to me. Come along, Charley," and we left the room.
As soon as we were in the passage I told him who the officer was.
"Bless me!" he cried out, "that is extraordinary. I am, indeed,
delighted. Will you go back and tell him that you hope his daughter
will soon be with him, and then slip out again, and we will prepare Miss
Kitty. I want your assistance, for I am afraid I shall be letting the
truth out too soon."
I felt somewhat nervous, but I managed to break the news to my friend,
and then, hurrying out. I joined Mr Dear in the garden. We found the
ladies seated in an arbour at the further end. Miss Kitty, knowing me
at once, uttered a cry of surprise, and ran forward with outstretched
hands to meet me.
"I do not believe in ghosts," she said, "or I might have supposed that I
saw yours. How did you escape?"
"What, is this Charley Laurel?" cried Mrs Dear, giving me a kind
welcome, before I could answer Miss Kitty's question, which she herself
repeated.
I soon told them, and this gave me an opportunity of mentioning the
shipwrecked officer who had saved my life. I went on describing him,
keeping my eyes fixed on Miss Kitty's face, till she exclaimed suddenly:
"Oh, Charley, tell me; is he not my father? And you say he came home
with you?"
"Yes," I answered; "and he is even now waiting to see you."
"Oh, take me to him! take me to him!" she cried out.
Mr and Mrs Dear accompanied her to the house, and, leading her to the
drawing-room door, left her with her long-lost parent.
I need scarcely say that Captain Falconer next day made his appearance
at the house, and before he went away Mr Raglan gladly accepted him as
a son-in-law.
I was glad to find that Captain Renton was again to take command of the
_Phoebe_, though I should have preferred sailing with Captain Falconer.
He, however, it had been arranged, in consequence of his marriage,
should remain on shore for a year or two, to superintend the fitting out
of Messrs. Dear and Ashe's ships.
I made two voyages in the _Phoebe_, and returned on the last as her
first mate. So high a character did Captain Renton give me, that my
employers promised me the command of a ship they were about to despatch
to the West Indies. I passed the short time I was able to spend on
shore in visiting Mr Dear and Captain and Mrs Falconer, with whom
Captain Raglan, for I was glad to find he was promoted, resided.
My ship, the _Ellen_, was at length ready for sea. I felt as proud as I
suppose most young officers do, when they first assume the command of a
fine vessel; and as I surveyed the _Ellen_, I was satisfied that she was
all I could desire.
"You need not be jealous of Falconer," said Mr Dear, who accompanied me
on board. "You have now got a wife of your own, and I hope she will
prove true and faithful."
Being allowed three mates, I offered the berth of third mate to Dick,
who, though no navigator, was as good a seaman as I could desire to have
under me.
"I am obliged to you, Captain Laurel, but I am afraid I ha'n't make much
of a hand of the quadrant, or managing those chronometer affairs," he
answered, modestly; "though I know the stars pretty well, and can dot
down what is wanted in the log."
"I won't trouble you about that," I said; "you can manage the men, which
is more important. We have a rough lot, I fear."
Dick without farther ado accepted the appointment.
We were bound, in the first instance, for Barbadoes, but expected to
visit other islands on our return. We had a fine run across the
Atlantic. Though at first I felt a little strange, sitting in dignified
solitude in my cabin, I soon got accustomed to it.
The first and second mates were sensible fellows, and learned to esteem
Dick for his excellent qualities. He managed the men admirably, and got
more work out of them than they could, so that all things went smoothly.
He did not abuse them for swearing or coarse language, but, by bringing
out his Bible, he got them to listen; and then, pointing to God's Word,
asked them whether such and such things could be right in His sight.
Thus by degrees they were induced to give up a habit which had become
with most of them a second nature.
We had just made the north end of the Caribbean Islands soon after
daylight, and were going about, to beat up to our port, as the wind was
against us, when the look-out at the mast-head caught sight of a large
ship which appeared to be on shore on a reef. Her sails were furled,
and she was heeling over greatly. I accordingly stood on, to render her
any assistance she might require. As we drew near her, we saw that she
was, indeed, hard and fast, while a heavy sea broke on the reef and
threatened her with destruction. Through my glass I could see that the
crew were employed in lowering the yards, probably for the purpose of
building a raft. I, ordering the first mate to stand off the land,
lowered two boats. I took the command of one, and Dick of the other,
and we pulled towards the wreck. The tide was rising, and as we got
near we saw that the breakers were dashing with increasing fury against
the ship. A boat crowded with people had got away on the lee side
towards the land, and another, attempting to follow her example, was
swamped, and we feared that all the people in her were lost. To
approach on the weather side was impossible. I therefore directed Dick
to follow me, and pulled away to the south'ard, hoping to get round it,
as I did not believe that it extended many miles in that direction. We
had, however, a long pull, and by the time we got into comparatively
smooth water, having passed round the southern end of the reef, I was
afraid that the fate of those on board must be sealed. When we again
made out the ship, I feared that my worst anticipations had been
fulfilled, for the sea broke completely over her. Her masts were gone
and her upper works washed away. I got as near as I could, but could
distinguish no human being on board. Her crew must either have been
carried away by the sea, or made their escape in the boats, or on the
raft they were forming, if, as I doubted, they had had time to finish
it. Away to the westward rose a rocky island, which, from its
appearance, I guessed was uninhabited, and I thought that in all
probability any who had escaped would attempt to effect a landing on it.
As in their hurry they were not likely to have carried either
provisions or water, I determined to pull to the island, to relieve any
of the people who might have reached it. As we drew near, I saw that
the sea was breaking heavily on the weather shore, but I had no doubt of
being able to land on the lee side. We had a long pull before us; but
the men exerted themselves, and I still hoped to get back to the ship
before night closed in.