by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER VI.
HOME AGAIN.
Having decided to stay as one of the signallers, Jacques proceeded atonce to the captain's cabin.
"I am glad you have decided so, Jacques. It would have been atroublesome business to cast lots, and some of the men might haveabsolutely refused doing so; so I am glad it's settled. I havearranged with the other captains that you shall have an advance oftwenty napoleons. You had best hide them about you; you may find themcome in useful. The boy is to have ten. Of course he is glad of thechance; but at the same time he is doing us good service, and he hasworked well since he came on board. It will help him to get a passagehome."
"Thank you, captain. That twenty napoleons may help me to get out ofan English prison. I will manage a hiding place for them. And now Ithink, captain, we will be off at once--at least as soon as we havehad our dinner. It's a good long way across the island to where thatschooner was lying, and I shall have to choose a place for my fire sothat it can be seen from the top of the hill."
At dinner Jacques told his comrades that he was going to remain behindand act as signalman for them. A good deal of regret was expressed byhis shipmates, many of whom came like himself from Dunkirk, and hadknown him from a boy. Before starting he went to the sailmaker and gothim to open the soles of his shoes; he then inserted ten napoleons ineach, and the sailmaker sewed them up again. Then making his clothesinto a kit and getting a couple of bottles of wine from the steward,he shook hands with his messmates, and was with Ralph rowed ashore.
On landing they cut two sticks and hung their kits upon these, Ralphtaking charge of the lantern, while both were provided with tinder andsteel.
They walked for half a mile together, and then Jacques said:
"Here our paths separate, lad; you can't miss your way to the top ofthe hill. I go almost the other way, for the schooner lies but a shortdistance from the end of the island. If I were you I should lie up fora sleep as soon as I get there. Remember you will not see my fire tilltwo o'clock. If you do not see it then you must keep watch tillmorning, for there's no saying when it may be lit. As soon as you seeit you show a light three times in the direction of the creek. If yousee it answered you will have nothing more to do; if not you must keepon showing the light till you do get an answer. In the morning youwait till the sun has been up an hour, then come to this spot and waitfor me. I shall start at daybreak, but I have a lot further to walkthan you have, so I shan't be there before you. If we find your peoplehaven't come into the harbor we will wait till they do so; then whenthey find that there is no one there we can show ourselves quietly;but if we got there first they might begin to shoot directly they sawus without stopping to ask any questions."
Ralph made his way up to the top of the hill, threw himself down undersome trees near the summit, and was soon fast asleep. When he awoke itwas already dark. He lit his lantern, covered it up in his jacket, andtook his station at the highest point. He had plenty to think about.Another twelve hours and he would be with friends! He had no reason tocomplain of the treatment he had received on board the privateer, buthad he remained with her he might not have returned to France for acouple of years, and would then have had difficulty in crossing toEngland; beside, it was painful to him to be with men fighting againsthis country, and each prize taken instead of causing delight to him asto his comrades, would have been a source of pain.
But most of all he thought of his mother, of how she must have grievedfor him as dead, and of the joy there would be at their reunion. Thehours therefore passed quickly, and he could scarcely believe it to betwo o'clock when he suddenly saw the light of a fire far way towardthe end of the island. A glance at the stars showed him that the timewas correct. He rose to his feet, and taking the lantern held italoft, then he lowered it behind a bush and twice raised it again. Heknew exactly the direction in which the harbor lay, and no sooner hadhe put down the lantern for the third time than three flashes of lightfollowed in close succession.
He knew that everything would be prepared in the afternoon for thestart. Orders had been issued before he left that the oars of theboats were to be muffled, that the chains at the entrance of thechannel were to be removed, and the ships got in a position, withshortened cables, for a start. He could picture to himself, as hestood there gazing into the darkness, that the men would be already inthe boats awaiting his signal, and as soon as it was seen they wouldbegin to tow the vessels out of the harbor.
During the daytime the frigate cruised backward and forward under easysail some two miles off the entrance; but the sailors believed that atnight she came very much closer to the shore, the lookout withnight-glasses having reported that she had been seen once or twicewithin a quarter of a mile of the entrance to the channel.
Half an hour passed without any sign that the frigate was aware thatthe ships were leaving the harbor; then Ralph heard the sound of adistant musket-shot, followed by several others, and had no doubt thatone of the frigate's boats on watch near the channel had discoveredthem.
A few minutes later there was a flash some distance out at sea,followed after an interval by the deep boom of a gun; then came abroadside, followed by a steady fire of heavy guns. These wereevidently fired on board the frigate, no answering sounds from theFrench ships meeting his ear. He could see by the direction of theflashes that the frigate was under way. The firing continued for twohours, becoming more and more distant, and then it ceased altogether.
When the sun rose he saw the frigate some twenty miles away. There wasa smaller craft two or three miles further off, and two others werevisible ten or twelve miles further away to the west. Two of theprivateers had evidently made their escape, and the third seemed to beleaving her pursuer behind, for the wind was exceedingly light. Somemiles nearer to the island than the frigate a schooner was visible.She was heading for the two vessels that had gone toward the west, butas these were fully fifteen miles to windward her chance of overtakingthem appeared to be slight. Ralph waited an hour, and then proceededat a leisurely pace toward the spot where he was to meet Jacques. Hewas but five minutes at the spot agreed upon when he saw him comingthrough the trees.
"I heard nothing of the landing-parties," he said as the French sailorapproached.
"The reason is not far to search for," he replied. "They did not landat all, and I did not much expect that they would. The boats from thefrigate arrived a few minutes before I lighted my fire. I was lyingdown at the edge of the cliff, looking right down upon her deck. Theycame up in a body, rowing with muffled oars. I could just hear thesound of their talking when they came on deck. As soon as I had thefire fairly alight I saw your signal and then went back to watch them.Everything was quiet till I heard the boom of the first gun; then Iheard 'Silence!' ordered on the schooner. I suppose some one had saidthat he heard a gun, and other's didn't. Of course the sound did notcome to them under the shelter of the cliff as it did to me. Then camethe sound of another gun, and then three or four close together; thenorders were given sharply, the capstan was manned and the anchor runup, and they were not a minute getting her sails set. But under theshelter of the cliff there was not enough wind to fill them, and sothe boats were manned, and she went gliding away until I could nolonger make her out. They guessed, of course, that our craft weremaking off, and went to help the frigate."
"They were too late to be of any use, Jacques."
"Ah! you have seen them from the top of the hill. I did not think ofthat. What is the news?"
"The frigate was in chase of one of them. It was too far for me to seewhich. I should say he was two or three miles ahead, certainly wellout of gunshot, and as far as I could see during the hour I waswatching them, was increasing her lead. Unless the wind freshens Ithink she is safe. The other two were on the opposite tack, ten ortwelve miles away to the west. The schooner was heading after them,but was at least fifteen miles from them."
"She is very fast in a light wind like this, they say."
"Well, if she should catch them, they ought to be able
to beat heroff, Jacques, as they are two to one. So far I think your chance ofgetting your three shares is a good one."
"Maybe, lad. I have not had much luck so far. I began on the sea whenI was eleven. At twenty-one I had to go into the navy, and it wasseven years later when I got back to Dunkirk after that spell in theprison. I did not report myself, for I had no wish to do any moreman-of-wars' work; and now I have had six years privateers' work, andhave not made much by it. If I get back this time and get those threeshares I will buy a fine fishing smack for myself and a snug littlehouse on shore. There is some one I promised--if the voyage turned outwell--she should have a nice little house of her own, and she promisedto wait for me. After that, no more long voyages for me. I suppose wemay as well go down to the harbor now, lad. They are sure to come backsooner or later, whether they catch any of the privateers or not."
"Oh, yes! we shall be all safe now. We will be on the beach when theycome in. When they see that we are alone and unarmed there's no chanceof their firing. We can go up occasionally to the cliffs and watch forthem."
It was not until the following evening that the frigate was seenapproaching the island.
"She will take another four or five hours to work in," Jacques said,"and they are not likely to try to land till to-morrow morning. Alltheir boats and half their men are away in the schooner. I shouldthink she would be back to-morrow morning. Either she caught thembefore it got dark last night--which I don't think likely--or theywill have given her the slip in the night. In that case she might lookabout for another day and then make sail to rejoin."
As Jacques predicted the schooner was seen by daylight eight or tenmiles away.
"We may as well hoist a white flag, Jacques. The captain of thefrigate will be savage that all the privateers have escaped him, butit may put him into a good temper if he takes possession here beforethe schooner arrives."
Ralph ran down to the storehouse, got hold of a sheet and an oar, anda white flag was soon hoisted on the top of the cliff. Five minuteslater two gigs were seen rowing off from the frigate. Ralph andJacques took their places on the battery. When the boats reached themouth of the narrow entrance the order was given for the men to lay ontheir oars. Ralph shouted at the top of his voice:
"You can come on, sir! We are the only two here!"
The order was given to row on, and Ralph and his companion at oncewent down to meet them at the end of the harbor. The captain himselfwas in the stern of his own gig, while a young lieutenant held thelines in the other boat.
"Who are you? the captain asked, as he stepped ashore on the littlewharf. You are English by your speech."
"I am English, sir. I was on board a fishing boat in the channel whenwe were run down by one of those privateers in the dark. I believe thefisherman with me was drowned, but I clung to the bobstay and was goton board. She was on her way out here and had no opportunity oflanding me. She only arrived here two days before you came up."
"You are not a fisherman?" the captain said abruptly.
"No, sir; my mother is living at Dover, and I was at school there. Ilost my father, who was an architect, some years ago."
"And who is this who is with you?"
"He is a sailor in the brig I came out in, and has been extremely kindto me during the voyage, and kept the others from persecuting me."
"How is it he is left behind?" the captain asked.
"He was round the other side of the island watching the schooner,"Ralph replied, "and the others sailed away without him;" for Ralph hadagreed with Jacques that it was better to say nothing about thesignalling.
"Have you done any fighting since you were on board the privateer?"the captain asked sternly.
"No, sir. We have only exchanged shots with one ship since we sailed.She fired one broadside and the privateer drew off a good dealdamaged. Another was surprised by night, but I took no part in it. Idon't know what she was laden with or what was her name."
"Well, lad, your story sounds truthful, and will, of course, beinquired into when we get to England. As to this man, he is of coursea prisoner."
"I hope not, sir," Ralph pleaded. "He has not been taken with arms inhis hands, and is, in fact, a castaway mariner."
The captain's face relaxed into a smile. "I see you are a sort of sealawyer. Well, we shall see about it. What is there in thesestorehouses?"
"A quantity of things, sir. They took away a great many with them, butthere must be ten times as much left. I heard them say they had thecargoes of more than twenty ships here."
"That is satisfactory at any rate," the captain said. "Mr. Wylde, willyou just take a look round these storehouses and see what there isworth taking away. You had better take my boat's crew as well as yourown to help you to turn things over. Are you quite sure, lad, thatthere is no one beside yourselves on the island?"
"I can't say that, sir. The orders were for all hands to embark lastnight, and so far as I know none of them were left behind exceptJacques Clery. We have been here for two days now and have seen noone, so I do not think any one else can have been left."
"How did you get on on board the brig?" the captain asked. "I supposeyou cannot speak French?"
"I couldn't speak any French when I first was got on board, sir, but Ipicked up a great deal on the voyage out. Jacques speaks English verywell. He was a prisoner in England for three years, and learned itthere, and it was that which caused him to speak to me directly he hadgot me on board, for no one else understood me. So he set to work atonce to help me in my French, so that I could get along. The captainwas very kind too. He said that as I had been picked up in that way heshould not treat me as a prisoner; but he expected me to make myselfuseful, and, of course, I did so. It was the only way of having acomfortable life."
"Is this the only place the privateers had on shore here?" the captainasked, looking round. "I only see one or two huts."
"The storekeepers lived in them, sir. They stopped behind to lookafter things when the privateers were away. The men slept on boardtheir vessels, only landing to disembark the cargoes they hadcaptured, and for a drunken spree when they first returned. I am surethey have no other place."
"So your brig only arrived here four days ago? I was puzzled in themorning when I saw there were two brigs and a schooner when we hadonly expected one brig. Of course your arrival accounts for that. Whatwas her name, and how many guns and men did she carry?"
"She was La Belle Marie of Dunkirk," Ralph replied. "She carriedfourteen guns, mostly eighteen-pounders, and a thirty-two-pounder on apivot. She had eighty hands at first, but eight of them went away inthe prize."
"Do you know whether she has gone off straight for France or whethershe is going to remain here?"
"From what I gathered from the men, sir, I believe the other twoprivateers are going straight home. They loaded up from thestorehouses, taking, of course, the most valuable stuff. There was agreat deal of copper, but what the rest was I do not know. Our brigwas loaded up too, but I believe her intention was to transfer hercargo into the first prize she took and send it to France. I do notknow whether she was going to cruise about here for a time, but Ishould rather think that now that her consorts have gone and thisplace been discovered she will not stay here, for she never intendedto cruise in these waters long. I know that her destination was theIndian Ocean, and she intended to capture Indiamen on their way out orhome."
"In that case our expedition has been more satisfactory than Iexpected," the captain said. "We shall have discovered and destroyedtheir depot here, captured anyhow some valuable stuff, and caused thetwo privateers that we have been hunting for so long to leave theislands, to say nothing of this brig of yours, of which we had notheard. Well, Mr. Wylde, what is your report?"
"It will take a long time to go through the whole sir, but I shouldsay that we have taken a most valuable prize. Part of the goodsconsist of produce of these parts--puncheons of rum and hogsheads ofsugar in any number. Then I see they have left a good many tons ofcopper behind them; overlooked
them, I suppose, in the hurry ofloading. A considerable portion of the stores consist of homeproduce--cottons, cloths, silks, furniture, musical instruments,mirrors, and, in fact, goods of all kinds."
"That is most satisfactory, Mr. Wylde, and we sha'n't have had ourtrouble for nothing. Ah! here come the other boats."
As he spoke the pinnaces, long-boats, and cutters of the two ships ofwar dashed into the harbor, and in a minute or two reached thelanding-place.
"So they gave you the slip as well as me, Chambers?" Captain Wilsonsaid.
"Confound them, yes. I was within about four miles of them at sunset,but they both gave me the slip in the dark."
"Mine fairly outsailed me," Captain Wilson said. "I am afraid we havemade rather a mess of the affair; though we acted for the best, and Idon't see how we could have done otherwise. However. I have learnedthat the brig and the schooner we have been chasing so long have madestraight for France, so that we shall have no more trouble with them.The other brig, which only arrived two days before we chased theothers in here, has, it is believed, also gone off. So we shan't havedone so badly; for we can report that we have found out and destroyedtheir nest here, and I fancy from what my lieutenant says we have madea very valuable capture, enough to give us all a round sum inprize-money."
"That will be some consolation," the other laughed; "but I would givemy share of it if I could but have come up with and engaged thoserascally craft I have been hunting all over the islands for these lasttwo years. Whom have we got here--two prisoners?"
"Well, I hardly know whether they can be called prisoners. One is anEnglish lad who was in a boat they run down in the channel, and who, Idare say, they were glad to get rid of. It seems that he is agentleman's son, and his story is clear enough. The other belongs tothe brig I chased, which it seems only arrived here two days ago. Theyoung fellow says that he has been particularly kind to him, and hasbegged me to regard him in the light of a castaway sailor, seeing thathe was found here unarmed and away from his ship. I think there issomething in his plea; and as there is no credit or glory to beobtained from handing over one prisoner, I consider that under thecircumstances we shall be justified in letting him go ashore quietlyand in saying nothing about it. At one time the man was a prisoner ofwar in England and has picked up our language, so I dare say he willbe able to manage to find his way home without difficulty."
"What are you thinking of doing with all this stuff?" Captain Chambersasked, pointing to the storehouses.
"I think we had better take it away with us. I don't like turning theAlert into a storeship; but it would be better to do that than to havethe expense of chartering two or three ships to come here to fetch itaway. Beside, if I did that, you would have to stop here until it isall carried away, and to burn the storehouses afterward."
"Then by all means let us load up," Captain Chambers said. "Icertainly have no wish to be kept here for six weeks or a couple ofmonths. I will go out and bring the Seagull in at once."
"The sooner the better, Chambers. I will set a couple of boats at workat once to take soundings here and in the channel. If I can get theAlert in I will; it would save a lot of trouble and time."
It was found that the channel and the harbor inside contained anabundance of water for the frigate. The width between the rocks was,however, only just sufficient to let her through; and, therefore,while the schooner sailed boldly in, the frigate was towed in by herboats. The next morning the work of shipping the contents of thestorehouses commenced, but so large was the quantity of goods storedup that it took six days of hard work before all was safely on board.The sailors, however, did not grudge the trouble, for they knew thatevery box and bale meant so much prize-money.
"I hope we shall meet nothing we ought to chase on our way to PortRoyal," Captain Wilson said, looking with some disgust at the twovessels. "It has brought the Alert nearly two feet lower in the water;while as to the Seagull she is laden down like a collier."
"Yes, her wings are clipped for the present," Captain Chambersreplied. "Of course those rascals carried off the pick of their bootywith them; but we may be well content with what they left behind. Itwill be the best haul that we have made for some years. As a rule, themost we have to hope for is the money fetched by the sale of anyprivateer we may catch, and they generally go for next to nothing. Iretract what I said--that I would give my share of the prize-money tocome up with the privateers. I certainly never calculated on such ahaul as this. I suppose they intend to have gone on storing away theirbooty till the war came to an end, and then to have chartered a dozenships to carry it away."
Captain Wilson had introduced Ralph to the midshipmen, telling them hewould be in their mess till he reached port. He was soon at home amongthem, and his clothes were replaced by some they lent him. Jacquesmade himself equally at home among the crew. Captain Wilson hadintimated to the first lieutenant that the man was not to beconsidered as a prisoner, but as a castaway, picked up on the island;and from his cheery temper, his willingness to lend a hand and makehimself useful in any way, and his knowledge of their language, he wassoon a favorite with them.
When all the goods were on board fire was applied to the storehousesand huts. The two vessels were then towed out of the harbor, andhoisting sail made for Port Royal. The winds were light, and it wassix days before they entered the harbor. A signal was at once hoistedfrom the flagship there for the captain to come on board.
"I have no doubt he is in a towering rage at our appearance," CaptainWilson said to the first lieutenant; "but I fancy he will change histone pretty quickly when he learns what we have got on board. Hisshare of the prize money will come to a pretty penny."
The next morning a number of lighters came alongside the ships, andthe work of discharging the cargo commenced. After breakfast Ralph andJacques were rowed ashore.
"You will want some money to pay for your passage, young gentleman."Captain Wilson said to Ralph before leaving the ship. "I willauthorize you to tell an agent that I will be security for the paymentof your passage-money."
"I am very much obliged to you, sir," Ralph replied; "but I shall workmy way home if I can. I have learned to be pretty handy on board theprivateer, and I would as lief be working forward as dawdling aboutaft all the way home. Beside, I don't want to inconvenience my motherby her being called upon suddenly to pay thirty or forty poundsdirectly I get home. I have caused her trouble enough as it is."
"That's, right, my lad," the captain said. "I like your spirit. Haveyou money enough to pay for your hotel expenses while you are waitingfor a ship?"
"Yes, thank you, sir. The French captain said I had fairly earnedwages, and gave me ten napoleons when he started."
"He must have been a good sort of fellow," the captain said; "though Iwish we had caught him for all that. Well, good-by, and a pleasantvoyage home."
Ralph put up at a quiet boarding-house, kept by a Mulatto woman. Heand Jacques got a fresh rig-out of clothes at once, and went down tothe port to inquire about ships. Ralph was greatly amused at theaspect of the streets crowded with chattering negroes and negresses,in gaudy colors. The outlay of a few pence purchased an almostunlimited supply of fruit, and Ralph and his companion sat down on alog of wood by the wharves and enjoyed a feast of pine apples,bananas, and custard apples. Then they set about their work. In anhour both were suited. Jacques Clery shipped as a foremast hand onboard an American trading schooner, which was about to return to NewYork; while Ralph obtained a berth before the mast in a fine bark thatwould sail for England in a few days.
Next morning they said good-by to each other, for Jacques had to go onboard after breakfast. They made many promises to see each other againwhen the war came to an end.
"I shall never forget your kindness, Jacques; and if I am still atDover when peace is proclaimed I will run over to Dunkirk by the veryfirst vessel that sails."
"As for the kindness, it is nothing," Jacques replied; "and besidethat, you saved my life from that snake. I dream sometimes of thebeast still. An
d it was really owing to you that I am here now, andthat I shall get a round sum coming to me when I return home. If ithadn't been for you I should not have been chosen to stop behind andget three shares instead of one of the prize money. And in the nextplace it is your doing that I am free to start at once, and to make myway back as soon as I can, instead of spending four or five years, itmay be, in an English prison. Why, my Louise will be ready to jump forjoy when she sees me arrive, instead of having to wait another twoyears for me, with the chance of my never coming back at all; and shewill hardly believe me when I tell her that I shall be able to affordto buy that fishing boat and set up in a house of our own at once; andshe will be most surprised of all when I tell her that it is all owingto an English boy I fished on board on a dark night in the channel."
"Well, Jacques, we won't dispute as to which owes the other most.Anyhow, except for my mother, I am not sorry I have made the trip inthe Belle Maire. I have seen a lot of life, and have had a rareadventure; and I have learned so much of sailor's work, that if I amever driven to it I can work my way anywhere before the mast infuture."
Ralph went on board his own ship as soon as he had seen Jacques off,and was soon hard at work assisting to hoist on board hogsheads ofsugar and other produce. He was startled by the sound of a heavy gun.It was answered presently by all the ships of war in the harbor and bythe forts on shore, and for five minutes the heavy cannonadecontinued. The captain, who had been on shore, crossed the gangway onto the ship as the crew were gazing in surprise at the cannonade,exchanging guesses as to its cause.
"I have great news, lads," he said. "Peace is proclaimed, and Napoleonhas surrendered, and is to be shut up in the Isle of Elba in theMediterranean. No more fear of privateers or French prisons."
The crew burst into a hearty cheer. This was indeed surprising news.It was known that Wellington was gradually driving back the Frenchmarshals in the south of France, and that the allies were marchingtoward Paris. But Napoleon had been so long regarded as invincible,that no one had really believed that his downfall was imminent.
Four days later the cargo was all on board, and the Fanny sailed forEngland. The voyage was accomplished without adventure. As soon as thevessel entered dock and the crew were discharged Ralph landed, andhaving purchased a suit of landsman clothes, presented his kit to alad of about his own age, who had been his special chum on board theFanny, and then made his way to the inn from which the coaches forDover started. Having secured a place for next day, dined, and ordereda bed, he passed the evening strolling about the streets of London,and next morning at six o'clock took his place on the coach.
"Going back from school, I suppose, young gentleman?" amilitary-looking man seated next to him on the coach remarked as soonas they had left the streets behind them, and were rattling along theOld Kent Road.
"No, I am not going home from school," Ralph said with a smile. "Atleast not from the sort of school you mean; though I have beenlearning a good deal too. I arrived yesterday from the West Indies."
"Indeed!" the gentleman said, scrutinizing him closely. "I see youlook sunburned and weather-beaten now that I look at you; but somehowI should not have put you down as a sailor."
"Well, I am not exactly a sailor; though I may say I have worked asone before the mast both out and home. That was my first experience;and I suppose one takes longer than that to get the regular nauticalmanner."
"Before the mast, were you? Then I suppose you have been getting intosome scrape at home, young sir, and run away; for, from yourappearance, you would hardly have been before the mast otherwise. Boysnever know what is good for them. But I suppose after your experienceyou will be inclined to put up with any disagreeables you may have athome rather than try running away again?"
"You are mistaken!" Ralph said with a laugh. "I did not run away. Iwas run away with!"
"Kidnapped!" the gentleman said in surprise. "I know that merchantmenhave often difficulty in getting hands owing to the need of men forthe navy, but I did not know that they had taken to press-gangs ontheir own account."
"No, I don't know that they have come to that," Ralph replied. "Thefact is, sir, I was out fishing a few miles off Dover, when the smackI was in was run down in the dark by a French privateer. I was hauledon board, and as she was bound for the West Indies I had to make thevoyage whether I liked it or not."
"How long ago is it that you were run down?"
"About five months," Ralph replied.
"Why, you are not the son of Mrs. Conway of Dover, are you?"
"Yes, I am, sir. Do you know her, and can you tell me how she is?"Ralph asked eagerly.
"I believe that she is well, although of course she must have sufferedvery greatly at your disappearance. I haven't the pleasure of knowingher personally, but several friends of mine are acquainted with her. Iheard the matter talked about at the time the boat was missing. Someportions of her were picked up by other fishing boats, and by theshattered state of some of the planks they said that she had been rundown; beside, there had been no wind about the time she disappeared,so that there was little doubt some vessel or other had cut her down.I happened to hear of it from Colonel Bryant, who is a friend of yourmother."
"Yes, I know him," Ralph put in.
"I have heard Colonel Bryant say that she has not altogether abandonedhope, and still clings to the idea that you may have been run down bysome outward-bound ship and that you had been saved and carried away,and that she declares that she shall not give up all hope until ampletime has elapsed for a ship to make the voyage to India and return."
"I am very glad of that," Ralph said. "It has been a great trouble tome that she would be thinking all this time that I was dead. I shouldnot have minded having been carried away so much if I had had a chanceof writing to her to tell her about it; but I never did have a chance,for I came home by the very first ship that left Port Royal after Iarrived there."
"But how did you get away from the French privateer--was shecaptured?"
"Well, it is rather a long story, sir," Ralph said modestly.
"All the better," the gentleman replied. "We have got fourteen hoursjourney before us, and your story will help pass the time; so don'ttry to cut it short, but let me have it in full." Ralph thereupon toldthe story, which lasted until the coach reached Tunbridge, where itstopped for the passengers to dine.
"Well, that is an adventure worth going through," the officer, who hadalready mentioned that his name was Major Barlow, said; "and it waswell for you, lad, that you possessed good spirits and courage. A manwho is cheerful and willing under difficulties will always make hisway in the world, while one who repines and kicks against his fateonly makes it harder for him. I have no doubt that if, instead oftaking matters coolly when you found yourself on board the privateeryou had fretted and grumbled, you would have been made a drudge andkicked and cuffed by everyone on board. You would not have had achance of landing at that island or of being chosen to make the signalwhen they went away, and you would now be leading the life of a dog onboard that brig. Cheerful and willing are two of the great watchwordsof success in life, and certainly you have found it so."
It was eight o'clock when the coach rattled up the streets of Dover.Major Barlow had already offered Ralph to take him to Colonel Bryant'squarters, and to ask the colonel to go with him to call on Mrs. Conwayand prepare her for Ralph's coming.