Ronald Morton, or the Fire Ships Part 35

"Clew up! Haul down!"

Those magic words put every human being on board the frigate in motion.

Tacks and sheets were let go. Some hauled away at the brails. Topsails were clewed up, topgallant sheets were let fly, stay-sails hauled down, and the frigate, which an instant before was under a cloud of canvas, was now reduced to her bare poles.

The Spaniards, totally unprepared for such a manoeuvre, at first scarcely comprehended what had happened. On the huge ships sailed in their headlong course. It did not occur to their captains to attempt instantly to shorten sail, but one and all turned their eyes aft to see what their expected prize was about.

Lord Claymore watched them for a short time, but only to a.s.sure himself that they were well to leeward of him. The frigate had not lost her way through the water.

"Down with the helm!" cried the captain, in a cheerful tone, which gave encouragement to all. "Hoist away! Flatten aft the sheets!"

Not an officer, or man, or boy, but put his hand to halliards sheets, braces, or bowlines; and if the way in which she had been stripped of her canvas had appeared like magic to her pursuers, much more must the style in which sail was again made. Off she flew on a bowline on the other tack, while the three line-of-battle ships were hurrying headlong miles away to leeward.

A loud, hearty cheer burst from the throats of the British seamen as they saw the success of their captain's skilful manoeuvre.

"What do you say now, Mr Hardman?" he said, laughing. "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip."

"Yes, my lord; the Spaniards must confess to the truth of the saying just now," he answered. "But we are not altogether clear of them yet."

"No, by Jove! the fellows are after us!" exclaimed the captain, pointing to leeward, where the three ships were seen under shortened sail, slowly coming up on a wind. "We must trust to our heels and the shades of night. That trick won't answer twice."

Though not over-well managed, the Spanish ships sailed well, and were once more in hot pursuit of the "Pallas." The wind had decreased a little, which was somewhat in her favour, but still, with the pressure of sail upon her, she heeled over as much as before. In smooth water she might have had the advantage, but, with the heavy sea then running, the Spaniards were evidently coming up with her. They were seen also to be steering different courses for the purpose of cutting her off. Lord Claymore, however retained his usual composure.

"Night will be down upon us soon, and then we will give the Dons the slip," he observed calmly, and gave the order to have a lantern fixed on a ballasted cask prepared.

This was for some time carried over the stern and then lowered into the water. When this was done, the ship's course was altered, and she stood to the north-east leaving the enemy to follow the false light. After a little time one watch was sent below, and except that the sharpest eyes in the ship were kept on the look-out, everything returned to its usual routine, and many a weary form lay stretched in the hammocks.

Dawn came at last. As the first bright streaks appeared in the sky, look-outs were aloft, and as the darkness rolled away towards the far west, they shouted, "No sail in sight!"

The captain breathed more freely--so did Morton. He had begun to fear that his prospects so lately brightening were again to be blighted. By keeping a constant look-out the "Pallas" once more made the Eddystone Lighthouse.

"Now, my lads, we'll show our friends on the sh.o.r.e that we have redeemed our pledges," cried the captain. "Have on deck those chests with the golden candlesticks, Mr Nibs," he added, turning to the purser. The chests were got up, and tackles being made ready to each mast-head, a golden candlestick was sent up and fixed above the truck. It was no easy work, but sailors can do anything that is possible. Thus with bags of dollars at the yard-arms, and rich brocades pendant from the stays, the frigate sailed up Plymouth Sound. Great was the excitement she caused, though she had already been looked for, as her four prizes, in spite of Hardman's prognostications, had arrived in safety before her.

All her crew who wished it got leave on sh.o.r.e; there was no fear of any running from her; their places would instantly have been filled by hundreds of eager applicants for a berth on board. Fully did Bob Doull carry out his intentions; and strange, though not very unusual, were the scenes witnessed in Plymouth and its neighbourhood for several days after the arrival of the "Pallas."

Coaches-and-four and coaches-and-six were seen driving about Plymouth, laden inside and out with seamen and their sweethearts, decked out in costumes of the most gaudy colours and extravagant fashion. Suppers and dancing closed the day. There was no great variety, perhaps, in the style of their amus.e.m.e.nts. The great object seemed to be to get rid of their money as rapidly as possible.

Ronald Morton, for the first time in his life, found himself possessed of what appeared to him a very large sum of money.

"It will be enough to sift this affair of my father's to the bottom, and if claims he has, to establish them thoroughly," he observed to his captain.

Lord Claymore laughed heartily.

"My dear fellow, you know not what amount a lawyer's maw is capable of swallowing," he answered. "It will prove a mere soppit if the matter is contested, as undoubtedly it will be. However, we will see about it when we return from our next cruise. Till your father returns home, you can do nothing."

Once more, her officers and crew having spent all their superfluous cash, the "Golden Pallas," as she was now called, put to sea.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

LORD CLAYMORE AND THE FIRE SHIPS--"PALLAS" ENGAGES BLACK FRIGATE-- COLONEL ARMYTAGE IN THE PENINSULA.

"Morton, we ought to be content with the prizes we have made; we must now do something in the fighting way, or we shall be looked upon as mere buccaneers, who think of nothing but making money."

This remark was made by Lord Claymore, after the frigate had been for some time in commission--had been to America and back, and being now on the French coast, had sent home a few more captures, though not of any very great value.

"That may be very well for a captain who has made the best part of eighty thousand pounds," thought Morton, "but for a poor lieutenant, who has made not a twentieth part of that, yet wants it as much, it is a very different affair."

Ronald had begun to find the value of money, and also that it has wings with which to betake itself away. He acquiesced, however, in the propriety of fighting. An opportunity was not long wanting.

Before many days had pa.s.sed the frigate was off the Isle d'Aix, on the French coast. She stood in; the captain and most of the officers with gla.s.ses at their eyes watching for the appearance of a French fleet. At length the masts and spars of several line-of-battle ships came in view.

Still the frigate stood on till a three-decker--an eighty-gun ship-- three seventy-fours, four frigates, and three brigs were counted. The little English frigate paraded up and down before the roadstead, but none ventured out to attack her. It was the French squadron under Admiral Allemand.

"I have been thinking over a plan which may sound terrible to the ears of some, but it is both feasible and right, I fully believe," said the captain, after taking several turns on deck, and addressing his first lieutenant. "We might set fire to or blow up into the air, one and all of those ships. I only wish that there were more together. You see they are deep in the water. They have stores on board, and are evidently intended for some expedition or other; an attack on our West India Islands, or to attack us in some other vulnerable part. They must or should be got rid of: other plans might be adopted; but I hold to that of the fire-ships. I should delight in conducting the enterprise.

With a few brave men under me, on whose coolness and judgment I could rely, it would be certain to succeed. Morton, I would select you.

Would it not be a glorious work?"

"If you selected me, my lord, I would certainly follow you, and do my utmost to carry out your directions," answered Morton; "but the idea of employing fire-ships has never been congenial to my taste. I would rather meet the enemy and destroy him in a general engagement."

"That sounds very right and chivalric," replied Lord Claymore, smiling; "but observe the true state of the case. The object of going to war with an enemy is to sink, burn, and destroy his ships at sea, and to do him all the injury in our power on sh.o.r.e. In a general engagement you attack his fleet with yours, at the cost of some of your ships, perhaps, and the loss of many hundreds of your men. If a great victory is gained, a tenth, or at all events a twentieth, part of the enemy are killed and wounded. Now, by my plan the lives of very few of our own people are risked; perhaps no one may be lost; while the ships of the enemy are entirely destroyed; and though, of course, some of their people are sacrificed, probably not more are lost than in a general engagement, while the chances are that the war in consequence is more speedily brought to a conclusion, and the lives of thousands saved, and people able to return to their peaceful and useful occupations. Morton, I look upon war as a terrible curse. The sooner it can be put an end to the better, but I am very certain that in this instance it can only be by humbling our proud foes to the very dust. Napoleon will bite till every tooth in his head is drawn."

Although Morton's reason was convinced by the reasoning of his enthusiastic captain, his feelings were not entirely satisfied. He, however, promised to aid him as far as he had the power in carrying out any project of that description which he might conceive.

The subject was again and again reverted to during the time the frigate was on the coast, and while he was engaged in the most stirring and often hazardous operations--such as cutting out vessels, armed and unarmed, landing and destroying telegraph stations, and storming and blowing up forts.

Once more the "Pallas" returned to L'Isle d'Aix. The French squadron was still there.

"We must be at those fellows," exclaimed Lord Claymore, as he walked the deck, looking towards the enemy with a greedy eye. "We must get them out somehow or other, if we can. It would have a grand moral effect to carry off a prize from before their very noses."

Morton was as eager as his chief. There was a soldier's wind, so that the frigate could stand in or off sh.o.r.e at pleasure.

"This is an opportunity many would rejoice to have; don't let us throw it away," continued the captain, watching the French ships through his telescope. They lay at their anchors, seemingly determined not to move in spite of the bold enemy proudly cruising before their eyes.

"Give them a shot or two, Morton," said the captain; "we'll try if that does not excite them to bestir themselves."

In advance of the rest of the squadron was a large frigate, painted black and heavily armed, and near her were three brigs. Still they were all under shelter of the batteries on the island.

With a shout of satisfaction the British crew observed the topsails of the black frigate and her three consorts let fall. It was a sign that they were coming out. The sails were sheeted home. Out they all four stood. The canvas of the "Pallas" was reduced, and she was hove-to, in the most gallant way, to wait for them.

"We must have him, I am determined," exclaimed the captain, as the enemy's frigate drew near. Everybody was as eager and sanguine as the captain, except Lieutenant Hardman.

"We have had all the luck hitherto--we must not expect to keep it," he remarked to Glover. "Remember what I often have said: There's many a--"

A shot from the enemy, which came whizzing close over his head, and the loud shouts of "Fire!" from the captain, cut short his remarks.

The crew gave a hearty cheer, and obeyed the order by delivering a rattling broadside at the advancing enemy.

More sail was now made on the frigate, so that she might be kept completely under command. The brigs coming up also commenced firing, as did the batteries on the island, but, boldly standing on, the English frigate gallantly engaged them all. The crew required no words of encouragement. Most of the men stood at their guns stripped to the waist, with their handkerchiefs bound round their heads, labouring with that determined energy which was the sure promise of victory. Now, as they could bring their guns to bear, they aimed at the brigs, now again at their larger opponent, the black frigate. As she drew near it was seen that she was greatly superior to the "Pallas," both in size and as to the number of her guns, while probably also her crew were much more numerous, but that in no way daunted Lord Claymore. On the contrary, he seemed the more eager not to part with her, but to carry her off as his prize.