It is necessary now to shift our scene and to retrace our steps.
Opposite the old Ship of State there stood on the land, a little back
from the river, an ancient and old-fashioned public-house. It had a
picturesque appearance, with its quaint gable ends and mullioned
windows. Its different styles of architecture and its patched walls led
you step by step from the present to the remote past, for it was an
antique hostelry. It was two storied and had two large chambers, and if
the walls of these could speak, they could many a tale unfold. What
scenes too they had seen and what noble personages. The old clock that
stood sentinel there had ticked many a brave man to his grave. In that
old public-house the greatness of the old Sea King had been built up,
and the spirit of many a brave lad still haunted the place. A large
sign-board swung heavily on a beam, projecting from the wall in front,
just above the door. The name of the public-house was written in large
letters. It was called the CONSTITUTION; under this there was a scroll,
on which was written the Buccaneer's motto, "DIEU ET MON DROIT," and the
whole was surmounted by a crown. This was the favourite resort of both
watches, and, in fact, of the whole crew of the Ship of State, Upper
Chamber and all. No more respectable, or better conducted house could be
found the whole world over. Many thought the Beggar Woman ought to have
been the landlady of this ancient establishment, but she was not.
Though well on in the night the Port Watch were still sitting in the
snug parlour of the Constitution, sipping their grog, smoking their
pipes and yarning over things in general; at the head of the table was
the captain, Bob Mainstay, and by his side his first lieutenant, honest
Ben Backstay. Many of the other officers were also there, and they were
trying to keep their spirits up by pouring spirits down, but they could
not do it. Things looked gloomy, and they seemed to see no break in the
clouds ahead. But it is said that the longest lane has its turning, and
to those that wait all things come. Of one thing they all felt assured,
if Bill Dogvane was allowed to keep the helm of the Ship of State much
longer the Buccaneer would find things at pretty sixes and sevens. But
how was the helm to be taken out of his hands? That was the question.
Their meditations were interrupted by a gentle knock at the door, and on
permission being given to come in, the door was gently opened, as if the
intruder was not certain of the reception. It was the Beggar Woman.
"Kind gentlemen," she said, "will you assist a poor woman? With weary
steps I have begged from door to door, but no one will assist me or let
me in. A crust of bread, good gentlemen, for the love you bear your
country, for I am cold and starved with hunger."
"Come in," cried a dozen voices at once. "It is a shame," one added,
"that you should be thus neglected; but what can we do, my lass? So long
as the Starboard Watch is aboard the old ship there, things will be as
they are."
"Let us have a shift of watches, and then you will see what you will
see," said another.
"Cannot you help us, madam," asked the captain, "to oust old Dogvane and
his lot? He made up to you, courted you, chucked you under the chin, and
then the rascal jilted you. The Port Watch would not have served you so
scurvily, you may swear."
"Good gentlemen," replied Patriotism, "the people on shore all turn a
deaf ear to my entreaties, or say, anon, anon, good woman, and then
hasten away about other business, or to pay their addresses to my rival,
Party."
The Port Watch now took the Beggar Woman in tow, for they hoped that she
would help them. They all set to discussing the state of affairs, and
turned over in their minds different plans of action. What they wanted
was a good watchword and a safe cry. When they had been for some time
talking over the matter without any satisfactory results; for they had
passed in review all their old tactics without deriving very much
satisfaction, because, as they all said, they had failed before to dish
Dogvane with them, and in all probability they would fail again.
Just as things seemed to look at their worst, the door burst open, and
in rushed Random Jack. He was breathless, dripping wet, and his teeth
were chattering with cold.
"Hallo!" cried the captain. "What ducking pool have you fallen foul of,
my little lad?"
"Mates!" cried Random Jack as he sank down on one of the seats, first of
all having carefully removed the crimson cushion for fear of wetting it.
"Give me a tot of grog, and make it hot and strong, for I am drenched to
the skin, and the very marrow in my bones is frozen. Pretty things I
have to tell."
The landlady of the old Constitution public-house was quite distressed
to see the poor little middy in such a sorry plight. She was a buxom
motherly woman, and nothing would do but she must get him a shift of
things, or, as she said, the boy would catch his death of cold. Having
brought him a suit of clothes which Billy Cheeks, the burly butcher, had
left behind, Random Jack got into them, and though, as he said, they
were miles too large, they were better than nothing. He tied the
trousers round his neck, thrust his arms through the pockets, and thus
saved the necessity of a waistcoat.
"Well, my little man," said the captain. "What is in the wind now?"
Random Jack took a deep draught, and then said: "That is good, and warms
the cockles of my heart. Mother," he cried, turning to the landlady,
"fill me another glass. Now, my mates, the likes of what I have to tell,
you've never heard before. It will make your very hair stand on end,
that is, of course, those who have any, and for those who haven't, no
matter. Better to follow my example and fortify yourselves with good
stiff glasses, three fingers deep, if you take my advice, and little
water. No doubt, my mates, you have all read of mutinies, conspiracies,
and such like; I have one to tell you about, that will surprise you."
"My goodness!" cried the landlady, as she busied about her orders. "Just
hear how the little man talks!"
"Your news, my lad! your news!" came from many, as they one and all
eagerly crowded round the little middy.
"Lend all of you, your ears, my mates. Knowing that the governor was
from home and that the cunning old fox was with him, I thought I would
just stow myself away on board the old ship there, just to see how they
passed the watches of the night. Just to see, mates, if I could catch
any of the weasels sleeping. Some of them are wide enough awake, I can
tell you." Here he winked at the company.
"Throw it off, my lad!" cried the captain. "Don't go beating about the
bush, but come to the point at once. So you were a stowaway." They
contemplated the little middy with wonder, for most of them had never
seen a stowaway before.
Random Jack, being thus exhorted and encouraged to make a clean breast
of it, disclosed the whole of the diabolical conspiracy of the cook's
caboose, and how it was that he had so frightened Billy Cheeks, the
butcher. This part of the proceedings caused no little merriment. Bob
Mainstay, having listened to the story from beginning to end, exclaimed,
as he slapped his leg: "Mates, I see land ahead. It strikes me we have
old Bill on the hip at last. Madam!" he said, turning to the Beggar
Woman, who had remained a silent listener to the midshipman's story.
"Madam, with your help I think we shall be able to dish old Dogvane.
What with the Church Hulk in danger and old Squire Broadacre on the war
path, and general discontent all round, the devil must be in it if we
cannot clear the ship of its present vermin." The Beggar Woman promised
to do her best, for her sympathies were for the most part with the Port
Watch; perhaps, because on the whole, they treated her best. She was
given an order to get a spic and span new outfit of silks and satins,
and she received invitations to many feasts, but frequent adversity made
her bear this turn of fortune with becoming modesty.
The Port Watch were now in high spirits and began talking of what they
would do when they took charge of the ship. The little middy was highly
complimented; and the captain promised to reward his courage and virtue
with a good billet. He was pretty well sure now of promotion.
"Who laughs now?" cried Random Jack. "I owe one to Master Dogvane and to
Billy Cheeks. The cook, he is a Jack-pudding, and I will baste him well
with his own dripping." These were bold words; but the cook did not hear
them.
"Now, my lads!" exclaimed the captain, "we must work with a will. Would
that our master had returned; but we must make things ready for him when
he does. Away some of you on board the old Church Hulk. Wake her crew
up, and let your cry be Church in danger. Others of you hasten to the
Squire and tell him there are robbers about."
"A toast before we part," cried Random Jack.
"Here is general damnation to old Bill Dogvane, and all his crew!" All
laughed, and the toast was drunk with enthusiasm, and they were all just
about to separate when some one fired a shell amidst them by saying,
"How about the Ojabberaways?"
"To make any compact with them," said the captain, "would be an unholy
thing."
"Any port in a storm," cried Random Jack, who was now, what with the
grog and the flattery he had received, in high feather. "They have their
price; are they worth it? If we don't buy them old Dogvane will. There's
the rub."
Here the noise outside of two women wrangling claimed their attention,
and one and all ran out to see what was the matter. They found Liberty
and the Beggar Woman in angry altercation about a lout of a boy. Indeed,
boy he could scarcely be called, for he was approaching nearer to
manhood. It was Demos. "Indeed, madam!" cried Liberty with a sneer, "it
does not appear from your dress that you are held in very great
estimation amongst my master's people." Patriotism had not yet received
her new clothing. Then Liberty continued in the same tone: "You are
somewhat old-fashioned methinks! What would you have me do with my boy?
Would you have me clap a gag in his mouth, or muzzle him as if he were a
dog in the dog-days?"
"You need not pamper and pet him," exclaimed the Beggar Woman, "until he
becomes a perfect nuisance to every one. Why don't you teach him to work
for an honest living?"
"Because the boy is not strong; besides, he does not like work, do you,
dear?"
"Why should I work," cried Demos, "when others play? Others live and
fatten in idleness, why not I?"
"Bread that is buttered too thickly is not wholesome food," was the
Beggar Woman's reply.
"The boy is a clever boy," exclaimed Madam Liberty. "He is wonderfully
good at speaking; and he is good at figures; and he shall not be kept
back; shall you, dear?"
"Mind he does not turn and bite the hand that has fed and petted him,"
replied the Beggar Woman, and the two parted.
The old coxswain, as he watched the retreating steps of Liberty and her
boy, said: "There you go with that spoilt brat of yours. A wilful woman
never yet wanted for woe, and to spoil a child is to put a rod in pickle
for your own back."
A quaint sound was now heard, like the wailing of a pig in pain. Some
thought it must be the cook playing a tune in the early morning upon his
barrel organ; but the sound did not come from the direction of the old
ship. It turned out to be the national music of the Ojabberaways, and
presently a voice by no means untuneful, sang, "Come back to Erin,
Mavourneen, Mavourneen."
The Ojabberaways were serenading both Liberty and Patriotism, while in
the back ground was the cheap-Jack Jonathan, who provided the dollars
for the serenade, also for other entertainments which the Ojabberaways
got up to please themselves and annoy the old Buccaneer.
Opinions varied very much as to whether the Port Watch did, or did not,
make a treaty with these people. Such a thing could scarcely be
conceivable; but for party purposes either watch, it was said, would
sell themselves to the devil. Some went so far as to say that Random
Jack had had something to do with it; but then, when anyone comes out of
obscurity, there is scarcely a thing that he is not supposed to be
capable of doing; and a place is found for his finger in every pie.
Happy is the man who never leaves the smooth, broad, and well-beaten
path of mediocrity! He will escape many evils, and even slander will
pass him by for the most part with contempt; for her sport is with
bigger game. "This only grant me, that my means may lie too low for
envy, for contempt too high." So sang a poet long years ago.
It was generally believed that old Bill Dogvane had a secret
understanding with these Ojabberaways. There can be no doubt that he
smiled upon the boy Demos, who was showing signs of giving trouble. He
was becoming intoxicated with the very worst of all things, namely, his
own self-conceit, and the old hands shook their wise heads, and said
that if the Buccaneer was not very careful this boy would break out and
disturb the peace. This child of Madam Liberty was a difficulty; and how
to treat him became a matter of the gravest consideration. Be kind to
him and he would mistake it for weakness, and take advantage of it at
once. Kick him, beat him, or try to drive him, and he became as stubborn
as an ass. All agreed that he required a very strong hand, and yet not
too rough a one. The conspirators of the cook's caboose were one and all
on the boy's side; and the cook himself acted the part of an indulgent
foster father to him. Buttering the boy's bread as thick as he possibly
could, and giving him constantly cakes and other sweetmeats; some said
this was done out of pure contrariness, because Pepper could not be
happy if he were as others; but while the cook told the boy that he was
being kept out of his just dues by an idle lot of rich drones, and
hinting to him that it would be no great crime to put his hand into the
pockets of these people, he said not a word about sharing his own
worldly goods with the boy; and the cook had laid up for himself riches
upon earth, but he was a wise man, and took good care that no thief
should break into his house and steal.