"Well, sir, then, as you desire it, I will tell you my object, and leave
it to your generosity to allow me to accomplish it," I answered, lifting
up my head and looking boldly at him, for I felt relieved of a
difficulty. I told him briefly the state of the case.
"I do not hesitate a moment in giving you leave, and for such an object
will gladly share the blame, if blame there be," he replied with a
well-satisfied look.
It was amusing to witness O'Driscoll's delight at the thoughts of the
expedition.
"Arrah! now, that's just as it should be!" he exclaimed; "and, my dear
boy, now, if you could but clap the sweet girl into the boat and pull
off with her, you'd be placing her out of danger, plaising yourself and
doing the right thing."
I did not argue the subject with him, as I had already done so in vain,
but I let him run on. From the alacrity with which he set about our
preparations it might have been supposed that he was the person most
interested in the result. A light boat was easily procured. Rockets
was of course ready to accompany us. We resolved to go without arms,
but to wear our uniforms that we might not be accused of being spies. I
wrote a letter, which I kept in my pocket, addressed to Colonel Carlyon,
informing him that my object in visiting the house where he was residing
was to request him to remove his family and friends from it, lest it
should become the scene of strife between the contending parties.
Should we be taken prisoners I intended to show this and to claim his
assistance to obtain our release. We left the ship early in the
evening, and with a fair wind our light skiff flew quickly over the
water towards the mouth of the Nansimond river. I never saw O'Driscoll
in such high feather. Had I been inclined to be in low spirits he would
have kept them up. Commend me to such a companion in all cases of this
sort, he joked, he told good stories, he sang and rattled on without
cessation. It was sufficiently dark when we neared the mouth of the
river to enable us, with our sail lowered, to enter without much chance
of being seen from the shore. Though the wind was fair, of course after
that we could not venture to carry sail, so we took it by turns to steer
while the other two pulled. Lights were glimmering in Nansimond as we
passed, but we gave the town a wide berth, and then had little to
apprehend except from a stray boat, till we got up to Mackey's Mills.
We kept a sharp look-out, to avoid any boat crossing or coming down the
stream. As we glided by the mills we could hear voices of people
speaking in them, but we kept near the opposite bank, and no one, we
fancied, saw us. Of course our oars were muffled, and as we sat as low
as we could in our little boat, very sharp eyes would have been required
to make us out. As long as there was a flood-tide we got on very well,
but it was high water before we got to Mackey's Mills, and in a short
time a strong current set against us. It was hard work in some spots
pulling against it; not that I minded that, but I was anxious to hurry
on to perform my mission and to assure myself that Miss Carlyon had
retired to a place of safety. We had just got into the broader part of
the stream, when, as I peered through the darkness ahead, I fancied I
saw a large object coming right down upon us. I instantly steered the
boat over to the north shore, and in a whisper told O'Driscoll and
Rockets to cease pulling. I was but just in time, for immediately after
a large boat full of people hove in sight. We could hear them talking,
and we made out that they expected an attack that very night from the
English. Had they seen us they would probably have supposed we had been
sent in advance, and would have shot us all down. The circumstances
made us consider how we should manage to return, for they would
certainly be on the look-out for us. Other boats also would be coming
down, which we might have some difficulty in avoiding. Still, what I
had undertaken I was determined to accomplish. We pulled on without
stopping. No other boat was seen. At length we reached what we
believed to be the place where we had landed on the night when I had met
Miss Carlyon. I knew it by the peculiar outline of the trees--otherwise
it might have been easily passed. O'Driscoll agreed with me that I was
right; so, running in under the bank, we effectually concealed our boat
in the bushes, and, clambering up, stood on the open ground with the
house we were in search of at no great distance from us. After a short
consultation O'Driscoll consented to remain near the boat with Rockets,
while I proceeded alone to the house. If I was well received I was to
summon him. My heart beat pretty fast as I approached the door. It did
not occur to me till my hand was actually on the knocker that it was
nearly midnight, and that in all probability the family would be in bed.
However, I knocked with tolerable distinctness, and then waited the
result. I saw lights gleaming at the windows, and before long a voice
in negro accents asked who was there and what was wanted.
"A messenger with important information for Colonel Carlyon or his
daughter," I answered. "I come alone, as a friend, tell your master."
"Admit him," said a voice.
The door was opened and I entered. Before me stood an officer in
uniform, with a brace of pistols in his belt and a sword by his side,
evidently prepared for service. I threw open my own cloak to show what
I was, and followed the officer into a well-lighted room on one side of
the passage. Supper was on the table, and another gentleman was in the
room. I instantly recognised him as my companion on my ride from
Hampton.
"Ah, Mr Hurry, I am glad to see you!" he exclaimed in a cordial tone,
stretching out his hand. "I little expected to meet you again so soon.
What brings you here?"
Now I was prepared to warn Miss Carlyon and her lady friends of danger,
but I had no intention of giving information to a stranger of the
movements of the British army. I felt myself placed at once in a
dilemma. I need have had no scruples on the subject, as the enemy often
knew as much about the matter as anybody else. I hesitated before
replying.
"I came to give some information to Colonel Carlyon, on which I expected
that he and his daughter only would act," I answered. "I have never met
Colonel Carlyon. Do I see him now?"
"You do," said the officer to whom I had first spoken. "I am Colonel
Carlyon, and I am glad to welcome you, sir, to thank you for the
inestimable service you have more than once rendered those dearest to
me. Whatever you have to communicate you may say freely before this
gentleman, my most intimate friend."
Feeling that I might trust to them, I, without further delay, told them
the object of my adventure.
"You have not come alone, though," he remarked, after thanking me
cordially for the information I had given him.
I told him that O'Driscoll and Rockets were waiting for me at the boat.
He insisted on sending for them, and in a very short time they made
their appearance, and while the negro took care of my follower, we were
soon pleasantly seated at supper. I, as may be supposed, was hoping
that I might have an opportunity of seeing Madeline. At last I mustered
courage to ask for her. Her father hesitated, I thought, before he
replied. At length he said--
"Yes, she will indeed wish to thank you personally for the risk you have
run, and the exertion you have made for her sake; but I know not whether
your meeting can be productive of advantage to either of you. A wide
gulf separates one from the other. I know not how it can be crossed. I
would rather, sir, that you would not insist on this interview."
He spoke, it seemed to me, in a stiff and constrained manner. I could
only repeat what I had before said to Madeline. "This war must before
long come to an end, and then I will come and claim her for my wife," I
answered boldly.
"Well spoken, sir," said Mr Sutton, turning to me. "With my opinions,
I can only regret that you have to wait till the war is terminated. I
can answer for it that Madeline would not forgive us if we sent you away
without letting you see her. When you have finished supper, if you go
into the drawing-room, you will probably find her there."
My heart gave a jump, and as to putting another mouthful down my throat
I found it impossible. I got up and hurried into the room I had before
met her in. She was there. The old negro had taken good care to tell
her of my arrival. I will not describe our meeting, and all we said,
and the hopes we indulged in. I was amply repaid for what I had done
for her sake. Her father and Mr Sutton were, I found, about to start
on some expedition, but the news I brought them made them alter their
plans. The time too soon arrived that I must take my departure. It was
with a pang I left her, not knowing when the uncertain chances of war
would again allow us to meet.
"Remember, should you ever desire to quit the standard you now serve
under, you will be welcomed in a land of freedom, and we shall not
expect you to turn your arms against your former comrades," said Mr
Sutton, as he wished me farewell.
I felt very much inclined to quarrel with him for the remark. It
sounded strangely like asking me to turn traitor to my country, and I
was glad that Colonel Carlyon did not repeat the remarks of his friend.
We left the family about to prepare for their departure in the morning,
while we returned to the river. O'Driscoll said nothing till we had
once more taken our seats in the boat, and then he expressed his
disappointment at what he called the tameness of the result of our
expedition.
"Arrah, now, I thought we should have had some little fun at all
events," he exclaimed. "I was waiting to see you appear with the lady
in your arms, and to have the old colonel with his pistols popping away
after us while we were pulling like fury for life and liberty down the
river; and after all to have it end in a quiet pleasant supper, and some
matter-of-fact conversation, is very provoking. However, your friends
gave us some capital Burgundy, and that is some consolation."
In this strain the eccentric Hibernian ran on till I had to hint that it
would be wiser not to speak, lest we might be overheard by any of the
enemy. He then told me that Colonel Carlyon and Mr Sutton had given
him a pass that, should we fall in with any of their party, we might not
be stopped. We, however, proceeded as cautiously as before, for we had
no wish that our expedition should become known. We got as far as
Mackey's Mills without meeting with any adventure. As before, we gave
it a wide berth, for we could hear the sound of voices, and it appeared
evidently occupied by a body of men. However, as long as they all kept
talking together they were less likely to discover us. We paddled,
therefore, quickly and cautiously on, but without any apprehension of
being found out. We had almost lost sight of the mill, and were
congratulating ourselves on getting clear altogether, when the stillness
of the night was broken by a loud sharp voice exclaiming--
"There they go! Give it them, lads, give it them! After them, after
them!"
The next moment a sharp fire of musketry was opened on us, the flashes,
however, showing that we had passed the spot where our enemies were
posted. The balls, however, fell round us unpleasantly thick. Then
again there was another volley, and, by the flash of the pieces, we
could see a number of men hurrying into a boat, with, we had no doubt,
the intention of pursuing us. Our skiff pulled well. O'Driscoll and
Rockets, who were rowing, bent manfully to their oars. Away we flew
over the water, and though the troops on the shore still continued to
fire, the bullets happily flew wide of us. We had a good start of the
pursuing boat. From the glimpse we got of her she was of some size, but
if, as we hoped, she was heavy in proportion to her size, that would be
in our favour. At all events, all we could do was to pull away with all
our might, and to keep a straight course down the river. We could hear
the shouts of our pursuers, and of the people hailing them from the
shore. They only induced us to make greater exertions to keep ahead of
them. On we dashed. In a short time we felt sure that we were already
distancing them. Their voices grew fainter and fainter. We got into
the broad part of the river. We had now another chance of escape.
Should they be overtaking us, we might slip on one side, and in the
darkness and eagerness of the chase they would probably pass by without
observing us. Still that was not our wish. We wanted to get out of the
river without being questioned. On we went, till we could neither see
nor hear anything of our pursuers. At last a few lights here and there
of some midnight watchers were seen glimmering from the town of
Nansimond. We glided by it. We reached the mouth of the river, and not
till then did we slacken our speed. I then relieved O'Driscoll at the
oar. I was duly grateful for the exertions he had made for me, but I
evidently did not hold a high place in his estimation.
"Ah, you English boys don't understand how to do things!" he observed,
with a sigh. "In ould Ireland we'd have managed an affair of the sort
very differently."
Just at daylight we got on board our ship--I, at all events, being very
well contented with the result of our expedition. I afterwards heard
that the Americans stated that they had pursued and chased a large
British flotilla out of the river with only a couple of boats, and that
we had lost twenty men in killed and wounded. From so slight a source
does many a tale of wonder spring.