The Three Lieutenants Part 26

The crew, stripped to the waist, were indeed working their guns with right good will. All hands on board were employed, some loading and firing, others bringing up powder and shot from below, and the rest attending to the sails. The smoke, which there was scarcely sufficient air to blow away, enveloped the combatants, and prevented those at a distance from being able to discern which was likely to be the victor.

Murray and his crew, however, very well knew how matters went. The splinters which flew from the corvette's side, and the shrieks and cries which came from her deck showed the fearful effect their fire was producing on their antagonist. At last one gun was silent, and then another, and then only three replied to them.

Murray cheered on his men, who although perspiring at every pore, ran their guns in and out with as good a will as at first. By this time the brig had drifted still closer to her foe.

Once more Long Tom was fired, loaded with langrage, which swept with fearful effect across the deck of the corvette. Not a shot came from her in return. The brig's guns were, however, again loaded; but just before the triggers were pulled, down came the corvette's ensign! A loud cheer burst from the throats of the British crew. Murray was on the point of anchoring, intending to send a boat on board to take possession, when a brig was seen dropping down the harbour, and followed by three schooners, favoured by a light breeze off sh.o.r.e.

"See, my lads, here come more of them!" he cried, in a cheery voice.

"We will settle them, however, as we have done the corvette!"

"Ay, ay, sir, that we will!" shouted the voices of his gallant fellows.

"You wouldn't say so if you didn't intend it," he answered.

"Well, try and see how quickly we can finish them off."

The brig was some way ahead of the schooners, and Murray, anxious to engage her before their arrival, put the brig about, a.s.sisted by the light breeze, which just then filled her sails. Her commander, not aware that the corvette had struck her colours, was little prepared for the reception he was to meet with. As soon as Murray had got this fresh foe within range of his long gun he opened fire. The shot, well aimed, went crashing through her side; the second shot was fired before she got near enough for the carronades to reach her. The belief that the English brig had only one long gun prevented the Carthagenans from attempting to escape. The next time Long Tom was fired, his shot was attended by two from the carronades. The enemy replied with her broadside, but most of her shot went flying over the _Supplejack_, while others fell ahead or astern of her, wide of their mark. Not one of Long Tom's shot missed, most of them striking between wind and water; and as she drew nearer they told with still greater effect. At last the enemy put about and attempted to run up the harbour. Vain were her efforts to escape; the last shot striking her gave her her death-blow. With her canvas all set and colours flying, gradually she sank till the water washed over her decks, and her crew were seen scrambling aloft, leaving the wounded to their fate. Within ten minutes of the time she got into action her topmasts alone appeared above the surface. Just before this the three schooners had come up and had opened their fire, but none of their shot had struck the _Supplejack_; and their commanders, seeing the fate of their consorts, came to the conclusion that discretion was the better part of valour, and hauled down their flags amid the cheers of the British crew. Murray lowered his boats and sent them to pick up any of the brig's crew who might have been unable to escape aloft. The lives of several were thus saved. The schooners also sent their boats and took off the men from the rigging. The _Supplejack_ then stood back for the corvette. Murray directed Higson and Desmond to take possession. Their fat friend, the first lieutenant, received them at the gangway, with his hat in one hand and his sword in the other. There was no bl.u.s.ter in him now.

"Where is the commodore?" asked Higson, looking round the deck, which was strewed with dead men.

"There!" answered the lieutenant, pointing to the mangled form of a man which lay on the quarter-deck, his uniform alone showing that it was that of the commodore. He had been almost cut in two by a shot from Long Tom.

"How many men have you lost?" asked Higson.

"Twenty-five," answered the lieutenant. "Our crew declared that they were fighting with devils and not men, and refused to fire another shot."

"If they had handled their guns as our fellows did theirs, we shouldn't have taken you so easily," answered Higson. "You deserve a better ship's company."

"Many thanks for your compliment," answered the crestfallen lieutenant.

"It is the fortune of war."

The schooners being brought up close to the corvette, the _Supplejack_ anch.o.r.ed near them, with Long Tom so trained that, should the Carthagenans attempt to recapture their vessels, they might quickly be sent to the bottom. The brig's boarding-nettings were also triced up, a vigilant watch was kept, and pistols, pikes, and cutla.s.ses placed in readiness for immediate use to resist any attack which might be made on her.

Murray, while he thus kept watch over the captured vessels, felt himself in a delicate and trying position. The Carthagenan government had hostages in their hands on whom they might wreak their vengeance. Had they, indeed, known how dear one of the prisoners was to the young commander, they would probably have made use of the advantage they possessed. He felt sure that a bold course was the only safe one. He might have led his crew on sh.o.r.e and endeavoured to rescue the captives, but the attempt he knew would have been sheer madness, as a piece of artillery at the end of one of the streets might have sent him and his men to destruction. Murray, like a wise man, had retired to his cabin to consider what was best to be done. He speedily made up his mind, and sent for his second in command.

"Higson," he said, "I have resolved to go on sh.o.r.e myself, and demand the release of the prisoners. I leave you in charge of the brig. Keep an eye on the corvette and schooners, and sink them rather than allow them to escape."

"You may depend on it that we will, sir," was the answer. "I only wish that we could get our friends on board, that we might stand in and batter their town about the ears of the rascals."

"They have had a pretty severe lesson already," said Murray, "and I have hopes that they will not refuse to accede to my demands. Get the gig ready, with an ensign and a flag of truce. There's no time to be lost."

Higson went on deck, and the gig's crew were piped away.

"I say, Higson, do ask the captain if I may accompany him, there's a good fellow!" said Desmond. "Perhaps I may be of some use in getting Miss O'Regan and our fellows out of the prison."

"I don't know how you'll do that," answered Higson.

"Nor do I," said Desmond; "but at all events I know the way into it, and I think, if Mr Murray will take Needham as well, he and I would manage somehow or other to get our friends out, if they are still in the room in which we left them."

Murray, to Gerald's great satisfaction, consented to take him and Needham. He had borrowed a new uniform from one of the midshipmen on board, and no one was likely to recognise him, so different did he look from what he had done in the dirty worn-out clothes in which he had escaped from the prison.

Murray steered directly for the landing-place, and boldly stepped on sh.o.r.e, regardless of the crowd collected to gaze at the commander of the dare-devil Englishmen, who had so quickly beaten their fleet. They, however, treated him with respect, drawing back on either side to allow him a free pa.s.sage, as he marched with his flag and attendants towards the consul's house. He found that functionary and the vice-consul in a state of great agitation.

"You have indeed, captain, taught the Government here a lesson which they will not easily forget, but I'm afraid that you have overdone it.

General Carmona sent to warn me that on the first shot fired he would shoot all his prisoners, and I greatly fear that he has carried out his threat."

"Surely he would not dare to murder Colonel O'Regan and his daughter, and the English midshipmen," exclaimed Murray, his voice trembling with agitation.

"I scarcely dare to say what he may have done," answered the consul; "he is a villain of the first water, and would shoot his own father and mother if they offended him."

Murray could scarcely speak for some time, so overpowering were his feelings. By a great effort he recovered himself, and said, "I must beg you to accompany me at once to the general, and I will insist on seeing him."

It was evident that neither the consul nor vice-consul liked the duty imposed on them, but they could not refuse to comply with the young commander's request.

The ladies of the latter's family evidently thought that he was going on a dangerous expedition, as they clung round him, weeping, as if they were parting from him for ever.

"Pray don't be alarmed," exclaimed Paddy Desmond, who did not see anything so very hazardous in the undertaking; "depend on it, your respected papa will come back with a whole skin, and if not, we shall have the satisfaction of knocking the city down over the ears of its inhabitants."

The young ladies, who had not before recognised Paddy, now knew him by the sound of his voice.

"What!" they all cried out together; "are you the young officer who got out of prison in such a wonderful way? The people affirmed that you got out with the help of a magician, as they have never discovered how you made your escape; and the gaoler, who declares that you were safely shut up when he last visited you, swears that it is impossible you should have done so, either by the door or windows."

"How we escaped I'll tell you by-and-by, but pray excuse me for the present, as your papa and the consul are ready to start," answered Gerald.

This conversation took place while the vice-consul was putting on his uniform coat, and, with the aid of his wife, buckling his sword-belt round the wide circuit of his waist.

Murray and the two officials then set forth, Desmond carrying the flag of truce, and Needham the British ensign, that flag which every nation of the earth has learnt to respect, though some may regard it with no very friendly feelings. After a walk of about twenty minutes they reached General Carmona's residence. In front of the building was drawn up a guard of soldiers, who cast scowling glances at the party as they advanced. In a short time an officer appeared, who promised to announce their arrival to the general. They were then conducted into a courtyard, and told to wait. The officer soon returned and led the way to a large hall, with a long table in the centre, at the end of which sat a personage in military uniform, with several officers collected round him, some seated, and others standing about talking eagerly together.

"To what cause am I indebted for the honour of this visit?" asked the general, who rose with his officers as Murray and the consuls entered.

"This officer, the commander of the British man-of-war, now in the harbour, comes to demand the liberation of certain subjects of the Queen of England, detained by your government as prisoners," answered the consul, introducing Lieutenant Murray.

The general, a tall, cadaverous personage, with long moustaches sticking out on either side of his face, tried to look very fierce and important, but ill succeeded in concealing his trepidation and annoyance.

"I might rather ask why the English brig-of-war has sunk one of my vessels, and captured the remainder of my fleet; though it seems a miracle to me how it should have happened."

"Tell him," said Murray, as this answer was interpreted, "that as his corvette fired into the Queen of England's brig, it was my duty to punish her for her audacity, and that if my demands are not complied with, I intend to blow up the remainder of his squadron, and then to bombard the town."

As the consul interpreted this speech, the general and his officers exhibited the most unfeigned astonishment at the bold threat which the commander of the three-gun brig had made.

"Tell him that I mean what I say," added Murray, observing the evident consternation of the mongrel Spaniards, and seeing that now was the time to carry matters with a high hand.

"What prisoners are they you wish us to liberate?" asked the general.

"All the British subjects you lately captured on board two merchantmen in the harbour of Sapote, two of them being officers of the Queen of England's navy, with other pa.s.sengers, the rest being officers and crews of the two vessels."

"The vessels were captured while engaged in illegal practices, and some of the prisoners you speak of it is beyond my power to deliver into your hands," answered General Carmona; "the vessels and those on board them were legally condemned."

"We must settle about the equity of their seizure afterwards," said Murray; "my duty, in the meantime, is to obtain the restoration of the vessels, and the liberation of those of whom I have spoken."