Paddy Finn Part 23

I therefore said, with as good a grace as I could command, "I accept your offer, Monsieur La Touche."

"You must give your word to this gentleman, who is my superior officer,"

said La Touche, turning to the supposed sick man.

I said nothing; but I had a shrewd suspicion that he had remained on board for the purpose of carrying out the plan which had been so completely successful. I felt, however, very much downcast, and very foolish at being outwitted, and indignant at the treacherous conduct of my own men. Yet what more could I have expected from Hoolan and his a.s.sociates?

"Monsieur, I promise not to interfere with the discipline of the brig, provided I am allowed to retain my liberty," I at length said, addressing the lieutenant.

"That is well," he replied. "I would advise you to lie down again and finish your sleep. You will be in better heart to-morrow to bear your misfortune, and we wish to return the courtesy which we have received at your hands. It is the fortune of war, and we have acted fairly."

I was not so clear about that, but there was no use in complaining, so I at once threw myself into the berth, and in a minute was in happy forgetfulness of all that had occurred.

Next morning, when I went on deck, I found the brig was steering to the north-west. How different I felt to the day before; then I was in command, now I was a prisoner. As I cast my eye along the deck, I caught sight of Hoolan and the other mutineers. He scowled at me maliciously, but did not approach, and the others continued the work on which they were engaged. La Touche had charge of the deck. I had my misgivings as to how it had fared with Larry and Nash.

I turned to the French midshipman, and said--

"I should like to see my people who did not mutiny. Where are they?"

"Two are in the hold, and the one who was at the wheel was struck down and killed with an axe, and is overboard. It was a case of necessity, and the fortune of war."

I made no answer, for I was too indignant to speak. At last I said--

"Will you give me permission to go down and see my poor men? It will be a consolation to them to know that I am safe, for one who is my foster-brother is much attached to me, and the other is a faithful fellow."

The midshipman seemed struck at hearing this, and at once said that he would obtain permission from his lieutenant. He went into the cabin, and quickly returned, saying that I might go and see the men. Taking a lantern which he ordered one of the crew to bring me, I went down into the hold, and there, in a small s.p.a.ce on some planks placed on the cargo, and surrounded by casks, I found Larry and Ben Nash, with handcuffs on their wrists, and their legs tied, seated side by side.

"Is it yourself, Mr Terence?" exclaimed Larry, as I appeared. "Have you come to set us free? Have you got the brig again?"

"I wish that I had," I answered, "but there's no such good luck for us.

I'm a prisoner at large, and I have obtained permission to come and see you, as I wanted to know how you're getting on, and how it all happened."

"Shure it's bad enough for myself, Mr Terence, but it's worse for poor Ben here, for just look at him,--he's got a mighty ugly p.r.o.ng in his side, another in his shoulder, and a knock in his head, which was enough to do for him. Tim Logan was killed entirely; but don't mind me, just look to Ben, he can scarcely speak."

Ben's face was pale as death.

"Where are you hurt, Nash?" I asked.

He groaned as he told me.

"But it's water I want, sir; the fellows haven't brought us any since we were down here. Once Dan Hoolan came to look at us, and when I asked him for some, he turned away with a growl, swearing I might die of thirst before he would bring me any."

Immediately on hearing this I sprang on deck, and begged La Touche to let me have a jug of water. He ordered one of the Frenchmen to bring it to me, and I returned with it. I first gave some to Nash, who, though he eagerly bent forward his head as I lifted the jug to his lips, seemed to have a difficulty in swallowing. I next put it to Larry's mouth, and he quickly gulped down the contents.

"Shure, that does a boy good," he exclaimed, drawing breath. "I wouldn't have taken it all, if I had been after thinking that Ben would have been wanting it."

"I hope easily to get some more if he requires it," I said; but on looking at poor Ben it appeared to me that neither water nor food would restore him. He was leaning back, gasping violently. His eyes, as I held the lantern to them, appeared to have lost all animation. I put the lantern down on the deck, and supported him in my arms.

"It's cruel in those fellows to keep the manacles on him while he's suffering thus," I exclaimed. "I'll ask La Touche to have them taken off. He could no longer, even if he had a will, interfere with them."

Springing on deck, I made my request to La Touche; he replied that he would go below and consult his commanding officer. He soon returned.

"If you think that the man is really dying, Lieutenant Dubois will give you leave to do as you desire," he said, "but you must be answerable for him."

"I feel certain that he will die unless he is properly cared for," I answered.

He called to one of the blacks who belonged to the armourer's crew on board the French frigate, and told him to go below and knock off the Englishman's irons. I thought I might put in a word for Larry.

"May they release my foster-brother?" I asked. "Poor fellow, he did but his duty in defending the brig, and I'll be responsible for his good conduct."

"Yes. Lieutenant Dubois fancied that I spoke of both of them, and for my part, I am very willing to do as you wish," he answered.

I hurried below, accompanied by the black. Nash was still breathing hard, and scarcely had the armourer commenced operations, when the poor fellow fell back in my arms, his spirit set free before his body was liberated from the irons. The black continued knocking away, quite indifferent to what had occurred.

"It's all over with poor Ben," exclaimed Larry, who was eagerly watching the operation.

"Yes, he's gone," I answered, as I felt the honest seaman's wrist.

The black finished his work, and then stretched the body out on the deck.

"And now, my friend, I'll beg of you to release this young fellow," I said. "You wouldn't like to have irons on your wrists longer than you could help."

"Not de first time I hab dem on, and big chain too; but dis nuttin',"

said the black, and a few blows sufficed to set Larry free.

He sprang to his feet, knocking his head against the deck above him with a force which brought him down again, but fortunately the crown of an Irishman's head is thicker than that of most people, and he quickly recovered himself.

Telling him to sit quiet till I got leave for him to appear, I went on deck to report the death of Nash.

"Ah, they told me the man was badly hurt," said La Touche. "He was a brave fellow, for he fought desperately. We will bury him forthwith."

"And my follower, may he return on deck?" I asked. "Both of us will be glad to a.s.sist in navigating the ship, if our services are required."

"Yes, you can do so; but I do not think that you will return the compliment we paid you, by attempting to retake the brig from us," he answered, laughing.

"You are right, monsieur," I answered. "I have given you my word to that effect, and the word of an English officer is never broken."

La Touche winced. "I took no part," he observed, "in capturing the brig; you'll understand that."

I made no reply, though I was convinced that all along he was cognisant of the plot and plans of his lieutenant. The treachery of Hoolan and his companions enabled him to succeed with greater ease than he could otherwise have expected.

With the a.s.sistance of the black armourer, Larry and I sewed Ben up in a piece of canvas which he obtained for us, with a shot at the feet. We then together carried the body to a port, and launched it overboard, no one offering to render a.s.sistance, but at the same time not interfering with our proceedings. When Lieutenant Dubois came on deck, he bowed politely to me, and we exchanged a few words, but he didn't appear inclined to enter into conversation. Perhaps he felt conscious that he was guilty of treachery in allowing his men to mutiny, even if he had not instigated them to do so, after the kind way in which he had been treated. Of course Nettleship made a great mistake in allowing him and the midshipman to remain on board; but judging them by his own sense of honour, he could not suppose it possible they would take advantage of his generosity, and even dream of attempting to recapture the brig.

Larry, when I was on deck, always kept close to me, and he asked whether I could obtain permission for him to sleep under the companion ladder, or anywhere aft, so that he might be within call.

"In truth, Mr Terence, I'm not fond of the looks Dan Hoolan casts at me when I go forward," he said. "I shouldn't be surprised on waking some night to find him after cutting my throat or giving me a knock on the head, for he knows that if it hadn't been for poor Ben and Tim Logan and me, he would have tried to kill you, Mr Terence, that you might not appear against him; but we fought as long as we could, till the French lieutenant came on deck, and there was only myself remaining unhurt."

I felt very certain that what Larry said was true, and La Touche afterwards corroborated the account. How Larry had escaped seemed a wonder, till I heard that he had seized a handspike, and using it as a shillelah, or rather as a singlestick, had kept his enemies at bay, and defended himself. Whenever I saw Hoolan on deck, I observed that he cast sinister looks at Larry and me, and I felt very sure that if he had an opportunity he would carry out his threat of putting an end to us.

When I told La Touche of Larry's wish, and his reason for it, after speaking to the lieutenant, he said it should be complied with. At meal-time the officers invited me into the cabin, and, to do them justice, treated me with as much courtesy as if I had been a willing guest.