by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XIX
TAKING POSSESSION
Cyril stayed a week at Oxford. He greatly enjoyed the visit; and notonly was he most warmly received by his former comrades on board the_Henrietta_, but Prince Rupert spoke so strongly in his favour toother gentlemen to whom he introduced him that he no longer felt astranger at Court. Much of his spare time he spent with Harry Parton,and in his rooms saw something of college life, which seemed to him avery pleasant and merry one. He had ascertained, as soon as hearrived, that the Earl of Wisbech and his family were down at hisestate, near the place from which he took his title, and had at oncewritten to Sydney, from whom he received an answer on the last day ofhis stay at Oxford. It contained a warm invitation for him to comedown to Wisbech.
"You say you will be going to Norwich to take possession of yourestate. If you ride direct from Oxford, our place will be but littleout of your way, therefore we shall take no excuse for your notcoming to see us, and shall look for you within a week or so from thedate of this. We were all delighted to get your missive, for althoughwhat you say about infection carried by letters is true enough, and,indeed there was no post out of London for months, we had begun tofear that the worst must have befallen you when no letter arrivedfrom you in December. Still, we thought that you might not know wherewe were, and so hoped that you might be waiting until you could findthat out. My father bids me say that he will take no refusal. Sincemy return he more than ever regards you as being the good genius ofthe family, and it is certainly passing strange that, after saving mysisters' lives from fire you should, though in so different a way,have saved me from a similar death. So set off as soon as you getthis--that is, if you can tear yourself away from the gaieties ofOxford."
Cyril had, indeed, been specially waiting for Sydney's answer, havingtold him that he should remain at Oxford until he received it, and onthe following morning he packed his valise and rode for Wisbech,where he arrived three days' later. His welcome at the Earl's was amost cordial one. He spent a week there, at the end of which timeSydney, at his earnest request, started for Norwich with him. TheEarl had insisted on Cyril's accepting a splendid horse, and behindhim, on his other animal, rode a young fellow, the son of a smalltenant on the Earl's estate, whom he had engaged as a servant. He hadwritten, three days before, to Mr. Popham, telling him that he wouldshortly arrive, and begging him to order the two old servants of hisfather, whom he had, at his request, engaged to take care of thehouse to get two or three chambers in readiness for him, which coulddoubtless be easily done, as he had learnt from the deed that thefurniture and all contents of the house had been included in thegift. After putting up at the inn, he went to the lawyer's. Mr.Popham, he found, had had a room prepared in readiness for him at hishouse, but Cyril, while thanking him for so doing, said that, as LordOliphant was with him, he would stay at the inn for the night.
The next morning they rode over with Mr. Popham to Upmead, which wassix miles distant from the town.
"That is the house," the lawyer said, as a fine old mansion came insight. "There are larger residences in the county, but few morehandsome. Indeed, it is almost too large for the estate, but, asperhaps you know, that was at one time a good deal larger than it isat present, for it was diminished by one of your ancestors in thedays of Elizabeth."
At the gate where they turned into the Park an arch of evergreens hadbeen erected.
"You don't mean to say you let them know that I was coming home?"Cyril said, in a tone of such alarm that Lord Oliphant laughed andMr. Popham said apologetically,--
"I certainly wrote to the tenants, sir, when I received your letter,and sent off a message saying that you would be here this morning.Most of them or their fathers were here in the old time, for Mr.Harvey made no changes, and I am sure they would have been verydisappointed if they had not had notice that Sir Aubrey's son wascoming home."
"Of course it was quite right for you to do so, Mr. Popham, but yousee I am quite unaccustomed to such things, and would personally havebeen much more pleased to have come home quietly. Still, as you say,it is only right that the tenants should have been informed, and atany rate it will be a satisfaction to get it all over at once."
There were indeed quite a large number of men and women assembled infront of the house--all the tenants, with their wives and families,having gathered to greet their young landlord--and loud bursts ofcheering arose as he rode up, Sydney and Mr. Popham reining backtheir horses a little to allow him to precede them. Cyril took offhis hat, and bowed repeatedly in reply to the acclamations thatgreeted him. The tenants crowded round, many of the older menpressing forward to shake him by the hand.
"Welcome back to your own again, Sir Cyril!"
"I fought under your father, sir, and a good landlord he was to usall."
Such were the exclamations that rose round him until he reached thedoor of the mansion, and, dismounting, took his place at the top ofthe steps. Then he took off his hat again, and when there was silencehe said,--
"I thank you heartily, one and all, good friends, for the welcomethat you have given me. Glad indeed I am to come down to my father'shome, and to be so greeted by those who knew him, and especially bythose who followed him in the field in the evil days which have, wemay hope, passed away for ever. You all know, perhaps, that I owe myreturn here as master to the noble generosity of Mr. Harvey, yourlate landlord, who restored me the estates, not being bound in anyway to do so, but solely because he considered that he had alreadybeen repaid the money he gave for them. This may be true, but,nevertheless, there is not one man in a hundred thousand who would sodespoil himself of the benefits of a bargain lawfully made, and I begyou therefore to give three cheers, as hearty as those with which yougreeted me, for Mr. Harvey."
Three cheers, as long and loud as those that had before risen,responded to the appeal.
"Such a man," Cyril went on, when they subsided, "must have been ajust and good landlord to you all, and I shall do my best to give youno cause for regret at the change that has come about."
He paused for a moment to speak to Mr. Popham, who stood beside him,and then went on,--
"I did not know whether I could ask you to drink to my health, but Ilearn from Mr. Popham that the cellars have been left well filled;therefore, my first orders on coming to the house of my fathers willbe that a cask of wine shall be speedily broached, and that you shallbe enabled to drink my health. While that is being done, Mr. Pophamwill introduce you to me one by one."
Another loud cheer arose, and then the tenants came forward withtheir wives and families.
Cyril shook hands with them all, and said a few words to each. Theelder men had all ridden by his father in battle, and most of theyounger ones said, as he shook hands with them,--
"My father fell, under Sir Aubrey, at Naseby," or "at Worcester," orin other battles.
By the time all had been introduced, a great cask of wine had beenbroached, and after the tenants had drunk to his health, and he had,in turn, pledged them, Cyril entered the house with Sydney and Mr.Popham, and proceeded to examine it under the guidance of the old manwho had been his father's butler, and whose wife had also been aservant in Sir Aubrey's time.
"Everything is just as it was then, Sir Cyril. A few fresh articlesof furniture have been added, but Mr. Harvey would have no generalchange made. The family pictures hang just where they did, and yourfather himself would scarce notice the changes."
"It is indeed a fine old mansion, Cyril," Lord Oliphant said, whenthey had made a tour of the house; "and now that I see it and itsfurniture I am even more inclined than before to admire the man whocould voluntarily resign them. I shall have to modify my ideas of thePuritans. They have shown themselves ready to leave the country andcross the ocean to America, and begin life anew for conscience'sake--that is to say, to escape persecution--and they fought verydoughtily, and we must own, very successfully, for the same reason,but this is the first time I have ever heard of one of themrelinquishing a fine estate for conscience' sake."
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br /> "Mr. Harvey is indeed a most worthy gentleman," Mr. Popham said, "andhas the esteem and respect of all, even of those who are of whollydifferent politics. Still, it may be that although he would in anycase, I believe, have left this property to Sir Cyril, he might nothave handed it over to him in his lifetime, had not he received sogreat a service at his hands."
"Why, what is this, Cyril?" Sydney said, turning upon him. "You havetold us nothing whatever of any services rendered. I never saw such afellow as you are for helping other people."
"There was nothing worth speaking of," Cyril said, much vexed.
Mr. Popham smiled.
"Most people would think it was a very great service, Lord Oliphant.However, I may not tell you what it was, although I have heard allthe details from my father-in-law, Mr. Goldsworthy. They were told inconfidence, and in order to enlighten me as to the relations betweenMr. Harvey and Sir Cyril, and as they relate to painful familymatters I am bound to preserve an absolute silence."
"I will be content to wait, Cyril, till I get you to myself. It is apeculiarity of Sir Cyril Shenstone, Mr. Popham, that he goes throughlife doing all sorts of services for all sorts of people. You may notknow that he saved the lives of my three sisters in a fire at ourmansion in the Savoy; he also performed the trifling service ofsaving Prince Rupert's ship and the lives of all on board, among whomwas myself, from a Dutch fire-ship, in the battle of Lowestoft. Theseare insignificant affairs, that he would not think it worth while toallude to, even if you knew him for twenty years."
"You do not know Lord Oliphant, Mr. Popham," Cyril laughed, "or youwould be aware that his custom is to make mountains out of molehills.But let us sit down to dinner. I suppose it is your forethought, Mr.Popham, that I have to thank for having warned them to make thisprovision? I had thought that we should be lucky if the resources ofthe establishment sufficed to furnish us with a meal of bread andcheese."
"I sent on a few things with my messenger yesterday evening, SirCyril, but for the hare and those wild ducks methinks you have tothank your tenants, who doubtless guessed that an addition to thelarder would be welcome. I have no doubt that, good landlord as Mr.Harvey was, they are really delighted to have you among them again.As you know, these eastern counties were the stronghold ofPuritanism, and that feeling is still held by the majority. It isonly among the tenants of many gentlemen who, like your father, weredevoted Royalists, that there is any very strong feeling the otherway. As you heard from their lips, most of your older tenants foughtunder Sir Aubrey, while the fathers of the younger ones fell underhis banner. Consequently, it was galling to them that one ofaltogether opposite politics should be their landlord, and althoughin every other respect they had reason to like him, he was, as itwere, a symbol of their defeat, and I suppose they viewed him a gooddeal as the Saxons of old times regarded their Norman lords."
"I can quite understand that, Mr. Popham."
"Another feeling has worked in your favour, Sir Cyril," the lawyerwent on. "It may perhaps be a relic of feudalism, but there can be nodoubt that there exists, in the minds of English country folks, afeeling of respect and of something like affection for theirlandlords when men of old family, and that feeling is nevertransferred to new men who may take their place. Mr. Harvey was, intheir eyes, a new man--a wealthy one, no doubt, but owing his wealthto his own exertions--and he would never have excited among them thesame feeling as they gave to the family who had, for several hundredyears, been owners of the soil."
Cyril remained for a fortnight at Upmead, calling on all the tenants,and interesting himself in them and their families. The day after hisarrival he rode into Norwich, and paid a visit to Mr. Harvey. He had,in compliance to his wishes, written but a short letter ofacknowledgment of the restitution of the estate, but he now expressedthe deep feeling of gratitude that he entertained.
"I have only done what is right," Mr. Harvey said quietly, "and wouldrather not be thanked for it; but your feelings are natural, and Ihave therefore not checked your words. It was assuredly God's doingin so strangely bringing us together, and making you an instrument insaving our lives, and so awakening an uneasy conscience intoactivity. I have had but small pleasure from Upmead. I have a househere which is more than sufficient for all my wants, and I have, Ihope, the respect of my townsfellows, and the affection of myworkmen. At Upmead I was always uncomfortable. Such of the countygentlemen who retained their estates looked askance at me. Thetenants, I knew, though they doffed their hats as I passed them,regarded me as a usurper. I had no taste for the sports and pleasuresof country life, being born and bred a townsman. The ill-doing of myson cast a gloom over my life of late. I have lived chiefly here withthe society of friends of my own religious and political feeling.Therefore, I have made no sacrifice in resigning my tenancy ofUpmead, and I pray you say no further word of your gratitude. I haveheard, from one who was there yesterday, how generously you spoke ofme to your tenants, and I thank you for so doing, for it is pleasantfor me to stand well in the thoughts of those whose welfare I havehad at heart."
"I trust that Mrs. Harvey is in good health?" Cyril said.
"She is far from well, Cyril. The events of that night in London havetold heavily upon her, as is not wonderful, for she has suffered muchsorrow for years, and this last blow has broken her sorely. Shemourns, as David mourned over the death of Absalom, over thewickedness of her son, but she is quite as one with me in themeasures that I have taken concerning him, save that, at her earnestprayer, I have made a provision for him which will keep him fromabsolute want, and will leave him no excuse to urge that he wasdriven by poverty into crime. Mr. Goldsworthy has not yet discoveredmeans of communicating with him, but when he does so he will notifyhim that he has my instructions to pay to him fifteen pounds on thefirst of every month, and that the offer of assistance to pay hispassage to America is still open to him, and that on arriving therehe will receive for three years the same allowance as here. Then if afavourable report of his conduct is forthcoming from the magistratesand deacons of the town where he takes up his residence, acorrespondent of Mr. Goldsworthy's will be authorised to expend fourthousand pounds on the purchase of an estate for him, and to hand tohim another thousand for the due working and maintenance of the same.For these purposes I have already made provisions in my will, withproviso that if, at the end of five years after my death, no news ofhim shall be obtained, the money set aside for these purposes shallrevert to the main provisions of the will. It may be that he died ofthe Plague. It may be that he has fallen, or will fall, a victim tohis own evil courses and evil passions. But I am convinced that,should he be alive, Mr. Goldsworthy will be able to obtain tidings ofhim long before the five years have expired. And now," he said,abruptly changing the subject, "what are you thinking of doing, SirCyril?"
"In the first place, sir, I am going to sea again with the Fleet veryshortly. I entered as a Volunteer for the war, and could not well,even if I wished it, draw back."
"They are a stiff-necked people," Mr. Harvey said. "That theSovereigns of Europe should have viewed with displeasure theoverthrow of the monarchy here was natural enough; but in Holland, ifanywhere, we might have looked for sympathy, seeing that as they hadbattled for freedom of conscience, so had we done here; and yet theywere our worst enemies, and again and again had Blake to sail forthto chastise them. They say that Monk is to command this time?"
"I believe so, sir."
"Monk is the bruised reed that pierced our hand, but he is a goodfighter. And after the war is over, Sir Cyril, you will not, I trust,waste your life in the Court of the profligate King?"
"Certainly not," Cyril said earnestly. "As soon as the war is over Ishall return to Upmead and take up my residence there. I have livedtoo hard a life to care for the gaieties of Court, still less of aCourt like that of King Charles. I shall travel for a while in Europeif there is a genuine peace. I have lost the opportunity ofcompleting my education, and am too old now to go to either of theUniversities. Not too old perhaps; but I have seen too much o
f thehard side of life to care to pass three years among those who, noolder than myself, are still as boys in their feelings. The next bestthing, therefore, as it seems to me, would be to travel, and perhapsto spend a year or two in one of the great Universities abroad."
"The matter is worth thinking over," Mr. Harvey said. "You areassuredly young yet to settle down alone at Upmead, and will reapmuch advantage from speaking French which is everywhere current, andmay greatly aid you in making your travels useful to you. I have nofear of your falling into Popish error, Sir Cyril; but if my wisheshave any weight with you I would pray you to choose the schools ofLeyden or Haarlem, should you enter a foreign University, for theyturn out learned men and good divines."
"Certainly your wishes have weight with me, Mr. Harvey, and shouldevents so turn out that I can enter one of the foreign Universities,it shall be one of those you name--that is, should we, after this waris ended, come into peaceful relations with the Dutch."
Before leaving the Earl's, Cyril had promised faithfully that hewould return thither with Sydney, and accordingly, at the end of thefortnight, he rode back with him there, and, three weeks later,journeyed up to London with the Earl and his family.
It was the middle of March when they reached London. The Court hadcome up a day or two before, and the Fleet was, as Cyril learnt,being fitted out in great haste. The French had now, after hesitatingall through the winter, declared war against us, and it was certainthat we should have their fleet as well as that of the Dutch to copewith. Calling upon Prince Rupert on the day he arrived, Cyril learntthat the Fleet would assuredly put to sea in a month's time.
"Would you rather join at once, or wait until I go on board?" thePrince asked.
"I would rather join at once, sir. I have no business to do inLondon, and it would be of no use for me to take an apartment when Iam to leave so soon; therefore, if I can be of any use, I wouldgladly join at once."
"You would be of no use on board," the Prince said, "but assuredlyyou could be of use in carrying messages, and letting me knowfrequently, from your own report, how matters are going on. I heardyesterday that the _Fan Fan_ is now fitted out. You shall take thecommand of her. I will give you a letter to the boatswain, who is atpresent in charge, saying that I have placed her wholly under yourorders. You will, of course, live on board. You will be chiefly atChatham and Sheerness. If you call early to-morrow I will have aletter prepared for you, addressed to all captains holding commandsin the White Squadron, bidding them to acquaint you, whensoever yougo on board, with all particulars of how matters have been pushedforward, and to give you a list of all things lacking. Then, twice aweek you will sail up to town, and report to me, or, should there beany special news at other times, send it to me by a mountedmessenger. Mr. Pepys, the secretary, is a diligent and hard-workingman, but he cannot see to everything, and Albemarle so pushes himthat I think the White Squadron does not get a fair share ofattention; but if I can go to him with your reports in hand, I maysucceed in getting what is necessary done."
Bidding farewell to the Earl and his family, and thanking him for hiskindness, Cyril stopped that night at Captain Dave's, and told him ofall that had happened since they met. The next morning he went earlyto Prince Rupert's, received the two letters, and rode down toChatham. Then, sending the horses back by his servant, who was totake them to the Earl's stable, where they would be cared for untilhis return, Cyril went on board the _Fan Fan_. For the next month hewas occupied early and late with his duties. The cabin was small, butvery comfortable. The crew was a strong one, for the yacht rowedtwelve oars, with which she could make good progress even without hersails. He was waited on by his servant, who returned as soon as hehad left the horses in the Earl's stables; his cooking was done forhim in the yacht's galley. On occasions, as the tide suited, heeither sailed up to London in the afternoon, gave his report to thePrince late in the evening, and was back at Sheerness by daybreak, orhe sailed up at night, saw the Prince as soon as he rose, andreturned at once.
The Prince highly commended his diligence, and told him that hisreports were of great use to him, as, with them in his hand, he couldnot be put off at the Admiralty with vague assurances. Every day oneor more ships went out to join the Fleet that was gathering in theDowns, and on April 20th Cyril sailed in the _Fan Fan_, in companywith the last vessel of the White Squadron, and there again took uphis quarters on board the _Henrietta_, the _Fan Fan_ being anchoredhard by in charge of the boatswain.
On the 23rd, the Prince, with the Duke of Albemarle, and a greatcompany of noblemen and gentlemen, arrived at Deal, and came on boardthe Fleet, which, on May 1st, weighed anchor.
Lord Oliphant was among the volunteers who came down with the Prince,and, as many of the other gentlemen had also been on board during thefirst voyage, Cyril felt that he was among friends, and had none ofthe feeling of strangeness and isolation he had before experienced.
The party was indeed a merry one. For upwards of a year the fear ofthe Plague had weighed on all England. At the time it increased soterribly in London, that all thought it would, like the Black Death,spread over England, and that, once again, half the population of thecountry might be swept away. Great as the mortality had been, it hadbeen confined almost entirely to London and some of the great towns,and now that it had died away even in these, there was great reliefin men's minds, and all felt that they had personally escaped from aterrible and imminent danger. That they were about to face peril evengreater than that from which they had escaped did not weigh on thespirits of the gentlemen on board Prince Rupert's ship. To be killedfighting for their country was an honourable death that none feared,while there had been, in the minds of even the bravest, a horror ofdeath by the Plague, with all its ghastly accompaniments. Sailing outto sea to the Downs, then, they felt that the past year's events laybehind them as an evil dream, and laughed and jested and sang withlight-hearted mirth.
As yet, the Dutch had not put out from port, and for three weeks theFleet cruised off their coast. Then, finding that the enemy could notbe tempted to come out, they sailed back to the Downs. The day afterthey arrived there, a messenger came down from London with orders toPrince Rupert to sail at once with the White Squadron to engage theFrench Fleet, which was reported to be on the point of putting tosea. The Prince had very little belief that the French reallyintended to fight. Hitherto, although they had been liberal in theirpromises to the Dutch, they had done nothing whatever to aid them,and the general opinion was that France rejoiced at seeing her rivalsdamage each other, but had no idea of risking her ships or men in thestruggle.
"I believe, gentlemen," Prince Rupert said to his officers, "thatthis is but a ruse on the part of Louis to aid his Dutch allies bygetting part of our fleet out of the way. Still, I have nothing to dobut to obey orders, though I fear it is but a fool's errand on whichwe are sent."
The wind was from the north-east, and was blowing a fresh gale. ThePrince prepared to put to sea. While the men were heaving at theanchors a message came to Cyril that Prince Rupert wished to speak tohim in his cabin.
"Sir Cyril, I am going to restore you to your command. The wind is sostrong and the sea will be so heavy that I would not risk my yachtand the lives of the men by sending her down the Channel. I do notthink there is any chance of our meeting the French, and believe thatit is here that the battle will be fought, for with this wind theDutch can be here in a few hours, and I doubt not that as soon asthey learn that one of our squadrons has sailed away they will beout. The _Fan Fan_ will sail with us, but will run into Dover as wepass. Here is a letter that I have written ordering you to do so, andauthorising you to put out and join the Admiral's Fleet, should theDutch attack before my return. If you like to have young LordOliphant with you he can go, but he must go as a Volunteer under you.You are the captain of the _Fan Fan_, and have been so for the lasttwo months; therefore, although your friend is older than you are, hemust, if he choose to go, be content to serve under you. Stay, I willput it to him myself."
He touc
hed the bell, and ordered Sydney to be sent for.
"Lord Oliphant," he said, "I know that you and Sir Cyril are greatfriends. I do not consider that the _Fan Fan_, of which he has forsome time been commander, is fit to keep the sea in a gale like this,and I have therefore ordered him to take her into Dover. If the Dutchcome out to fight the Admiral, as I think they will, he will join theFleet, and although the _Fan Fan_ can take but small share in thefighting, she may be useful in carrying messages from the Duke whilethe battle is going on. It seems to me that, as the _Fan Fan_ ismore likely to see fighting than my ships, you, as a Volunteer, mightprefer to transfer yourself to her until she again joins us. SirCyril is younger than you are, but if you go, you must necessarily beunder his command seeing that he is captain of the yacht. It is foryou to choose whether you will remain here or go with him."
"I should like to go with him, sir. He has had a good deal ofexperience of the sea, while I have never set foot on board ship tilllast year. And after what he did at Lowestoft I should say that anygentleman would be glad to serve under him."
"That is the right feeling," Prince Rupert said warmly. "Then getyour things transferred to the yacht. If you join Albemarle's Fleet,Sir Cyril, you will of course report yourself to him, and say that Idirected you to place yourself under his orders."
Five minutes later Cyril and his friend were on board the _Fan Fan._Scarcely had they reached her, when a gun was fired from PrinceRupert's ship as a signal, and the ships of the White Squadron shookout their sails, and, with the wind free, raced down towards theSouth Foreland.
"We are to put into Dover," Cyril said to the boatswain, aweatherbeaten old sailor.
"The Lord be praised for that, sir! She is a tight little craft, butthere will be a heavy sea on as soon we are beyond shelter of thesands, and with these two guns on board of her she will make badweather. Besides, in a wind like this, it ain't pleasant being in alittle craft in the middle of a lot of big ones, for if we were notswamped by the sea, we might very well be run down. We had betterkeep her close to the Point, yer honour, and then run along, undershelter of the cliffs, into Dover. The water will be pretty smooth inthere, though we had best carry as little sail as we can, for thegusts will come down from above fit to take the mast out of her."
"I am awfully glad you came with me, Sydney," Cyril said, as he tookhis place with his friend near the helmsman, "but I wish the Princehad put you in command. Of course, it is only a nominal thing, forthe boatswain is really the captain in everything that concernsmaking sail and giving orders to the crew. Still, it would have beenmuch nicer the other way."
"I don't see that it would, Cyril," Sydney laughed, "for you know asmuch more about handling a boat like this than I do, as the boatswaindoes than yourself. You have been on board her night and day for morethan a month, and even if you knew nothing about her at all, PrinceRupert would have been right to choose you as a recognition of yourgreat services last time. Don't think anything about it. We arefriends, and it does not matter a fig which is the nominal commander.I was delighted to come, not only to be with you, but because it willbe a very great deal pleasanter being our own masters on board thispretty little yacht than being officers on board the _Henrietta_where we would have been only in the way except when we went intoaction."
As soon as they rounded the Point most of the sail was taken off the_Fan Fan,_ but even under the small canvas she carried she lay overuntil her lee rail was almost under water when the heavy squallsswooped down on her from the cliffs. The rest of the squadron waskeeping some distance out, presenting a fine sight as the ships layover, sending the spray flying high into the air from their bluffbows, and plunging deeply into the waves.
"Yes, it is very distinctly better being where we are," Lord Oliphantsaid, as he gazed at them. "I was beginning to feel qualmish beforewe got under shelter of the Point, and by this time, if I had been onboard the _Henrietta,_ I should have been prostrate, and should havehad I know not how long misery before me."
A quarter of an hour later they were snugly moored in Dover Harbour.For twenty-four hours the gale continued; the wind then fellsomewhat, but continued to blow strongly from the same quarter. Twodays later it veered round to the south-west, and shortly afterwardsthe English Fleet could be seen coming out past the Point. As soon asthey did so they headed eastward.
"They are going out to meet the Dutch," Sydney said, as they watchedthe ships from the cliffs, "The news must have arrived that theirfleet has put out to sea."
"Then we may as well be off after them, Sydney; they will sail fasterthan we shall in this wind, for it is blowing too strongly for us tocarry much sail."
They hurried on board. A quarter of an hour later the _Fan Fan_ putout from the harbour. The change of wind had caused an ugly cross seaand the yacht made bad weather of it, the waves constantly washingover her decks, but before they were off Calais she had overtakensome of the slower sailers of the Fleet. The sea was less violent asthey held on, for they were now, to some extent, sheltered by thecoast.
In a short time Cyril ran down into the cabin where Sydney was lyingill.
"The Admiral has given the signal to anchor, and the leading shipsare already bringing up. We will choose a berth as near the shore aswe can; with our light draught we can lie well inside of the others,and shall be in comparatively smooth water."
Before dusk the Fleet was at anchor, with the exception of two orthree of the fastest frigates, which were sent on to endeavour toobtain some news of the enemy.