A PLEASANT DINNER-PARTY AT SEA
The Blanche was on the starboard beam of the Guardian-Mother, or, in shore
parlance, she was on the right-hand side of her as both ships sailed to the
eastward. She chose her own position, and it varied considerably at
different times, though it was generally about half a mile from her
consort. At the present time she had come within less than a quarter of a
mile, as the sea was quite smooth.
"Why, the Blanche is all dressed up as though she were going to a ball!"
exclaimed Mrs. Belgrave, as the booming gun attracted the attention of the
entire party.
"So she is," added the commander, as he observed her altered appearance for
the first time; for he had been giving his whole attention to the lecture.
"Captain Sharp is evidently getting up some sort of a frolic."
The first gun was followed by a second, and then by a third; and they
continued till thirty-one of them had been discharged. Four pieces were
evidently used, and they were fired with considerable rapidity, proving
that the British tars who formed her ship's company had seen service in the
navy.
"What does all that mean?" queried Captain Ringgold, as the party gathered
about him for an explanation, though he was as much puzzled as any of them.
"It is not a national salute, so far as I know, and I am utterly unable to
say what it means."
But as soon as the firing ceased a signal number went up to the fore-peak.
Bangs was the signal officer, and he had his book open as soon as he saw
that it was needed.
"What is it, Bangs?" asked the commander at the window of the pilot-house.
"'Stop; I have something to communicate,'" replied the quartermaster.
"All right; give her one bell," added the commander.
Bangs gave the proper signal for the affirmative, after he had struck the
gong. The letting off of the steam was enough to inform the captain of the
Blanche that his request was complied with, and it was seen that he had a
boat all ready to drop into the water. The screw of the ship ceased to
revolve; and then, to save time, the commander of the Guardian-Mother
ordered the quartermaster to ring to back her, and the Blanche followed her
example. As soon as the headway was nearly killed, the quarter-boat went
into the water, with an officer in uniform in the stern-sheets. The cutter
pulled to the American's side, and a ladder was dropped.
The officer was a very trim-looking man of forty, and was promptly
conducted to the commander on the promenade deck. He was as polite as a
French dancing-master.
"I have not the honor to be acquainted with Captain Ringgold, but I beg to
introduce myself as Mr. Bland, first officer of the Blanche," said the
visitor, with all necessary nourishes.
"I am glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Bland. My friend Captain Sharp
appears to be engaged in a frolic this afternoon," replied the commander,
shaking hands with the officer.
"This is General Noury's birthday, sir, and Captain Sharp is taking proper
notice of it," replied Mr. Bland, as he took from his pocket a note, and
delivered it to Captain Ringgold.
"The general's birthday!" exclaimed the commander. "I wish him many happy
returns of it;" and he opened the note.
It took him but a minute to read it, and then he looked extremely
good-natured, as though he was more than ordinarily pleased; for he knew
that its contents would afford a great deal of satisfaction to his
passengers.
"By particular request of General Noury, in whose honor the guns were fired
and the Blanche is dressed as you see her, Captain Sharp invites all the
cabin party of the Guardian-Mother, including the guests, to dine on board
of the Blanche on this happy occasion. Shall the invitation be accepted?
Those in favor of accepting it will please raise the right hand, and keep
it up till counted," continued the commander, who was in a merry mood for
him. "Our honored guests are expected and requested to vote; for we could
not think of leaving them alone on board of the ship. That would be neither
decent nor hospitable, and the invitation specially includes them. Please
to vote, all."
The hands all went up; and the party seemed to be greatly amused at the
operation of voting. The presiding officer declared that it was a unanimous
vote, and the invitation was accepted.
"Not quite unanimous, Mr. Commander," interposed Louis Belgrave. "Mr. Scott
did not vote."
"You wish to vote in the negative, Mr. Scott?" inquired the captain.
"I do not intend to vote at all, Captain," replied the third officer. "It
would be a little cheeky for me to vote to leave the ship without the
permission of the captain or of the first officer."
"'In colleges and halls in ancient times there dwelt a sage called
Discipline;' and a very good old fellow he was to have about, and quite as
good on board ship as in institutions of learning. Do you wish to accept
the invitation, Mr. Scott?" asked the commander.
"I should be exceedingly happy to do so."
"Then ask Mr. Boulong's permission."
"Granted!" shouted the first officer, who stood within hearing.
"Mr. Bland, give my compliments to Captain Sharp, and inform him that his
invitation is unanimously accepted by both passengers and guests, and we
will be on board at five o'clock," said Captain Ringgold, addressing the
officer from the Blanche; and he went over the side into his boat.
"You don't give us much time to get ready, Mr. Commander," said Mrs.
Belgrave, as all the ladies hurried away to the cabin to prepare for the
grand occasion that had so suddenly dawned upon them.
"Elaborate toilets are hardly expected at sea, out of sight of land.
Claw-hammer coats are not imperative, gentlemen," said the captain.
Though the two steamers were not in a hurry, both of them resumed their
course as soon as the Blanche's boat was hoisted up to the davits; for it
is part of the shipmaster's gospel to "keep moving" under all possible
circumstances, and to lose no time in arriving at his destined port. All
the passengers went below to prepare for the dinner. The Blanche had come
within fifty yards of her consort, as the sea was quite smooth.
"Where is that music, Mr. Boulong?" asked the captain, opening the door
from his cabin to the pilothouse.
"From the Blanche, Captain."
"But it seems to be a band. Is it an orchestrion?"
"Not at all; there are eight pieces of music on the promenade deck. It
seems that His Highness has a small band on board, though I have not heard
it before," added the first officer.
The commander thought the music was very fine, and he concluded that
Captain Sharp was running near the Guardian-Mother for the purpose of
giving the band an introduction to the consort. Besides the ship's company,
there was no one on board of the Blanche but the general and Mrs. Sharp;
and the Pacha, accustomed as he was to merriment and revelry, must have
been rather lonesome. But it was already proved that he was a reformed man,
and had entirely changed his manner of life.
The barge, which was a large eight-oar boat, had been made ready to lower
into the water, and the gangway had been rigged out. Though it was winter,
the ship was in 18° north latitude, and the weather was as mild and
pleasant as in midsummer. There was no spray, and the ladies could go to
the Blanche as comfortably as in a carriage on shore.
At quarter before five the gong was sounded in the cabin and on deck to
call the party together in the boudoir, where they were to assemble. The
ship stopped at the mandate of the captain, and the barge was lowered, and
brought to the gangway. The boat was as handsome as anything that ever
floated, and the stern-sheets were luxurious enough for a fairy craft. The
crew of nine were all dressed in their white uniforms, and sat with their
oars tossed, except the cockswain, who stood bolt upright abaft the
back-board.
There were sixteen in the party, and the "Big Four" made their way to the
fore-sheets; the ladies were handed into the stern by the three guests, and
the barge shoved off. The Blanche had taken a position on the beam of the
Guardian-Mother, her band playing for all they were worth. Captain Sharp
was on the platform of the gangway, and took every lady by the hand as he
assisted her to disembark. At the head of the gangway on deck stood General
Noury, who received the ladies, all of whom he had met before; and the
distinguished guests were presented to him, after which he shook hands with
every other member of the party. He was especially respectful, and even
reverential, to the commander of the Guardian-Mother, who had forgiven so
much in his past conduct.
Mrs. Sharp came in for a large share of the consideration of the visitors.
An hour was spent in the drawing-room, as they called the deck cabin, which
was as large as the boudoir and music-room of the Guardian-Mother. The band
had laid aside their brass instruments, and organized as an orchestra,
stationed in a sort of recess in the forward part of the cabin. The general
conversed with every person in the party; and when Scott addressed him as
"Your Highness," he protested that he did not wish to hear the expression
again.
He talked French with Louis, Italian with Sir Modava, and Spanish with Lord
Tremlyn; for it was understood that he spoke at least half a dozen
languages besides his own, and the guests found he was equally fluent in
all they knew. To Miss Blanche he was very polite; but he did not give a
moment more to her than to the other ladies, much to the satisfaction of
her parents.
The dinner was fully equal to Mr. Sage's best efforts, and the occasion was
as hilarious and as pleasant as it could be. Possibly the English guests
missed their wine on such an occasion. Lord Tremlyn declared that he seldom
drank it at all, and Dr. Ferrolan said the same; and Sir Modava was the
strictest sort of a teetotaler, having been engaged in preaching this
doctrine among the Sepoys as opportunity offered. The captain of the
Blanche informed the commander of the Guardian-Mother that the general had
never touched wine since he came on board.
After dinner several of the gentlemen sang songs, and the general gave one
in Moroccan, which amused the party, though they could not understand a
word of it. Later in the evening Captain Ringgold made a speech
complimentary to General Noury, and wished him many happy returns of the
occasion they celebrated. He was followed by Dr. Hawkes, Uncle Moses,
Professor Giroud, and then by the three distinguished guests from the
Travancore.
The general replied to all of them at the close of the entertainment. He
was a pleasant speaker, and his handsome face added a great deal to his
words. The affair was declared to be a great success for a dinner-party at
sea, and the commander of the Guardian-Mother invited all their hosts to
assist him in a similar one on board his ship, the signal for which was to
be the American Union Jack when the weather was suitable.
The party returned to their ocean home; and the commander spent the rest of
the evening in telling his guests the story of General Noury, and
especially of his wonderful reformation.
"Then Captain Sharp really saved his life?" added Lord Tremlyn.
"No doubt of it. The two ruffians in a street of Messina had disabled the
general, and would certainly have finished him if the captain had not
wounded one with his revolver, and tackled the other. He owes his life to
Sharp without a doubt. Mrs. Sharp took care of him for quite a time while
he was recovering from his wound, and she made a deep impression upon him.
He is a Mohammedan, and he sticks to his religion; but even that is capable
of making a better man of him than he was before."
"I was much pleased with Mrs. Sharp, not because she is an English woman,
but because she is a very worthy person," added his lordship.
"You are quite right, my lord, and she has had a romantic history;" and
before they retired he had told the whole of it.
At the usual time the next day the company were assembled in Conference
Hall; and when the commander announced that Lord Tremlyn would address them
on the general subject, "The People of India," they manifested their
interest by a liberal salvo of applause.