The next morning, at daylight, the blue Peter was hoisted at the
foremast, and the gun fired as a signal for sailing; all was bustle--
hoisting in, clearing boats of stock, and clearing the ship of women and
strangers.
At ten o'clock Captain Delmar made his appearance, the hands were piped
up anchor, and in half an hour we were standing out for St. Helen's.
Before night it blew very fresh, and we went rolling down the Channel
before an easterly wind. I went to my hammock very sick, and did not
recover for several days, during which nobody asked for me, or any
questions about me, except Bob Cross and Tommy Dott.
As soon as I was well enough, I made my appearance on deck, and was
ordered by the first lieutenant to do my duty under the signal
midshipman: this was day duty, and not very irksome; I learnt the flags,
and how to use a spy-glass.
We were charged with despatches for the fleet, then off Cadiz, and on
the tenth day we fell in with it, remained a week in company, and then
were ordered to Gibraltar and Malta. From Malta we went home again with
despatches, having been out three months.
During this short and pleasant run, I certainly did not learn much of my
profession, but I did learn a little of the ways of the world. First,
as to Captain Delmar, his conduct to me was anything but satisfactory;
he never inquired for me during the time that I was unwell, and took no
notice of me on my reappearance.
The officers and young gentlemen, as midshipmen are called, were asked
to dine in the cabin in rotation, and I did in consequence dine two or
three times in the cabin; but it appeared to me, as if the captain
purposely took no notice of me, although he generally did say a word or
two to the others; moreover as the signal mids were up in the morning
watch, he would occasionally send to invite one of the others to
breakfast with him, but he never paid me that compliment.
This annoyed me, and I spoke of it to Bob Cross, with whom I had had
some long conversations. I had told him all I knew relative to myself,
what my suspicions were, and I had shown him my mother's reply. His
opinion on the subject may be given in what follows:--
"You see, Master Keene, you are in an awkward position; the captain is a
very proud man, and too proud to acknowledge that you are any way
related to him. It's my opinion, from what you have told me, and from
other reasons, particularly from your likeness to the captain, that your
suspicions are correct; but, what then? Your mother is sworn to
secrecy--that's clear; and the captain won't own you--that's also very
clear. I had some talk with the captain's steward on the subject when I
was taking a glass of grog with him the other night in this berth. It
was he that brought up the subject, not me, and he said, that the
captain not asking you to breakfast, and avoiding you, as it were, was
another proof that you belonged to him; and the wishing to hide the
secret only makes him behave as he does. You have a difficult game to
play, Master Keene; but you are a clever lad, and you ask advice--mind
you follow it, or it's little use asking it. You must always be very
respectful to Captain Delmar, and keep yourself at as great a distance
from him as he does from you."
"That I'm sure I will," replied I, "for I dislike him very much."
"No, you must not do that, but you must bend to circumstances; by-and-by
things will go on better; but mind you keep on good terms with the
officers, and never be saucy, or they may say to you what may not be
pleasant; recollect this, and things will go on better, as I said
before. If Captain Delmar protects you with his interest, you will be a
captain over the heads of many who are now your superiors on board of
this frigate. One thing be careful of, which is, to keep your own
counsel, and don't be persuaded in a moment of confidence to trust
anything to Tommy Dott, or any other midshipman; and if any one hints at
what you suppose, deny it immediately; nay, if necessary, fight for it--
that will be the way to please the captain, for you will be of his side
then, and not against him."
That this advice of Bob Cross was the best that could be given to one in
my position there could not be a doubt; and that I did resolve to follow
it, is most certain. I generally passed away a portion of my leisure
hours in Bob's company, and became warmly attached to him; and certainly
my time was not thrown away, for I learnt a great deal from him.
One evening, as I was leaning against one of the guns on the main deck,
waiting for Cross to come out of the cabin, I was amused with the
following conversation between a boatswain's mate and a fore-top man. I
shall give it verbatim. They were talking of one that was dead; and
after the boatswain's mate had said--
"Well, he's in heaven, poor fellow."