The Three Admirals Part 53

"What's it all about?" asked the major, in an indignant tone. He was too acute not to perceive the effect his conduct had produced on his own officers, but he determined to brazen it out. "You think I deserted you, gentlemen," he said. "You are much mistaken. I was the victim of affection. My beloved wife and daughters kept me an unwilling prisoner.

I put it to you, gentlemen, how would you have behaved under similar circ.u.mstances? I made the most strenuous efforts to regain the deck, but these two dear girls of mine clung to me with frantic energy, and Mrs Bubsby held me down by main force."

"I did, I own it," exclaimed Mrs Bubsby, who, now the danger was over, saw the dubious position in which her husband was placed. "My deep affection overcame every other consideration, and all I thought of was the safety of my beloved husband. My daughters were animated by the same spirit."

"Yes, we are. We thought that you would all be burnt, or blown up, or go to the bottom, and poor dear Lieutenant Blewitt into the bargain; and we could not endure the thoughts of losing our papa, so we held him tight, though he is as brave and strong as a lion. It was a very difficult thing to keep him down, I can a.s.sure you;" and Angelica burst into tears.

Whether or not they produced any effect on the hard hearts of the captains and subalterns of the regiment it is impossible to say.

"I should advise you, major, and Mrs Bubsby to go below and turn in, or change your dress, which is not quite becoming the deck of a man-of-war, and I hope your daughters will follow your example," observed Jack, who thought that matters were proceeding too far.

It was impossible to stop the shouts of laughter which escaped the ship's company as, one after another, they managed to get a look at the curious group.

"I will take your advice, Captain Rogers," answered the major, and he, followed by his tall family, disappeared.

The ship had received less damage than might have been expected, and the machinery not having been injured, she proceeded towards her destination. Next day she came off a small, but land-locked, bay. The master, by careful pilotage, brought her in, and she anch.o.r.ed safely.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he thought that he should now get rid of the major and his family, as well as of the troops, admirably as they had behaved on board. The officers thanked him for the courtesy he had shown them. They eyed the major, who was standing at a little distance, with looks askance.

"What we shall do under such a commanding officer is more than I can tell," said the senior captain. "I am sorry, Captain Rogers, that you have had so bad a specimen of a military man on board your ship. Were any superior officers on sh.o.r.e, we should at once bring him to a court-martial, and you would be under the necessity of carrying him and his belongings back. As it is, in the face of an enemy, we cannot refuse to serve under him, and we can only hope that his wife and daughters will cling round his neck and keep him at head-quarters, or that a shot may disable him from active service. A very little thing would, I suspect, do that. We wish him no further ill."

"I am very willing to oblige you in everything," said Jack, laughing; "but I would rather not have the pleasure of carrying him and his 'woman kind,' as he calls them, back to Simon's Bay."

The boats were busily employed in landing the soldiers, who bade an affectionate farewell to their blue-jacket brethren. Most of the officers had landed; the major and his family still remained. He appeared to have arrived at the conclusion that he did not stand very well with those under his command. Had the ship gone down, he would have saved his life, and there would have been n.o.body to complain; but as it was, and there had been no real danger, he found himself placed in a very awkward position. Of this he was well aware. He came up to Jack.

"Age and infirmity have told upon me lately, Captain Rogers," he said.

"Mrs Bubsby and my daughters are of the same opinion. My charming daughter Angelica is very anxious to go back with you to Cape Town. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion of resigning my command and returning home, whatever may be the consequences."

"Are you speaking seriously?" asked Jack. "Have you considered the consequences of such an act? I should have thought that you would have been anxious to retrieve your character by showing your courage the first time you had an opportunity of meeting the enemy."

"_My_ courage!" exclaimed the major; "who ever doubted that? It was not my courage gave way; it was the stout arms and affectionate embraces of my beloved daughters which kept me back in the boat when they thought that the ship was going down. My courage and honour are as bright as they ever were in my best days, when I was known as a perfect fire-eater. Do you know what I did in the Crimea--how gallantly I behaved at the storming of Sevastopol? how I held the rifle-pits against a host of the enemy? how at the Alma I climbed up the heights, shouting 'Death or victory!' when my men were driven back by the showers of bullets hissing past us and might have fled? Why, sir, if any officer deserved the Victoria Cross, I did!"

"I have not heard of your brave deeds, Major Bubsby," answered Jack, "and it is my duty to land you and your wife and daughters at the nearest place to your destination. The state of the surf prevented my doing so at Waterloo Bay, and now I have only to inform you that the boat is waiting to convey you and your family on sh.o.r.e. Your heavy baggage has already been sent off; what remains can be carried with you."

The major looked aghast. "Surely, Captain Rogers, you do not mean to say you insist on my landing, whether I like it or not, and would compel me and my delicate wife and those fair young creatures to march thirty miles or more through the sands of Africa without conveyance for ourselves and baggage?"

"Duty is duty, major," answered Jack, who was determined not to take him back if he could help it. "Your duty is to land, mine is to put you on sh.o.r.e. You'll excuse me for saying this, but I intend to perform my duty."

The major, seeing that he had no help for it, made a virtue of necessity. He called out to his wife--

"We must go, my beloved, and our sweet children must be exposed to the fearful dangers of this unknown land."

On hearing this Mrs Bubsby approached Jack, who stood boldly prepared for the a.s.sault he had every reason to expect from the frown which had gathered on the lady's brow.

"Captain Rogers!" she exclaimed, in a voice which made Jack answer--

"Madam!" He had no time to say more, when she went on--

"Have you, who belong to the sister service, the barbarity to refuse a pa.s.sage to my beloved husband and my delicate daughters, when the request has been made to you? For myself, I care not; I can march wherever the regiment can go. I did not expect this from you; and I'd have you know that I do not consider your conduct worthy of an officer and a gentleman."

"Madam!" again e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Jack, "I must not submit to such language, even from a lady. I have simply to perform my duty, which is to land Major Bubsby and his family. If he will not go, I should be sorry to have to hoist him and you over the side; but I intend to do so."

Mrs Bubsby plucked off her gloves. Jack looked at her hands; her nails were long, but the captain of a man-of-war was not likely to be a.s.saulted on the deck of his own ship, even by a lady. Still Jack could not tell what might be the irate dame's intention.

The fair Angelica cast a glance at Lieutenant Blewitt, who was standing at the gangway, hoping heartily to have the honour of handing her and her sister down the accommodation ladder, and of uttering a last farewell, but he averted his eyes when he saw those of his charmer fixed on him. The major now began to be seriously alarmed that his wife, of whose temper he had full experience, might proceed to extremities, and that it would be better to face the scorn of his officers and the a.s.segais of the Caffres than be ignominiously tumbled over the side.

"Come, come, my beloved! Captain Rogers knows his duty. He fulfils it sternly, I must say; but still we must obey; so march!" In the mean time Archie Gordon, having received directions from Jack, was seeing the light baggage of the major conveyed to the boat. He sent Alick to say that all was ready. The major saw that there was no excuse for further delay.

"Farewell, Captain Rogers," he said, lifting his hat. "Farewell, gentlemen. You see a doomed man!" and he marched to the gangway.

"Oh, cruel! cruel!" uttered Mrs Bubsby, an exclamation repeated by Eugenia and Angelica.

"Give her another copy of verses," whispered Tom to Billy, "or repeat those I wrote for you."

"I forget them, or I would," said Billy.

"Good-bye, Miss Angelica," he added, as the young lady pa.s.sed him with an averted countenance, not deigning a reply. The major descended into the boat. He would have been in a still greater hurry to be off had he not known what he was to expect on landing. He had some thoughts of throwing himself overboard; but the fin of a shark gliding by turned him from his intention. The ladies followed; and as they took their seats they put their handkerchiefs to their eyes, but whether to weep at parting from the naval officers or on account of their harsh treatment, it was impossible to say. Alick, who steered the boat, declared that he did not think they were crying at all. The major sat silent and moody for some time. Once he got up, "with fury in his countenance," as Alick afterwards described; but his wife and daughters pulled him down, and at length he and they were landed safe on the beach, their various articles of baggage being carried up after them to a spot where a sergeant and a party of men were standing ready to escort them to the camp which had already been pitched in an advantageous position inland. They might at any time be attacked by the Caffres; but the force was sufficient to keep at bay any number of the enemy likely to be in that part of the country.

"Have you any message to send to Lieutenant Blewitt, Miss Angelica?"

asked Alick, touching his cap with perfect gravity to that lady, who was walking last; he having already wished the major and the rest "Good-bye."

"Yes; tell him he is a base deceiver," answered Angelica, "and that I hope he may catch a tartar the next time he attempts to make love to an innocent maiden by presenting her with any of his abominable verses."

"Yes, miss," answered Alick; "I'll faithfully deliver your message."

And as he had been ordered to return without delay, he hurried back to the boat.

"Well, Alick, what did they say?" asked Tom, as he returned on board.

Alick described what had happened, and did not fail to repeat Miss Angelica's message to Lieutenant Blewitt.

"I would rather not deliver it myself. Perhaps you will, sir, as it may appear somewhat disrespectful coming from me," added the midshipman.

"All right," said Tom, chuckling. "I'll take care he gets it."

Tom took the opportunity, when most of the officers were collected at the mess table, to deliver Miss Angelica's message.

Billy laughed as heartily as any one. "I don't care what she called me, now that I am rid of her. I'm very much obliged to you, Rogers, for your verses, although I confess that at the time I certainly did feel considerably annoyed."

Jack, having got rid of his guests, and being anxious to repair the damage caused by the fire, without delay steamed out of the harbour and proceeded on his voyage to Simon's Bay.

The man who had been picked up just before the fire broke out had been carefully tended by the surgeon. During the whole time that efforts had been made to extinguish it, he had remained in a state of insensibility, and only recovered after the troops had landed. Tom, whose berth he occupied, visited him frequently, but found him ill able to converse or even to give any account of himself. At length, after a refreshing sleep, he awoke greatly recovered.

"I understand from the doctor, sir," he said, when Tom soon afterwards went to see him, "that you have placed me in your berth, and I wish not to keep you out of it longer than possible. I am a ruined man, and must not expect longer to enjoy any of the comforts of life, until I can retrieve my fortunes, if that can ever be done."

"Pray do not consider that you have inconvenienced me," answered Tom.

"I am very happy to be of service to you. All we know is that we found you nearly perishing, and are happy to render you any aid in our power.

We are naturally somewhat curious to know how you came to be floating all by yourself on a raft."

"That's very natural, sir. My story is not a long one. My name is Cooper. I was master and part owner of a fine barque, the _Flora_, trading to Hobart Town, in Tasmania. I was coming home by the southern route, when during some thick weather we sighted a rock not laid down in my chart. I call it a rock, but it was rather a small island rising in lofty precipices out of the sea. The weather clearing, somewhat to my surprise I made out a signal flying from a flag-staff, and on standing in close I could see through my gla.s.s a small hut. Believing that some shipwrecked people were there, I stood still closer in, when a sudden squall struck my vessel, and laid her on her beam ends. She righted without much damage, as far as could be discovered; but the weather coming on very bad, I was obliged to keep off the sh.o.r.e. I made a second attempt, but was again driven off, and soon afterwards as heavy a gale as ever I experienced coming on from the southward, having lost my main and mizzen masts, and very nearly my fore-topmast, I was compelled to run before it. I had hopes of getting into Simon's Bay, when the carpenter came to me and reported eight feet of water in the hold. I sent the crew to the pumps, but all their efforts could not free the ship, for the water kept rushing in with fearful rapidity. A b.u.t.t had been started. A heavy sea was running at the time, but I hoped the boats would live. I ordered them to be lowered when the cry arose that the ship was sinking. A panic seized my crew, and all hands rushed to the sides. Some leaped into one boat, some into another. Almost immediately the boats were swamped, and I had the misery to see the poor fellows drowned before my eyes. I alone remained on deck. The ship floated longer than I expected, and I had time to lash together the imperfect raft on which you found me, get it overboard, and to leap upon it, and with only a few biscuits which I stuffed into my pockets and a bottle of water. Had I not taken them I must have perished. How I could have existed for a whole week, as I did, I know not; but I must have been very far gone, when through the mercy of Heaven you found me."