CHAPTER XXXIII.
“We have her at last, by St. Patrick!” said Captain O’Loughlin, shaking our hero by the hand; “though I am sorry to say we have lost three men and seven hurt, three or four severely. You had a sharp fight on board here, I see. There are six poor fellows dead, and more than a dozen severely hurt with cutlass wounds. Confound those fellows ashore, they keep poppingaway.” As the Captain said the words, he stooped and picked up his hat, knocked off by a musket ball just as the lugger was dropping down the reach, under her fore-lug, with the down tide.
Putting all the enemy’s wounded or hurt into the boats, they sent them on board the nearest fishing lugger, whose crew had pulled on shore. Sail was then made on the Vengeance, and, a fresh breeze blowing, they ran rapidly down the creek, Lieutenant Thornton steering, and keeping close to the west side of the inlet, thus avoiding the sunken rocks that lay along the other shore.
As they gained the open sea, they perceived the brig, with her fore-top sail aback, waiting for them. On running up alongside, the second mate of the Onyx, who had the command of her, said they had struck hard against a sunken rock in coming out, but that the brig did not appear to have received any damage, as she made no water; but they were at first afraid she would have remained fast.
“I told you, O’Loughlin,” said Lieutenant Thornton, “to keep well to the westward, for the other day, at low water, I remarked a range of sunken rocks on the east side.”
“By Jove! in the confusion I forgot your warning,” returned Captain O’Loughlin; “however, our expedition has turned out well.”
“They were evidently prepared for us,” said our hero; “they suspected that an attack would be made on the privateer. And if they had fastened that chain round the main-mast, and riveted it, we should have had to set her on fire; for the anchor she was fastened to on shore by that ponderous chain was considerably over a ton.”
“Yes, and besides that,” returned the commander of the Onyx, “they evidently mistook the bolt to which they did fasten the chain; for close to it was a bolt that goes right through the main beam, and that we could not have cut out as we did the deck bolt.”
“Had you much resistance on board the brig?”
“No, nothing to talk of; there were but fourteen men in her, and they evidently thought to get clear off during the night.”
They were now close up with the Onyx, and Captain O’Loughlin and Lieutenant Thornton went on board. The commander of the corvette having seen to the care of his wounded, Captain O’Loughlin, our hero, and Lieutenant Pole proceeded to the cabin to obtain some refreshment after their certainly arduous undertaking.
“I tell you what you must do, dear friend,” said O’Loughlin to the thoughtful Lieutenant Thornton, “you had better take the prizes to Portsmouth. You will be made a commander at once. Besides, Mr. Stanmore is most anxious for your returnto England; he told me there would not be the slightest difficulty in asserting your claims to the name and property of the late lamented Sir Oscar de Bracy. The document signed by my generous benefactor, and his will, being so very satisfactory.”
Our hero did not reply for a moment, for in truth he was greatly distressed in mind.
“If I followed the bent of my mind, Patrick,” he said, rousing himself from his sombre thoughts, “I should go ashore and endeavour to gain some intelligence of those so dear to me, and who no doubt are experiencing intense anxiety, for they must have heard the firing at Coulancourt, and guessed the cause of it. I do really think it possible I might escape detection.”
“Then upon my conscience I do not,” said Captain O’Loughlin, “you would surely lose your life. The captain of the Vengeance has escaped, you say; believe me he would sacrifice his life to take yours. Let me advise you to go to England. It is really your duty to do so. They may not be so badly off at the château as you imagine. Young Julian Arden is a fine high-spirited fellow; he will watch over their safety.”
“I will take your advice, O’Loughlin,” said our hero, gloomily, “because, as you say, it is my duty to do so, and to serve my country as long as this war lasts; but I shall do so with a heavy heart.”
“I can imagine that such will be your feelings,” said O’Loughlin, “but I really do not think this war will last long. France is no longer in the state it was; the people and their rulers are wearied of their bloody deeds. There is no danger of life to Madame Coulancourt; the worst that can happen will be confiscation of property; they will not imprison females for so trifling a crime as harbouring an Englishman, for they cannot convict them of attempting to escape; therefore do not look upon the gloomy side of the picture. As soon as day dawns we will set the Vengeance to rights, and do you run her into Portsmouth. I will put young Burdett in command of the brig. She has a valuable cargo, and is a handsome craft, and will no doubt be taken into the service. Burdett has passed his examination, and it will give him a lift.”
To this arrangement Lieutenant Thornton consented, with a sigh of regret, some very bitter thoughts troubling his mind.
The three vessels were hove to till morning, the friends determining to sit up the remainder of the night conversing.
It was yet night, when a man’s voice was heard hailing the ship. Lieutenant Pole called down to our hero to come up, as a small boat from the shore was hailing them.
Lieutenant Thornton sprang to his feet with eagerness, and ran up upon deck, followed by Captain O’Loughlin.
Our hero beheld a small boat, with a man and a boy in it pulling up alongside.
“Well, my man,” said Lieutenant Thornton, addressing him, “do you bring any message from the shore?”
“Yes, monsieur, to you, I think,” said the man, “as well as I can see by this light; are you the English officer that was at Château Coulancourt?”
“I am, my man,” returned our hero, “jump on board.”
“Pardon, monsieur, I cannot delay to do that, for it is a mere piece of luck my seeing your ship, for I could not venture farther out in this crazy craft; here is a parcel and a letter from Monsieur Plessis. I must get back to the shore before daylight, or I shall be suspected.”
Lieutenant Thornton eagerly took the packet and the letter, and tossing his purse to the man, containing four or five pounds in French gold coins, he said—
“Keep that, mon ami; I wish I had more to give you. Tell Monsieur Plessis that we are all well here.”
“Mercie, monsieur,” said the man, pocketing the purse, “I will be sure to tell him; and I wish you well. I am not injuring my country by serving the best mistress the poor of this country ever had,” and without further delay he and the lad took to their oars, and pulled in lustily for the shore.
“Come, this is fortunate, my dear friend,” said Captain O’Loughlin, “you will no doubt gain some intelligence of those you are so anxious about.”
“I trust I shall,” said Lieutenant Thornton; “come with me to the cabin, Patrick, and I will tell you what Monsieur Jean Plessis says.”
Retiring to the cabin, our hero took the covering from the paper parcel, which was bulky and securely fastened, within which was a second bundle of papers carefully tied together, and on the top a letter addressed to himself. It was from Monsieur Plessis, and was as follows:—
“Dear Sir,“Enclosedyou have all the papers relative to Mademoiselle Arden’s birth, her mother’s marriage, &c. I have not a moment to spare for explanation, but if you can keep off and on the harbour of Havre for six or eight days, I think I have a scheme for escape planned that will succeed. Keep a sharp look-out for a chasse-mare, that will carry a red flag hoisted on her fore-mast. If in eight days you do not fall in with such, you may conclude I have failed. Still be under no apprehension, for I have a powerful friend in Monsieur Barras, the director, and madame and family will be safe, though perhaps her fortune may suffer. The papers enclosed will establishMademoiselle’s and Monsieur Julian’s claims to any property by will or otherwise. I write in extreme haste and uncertainty, for even now I hear the guns in the creek, pealing each moment in the air, and I am aware that a desperate contest is taking place, but I can and have anticipated the result.“Yours devotedly,“Jean Plessis.”
“Dear Sir,
“Enclosedyou have all the papers relative to Mademoiselle Arden’s birth, her mother’s marriage, &c. I have not a moment to spare for explanation, but if you can keep off and on the harbour of Havre for six or eight days, I think I have a scheme for escape planned that will succeed. Keep a sharp look-out for a chasse-mare, that will carry a red flag hoisted on her fore-mast. If in eight days you do not fall in with such, you may conclude I have failed. Still be under no apprehension, for I have a powerful friend in Monsieur Barras, the director, and madame and family will be safe, though perhaps her fortune may suffer. The papers enclosed will establishMademoiselle’s and Monsieur Julian’s claims to any property by will or otherwise. I write in extreme haste and uncertainty, for even now I hear the guns in the creek, pealing each moment in the air, and I am aware that a desperate contest is taking place, but I can and have anticipated the result.
“Yours devotedly,“Jean Plessis.”
“Be the immortal powers,” said Captain O’Loughlin, “that Jean Plessis is a trump. He anticipated the result of the contest, you see; he knew we should succeed, and he prepared this letter.”
“What’s to be done,” said Lieutenant Thornton, looking up anxiously, “for I know you cannot stay on this coast so long? You are already several days over your time.”
“I think we can manage it very easily,” said O’Loughlin. “I must sail and join Colpoys as directed; but I can put the Vengeance to rights in four hours; and leave you fifteen men and young Burdett. Four men and the second mate will run the brig to Portsmouth easily enough. There’s not a craft on the coast can come near the Vengeance for speed; her bottom has not been injured, and she spreads more canvas now than before. If Vice-Admiral Colpoys is still off Isle Dieu, I shall be able, on stating the circumstances, to get leave to return and render you any aid you may require; I can be back, if no untoward event occurs, in three days.”
“Nothing can be better,” said Lieutenant Thornton, joyfully. “The Vengeance has some of her guns on board, but no stores.”
“Never mind that, I can give you plenty; we have only to step your mizen-mast, and put you some ammunition and provisions on board, and you will do famously. If Jean Plessis fails, which I trust he will not, you must sail for England, report yourself, and you will be made a commander, mark my words. This success in cutting out the Vengeance will make a noise. I will just give orders to run farther off the coast, so that our proceedings may not be observed.”
On ascending upon deck, they perceived that it would soon be dawn, with a fresh breeze off shore, so making a signal to the Vengeance and the brig, they stood out to sea, and just as the sun rose they were beyond observation from the land.
Sending a party of men on board the Vengeance, Captain O’Loughlin and our hero followed. The brig, with the second mate and four men, in half-an-hour was under weigh for Portsmouth, and young Burdett remained with our hero.
On examining the Vengeance in the broad daylight, they were surprised at her size and accommodation. She was nearlyas long as the corvette, with more beam in proportion. They could perceive by the new work where the fire had ceased its ravages. She had suffered more in her spars and rigging and sails than in her hull. Her cabin was large and fitted up for hard service, more attention being paid to its affording accommodation to the numerous officers generally on board privateers, all messing together, than with any pretensions to elegance. The main cabin was the principal store room; it was at this time full of odds and ends—ropes, blocks, muskets, pistols, pikes, and every kind of privateering material, all in confusion. She was above two hundred tons burden, and carried immense spars.
In three hours everything was altered; the mizen-mast was stepped, the disordered and bloody deck washed, the rigging set up, and the cabin put into ship-shape. Two eight-pounders, and two long eighteen-pound carronades were placed ready for service; the rest of her guns were in her hold, and there they were left, fifteen men being too few to work any more than were on deck. After a few more arrangements had been completed, and the two friends had finally matured their plans, Master Burdett came on board with Bill Saunders, who was to be first mate, gunner, and to fill several other situations besides. The Commander of the Onyx bade his old comrade and friend farewell.
“If we do not again encounter here, we shall, I trust, meet ere long in England. My time will be soon up; so, dear friend, farewell, and God send you may fall in with those you are so deeply anxious about!”
Charles Pole had also come to bid good-bye, and the three friends parted.
The Onyx, under every stitch of canvas she could carry, stood away to the westward, whilst the Vengeance remained hove to, the crew busily employed settling and arranging their stores, ammunition, &c., and with her commander, making themselves as comfortable as possible. There was no happier man on board than Bill Saunders. The two eighteen-pound carronades became his special favourites, and his first object was to get them into effective operation, should they be wanted, and to select his men to work them.
He besides considered himself a kind of cabin attendant, steward, and butler, and entered into several arrangements with Master Burdett, who seemed to be a favourite of his, as to the future victualling department.