Salt Water Part 11

Everything was going on as tranquilly as possible. Hanks was sweeping the horizon with his gla.s.s, looking out for the cutter, when suddenly, without the slightest warning, I saw the sentry's pistol knocked out of his fist, and he himself hove headlong into the sea. Away flew the skipper's cigar, and up he jumped as lively as a cricket, and, with two of his men, threw himself upon Hanks, who, taken unawares (his eyes engaged in his telescope), was bundled overboard. I tried to catch him by the leg, but his old blue trousers tore in my grasp, and a big Frenchman dealt me such a blow on the head that I was for an instant stunned.

When I came to my senses, I saw the wherry dropping astern, and the Frenchmen, with pump-handles and boat-hooks, striking at the poor fellows they had hove overboard, with the foul intent of drowning them.

I observed that somebody was in the wherry, for her sails were being hoisted, and I was bolting aft for the purpose of jumping into the water and swimming to her, when the skipper caught me by the arm. "Stay, my little fellow," he exclaimed; "we don't want to hurt you, and don't want witnesses to this work. You must go with us."

While he was speaking, some of the smugglers had got hold of the muskets which our people had brought on board, and presenting them at the wherry, snapped the locks. Fortunately they were not loaded, or the priming had fallen out, and the villains were saved from the perpetration of further crimes.

The men in the water swam towards the wherry, and I judged from her movements that those in her were engaged in picking them up. I sang out and struggled in vain; but the Frenchman held me fast, and finally, to save himself further trouble, lifted me up by the collar and shoved me down the companion-hatch into the cabin, closing the slide over me.

There was I, like a mouse caught in a trap. At first I burst into a fit of tears, more from rage and indignation at being outwitted and surprised by the Frenchman than from the prospect in store for me, which was not, however, very pleasant. I might expect to be kept a prisoner in some out-of-the-way place in France, or perhaps, to be shipped to the other side of the globe and to be unable to return home for years to come. I made ineffectual attempts to get on deck to see what had become of Hanks and our men; but as I could not move the slide, I was obliged to sit down quietly in the cabin. My melting mood was soon over.

"Better now," thought I to myself. "I won't let these big blackguards of Frenchmen see me down-hearted, any how. For the honour of old Ireland and the name of D'Arcy, I'll put a bold face on the matter," and I began to sing.

There was a row on deck, and a great deal of jabbering; and the little vessel heeled over to the breeze; but I had no means of discovering what was taking place, nor where we were going.

The only light let into the vessel was through a bulls-eye in the deck, so that at first I thought I was shut up in darkness. As, however, my sight got accustomed to the glimmer, I discovered a fiddle and bow hung up against the bulkhead.

"Come," thought I, "I'll show the froggies that, though they may shut me up, they can't damp my spirits in a hurry," and seizing the instrument, I struck up an Irish jig. It was the most jolly tune I could recollect, and seldom failed to move the heels of all who heard it. I played away for some time without any notice being taken of my music; then I heard one fellow begin to shuffle away overhead, and then another, and presently it appeared as if the whole crew were toeing and heeling it in fine style. Then there were loud fits of laughter; and afterwards the slide was withdrawn and the skipper descended into the cabin.

"Vell, you are, _bon garcon_, one merry fellow," he said, laughing.

"You make good use of my violin."

"I am fond of music, and play when I can," I answered in an indifferent tone; "but I'm tired now, and intend to go to sleep."

"Well, but I have come to take you on deck to play to my people," said he. "They are pleased with you, and it will be better for you if you do."

"What! you ask me to play for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the men who have been ill-treating my shipmates, and murdering them, for what I know to the contrary," I answered, indignantly. "No! I played for my own amus.e.m.e.nt, and do not intend to play any more."

"Your shipmates attacked us first; and besides, my little man, we have not murdered them, or done them much harm either, except depriving them of your company, and of a few muskets and pistols," he answered. "Take my advice: be as obliging as you can; they will be civil to you in return."

"Well, monsieur, I believe you are right," I replied. "If they really have not hurt my brother officer and our men, I will fiddle for them as long as they like."

Saying this, I followed him on deck, where I seated myself on the companion-hatch; and as I played away, in spite of the tumbling of the little vessel in the heavy sea running, all the Frenchmen, including Monsieur Didot, kept skipping, and jumping, and whirling about, hugging each other like bears, and shouting with glee at having saved their cargo from the clutches of the revenue people. We were standing, close-hauled, towards the French coast. I looked anxiously for the wherry, for I thought Hanks would have followed; but she was nowhere in sight. One of the Englishmen was at the helm, and the other two were forward. They were sulky brutes, and seemed much more bitter against me than were the Frenchmen. Whenever I ceased playing, the skipper gave me a hint to go on again; and there sat I, one of His Majesty's officers, sc.r.a.ping away on an old Cremona for the amus.e.m.e.nt of a set of smugglers and outlaws. The scene struck me as so ludicrous that I burst into a loud fit of laughter till the tears began to stream down my cheeks. I fiddled all the faster, till the delight of the Frenchmen knew no bounds; and as a proof of their regard, some of them came up and actually almost hugged the breath out of my body, calling me a brave _garcon_, a jolly _garcon_ and an ornament to my country. This fun continued till we made the land, about dark. Some time afterwards, I found that we were running into a small harbour, with a pier on one side and a lighthouse on it. Its name I could not learn; but I supposed it was somewhere to the eastward of Cherbourg. I was trying to make out the look of the place, when the captain, touching me on the shoulder, said, "Go down below, _my boy_; when I want you I will come for you."

There was that in his tone which showed me that it would be useless to dispute his orders; so I returned to the cabin. Finding a berth with some bed-clothes in it, I crept in, and coiling myself away, was soon, fast asleep. I was awoke after some time by the skipper's voice. He was holding up a lantern, and looking round, seemingly much surprised at not seeing me. He laughed as I poked my head out of my crib.

"Ah, _mon pet.i.t_, you make yourself at home wherever you go," he exclaimed. "But get up; you must come with me, and I will find a worthy lady who will take good care of you for some time to come."

I answered that I was very much obliged to him, but that I wanted to return home as soon as possible.

"Ah, that cannot be," said he, in a quiet tone. "I am sorry to inconvenience you; but you will allow that it is better to be kept a prisoner than to have been thrown overboard as food for the fish."

"Much obliged to you, monsieur," I replied. "I cannot dispute your reasoning; so just be good enough to tell me what you want me to do."

"To get up and come with me," said he; "and listen, my young friend,--if you attempt to run away, I will simply blow your brains out. I don't wish you any harm, as I have proved; but necessity compels me to be explicit."

I did not know whether or not he was in earnest; but as it is dangerous to trifle with a man who has the power to put so unpleasant a threat in execution, I thought it wisest to obey him. I accordingly followed him on deck, when he took my hand and led me along a plank which was thrown from the vessel to the sh.o.r.e. We walked through the narrow street of a village odoriferous of fish, and then out into the country, which in agreeable contrast smelt of fresh gra.s.s and flowers. Proceeding along a road which, by looking at the stars overhead, I judged ran inland, we reached a farm-house, standing a little back from the road. The smuggler knocked with his fist at the floor, but no one answered, nor was any light seen through the windows. We waited some further time without receiving any answer to our summons.

"_Morbleu_! I forgot the hour; they have all gone to bed. I must knock again," said he, giving several thundering blows on the door.

At length a female voice asked who was there.

"It is Captain Didot and a friend; open quick, good Madeleine," he said in French. "We are tired and hungry and sleepy, and wish to be inside instead of outside your door."

"Ah! it is you, Monsieur Didot, I know full well," answered the voice.

"I will let you in."

We were, however, kept some time longer, and at last the door opened, and a young woman made her appearance, dressed in a high white cap and short petticoats, dark woollen stockings, and wooden shoes, but very neat and trim. I had never before seen a woman in so odd a rig. She smiled a welcome to my companion, and shutting the door behind us, a good deal of talking took place; but though I could manage to make out Captain Didot's French, I did not understand a word she said. We then went into a nice clean parlour, with a red-brick floor, and sat down and talked again. Suddenly, up jumped the lady in the high cap, and after an absence of ten minutes or so, returned with a tray covered with eatables and drinkables. I instinctively drew my chair to the table at the sight without waiting to be bid, whereat our hostess smiled, and observed that the _pauvre enfant_ was hungry. Captain Didot took the hint and helped me; nor did he forget himself; and setting to work, we made a very capital supper.

"I must now be off," observed Monsieur Didot, as he came to an anchor; "but before I go, I must give you a caution, Monsieur Englishman. You are not to make your appearance outside these garden walls for the next fortnight. If you attempt to get away, ill-will come of it. Remember that madame here will take care of you, and you may have as much fruit to eat and wine to drink as you like; and now, good night, my friend.

You hear, do you not?"

I did hear; but I was so very sleepy that I could not recollect enough French to answer him. While he continued talking to madame, I dropped off asleep in my chair, and for long in my dreams I heard the buzz of their voices. When I was at last awoke, by feeling a hand placed on my shoulder, the smuggling captain was gone.

"Come," said the good-natured woman; "you want rest, my boy;" and taking a candle, she led me into a neat little room with a comfortable bed in it, where I very soon forgot myself in slumber.

The next morning, when I turned out, I found that I was an occupant of a comfortable farm-house, with a garden attached, full of fruit-trees and vegetables. An old man and his wife made their appearance, and I discovered that the young woman who had received us the previous night was their daughter. While we were at breakfast, I heard the old couple complaining of Captain Didot for having brought me there. They evidently fancied that I did not understand French.

"He will be getting us into trouble with his tricks, one of these days,"

remarked the old lady. "Ah! Madeleine, my daughter, it would be much wiser in you to have nothing more to say to him."

Mademoiselle looked very glum, as if she did not like the counsel. I pretended to be deeply absorbed, discussing the fresh eggs and other eatables placed before me.

"Ha, ha!" thought I to myself; "I see how the wind blows. They will not dare, then, to keep me a prisoner longer than I like to stay. Well, I'm very comfortable here at present; so I will spend a day or so with the good people."

I saw that I was narrowly watched wherever I went; but I did not forget the French skipper's advice to take advantage of the fine fruit with which the garden abounded. When Madeleine saw that I was apparently contented, we became very good friends; and I must own that I spent the day not unpleasantly. I began, however, to reflect that I had no business to remain where I was if I had the power of getting away; so I turned in my mind how I could best make my escape. I guessed that to do so would not be quite so easy as at first appeared; for I had observed a labourer continually near me, and I remarked that whenever I went to a distant part of the garden his occupation invariably took him in the same direction.

"Somehow or other I must manage to make a run for it," thought I to myself; but when I came to examine the locality, I found that the garden was surrounded with fields and ditches; and though I might swim across the latter, I should certainly have been caught and made very uncomfortable and dirty into the bargain. I therefore gave up that idea, and amused myself in the best way I could. I helped Mademoiselle Madeleine in her poultry-yard and dairy, looked in on the old lady employed in her culinary affairs, walked over the farm with the old man, and chatted in my somewhat unintelligible French, with every one I met.

Happening to go into my own room in the evening, I found the window open, and looking out, I saw that the height from the sill to the ground was not more than from twelve to fifteen feet.

"Ho, ho!" thought I; "it will be a foolish bird which can't get out of a cage like this; but I will bide my time." I hurried away, and ran downstairs, where I was soon after summoned to supper. I made myself quite at home, and did not fail to do justice to the meal. The household went to rest early, and as soon as I fancied every one was asleep I got up from my bed, where I had thrown myself, and reconnoitred the ground. To avoid the risk of laming myself by a jump, I tied my sheets together, and secured them to the leg of a table, which I managed to jam between the shutter and the wall so as to prevent its slipping; and placing my hat tightly on my head, and b.u.t.toning up my coat, I let myself quietly down to the ground. I was afraid of awakening some one in the house should I run, as I felt inclined to do; so I crept softly away, till I had got to some distance, and then took to my heels, as fast as I could go, in the direction of the town or fishing village where I had landed. After going for some distance, I thought that I must have missed my way; but the murmur of the water on the beach a.s.sured me that I had taken the right direction. At last I found myself among some straggling cottages, my nose helping me to find the locality I was in search of. My first care was to look out for the lugger, to avoid her. Much to my satisfaction, she was not there, neither was any one moving on the quay; so I walked about till I found a shed somewhat less odorous than its neighbours, where I determined to take up my abode till daylight. Here I quickly made myself a nest with some ropes and spars--albeit not a very soft one,--and fell fast asleep. Having the necessity of being alert on my mind, I awoke just as dawn was breaking, and, jumping up, I ran down to the quay. The flapping of a sail told me that some one was astir, and, looking round, I saw at the end of the quay a cutter preparing to get under weigh.

"Cutter ahoy!" I sung out, running the chance of anybody understanding me. "Where are you bound for?"

"Hillo; who are you?" asked a voice in English.

"I want a cast across the Channel," I answered.

"Well, come aboard, and we'll see what we can do for you," said the same speaker.

I accordingly ran along the quay, and jumped on the cutter's deck just as her last warp was cast off. I had a rough Flushing coat b.u.t.toned up close round me; and as I had on also a low tarpaulin hat, I thought I looked the character I wished to a.s.sume. The people on board were likewise too busy to afford me more than a pa.s.sing glance as I sprung on deck. A rough, weather-beaten old fellow, with one eye, who, from the orders he issued, I knew to be the master, stood at the helm. His crew consisted of seven hands--strong, active-looking fellows,--many more than the craft required to work her. This circ.u.mstance at once made me suspect that she was not over honest.

"Faith," thought I to myself, "this isn't the best place in the world for a revenue officer to find himself in."

But it was now too late to get oh sh.o.r.e again. The headsheets were let draw, the main eased off a little, the peak hoisted up, and, with a fair breeze, the cutter glided out of the harbour.

"Well, youngster, you were not long in making up your mind about coming," said the old skipper, scrutinising me, I thought, pretty narrowly from head to foot. "What place are you bound for, eh?"

I told him Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.

"Well, we'll put you ash.o.r.e at the back of the Wight; I suppose that will do for you?" he answered, in a good-natured tone.

I thanked him for his offer; and we went on talking very amicably for some time, till we had run some fifteen miles from the coast. I think, from the first, the old man had some suspicions of me; but I had acted my part well, and I fancied that I had succeeded in lulling them.