EVIL WAYS
Onward went the boat to the haven at the mouth of the river, and the two
guilty souls in her felt that they had narrowly escaped capture, and
that, if the law of the land should ever lay hold upon them, they would
both have to rue the foul deed they had committed. But the law of the
land had long been set at defiance by them; and they owned none but
those of the wind and weather, which compelled them to run for foreign
ports, and to slink into those of their own country at the dead of
night.
After various congratulations upon their luck in getting off, and making
many remarks upon the late encounter, they turned to their duties as
sailors, kept their boat trim, and scudded along, with all sails set,
toward the _Alde_, which now lay in the shade of Felixstowe Cliff,
moored, as if waiting wind and tide to carry her up the river. They were
well acquainted with the spot, and bore away through the bright
moonlight, reached the mouth of the river, and were at length lifted up
by the rolling waves of old Ocean, which came tumbling in from the
harbour's mouth.
"The light burns low by the water's edge, and is hidden from the
sentinel on Landguard Fort. All's right; we shall be on board
presently."
Soon did they run along the side of the dark cutter; and giving the
signal, "Aldeburgh", were well understood by the dark-looking sailor who
kept watch upon the forecastle of the ship. All was right; and when the
captain came on board, all hands were had up, the sails quickly set, and
the anchor weighed. Luff took the helm, the captain retired to his
cabin, and in a short time the boat was hoisted in, and away they dashed
to sea.
The dark dreams of the captain were mingled with the visions of his
past failure, and disturbed with the jealousy and hatred of all the
Barrys. The phosphoric lights upon the sea, as the vessel glided through
the waves, made it look like a boiling ocean of flame, like burning
waters; and the spray which the waves gave off resembled smoke. They
were fiery spirits who lived on board that vessel, as ardent as the
liquid flame they bore in their tubs, and about as productive of good.
Could the history of every one on board the _Alde_ be told, it would
make the blood curdle in the veins of many a stout landsman. They were
pirates as well as smugglers. Secrecy and crime went hand-in-hand with
them. Daylight and honesty were things scarcely known amongst them.
The chief employer of these men lived, as the reader knows, in tolerable
repute, sometimes at one place, sometimes at another. He had many
vessels at sea, and Captain Bargood was as well known on the opposite
side of the German Ocean as on this. He accumulated riches, but he never
enjoyed them. He lived in a kind of terror, which those only who have
felt it can describe. He outlived, however, all his ships and all his
ships' companies; and looked, to the day of his death, an old
weather-beaten log, which had outstood storms and tempests, and come
ashore at last to be consumed. He prided himself, in his old days, upon
the many daring captains he had made, and the manner in which he had
secretly commanded them. He had a regular register of their appointments
and their course, how many trips each ship had taken, how she paid, how
she was lost or taken, and what became of her and her crew. That fearful
log-book could tell of many a horrid tale. It would also serve to show
the enormous extent of illicit traffic carried on at that period by one
man alone.
We must now return to the _Alde_. While dashing through the sea, past
the sand-bank, or bar, at the mouth of the Deben, those on board saw a
solitary light burning in Ramsholt Church, a sign that she might send a
boat on shore in safety. Luff undertook to go. He did so, and found a
messenger from Captain Bargood to land the cargo at the Eastern Cliff,
as the coastguard had received information that a run was going to take
place at Sizewell Gap, and they had therefore drawn away their men, that
their force at that point might be strong enough.
The work was soon done, and the desperate crew betook themselves to the
cave, to spend a night of revel and carouse, such as spirits like theirs
only could delight in.
To the surprise of many, Will Laud remained on board, and preferred
taking a cruise, and coming in again the following night for the ship's
company. The fact, however, was, that he was afraid of the land. The
consciousness of his guilt, and the fear of the revenge of Barry, should
the coast-guard hear of his attack upon young Barry, the brother, acted
upon his nerves, and made him think himself safe only on the broad sea.
A certain number of men always remained on board to take the vessel out
of sight of the land until the night, and then only were these
free-traders able to near the shore. The lives of these men were always
in jeopardy, and none of them ever turned out good husbands or friends.
When they were compelled to leave off the contraband traffic, they
generally took to poaching, and led fearful and miserable lives; which,
if traced to the close, would generally be found to end in sorrow, if
not in the extremity of horror.
John Luff had an interview with Captain Bargood, and then told him of
Will Laud's awkward situation upon the banks of the Orwell.
"A lucky fellow to escape as he did!" exclaimed Bargood. "He might have
been at this moment in Ipswich gaol, and from thence he would only have
escaped through the hangman's hands."
"We must keep him out of the way, sir. We must again report him killed,
and change his name from Hudson. He is already known as Will Laud, and
his fame will spread along the shore."
"Well, he is a lucky fellow. He should go round the world. I'll send
him, ship and crew, a good long voyage. Something may be done in the
fur-trade this winter. I have received a notice that I might send a
ship, and cheat the Hudson's Bay Company of a good cargo of skins. What
shall we dub the captain?"
"Let's call him Captain Cook; I'll tell the crew it's your desire to
have the captain honoured for his success by giving him the title of the
great navigator."
"That will do, John--that will do. Take these orders to Captain Cook.
Give these presents to the men. Tell them to disperse themselves upon a
visit to their friends, and meet again at the Cliff on the 12th of next
month, for the purpose of making a long voyage. In the meantime do you
and the captain contrive to get the ship into friendly quarters abroad,
and if you like to run ashore yourselves, there is my cottage at Butley
Moor, and you can take possession of it. But keep yourselves quiet. Five
of the crew belong to Butley, and I know what they will be up to. Do not
let Captain Cook go up the Orwell again, if you can help it, and steer
clear of the coastguard."
"Aye, aye, master, I'll manage"; and, leaving the old commodore, he
returned to the cave, and reached it at the precise moment when the
hardy fellows were drinking "Long life to Jack Luff!"
"I'm just come in time, boys, to make you all return thanks instead of
me. I wish you all long life and good luck. I've got you all near three
weeks' run ashore. So here's your healths! But I say, boys, the
commodore approves our young captain, and has appointed him a good
voyage next turn; and as he is to sail across the Atlantic, he wills
that you all should join in calling him Captain Cook."
"With all our hearts! With all our hearts!" exclaimed several of the
crew. "But what were you saying about the three weeks' run?"
"Why, that you must all be here by the 12th of October. In the meantime,
if you want to see me or the captain, you will find us after next week
at the green-windowed cottage at Butley. Till then, my boys, follow
your own fun. Here's your pay, and a present besides for each."
A noisy shout issued through that dark and dreary cavern. They were not
long in obeying their employer's orders. By twos and threes they
dispersed, some to Boyton, some to Butley, some to Shottisham, Ramsholt,
Bawdsey, Hollesley, Felixstowe, one or two as far as Trimley, Nacton,
and Ipswich.
The country was too hot for some of them, who, being suspected of being
concerned in the attack made upon young Barry, were looked after in
order to be prosecuted for attempt at murder. All pains had been taken;
rewards offered, their persons described; and so nearly did some of the
crew resemble the description of their companions, that they had to cut
their cables, and run for the furthest port in safety. John Luff and the
captain took up their quarters again by Butley Moor, and employed
themselves, as before, in the dangers, and to them familiar sports, of
poaching.
The 12th of October came, and the smugglers returned to their places of
meeting, and the captain and his mate met them at the cave. Two only did
not come to the muster, and these two were always suspected of being
rather "shy cocks."
"I say, captain," said one of the men, "I had like to have suffered for
you, and Tim Lester for Jack Luff. Two fellows laid an information
against us, and swore that we were the men who attempted to murder young
Barry. The hundred pounds' reward would have made them stick to it as
close as a nor'-wester to the skin. We cut our cables, and ran off and
escaped. The country around is hot enough after you both, so the sooner
we are on board the better."
Accordingly, stores were soon shipped, anchors, cables, spars, and
rigging carried on board, orders given, and "far, far at sea they
steered their course."