The King's Own Part 28

"How do you feel, Robinson? are you in much pain?"

"None at all, sir, thank ye," replied the man, faintly; "but the purser may chalk me down D.D. as soon as he pleases. I suppose he'll cheat government out of our day's grub though," continued the man, with a smile.

Courtenay, aware of the truth of the first observation, thought it no kindness to attempt to deceive a dying man with hopes of recovery in his last moments; he therefore continued--"Can I be of any service to you, Robinson? Is there any thing I can do when you are gone?"

"Nothing at all, sir. I've neither chick nor child, nor relation, that I know of. Yes, there is one thing, sir, but it's on the b.l.o.o.d.y side; the key of the mess chest is in my trousers' pocket--I wish you'd recollect to have it taken out and given to John Williams; you must wait till I'm dead, for I can't turn myself just now."

"It shall be attended to," replied Courtenay.

"And, Mr Courtenay, remember me to the captain."

"Is there any thing else?" continued Courtenay, who perceived that the man was sinking rapidly.

"Nothing--nothing, sir," replied Robinson, very, faintly. "Good-bye, G.o.d bless you, sir; I'm going fast now."

"But Robinson," said Courtenay, in a low soothing voice, bending nearer to him, "tell me, my good fellow--I am not the least angry--tell me, why did you call me _Little Bilious_?"

The man turned his eyes up to him, and a smile played upon his features, as if he was pleased with the idea of disappointing the curiosity of his officer. He made no answer--his head fell back, and in a few seconds he had breathed his last.

"Poor fellow--he is gone!" said Courtenay, with a deep sigh, as he rose up from the body. "Never answered my question, too--Well," continued he, as he walked slowly aft, "now that's what I consider to be most excessively annoying."

By this time, the privateer had been towed under the stern of the frigate, and a hawser was sent on board to secure her astern. Price and the other officers returned on board, where they were well received by Captain M---, who thanked them for their exertions. The wounded had been some time under the hands of Macallan, and fresh crews having been ordered into the boats, they returned to the privateer. The hatches were taken off and the prisoners removed to the frigate.

The name of the prize was the _Estelle_, of two hundred tons burthen, mounting fourteen guns, and having on board, at the commencement of the attack, her full complement of one hundred and twenty-five men.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

Many with trust, with doubt few are undone.

LORD BROOK.

Doubt wisely: in strange way To stand inquiring right, is not to stray; To run wrong, is.

DONNE.

When the hatches were taken off on board of the privateer, the prisoners, as they came up, were handed into the boats. Jerry stood at the hatchway, with his cutla.s.s in his hand, making his sarcastic remarks upon them as they appeared. A short interval had elapsed, after it was supposed that everybody had come from below, when a tall, thin personage, in the dress of a landsman, crawled up the hatchway.

"Halloo!" cried Jerry; "Mr Longtogs, who have we here? Why, he must be the _padre_. I say, mounseer, _je_ very much suspect, _que vous etes_ what they call a Father Confessor, _n'est-ce pas_? Devilish good idea.

A privateer with a parson! What's your pay, mounseer?--a tenth, of course. Little enough too for looking after the souls of such a set of d.a.m.ned rascals. Well mounseer, _vous etes prisonnier_, without benefit of clergy; so hop into that boat. Why, confound it, here's another!"

continued Jerry, as a second made his appearance. "He's the clerk, of course, as he follows the parson. Come, Mont' Arrivo Jack! What a c.o.c.k-eye the rascal has!"

During this elegant harangue, which was certainly meant for his own amus.e.m.e.nt more than for their edification, as Jerry had no idea but that they were belonging to the privateer, and of course could not comprehend him, both the parties looked at him, and at each other, with astonishment, until the first who had appeared addressed the latter with, "I say, Paul, did you ever see such a thing before? d.a.m.n it, why he's like a sixpenny fife,--more noise than substance."

Jerry at once perceived his mistake, and recollected that the master of the vessel which they had boarded had mentioned that two English merchants had been taken out of her by the privateer, with the hopes of ransom; but, nettled with the remark which had been made, he retorted with--

"Well, I'd recommend you not to attempt to play upon me, that's all."

"No, I don't mean, for I should only make you squeak."

"You are the two gentlemen who were detained by the privateer, I presume," said Pearce, the master, who had come on board to superintend the necessary arrangements previous to her being sent in.

"We are, sir, and must introduce ourselves. My name is Mr Peter Capon--that of my friend, designated by that young gentleman as c.o.c.k-eye, is Mr Paul Contract. Will you oblige us with a boat to go on board of the frigate, that we may speak to the captain?"

"Most certainly. Jump into the first cutter there. I am sorry you have been so unpleasantly situated, gentlemen. Why did not you come on deck before?"

Peter did not state the real ground, which was to secure their property, which was below, from being plundered by the privateer's crew; but, wishing to pay off Jerry for his impertinence, replied--

"Why, we did look up the hatchway several times, but there was something so awful, and, I may say, so un-English-like, in the appearance of that officer, with his drawn sword, that we were afraid; we could not imagine into whose hands the vessel had fallen--we thought it had been captured by the Yahoos."

"Houyhnhnms, more likely. You'll find I'm a bit of a horse," replied Jerry, in a pa.s.sion.

"By Jove, then, you're only fit for the hounds," observed the gentleman with oblique vision; "I should order you--"

"Would you? Well, now I'll order you, sir," replied the youngster, whose anger made him quite forget the presence of his commanding officer--"Have the goodness to step into that boat."

"And I shall order you, Mr J---," observed the master, with asperity--"I order you to go into that boat, and take these gentlemen on board, and to hold your tongue."

"Ay, ay, sir. This way, sir," said Jerry to Mr Peter, making him a polite bow, and pointing to the boat at the gangway--"In that direction, sir, if you please," continued Jerry, bowing to Mr Paul, and pointing to the quarter of the vessel.

"And why in that direction, sir?" observed Paul, "I am going on board of the frigate."

"I know it, sir; it was considerate on my part: I was allowing for the angle of obliquity in your vision. You would have exactly fetched the boat."

The indignation of Mr Paul was now at its height; and Pearce, the master, who was much annoyed at Jerry's excessive impertinence, which he knew Captain M--- would never have overlooked, detained the boat for a minute, while he wrote a few lines to Price, requesting him to send the bearer of it to the masthead, upon delivery, for his impertinent conduct. "Mr J---, take this on board, and deliver it from me to the commanding officer."

"Ay, ay, sir," replied Jerry. "Shove off there, forward."

Mr Peter looked Jerry earnestly in his face for some time, as they were pulling on board.

"Well now, d.a.m.n it, I like you, if it's only for your excessive impudence."

"A negative sort of commendation, but I believe it the only one that he has," replied the other, in a surly tone.

"Highly flattered, sir," replied Jerry to Mr Peter, "that you should perceive anything to induce you to like me; but I am sorry I cannot return the compliment, for I really cannot perceive anything to like you for. As for your friend there, I can only say, that I detest all _crooked_ ways.--In bow forward!--way enough. Now, gentlemen, with your permission, I'll show you the road," said the youngster, climbing up the side.

Jerry, who had some suspicion that the note was not in his favour, took the liberty, as it was neither sealed nor watered, of reading it under the half-deck, while Price was showing the two gentlemen into the cabin.

Not to deliver a note on service was an offence for which Captain M--- would have dismissed him from the ship; but to be perched up, like a monkey, at the mast-head, in the afternoon, after having fought like a man in the morning, was very much against the grain. At any other time he would have cared little about it. He went upon deck again, where he found Prose on the gangway--"Well, Prose, my boy, how are you?"

"Why, upon my soul, Jerry, I am tired to death. Seven times have I been backward and forward to that abominable privateer, and now my tea is ready, and I am ordered to go again for these gentlemen's things."

"Well, that is hard. I will go for you, Prose, shall I? Where's the boat?"

"All ready, alongside. Well, now, it's very kind of you, Jerry, I do declare."

Jerry laid hold of the man-ropes, and began to descend the side--and then, as if recollecting himself of a sudden, said, "Oh, by the bye, I had nearly forgot. Here's a note from the master to Mr Price. Give it him, Prose."

"Yes, Jerry, I will," replied Prose, walking over to the side of the quarter-deck where Price was carrying on the duty, while Jerry made all the haste he could, and shoved off in the boat.