Mr. Midshipman Easy

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER FORTY.

  IN WHICH THERE IS ANOTHER SLIGHT DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THOSE WHOSHOULD BE FRIENDS.

  The two lateen vessels proved of considerable value, being laden withcopper, hides, and cochineal. The galliot was laden with sweet oil, andwas also no despicable prize. At daylight they were all ready, and, tothe mortification of the good people of Malaga, sailed away to theeastward without interruption.

  "Me tink we do dat job pretty well, Massa Easy," observed Mesty, as helaid the breakfast table.

  "Nothing like trying," replied Gascoigne; "I'm sure when we stood intothe bay I would have sold all my prize-money for a doubloon. How do Ishare, Jack?"

  "Only as one of the crew, Ned, for you are a supernumerary, and ourarticles and agreement for prize-money were signed previous to oursailing."

  "I ought to share with Mr Oxbelly's class by rights," repliedGascoigne. "That would be to take half my prize-money away. I shallwant it all, Mr Gascoigne, to pacify my wife for giving her the slip."

  "Ah, very well; I'll get all I can."

  For ten days they ran down the coast, going much too fast for the wishesof the crew, who were anxious to make more money. They seized a fishingboat and put on board of her the four prisoners, whom they had found inthe vessels, and arrived off Barcelona, without falling in with friendor foe. The next morning, the wind being very light, they discovered alarge vessel at daylight astern of them to the westward, and soon madeher out to be a frigate. She made all sail in chase, but that gave themvery little uneasiness, as they felt assured that she was a Britishcruiser. One fear, however, came over them, that she would, if she cameup with them, impress a portion of their men.

  "As certainly as I'm here, and Mrs Oxbelly's at Southsea," saidOxbelly, "they'll take some of the men--the more so as, supposing us tobe a Spanish convoy, they will be disappointed."

  "They will hardly take them out of the prizes," observed Easy.

  "I don't know that; men must be had for his Majesty's service somehow.It's not their fault, Mr Easy--the navy must be manned, and as thingsare so, so things must be. It's the king's prerogative, Mr Easy, andwe cannot fight the battles of the country without it."

  "Yes," replied Gascoigne, "and although, as soon as the services ofseamen are no longer wanted, you find that there are demagogues on shorewho exclaim against impressment, they are quiet enough on the point whenthey know that their lives and property depend upon sailors' exertions."

  "Very true, Mr Gascoigne, but it's not our fault if we are obliged totake men by force; it's the fault of those who do not legislate so as toprevent the necessity. Mrs Oxbelly used to say that she would easilymanage the matter if she were Chancellor of the Exchequer."

  "I dare say Mrs Oxbelly would make a very good Chancellor of theExchequer," replied Gascoigne, smiling; "one thing is certain, that ifthey gave the subject half the consideration they have others of lessmagnitude, an arrangement might be made by which his Majesty's navywould never be short of men."

  "No doubt, no doubt, Mr Gascoigne; but nevertheless, the king'sprerogative must never be given up."

  "Then I agree with you, Mr Oxbelly; it _must be held_ in case of suddenemergency and absolute need."

  "We'll argue that point by-and-bye," replied Jack; "now let us consultas to our measures. My opinion is, that if I made more sail we shouldbeat the frigate, but she would come up with the prizes."

  "That's the best thing we can do, Mr Easy; but let us send a boat onboard of them, and take out all the men that can possibly be spared,that there may be no excuse for impressing them."

  "Yes," replied Gascoigne; "and as the wind is falling it is possible itmay fall calm, and they may send their boats; suppose we separate a mileor two from each other."

  "Dat very good advice, Massa Gascoigne," observed Mesty.

  This plan was acted upon; only three men were left in the lateens, andfour in the galliot, and the vessels, in obedience to the orders,sheered off on both sides of the _Rebiera_, who made all sail andstarted ahead of the prizes. This manoeuvre was perceived on board ofthe frigate, and made them sure that it was a Spanish convoy attemptingto escape. The fire-engine was got on deck, sails wetted, and everyexertion made to come up. But about four o'clock in the afternoon, whenthe frigate was eight or nine miles off, it fell calm, as Gascoigne hadpredicted, and the heads of all the vessels, as well as the frigate,were now round the compass.

  "There's out boats," said Mr Oxbelly; "they will have a long pull, andall for nothing."

  "How savage they will be!" observed Gascoigne.

  "Never mind that," replied Jack; "Mesty says that dinner is ready."

  After dinner, they all went on deck, and found that the boats hadseparated, one pulling for each of the prizes, and two for the_Rebiera_. In less than an hour they would probably be alongside.

  "And now let us decide how we are to act. We must not resist, if theyattempt to impress the men?"

  "I've been thinking upon that matter, Mr Easy, and it appears to methat the men must be permitted to act as they please, and that we mustbe neuter. I, as a lieutenant in his Majesty's service, cannot ofcourse act, neither can Mr Gascoigne. You are not in the service, butI should recommend you to do the same. That the men have a right toresist, if possible, is admitted; they always do so, and never arepunished for so doing. Under the guns of the frigate, of course, weshould only have to submit; but those two boats do not contain more thantwenty-five men, I should think, and our men are the stronger party. Wehad better leave it to them, and stand neuter."

  "Dat very good advice," said Mesty; "leab it to us;" and Mesty walkedaway forward where the seamen were already in consultation.

  Jack also agreed to the prudence of this measure, and he perceived thatthe seamen, after a consultation with Mesty, were all arming themselvesfor resistance.

  The boats were now close on board, and English colours were hoisted atthe gaff. This did not, however, check the impetus of the boats, which,with their ensigns trailing in the still water astern of them, dashedalongside, and an officer leaped on board, cutlass in hand, followed bythe seamen of the frigate. The men of the _Rebiera_ remained collectedforward--Easy, Gascoigne, and Oxbelly aft.

  "What vessel is this?" cried the lieutenant who commanded the boats.

  Jack, with the greatest politeness, took off his hat, and told him thatit was the _Rebiera_ letter of marque, and that the papers were readyfor his inspection.

  "And the other vessels?"

  "Prizes to the _Rebiera_, cut out of Malaga Bay," replied Jack.

  "Then you are a privateer," observed the disappointed officer. "Whereare your papers?"

  "Mr Oxbelly, oblige me by bringing them up," said Jack.

  "Fat Jack of the bone house," observed the lieutenant, looking atOxbelly.

  "A lieutenant in his Majesty's service, of longer standing thanyourself, young man," replied Oxbelly firmly;--"and who, if he evermeets you in any other situation--will make you answer for your insolentremark."

  "Indeed!" observed the lieutenant ironically; "now, if you had said youwere once a boatswain or gunner."

  "Consider yourself kicked," roared Oxbelly, losing his temper.

  "Hey day! why, you old porpoise!"

  "Sir," observed Jack, who listened with indignation, "Mr Oxbelly is alieutenant in his Majesty's service, and you have no right to insulthim, even if he were not."

  "I presume you are all officers," replied the lieutenant.

  "I am, sir," retorted Gascoigne, "an officer in his Majesty's service,and on board of this vessel by permission of Captain Sawbridge of the_Latona_."

  "And I was, until a few months ago, sir," continued Jack; "at present Iam captain and owner of this vessel--but here are the papers. You willhave no obstruction from us in the execution of your duty--at the sametime, I call upon the two young gentlemen by your side, and your ownmen, to bear witness to what takes place."

  "Oh, very well, sir--just as you please. Your papers I perceive
are allright. Now you will oblige me by mustering your men."

  "Certainly, sir," replied Jack; "send all the men aft to muster, MrOxbelly."

  The men came aft to the mainmast, with Mesty at their head, and answeredto their names. As the men passed over, the lieutenant made apencil-mark against ten of them, who appeared the finest seamen; and,when the roll had been called, he ordered those men to get their bagsand go into the boat.

  "Sir, as you must observe, I am short-handed, with my men away inprizes; and I, as commander of this vessel, protest against thisproceeding: if you insist upon taking them, of course I can do nothing,"observed Jack.

  "I do insist, sir; I'm not going on board empty-handed, at all events."

  "Well, sir, I can say no more," said Jack, walking aft to the taffrail,to which Oxbelly and Gascoigne had retreated.

  "Come, my lads, get those men in the boat," said the lieutenant.

  But the men had all retreated forward in a body, with Mesty at theirhead, and had armed themselves. Some of the seamen of the frigate hadgone forward, in obedience to their officer, to lead the men selectedinto the boat; but they were immediately desired to keep back. Thescuffle forward attracted the notice of the lieutenant, who immediatelysummoned all his men out of the boats.

  "Mutiny, by heavens! Come up, all of you, my lads."

  Mesty then came forward, with a sabre in one hand and a pistol in theother, and thus addressed the seamen of the frigate:

  "I tell you dis, my lads--you not so strong as we--you not got betterarms--we not under gun of frigate now, and we ab determination not to goboard. 'Pose you want us, come take us--'pose you can. By all depower, but we make mince-meat of you, anyhow."

  The seamen paused--they were ready to fight for their country, but notto be killed by or kill those who were their own countrymen, and whowere doing exactly what they would have done themselves. The lieutenantthought otherwise; he was exasperated at this sensation.

  "You black scoundrel, I left you out because I thought you not worthhaving, but now I'll add you to the number."

  "Stop a little," replied Mesty.

  The lieutenant would not take the Ashantee's very prudent advice; heflew forward to seize Mesty, who striking him a blow with the flat ofhis sabre, almost levelled him to the deck. At this the men and otherofficers of the frigate darted forward; but after a short scuffle, inwhich a few wounds were received, were beaten back into the boats. Thelieutenant was thrown in after them, by the nervous arm of Mesty--and,assailed by cold shot and other missiles, they sheered off withprecipitation, and pulled back in the direction of the frigate.

  "There will be a row about this," said Oxbelly, "as soon as they comeclear of the vessel. If the frigate gets hold of us she will show us nomercy. There is a breeze coming from the north-west. How fortunate! weshall be three leagues to windward, and may escape."

  "I doubt if she could catch us at any point of sailing: they may come upwith the prizes, but can do nothing with them."

  "No, the boats which boarded them are already returned to the frigate;she must wait for them, and that will give us a start and it will benight before they can even make sail."

  "Fire a gun for the prizes to close," said Jack; "we will put the men onboard again, and then be off to Palermo as fast as we can."

  "We can do no better," said Oxbelly. "If ever I chance to meet thatfellow again, I will trouble him to repeat his words. Trim the sails,my lads."

  "His language was unpardonable," observed Jack.

  "Since I've been in the service, Mr Easy, I have always observed thatsome officers appear to imagine that, because they are under the king'spennant, they are warranted in insulting and tyrannising over all thosewho have not the honour to hoist it; whereas the very fact of theirbeing king's officers should be an inducement to them to show an exampleof courtesy and gentlemanly conduct in the execution of their duty,however unpleasant it may be."

  "It is only those who, insignificant themselves, want to make themselvesof importance by the pennant they serve under," replied our hero.

  "Very true, Mr Easy; but you are not aware that a great part of theill-will shown to the service, is owing to the insolence of those youngmen in office. The king's name is a warrant for every species oftyranny and unwarrantable conduct. I remember Mrs Oxbelly telling oneof them, when--"

  "I beg your pardon, Mr Oxbelly," interrupted Jack, "but we have no timeto chat now; the breeze is coming down fast, and I perceive the prizesare closing. Let us lower down the boat, send the men on board again,and give them their orders--which I will do in writing, in case theypart company."

  "Very true, sir. It will be dark in half an hour, and as we are nowstanding inshore, they will think that we intend to remain on the coast.As soon as it is quite dark we will shape our course for Palermo. Iwill go down and look at the chart."