About a month after my aunt's marriage, a letter was received from
Captain Delmar, who had arrived at Spithead, requesting my mother to
send me to Portsmouth as soon as she could, and not go to the trouble or
expense of fitting me out, as he would take that upon himself.
This was but short notice to give a fond mother, but there was no help
for it; she returned an answer, that in three days from the date of the
letter I should be there.
I was immediately summoned from school that she might see as much of me
as possible before I went; and although she did not attempt to detain
me, I perceived, very often, the tears run down her cheeks.
My grandmother thought proper to make me very long speeches every three
or four hours, the substance of which may be comprehended in very few
words--to wit, that I had been a very bad boy, and that I was little
better now; that I had been spoiled by over-indulgence, and that it was
lucky my aunt Milly was not so much with me; that on board a man-of-war
I dare not play tricks, and that I would find it very different from
being at home with my mother; that Captain Delmar was a very great man,
and that I must be very respectful to him; that some day I should thank
her very much for her being so kind to me; that she hoped I would behave
well, and that if I did not, she hoped that I would get a good beating.
Such was the burden of her song, till at last I got very tired of it,
and on the third evening I broke away from her, saying, "Law, granny how
you do twaddle!" upon which she called me a good-for-nothing young
blackguard, and felt positively sure that I should be hanged. The
consequence was, that granny and I did not part good friends; and I
sincerely hoped that when I had come back again, I should not find her
above ground.
The next morning I bade farewell to my dear Aunt Milly and Captain
Bridgeman, received a very ungracious salute from granny, who appeared
to think, as she kissed me, that her lips were touching something
poisonous, and set off with my mother in the coach to Portsmouth.
We arrived safe at Portsmouth, and my mother immediately took lodgings
on the Common Hard at Portsea. The next day, having dressed herself
with great care, with a very thick veil on her bonnet, my mother walked
with me to the George Hotel, where Captain Delmar had taken up his
quarters.
On my mother sending up her card, we were immediately ushered upstairs,
and on entering the room found the Honourable Captain Delmar sitting
down in full uniform--his sword, and hat, and numerous papers, lying on
the table before him. On one side of the table stood a lieutenant, hat
in hand; on the other, the captain's clerk, with papers for him to sign.
My friend Tommy Dott was standing at the window, chasing a blue-bottle
fly, for want of something better to do; and the steward was waiting for
orders behind the captain's chair.
My mother, who had pulled down her veil, so that her face was not
visible, made a slight courtesy to Captain Delmar, who rose up and
advanced to receive her very graciously, requesting that she would be
seated for a minute or two, till he had time to speak to her.
I have thought since, that my honourable captain had a mind to impress
upon my mother the state and dignity of a captain in his Majesty's
service, when in commission. He took no notice whatever of me. Tommy
Dott gave me a wink of his eye from the window, and I returned the
compliment by putting my tongue into my cheek; but the other parties
were too much occupied with the captain to perceive our friendly
recognition. Captain Delmar continued to give various orders, and after
a time the officers attending were dismissed.
As soon as we were alone, my mother was addressed in, I thought, rather
a pompous way, and very much in contrast with his previous politeness
before others. Captain Delmar informed her that he should take me
immediately under his protection, pay all my expenses, and, if I behaved
well, advance me in the service.
At this announcement, my mother expressed a great deal of gratitude,
and, shedding a few tears, said, that the boy would in future look up to
him as a parent. To this speech Captain Delmar made no reply; but,
changing the conversation, told her that he expected to sail in about
three or four days, and that no time must be lost in fitting me out;
that, all things considered, he thought it advisable that she should
return at once to Chatham, and leave the boy with him as she could not
know what was requisite for me, and would therefore be of no use.
At the idea of parting with me, my mother cried bitterly. Captain
Delmar did then rise off his chair, and taking my mother by the hand
speak to her a few words of consolation. My mother removed her
handkerchief from her eyes and sighed deeply, saying to Captain Delmar,
with an appealing look, "Oh! Captain Delmar, remember that for you I
have indeed made great sacrifices; do not forget them, when you look at
that boy, who is very dear to me."
"I will do him justice," replied the captain, somewhat affected, "but I
must insist upon inviolable secrecy on your part; you must promise me
that under any circumstances--"
"I have obeyed you for thirteen years," replied my mother; "I am not
likely to forget my promise now; it is hard to part with him, but I
leave him in the hands of--"
"You forget the boy is there," interrupted Captain Delmar; "take him
away now; to-morrow morning I will send my coxswain for him, and you
must go back to Chatham."
"God bless you, sir," replied my mother, weeping, as Captain Delmar
shook her hand, and then we left the room. As we were walking back to
our lodging, I inquired of my mother--"What's the secret between you and
Captain Delmar, mother?"
"The secret, child! Oh, something which took place at the time I was
living with his aunt, and which he does not wish to have known; so ask
me no more questions about it."
After our return, my mother gave me a great deal of advice. She told me
that, as I had lost my father Ben, I must now look upon Captain Delmar
as a father to me; that Ben had been a faithful servant to the captain,
and that she had been the same to Mrs Delmar, his aunt; and that was
the reason why Captain Delmar was interested about me, and had promised
to do so much for me; begging me to treat him with great respect and
never venture to play him any tricks, or otherwise he would be highly
offended, and send me home again; and then I should never rise to be an
officer in his Majesty's service.
I cannot say the advice received the attention it deserved, for I felt
more inclined to play tricks to my honourable captain than any person I
ever met with; however, I appeared to consent, and, in return begged my
mother to take care of my dog Bob, which she promised to do.
My mother cried a great deal during the night; the next morning she gave
me five guineas as pocket-money, recommending me to be careful of it,
and telling me I must look to Captain Delmar for my future supply. She
tied up the little linen I had brought with me in a handkerchief, and
shortly after the coxswain knocked at the door, and came upstairs to
claim me for his Majesty's service.
"I'm come for the youngster, if you please, marm," said the coxswain, a
fine, tall seaman, remarkably clean and neat in his dress.
My mother put her arms round me, and burst into tears.
"I beg your pardon, marm," said the coxswain, after standing silent
about a minute, "but could not you _do the piping_ after the youngster's
gone? If I stay here long I shall be blowed up by the skipper, as sure
as my name's Bob Cross."
"I will detain you but a few seconds longer," replied my mother; "I may
never see him again."
"Well, that's a fact; my poor mother never did me," replied the
coxswain.
This observation did not raise my mother's spirits. Another pause
ensued, during which I was bedewed with her tears, when the coxswain
approached again--
"I ax your pardon, marm; but if you know anything of Captain Delmar, you
must know he's not a man to be played with, and you would not wish to
get me into trouble. It's a hard thing to part with a child, I'm told,
but it wouldn't help me if I said anything about your tears. If the
captain were to go to the boat, and find me not there, he'd just say,
`What were my orders, sir?' and after that, you know, marm, there is not
a word for me to say."
"Take him, then, my good man," replied my mother, pressing me
convulsively to her heart--"take him; Heaven bless you, my dear child."
"Thanky, marm; that's kind of you," replied the coxswain. "Come, my
little fellow, we'll soon make a man of you."
I once more pressed my lips to my poor mother's, and she resigned me to
the coxswain, at the same time taking some silver off the table and
putting it into his hand.
"Thanky, marm; that's kinder still, to think of another when you're in
distress yourself; I shan't forget it. I'll look after the lad a bit
for you, as sure as my name's Bob Cross."
My mother sank down on the sofa, with her handkerchief to her eyes.
Bob Cross caught up the bundle, and led me away. I was very melancholy,
for I loved my mother, and could not bear to see her so distressed, and
for some time we walked on without speaking.
The coxswain first broke the silence:--"What's your name, my little
Trojan?" said he.
"Percival Keene."
"Well I'm blessed if I didn't think that you were one of the Delmar
breed, by the cut of your jib; howsomever, it's a wise child that knows
its own father."
"Father's dead," replied I.
"Dead! Well, fathers do die sometimes; you must get on how you can
without one. I don't think fathers are of much use, for, you see,
mothers take care of you till you're old enough to go to sea. My father
did nothing for me, except to help mother to lick me, when I was
obstropolous."
The reader, from what he has already been informed about Ben, the
marine, may easily conceive that I was very much of Bob Cross's opinion.
"I suppose you don't know anybody on board--do you?"
"Yes, I know Tommy Dott--I knew him when the ship was at Chatham."
"Oh! Mr Tommy Dott; I dare say you're just like him, for you look full
of mischief. He's a very nice young man for a small party, as the
saying is; there is more devil in his little carcase than in two
women's, and that's not a trifle; you'll hunt in couples, I dare say,
and get well flogged at the same gun, if you don't take care. Now, here
we are, and I must report my arrival with you under convoy."
Bob Cross sent a waiter for the captain's steward, who went up to
Captain Delmar. I was ordered to go upstairs, and again found myself in
the presence of the noble captain, and a very stout elderly man, with a
flaxen wig.
"This is the lad," said Captain Delmar, when I came into the room and
walked up to him; "you know exactly what he requires; oblige me by
seeing him properly fitted out and the bill sent in to me."
"Your orders shall be strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar," said the old
gentleman, with a profound bow.
"You had better not order too many things, as he is growing fast; it
will be easy to make good any deficiencies as they may be required."
"Your orders shall be most strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar," replied the
old gentleman, with another bow.
"I hardly know what to do with him for to-day and to-morrow, until his
uniforms are made," continued the captain: "I suppose he must go on
board."
"If you have no objection, Captain Delmar," said the old gentleman, with
another low bow, "I am sure that Mrs Culpepper will be most proud to
take charge of any _protege_ of yours; we have a spare bed, and the
young gentleman can remain with us until he is ready to embark in the
uniform of his rank."
"Be it so, Mr Culpepper; let your wife take care of him until all is
complete, and his chest is ready. You'll oblige me by arranging about
his mess."
"Your wishes shall be most strictly attended to, Captain Delmar,"
replied Mr Culpepper, with another profound inclination, which made me
feel very much inclined to laugh.
"If you have no further orders, Captain Delmar, I will now take the
young gentleman with me."
"Nothing more, Mr Culpepper--good morning," replied Captain Delmar, who
neither said how d'ye do to me when I came in, or good bye when I went
away in company with Mr Culpepper. I had yet to learn what a thing of
no consequence was a "sucking Nelson."
I followed Mr Culpepper down stairs, who desired me to remain with the
coxswain, who was standing under the archway, while he spoke to the
captain's steward.
"Well," said Bob Cross, "what's the ticket, youngster,--are you to go
abroad with me?"
"No," said I; "I am to stay on shore with that old chap, who does
nothing but bob his head up and down. Who is he?"
"That's our nipcheese."
"Nipcheese!"
"Yes; nipcheese means purser of the ship--you'll find all that out
by-and-by; you've got lots to larn, and, by way of a hint, make him your
friend if you can, for he earwigs the captain in fine style."
Perceiving that I did not understand him, Bob Cross continued: "I mean
that our captain's very fond of the officers paying him great respect,
and he likes all that bowing and scraping; he don't like officers or men
to touch their hats, but to take them right off their heads when they
speak to him. You see, he's a sprig of nobility, as they call it, and
what's more he's also a post-captain, and thinks no small beer of
himself; so don't forget what I say--here comes the purser."
Mr Culpepper now came out, and, taking my hand, led me away to his own
house, which was at Southsea. He did not speak a word during the walk,
but appeared to be in deep cogitation: at last we arrived at his door.