Arrah Neil; or, Times of Old

by G. P. R. James

  CHAPTER XV.

  We must now, dear reader, turn to other scenes and personages, andpause, somewhat long perhaps, ere we resume the actual history Of poorArrah Neil; for those voices that were heard below, as we mentioned atthe end of the first volume, and the long absence of the landlady,though they may seem simple enough, yet require some longer commentthan appears necessary at first sight, and are not unconnected eitherwith the past or future portions of this history.

  There is upon the Yorkshire coast, somewhat to the south ofFlamborough Head, a small, retired bay, not above a quarter of a milebroad, but deep in relation to the width; for the distance from eachof the projecting headlands by which it is formed, to the innermostpart of the bay, is nearly three-quarters of a mile. This littlenatural haven is furnished with a sandy shore, and surrounded by steeprocks at all points but that where it is united with the ocean and atthe mouth of a short narrow valley, which leads with a rapid ascent tothe tops of the cliff's above. Were it not that it is so difficult ofaccess from the land side, and that the water therein is somewhatshallow, it might form an excellent port, sheltered from almost allwinds. But these circumstances have rendered it less frequented thanit might be; and though a few boatmen's cottages are now built uponthe shore, it is but little known, and at the time I speak of, waswithout any vestige of human habitation, and rarely trodden by thefoot of man.

  At about three o'clock, however, of an autumnal night, a boat might bedimly discovered lying on the sandy shore, the tide being then at ebb.In it were four men apparently sailors, two of whom were stretchedsound asleep in the stern, whilst two sat talking together in lowtones on the gunwale of the boat, supplying the intervals ofconversation by manifold potent whiffs of the meditative pipe.

  As neither the topics they discussed, nor the language that they used,would be either pleasant or edifying to the reader, we shall not pauseupon their discourse, but leave them smoking and talking on, to followtwo horsemen down from the entrance of the valley, as, at a slow andcautious pace, they were guided on by a youth some fifteen or sixteenyears of age, who, in the hope of a proportionate recompense, tookcare to point out to them the various obstacles that lay in the way.Now it was a mass of rock, now a large fissure, now a sudden descent.now the course of the little brawling stream, somewhat swelled by therain which had fallen in the early part of the night.

  But all these difficulties were at length overcome, though the onesaid to the other, that it put him in mind of the Pass ofRoncesvalles, and the other replied, "As much like Roncesvalles, mygood friend, as a Cheshire cheese is to the Peak of Derby. But, prayrecollect your taciturnity. It will not do to break out now. There isthe boat, I see;" and advancing over the sand, he spoke a few words toone of the men who was awake, and who replied with the common andsignificant answer made by Englishmen on so many different occasionsof "All's right, sir."

  The other man, in the meanwhile, roused up their two companions; andthe horsemen dismounted from their beasts, and put the bridles intothe hand of the youth who had served them as a guide. The one whoappeared to be the principal personage of the party, seemed to add apiece of money to that which he placed in the lad's palm, saying,"Mind you lead them back carefully, and he will give you the same whenyou deliver the horses to him in good condition."

  The young man thanked him warmly, and promised all manner of care. Thetwo cavaliers having placed themselves in the stern of the boat, itwas easily pushed off into the sea, which was there calm and tranquil;and the sailors springing in, took to their oars, and pulled awaytowards the mouth of the bay.

  Speedily the little boat began to show that all was not quite sosmooth beyond the point; tossing up and down as they approached theopen sea, and labouring with the eddies produced by the contendingwind and tide amongst the scattered rocks which stood out from theheadland. When they had once issued forth upon the bosom of the wideocean, they found a heavy sea running, and the wind directly contraryto the course they wished to steer, so that but little way was made,notwithstanding the sturdy strokes of the rowers, and day began todawn before they were a mile from the bay.

  The first light of the morning showed them, what they had not beforeperceived, a small cutter lying at anchor, still at the distance of amile and a half or two miles; and as they appeared likely to be somehours before they reached her, the one gentleman whispered to theother, "Let us give these poor fellows some relief, Barecolt. You takeone oar, and I can take another, and then those who rest can relievethe other two after a while."

  "With all my heart, mon colonel," replied Captain Barecolt, "thoughthis water work is neither your trade nor mine."

  The proposal of Lord Beverley was soon propounded to the men, andgladly enough adopted; but still a considerable time elapsed beforethey reached the little cutter, which hoisted sail and put to sea assoon as they were on board.

  The morning was fair, with a strong wind blowing, not the mostfavourable that could be conceived for the course which they weredestined to pursue, but still not directly contrary, and they madetheir way slowly on through the dashing billows, at the rate of someor three or four miles in the hour. Lord Beverley and his companion,Barecolt, walked the deck, speaking little to each other, or to therest, and the peer keeping a watchful eye upon the loquacious captain,to make sure that he did not give way to his talkative propensities infavour of the skipper, or any of the mariners of the ship.

  It was evident that the two passengers were perfectly unknown to theirshipmates, both from the manner in which the latter examined them whenthey came on board, and from the fact of Lord Beverley, whenever hedid speak, conversing with Barecolt in French, and addressing themaster of the vessel in broken English. The persons of the twogentlemen also were disguised, as far as mere clothing went. Barecolt,for his part, was dressed in a sober-coloured grey suit, with a buffbelt, and a black hat and feather. The whole was in very good keeping,except in respect of certain red ribbons, which his taste or finerycould not forbear from applying to various parts of his dress; and hemight have well passed for a respectable French citizen, somewhatgiven to the juice of the grape, and not very affluent in hiscircumstances.

  Tire earl was habited more richly, but in a very different style fromthat of an English cavalier; and although the pointed beard was stillin fashion in England, he had sacrificed that ornament of the humancountenance to bring himself to the likeness of certain young Frenchnobles, who, at that time, were labouring zealously to exclude beardsfrom fashionable society; and who had so far succeeded, that not longafter, one of the old French court, who adhered to the custom ofnature and his ancestors, was known by the name of "the man with thebeard." This change had made a very great difference in hisappearance, which he had increased by dyeing his hair and moustache ofa darker hue, so that none but those who knew him intimately wouldhave recognised him without very close inspection.

  After sailing on for about two hours, making their way slowly from theEnglish coast, which, however, was still seen rising in long linesabove the waters, a large vessel was perceived bearing direct towardsthem, with all sails set, while a fleet, apparently of fishing-boats,were coming upon the other tack.

  The master of the schooner seemed to pay but little attention toeither; but Lord Beverley felt some anxiety, and not a littleimpatience, to ascertain the character of the large vessel, as a shipnamed the "Good Hope," laden with ammunition, money, and stores, hadbeen daily expected on the coast for the last fortnight, and he hadbeen directed by the king to instruct the officers on board, if he mether on his passage, on no account to trust themselves in Hull, thegovernor of which had openly declared for the parliament. The master,however, continued to walk up and down the opposite side of the deck,merely giving a casual glance to the other vessel, till the earlcrossed over and inquired if he knew the ship that was approaching.

  "She is a king's ship," replied the man, with a sort of dulltaciturnity, which sailors sometimes affect towards landsmen,especially if they are of a different nat
ion.

  "But is it the Good Hope?" demanded the earl. "If so, I am commandedto board her."

  "It looks like her," replied the captain, continuing his walk; "but weshall soon know, and then you can do as you like."

  Ere many minutes were over the captain pronounced the vessel tobe the "Good Hope;" and as they approached somewhat nearer, a signalwas made, upon which the cutter brought to, and the boat beinglowered--the only one which she possessed--the earl proceeded to theother ship, taking with him our good friend Captain Barecolt, rather(to use a familiar expression) to keep him out of harm's way than forthe pleasure of his society.

  Although signals had been made and answered, it was evident that thepeople on board the large vessel viewed the approach of the littleboat with some suspicion, believing, as the earl found, that theobject was but to detain them till some larger force arrived. Therewere several persons at the gangway, watching eagerly the approach ofthe visiters, and not a little puzzled did they appear by theappearance of the earl and his companion, when the boat ran alongside.The earl looked up and smiled, for he recognised not a few of thosewho stood upon the deck above as personal acquaintances of his own,and faithful servants of the king.

  With a slow step, however, and a grave face, he climbed the vessel'sside; but when once he stood upon the deck, removed from the eyes andears of the boatmen, he stretched out a hand to two gentlemen, whostood on either side, saying--

  "Welcome, Pollard!--welcome, Berkeley! You have been long looked for."

  "By my life, the Earl of Beverley!" cried Colonel Ashburnham, whostood beyond. "Why, oons, man! who would have known you in that blackwig?"

  "My own hair, I assure you," replied the earl. "Do not libel it,Ashburnham; there is not a hair on my head that is false. But I canstay only a moment, for I am bound for France on the king's service;and I have it in command to tell you on no account to venture intoHull. Sir John Hotham holds with the parliament, and, as a new convertto treason, is likely to make a merit of any violent act. You mustgive me your news, however. Tell me what succour you bring to theking, and what support you find in Holland."

  "To France!" said Ashburnham, thoughtfully. "I wish to heaven youwould give me a passage, Beverley; for his majesty can do without mefor a time, and I can serve him better there than here. I was but nowcasting about in my mind which way I should get across as soon as Ilanded."

  "That is easily done," answered the earl. "But you must make haste; Ican stay for no packing; for, to say truth, I love not the look of allthis fleet of boats, some of them well-nigh as big as our cutterthere; and, mark you, there are two large vessels just appearing roundthe point."

  "Well! I am with you in a moment," replied Colonel Ashburnham; "and asfor news, I will tell you all as we sail along."

  Thus saying, he descended for what he called a moment to the cabin,while the earl remained upon deck, and gathered from the gentlemen whostood round the tidings that they brought from Holland. The colonel,however, was somewhat longer than Lord Beverley could have desired, ashe watched with no unreasonable apprehensions the nearer approach ofthe boats, and the growing distinctness of three large vessels, asthey came scudding along with a fair wind from the side of Hull.

  "Ashburnham! Ashburnham!" he cried at length, approaching thecabin-stairs, "on my life I can stay no longer. Every minute is fullof danger."

  "Here I am!" cried Colonel Ashburnham. "I have been only securing mypapers;" and the moment after he appeared on the deck, with two largeleathern bags in his hand, which were cast into the boat; and, with abrief farewell to those on board, and a recommendation to make allsail, the earl descended the ship's side, followed by his friend. Thesailors were ordered to pull back as fast as possible to the ship;and, whispering to his new companion to forget him as Lord Beverley,and merely to know him as a French officer with whom he had casuallybecome acquainted, the earl introduced Barecolt to him as CaptainJersval, an officer from Brittany.

  Whatever conversation they might have had, if time and opportunity hadserved, was cut short by the evident signs of an enemy's approach,displayed both by the boats and the ships which they had seen. Signalsthat the cutter did not understand, and could not answer, were made bythe larger ships; and before the earl and his companion were half-wayfrom the "Good Hope" to his own vessel, the former was in full sailaway, and a shot was fired across the bows of the latter, as anotification to lie-to.

  The rowers plied their oars with all the vigour and activity which thenecessity of the case required, but it was in vain. Ere they hadreached the ship's side, the master had quietly hauled down hiscolours as sign of surrender.

  "This is infamous!" cried Ashburnham. "The cowardly vagabond! What'sto become of us now?"

  "Faith, we must take our chance," replied the earl; "perhaps we mayprevail upon him yet to make sail. At all events, I must destroy someletters I have on board; and perchance I may escape unknown, even if Ibe taken into Hull; for I do not think that Hotham and I ever met morethan once."

  "I have no such luck," answered Ashburnham, "he knows me as an oldenemy--a thing not so easily forgotten as an old friend. But I willnot spoil your fortune, Beverley. Remember, we never met before, moncolonel, and if this good gentleman would take my advice," he added,turning to Barecolt, "he would follow the same plan, which is the onlyway for safety, depend upon it."

  "Oh! I will be strangely ignorant," replied Barecolt; "but I thought Iheard you talk of papers in those bags, sir. The sea is a more quietplace at the bottom than at the top."

  "Right! right!" cried Colonel Ashburnham. "Hand me thatgrappling-iron, my man," he continued, speaking to one of the sailors.

  The man obeyed; and fastening one of the leathern bags he had broughtwith him to the hook of the iron, Colonel Ashburnham pitched them bothinto the sea together, just as the boat ran alongside the cutter.