I then told Bob of Mr Culpepper's report, which amused him very much.

"I am sure that he is pleased with you, Mr Keene, and I must say that

you were very useful and very active."

"Do you know that the carpenter says that we have received injuries that

cannot be well repaired without the ship going into dock, and I should

not be surprised if we were to be sent home, if the survey confirms his

report. I hope we shall; I am tired of the West Indies, and I should

like to see my mother; we have a nice breeze now, and we are two points

free. If it lasts, we shall be at Jamaica in a fortnight or less."

The captain coming on deck put an end to our conversation.

Before night the prize had got up jury-masts, and sail set upon them,

and we went through the water more rapidly. In ten days we arrived at

Port Royal with our prize. The captain went on shore, and what was

still more agreeable, we got rid of all our prisoners and wounded men.

A survey, in consequence of the carpenter's report was held upon the

Calliope, and the result was, she was ordered home to be repaired. The

Dort was commissioned by the admiral, and Mr Hippesley received an

acting order to the sloop of war, which had become vacant by the

commander of her being promoted into the Dort, which was now christened

the Curacao.

In ten days after our arrival we were ready, and made sail for Old

England. Tommy Dott and the second lieutenant remained on board, and

were both convalescent before we entered the Channel. Tommy Dott's

wound, by the bye, was a splinter in the back, added to severe bruises

from tumbling down the hatchway.

Captain Delmar had shown great kindness to the son of the Dutch captain

and he did not send him on shore with the rest of the prisoners, but

permitted him to remain, and come home in the Calliope. He recovered

slowly, but was soon out of danger, and was walking about with his arm

in a sling long before we arrived in England. It appeared to me that,

during the passage home, old Culpepper was not so much in the good

graces of Captain Delmar as he used to be; he was, however, more

obsequious than ever. We had a fine run home, and in seven weeks from

our leaving Port Royal, we dropped our anchor at Spithead.

I may have been wrung, but it certainly did appear to me that as we

neared the coast of England, the behaviour of Captain Delmar was more

reserved to me (I may say it was harsher) than ever it had been before.

Hurt at treatment which I felt I did not deserve, I tried to analyse the

cause as I walked up and down the deck, and at last I decided that his

pride was again alarmed. On the one hand he was returning to his own

country, to meet with his aristocratical connections, and on the other

he was reminded of my mother, and his _mesalliance_ with her--if such a

term can be used to a woman who had sacrificed herself to one above her

in rank. At all events, I was the result of that connection, and I

presumed that he was ashamed of it, and consequently kept me at a

distance, and checked his feelings towards me. Perhaps he thought that

my mother might be induced to disclose to me that which I had under his

own hand-writing, and wore next my heart; or he might consider I was no

longer a boy, but a tall young man, and one who might be induced to

claim his protection. Such were my reflections, and my resolutions were

taken accordingly--I wanted no Bob Cross to counsel me now.

When the captain left the ship, I made no request, as did the other

midshipmen, for leave to see my friends; nor even when he returned on

board, which he did several times after the ship had gone into harbour,

and was stripping, preparatory to being docked. One thing, however,

gave me great satisfaction, which was, that when the despatch which we

brought home was published, I found my name honourably mentioned in

conjunction with other officers, and but three midshipmen were named.

When the Calliope went into dock the report of the dockyard was very

unfavourable. She required a thorough repair which would take some

months. She was therefore ordered to be paid off. In the mean time the

captain had gone to London. During his sojourn at Portsmouth I had

never spoken to him, except on duty, and he had left me without a word

of explanation as to his intentions towards me. As soon, however, as

the order came down for paying off the ship, I received a letter from

him, very cold and stiff, stating that I might, if I pleased, join any

other ship, and he would recommend me to the captain; or I might remain

on the books of the guard-ship, and wait until he commissioned another

vessel, when he would be happy to take me with him.

My reply was immediate. I thanked him for his kindness, and hoped I

might remain on board the guard-ship until he took the command of

another vessel, as I did not wish to sail with any other captain. I had

been brought forward by him in the service, and preferred waiting for

months rather than lose his kind protection.

The only reply to my letter was an order from the Admiralty, for me to

be discharged into the guard-ship when the Calliope was paid off.

I hardly need say that I had written and received letters from my

mother, who was delighted at my name being mentioned in the despatches;

but I will defer family news till the proper opportunity, as I must

first tell all that occurred in the Calliope before she was paid off.

The reader will recollect that the son of the Dutch captain, whose name

was Vangilt, had been permitted to come home in the ship, instead of

being sent to prison. He and I were very intimate and when I discovered

that he was the cousin of Minnie Vanderwelt, I became more partial to

him. He was very melancholy during the passage home; how, indeed, could

he be otherwise, with the prospect of being a prisoner during the

remainder of the war? and he often expressed his feelings on the

subject.

"Could you not escape?" said I, one evening.

"I fear not," replied he. "If once out of prison, I have no doubt but

that I could get a conveyance over the Channel by means of the

smugglers; indeed, I have connections in England who would assist me."

When Captain Delmar went away to town, he had quite forgotten the poor

fellow, and Mr Weymss, who was the commanding officer, did not make any

special report of him as he thought he might defer it till the last

moment, as every day out of prison would be so much gained by young

Vangilt, who was a general favourite.

In this instance, my regard for the young man made me quite forget my

duty as an officer, and the Articles of War. I knew that I was about to

do wrong; but I considered that, with so many thousand prisoners which

we had in England, one more or less could be of no consequence, and I

set to work to see if I could not effect his escape.

After much cogitation, I found I could do nothing without Bob Cross and

I consulted with him. Bob shook his head, and said it was, he believed,

hanging matter; but, after all, it was a pity that such a nice lad

should be peeping between iron bars. "Besides," continued he, "he lost

his father in the action, and he ought not to lose his liberty also.

Well, Mr Keene, show me how I can help you."

"Why, Bob there's a very pretty little girl, who very often comes

alongside with the old woman, and you go down into the boat and talk

with her."

"Yes, sir," replied Bob, "that's the little girl I told you of, that

used to repeat her fables on my knee. The fact is, I hope to splice her

some of these days. It's her mother who is with her, and she will not

let her come on board to mix with the other women, because she is good

and modest; too good for me, I'm afraid, in one sense of the word."

"How do you mean Bob?"

"Why, sir, when I first knew her, she and her mother were living upon

what they could earn, for the father was killed in action many years

ago, and I used to help them as far as I could; but now I find that,

although they are not changed, things are, most confoundedly. Her uncle

lost his wife; he is considered a rich man, and being stone blind, and

having no one to take care of him after his wife's death, he sent for

this girl and her mother to keep his house and he is very fond of the

girl, and declares that he will leave her all his money, and that she

shall marry well. Now, sir, if she was to marry me, a petty officer

only, it would not be considered that she married well; so you see, sir,

there's a hitch."

"Who and what was he?"

"He was a smuggler, sir, and a very successful one; he has six or seven

houses, all his own property besides the one he lives in himself. He

lives about a quarter of a mile out of Gosport. I know all about him,

although I have never seen him. Soon after he left off smuggling, he

lost his eyesight, and, somehow or another, he considered it was a

judgment upon him--at least his wife, who had joined the Ranters,

persuaded him so--and so he took a religious turn, and now he does

nothing but pray, and call himself a poor blind sinner."

"Well, Bob, but I do not see why you should give up the girl."

"No, sir; nor will she or her mother give me up. I could marry her

to-morrow without his consent, but I do not like to do her that injury."

"He is stone-blind, you say?"

"Yes, sir."

"We'll talk your affair over another time. What I want at present is,

to help this poor young Vangilt to escape. He says, that if once clear,

the smugglers would put him on the other side of the water. Now, it

appears to me that it would be very easy for him to get out of the ship

unperceived, if he were dressed in woman's clothes, so many women are

going and coming all day long."

"Very true, sir, especially on pay-day, when nobody keeps any look-out

at all. I see now, you want some of Mary's clothes for him; they would

fit very well."

"Exactly; and I think that, as her uncle had been a smuggler, we might

go and consult him as to his escape over the water. Vangilt will pay

100 pounds with pleasure--he told me so. That will be an introduction

for you as well as for me to the old fellow."

"I think we had better let the old fellow suppose it's a woman--don't

you, sir? But what shall we call ourselves?"

"Why, I will be a sort of agent for ships, an you shall be a captain."

"A captain! Mr Keene."

"Yes; a captain, who has had a ship, and expects another. Why, you were

a captain of the fore-top before you were rated coxswain."

"Well, sir, I must consult Mary and her mother, and then I'll let you

know: they will come this afternoon. Perhaps in helping Mr Vangilt, I

may help myself."

That night Bob Cross told me that Mary and her mother were quite willing

to assist, and that they thought it would be a very good introduction to

old Waghorn: that we must expect some religious scruples at first, but

we must persevere, and they had no doubt that the old man would contrive

to get the young man over to Cherbourg, or some other place on the other

side; that we had better call on him in the evening, and they would be

out of the way.

As soon as the work was over for the day, Bob Cross and I obtained

leave, and set off for Mr Waghorn's house. We were met by Mary and her

mother, who pointed it out to us, and then continued their walk. We

went to the door, and found the old man smoking his pipe.

"Who's there?" cried he, as we lifted the latch of the gate.

"Friends, sir," replied Cross; "two persons who come to talk on

business."

"Business! I've no business--I've done with business long ago: I think

of nothing but my perishing soul--poor blind worm that I am."

He was a very fine-looking old man, although weather-beaten, and his

silver locks hung down on his collar; his beard was not shaved, but

clipped with scissors: his want of sight gave him a mournful look.

"Nevertheless, sir, I must introduce myself and my friend, the captain,"

replied I, "for we want your assistance."

"My assistance! poor blind beetle--how can I assist you?"

"The fact is, sir, that a young woman is very anxious to return to her

friends, on the other side of the water; and knowing that you have

acquaintance with those who run to and fro, we thought you might help

the poor young woman to a passage."

"That's to say, you've heard that I was a smuggler. People do say so;

but, gentlemen, I now pay customs and excise--my tea has paid duty, and

so has my tobacco; so does everything--the king has his own. The Bible

says, `Render under Caesar the things which are Caesar's.' Gentlemen, I

stand by the Bible. I am a poor, sinful old wretch--God forgive me."

"We ask nothing against the Bible, Mr Waghorn; it's our duty to assist

those who are in distress; it's only a poor young woman."

"A poor young woman. If she's poor, people don't do such work for

nothing; besides, it's wrong, gentlemen--I've given up all that,--I've a

precious soul to look after, and I can't divert my attention from it. I

wish you good-bye, gentlemen."

At this moment Mary and her mother returned, and we rose up. "Mrs

James, is that you and Mary? Here's a captain and his friend come to

me; but it's a fool's errand, and so I've told them."

I then stated to Mrs James what we had come for, and begged that she

would persuade Mr Waghorn.

"Well, Mr Waghorn, why won't you?--it's a good action, and will have

its reward in heaven."

"Yes; but she's a poor young woman, and can't pay her passage, so it's

no use."

"On the contrary," replied I, "the captain here will become security,

that 100 pounds shall be paid down as soon as she arrives in any part of

France or Holland."

"Will he? But who's the captain?"

"I haven't a ship just now, but I expect one soon," replied Bob; "the

money shall be paid at once, if you will only receive the young woman

until she can be sent off."

"Well let me see--there's James Martin; no he won't do. There's Will

Simpson; yes, that's the man. Well, it's a good act; and, captain, when

will you bring the money?"

Now the ship was to be paid off on Wednesday and as we had each three

years' pay due, there was no difficulty about that; so I replied, "On

Wednesday, the captain will give the money to this lady, or whoever

comes with us to receive the young woman; will you not, Captain Cross?"

"Oh! certainly; the money is ready at an hour's notice," replied Bob.

"I'm sure that she'll pay me back, if she can; and if she can't, it's of

no consequence."

"Well, well, it's a bargain," replied the old man. "I'm a poor blind

beetle, a sinful old soul; I've nothing to do but to make my peace with

Heaven. It's charity--`Charity covereth a multitude of sins,' saith St.

Paul. Recollect 100 pounds--that's the bargain. I'll send Mrs James

to you; you must not call again till she's on the other side of the

water."

"Many thanks, sir," replied Bob. "I won't call till I hear she is safe,

and then I'll bring you some tobacco to smoke, such as you don't often

pick up nowadays."

"Happy to see you, Captain Cross, and your friend there," replied the

old man.

We then took our leave. Mrs James, after we were gone, praised the

appearance of Captain Cross, as such a nice-looking man, and old Waghorn

evidently thought well of him by the answer he made. Mary, however,

pretended to prefer me.

As soon as I returned on board, I told young Vangilt what I had been

about. He wrung my hand, and the tears started in his eyes. "You, as

an officer, are indeed risking much for me. As to the money, you know

me, I trust, too well, not to be sure of receiving it as soon as I can

send it; but I never can repay your kindness."

"Perhaps you may be able to help me one of these days," I replied. "Who

knows? It's fortune of war, my good fellow; but it's as well not to be

seen too much together." So saying, I left him.

The next day, Mrs James came off with the necessary garments and bonnet

for his escape, and they were given me by Bob Cross. The day after was

pay-day; and the ship was in such a state of confusion, and there were

so many people on board, that there was no difficulty whatever. Vangilt

changed his clothes in the midshipmen's berth, which was empty, and Bob

Cross handed him down the side into the boat, where Mrs James waited to

receive him. Bob and I had both been paid, and we gave her the 100

pounds for old Waghorn. The boat shoved off; Vangilt arrived safe at

Waghorn's house, where he was kept concealed for eight days, when, for

the sum of 20 pounds, he was safely landed on the French coast, old

Waghorn having pocketed 80 pounds by the transaction which, considering

he acted out of pure charity, was a pretty good reward.

Having thus successfully managed, by being guilty of high treason, in

aiding and abetting the enemy, I bade farewell to Bob Cross, leaving him

to follow up his amour, while I went to Chatham to pay my respects to my

mother. I had made up my mind how to act. I was no longer a child, but

a man in reflection as well as appearance.

I arrived, and hastened to the house from which I had escaped so

mysteriously the last time I was in it. My mother threw herself in my

arms, embracing me, and then looking at me with surprise and pleasure.

Three years and a half had changed me; she hardly knew me, for her

association of ideas had still pictured me as the smart stripling whom

she had, with so much anguish, consigned into the hands of Bob Cross.

She was proud of me--my adventures, my dangers, my conduct, and my

honourable mention in the Gazette, were all known to her, and she had

been evidently congratulated by many upon my successful career. My

grandmother, who had grown much older in appearance, seemed to be

softened towards me, and I had sense enough to receive her advances with

great apparent cordiality. My aunt and the captain were delighted to

see me, and I found that my two cousins, of whose appearance I had been

duly apprised, were very pretty children. I found that my mother had

two assistants in her business and everything appeared to be on a

grander scale, and more flourishing than ever.

The first two or three days were devoted to narratives, communications,

explanations, and admirations, as is usually the case after so long an

absence; after which we quietly settled down in the relative positions

of mother and son, and she assumed, or rather would have assumed, her

control over me; but this was not my wish; I had made up my mind that,

although a clever woman, I must in future control her, and I took the

first opportunity of a long _tete-a-tete_ to let her know that such was

my intention.

Speaking of Captain Delmar, I at once told her that I knew he was my

father, and that I had his own handwriting to prove it. She denied it

at first; but I told her that all denial was useless, that I had

possession of the letter he had written to her upon my supposed death,

and that it was no ghost, but I, who had frightened my grandmother.

This was my first blow, and a heavy one, to my poor mother; for what

woman can bear to be humiliated by her offspring being acquainted with

her indiscretion? I loved my mother, and would fain have spared her

this pang, had it not been that all my future plans were based upon this

one point, and it was necessary she should aid and abet me in them.

My poor mother was bowed to the earth when she found that it was in vain

to deny my parentage; she covered her face with her hands in deep shame

before her child, but I consoled, and caressed, and told her (what I

really felt), that I was indebted to her for not being the son of a

private marine; that, at all events, I had noble blood in my veins, and

would prove myself worthy of my descent, whether it were acknowledged or

not; but from that hour I took the command over her--from that hour it

was I that dictated, and her authority as a parent was gone for ever.

Let it not be imagined that I treated her harshly; on the contrary, I

was more kind, and, before other people, more dutiful than ever I was

before. She was my only confidant, and to her only did I explain the

reasons of my actions: she was my adviser, but her advice was not that

of a parent, but that of an humble, devoted, and attached friend; and

during the remainder of her days this position was never altered.

As soon as my mother had acknowledged the fact there was no longer any

reservation on my part. I told her what was the conduct of Captain

Delmar towards me. I pointed out his checking any display of paternal

feelings towards me, and also the certainty that I had that he was

partial to and proud of me. I explained to her the line of conduct

which I had pursued, and was determined still to pursue, towards him.

"Percival," said my mother, "I see the judiciousness of what you say and

of your behaviour towards him; but allow me to ask you: What is the

object you are aiming at--I mean particularly aiming at? Of course you

hope to obtain advancement from his interest, and perhaps, if he becomes

more attached to you, he may not forget you when he dies; but it appears

to me that you have something nearer to your heart than all this--tell

me, am I right?"

"You are, my dear mother; my great end is, that Captain Delmar should

acknowledge me as his son."

"I fear that he will never do that, Percival; nor, indeed, do I think

you would gain by it. When you are more advanced in the world, your

parentage may be considered as obscure, but still, being born in

wedlock, it will be more respectable than the acknowledgment you would

seek from Captain Delmar. You are not aware of the affronts you may

meet with by obtaining what you evidently wish; and once known as the

son of Captain Delmar, you may wish that it was never promulgated."

"I was born in wedlock, mother, as you say, and as many others are, who

now are peers of the realm, and in virtue of their being born in

wedlock, succeed to property to which they would otherwise not be

entitled. Your shame (excuse me for using the word) and my disgrace are

equally covered by that wedlock, which is an answer to any accusations

of illegitimacy. As to affronts, I do not fear them, or ever shall,

from those who know me. I can defend and protect myself; but it is a

great difference to me to let the world suppose that I am the son of Ben

the marine, when I know myself to be the son of the future Lord de

Versely. I wish to be acknowledged by Captain Delmar in such a way as

to convince the world that such is the fact, without the world being

able to throw it up in my face. That is easily done if Captain Delmar

chooses to do it; and if done as it ought to be done, will lead to my

benefit. At all events, it will satisfy my pride; for I feel that I am

not the son of your husband, but have blood boiling in my veins which

would satisfy the proudest aristocrat. I prefer the half relation to

that class, such as it is, with all its penalties to being supposed to

be the son of the man whom, from prudential motives alone, you took to

be your husband."

"Well, Percival, I cannot blame you; and do not you, therefore, blame

your mother too much, when you consider that the same feeling was the

cause of her becoming your mother."

"Far from it my dear mother," replied I; "only let us now act in

concert. I require your assistance. Allow me to ask you one question--

Have you not realised a sufficient sum of money to enable you to retire

from our business?"

"I certainly have, my dear Percival, much more than is necessary for me

to live in comfort, and I may say, some little luxury; but I have

thought of you, and for your sake, every year, have continued to add to

my profits."

"Then, my dear mother, for my sake give up your business as soon as

possible; money is not my object."

"Tell me what your reasons are for this demand."

"My dear mother, I will be candid with you. I wish you to retire from

business, and leave this place for any distant part of England; I wish

you to change your name, and, in one word, I wish Captain Delmar should

believe that you are dead."

"An why so, Percival? I cannot see how that will benefit you; it was on

my account that he took charge of you. You are not sure that he may not

be severed from you, and who knows but that my supposed death may

occasion him to desert you altogether?"

"You assist my cause, my dear mother, by what you say, if it is on your

account that Captain Delmar is my friend; and if as you say, he might

desert me when you are dead, or supposed to be so, it is evident that

his motive of action must be fear. You have the secret of my birth,

which he supposes to be known only to you and to him. I am convinced

that if you were supposed dead, and that the secret was his own, if he

thought that there was no proof whatever against him, he would then not

care showing towards me that regard which he is inclined to feel as a

father, and which is now checked by his pride. Captain Delmar is

naturally of a kind and affectionate disposition--that I am sure of.

Your memory would do more for me than your existence ever can, and as

for the rest, leave that to me. At all events, if he should, as I do

not believe he will, be inclined to throw me off, I have still his

written acknowledgment that I am his son, to make use of in case of

necessity. Now, my dear mother, you must consent to do as I wish. Give

up your business as soon as possible, and retire to another part of the

country. When I consider it a proper time to do so, your death shall be

made known to him. I have no doubt that he will be afloat again in a

few months, and when we are out of England I will bide the proper time."

"But your grandmother, Percival--must I tell her?"

"No; tell her only that you intend to retire from business and go away

from Chatham; say that you will in future reside in Devonshire, and ask

her to accompany you. Depend upon it she will be pleased with your

intentions. As to what we arrange relative to Captain Delmar, say

nothing to her--she hates his very name, and is not likely to talk about

him."

"Well, Percival you will allow me till to-morrow to think about it

before I give a decided answer."

"Certainly, my dear mother; I wish you so to do, as I am convinced that

you will agree with me; and I infinitely prefer that you should decide

on conviction, than be induced by maternal regard."

As I was well assured, my mother's decision was favourable to my wishes.

She consulted with my grandmother, who approved of her intentions, and

then it was made public that Mrs Keene intended to retire from

business, and that the good-will was to be disposed of along with the

stock. My aunt Milly and Captain Bridgeman appeared well content that

my mother should take the step which she proposed. In short, all the

family approved of the measure, which is not a very usual circumstance

in this world. I now employed myself in assisting my mother in her

affairs. In a month we found a purchaser of the stock and good-will,

and when the sum paid was added to my mother's former accumulations, she

found herself possessed of 12,000 pounds in the Three per Cents, the

interest of which, 360 pounds, was more than sufficient for her living

comfortably in Devonshire, especially as my grandmother had still

remaining an income very nearly amounting to 200 pounds per annum.

In another month everything was arranged, and my mother bade farewell to

her sister and all her friends, and left Chatham, after having resided

there more than seventeen years.

Long before my mother had removed from Chatham I received a letter from

young Vangilt, announcing his safe arrival in Amsterdam, and enclosing

an order to receive the money advanced, from a house in London. His

letter was very grateful, but, as I had cautioned him, not one word was

in it which could implicate me, had it fallen into other hands.

I may as well here observe, that in the hurry of paying off the ship,

Vangilt was never missed, and although it did occur to the commanding

officer after he had gone on shore that Mr Vangilt had not been sent to

prison, he thought it just as well not to raise a question which might

get himself into a scrape; in short, nothing was thought or said about

it by anybody.

A few days before my mother quitted Chatham I went up to London to

receive the money, and then went to Portsmouth to repay the portion

belonging to Bob Cross. I found that Bob had made good use of his time,

and that the old smuggler now received him as a suitor to his niece.

As however, Mary was still very young--not yet seventeen--and Bob had

acknowledged that he had not laid by much money as yet, the old man had

insisted that Bob Cross should get another ship, and try a voyage or two

more before he was spliced; and to this arrangement both the mother and

Mary persuaded him to consent. I went to call upon them with Bob, and

did all I could, without stating what was not true, to give the old man

a favourable opinion of Cross. I even went so far as to say that if he

could not procure another vessel, I was ready to put down a sum of money

to assist him; and so I was; and had it been requisite, I have no doubt

but that my mother would have advanced it; but Bob, a fine seaman, not

yet thirty years old, was always sure of a ship--that is, a man-of-war.

To save himself from impressment, Cross had dressed himself in long

toggery as a captain of a merchant vessel, and was believed to be such.

Having satisfied myself that everything went on favourably in that

quarter, I again returned to Chatham, that I might escort my mother and

grandmother into Devonshire. We bade farewell to my aunt and Captain

Bridgeman, and set off for London, where we remained a few days at an

hotel, and then took the day coach down to Ilfracombe, where my mother

had decided upon taking up her future residence, changing her name to

Ogilvie, which had been my grandmother's maiden name.

Ilfracombe was then a beautiful retired spot, and well suited to my

mother from its cheapness: with their joint incomes, my grandmother and

she could command anything they wished. We soon hired a very pretty

little cottage _ornee_, ready furnished, as my mother would not furnish

a house until she had ascertained whether there were no drawbacks to the

locality. I ought to observe, that my grandmother now appeared quite as

partial to me as she had before been otherwise. I treated her with

great respect.

Although it was not difficult to obtain a renewal of leave from a

guard-ship, after I had remained six weeks with my mother, it was

necessary that I should make my appearance at Portsmouth. It was

arranged that I should take my departure for Portsmouth in three days,

when, on reading the Plymouth newspaper, I learnt that the

newly-launched frigate Manilla, of 44 guns, was put in commission, and

that the Honourable Captain Delmar had come down and hoisted his

pennant. This, of course, changed my plans. I resolved to set off for

Plymouth, and wait upon Captain Delmar. I wrote to Bob Cross, enclosing

an order for my chest and bedding on board of the guard-ship at

Portsmouth, acquainting him with my intention, but requesting him not to

act until he heard from me again.

I had a long conversation with my mother, from whom I obtained a renewal

of her promise to abide and act by my instructions. I took a respectful

farewell of my grandmother, who gave me 100 pounds, which I did not

want, as my mother had given me a similar sum, and then set off for

Plymouth.

The reader may perhaps inquire how it was that Captain Delmar--as he had

promised to pay my expenses--had not made any offer of the kind, or

communicated with me on the subject? But the fact was, that he knew I

had three years' pay due, besides the prize-money for the Dutch frigate,

which, however, I had not yet received, although it was payable. In

pecuniary matters I was certainly well off, as my mother desired that I

would draw for any money that I required, feeling convinced that, being

aware of her circumstances, I should not distress her by any

extravagancies in that she did me justice.

I was now eighteen years old, and just starting again on my career. As

I grew up, my likeness to Captain Delmar became more remarkable every

day. My mother could not help observing it even to me. "I almost wish

that it was not so, my dear mother. I fear it will be the cause of

annoyance to Captain Delmar; but it cannot be helped. At all events, it

must satisfy him, allowing that he has any doubt (which I am sure he has

not), that I am his own child."

"That I believe to be quite unnecessary," replied my mother with a deep

sigh.

"I should think so too, my dear mother," replied I, caressing her

kindly. "At all events, I will prove, whether I ever obtain it or not,

that I am not unworthy of the name of Delmar: but I must wait no

longer--the coach is about to start. Adieu, and may God bless you."

On my arrival at Plymouth--or Plymouth Dock, as Devonport was then

called--I inquired at which hotel Captain Delmar had taken up his

quarters. It was the one to which I had intended to have gone myself;

but I immediately had my luggage taken to another, for I really believe

that Delmar would have considered it a great liberty for any one of his

officers to presume, to lie down in the same caravanserai as himself.

The next morning I sent up my name and was admitted.

"Good morning, Mr Keene," said the captain. "I presume that you have

come down to request to join my ship, and I therefore consent before you

make the request. I trust you will always show the same zeal and

deference to your officers that you did in the Calliope. You have grown

very much, and are now a young man. I shall give you the rating of

mate, and I trust you will not do discredit to my patronage."

"I trust not, Captain Delmar," replied I. "I have but one wish in the

world, which is to please you, who have so befriended me from my

boyhood. I should be very ungrateful if I did not do my duty with zeal

and fidelity; I am indebted to you for everything, and I am aware I must

look to you for every future prospect. I have to thank you, sir, for

your great kindness in publishing my name in the public Gazette."

"You deserved it, Mr Keene, and it certainly will be of great advantage

to you when you have served your time. Has your time gone on since the

Calliope was paid off?"

"Yes, sir; I am still on the books of the Salvadore?"

"How much time have you served?"

"Nearly four years and a half, sir."

"Well, the rest will soon be over; and if you do your duty, my patronage

shall not be wanting."

Here there was a bow on my part, and a pause, and I was backing out with

another bow, when the captain said, "How is your mother, Mr Keene?"

"She has been advised to retire from business, and to settle in the

country," replied I, mournfully; "her health is such, that--" Here I

stopped, as I preferred deceiving him by implication, or rather allowing

him to deceive himself.

"I am sorry to hear that," replied he; "but she never was strong as a

young woman." Here the captain stopped, as if he had said too much.

"No, sir," replied I; "when in the service of Mrs Delmar she could not

be put to anything that required fatigue."

"Very true," replied the captain. "You may go on board, Mr Keene, and

desire my clerk to make out a letter, requesting your discharge from the

Salvadore into the Manilla. Do you require anything?"

"No, sir, I thank you. I need not trespass on your generosity just now.

Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Mr Keene."

"I beg your pardon Captain Delmar," said I, as I held the door ajar;

"but should you like Robert Cross, your former coxswain, should join you

in the same capacity? I know where he is."

"Yes, Mr Keene, I should like to have him: he was a steady, good man.

You will oblige me by writing to him, and requesting him to join

immediately. Where is he?"

"At Portsmouth, Captain Delmar."

"Very well; tell him to come round as fast as he can. By the bye, you

will have two of your old messmates--Mr Smith, the master, and Mr

Dott. I hope the latter is a little more steady than he was. I was in

hopes to have had your old acquaintance, Mr Culpepper, with us; but he

died about six weeks back--a fit, or something of that kind."

"Thank heaven for that," thought I. Again I made my most respectful

bow, and quitted the room.

I returned to my own hotel, and sitting down, I began to reflect upon

the interview. I recalled all that had passed, and I made up my mind

that I was right in preparing him for the report of my mother's death:

his reception of me was all that I could have expected from him--it was

cordial; but my blood boiled when I called to mind that he had only made

a casual inquiry after my mother, as I was leaving the room; and then

his checking himself because he had inadvertently said that she was not

strong when she was a young woman. "Yes," thought I; "he cannot bear

the remembrance of the connection; and it is only for myself, and not

from any natural affection of a parent, that he cares for me; or if he

does care for me as his son, it is because I have his blood in my veins;

and he despises and looks down upon the mother. I am sure that he will

be anything but sorry to hear that my mother is dead, and he shall be

gratified. I will now write to her."

I could not help observing that there was some change in the appearance

of Captain Delmar. Strange to say, he looked more youthful; and as I

compared our two faces in the mirror on the mantel-piece behind him,

when I stood up, he appeared more like me in appearance than ever. What

was it? "Oh!" thought I, "I have it. His hair is no longer mixed with

grey: he must wear a wig." This was the fact, as I afterwards

ascertained; the colour of his wig was, however, much darker than my own

hair.

By the same post I wrote to Bob Cross, acquainting him with what had

passed, and begging him to come round by the first water conveyance, and

bring my chest and bedding with him. I then walked down to the dockyard

to have a look at the Manilla, which was, as I had heard, a splendid

vessel; went up again to order a mate's uniform, and returned to the

hotel. It was useless going to the ship at that time, as the marines

and boys had only been drafted into her that morning; and there was

nothing to do until she was clear of the shipwrights, who were still on

board of her, and employed in every part of her. The first lieutenant

had not yet come down. The master was the only officer who had joined,

and he had hoisted the pennant. I was delighted to find that he was to

sail with us; and we passed that evening together.

During the evening the master said, "I hear there are plenty of good men

stowed away by the crimps at different places. I wish we could only

find out where they are, and get hold of them. I fear, if we do not, we

shall either be badly manned in haste from the Tower tender, or have to

wait a long while before we sail. Now, Keene, don't you think you could

manage so as to get us some men?"

"I've got one already," replied I: "Bob Cross, the captain's coxswain."

"And a real good one too," replied the master; "the best helmsman we had

in the Calliope. You and he were very thick together."

"Yes," replied I: "when I came on board, a mere lad, he was very kind to

me, and I am very partial to him in consequence."

That night after the master and I had parted, I thought over the

question he had put to me, as to obtaining good seamen for the ship, and

I made up my mind that I would wait till Cross arrived, and consult with

him as to a project which I had in my head. In the mean time I went to

a slop-shop by the dockyard wall, and provided myself with a common

sailor's toggery, of the real cut, with a banyan covered hat, and all

complete. Three days afterwards Cross joined me, having found a passage

round in a cutter; and as soon as I had talked over his affairs, I

proposed my plan to him, in which he heartily coincided.

That I did this to please the captain is certain: I had no other view.

It was necessary, however, that I obtained the captain's permission, and

I went to him and explained my ideas. The captain was too willing to

let me try it, and thanked me for my zeal.

"Go on board, Mr Keene, and tell them I have given you six weeks' leave

of absence, and then you can do as you propose."

I did so, for it was absolutely necessary that as few as possible should

be acquainted with what I was about, as I ran a great risk. I have no

hesitation in saying that I should have been made away with by the

crimps, had they discovered me.

I dressed myself as a common seaman, darkened my face, and dirtied

myself a little, especially on the hands, and Bob Cross and I then went

at night into one of the low public houses, with which the town is

filled; there we pretended to be much alarmed lest we should be pressed,

and asked for a back-room to smoke and drink in. We called in the

landlord, telling him we were second mates of vessels, and not secure

from the impress; that we never were at Plymouth before, our ships

having put in damaged, and that the crew were discharged; and asked if

there was no safe place where we could be stowed until we could find

another vessel ready to start.

He replied, that there was a house at Stonehouse where we could be quite

safe; but that, of course, we must pay the crimps well for our board and

lodging and that they would find us a ship when we wished to go; and

further, that we must give him something handsome for taking us there.

To this we agreed, and at midnight we set off in company with our

landlord, each of us carrying our bundles, and in less than an hour

arrived at a sort of farm-house detached from the road.

After a short parley we obtained entrance, and were taken into a small

room where the crimp inquired of us what money we had, and then told us

what his charges were. The reason of his doing this was, because if we

had no money, or very little, he would have disposed of us very soon by

sending us on board of some ship, and obtaining an advance of our wages

from the captain as his indemnification; but if we had plenty of money,

he would then keep us as long as he could that he might make his profit

of us; his charges were monstrous, as may be supposed, and we had

replied that we had very little money. We contrived to look as careless

and indifferent as we could, agreed to everything, paid the landlord of

the pothouse a guinea each for taking us to the house, and were then

ushered into a large room, where we found about twenty seamen sitting at

a long table, drinking, and playing cards and dominoes.

They did not appear to notice us, they were so busy either playing or

looking on. Cross called for a pot of ale, and we sat down at the

farther end of the table.

"What a dislike the men must have to the press," said Cross to me, "when

they submit to be mured up here in prison."

"Yes, and cheated by such a scoundrel as the crimp appears to be."

"Don't talk so loud, Jack," replied Cross; for I had insisted upon his

calling me Jack, "lest we should be overheard."

We then asked to go to bed, and were shown by the crimp into a room

which had about fourteen beds in it.

"You may take your choice of those five," said he, pointing to five

nearest the door: "I always come up and take away the candle."

As we found some of the other beds occupied, we did not resume our

conversation, but went to sleep.

The next morning we found that we mustered about thirty-five, many of

the more steady men having gone to bed before we arrived. After

breakfast, Cross and I each entered into conversation with a man, and

pumped them very cleverly. Our chief object was, to ascertain the

houses of the other crimps, and, as the men knew most of them, having

invariably resorted to them at the end of their voyages, we obtained the

locality of five or six, all apparently public-houses, but having back

premises for the concealment of seamen: all these were carefully noted

down.

As we became more intimate, the seamen, who were glad to talk, from

weariness of confinement, asked us many questions. We said that we had

deserted from a man-of-war, and then a hundred questions were asked us

as to our treatment. I allowed Bob Cross to be spokesman, and his

replies were very sensible. He told them that all depended upon what

sort of captains and first lieutenants were on board; that he had been

pressed twice: the first time he was comfortable enough, and made 200

pounds prize-money in eight months; but in the last man-of-war he was

very uncomfortable, and had therefore cut and run. Altogether, he made

the service appear much more favourable than they supposed, although the

crimp, who had stood by, did all he could to persuade the men to the

contrary.

We remained in this house for more than a week, and then declared that

we had no more money, and must find a ship. The crimp said that he had

a berth for one of us as second mate of a brig, and I agreed to take it,

leaving Bob Cross to get a berth for himself as soon as he could. As I

raid up, there was no demand upon the owners of the vessel, and it was

arranged that I should be down at a certain wharf at three o'clock in

the morning, when I should find a boat waiting for me. I waited up with

Bob Cross until the clock had struck two, and then the crimp let me out.

He did not offer to go down with me, as he had no money to receive;

and, as it was pitch-dark, there was little chance of my being picked up

by a press-gang at that hour. I wished Cross good-bye, and set off for

Plymouth Dock with my bundle on my stick.

Not knowing where to go at such an hour, I walked about to see if I

could perceive a light in any house: I did so at last through the chinks

of the shutters of a small ale-house, and tapped at the door; it was

opened, I was ushered in, and the door closed immediately upon me. I

found myself in the presence of several marines with their side-arms,

and seamen with cutlasses. An officer started up from his seat, and

collaring me said, "You're just the fellow we want. We're in luck

to-night." In fact, I was in the hands of a press-gang, and I was

pressed myself.

"Yes, he'll do: he'll make a capital maintop-man," said a midshipman,

getting up and surveying me.

I looked at him, and perceived my old acquaintance Mr Tommy Dott, grown

a great deal taller; I perceived that he did not recognise me. "But,

sir," said I to the officer of the party, who was so disguised that I

could not tell his rank, "suppose I belong to a man-of-war already?"

"That you do not; or if you do, you must be a deserter, my good fellow;

that is evident by your stick and bundle. Now sit down and drink some

beer, if you like; you are going to serve in a fine frigate--you may as

well make yourself comfortable, for we shall not go on board yet, for

this hour."

I determined to keep up my _incognito_, as it amused me. I sat down,

and it then occurred to me that my not going on board of the vessel

might lead to an explanation with the crimp, and that an alarm might be

created and the men dispersed in consequence. There were still two

hours to daylight, and if I could take up the press-gang, we might

secure all the men in the house before the dawn of day.

As I had just made up my mind to act, there was a stamping of feet

outside and a knock at the door. When it was opened, another portion of

the press-gang, headed by another officer, entered. I counted heads,

and found that they mustered thirty hands--quite sufficient, as they

were armed, to secure all my late companions. I therefore went up to

the officer, and begged to speak with him aside.

I then told him that I had just come from a crimp's house near

Stonehouse, where I left in their beds thirty-five as fine men as ever

walked a plank, and that, as I was pressed myself, I did not mind

telling him where they were, and he could take them all.

The officer curled up his lip, as if to say, "You're a pretty scoundrel

to betray your companions," but immediately resolved to act upon it.

Without stating his intentions, he ordered all the men out, and putting

me between two marines, so as to prevent my escaping, I was desired to

lead on. I did so, and we proceeded in silence until we arrived near to

the house. I then pointed out to the officer that it must be

surrounded, or the men would escape, and that it must be done very

carefully, as there was a large dog which would be sure to give the

alarm. My advice was attended to, and when all the men were at their

stations, the whole advanced slowly towards the house. The dog

commenced baying, as I had foreseen, and shortly afterwards the crimp

put his head out of a window, and perceived that the press-gang were

below. But all attempts to force an entrance were in vain, every window

below, and the doors, being secured with iron bars.

"Is there no way of getting into this den?" said the officer to me.

"Why sir, I'll try."

As Bob Cross had given another name, I knew that I risked nothing in

calling out his, and I therefore requested the officer to impose

silence, and when it was obtained, I cried out, "Bob Cross! Bob Cross!!

Where's Bob Cross?"

After that, I went to the small door at the side of the house, which led

to the homestead, and again cried out, "Bob Cross!--where's Bob Cross?"

I then told the officer that we must wait patiently, and that if it was

daylight before we got in, all the better.

About ten minutes after that, as I remained at the small door, I heard

the bars quietly removed; I then requested the officer to attempt to

force the small door, and it yielded almost immediately to their

efforts.

"Now, sir, leave a guard at the other door, that they may not open it,

and escape by it, also five or six hands to catch any who may jump out

of the upper windows, and then enter with the rest of your party."

"You know what you are about, at all events," said he, giving the

directions which I had pointed out, and then entering with the remainder

of his party, with the exception of one marine that held me by the arm,

with his bayonet drawn.

The scuffle within was very severe, and lasted for many minutes: at

last, the armed force, although not so numerous, prevailed, and one by

one, the men were brought out, and taken charge of by the marines, until

the whole of them were discovered in their retreats, and secured.

Day now dawned, and it was time to be off. To make more secure, the

pressed men were lashed two and two, with small rope, which had been

provided on purpose. Bob Cross, who, of course, had not mixed in the

affray, gave me a nod of recognition, and we set off as fast as the men

could be persuaded to move; certainly not a very gay procession, for

although the wounds were not dangerous, there was scarcely one of the

party, amounting in all to upwards of sixty men, who was not bleeding.

Hardly a word was exchanged. We were all put into the boats, and rowed

off to the hulk appropriated to the crew of the frigate, until she was

rigged, and as soon as we were on board, we were put below under the

charge of sentries.

"What! you here?" said some of the pressed men.

"Yes," replied I: "they picked me up as I went to ship myself last

night." The crimp, who had been brought on board with the others, then

started forward. "It is he who has blown upon us; I'll swear to it."

"You may swear if you please," replied I; "that will do you no good, and

me no harm."

The crimp talked with the other men, and then indignation was levelled

against me. Most of them swore they would be even with me, and have my

life if they could; indeed, they could hardly be prevented laying hands

upon me; but Bob Cross told the sentry, and he interfered with his

bayonet; notwithstanding which, fists continued to be shook in my face,

and vengeance threatened every minute.

"I told you, my lads," said Bob Cross, "that I have been on board of a

man-of-war before this, and you'd better mind what you're about, or

you'll repent it; at all events, if one of you touches him, you'll have

five dozen lashes at the gangway before to-morrow morning."

This made the poor fellows more quiet; most of them lay down, and tried

to sleep off their misery.

"Why don't you make yourself known, Mr Keene?" said Cross to me, in a

whisper: "I saw the master go on the quarterdeck just now."

"I think I had better not: there are more houses to examine, and if my

trick was known, it would soon get wind from the women, and I should be

waylaid, and perhaps murdered by the crimps. The captain will be on

board by ten o'clock, I have no doubt, and then I will contrive to see

him, somehow or another."

"But you could trust the master--why not see him?"

"I'll think of it--but there's no hurry."

I was afraid that Tommy Dott would have discovered me, and I kept out of

his way as much as I could.

"I'll tell you what, sir--as I've not joined the ship, why not let it be

supposed that I am impressed with the other men, and then I can send for

Mr Dott and make myself known? The commanding officer will, of course,

send for me, and I will enter, and then I shall be allowed to go about,

and can speak to the captain when he comes on board."

"Well, that is not a bad idea. Talk to the sentry."

"Who's the captain of this ship, sentry?" said Bob Cross.

"Captain Delmar."

"Delmar!--why, he's my old captain. Did not I see a Mr Dott, a

midshipman?"

"Yes there is a Mr Dott on board."

"Well, I wish you would just pass the word to Mr Dott, to say that one

of the pressed men wishes to speak to him."

The sentry did so, and Mr Dott came down.

"How d'ye do, Mr Dott?" said Bob Cross, while I turned away.

"What Cross, is that you? Are you dressed?"

"Yes, sir, can't be helped. I'm glad I'm to sail with you, sir. What's

become of Mr Keene?"

"Oh, I don't know; but if he's not hanged by this time, I believe that

he's to join the ship."

"Won't I pull your ears for that?" thought I.

"What other officers have we of the Calliope, sir?"

"There's the master, Mr Smith, and the surgeon."

"Well, Mr Dott, one must always make a virtue of necessity. Tell Mr

Smith that I shall enter for the ship; and I'll put my name down at

once, instead of being penned up here."

"That's right, Cross; and I say, you chaps, you'd better follow a good

example. Sentry, let this man go with me."

Bob Cross then went with Tommy Dott, and entered for the service. The

master was very glad to see him again and said, "Why, Cross, Mr Keene

said that you had promised him to join us."

"Why, sir, so I had; but it's a long story. However, it's all the same

in the end: here I am, and I hope I shall get my old rating."

Soon after, Bob Cross came down and said, "Well, my lads, I'm free now,

and I advise you all to do the same. Come, Jack," said he to me, "what

d'ye say?"

"No, no," replied I. "I won't unless all the rest do."

Bob then took me on one side, and told me what had taken place, and

asked me what he should say to the captain. I told him, and then he

left us.

At ten o'clock the captain came on board. Bob Cross went up to him and

said he wished to say something to him in the cabin. He followed the

captain down, and then explained to him that I was among the pressed men

but as a means of obtaining plenty more men, I had remained among them,

and had not made myself known, for fear my trick should get wind; also

that I thought the crimp should be kept on board, although he was of no

use as a seaman.

"Mr Keene has behaved very prudently," replied Captain Delmar. "I

understand his motives--leave the rest to me."

A few minutes after Bob had communicated to me what the captain had

said, the pressed men were ordered up, and ranged along the

quarter-deck. A finer set of men I never saw together: and they all

appeared to be, as they afterwards proved to be prime seamen. The

captain called them one by one and questioned them. He asked them to

enter, but they refused. The crimp begged hard to be released. Their

names were all put down on the ship's book together.

The captain, turning to me--for I had stood up the last of the row--

said, "I understand the officer of the impress agreed to release you if

you would tell him where your comrades were. I don't like losing a good

man, but still I shall let you go in consequence of the promise being

made. There, you may take a boat and go on shore."

"Thank your honour," replied I. I went to the gangway immediately; but

I never shall forget the faces of the pressed men when I passed them:

they looked as if I had a thousand lives, and they had stomach enough to

take them all.

I went on shore immediately, and going to my hotel, washed the colour

and dirt off my face, dressed myself in my mate's uniform, and went to

the hotel where the captain lived. I found that he had just come on

shore, and I sent up my name, and I was admitted. I then told the

captain the information which we had received with regard to nine or ten

more houses, and that I thought I might now go on board, and never be

recognised.

"You have managed extremely well," replied Captain Delmar; "we have made

a glorious haul: but I think it will be better that you do not go on

board; the press-gang shall meet you every night, and obey your orders."

I bowed, and walked out of the room.

The next night, and several subsequent ones, the press-gang came on

shore, and, from the information I had received, we procured in the

course of a fortnight more than two hundred good seamen. Some of the

defences were most desperate: fort as one crimp's house after another

was forced, they could not imagine how they could have been discovered;

but it put them all on their guard; and on the last three occasions the

merchant seamen were armed and gave us obstinate fights; however,

although the wounds were occasionally severe, there was no loss of life.

Having expended all my knowledge, I had nothing more to do than go on

board, which I did, and was kindly received by the master and the other

officers, who had been prepossessed in my favour. Such was the

successful result of my plan. The crimp we did not allow to go on

shore, but discharged him into a gun-brig, the captain of which was a

notorious martinet; and I have no doubt, being aware of his character

and occupation, that he kept his word, when he told Captain Delmar that

he would make the ship a hell to him--"and sarve him right too," said

Bob Cross, when he heard of it; "the money that these rascals obtain

from the seamen, Mr Keene, is quite terrible; and the poor fellows,

after having earned it by two or three years' hard work, go to prison in

a crimp-house to spend it, or rather to be swindled out of it. It is

these fellows that raise such reports against the English navy, that

frighten the poor fellows so; they hear of men being flogged until they

die under the lash, and all the lies that can be invented. Not that the

masters of the merchant vessels are at all backward in disparaging the

service, but threaten to send a man on board a man-of-war for a

punishment, if he behaves ill--that itself is enough to raise a

prejudice against the service. Now, sir, I can safely swear that there

is more cruelty and oppression--more ill-treatment and more hard work--

on board of a merchantman, than on board any man-of-war. Why so?

Because there is no control over the master of a merchant vessel, while

the captain of a man-of-war is bound down by strict regulations, which

he dare not disobey. We see many reports in the newspapers of the

ill-treatment on of merchant vessels; but for one that is made known,

ninety-nine are passed over; for a seaman has something else to do than

to be kicking his heels at a magistrate's office; and when he gets clear

of his vessel, with his pay in his pocket, he prefers to make merry and

forget his treatment, to seeking revenge. I say again, sarve that crimp

right, and I hope that he'll get a lash for every pound which he has

robbed from the poor seamen."

I may as well inform the reader that, as it is mostly the case after the

men have been impressed, nearly the whole of them entered the service;

and when, some time afterwards, they ascertained that it was I that had

tricked them, so far from feeling the ill-will towards me that they had

on their first coming on board, they laughed very much at my successful

plan, and were more partial to me than to any other of the officers.

Our frigate was now well manned, and nearly ready for sea. I wrote to

my mother, enclosing the heads of a letter to her which she should send

to Captain Delmar, and in a day or two I received an answer, with a copy

of what she had sent. It was to the effect that I was now going away

for the second time, and that it was possible she might never see me or

Captain Delmar again; that she wished him success and happiness, and

begged him, in case she should be called away, not to forget his

promises to her, or what she had undergone for his sake; but she trusted

entirely to him, and that he would watch over me and my interests, even

more out of regard to her memory, than if she were alive to support my

claims upon him.

The letter was given to Captain Delmar when he was on the quarter-deck,

and he went with it down below. He came on deck shortly afterwards. I

looked at him but did not perceive that he was in any way put out or

moved by its reception. Claims for past services, whether upon the

country or upon individuals, are seldom well received; like the payment

of a tavern bill, after we have done with the enjoyments, we seem

inclined to cavil at each separate item--_ainsi va le monde_.

It was reported down at Mutton Cove, that our ship, which sailed with

sealed orders was to be sent to the West Indies. This the captain did

not expect or wish, as he had had enough of the tropics already. When

he, however, opened his orders, it was found that Mutton Cove was

correct, and the captain's instructions were, to seek the admiral of the

station with all possible dispatch.

We carried sail day and night, and as the Manilla proved a remarkably

fast sailer, we were very soon in Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, where we

found the admiral and six sail of the line, and a few smaller vessels.

As soon as the despatches were opened by the admiral, our signal, as

well as that of all the smaller vessels, was made, and before the

evening we had spread our canvas in every direction, being sent to

recall the whole of the disposable force to rendezvous at Carlisle Bay.

We knew that something was in the wind, but what, we had no idea of.

Our orders were to proceed to Halifax, and we had a quick passage. We

found two frigates there, and we gave them their instructions; and then,

having remained only twenty-four hours, we all made sail together for

Barbadoes.

On our arrival there, we round the bay crowded with vessels:

twenty-eight sail of pennants and a fleet of transports, containing ten

thousand troops. Three days afterwards the signal was made to weigh,

and the whole fleet stood out from Carlisle Bay, it being now well known

that the capture of the island of Martinique was the object of the

expedition. On the third day we arrived off the island, and our troops

were disembarked at two points, expecting to meet with strong

opposition. Such, however, to our surprise, was not the case. It

appeared that the militia of the island, being composed of slaves, and

who were sent to oppose us, did not consider that slavery was worth

fighting for quite as well as liberty, and therefore very quietly walked

home again, leaving the governor and regular troops to decide the

question as to whether the island was for the future to belong to the

French or English. But the two following days there was some hard

fighting, and our troops, although they advanced, had a severe loss.

The French retired from the advanced posts to Fort Dessaix, and we

obtained possession of the fort on Point Salamon.

The next point to be attacked was Pigeon Island, and there the navy were

called into action; we had to get the carronades and mortars up a hill

almost inaccessible; we did it, much to the surprise of the troops, who

could hardly believe it when the battery opened fire. After a brisk

cannonading of ten hours, Pigeon Island surrendered, and then the

admiral stood into, and anchored the fleet in Fort Royal Bay; not,

however, in time to prevent the French from setting fire to the frigates

which were in the harbour. A few days after, the town of St. Pierre and

the town of Fort Royal surrendered, and Fort Dessaix only held out. For

more than a week we were very busy constructing batteries and landing

cannon and mortars; and when all was ready, the bombardment of Fort

Dessaix commenced, and five days afterwards the French capitulated, and

the island was formally surrendered to the English.

I have hurried over the capture, as it has oftentimes been described in

detail. All I can say is, that it was very hard work for the seamen,

and that they had their full share of the fatigue; but, from the

peculiar nature of the service, an affair took place which was of much

importance to me. I said before that the sailors were employed in the

hard duty of getting the guns, etcetera, on shore, and up to where the

batteries were to be erected--in short, working like slaves in the heat

of the sun, while the troops remained quiet investing the fort. There

was no objection raised to this, and the seamen worked very willingly;

but the staff and mounted officers of the army, who rode to and fro

giving orders, were not quite as civil as they might be--that is, some

of them; and a certain feeling of dissension and ill-will was created in

consequence.

The junior officers of the navy, and the lieutenants who could be spared

to direct the labour of the seamen on shore, received occasionally very

harsh language from some of the military officers, and did not fail to

give very prompt replies to those who they did not consider had any

right to control them. Complaints were made to the captains of the

men-of-war, and, on being investigated, the result generally was, that

the captains defended their officers, and the military gentlemen

obtained no redress. The active service, however, did not admit of any

notice being taken of it at the time; but after the island had

surrendered, these unfortunate animosities were resumed.

A few days after the capture of the island, the prisoners and troops

were embarked an the fleet sailed, a sufficient garrison being left upon

the island for its defence. The admiral also thought proper to leave

two or three men-of-war in the harbour, and our frigate was one. For

the first few days everything went on smoothly. The French inhabitants

were soon on good terms with us, and balls and parties had commenced;

but the seamen and soldiers, when they met at the liquor-stores, began

to quarrel as to which branch of the service had done most towards the

taking the island. This will always be the case with people so addicted

to intoxication. Several severe wounds were received in the various

skirmishes which took place, and at last the seamen were interdicted

from going on shore. Indeed, as they were not armed, and the soldiers

carried their bayonets, it was too unequal a contest when an affray took

place; but the ill-will spread, and at last arrived to the superior

officers.

The consequence was, that a challenge was given to one of the captains

of the frigates by an adjutant. It was accepted; but not an hour after

it was accepted, the captain was taken with a fever, and on the morning

of the following day, when the duel was to have taken place, he was not

able to quit his bed; and the military gentlemen, on arriving at the

ground, found an excuse instead of an antagonist. Whether it was really

supposed that the fever was a mere excuse to avoid the duel, or that the

animosity prevailing gave rise to the report, certain it is, that there

were many sneers on the part of the military men, and great indignation

on the tart of the naval officers; who, if they could have so done,

would have gone on shore on purpose to insult every officer they could

meet who wore a red coat; but in consequence of this excitement being

known all leave was prohibited.

Captain Delmar, who was the naval commanding officer, had taken up his

quarters on shore; he had done all he possibly could to prevent the

unpleasant feeling from continuing, and had shown great forbearance and

good sense: but it so happened that, being in company with some of the

military staff, observations were made in his presence, relative to the

conduct of the naval captain ill with the fever, that he could not

permit. He gave a flat denial to them, and the consequence was, that

language was used which left no alternative but a duel.

This was the Monday night, and as it was too late then, it was agreed

that the meeting should take place on the following evening at sunset.

I believe this was proposed by Captain Delmar, in preference to the

morning, as he knew his antagonist was a regular duellist and he wished

to have the next day to put his affairs in order, previous to the

meeting. I should here observe that the captain had not been on

anything like intimate terms with his lieutenants. The surgeon and

master were old shipmates, and with them he was sociable: whether it was

that he did not choose to ask the favour of the commissioned officers,

certain it is, that he sent for the master to be his second on the

occasion, and on the master returning on board, he desired me to go on

shore with the boat and take the captain's pistols with me, but not to

allow them to be seen by any one; a message was also sent for the

surgeon to go on shore to the captain.

When the surgeon and I arrived at the house where the captain resided,

and were ushered up, the sitting-room was empty. I had put the case of

pistols in a piece of canvas, so as to look like despatches about to be

sent to England, and I uncovered them and placed them on one of the

tables. A few minutes afterwards the captain came out, and I was very

much surprised at his appearance; he was very flushed and heated in the

face, and appeared to tremble as he walked. The surgeon also looked at

him with surprise. We knew him to be incapable of fear, and yet he gave

us the appearance of a person very much troubled.

"Doctor," said he, "I am glad that you are come. I feel very unwell--

feel my pulse."

"Yes, sir," said the doctor, "that you certainly are; you have the same

fever on you as Captain W. Singular."

"Yes, but it will be rather too singular, doctor. Poor W had obloquy

enough on account of his illness; and if a second captain in the navy

were to be obliged to send a similar excuse, we should be at a pretty

discount with the red-coats. If you can do any thing for me, do; but it

must be perfectly understood that fight to-morrow evening I will, even

if I am carried to the ground."

"Certainly, Captain Delmar, if it is possible. I think that a little

blood must be taken from you immediately, and probably the fever may

subside."

But before his arm could be bound up, the captain became incoherent in

his discourse; and after the bleeding had been performed, when he

attempted to look at his papers, he was so confused that he found it

impossible, and was obliged to be put to bed immediately. When the

surgeon came out of his bed-room, he said to us, "He'll never get up to

fight that duel, depend upon it; the fever increases--it may be that he

may never rise again--I fear it is the yellow fever."

"A bad job," replied the master--"a very bad job indeed; two captains in

the navy receiving challenges, and both sending excuses on account of

illness. The service will be disgraced. I'll fight the soldier

myself."

"That will never do," replied the surgeon; "it will not help the captain

that he has sent one of his officers in his stead. Steward, make a bed

up here in this room; I shall not leave the house to-night."

"It's of no use my staying here," observed the master: "nor you either,

Keene: let's go on board, and we will be here early to-morrow morning.

Confounded bad job this. Good-bye."

The master and I returned to the boat. I had been reflecting a good

deal on the disgrace which would, at all events for a certain period, be

thrown upon the service and Captain Delmar by this unfortunate

circumstance, and before I had gone up the ship's side I had made up my

mind. As soon as we were on board, I requested the master to allow me

to speak to him in his cabin; and when we were there, after canvassing

the question, and pointing out to him what discredit would ensue, and

working him up into a great state of irritation, I then proposed to him

what I considered to be the best course to pursue. "Every one says how

like I am to Captain Delmar, Mr Smith," said I.

"If you were his own son, you could not be more so," replied the master.

"Well, sir, I am now as tall as he is: the colour of my hair is lighter,

certainly; but the captain wears a wig. Now, sir, I am perfectly sure

that if I were to put on the captain's uniform and wig, as the duel is

to take place in the evening, they never could find out that it was not

the captain; and as for a good shot, I think I can hit a button as well

as the best duellist in existence."

The master bit his lips, and was silent for a short time. At last he

said, "What you propose is certainly very easy; but why should you risk

your life for Captain Delmar?"

"Why, did you not offer to do it just now for the honour of the service?

I have that feeling, and moreover wish to serve Captain Delmar, who has

been my patron. What's the life of a midshipman worth, even if I were

to fall?--nothing."

"That's true enough," replied the master bluntly; and then correcting

himself, he added, "that is, midshipmen in general; but I think you may

be worth something by-and-by. However, Keene, I do think, on the whole,

it's a very good plan; and if the Captain is not better to-morrow, we

will then consider it more seriously. I have an idea that you are more

likely to pin the fellow than the captain, who, although as brave a man

as can be, he has not, I believe, fired twenty pistols in his life.

Good night; and I hardly need say we must keep our secret."

"Never fear, sir. Good night."

I went to my hammock, quite overjoyed at the half-consent given by the

master to my proposition. It would give me such a claim on Captain

Delmar, if I survived; and if I fell, at all events he would cherish my

memory; but as for falling, I felt sure that I should not. I had a

presentiment (probably no more than the buoyant hope of youth) that I

should be the victor. At all events, I went to sleep very soundly, and

did not wake until I was roused up by the quartermaster on the following

morning.

After breakfast the master requested a boat to be manned, and we went on

shore. On our arrival at the house, we found the surgeon in great

anxiety: the captain was in a state of delirium, and the fever was at

the highest.

"How is he?" demanded the master.

"More likely to go out of the world himself than to send another out of

it," replied the surgeon. "He cannot well be worse, and that is all

that I can say. He has been raving all night, and I have been obliged

to take nearly two pounds of blood from him; and, Mr Keene," continued

the surgeon, "he talks a great deal of you and other persons. You may

go in to him, if you please; for I have as much as possible kept the

servants away--they will talk."

"Bob Cross is down below, sir," replied I: "he is the safest man to wait

upon him."

"I agree with you, Keene--send for him, and he shall remain at his

bedside."

The master then spoke with the surgeon, and communicated my proposition;

and the surgeon replied, "Well, from what I have learned this night,

there is no person who has so great a right to take his place; and

perhaps it will be as well, both for the captain's sake and his own; at

all events, I will go with you, and, in case of accident, do my best."

The matter was, therefore, considered as arranged, and I went into the

captain's room. He was delirious, and constantly crying out about his

honour and disgrace; indeed, there is no doubt but that his anxiety to

meet his antagonist was one very great cause of the fever having run so

high; but at times he changed the subject, and then he spoke of me and

my mother. "Where is my boy--my own boy, Percival?" said he--"my

pride--where is he? Arabella, you must not be angry with me--no,

Arabella; consider the consequence;" and then he would burst out in such

fond expressions towards me, that the tears ran down my cheeks as I

planted a kiss upon his forehead; for he was insensible, and I could do

so without offence.

Bob Cross, who had for some time been at his bedside, wiped the tears

from his eyes, and said, "Master Keene, how this man must have suffered

to have cloaked his feelings towards you in the way which he has done.

However, I am glad to hear all this, and, if necessary, I will tell him

of it--ay, if I get seven dozen for it the next minute."

I remained with Bob Cross at his bedside for the whole day, during which

he more than twenty times acknowledged me as his son. As the evening

closed in, I prepared in silence for the duty I had to perform. To the

surprise of Cross, who was ignorant of what I intended, I stripped off

my own clothes and put on those of the captain, and then put his wig

over my own hair. I then examined myself in the glass, and was

satisfied.

"Well," said Cross, looking at me, "you do look like the captain

himself, and might almost go on board and read the articles of war; but,

surely, Master Keene," added he, looking at the captain as he lay

senseless in bed, "this is no time for foolery of this sort."

"It is no foolery, Bob," replied I, taking his hand; "I am going to

represent the captain and fight a duel for him, or the service will be

disgraced."

"I didn't know that the captain had a duel to fight," replied Bob,

"although I heard that there had been words."

I then explained the whole to him. "You are right, Master Keene--right

in everything. May God bless you, and send you good luck. I wish I

might go with you."

"No, Bob, that must not be."

"Then, God bless you, and may you floor the soldier. Lord, what a state

I shall be in till I know what has taken place!"

"It will soon be known, Bob; so good-bye, and I trust we shall meet

again." I then went out of the bed-room.

The surgeon actually started when I made my appearance, and acknowledged

that the personation was exact. Taking the arm of the surgeon and the

master, we set off, the master carrying the pistols, which had been

prepared; and in a quarter of an hour we arrived at the place of

meeting. My disguise was so complete that we had not hesitated to walk

out sooner than we had intended; and we found ourselves the first on the

field of action, which I was glad of.

About dusk, which was the time agreed upon and about five minutes after

our arrival, our antagonists made their appearance. There was no time

to be lost, as there is little or no twilight in the West Indies; so a

polite bow was exchanged, and the ground marked out at eight paces by

the master and the second of my opponent. A very short parley then took

place between Mr Smith and the other gentleman, who officiated for the

adjutant, in which it was decided that we should turn back to back, with

our pistols ready, and that on the words, "Make ready--present--fire"

given in succession, we were to turn round to each other, level, and

fire. This made it more difficult to hit; indeed it was almost

impossible to take aim, as the words were given so quick after each

other; and the great point was, to fire as soon as the word was given.

The first discharge was not lucky for me. I missed my antagonist, and

received his bullet in my left shoulder; this did not, however, disable

me, and I said nothing about it. The pistols were again loaded and

handed to us; and on the signal being given, my adversary's pistol went

off a little before the word "fire" was given, and I felt myself again

hit; but I returned the fire with fatal success. The ball went through

his body, and he fell. The surgeon, master, and his second, immediately

went up, and raised him in a sitting position; but in a few minutes he

was senseless.

In the meantime I remained where I was, having dropped my pistol on the

ground. That I had an unpleasant pang at the idea of a fellow-creature

having fallen by my hand in a duel, I acknowledge; but when I called to

mind why I had fought the duel, and that if had saved the honour of the

captain (may I not say at once my father's honour? for that was my

feeling), I could not, and did not, repent the deed. But I had not time

given me to analyse my feelings; a sensation of faintness rapidly crept

over me. The fact was that I had been bleeding profusely; and while the

surgeon and the others were still hanging over the expiring adjutant, I

dropped and fell fainting on the ground. When I recovered I found

myself in bed, and attended on by the surgeon, the master, and Bob

Cross.

"Keep quiet, Keene," said the surgeon, "and all will be well; but keep

quiet, that we may have no fever. Here, drink this, and try if you

cannot go to sleep." They raised me up, and I swallowed the mixture; my

head was so confused, and I was so weak, that I felt as if I hardly

dared breathe, lest my breath should leave my body, and I was glad to

find myself again on the pillow. I was soon in a sound seep, from which

I did not arouse for many hours, and, as I afterwards was told, had had

a very narrow escape, from the exhaustion arising from the excessive

haemorrhage.

When I opened my eyes the next morning, I could scarcely recall my

senses. I saw Bob Cross sometimes, and I heard moaning and talking. I

thought the latter was my own voice, but it was Captain Delmar, whose

fever still continued, and who was in an alarming state. It was not

till the evening, twenty-four hours after the duel, that I could

completely recall my senses; then I did, and motioned to Cross that I

wanted drink. He gave me some lemonade--it was nectar; he then went out

for the surgeon, who came to the bedside, and felt my pulse.

"You'll do now, my boy," said he; "get another good sleep to-night, and

to-morrow morning you will have nothing to do but to get well."

"Where am I hit?" said I.

"You had a ball in your shoulder and another in your hip, but they are

both extracted; the one in the hip cut through a large vein, and the

haemorrhage was so great before you could be brought here, that at one

time I thought you were gone. Your life hung upon a thread for hours;

but we may thank God that all is right now. You have no fever, and your

pulse is getting strong again."

"How's the captain, sir?"

"As bad as bad can be just now; but I have hopes of a change for the

better."

"And Captain W, sir?"

"Poor fellow! he is dead; and has so decidedly proved that his fever was

not a sham, the soldiers are a little ashamed of themselves--and so they

ought to be; but too often good feelings come too late. Now, Keene, you

have talked quite enough for to-night; take your sedative mixture, and

go to sleep again; to-morrow, I have no doubt, you will be able to ask

as many questions as you like."

"Only one more, sir:--is the adjutant dead?"

"I have not heard," replied the surgeon; "but we shall know to-morrow:

now go to sleep, and good-night."

When the surgeon left the room, "Bob?" said I.

"Not an answer will I give to-night, Mr Keene," said Bob Cross;

"to-morrow morning we'll have the rights and wrongs of the whole story.

You must obey orders, sir, and go to sleep."

As I knew Bob would do as he said, I laid my head down, and was soon

once more in forgetfulness. It was not daylight. When I again awoke,

and found Cross snoring in the chair by the bedside; poor fellow, he had

never lain down since he came on shore, when the captain was first taken

ill. I felt much better, although my wounds tingled a little, and I was

very anxious to know if Captain Delmar was out of danger; but that could

not be ascertained till I saw the surgeon. I remained thinking over the

events which had passed. I called to mind that the captain, in his

delirium, had called me his own boy, his Percival and I felt more happy.

About an hour after I had awoke, the surgeon came into the room. "How

is Captain Delmar, sir?" said I.

"I am glad to say that he is much better; but I must wake up poor Cross,

who is tired out."

Cross, who was awake the moment that we spoke, was now on his legs.

"You must go to the captain, and keep the bed-clothes on him, Cross. He

is now in a perspiration, and it must not be checked--do you

understand?"

"Yes," replied Bob, walking away into the other room.

"You are all right again, Keene," said the surgeon, feeling my pulse;

"we will look at your wounds by-and-by, and change the dressing."

"Tell me, sir," said I, "how have you managed? Nobody has found it

out?"

"Oh, no; it is supposed that Captain Delmar is badly wounded, and that

you have the yellow fever, and we must keep it up--that is the reason

why Bob Cross is the only one allowed to come into the sick rooms. I

have no doubt that Captain Delmar will be sensible in a few hours, and

then we shall be puzzled what to say to him. Must we tell him the

truth?"

"Not at present, sir, at all events: tell him that he has fought the

duel, and killed his man; he will think that he did it when he was out

of his senses, or else that the fever has driven it from his memory."

"Well, perhaps that will be the best way just now; it will relieve his

mind, for with his return to sensibility will also revive his feelings

of disgrace and dishonour; and if they are not checked, the fever may

come on again."

The surgeon gave me some breakfast this morning, and then dressed my

wounds, which he pronounced were doing quite well; and about twelve

o'clock the master came on shore with the first lieutenant. The master

came into my room after the first lieutenant went away, who had been

told by the surgeon that he could not see Captain Delmar--and he, of

course, did not wish to come into contact with me, who he supposed had

the yellow fever. In the afternoon Captain Delmar woke up from his

stupor--the fever had left him, and he had nothing to combat with but

extreme debility. "Where am I?" said he, after a pause; and,

recollecting himself, he continued to Cross, who was the only person in

the room, and who had received his instructions from the surgeon, "How

long have I lain here?"

"Ever since the duel, sir."

"The duel--how do you mean?"

"I mean ever since your honour fought the duel, and killed the soldger

officer."

"Killed--duel--I can't recollect having fought the duel."

"Dare say not, your honour," replied Bob; "you were in a roaring fever

at the time; but you would not stay in bed, all the surgeon could do--go

you would; but when you had fought, we were obliged to carry you back

again."

"And so I really have fought--I have not the least recollection--I must

have been in a high fever indeed. Where's the surgeon?"

"He's in the verandah below, sir, speaking to some soldger officers who

have come to inquire after your health. Here he comes."

The surgeon came in, and Captain Delmar then said to him, "Is this all

true that Cross has been telling me? Have I really fought a duel and

killed my adversary?"

"I regret to say, sir, that he is dead, and was buried yesterday; but,

if you please, you must not talk any more at present--you must be quiet

for a few hours."

"Well, doctor, so that my honour is saved, I am content to obey you--

it's very odd--" Here the captain was exhausted, and was silent, and in

a few minutes he was again asleep, and remained slumbering till the next

morning, when he was much better. He then entered into conversation

with the surgeon, making him describe the duel; and the latter did so,

so as to satisfy the captain; and he also informed him that I had been

taken ill with the fever, and was in the next room.

"Next room!" replied the captain: "why was he not sent on board? Are

all the midshipmen who are taken ill to be brought to my house to be

cured?"

I overheard this reply of the captain, and it cut me to the heart. I

felt what an invincible pride had to be conquered before I could obtain

my wishes.

The surgeon answered Captain Delmar,--"As only you and Mr Keene were

taken with the fever, I thought it better that he should remain here,

than that the ship's company should take it by his being sent on board.

I trust, Captain Delmar, I have done right?"

"Yes, I see," replied the captain; "you did perfectly right--I did not

think of that. I hope Mr Keene is doing well?"

"I trust that we shall get him through it, sir," replied the surgeon.

"Pray let him have anything that he requires, Mr ---; let him want for

nothing during his illness and convalescence. He would be a heavy loss

to the service," added the captain.

"He would, indeed, sir," replied the surgeon.

"Here are the journals of St. Pierre, in which there are several

accounts of the duel, most of them incorrect. Some say that you were

twice wounded, others once."

"I dare say they thought so," replied the captain, "for Cross tells me

that I was carried home. It's very singular that I should have fought

in such a condition. Thank you, Mr ---; I will read them when I have

lain down a little, for I am tired again already."

The surgeon then informed the captain of the death of Captain W.

"Poor fellow!" replied Captain Delmar. "Well, I will not make any

appointments until I am better." The captain then lay down again,

leaving the newspapers on the coverlet.

A week now passed, during which both the captain and I became nearly

convalescent: we had both been out of bed, and had remained for a few

hours on the sofas in our respective rooms. The surgeon told me that it

would be necessary to tell him the truth very soon, and that he thought

he would do so on the following day. It did, however, happen that the

discovery was not made to him by the surgeon. In the afternoon, when

the latter was on board, Captain Delmar felt so strong that he resolved

to put on his clothes, and go into the sitting-room. He desired Cross

to give them to him, and the first articles handed to him were his

trowsers, and Bob quite forgot that I had worn them.

"Why, how's this?" said the captain--"here's a hole through the

waistband, and they are bloody."

Bob was so frightened, that he walked out of the room as if he had not

heard what the captain had said. It appears that the captain took up

his coat, and discovered another hole in the shoulder, with the same

marks of blood.

"This is quite a dream," said the captain, talking to himself--"I've no

wound, and yet the newspapers say that I was wounded twice. Cross!

Cross!--Where is Cross?"

Bob, who had taken refuge in my room, where we overheard everything he

said, whispered, "It's no use now, Mr Keene,--I must tell it all; never

fear me, I know how to do it." And then he obeyed the captain's

summons, leaving me in a state of great nervous anxiety.

"Cross," said the captain sternly, "I insist upon knowing the truth: I

have been deceived by my officers. Did I, or did I not, fight this

duel?"

"Well, sir," replied Cross, "the truth was only kept back from you till

you were quite well again, and I suppose I must tell it to you now. You

were too ill, and you raved about our honour, and that you were

disgraced, and that--"

"Well, go on, sir."

"I will, Captain Delmar; but I hope you'll not be angry, sir. Mr Keene

could not bear to see you in that way, and he said he would lay down his

life for you at any time, and he begged Mr Smith, the master, to allow

him to fight the duel, because he said that he was so like you in person

(which, somehow or other he is, that's certain), that no one would know

it was him if he put on your honour's wig and uniform: that's how it

was, sir."

"Go on," said the captain.

"Well, sir, the master could not bear the sneering of the sogers on

shore, and he consented that Mr Keene should take your place, which he

did, sir; and I hope you will not be angry with Mr Keene, for it's your

old coat, sir, and I think it may have a piece let in, that it won't be

seen."

Cross then went on describing the whole affair--of course praising me--

and told the captain that everybody on board, as well as on shore,

thought that he was wounded and that I had been taken with the yellow

fever, and that nobody knew the real truth except the master, the

surgeon, and himself.

"Is Mr Keene seriously hurt?" inquired the captain, after a pause.

"No, sir; the doctor says he will do very well. He was as near gone as

ever a man was: at one time his breath would not move a feather--all the

blood was out of his body."

For a minute the captain made no reply; at last he said, in a quiet

tone, "You may leave the room, Cross."

What were the thoughts and feelings of Captain Delmar when he was left

to reflect upon the information which he had received, I cannot tell but

that he was not angry I inferred by the tone in which he desired Cross

to leave the room. I was absorbed in my own feelings, when the surgeon

entered the room, and gave me a letter. "Here's a schooner just come in

with despatches from the admiral," said the surgeon: "the second

lieutenant has brought them on shore for the captain, and among the

letters from England I found this one for you. I have seen Cross,"

continued the surgeon, nodding his head significantly as he left the

room.

"The second lieutenant, with despatches, sir," reported Bob Cross to the

captain in the other room--"Shall I show him in?"

"No, I am not well; desire him to send them in by you," replied the

captain.

While the captain was busy with his despatches, I read my letter, which

was from my mother, enclosing a copy of one from my grandmother,

announcing my mother's death. Of course there were a great many dying

wishes; but that was a matter of course. I felt happy that this letter

to the captain arrived at such a propitious time, as I knew that the

announcement of my mother's death would be a great point in my favour.

That it ought not to have been, I confess; but I knew whom I had to deal

with: the captain was ashamed of his intimacy, and the claims of my

mother upon him, but not so much ashamed of me; and, now that she was

removed, probably he might not be at all ashamed. My mother was no

relation, and below him--I was his own flesh and blood, and half

ennobled by so being.

The captain sent on board orders for getting under weigh. It appeared

that the admiral had written to him, desiring him to sail for the coast

of South America, to look after a French frigate, and that, as there was

no farther occasion for so large a force at Martinique, he was to leave

the next senior officer in command; but this was Captain W, who had died

of the fever.

As senior in command, Captain Delmar then filled up the vacancy; the

captain of a corvette was appointed to Captain W's ship; our first

lieutenant to the command of the corvette; but the lieutenant's vacancy

was not filled up, much to the surprise of the officers of the squadron.

This was the work of the afternoon; in the evening the master was sent

for, and a consultation held with him and the surgeon, which ended in

the captain's consenting to go on board with his arm in a sling, as if

he had been wounded, and my being put into a cot, and removed on board

to the captain's cabin, as if still too weak with the fever to quit my

bed. Cross was enjoined silence, and I was made acquainted by the

surgeon with the result of the conference.

The next morning we were all embarked, and we hove the anchor up, and

made sail to the southward. It must be observed, that I had neither

seen nor had any communications with the captain, during the whole of

this time. He was informed by the surgeon that I was in great distress

of mind at the news of my mother's death, and that my recovery would be

retarded in consequence.