The Two Admirals

by James Fenimore Cooper

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  "Yet weep not thou--the struggle is not o'er, O victors of Philippi! many a field Hath yielded palms to us:--one effort more, By one stern conflict must our fate be sealed."

  MRS. HEMANS.

  As soon as the people of the Plantagenet, who had so far trespassed ondiscipline, when they perceived a man hanging at the end of thestudding-sail-boom, as to appear in the rigging, on the booms, and onthe guns, to watch the result, saw the stranger safely landed on thepoop, they lifted their hats and caps, and, as one voice, greeted himwith three cheers. The officers smiled at this outbreak of feeling, andthe violation of usage was forgotten; the rigid discipline of aman-of-war even, giving way occasionally to the sudden impulses ofnatural feeling.

  As the Druid approached the flag-ship, Captain Blewet had appeared inher weather mizzen-rigging, conning his vessel in person; and the orderto luff, or keep off, had been given by his own voice, or by a gestureof his own hand. As soon as he saw Wycherly's feet on the poop of thePlantagenet, and his active form freed from the double-bowline, in whichit had been seated, the captain made a wide sweep of the arm, to denotehis desire to edge away; the helm of the frigate was borne up hard, and,as the two-decker surged ahead on the bosom of a sea, the Druid's bowswere knocked off to leeward, leaving a space of about a hundred feet, ormore, between the two ships, as it might be, in an instant. The samecauses continuing to operate, the Plantagenet drove still farther ahead,while the frigate soon came to the wind again, a cable's-length toleeward, and abreast of the space between the admiral and his second,astern. Here, Captain Blewet seemed disposed to wait for further orders.

  Sir Gervaise Oakes was not accustomed to betray any surprise he mightfeel at little events that occurred on duty. He returned the bow ofWycherly, coolly, and then, without question or play of feature, turnedhis eyes on the further movements of the Druid. Satisfied that all wasright with the frigate, he directed the messenger to follow him, andwent below himself, leaving Wycherly to obey as fast as the manyinquiries he had to answer as he descended the ladders would allow.Atwood, an interested observer of what had passed, noted that CaptainGreenly, of all present, was the only person who seemed indifferent tothe nature of the communication the stranger might bring, though perhapsthe only one entitled by rank to put an interrogatory.

  "You have come aboard of us in a novel and extraordinary mode, SirWycherly Wychecombe!" observed the vice-admiral, a little severely, assoon as he found himself in his own cabin, alone with the lieutenant.

  "It was the plan of Captain Blewet, sir, and was really the only onethat seemed likely to succeed, for a boat could scarcely live. I trustthe success of the experiment, and the nature of the communications Imay bring, will be thought sufficient excuses for the want of ceremony."

  "It is the first time, since the days of the Conqueror, I fancy, that anEnglish vice-admiral's ship has been boarded so cavalierly; but, as yousay, the circumstances may justify the innovation. What is your errand,sir?"

  "This letter, I presume, Sir Gervaise, will explain itself. I havelittle to say in addition, except to report that the Druid has sprungher foremast in carrying sail to close with you, and that we have notlost a moment since Admiral Bluewater ordered us to part company withhimself."

  "You sailed on board the Caesar, then?" asked Sir Gervaise, a great dealmollified by the zeal for service in a youth, situated ashore, as heknew Wycherly to be. "You left her, with this letter?"

  "I did, Sir Gervaise, at Admiral Bluewater's command."

  "Did you go aboard the Druid boom-fashion, or was that peculiar stylereserved for the commander-in-chief?"

  "I left the Caesar in a boat, Sir Gervaise; and though we were muchnearer in with the coast, where the wind has not the rake it has here,and the strength of the gale had not then come, we were nearly swamped."

  "If a true Virginian, you would not have drowned, Wychecombe," answeredthe vice-admiral, in better humour. "You Americans swim like cork.Excuse me, while I read what Admiral Bluewater has to say."

  Sir Gervaise had received Wycherly in the great cabin, standing at thetable which was lashed in its centre. He would have been puzzledhimself, perhaps, to have given the real reason why he motioned to theyoung man to take a chair, while he went into what he called his"drawing-room;" or the beautiful little apartment between the twostate-rooms, aft, which was fitted with an elegance that might have beenadmired in a more permanent dwelling, and whither he always withdrewwhen disposed to reflection. It was probably connected, however, with alatent apprehension of the rear-admiral's political bias, for, when byhimself, he paused fully a minute before he opened the letter.Condemning this hesitation as unmanly, he broke the seal, however, andread the contents of a letter, which was couched in the following terms:

  "My dear Oakes:--Since we parted, my mind has undergone some violent misgivings as to the course duty requires of me, in this great crisis. One hand--one heart--one voice even, may decide the fate of England! In such circumstances, all should listen to the voice of conscience, and endeavour to foresee the consequences of their own acts. Confidential agents are in the west of England, and one of them I have seen. By his communications I find more depends on myself than I could have imagined, and more on the movements of M. de Vervillin. Do not be too sanguine--take time for your own decisions, and grant _me_ time; for I feel like a wretch whose fate must soon be sealed. On no account engage, because you think this division near enough to sustain you, but at least keep off until you hear from me more positively, or we can meet. I find it equally hard to strike a blow against my rightful prince, or to desert my friend. For God's sake act prudently, and depend on seeing me in the course of the next twenty-four hours. I shall keep well to the eastward, in the hope of falling in with you, as I feel satisfied de Vervillin has nothing to do very far west. I may send some verbal message by the bearer, for my thoughts come sluggishly, and with great reluctance.

  "Ever _yours_, "RICHARD BLUEWATER."

  Sir Gervaise Oakes read this letter twice with great deliberation; thenhe crushed it in his hand, as one would strangle a deadly serpent. Notsatisfied with this manifestation of distaste, he tore the letter intopieces so small as to render it impossible to imagine its contents,opened a cabin-window, and threw the fragments into the ocean. When hefancied that every sign of his friend's weakness had thus beendestroyed, he began to pace the cabin in his usual manner. Wycherlyheard his step, and wondered at the delay; but his duty compelled him topass an uncomfortable half-hour in silence, ere the door opened, and SirGervaise appeared. The latter had suppressed the signs of distress,though the lieutenant could perceive he was unusually anxious.

  "Did the rear-admiral send any message, Sir Wycherly?" inquired SirGervaise; "in his letter he would seem to refer me to some verbalexplanations from yourself."

  "I am ashamed to say, sir, none that I can render very intelligible.Admiral Bluewater, certainly, did make a few communications that I wasto repeat, but when we had parted, by some extraordinary dullness of myown I fear, I find it is out of my power to give them any very greatdistinctness or connection."

  "Perhaps the fault is less your own, sir, than his. Bluewater isaddicted to fits of absence of mind, and then he has no reason tocomplain that others do not understand him, for he does not alwaysunderstand himself."

  Sir Gervaise said this with a little glee, delighted at finding hisfriend had not committed himself to his messenger. The latter, however,was less disposed to excuse himself by such a process, inasmuch as hefelt certain that the rear-admiral's feelings were in the matter hecommunicated, let the manner have been what it might.

  "I do not think we can attribute any thing to Admiral Bluewater'sabsence of mind, on this occasion, sir," answered Wycherly, withgenerous frankness. "His feelings appeared to be strongly enlisted inwhat he said. It might have been owing to the strength of these feelingsthat he was a little obscure, but it
could not have been owing toindifference."

  "I shall best understand the matter, then, by hearing what he did say,sir."

  Wycherly paused, and endeavoured to recall what had passed, in a way tomake it intelligible.

  "I was frequently told to caution you not to engage the French, sir,until the other division had closed, and was ready to assist. But,really, whether this was owing to some secret information that therear-admiral had obtained, or to a natural desire to have a share in thebattle, is more than I can say."

  "Each may have had its influence. Was any allusion made to secretintelligence, that you name it?"

  "I never felt more cause to be ashamed of my own dullness, than at thispresent moment, Sir Gervaise Oakes," exclaimed Wycherly, who almostwrithed under the awkwardness of his situation; for he really began tosuspect that his own personal grounds of unhappiness had induced him toforget some material part of his message;--"recent events ashore, hadperhaps disqualified me for this duty."

  "It is natural it should be so, my young friend; and as I am acquaintedwith them all, you can rest satisfied with my indulgence."

  "All! no--Sir Gervaise, you know not half--but, I forget myself, sir,and beg your pardon."

  "I have no wish to pry into your secrets, Sir Wycherly Wychecombe, andwe will drop the subject. You may say, however, if the rear-admiral wasin good spirits--as an English seaman is apt to be, with the prospect ofa great battle before him."

  "I thought not, Sir Gervaise. Admiral Bluewater to me seemed sad, if Imay presume to mention it--almost to tears, I thought, sir, one ortwice."

  "Poor Dick!" mentally ejaculated the vice-admiral; "he never could havemade up his mind to desert _me_ without great anguish of soul. Was thereany thing said," speaking aloud, "about the fleet of M. de Vervillin?"

  "Certainly a good deal, sir; and yet am I ashamed to say, I scarce knowwhat! Admiral Bluewater appeared to think the Comte de Vervillin had nointention to strike a blow at any of our colonies, and with this heseemed to connect the idea that there would be less necessity for ourengaging him. At all events, I cannot be mistaken in his wish that youwould keep off, sir, until he could close."

  "Ay, and you see how instinctively I have answered to his wishes!" saidSir Gervaise, smiling a little bitterly. "Nevertheless, had the rear ofthe fleet been up this morning, Sir Wycherly, it might have been aglorious day for England!"

  "It _has_ been a glorious day, as it is, sir. We, in the Druid, saw itall; and there was not one among us that did not exult in the name ofEnglishman!"

  "What, even to the Virginian, Wychecombe!" rejoined Sir Gervaise,greatly gratified with the natural commendation conveyed in the mannerand words of the other, and looking in a smiling, friendly manner, atthe young man. "I was afraid the hits you got in Devonshire might haveinduced you to separate your nationality from that of old England."

  "Even to the Virginian, Sir Gervaise. You have been in the colonies,sir, and must know we do not merit all that we sometimes receive, onthis side of the Atlantic. The king has no subjects more loyal thanthose of America."

  "I am fully aware of it, my noble lad, and have told the king as much,with my own mouth. But think no more of this. If your old uncle did giveyou an occasional specimen of true John Bullism, he has left you anhonourable title and a valuable estate. I shall see that Greenly finds aberth for you, and you will consent to mess with me, I hope. I trustsome time to see you at Bowldero. At present we will go on deck; and ifany thing that Admiral Bluewater has said _should_ recur to your mindmore distinctly, you will not forget to let me know it."

  Wycherly now bowed and left the cabin, while Sir Gervaise sat down andwrote a note to Greenly to request that he would look a little after thecomfort of the young man. The latter then went on deck, in person.Although he endeavoured to shake off the painful doubts that beset him,and to appear as cheerful as became an officer who had just performed abrilliant exploit, the vice-admiral found it difficult to conceal theshock he had received from Bluewater's communication. Certain as he feltof striking a decisive blow at the enemy, could he be reinforced withthe five ships of the rear division, he would cheerfully forego thetriumph of such additional success, to be certain his friend did notintend to carry his disaffection to overt acts. He found it hard tobelieve that a man like Bluewater could really contemplate carrying offwith him the ships he commanded; yet he knew the authority his friendwielded over his captains, and the possibility of such a step wouldpainfully obtrude itself on his mind, at moments. "When a man canpersuade himself into all the nonsense connected with the _jusdivinum_," thought Sir Gervaise, "it is doing no great violence tocommon sense to persuade himself into all its usually admittedconsequences." Then, again, would interpose his recollections ofBluewater's integrity and simplicity of character, to reassure him, andgive him more cheering hopes for the result. Finding himself thusvacillating between hope and dread, the commander-in-chief determined todrive the matter temporarily from his mind, by bestowing his attentionon the part of the fleet he had with him. Just as this wise resolutionwas formed, both Greenly and Wycherly appeared on the poop.

  "I am glad to see you with a hungry look, Greenly," cried Sir Gervaise,cheerfully; "here has Galleygo just been to report his breakfast, and,as I know your cabin has not been put in order since the people left theguns, I hope for the pleasure of your company. Sir Wycherly, my gallantyoung Virginian, here, will take the third chair, I trust, and then ourparty will be complete."

  The two gentlemen assenting, the vice-admiral was about to lead the waybelow, when suddenly arresting his footsteps, on the poop-ladder, hesaid--

  "Did you not tell me, Wychecombe, that the Druid had sprung herforemast?"

  "Badly, I believe, Sir Gervaise, in the hounds. Captain Blewet carriedon his ship fearfully, all night."

  "Ay, he's a fearful fellow with spars, that Tom Blewet. I never feltcertain of finding all the sticks in their places, on turning out of amorning, when he was with you as a lieutenant, Greenly. How manyjib-booms and top-gallant yards did he cost us, in that cruise off theCape of Good Hope? By George, it must have been a dozen, at least!"

  "Not quite as bad as that, Sir Gervaise, though he did expend twojib-booms and three top-gallant yards, for me. Captain Blewet has a fastship, and he wishes people to know it."

  "And he has sprung his foremast and he shall see _I_ know it! Harkee,Bunting, make the Druid's number to lie by the prize; and when that'sanswered, tell him to take charge of the Frenchman, and to wait forfurther orders. I'll send him to Plymouth to get a new foremast, and tosee the stranger in. By the way, does any body know the name of theFrenchman--hey! Greenly?"

  "I cannot tell you, Sir Gervaise, though some of our gentlemen think itis the ship that was the admiral's second ahead, in our brush off CapeFinisterre. I am not of the same opinion, however; for that vessel had abillet-head, and this has a woman figure-head, that looks a little likea Minerva. The French have a _la Minerve_, I think."

  "Not now, Greenly, if this be she, for she is _ours_." Here Sir Gervaiselaughed heartily at his own humour, and all near him joined in, as amatter of course. "But la Minerve has been a frigate time out of mind.The Goddess of Wisdom has never been fool enough to get into a line ofbattle when she has had it in her power to prevent it."

  "_We_ thought the figure-head of the prize a Venus, as we passed her inthe Druid," Wycherly modestly observed.

  "There is a way of knowing, and it shall be tried. When you've done withthe Druid, Bunting, make the prize's signal to repeat her name bytelegraph. You know how to make a prize's number, I suppose, when shehas none."

  "I confess I do not, Sir Gervaise," answered Bunting, who had shown byhis manner that he was at a loss. "Having no number in our books, onewould be at a stand how to get at her, sir."

  "How would _you_ do it, young man?" asked Sir Gervaise, who all thistime was hanging on to the man-rope of the poop-ladder. "Let us see howwell you've been taught, sir."

  "I believe it may be done in different modes, Sir Gervai
se," Wycherlyanswered, without any appearance of triumph at his superior readiness,"but the simplest I know is to hoist the French flag under the English,by way of saying for whom the signal is intended."

  "Do it, Bunting," continued Sir Gervaise, nodding his head as hedescended the ladder, "and I warrant you, Daly will answer. What sort ofwork he will make with the Frenchman's flags, is another matter. Idoubt, too, if he had the wit to carry one of our books with him, inwhich case he will be at a loss to read our signal. Try him, however,Bunting; an Irishman always has _something_ to say, though it be abull."

  This order given, Sir Gervaise descended to his cabin. In half an hourthe party was seated at table, as quietly as if nothing unusual hadoccurred that day.

  "The worst of these little brushes which lead to nothing, is that theyleave as strong a smell of gunpowder in your cabin, Greenly, as if awhole fleet had been destroyed," observed the vice-admiralgood-humouredly, as he began to help his guests. "I hope the odour wehave here will not disturb your appetites, gentlemen."

  "You do this day's success injustice, Sir Gervaise, in calling it only abrush," answered the captain, who, to say the truth, had fallen to asheartily upon the delicacies of Galleygo, as if he had not eaten intwenty-four hours. "At any rate, it has brushed the spars out of two ofking Louis's ships, and one of them into our hands; ay, and in a certainsense into our pockets."

  "Quite true, Greenly--quite true; but what would it have been if--"

  The sudden manner in which the commander-in-chief ceased speaking,induced his companions to think that he had met with some accident ineating or drinking; both looked earnestly at him, as if to offerassistance. He _was_ pale in the face, but he smiled, and otherwiseappeared at his ease.

  "It is over, gentlemen," said Sir Gervaise, gently--"we'll think no moreof it."

  "I sincerely hope you've not been hit, sir?" said Greenly. "I've knownmen hit, who did not discover that they were hurt until some suddenweakness has betrayed it."

  "I believe the French have let me off this time, my good friend--yes, Ithink Magrath will be plugging no shot-holes in my hull for this affair.Sir Wycherly, those eggs are from your own estate, Galleygo having laidthe manor under contribution for all sorts of good things. Try them,Greenly, as coming from our friend's property."

  "Sir Wycherly is a lucky fellow in _having_ an estate," said thecaptain. "Few officers of his rank can boast of such an advantage;though, now and then, an old one is better off."

  "That is true enough--hey! Greenly? The army fetches up most of thefortunes; for your rich fellows like good county quarters and countyballs. I was a younger brother when they sent _me_ to sea, but I becamea baronet, and a pretty warm one too, while yet a reefer. Poor Josselindied when I was only sixteen, and at seventeen they made me an officer."

  "Ay, and we like you all the better, Sir Gervaise, for not giving us upwhen the money came. Now Lord Morganic was a captain when _he_succeeded, and we think much less of that."

  "Morganic remains in service, to teach us how to stay top-masts andpaint figure-heads;" observed Sir Gervaise, a little drily. "And yet thefellow handled his ship well to-day; making much better weather of itthan I feared he would be able to do."

  "I hear we are likely to get another duke in the navy, sir; it's notoften we catch one of that high rank."

  Sir Gervaise cared much less for things of this sort than Bluewater, buthe naturally cast a glance at the speaker, as this was said, as much asto ask whom he meant.

  "They tell me, sir, that Lord Montresor, the elder brother of the boy inthe Caesar, is in a bad way, and Lord Geoffrey stands next to thesuccession. I think there is too much stuff in _him_ to quit us now heis almost fit to get his commission."

  "True, Bluewater has that boy of high hopes and promise with him, too;"answered Sir Gervaise in a musing manner, unconscious of what he said."God send he may not forget _that_, among other things!"

  "I don't think rank makes any difference with Admiral Bluewater, orCaptain Stowel. The nobles are worked up in their ship, as well as thehumblest reefer of them all. Here is Bunting, sir, to tell ussomething."'

  Sir Gervaise started from a fit of abstraction, and, turning, he saw hissignal-officer ready to report.

  "The Druid has answered properly, Sir Gervaise, and has already hauledup so close that I think she will luff through the line, though it maybe astern of the Carnatic."

  "And the prize, Bunting? Have you signalled the prize, as I told you todo?"

  "Yes, sir; and she has answered so properly that I make no question theprize-officer took a book with him. The telegraphic signal was answeredlike the other."

  "Well, what does he say? Have you found out the name of the Frenchman?"

  "That's the difficulty, sir; _we_ are understood, but Mr. Daly has shownsomething aboard the prize that the quarter-master swears is a paddy."

  "A paddy!--What, he hasn't had himself run up at a yard-arm, orstun'sail-boom end, has he--hey! Wychecombe? Daly's an Irishman, and hasonly to show _himself_ to show a paddy."

  "But this is a sort of an image of some kind or other, Sir Gervaise, andyet it isn't Mr. Daly. I rather think he hasn't the flags necessary forour words, and has rigged out a sort of a woman, to let us know hisship's name; for she _has_ a woman figure-head, you know, sir."

  "The devil he has! Well, that will form an era in signals. Galleygo,look out at the cabin window and let me know if you can see the prizefrom them--well, sir, what's the news?"

  "I sees her, Sir Jarvy," answered the steward, "and I sees her where noFrench ship as sails in company with British vessels has a right to be.If she's a fathom, your honour, she's fifty to windward of our line!Quite out of her place, as a body might say, and onreasonable."

  "That's owing to our having felled the forests of her masts, Mr.Galleygo; every spar that is left helping to put her where she is. Thatprize must be a weatherly ship, though, hey! Greenly? She and herconsort were well to windward of their own line, or we could never havegot 'em as we did. These Frenchmen _do_ turn off a weatherly vessel nowand then, that we must all admit."

  "Yes, Sir Jarvy," put in Galleygo, who never let the conversation flagwhen he was invited to take a part in it; "yes, Sir Jarvy, and whenthey've turned 'em off the stocks they turns 'em over to us, commonly,to sail 'em. Building a craft is one piece of knowledge, and sailing her_well_ is another."

  "Enough of your philosophy, sirrah; look and ascertain if there is anything unusual to be seen hanging in the rigging of the prize. Unless youshow more readiness, I'll send one of the Bowlderos to help you."

  These Bowlderos were the servants that Sir Gervaise brought with himfrom his house, having been born on his estate, and educated asdomestics in his own, or his father's family; and though long accustomedto a man-of-war, as their ambition never rose above their ordinaryservice, the steward held them exceedingly cheap. A severer punishmentcould not be offered him, than to threaten to direct one of these commonmenials to do any duty that, in the least, pertained to the profession.The present menace had the desired effect, Galleygo losing no time incritically examining the prize's rigging.

  "I calls nothing extr'ornary in a Frenchman's rigging, Sir Jarvy,"answered the steward, as soon as he felt sure of his fact; "theirdock-men have idees of their own, as to such things. Now there issum'mat hanging at the lee fore-yard-arm of that chap, that looks as ifit might be a top-gallant-stun'sail made up to be sent aloft and set,but which stopped when it got as high as it is, on finding out thatthere's no hamper over-head to spread it to."

  "That's it, sir," put in Bunting. "Mr. Daly has run his woman up to thefore-yard-arm, like a pirate."

  "Woman!" repeated Galleygo--"do you call that 'ere thing-um-mee a woman,Mr. Buntin'? I calls it a bundle of flags, made up to set, if there wasany thing to set 'em to."

  "It's nothing but an Irish woman, Master Galleygo, as you'll see foryourself, if you'll level this glass at it."

  "I'll do that office myself," cried Sir Gervaise. "Have you anycuriosity, gentlemen, t
o read Mr. Daly's signal? Galleygo, open thatweather window, and clear away the books and writing-desk, that we mayhave a look."

  The orders were immediately obeyed, and the vice-admiral was soon seatedexamining the odd figure that was certainly hanging at the leefore-yard-arm of the prize; a perfect nondescript as regarded allnautical experience.

  "Hang me, if I can make any thing of it. Greenly," said Sir Gervaise,after a long look. "Do _you_ take this seat, and try your hand at anobservation. It resembles a sort of a woman, sure enough."

  "Yes, sir," observed Bunting, with the earnestness of a man who felt hisreputation involved in the issue, "I was certain that Mr. Daly has runup the figure to let us know the name of the prize, and that for want ofa telegraph-book to signal the letters; and so I made sure of what I wasabout, before I took the liberty to come below and report."

  "And pray what do you make of it, Bunting? The figure-head might tell usbetter, but that seems to be imperfect."

  "The figure-head has lost all its bust, and one arm, by a shot," saidGreenly, turning the glass to the object named; "and I can tell Mr. Dalythat a part of the gammoning of his bowsprit is gone, too! That shiprequires looking to, Sir Gervaise; she'll have no foremast to-morrowmorning, if this wind stand! Another shot has raked the lower side ofher fore-top, and carried away half the frame. Yes, and there's been afellow at work, too--"

  "Never mind the shot--never mind the shot, Greenly," interrupted thevice-admiral. "A poor devil like him, couldn't have six of us at him, atonce, and expect to go 'shot free.' Tell us something of the woman."

  "Well, Sir Gervaise, no doubt Daly has hoisted her as a symbol. Ay, nodoubt the ship is the Minerva, after all, for there's something on thehead like a helmet."

  "It never can be the Minerva," said the vice-admiral, positively, "for_she_, I feel certain, is a frigate. Hand me the little book with a redcover, Bunting; that near your hand; it has a list of the enemy's navy.Here it is, '_la Minerve_, 32, _le capitaine de fregate, Mondon_. Builtin 1733, old and dull.' That settles the Minerva, for this list is thelast sent us by the admiralty."

  "Then it must be the Pallas," rejoined Greenly, "for she wears a helmet,too, and I am certain there is not only a cap to resemble a helmet, buta Guernsey frock on the body to represent armour. Both Minerva andPallas, if I remember right, wore armour."

  "This is coming nearer to the point,--hey! Greenly!" the vice-admiralinnocently chimed in; "let us look and see if the Pallas is a two-deckeror not. By George, there's no such name on the list. That's odd, now,that the French should have one of these goddesses and not the other!"

  "They never has any thing right, Sir Jarvy," Galleygo thrust in, by wayof commentary on the vice-admiral's and the captain's classical lore;"and it's surprising to me that they should have any goddess at all,seeing that they has so little respect for religion, in general."

  Wycherly fidgeted, but respect for his superiors kept him silent. As forBunting, 'twas all the same to him, his father having been a purser inthe navy, and he himself educated altogether on board ship, and this,too, a century since.

  "It might not be amiss, Sir Gervaise," observed the captain, "to workthis rule backwards, and just look over the list until we find atwo-decked ship that _ought_ to have a woman figure-head, which willgreatly simplify the matter. I've known difficult problems solved inthat mode."

  The idea struck Sir Gervaise as a good one, and he set about theexecution of the project in good earnest. Just as he came to _l'Hecate_,64, an exclamation from Greenly caught his attention, and he inquiredits cause.

  "Look for yourself, Sir Gervaise; unless my eyes are good for nothing,Daly is running a kedge up alongside of his woman."

  "What, a kedge?--Ay, that is intended for an anchor, and it means Hope.Every body knows that Hope carries an anchor,--hey! Wychecombe? Upon myword, Daly shows ingenuity. Look for the Hope, in that list,Bunting,--you will find the English names printed first, in the end ofthe book."

  "'The Hope, or _l' Esperance_,'" read the signal-officer; "'36, _leecapitang dee frigate dee Courtraii_.'"

  "A single-decked ship after all! This affair is as bad as the d----d_nullus_, ashore, there. I'll not be beaten in learning, however, by anyFrenchman who ever floated. Go below, Locker, and desire Doctor Magrathto step up here, if he is not occupied with the wounded. He knows moreLatin than any man in the ship."

  "Yes, Sir Jarvy, but this is French, you knows, your honour, and is'ntas Latin, at all. I expects she'll turn out to have some name as nomodest person wishes to use, and we shall have to halter it."

  "Ay, he's catted his anchor, sure enough; if the figure be not Hope, itmust be Faith, or Charity."

  "No fear of them, Sir Jarvy; the French has no faith, nor no charity,no, nor no bowels, as any poor fellow knows as has ever been wrecked ontheir coast, as once happened to me, when a b'y. I looks upon 'em as nobetter than so many heatheners, and perhaps that's the name of the ship.I've seed heatheners, a hundred times, Sir Jarvy, in that sort oftoggery."

  "What, man, did you ever see a heathen with an anchor?--one that willweigh three hundred, if it will weigh a pound?"

  "Perhaps not, your honour, with a downright hanchor, but with sum'matlike a killog. But, that's no hanchor, a'ter all, but only a kedge,catted hanchor-fashion, sir."

  "Here comes Magrath, to help us out of the difficulty; and we'llpropound the matter to him."

  The vice-admiral now explained the whole affair to the surgeon, franklyadmitting that the classics of the cabin were at fault, and throwinghimself on the gun-room for assistance. Magrath was not a little amused,as he listened, for this was one of his triumphs, and he chuckled not alittle at the dilemma of his superiors.

  "Well, Sir Jairvis," he answered, "ye might do warse than call a councilo' war on the matter; but if it's the name ye'll be wanting, I can helpye to that, without the aids of symbols, and signs, and hyeroglyphics ofany sort. As we crossed the vessel's wake, a couple of hours since, Iread it on her stern, in letters of gold. It's _la Victoire_, or theVictory; a most unfortunate cognomen for an unlucky ship. She's a Frenchvictory, however, ye'll remember, gentlemen!"

  "That must be a mistake, Magrath; for Daly has shown an anchor, yonder;and Victory carries no anchor."

  "It's hard to say, veece-admiral, one man's victory being another man'sdefeat. As for Mr. Daly's image, it's just an _Irish_ goddess; andallowances must be made for the country."

  Sir Gervaise laughed, invited the gentlemen to help demolish thebreakfast, and sent orders on deck to hoist the answering flag. At alater day, Daly, when called on for an explanation, asserted that thearmour and helmet belonged to Victory, as a matter of course; though headmitted that he had at first forgotten the anchor; "but, when I _did_run it up, they read it aboard the ould Planter, as if it had been justso much primmer."