"I must beg you and your aunt to come on board my schooner. This vessel
is not in a safe condition for you to remain in her. I will, believe
me, endeavour to do everything to secure your comfort and to mitigate
the annoyance you must of course feel. I will go on deck and endeavour
to persuade your aunt to do what is necessary."
"I wish you would," she answered. "I am afraid that you will have no
little difficulty, though."
I left the young lady preparing in a very methodical way to pack up her
things to remove on board the tender, while I, with no little
trepidation, went on deck to address the aunt. The Lady Parker was fast
coming up, and I wanted to make all arrangements before O'Driscoll's
appearance.
The lady, as I expected, at first refused positively to leave the vessel
she was on board of unless by force. I assured her that she would
remain at very great risk to her own life and that of her niece, should
bad weather come on, and I assured her that I would spare no pains to
secure her comfort, and I pledged my honour that she would be as safe
under my protection as she had been under that of Captain Cobb.
"Besides, Captain Cobb himself will be on board my vessel, madam."
"In that case, sir, I will act according to your commands," said the
lady, with one of her bitter smiles.
As they had no attendant, she and her niece were some time in putting up
their things, and though I offered my services they were stiffly
declined by the elder lady. However, under the counteracting influences
of her sweet niece I felt that I could bear a large amount of sourness
from her.
At last I got them safely into the boat and on board the tender,
together with Mr Cobb and his mate and two of his men. The rest I
judged that I could safely leave where they were to help work the prize.
I sent Grampus on board her to take charge, and we had the hawser
secured when O'Driscoll came up. I had no particular wish just then for
his company, though I could not for the world have shown any jealousy of
him, so I signalised him that all was right and that I was going to make
sail for Rhode Island. He, however, had seen the ladies on my deck, and
he would have been unlike any Irishman I ever met had he not desired to
know more about them. He accordingly signalised me in return not to
make sail till he had held some private communication with me, and very
quickly he was on board. After he had made a most profound bow to the
two ladies and looked a thousand unutterable things, he seized me by the
arm and led me forward.
"Oh, you lucky dog, Poynder," said he, "to have fallen in with such a
prize--that magnificent creature and that pretty little girl. Faith! I
must accompany you back to the admiral, just to see that you don't get
into any mischief. I should like to bask myself every morning in their
smiles, even though it may be at a somewhat long distance."
I of course told him that he must do as he thought fit, but I wasn't
sorry when he tumbled into the boat to return to his own craft, and
allowed me to prepare for the ladies' comfort on board mine. I of
course gave them up the entire cabin, and fitted up a sofa with sides
for one of the ladies. What with canvas, and flags, and some planks, I
very soon had some fair accommodation for them. My own cot I had slung
in another part of the vessel. The younger lady, when she returned on
deck, after inspecting the arrangements I had made, thanked me with a
look which made ample amends for all the trouble I had taken. The elder
one did not deign to take any notice of the matter. I had been anxious
to know their names. I had seen that of Tarleton on one of the trunks,
so I addressed the elder lady as Mrs Tarleton, which she seemed to
acknowledge as her proper appellation, so I took the chance of being
right, and called the other Miss Tarleton; but she with a smile
observed--
"No; that is not my name. I am called Madeline Carlyon. That lady is
the wife of my mother's brother. She, as you see, is very strongly
opposed to the Royalist party. She has reason, for she has suffered
much from them. I am very much attached to her, for she is an
excellent, noble-minded person, though she has, as you see, her
peculiarities."
"And are you, Miss Carlyon, equally opposed to the Royalists?" I asked.