A VISIT TO THE GRAVE OF AN OLD FRIEND--THE THREE OLD SHIPMATES MEET--
DESMOND IN IRELAND--LAYS CLAIM TO A TITLE AND ESTATE--THE POST CAPTAINS
TAKE TO YACHTING--CRUISES ON BOARD THE STELLA--A NAVAL REVIEW--DOWN
CHANNEL--A GALE--A RUN UP THE IRISH SEA--DUBLIN REACHED--GERALD DESMOND
HAS BECOME VISCOUNT SAINT MAUR--PLEASANT EXCURSIONS ROUND DUBLIN--
COUNSELLOR MCMAHON AND HIS FAIR DAUGHTERS--THE STELLA AGAIN SAILS, WITH
LORD SAINT MAUR ON BOARD--BECALMED IN THE CHOPS OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL--
THE YACHT RUN DOWN BY A BIG SHIP--SAINT MAUR DISAPPEARS--ANXIETY AS TO
HIS FATE--DANGEROUS CONDITION OF THE YACHT--FALMOUTH REACHED--DICK
STOKES GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THE COLLISION--RETURN TO RYDE--THE STELLA
SAILS NORTHWARD--JACK APPOINTED TO THE BELLONA, ADAIR TO THE EMPRESS.
Two gentlemen, who might at a glance have been known as naval officers,
were walking arm-in-arm towards a church in the midst of a burial
ground, standing on the summit of a hill surrounded by woods in the Isle
of Wight, overlooking the Solent. The trees were green with the bright
leaves of early summer, the birds flew here and there, carrying food to
their young, and chirping merrily. In several places openings had been
cut, affording a view of the blue water down the Channel in the
direction of Calshot Castle and towards Spithead and the entrance of
Portsmouth harbour.
One of the gentlemen was strongly built, of middle height, with an open,
well-bronzed countenance, a few grey hairs showing themselves amid his
bushy whiskers, proving that he was getting on in life. The other was
tall and of slender proportions, but had equally the air and bearing of
a son of the ocean.
Passing though a wicket gate, they went along a well-kept gravel path,
and stopped before two monuments, side by side, one of granite, the
other of white marble. On the first, surmounted by a naval crown, was
engraved--"To the memory of Admiral Triton;" and on the other was
inscribed the name of Deborah Triton, daughter of the late Captain
Triton, RN, and sister of Admiral Triton, who lies interred by her side.
At a little distance followed two ladies, with a party of girls and
boys, who had been laughing, chatting, and joking, as they ran in and
out among each other, skipping and jumping, and darting here and there.
Their voices were, however, hushed as they approached the wicket gate
and discovered that they had arrived at the churchyard.
"I'm glad that my directions have been carried out," said Captain Adair,
the taller of the two gentlemen. "It is but a poor mark, after all, of
the gratitude and affection I owe to my kind old friends, by whom I have
been so largely benefited. What do you think of them, Jack?"
"They are very much to my taste, and are exactly such as I should have
wished to put up," answered Captain Rogers. "We shall hear what Julia
and Lucy say."
Their two wives, who now arrived, were equally pleased. The elder
girls, who had brought wreaths of flowers, placed them on the graves as
a token of their visit--an idea of their mothers, though it is probable
that neither Jack nor Terence would have thought of doing such a thing.
They were still looking at the monuments when carriage wheels were
heard, and a gentleman and lady soon afterwards appeared from the other
side of the churchyard, and approached them, accompanied by a
fine-looking lad in a midshipman's uniform.
"Why, Murray! My dear fellow! I little expected to see you here!"
exclaimed Jack, hurrying forward to greet them, Adair following.
Captain Murray introduced his son, who had just left the _Britannia_,
and expected every day to be appointed to a ship.
"But where have you come from, and where are you staying?" asked Jack.
"From Bercaldine, on board the _Stella_, but not the _Stella_ you know.
Our family having considerably increased, we had outgrown the old craft,
so I purchased a fine schooner in Greenock, aboard which we arrived only
yesterday evening. Finding you were staying at Ryde, we went to your
house and there heard that you had gone in this direction. Guessing
your object, we drove on here in the hopes of meeting you."
This of course gave Jack and Terence and their wives the greatest
satisfaction. Thus the three old shipmates were again united, and
together they stood round the grave of the friend they had known from
their youth upwards. Of course they had a great deal to talk about, and
Murray, sending away his carriage, walked back with his friends to Ryde.
Young Alick, as may be supposed, made himself agreeable to Miss Julia
Rogers and Miss Lucy Adair--for both girls were christened after their
mothers. He was a fine handsome boy, full of life and spirits, without
a particle of bashfulness. Murray inquired after Tom and Desmond. Tom
was at sea on board the _Roarer_, a lately launched composite frigate,
which was expected to perform wonders both under sail and steam, but she
had already had to put back twice into Plymouth with broken-down
machinery and other injuries. It was hoped, however, now that she had
undergone a thorough repair, that she would at all events be able to
keep above water, although she might not succeed in running after a
smaller enemy, or in running away from a big one.
"And where is your nephew Desmond?" asked Murray.
"In Dublin, closeted every day, he writes me word, with a lawyer, poring
over papers, writing and receiving letters, and seeing witnesses. Our
friend McMahon assures me that he is certain ultimately to succeed his
father's relative, Viscount Saint Maur, a fifth, sixth, or seventh
cousin, I believe, who has died lately. Several other persons, however,
having laid claim to the title and estates, McMahon was somehow or other
induced to look into the case, and became convinced that Gerald was the
rightful heir. I thought that it was better while he was at sea not to
unsettle his mind by holding out any great prospect of success."
"I heartily hope that he will succeed," said Jack. "He is a fine young
fellow; although he has not particularly distinguished himself in the
service, I'm sure he will, should he have an opportunity. I hope he'll
stick to it even although he should become Viscount Saint Maur."
"I'm not very confident about his doing that, even should the Lords of
the Admiralty offer to promote him," said Terence, laughing. "He may
possibly imitate the example of our old school-fellow, Johnny Grant, who
had been a mate eight or ten years, when, on his coming into a title, my
lords wrote, offering at once to promote him and appoint him to a ship.
He politely replied, that though hitherto overlooked, he was bound to
thank them, but declined their noble offer. I suspect that Gerald also
will prefer remaining at home looking after his property, and probably
taking to himself a wife."
"Not one of our Australian friends?" asked Jack. "I didn't think he was
so far gone as that."
"Oh no; he is as heart-sound as ever, but an Irishman with a title and
good property is not likely to be allowed to remain in single
blessedness. If he gains his cause at the trial, which is to come off
shortly, I hope that he will come over and pay us a visit while the old
house is undergoing repairs; we shall then probably go and stay with him
during the winter. I wish that you and Murray would come and see us at
Ballymacree--including, of course, Mrs Murray and Mrs Rogers and all
your belongings. We have had the place put to rights, and I've bought
back some of the dirty acres surrounding it which my poor father let
slip through his fingers, so that it has regained some of its pristine
greatness or glory, although we do not intend to carry on as was the
custom in days of yore, when half-a-dozen hogsheads of claret were on
tap at once, and anybody who asked for it got the key."
The young ladies were, perhaps, not quite so much interested with the
account Adair gave of his nephew as were their parents, or in the
prospect of seeing the future viscount. Murray feared that he should be
unable to visit Ballymacree.
"We are due at Bercaldine in the autumn," he observed. "We are
unwilling to disappoint the people there, who always look forward to our
return, and we have been so many years absent that we do not like to
remain away oftener than is necessary."
"You'll be getting your flag soon," observed Adair. "Then if you have
an appointment offered you, surely you would not wish to decline it. It
will be some time before Jack and I become admirals, although I shall
scarcely feel myself neglected if I do not get a ship. In the mean
time, I have paid several visits to the Admiralty lately to ascertain by
ocular demonstration what are my prospects, and, judging by appearances,
they are not so bad as may be supposed. By my calculations, you will
have your flag in a couple of years at the outside."
"How is that?" asked Mrs Murray.
"Why, I will tell you. Your husband, as well as Rogers, well knows the
waiting-room to which officers are ushered, who desire to pay their
respects to the First Lord of the Admiralty, to obtain anything they can
out of him. When I see a number of old post-captains collected, I
generally drop a remark that I have not come to ask for employment, but
to inquire how soon I am likely to obtain my flag. Some one is sure to
think I'm cracked, and to beg that I will say how I can possibly learn
that? My reply is that I watch the way in which my seniors go upstairs.
If they run nimbly up when summoned, I am pretty sure that they are
likely to remain on the books as long as I am, and become admirals. But
if they drag their legs up after them, and ascend at a slow pace, I feel
certain that they will be placed on the retired list, or perhaps go out
of the world altogether. On hearing this my respected seniors have
generally cast angry looks at me; and when they are summoned I follow
them out. The first few steps they go up nimbly enough, but by the
fourth or fifth they drag their legs slower. Before they are out of
sight I see them creeping on, and often blowing like grampuses with the
unusual exertion they have made. I generally pull out my watch too, and
time them, making a note also of their mode of progress. In nine cases
out of ten I have found that I have been right. Since the idea first
occurred to me fifty at least have gone off the list."
Mrs Murray looked somewhat grave. "I had rather Alick remained a
captain than see a number of officers put aside or die to make room for
him," she answered.
"Why, my dear Mrs Murray, it's all we have to look to," answered
Terence. "We must grow old, it's certain; and we wish to become
admirals before we are laid up with the gout, or become too decrepit to
go to sea. I hear the Admiralty are taking the matter into
consideration, and intend to increase the retired list, so that we
juvenile captains may have a better chance of our flags."
Jack and Terence accompanied Murray and Stella down to the pier, where
their boat was waiting to take them off to the yacht, which lay among
several other fine craft a short distance from it. Both promised to go
on board with their wives and children the next morning.
"Have you got Ben Snatchblock as master?" asked Jack.
"No, no," said Murray, laughing. "He modestly declined taking so
responsible a charge, and I thought he was right, so he has subsided
into the more retiring character of boatswain or second mate. I brought
the craft round myself, but I intend to look out for a Cowes man as
first mate and pilot, as I wish to have no anxieties, and be able to
send the vessel anywhere I wish, without going in her. I propose
engaging a couple of good men as master and mate, if they are to be
found at this season of the year. Most of the well-known men are, of
course, already engaged."
Next morning Jack and Terence, with their belongings, went down to the
pier, where the _Stella's_ boat, with the young Alick, was waiting to
receive them with oars in the air. Young Alick gave the word to shove
off in a very officer-like way, and the blades dropping flat on the
water, scarcely making a splash, the boat with rapid strokes was pulled
alongside the yacht. Even to Jack's critical eye she was as neat and
trim as any craft could be, and, moreover, a thoroughly comfortable,
wholesome vessel, as are most of the Scotch yachts.
Captain Murray stood in the gangway to hand in his guests, who were soon
seated in easy camp chairs, on cloaks and cushions round the skylight.
The anchor was hove up. The vessel's head, under her jib and foresail,
payed round before a light air from the eastward, and the mainsail being
hoisted, she stood away with several other yachts, which got under way
at the same time, standing to the westward. The sky was blue and clear,
and the sun shone brightly on the glittering water, just rippled over by
the breeze, on the polished sides of the yacht, on the burnished brass
work, and on the sails white as snow.
As the _Stella's_ squaresail was set, she ran by several of the yachts,
showing that, although a comfortable craft, she was no laggard. Every
thing on board was perfect. The men in their white duck trousers, blue
shirts, their hats having a band on which the name of the yacht was
inscribed in gold letters, the decks without a spot, the ropes neatly
flemished down, the bulwarks of a pale salmon colour, the stanchions,
belaying-pins, and other brass work burnished to a nicety, all betokened
a thoroughly well-ordered yacht, Murray himself setting the example in
his own person. The yacht soon glided by the wooded heights of Binsted.
The royal domain of Osborne, surrounded by trees, with its green lawn,
was passed, Cowes Point rounded, and its harbour opened out full of
yachts of every size and rig, some at anchor, others just getting under
way. Its club house and picturesque villas, amid its groves of trees
and bright lawns, were seen close on the port side; while on the
opposite shore, at the mouth of Southampton Water, could be
distinguished Calshot Castle, once the residence of a general well known
in the Peninsular War, the predecessor in the command of the British
army of Sir Arthur Wellesley. Beyond Calshot rose the tower of
Eaglehurst, and to the west of it, reaching to the shore, the outskirts
of the New Forest. Then further on could be seen the town of Lymington,
at the end of a river meandering through mud flats, with
Jack-in-the-basket at its mouth; on the Isle of Wight shore the village
of Newton, peeping out amongst the thick foliage, with a line of downs
rising far beyond it, extending to the extreme west of the island; and
Yarmouth, with its long street and sturdy little castle at one end, a
church tower rising in its midst; and Freshwater, with its
attractive-looking residences, perched on the hillside; and to the west
of it, its formidable but unpicturesque-looking forts, scientifically
placed on heights commanding the entrance to the Solent. On the right,
at the end of a long spit of sand, were the red light-houses, and the
castle, and newly erected batteries of Hurst, such as no hostile fleet
would dare to encounter; outside of which could be distinguished, by the
broken water, the dangerous shoal of the Shingles, well marked also by
its huge black buoys.
"How beautiful and curious those cliffs are coloured!" exclaimed the
children in chorus, pointing to a bay in the Isle of Wight shore, a
short distance inside the white Needle rocks.
"That is Alum Bay," answered Captain Murray. "The cliffs are composed
of fine sand of different colours, as you see. You shall land there
some day, when we will come down on purpose; and you can collect
specimens for your museum. There are tints sufficient for forming a
picture, and you may try who can produce the prettiest landscape with
them."
Beyond Alum Bay the cliffs rose to a great height, continuing to the
very end of the island, where the white Needle rocks ran out into the
blue waters. The most northern one had been scarped so as to form a
platform, on which a granite light-house had been built, instead of one
on the downs, which, frequently shrouded by mists, was not to be seen in
thick weather by vessels entering from the westward. The Needle rocks
were soon rounded, while the tide was still ebbing, and Scratchel's Bay
was opened out, its perpendicular cliff rising sheer out of the water
several hundred feet. The pilot Murray had engaged narrated how once
upon a time a transport on a dark night ran in on the rocks, and the
crew and passengers escaped over the fallen masts, and succeeded in
scrambling up the more accessible part of the cliff; when the morning
broke the white rocks looked as if sprinkled over by lady-birds, as the
soldiers in their red jackets attempted to make their way to the summit.
The yacht stood on until Christchurch Head was passed, and Bournemouth,
peeping out amid pine groves, and Studland Bay, and the pretty little
town of Swanage appeared, when she hauled her wind to save the tide
back, as with a light breeze she would require every inch of it to reach
Ryde before nightfall.
The ladies, who had never sailed down the Solent before, were delighted
with the scenery. Even the three captains, who had so often come in and
out through the Needle passage, declared that they enjoyed the views
more than they had ever done before. The sea was so smooth that there
was no necessity to bring up for luncheon, while before dinner-time the
_Stella_ was again inside the Isle of Wight.
It was the first of several pleasant trips the three old friends with
their young people took on board the _Stella_. The captains declared
that they felt like boys again, and that it was the happiest time in
their lives. They had picnics at Alum Bay, Netley Abbey, on the shores
of Southampton Water; they pulled up Beaulieu River in the boats, and
several times sailed round the Isle of Wight.
Adair received a letter from his nephew Gerald, giving a hopeful account
of his prospects.
"What do you say to a trip round to Dublin to congratulate him if he
succeeds, or to console the poor fellow if he fails?" said Murray. "You
will come, I am sure, and I dare say Jack will have no objection to the
trip."
Both Adair and Jack were perfectly ready to accept the invitation. Mrs
Rogers expressed her readiness, and Lucy undertook to remain at Ryde to
look after the children. It was finally settled that the eldest Miss
Murray and Miss Rogers should go with the yacht, with, of course, young
Alick, while the rest remained behind. It was arranged that the
_Stella_ should sail as soon as a grand review of the fleet, which was
about to take place, was over. The review was in honour of a visit paid
to the Queen by the Sultan of Turkey and the Pasha of Egypt, or rather
to exhibit Britannia's might and power to the two Eastern potentates.
Murray had invited several friends of his own, as well as of Jack's and
Adair's, to see the fleet. As soon as they were on board, the _Stella_
got under way, and making sail ran down the two lines, the one composed
of lofty line-of-battle ships and frigates, relics of days gone by,
consisting of the _Victory_, the _Duke of Wellington_, the _Donegal_,
the _Revenge_, the _Saint Vincent_, the _Royal George_, the _Saint
George_, the _Dauntless_, and many others, whose names recalled the
proudest days of England's glory, but which were probably three or four
times the size of the old ships, with a weight of metal immensely
surpassing their predecessors. In the other line were cupola or
turret-ships; iron-clads, with four or five huge guns, armoured screw
frigates, and screw corvettes, and rams--hideous to look at, but
formidable monsters--and gun-boats innumerable, like huge beetles turned
on their backs, each with a single gun capable of dealing destruction on
the proudest of the ancient line-of-battle ships.
The fleet getting under way stood to the eastward, when they formed in
perfect order, the sailing ships taking the port line, the iron-clads
the starboard. The _Stella_, having stood back to Spithead, saw them
approaching, presenting a magnificent spectacle as they gradually
emerged from the broad wreaths of smoke issuing from their funnels.
"Gaze at yonder sight, ladies and gentlemen; it will probably be the
last time you will see the ancient and modern fleets of Great Britain
placed in juxtaposition. All those magnificent three-deckers will be
cut down into turret-ships, as the _Royal Sovereign_ has been treated,
or be broken up as useless, unable to contend with the smallest gun-boat
afloat." Jack heaved a deep sigh as he spoke, adding, "I cannot help
wishing at times that things had remained as they were, and that
smoke-jacks and iron-clads, and rams and torpedoes, and other diabolical
inventions had never been thought of; but we must take them as they are
and make the best use of them in our power. In the next naval war,
whenever it takes place, there will be some extraordinary naval events
to be recorded. Instead of stately ships and light frigates, with their
white canvas reaching to the skies, the ocean will be covered with low
black monsters, darting here and there seeking for antagonists, others
ramming, and some sending their vile torpedoes beneath an enemy's keel;
others thundering away from their monster guns; not a few blowing up and
foundering with all hands on board."
"You do not draw a pleasant picture of the battles of the future,"
observed Adair, laughing. "My idea is that if the British fleet is kept
up as it should be, no enemy will venture out to attack it."
A strong south-westerly gale kept the _Stella_ in Cowes harbour for some
days, but the weather again clearing, and promising to continue fine,
she sailed with a northerly breeze down Channel. By this time the
ladies had got so well accustomed to the yacht that they felt themselves
perfectly at home. Murray had a good supply of books, and a box from
Mudie's was added to the store, with creature comforts of all sorts on
board.
"After all, though we are somewhat closer packed than we should be on
board a line-of-battle ship, I must say that yachting is a mighty
pleasant way of spending the time," exclaimed Adair.
"Lucy, I suspect, will be well content if you are satisfied with
indulging your nautical propensities in this way, instead of going
afloat for three or four long years," observed Julia.
"It's as well not to think about the future. If the Lords of the
Admiralty insist on my taking the command of a ship, unless I make up my
mind to give up the service, I must accept their offer. However, at
present, as they do not know where to find me, I am not likely to hear
about the matter, even should they offer me a ship, so let's be happy
while we can, and drive dull care away."
The fine weather continued until the _Stella_ had got to the westward of
the Eddystone, when it came on to blow pretty hard from the southward.
Murray proposed running into Falmouth for the sake of the ladies.
"Will there be any danger if we continue the voyage?" asked his wife.
"Not the slightest; at the utmost we need only expect a summer gale, and
though we may have a heavy sea when doubling the Lizard, once round it
there will be a fair wind for us," was the answer.
The ladies were unanimous in their desire to keep at sea, so the yacht
stood on her course. They certainly did repent of their resolve when
the beacon on the Wolf Rock appeared on the starboard hand, and the gale
came down with redoubled force, while a heavy sea got up, such as those
who have often been in the chops of the Channel have experienced to
their cost. The ladies, however, showed not a shadow of fear.
The yacht behaved beautifully. Murray knew that he could trust to her
spars and rigging, for Ben had superintended the fitting out of the
vessel, and set up each shroud and stay, and carefully examined every
inch of her masts and yards, so that he felt confident that not a flaw
existed. In a short time the helm was put up and the yacht stood for
the passage between the Land's End and the Scilly Isles, guided by the
two magnificent lights, the Longships on the starboard bow and those of
the light vessel off the Seven Stones on the port.
"Why, I expected that we should have a terrible night of it; how
suddenly the gale has gone down!" exclaimed Julia, not aware that the
yacht had been just put before the wind, as she and the other ladies
were seated on the sofas in the luxurious cabin.
The yacht, instead of heeling over as she had hitherto been doing, was
on a tolerably even keel, though she gave now and then a little playful
roll or pitch into the seas as she rapidly clove her way over them.
Jack came down and invited them to come on deck and see the two lights,
which now appeared before them on each bow.
"Before the light vessel on the port bow was stationed there, no ship on
a dark night and bad weather would willingly run through this channel,"
he observed. "But now it can be done as safely as in the broadest
daylight, or indeed even more so."
"But I see two lights close together," said Julia.
"Yes," answered Jack, "one is at each mast-head of the vessel. It can
thus be distinguished from the larger light of the Longships, which is a
single light of much greater power. We can also thus distinguish the
Longships from the revolving light of Saint Agnes, on the southern rocks
of Scilly. You can see it low down over the port quarter. Now you see
it is hidden, but it will appear again in another minute, whereas the
Longships light is fixed and is always visible."
As Murray had prognosticated, the wind moderated, and the _Stella_ had a
pleasant run across the mouth of the Bristol Channel, sighting the
Smalls light-house the next forenoon to the westward of Milford Haven on
the starboard hand, the revolving Tuscar lights off the Irish coast
being seen over the port quarter as it grew dark.
The wind now fell, and not until next morning did a light breeze spring
up, which wafted the _Stella_ along the Wicklow coast. Just before dark
she brought up in the beautiful Bay of Dublin, the wind not allowing her
to get into Kingstown harbour. Adair being especially anxious to go on
shore to learn how it fared with Desmond, the boat was manned, and Jack
accompanied him on shore, the ladies preferring to remain on board.
The eventful day of the trial was over, and already it had been decided
whether Gerald Desmond was to remain a poor lieutenant with his half-pay
alone to depend upon, or become the owner of a handsome estate--albeit
somewhat encumbered--and the possessor of a title, at all events worth
something, whatever cynics might think about the matter. Jack felt
almost as much interested as Adair, and could talk of nothing else
during their passage up to Dublin. The crew seemed to guess there was
something in the wind, and gave way with a will. On arriving at Dublin,
having sent the boat back to the yacht, they hastened up to the
residence of the Counsellor McMahon, with whom Desmond was staying.
They intended to sleep that night in Dublin, and to return the next
morning by way of Kingstown to the _Stella_.
Captain Adair, excited by his feelings, pulled the bell with more than
his usual vehemence.
"Is Counsellor McMahon at home?" he asked.
"No, your honour, the master, with the lieutenant, is out, but they'll
not be long before they're home," was the answer.
Adair thought the term lieutenant augured ill. Surely the servant would
speak of Desmond as the young lord if he had gained his cause. He,
however, considered that it would be undignified to put the question.
"Are any of the family at home?" asked Jack, as he and Adair tendered
their cards.
"Sure, yes, capt'ns; the mistress and the young ladies are at home, and
they'll be mighty glad to see ye."
"Take up our cards, at all events," said Adair, "and we will wait in the
hall."
The servant hurried off, while Jack and Adair stood waiting his return.
The man soon returned.
"Come up, come up, capt'ns; the mistress will be mighty pleased to see
you," he said, beginning, in a way no English servant would have thought
of doing, to relieve them of their hats.
"Sure, I'll just take charge of these; they'll be after incommoding you
in the drawing-room," he said, taking possession of their beavers by
gentle force.
Adair smiled, but made no objection, although Jack was very unwilling to
give up his hat.
They were ushered into a handsome drawing-room, and the lady of the
house--a buxom dame--came smiling forward, while three young damsels
rose and put down the work on which they had been engaged.
"The Counsellor must have had good hope of success, or he would scarcely
have invited the young lieutenant to remain at his house with three such
attractive girls as those are," thought Jack, as he cast a glance at the
young ladies, while he advanced across the room.
Mrs McMahon received them with Irish cordiality and begged them to be
seated. "I'm expecting the counsellor back every moment, and I conclude
that our young friend, Lord Saint Maur, will return with him; for so I
may call Lieutenant Desmond, as only a few technicalities have to be
gone through before he can properly assume the title."
"Has he really gained the cause?" exclaimed Adair. "I am delighted, and
grateful to Counsellor McMahon, without whose aid he would have had no
chance of success."
"The counsellor has done his best, and his success has afforded him as
much satisfaction as it can any one else," answered the lady, bowing.
"Indeed, it is a pleasure to have been of service to so excellent and
delightful a young man as your nephew, Captain Adair."
Jack looked round to see whether any of the young ladies gave responsive
looks to the encomiums passed on Gerald. They all three smiled sweetly,
with precisely the same expression, so that it would have required a
better physiognomist than was Captain Rogers to have discovered what was
passing in their innocent minds.
"I fully believe that the counsellor was disinterested in the efforts he
made to forward Desmond's cause," he thought to himself.
There was not much time for conversation before Counsellor McMahon, a
round, ruddy-faced, white-haired, bright-eyed man, accompanied by
Desmond, entered the room. He took Adair's hand in both his own and
shook it cordially, saying in a hearty tone--
"I congratulate you, my dear captain, on your nephew's success."
"Oh, don't thank me; I merely took care justice was done--that's all a
lawyer has to do, from his client's point of view at all events. We
triumphed, as I knew we should, notwithstanding the forgeries, the
falsehood, and the perjury brought in array against us. It was truly a
satisfaction to fight in the cause of your nephew, who bore his blushing
honours with so much equanimity. I believe that had he lost, he would
again have gone to sea and done his duty with as much zeal as ever.
Whether or not he will now return to tempt once more the tempest and the
waves, not to speak of round shot and bullets, is more than I can say.
I only know that if I were in his place I should stick to _terra firma_.
But I never much admired a life on the ocean wave, albeit feeling the
deepest respect for its gallant sons who hazard their lives in their
country's cause."
The lawyer ran on, scarcely allowing Jack or Adair to get in a word. At
last, however, they had an opportunity of congratulating Desmond on his
good fortune.
He spoke very sensibly, and was evidently in no way unduly elated by his
success. Jack rightly thought that he had been too busy to dream of
making love to the lawyer's fair daughters, attractive as one and all of
them were.
In a few minutes supper was announced, and Jack, as the senior officer,
handed down the lady of the house, Desmond modestly slipping behind and
refusing to move.
Mrs McMahon was affability itself, the counsellor brimful of jokes and
good humour, laughing and talking for everybody else. On hearing that
Jack and Adair had part of their families on board, he insisted that
they should come on shore, and allow his wife to show them the lions of
Dublin and its neighbourhood. "You'll not be going away without taking
a drive into Wicklow, the most perfect paradise on the surface of the
globe in my opinion," he added. "Carriages shall be in waiting for the
ladies, and I'll take all the trouble off your hands."
So pressing an invitation was not to be refused. The various excursions
Mrs McMahon and her friends made on shore need not be described. They
were delighted with all they saw of the country, if not of Dublin itself
and the Misses Murray at once declared that they should be perfectly
ready to come and live in Ireland, though they had seen no spot which
could equal Bercaldine.
As Captain Murray had to return to Ryde to take on board his younger
children, before returning to Scotland, his stay in Dublin could not be
prolonged. "We can give you a berth, Saint Maur, if you are inclined to
take a trip to sea again, although we will not make you keep watch
unless you specially wish it," he said, scarcely expecting, however,
that the invitation would be accepted.
"I shall be delighted," answered Desmond; "I can spare a couple of
weeks, as McMahon will not immediately require my signature and will do
all that is necessary in the mean time. I feel as fond of the sea as
ever, though I shall certainly not seek for employment, and may possibly
retire and start a yacht next year if I can afford it, although on that
score I am not very sanguine, as the old house, I understand, requires
extensive repairs, and there is much to be done on the estate: decent
cottages, instead of pigsties, to be built; land to be drained and
fences put up--the tenantry must be looked after."
Murray, as the only way of returning the attentions he had received from
Counsellor McMahon, took him, his wife, and daughters, a trip on board
the _Stella_, their cruise being along the Wicklow coast, and highly
delighted the young ladies were, though the counsellor acknowledged that
he was much happier when the _Stella_ brought up in Kingstown Harbour,
and he found himself at the dinner table in the comfortable cabin at
perfect rest.
"It may be very pleasant for you young people to be tumbled and tossed
about while you are gazing at the scenery of our incomparable mountains,
but I confess that I can only enjoy the beauties of nature while I find
my feet securely placed on _terra firma_," he remarked.
The following day, with a spanking breeze from the westward, the
_Stella_ sailed on her return to the Isle of Wight. The fine weather
continued until she had got clear of Scilly. While she was still in the
chops of the Channel it fell a dead calm, and a thick fog came on.
There the _Stella_ lay, drifted slowly up by one tide and to the
westward again by the other. Night came on. The officers agreed that
they had never been in the Channel with such perfect darkness as hung
over the water. Lights were hoisted, and a look-out kept for any
steamers which might be coming up or down the Channel, although to get
out of their way was impossible.
Captain Murray and his friends felt far more anxiety than they would
have experienced had it been blowing a strong gale. The evening was
unusually chilly. Moisture dropped from the sails and rigging,
preventing the ladies from remaining on deck. Adair went below, as he
said, to amuse them; but Murray, Jack, and Desmond remained looking out,
ready to shout should they see a steamer approaching. Of sailing
vessels there was no fear, for they, as was the _Stella_, would be
becalmed.
"Oh, those horrible steam-kettles! I never before so heartily hated
them as I do now. If one of them was to come thundering along now,
without a bright look-out, she might be into us before our lights could
be seen, or our warning shouts heard!" exclaimed Adair.
"Yes, indeed," answered Murray. "I'm almost inclined to get the ladies
on deck and to have a boat lowered, in case a steamer should run into
us. We should have a better hope of saving their lives, for the sides
of a yacht are but ill able to withstand a blow from a steamer going at
even a moderate speed; and some of those steam-boat skippers, provided
they make a fast passage, care very little what damage they may do to
small craft in their way."
Murray, however, kept all fast. He felt ashamed of making preparations
for a catastrophe which might never occur. Hour after hour passed by,
while they paced the deck with their hands in their pockets, whistling
for a breeze. It was very trying, as they were in a hurry to get back.
"You had better go below, Saint Maur," said Murray; "there is no
necessity for us all to remain on deck."
"Thank you; but I would rather assist in keeping a look-out, while
either you or Captain Rogers turn in. I'll keep moving, though, for I
feel it rather cold;" and Desmond continued walking up and down at a
quick pace.
Captain Rogers at last said he would go below to see what the ladies
were about, and to advise them to turn in.
Scarcely had his head descended below the companion hatch than Murray
exclaimed--
"Here's a breeze at last! Its dead ahead though; but it will blow away
the fog, I hope, and we shall be able to keep the yacht moving."
Two or three minutes, however, passed before the vessel's sails, feeling
the influence of the wind, enabled her to gather way. Contrary to
Murray's expectations, the fog still hung as thickly as before above the
water.
"Here, Murray, the ladies want you to settle a knotty point," exclaimed
Jack, from the foot of the companion ladder.
Murray, seeing that the schooner had now got way on her, dived below.
Not a minute after, a crash was heard. He, followed by Jack, sprang on
deck, when they saw a large dark hull, with a pyramid of canvas, rising
above the deck, over the after part of which a long projecting bowsprit
made a rapid sweep, tearing a hole through the mainsail, and carrying
away the leech. They both instinctively sprang aft to the helm, the man
at which had been knocked down. In another instant the schooner was
clear, and the stranger had disappeared in the darkness.
Jack, taking the helm, kept it up, for the blow had brought the vessel
to the wind, while Murray hastened to ascertain what damage had been
done.
"She has only torn away our bulwarks, sir," cried Ben. "Try the well,"
said Murray.