Percival Keene Part 28

One morning, when, as usual, Tommy Dott had come through the port, we were so busily employed with a caricature which we were making of old Culpepper, that the captain's boat came alongside without our being aware of it, and the captain's voice speaking to the first lieutenant as he was descending the after-ladder was the first intimation we received of his being on board.

It was impossible for Tommy Dott to escape without being seen as he climbed out. The table which was in the centre of the cabin was covered with a blue cloth, large enough for the table when all the additional leaves were put to it, and in its present reduced size the cloth fell down to the deck; I pointed it out to Tommy, as the sentry's hand upon the handle of the door announced the immediate entrance of the captain, and he darted underneath the table, that he might escape detection intending as soon as the captain went into the after-cabin to make his retreat by the cabin-door or windows. The captain entered, and I rose, as usual, from my chair.

"Mr Keene," said he, "I have occasion to speak to the first lieutenant on important private business; oblige me by leaving the cabin till that is done. You may as well tell Mr Hippesley that I wish to see him."

"Yes, sir," replied I making a bow, and leaving the cabin. I felt very much alarmed lest Tommy should be discovered in his hiding-place; and after the captain had stated that he had particular business with the first lieutenant, it was my duty, knowing that Mr Dott was there, to have said so. I hardly knew what to do, or how to act. After all, it was no great crime as it stood. Tommy Dott had come into the cabin without leave, and had concealed himself; but if I was to allow Tommy to remain there and listen to important and particular business, evidently of a secret nature, I should forfeit the good opinion and confidence of the captain: nevertheless, I was very unwilling to betray him; I was dreadfully puzzled, and when I went to the first lieutenant he perceived my confusion.

"Why, what is the matter with you, Mr Keene?--you look quite frightened," said he.

"Well, sir, I am," replied I; "and I think it my duty to tell you why I am so."

I then informed him that Tommy Dott was under the cabin-table, and would, of course, hear the secret communications of the captain.

"You have done very right, Mr Keene, and I know how unpleasant it is to you to inform against your messmate; but at present there is no harm done."

He then laughed, and said, "However, Mr Dott shall never know that you have said anything about it, and I will frighten him out of the cabin for the future."

He then went down the ladder, and into the fore-cabin. I expected that he would have discovered Tommy as if by accident, but such was not the case. The captain had just gone into the after-cabin, and Mr Hippesley immediately followed him, and shutting the door, informed him of Mr Dott's position, and why I had made it known. The captain could not help laughing, as, after all, it was no great offence.

He then gave the necessary information to the first lieutenant, and they both walked into the fore-cabin; the first lieutenant saying, "If you please, then, Captain Delmar, I will send a boat immediately with the letter."

"Certainly," replied the captain, sitting down, and who evidently was inclined to join in the joke with Mr Hippesley. "Sentry, send the officer on deck to man the jolly-boat, and tell Mr Dott to come here immediately."

I was on deck when the sentry put his head up the ladder and gave the order, and I immediately perceived the plan of the first lieutenant and the state of alarm in which Tommy Dott must have been put.

The jolly-boat was manned, and Mr Dott called for in every quarter of the ship, but he did not make his appearance. After a delay of several minutes, the officer on deck went down into the cabin, reporting that the jolly-boat had been manned some time but that Mr Dott was not to be found.

"Not to be found!" replied the captain; "why, he can't have fallen overboard."

"Not he, sir," replied the first lieutenant; "he has gone to sleep somewhere: either in the tops or the fore-topmast staysail netting."

"He appears to be a very troublesome boy," replied the captain.

"Very useless, indeed, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "Sentry, have they found Mr Dott?"

"No, sir; quarter-masters have been everywhere. He's not in the ship."

"Very odd!" observed the captain.

"Oh! he'll turn up soon, sir; but really, Captain Delmar, if you were to give him two or three dozen at the cabin gun, it would bring him to his senses."

"That I most certainly will do," replied Captain Delmar; "and I authorise you to do it, Mr Hippesley, as soon as he makes his appearance; it will be of some service to him; but I hope no accident has happened to him."

"I have no fear of that, sir," replied the first lieutenant: "if the purser's steward's room had been open to-day, I should have sent to see if he was not locked up in another attempt to steal raisins, but that has not been the case. By-the-by, the spirit-room was open this morning, and he may have been down there, and may have had the hatches put over him."

"Well, we must send another midshipman; call Mr Keene," said Captain Delmar.

The sentry called me, and I made my appearance.

"Mr Keene, you'll go on sh.o.r.e to the dockyard in the jolly-boat: give that letter to the master attendant, and wait for an answer."

"Yes, sir," replied I.

"Have you seen anything of Mr Dott?" said the first lieutenant; "you are constantly together."

"I saw him just before Captain Delmar came on board, sir, but I have not seen him since."

"Well, well, we will settle accounts with the young gentleman as soon as he turns up," replied the captain: "you may go, Mr Keene."

I perceived that the captain and first lieutenant both smiled as I left the cabin. It appeared that soon after they left it and the captain went on sh.o.r.e; but Tommy was so frightened that he remained in his hiding-place, as he made sure he would be flogged if he made his appearance, and he resolved to remain where he was until my return, that he might consult me.

As soon as I had reported myself, and given the answer to the first lieutenant, I hastened to the cabin, and then poor Tommy crawled from under the table; the tears were still wet on his cheeks.

"I shall be flogged, Keene, as sure as I stand here. Tell me, what can I do--what can I say?"

"Tell the truth; that's the best way," replied I.

"Tell the captain that I was hid under the table! that would never do."

"Depend upon it, it's the best plan," replied I; "and it is the only advice I can give you: you may be flogged if you tell the truth, but you are _sure_ to be flogged if you tell a lie. It will only add to your offence."

"Well, I've been thinking about it--I'm sure that Mr Hippesley will flog me if he catches me to-day or to-morrow; but if I remain hid for a day or two, they will really think that I have fallen overboard, and then they will say, 'poor Tommy Dott,' and perhaps be so glad when I do make my appearance, that they will forgive me."

"Yes," replied I, delighted at the idea; "I'm sure they will, if you do tell the truth when you appear again."

"Then, that is what I'll do. The first lieutenant said that I might be in the spirit-room. Where shall I go to?"

"Why," said I, "you must remain under the table till dark, and then you may easily slip down into the coal-hole, where it is so dark that they never will see you, even if they go down for coals. It is the only place I know of; stay there all to-morrow and next day, and come up in the evening; or the next morning perhaps will be better."

"Well, it's a very good place," replied Tommy; "anything better than being flogged; but will you bring me something to eat and drink?"

"Depend upon me, Tommy," replied I; "I'll contrive to bring you something every night."

"Well, then, I'll do that," replied he.

"Yes; and tell the truth when you come out," said I.

"Yes, upon my honour I will;" and so saying, Tommy, hearing a noise, again dived under the cabin table.

Soon afterwards I went out of the cabin. The first lieutenant beckoned me to him, and asked me where Mr Dott was, and I told him what had been arranged between us. He laughed very much, and said--

"Well, if Master Tommy punishes himself by two days' confinement in the coal-hole, and tells the truth when he comes out, I think I may promise he will get off his flogging; but don't you say that I have spoken to you about it, and let him do as he proposes."

When it was dark, I supplied Tommy with provisions, and he gained the coal-hole without being discovered.

The next day the speculations at his disappearance were general, and it was now believed that poor Tommy had fallen overboard, and, as the sharks are thick enough in Port Royal, that he was safely stowed away in one of their maws. I will say that the whole of the ship's company were very sorry for him, with the exception of Mr Culpepper, who observed that no good ever came of a boy who stole raisins.

"So you think, that because a lad steals a few of your confounded plums," observed the second lieutenant, "he deserves to be eaten by the sharks. If I were Tommy Dott, I would haunt you if I could."