The gale lasted through the night and all next day, moderating about
sun-down, however, sufficiently to allow of our setting our fore and
main-lugs close-reefed, and keeping away upon our course. The wind
continued to drop after that all through the night, the sea also going
down rapidly; and next day we were able to shift our canvas, setting the
lateens in place of the lugs; after which we bowled gaily along without
further adventure, passing Ushant on the evening of the fourth day after
the gale had blown itself out, and arriving at Spithead somewhat within
the next forty-eight hours.
The anchor let go, Smellie and I jumped into the gig, and, taking the
despatch-box with us, pulled ashore, landing at the Sally-port. From
thence we proceeded, first to the admiral's office, and afterwards to
the "George" in High Street, where I ordered a post-chaise; and then the
pair of us sat down to a hastily-prepared dinner while the carriage was
in process of fitting-out.
In consequence of my representations to the admiral, he had ordered the
"Vigilant" into harbour immediately, to refit and make good the slight
damage inflicted on us during the gale in the Bay of Biscay, and, when
the post-chaise was announced, Smellie only remained long enough to see
me fairly under way, when he returned on board to take the little hooker
into harbour, and superintend the operation of refitting.
It was not quite six p.m. when we shoved off from before the door of the
"George," and dashed away up the High Street, and soon afterwards the
chaise was bowling along at a spanking pace over the dry, white, dusty
road in the open country--the landscape flooded in the lovely golden
haze of a fine summer evening, and the air heavy with the perfume of
flowers and the sweet, health-giving smell of rich pasture-lands, long
chestnut-avenues, and thick pine plantations. The mingled odours of the
country--so different from the strong smell of the sea-breeze--the sight
of the slanting sunbeams glancing through the boles and branches of the
venerable trees dotted here and there in clumps along the roadside; of
the verdant hedges with their rich clusters of delicate dog-roses and
trailing honeysuckle or wild convolvulus; of the groups of sleek cattle
feeding in the fields, contemplatively chewing the cud under the shade
of some over-hanging tree, or browsing along the roadside; of the knots
of rosy, sun-tanned children playing about the village-roads or on the
green, and turning to stand open-mouthed and stare at the chaise as we
dashed past; of the pretty cottages nestling in a bower of greenery,
each with its tiny flower-garden in front, and a thin wreath of blue
smoke curling up from its chimney into the still evening air; of the
picturesque villages, with their ancient church-spires pointing
heavenward; and of the stately country-seats of the gentry, surrounded
by noble trees, the growth of centuries, the deer clustered beneath
their umbrageous branches, with their spacious flower-terraces and long
avenues of limes, arching chestnuts, or venerable oaks, reaching from
the house to the distant road, and terminating in snug little ivy-
covered lodges and heavy ornamental iron gates with massive stone piers,
moss-grown, and surmounted by time-worn and weather-stained stone
sculptures of the arms of the family; the drowsy chime of the church-
clocks; the barking of dogs; the lowing of cattle; the voices of
herdsmen or field-labourers singing as they wended their weary way
homeward after the labour and heat of the day--the sound softened and
mellowed by distance; all combined to render that journey one of the
most pleasant and enjoyable I had ever undertaken, notwithstanding the
pain and discomfort which I experienced from my wounded arm.
The evening passed on; the lovely, silent twilight insensibly deepened
into night; the stars twinkled forth, one by one, in the pure, clear,
deepening blue overhead; the road gradually widened; the houses along
its sides became more and more frequent, the atmosphere thickened; the
horizon ahead grew luminous; lights appeared and rapidly increased in
number, soon they were glancing on both sides of us; a dull, heavy roar
became audible, and finally, as the church-clocks were striking the hour
of midnight, the chaise pulled up before the door of my uncle's house in
Saint James's Square; and I had arrived in town.
As the post-boy let down the steps and threw open the carriage-door for
me to alight, I could see through the fanlight over the door that there
was a light in the hall, so I felt pretty certain that my uncle had not
yet retired. I ran up the steps and gave the bell-handle a tug which
speedily brought old Timothy to the door.
"Has Sir Peregrine retired yet, Tim?" said I.
"He has not, sir," replied the ancient, "but I much doubt if he will see
any one at such a late--Why, I declare, if it ain't Master Ralph! Come
in, sir; come in. Sir Peregrine is in the libr'y. Won't he be glad to
see you, just! He's always looking through the paper to see if there's
any news of the `Juno,' or if your name is mentioned, sir. This is an
unexpected visit, though, Master Ralph; I hope there's nothing wrong,
sir."
"Oh dear, no! quite the reverse I hope, Tim, my boy. I've been sent
home with despatches. Now, lead the way to the library, if you please."
This short confabulation passed in the hall while Tim was relieving me
of my cloak and hat. He now preceded me to the library, at the door of
which he knocked, and then, flinging open the portal, he announced me.
"Master Ralph, Sir Peregrine."
I passed into the lofty apartment, its walls lined from floor to ceiling
with well-stocked book-shelves, and found the worthy knight seated in
his own particular old easy-chair, with one foot--ominously swathed in
flannel--reposing upon another; his specs on his nose, and the gazette
in his hand.
He looked round with a start as my name was mentioned, shaded his eyes
with his hand for an instant, as his eyes fell upon my advancing figure,
and then--forgetting all about his gout--started to his feet with both
hands outstretched.
"Why, Ralph! My dear boy, where--_con_found this gout! It _always_
attacks me at exactly the wrong moment--but never mind; what cloud have
you dropped from?"
"From no cloud at all, my dear sir, but just from an ordinary post-
chaise, in which I have come up from Portsmouth. How are you, sir? I
hope you have nothing worse than the gout to complain of. Wish you were
free of _that_, for it must be very troublesome."
"Troublesome enough, my boy, you may take my word for that; but the
present attack is luckily very trifling--a mere fleabite, in fact. And
how are you? You don't look particularly bright, rather the reverse,
indeed; and what is the matter with your arm?"
Thereupon I gave him a hasty outline of my story, so far at least as the
cruise in the "Vigilant" was concerned; and then old Richards, the
butler, brought in the supper; serving it, by Sir Peregrine's orders, in
the library, so that we might not be disturbed or my yarn interrupted by
passing from one room to another.
We sat until close upon three o'clock a.m., my uncle forgetting all
about bed in his anxiety to hear full particulars of my doings since I
had last parted from him. At length, however, he glanced at the clock
upon the mantelpiece, and at once pulled me up short.
"There, there! that will do for to-night, my dear boy. I've forgotten
everything in listening to you, and have allowed you to talk all this
time instead of sending you straight off to your bunk, as I ought to
have done, and you with a broken arm, too. But I am delighted to have
heard all that you have told me--the gazette tells one nothing--and I
can afford you the satisfaction of knowing that your name has attracted
attention in the right quarter; Sir James has spoken to me about you on
more than one occasion; and your promotion is certain. If you go on as
you have begun, Ralph, I predict that you will mount the ratlines
rapidly. Now, we will breakfast at ten o'clock, if that will suit you,
and then I will go with you myself to the Admiralty with the despatches.
My gout? Pooh! I'll lay a crown it will be gone by the time I turn
out in the morning; and if it is not, it is not bad enough to keep me at
anchor here when I can perhaps do you a good turn. I'll introduce you
to Sir James; I should like him to see for himself the sort of lad you
are. Now; good-night! Tim will attend to you. God bless you, my boy."
I trundled off, Timothy leading the way with a light in each hand for
the room which I had formerly occupied, and, having undressed with the
assistance of my somewhat garrulous attendant, tumbled into the
luxurious bed, and immediately fell into a sound sleep.
The arrangement of the previous night was duly carried out, Sir
Peregrine's gout having, as he had predicted, been merciful enough to
afford him a respite.
We drove to the Admiralty, and I sent in my despatch-box. My uncle also
sent in his card.
Half an hour elapsed, Sir James happening to be engaged when we arrived,
and then Sir Peregrine was admitted to the august presence. Another
half-hour passed, at the expiration of which time I also was invited
into the sanctum. My uncle introduced me; Sir James uttered a few
complimentary phrases upon my past conduct, informed me that "he had his
eye upon me," presented two fingers for me to shake, gave his entire
hand to my uncle, and we were dismissed. As we passed through the outer
office it was intimated to me that my presence would be required there
at noon next day.
"That's a good job well over," ejaculated my uncle, as we once more
seated ourselves in the carriage and drove off. "You are in high
favour, let me tell you, my boy," he continued. "Lord Hood has referred
to you in very flattering terms in his despatches, in connexion with
that hare-brained escapade of yours at Bastia; and Sir James has assured
me of the very great satisfaction with which he views your conduct, and
has promised moreover that he will take the earliest possible
opportunity to show his appreciation of it. Now, where shall we go? I
suppose you do not feel very much in cue for sight-seeing, with your
wounded arm, eh? Very well; then we'll drive to my tailor's--you want a
new gang of rigging put over your mast-head badly, my boy, and then
we'll go home and you shall rest a bit. I have a few friends coming to
dinner this evening; but you need not join us if you do not feel equal
to it, you know."
The "new gang of rigging" was duly ordered, and faithfully promised for
next day at noon--Sir Peregrine insisting upon its being charged to his
account--and then we returned to Saint James's Square.
With the dinner-hour my uncle's guests arrived, some twenty in number;
and, as I rather fancied the dear old gentleman would be glad if I were
present, I put in an appearance. My suspicions were no doubt well
founded, as it turned out that one of the guests was no less a personage
than my new acquaintance of the morning--the great Sir James himself.
The old boy was a good deal less taut in the backstays than he had been
in the morning, giving me his whole hand to shake on this occasion.
During dinner he addressed himself to me several times, putting
questions to me with reference to our recent operations in Corsica--that
happening to be one of the topics of conversation; and after the meal
was over he invited me to haul alongside, and chatted with me quite half
an hour upon the same subject. Later on in the evening I happened to
overhear him remark to my uncle,--
"Like your nephew, Portfire--am much pleased with him--promising young
officer--very--smart and intelligent--seems steady too--shall keep my
eye on him."
Which, of course, was very gratifying.
I drove to the office next day at noon, Sir Peregrine accompanying me,
but this time he remained in his carriage while I went inside. My
despatch-box was handed back to me, together with written orders--which
were read over to me--to proceed without delay to Malta, there to hand
over the contents of the said box to Lord Hood. In the event of his
lordship not being there, I was to search for and find him.
"Well, Ralph, what news?" asked my uncle, as I rejoined him.
"I must leave you at once, dear sir," I replied. "I have orders to sail
forthwith for Malta, with these despatches. I had hoped they would have
given me time to run down home, if only for a few hours; but all that is
quite knocked on the head. As it is, I shall not be able to enjoy above
another hour of your society, uncle, for I must start for Portsmouth
without a moment's delay."
"Ah!" remarked Sir Peregrine, "I anticipated this, from a remark which
Sir James let fall last night, and I have so far provided for it that we
can start in an hour's time. I feel so much better that I shall run
down with you. We will post down in my own carriage, and after I have
seen you fairly off, I will look in upon your father and spend a day or
two with them on my way back to town. I shall then be able to tell them
all about you."
I tried to dissuade the old gentleman from undertaking so fatiguing a
journey, but, having once made up his mind, there was no moving him from
his purpose; and accordingly, having partaken of a good substantial
luncheon, we started away about two p.m., and, after a pleasant,
uneventful journey, reached Portsmouth a few minutes before eight
o'clock in the evening.
We put up at the "George;" and, after ordering dinner, walked down to
the harbour, and soon made out the "Vigilant," anchored about a quarter
of a mile away. The tide was still flowing a little; so, jumping into a
wherry, we were soon alongside.
I found Smellie on board, and all hands, including a strong gang of
dockyard workmen, still busy, late as it was, putting the finishing
touches to the repairs. The provisions, water, and other stores had
been shipped during the day; but the boat, to replace the one destroyed,
would not be ready until the next morning.
My uncle had been trotting round, giving the little craft a thorough
inspection, during the time I had been engaged with my junior, and
expressed himself as being much pleased with her handsome model. When
we were ready to return to the shore he proposed that we should take
little Smellie with us; and we accordingly all three trundled over the
side into the shore-boat, which we had detained--leaving Hardy to
superintend the finishing touches--and rowed down the harbour again in
the light of a beautiful, clear full moon.
Sir Peregrine was in high spirits that evening at dinner; he said it
reminded him of his young days to be down there once more, and he
completely unbent from his usual stateliness, so that we spent a most
delightful evening, turning in about midnight.
I awoke early next morning, and, having roused out my second in command,
we walked down to the dockyard to hurry the people up with the new boat,
which they were just finishing off.
We returned to the hotel to breakfast at eight o'clock; and by ten a.m.,
having completed all my business on shore, we once more chartered a
wherry, and went on board, my uncle accompanying us. On reaching the
"Vigilant" I found that the new boat had been delivered and was hoisted
in, the dockyard gang was clear of the ship, and everything was ready
for an immediate start. I accordingly gave the word to unmoor, and in
another quarter of an hour we passed out of the harbour with a nice
little breeze from about N.N.E.
My uncle remained on board until we were abreast of Cowes, when he
ordered the wherry--which had been towing astern--to be hauled
alongside. The "Vigilant" was hove-to; my uncle shook hands with little
Smellie, slipped a five-pound note into the hand of Chips, the
carpenter's mate, for the crew to drink my health, and then, taking a
hasty but most affectionate leave of me, hurried over the side into the
wherry, seized the yoke-lines, and bade the boatman make sail for
Portsmouth Harbour. We at once filled away again; and two hours
afterwards passed through the Needles.
Nothing worthy of note occurred until we were half-way across the Bay of
Biscay, when, about four bells in the forenoon watch of a most
delightful day, with a moderate breeze from the westward, and a very
long swell, but no sea, the lookout man aloft reported a sail broad on
our lee bow.