"All agreed--then we'll up stick for the Wight," said Hearty joyfully.
"The wind's fair. We shall be there some time to-morrow. Hillo, Jack!
beg the master to step below."
This was said to a lad who waited at table and assisted the steward.
Old Snow, the master, soon made his appearance. He had been a yachtsman
for many years, and previously, if his yarns were to be believed, a
smuggler of no mean renown. He was a short man, rather fat, for good
living had not been thrown away on him, and very neat and clean in his
person, as became the master of a yacht.
"We want to get back to Cowes, Snow," said Hearty.
"Yes, sir," answered the skipper, well accustomed to sudden changes in
the plans of his yachting masters.
"How soon can we get there?" asked Hearty.
"If we keeps away at once, and this here wind holds, early to-morrow;
but, if it falls light, not till the afternoon, maybe; and, if it chops
round to the eastward, not till next morning," replied Snow.
"By all means keep away at once, and get there as fast as you can," said
Hearty; and the master disappeared from the cabin.
Directly afterwards we heard him call the hands aft to case off the
main-sheet, the square-sail and gaff-topsail were set, and, by the
comparatively easy motion, we felt that we were running off before the
wind. Not a little did it contribute to our comfort in concluding our
dinner.
The next day, at noon, saw us safely anchored in Cowes Roads.
"There's Mr Hearty and the Gentle Giant, I declare," exclaimed the
melodious voice of Miss Susan Rattler, from out of a shrubbery, as my
two friends were pacing along on the road towards Egypt, to call on Lady
Cardiff.
"Oh, the dear men! you don't say so, Susan!" replied her sister.
Bubble and I were close under them, a little in advance, so they did not
see us, though we could not avoid hearing what was said.
"Yes, it's them, I vow; we must attack them about the pic-nic
forthwith," said Susan.
"Don't mention Jane Seaton, or poor Ned will be too much out of spirits
to do any thing," observed her sister.
"Trust me to manage all descriptions of he-animals," replied Rattler
minima. "Ah, how d'ye do?--how d'ye do? Welcome, rovers, welcome!" she
exclaimed, waving her handkerchief as they approached.
"Lovely ladies, we once more live in your presence," began Hearty.
"`Oh that I were a glove upon that hand!'" shouted Carstairs.
"Oh, don't, you'll make us blush!" screamed Susan, from over the bushes.
"But seriously, we're so glad you're come, because now we can have the
pic-nic to Netley you promised us."
"I like frankness--when shall it be?" said Hearty.
"To-morrow, by all means,--never delay a good thing."
"`If 'twere done, 'twere well 'twere done quickly,'" observed the
captain.
"That's what Shakespeare says about a beef-steak," cried Susan. "But I
say then, it's settled--how nice!"
"What? that we are to have beef-steaks?" asked Hearty. "They are very
nice when one's hungry."
"No, I mean that we are to have a pic-nic to-morrow," said the fair
Rattler.
"That depends whether those we invite are willing to join it," observed
Hearty.
"`I can summon spirits from the vasty deep; but will they come,
cousin?'" exclaimed Carstairs.
"Oh, yes, in these parts, often," cried Rattler maxima; "the revenue
officers constantly find them, I know."
"Capital--capital!" ejaculated Hearty. "You must bring that out again
on board the `Frolic.' You deserve a pic-nic for it; it's so original.
You must consider this only as a rehearsal."
"How kind--then it's all settled!" exclaimed both young ladies in a
breath. "There's Mary Masthead, I know, is dying to go, and so is Mrs
Topgallant, and I dare say, if Captain Carstairs presses Mrs
Skyscraper, she'll go, and the Sandons and Cardiffs, and all our set; I
don't think any will refuse."
"Well, then, we've no time to lose," we exclaimed, and off we set to
beat up for recruits.
We were not, however, without our disappointments. Lady Cardiff could
not go, and without a correct chaperone she could not let her daughter
be of the party--the thing was utterly impossible, dreadfully incorrect,
and altogether unheard of. Mrs Skyscraper was a great deal too young,
and being a widow had herself to look after. If Mrs Topgallant would
go, she would see about it; so we tried next to find the lady in
question, but she had gone to Carisbrooke Castle, and would not be back
till late. Mrs Sandon was next visited, but she had a cold; and if
Lady Cardiff would not let her daughter go without a chaperone, neither
could she. We by chance met Mrs Seaton with the fair Jane, looking
very beautiful, but mamma never went on the water if she could help it.
She could not come to the island without doing so; but once safe there,
she would not set her foot in a boat till she had to go away again.
Sooth to say, that was not surprising; the good dame was unsuited by her
figure for locomotion. Every thing depended on Mrs Topgallant; never
was she in so much request. The gentlemen being able to come without
chaperones, more readily promised to be present. We fell in with Sir
Francis Futtock, Lord Lorimer, Harry Loring, and young Flareup, and a
young Oxonian, who had lately taken orders, and created a great
sensation among the more sensitive portion of his audience by his
exquisite preaching, and the unction by which he privately recommended
auricular confession and penance.
The Rev Frederick Fairfax was a pink-faced young man, and had
naturally a round, good-natured countenance, but by dint of shaving his
whiskers, elongating his face, and wearing a white cravat without gills,
and a stand-up collar to his coat, he contrived to present a no bad
imitation of a Jesuit priest. The Miss Rattlers called him the Paragon
Puseyite, or the PP, which they said would stand as well for parish
priest. How Hearty came to invite him I don't know, for he detested the
silly clique to whom the youth had attached himself. We had just left
the young gentleman when we met the two merry little Miss Masons. At
first they could not possibly go, because they had no chaperone; but
when they heard that the Rev Frederick was to be of the party, all
their scruples vanished. With such a pastor they might go anywhere.
They had only lately been bitten, but had ever since diligently applied
themselves to the study of the "Tracts of the Times;" and though not a
word did they understand of those works (which was not surprising by the
by), they perceived that the Rev Fred's voice was very melodious, that
he chanted to admiration, and looked so pious that they could not be
wrong in following his advice. At last the hearts of all were made glad
by the appearance of Mrs Topgallant, who, without much persuasion,
undertook to chaperone as many young ladies as were committed to her
charge.