Cutlass and Cudgel Part 70

Archy was going to say friend, but he could not, for Mrs Shackle had thrown her arms about his neck in a big, motherly hug, from which the young officer escaped red-faced and vexed.

"I wish she hadn't kissed me," he said to himself, after making sure that no one had seen. "And she has made my face all wet with her crying."

They were on the march now to the Hoze, with the lieutenant in the highest of glee, and chatting merrily to Archy as a brother officer and a friend.

"If I could only have got the lugger too, Raystoke," he cried, "it would have been glorious! But I couldn't do impossibilities, could I?"

"I am sure you did wonders, Mr Brough," said Archy.

"Well, never mind what I did, sir. You and Gurr acted so that I'm proud of you both, and of the lads. Completely burned out the wasps' nest, eh? It--will be a glorious despatch, Raystoke. By the way, we must go straight down there and see if the place is cool enough to search.

There may be a little of the wasps' comb left, eh?"

"I'm afraid the whole of the stores would be destroyed."

"Ah, well, we shall see, and--Who are these?"

"Sir Risdon and Lady Graeme and their daughter," whispered Archy, who coloured as he saw Celia looking at him defiantly.

They were outside the house, and Lieutenant Brough halted his men, marched forward with the midshipman, and raised his hat, his salute being formally returned.

"I regret to have to come in this unceremonious way, sir," said the lieutenant.

"Excuse me," interrupted the baronet. "I expected you, sir, and, while congratulating you and your men upon their success, I wish to humbly own that my place has unwillingly on my part, been made one of the stores for their nefarious transactions."

The lieutenant moved away with Sir Risdon, leaving Archy alone with Celia and her mother.

"Oh," cried the girl, taking a step nearer to the midshipman, "how I hate you!"

"Miss Graeme!"

"I thought you a nice frank boy, and that you would be our friend."

"Celia, my child," whispered Lady Graeme reproachfully.

"I can't help it, mamma. I wanted to help him, but he would keep saying that he must tell of papa because it was his duty."

"Yes," said Archy bluntly; "and so it was."

"Yes," said Lady Graeme, "it was."

"Oh, mamma dear, pray don't say that. And now he has come with his hateful men to take papa to prison, and--"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes, Sir Risdon, of course, I must write my despatch.

But you have given me your word of honour as a gentleman that you never engaged in these contraband practices."

These words reached the little group, and also Sir Risdon's reply:

"I swear it, sir; and it was only--"

"Yes, yes. Never mind that. Word of honour's enough between gentlemen.

Oh, no, I shall not search, sir. I am satisfied."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Celia.

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Archy in a sigh of relief.

"Now, Mr Raystoke, midshipman," said the lieutenant merrily. "My chief officer, ladies! Come, we have a great deal to do. Good morning. If you will pay us a visit on the cutter, we shall be only too proud to see you."

A friendly salute was interchanged, and Archy emphasised his by holding out his hand to Celia.

"Good-bye," he said. "Don't hate me, please. I only did my duty."

"I don't hate you," she replied, giving him her hand. Only a boy and girl; but Archy looked back several times, as they marched downward to the cliff, and then up its steep, gra.s.sy slope, to see at a turn a white handkerchief being waved to him.

"Why--hullo, Mr Raystoke!" cried the lieutenant merrily. "Oh, I see.

Well, wait till you become a post-captain, and I hope I shall be an admiral by then, and that you will ask me to honour the wedding."

"Hush, pray, sir!" said Archy. "Some of the men will hear."

But the men did not hear, for they were quietly trudging along over the short gra.s.s, chewing their quids, and discussing the fire in the cave; those who had escaped relating again to those who were on the cutter their terrible experiences before the powder caught.

In due time they reached the entrance to the quarry, and found that everything was as they had antic.i.p.ated, the smugglers having piled quite a ton of stones over the trap-door. These were removed at length, and the door was thrown open, when a peculiar dim bluish mist slowly rose, and disappeared in the broad sunshine.

"Keep back, my lads," said the lieutenant. "The powder smells badly, and it would be very risky to go down now."

"Fire seems to be out," said Archy, as he held his hand in the bluish smoke, which was dank and cold.

"Not much to burn," said the lieutenant; and, giving the word, the men bivouacked on the short turf to eat the provender they had brought, quite alone, for not a soul from the cottages between the farm and the cave appeared.

So strong a current of air set through the old quarry, that by the time they had ended the air was good; but now another difficulty arose.

There were no lights, and a couple of men had to be despatched to the farm, from whence they returned with four lanthorns which had often been used for signals.

Armed with these, the party descended, and explored the place, to find that, where the powder had exploded, the walls were blackened and grisly, and that scores of little barrel staves were lying about shattered in all directions and pretty well burned away. On the other hand, the staves of the brandy kegs were for the most part hardly scorched, and the stone floor showed no traces of fire having pa.s.sed.

The spirits had burned vividly till the explosion took place, when the force of the powder seemed to have scattered everything, but it had been saving as well as destructive, separating the brandy kegs, some of which burst and added fuel to the flames, but many remained untouched.

In fact, to the great delight of all, it was found that, though a great deal of destruction had been done, there was an ample supply of the smugglers' stores left to well load the cutter twice; and, jubilant with the discovery, the men returned on board, dreaming of prize-money, but not until a strong guard had been left over the place, in case any of the wasps should return.

But they did not come back. The nest had been burned out, and the smuggling in that part of the Freestone Sh.o.r.e had received so heavy a blow, that only one or two of the men cared to return, and then only for a temporary stay.

Lieutenant Brough's despatch had of course been sent in, and he obtained praise and prize-money.

"But no promotion, Mr Raystoke," he cried; "and of course you can have none until you have pa.s.sed. They have not even appointed you to another ship."

"Well, if you are going to stay in the _White Hawk_, sir, I don't know that I want to change. I'm very comfortable here."

"That's very good of you, Raystoke, very good," said the lieutenant.

"And then it's of no use to complain. I shall never get my promotion.