CHAPTER XXVII.
"_Thou_ shouldst have died, O high-soul'd chief! In those bright days of glory fled, When triumph so prevailed o'er grief, We scarce would mourn the dead."
MRS. HEMANS.
The eventful day opened with most of the glories of a summer's morning.The wind alone prevented it from being one of the finest sun-risings ofJuly. That continued fresh, at north-west, and, consequently, cool forthe season. The seas of the south-west gale had entirely subsided, andwere already succeeded by the regular but comparatively trilling swellof the new breeze. For large ships, it might be called smooth water;though the Driver and Active showed by their pitching and unsteadiness,and even the two-deckers, by their waving masts, that the unquiet oceanwas yet in motion. The wind seemed likely to stand, and was what seamenwould be apt to call a good six-knot breeze.
To leeward, still distant about a league, lay the French vessels, drawnup in beautiful array, and in an order so close, and a line so regular,as to induce the belief that M. de Vervillin had made his dispositionsto receive the expected attack, in his present position. All hismain-top-sails lay flat aback; the top-gallant-sails were flying loose,but with buntlings and clew-lines hauled up; the jibs were fluttering toleeward of their booms, and the courses were hanging in festoons beneaththeir yards. This was gallant fighting-canvass, and it excited theadmiration of even his enemies. To increase this feeling, just as SirGervaise's foot reached the poop, the whole French line displayed theirensigns, and _le Foudroyant_ fired a gun to windward.
"Hey! Greenly?" exclaimed the English commander-in-chief; "this is amanly defiance, and coming from M. de Vervillin, it means something! Hewishes to take the day for it; though, as I think half that time willanswer, we will wash up the cups before we go at it. Make the signals,Bunting, for the ships to heave-to, and then to get their breakfasts, asfast as possible. Steady breeze--steady breeze, Greenly, and all wewant!"
Five minutes later, while Sir Gervaise was running his eye over thesignal-book, the Plantagenet's calls were piping the people to theirmorning meal, at least an hour earlier than common; the people repairedto their messes, with a sort of stern joy; every man in the shipunderstanding the reason of a summons so unusual. The calls of thevessels astern were heard soon after, and one of the officers who waswatching the enemy with a glass, reported that he thought the Frenchwere breakfasting, also. Orders being given to the officers to employthe next half hour in the same manner, nearly everybody was soon engagedin eating; few thinking that the meal might probably be their last. SirGervaise felt a concern, which he succeeded in concealing, however, atthe circumstance that the ships to windward made no more sail; though herefrained from signalling the rear-admiral to that effect, fromtenderness to his friend, and a vague apprehension of what might be theconsequences. While the crews were eating, he stood gazing,thoughtfully, at the noble spectacle the enemy offered, to leeward,occasionally turning wistful glances at the division that was constantlydrawing nearer to windward. At length Greenly, himself, reported thatthe Plantagenet had "turned the hands-to," again. At this intelligence,Sir Gervaise started, as from a reverie, smiled, and spoke. We will hereremark, that now, as on the previous day, all the natural excitabilityof manner had disappeared from the commander-in-chief, and he was quiet,and exceedingly gentle in his deportment. This, all who knew him,understood to denote a serious determination to engage.
"I have desired Galleygo to set my little table, half an hour hence, inthe after-cabin, Greenly, and you will share the meal with me. SirWycherly will be of our party, and I hope it will not be the last timewe may meet at the same board. It is necessary every thing should be infighting-order to-day!"
"So I understand it, Sir Gervaise. We are ready to begin, as soon as theorder shall be received."
"Wait one moment until Bunting comes up from his breakfast. Ah! here heis, and we are quite ready for him, having bent-on the signal in hisabsence. Show the order, Bunting; for the day advances."
The little flags were fluttering at the main-top-gallant-mast-head ofthe Plantagenet in less than one minute, and in another it was repeatedby the Chloe, Driver, and Active, all of which were lying-to, a quarterof a mile to windward, charged in particular with this, among otherduties. So well was this signal known, that not a book in the fleet wasconsulted, but all the ships answered, the instant the flags could beseen and understood. Then the shrill whistles were heard along the line,calling "All hands" to "clear ship for action, ahoy!"
No sooner was this order given in the Plantagenet, than the ship becamea scene of active but orderly exertion. The top-men were on the yards,stoppering, swinging the yards in chains, and lashing, in order toprevent shot from doing more injury than was unavoidable; bulwarks wereknocked down; mess-chest, bags, and all other domestic appliances,disappeared _below_,[3] and the decks were cleared of every thing whichcould be removed, and which would not be necessary in an engagement.Fully a quarter of an hour was thus occupied, for there was no haste,and as it was no moment of mere parade, it was necessary that the workshould be effectually done. The officers forbade haste, and nothingimportant was reported as effected, that some one in authority did notexamine with his own eyes, to see that no proper care had beenneglected. Then Mr. Bury, the first lieutenant, went on the main-yard,in person, to look at the manner in which it had been slung, while hesent the boatswain up forward, on the same errand. These were unusualprecautions, but the word had passed through the ship "that Sir Jarvywas in earnest;" and whenever it was known that "Sir Jarvy" was in sucha humour, every one understood that the day's work was to be hard, ifnot long.
[Footnote 3: In the action of the Nile, many of the French ships, underthe impression that the enemy _must_ engage on the _outside_, put theirlumber, bags, &c., into the ports, and between the guns, in thelarboard, or _inshore_ batteries; and when the British anchored_inshore_ of them, these batteries could not be used.]
"Our breakfast is ready, Sir Jarvy," reported Galleygo, "and as thedecks is all clear, the b'ys can make a clean run of it from thecoppers. I only wants to know when to serve it, your honour."
"Serve it now, my good fellow. Tell the Bowlderos to be nimble, andexpect us below. Come, Greenly--come, Wychecombe--we are the last toeat--let us not be the last at our stations."
"Ship's clear, sir," reported Bury to his captain, as the three reachedthe quarter-deck, on their way to the cabin.
"Very well, Bury; when the fleet is signalled to go to quarters, we willobey with the rest."
As this was said, Greenly looked at the vice-admiral to catch hiswishes. But Sir Gervaise had no intention of fatiguing his peopleunnecessarily. He had left his private orders with Bunting, and hepassed down without an answer or a glance. The arrangements in theafter-cabin were as snug and as comfortable as if the breakfast-tablehad been set in a private house, and the trio took their seats andcommenced operations with hearty good will. The vice-admiral ordered thedoors thrown open, and as the port-lids were up, from the place where hesat he could command glimpses, both to leeward and to windward, thatincluded a view of the enemy, as well as one of his own expectedreinforcements. The Bowlderos were in full livery, and more active andattentive than usual even. Their station in battle--for no man on boarda vessel of war is an "_idler_" in a combat--was on the poop, asmusketeers, near the person of their master, whose colours they wore,under the ensign of their prince, like vassals of an ancient baron.Notwithstanding the crisis of the morning, however, these men performedtheir customary functions with the precision and method of Englishmenials, omitting no luxury or usage of the table. On a sofa behind thetable, was spread the full dress-coat of a vice-admiral, then a neat butplain uniform, without either lace or epaulettes, but decorated with arich star in brilliants, the emblem of the order of the Bath. This coatSir Gervaise always wore in battle, unless the weather rendered a"storm-uniform," as he used to term a plainer attire, necessary.
The breakfast passed off pleasantly, the gentlemen eating as if nomomentous events
were near. Just at its close, however, Sir Gervaiseleaned forward, and looking through one of the weather-ports of themain-cabin, an expression of pleasure illuminated his countenance, as hesaid--
"Ah! there go Bluewater's signals, at last!--a certain proof that he isabout to put himself in communication with us."
"I have been a good deal surprised, sir," observed Greenly, a littledrily, though with great respect of manner, "that you have not orderedthe rear-admiral to make more sail. He is jogging along like a heavywagon, and yet I hardly think he can mistake these five ships forFrenchmen!"
"He is never in a hurry, and no doubt wishes to let _his_ crewsbreakfast, before he closes. I'll warrant ye, now, gentlemen, that hisships are at this moment all as clear as a church five minutes after theblessing has been pronounced."
"It will not be one of our Virginian churches, then, Sir Gervaise,"observed Wycherly, smiling; "_they_ serve for an exchange, to give andreceive news in, after the service is over."
"Ay, that's the old rule--first pray, and then gossip. Well, Bunting,what does the rear-admiral say?"
"Upon my word, Sir Gervaise, I can make nothing of the signal, though itis easy enough to make out the flags," answered the puzzledsignal-officer. "Will you have the goodness to look at the bookyourself, sir. The number is one hundred and forty."
"One hundred and forty! Why, that must have something to do withanchoring!--ay, here it is. 'Anchor, I cannot, having lost my cables.'Who the devil asked him to anchor?"
"That's just it, sir. The signal-officer on board the Caesar must havemade some mistake in his flags; for, though the distance isconsiderable, our glasses are good enough to read them."
"Perhaps Admiral Bluewater has set the private, personal, telegraph atwork, sir," quietly observed Greenly.
The commander-in-chief actually changed colour at this suggestion. Hisface, at first, flushed to crimson; then it became pale, like thecountenance of one who suffered under acute bodily pain. Wycherlyobserved this, and respectfully inquired if Sir Gervaise were ill.
"I thank you, young sir," answered the vice-admiral, smiling painfully;"it is over. I believe I shall have to go into dock, and let Magrathlook at some of my old hurts, which _are_ sometimes troublesome. Mr.Bunting, do me the favour to go on deck, and ascertain, by a carefulexamination, if a short red pennant be not set some ten or twelve feetabove the uppermost flag. Now, Greenly, we will take the other cup oftea, for there is plenty of leisure."
Two or three brooding minutes followed. Then Bunting returned to say thepennant _was_ there, a fact he had quite overlooked in his formerobservations, confounding the narrow flag in question with the regularpennant of the king. This short red pennant denoted that thecommunication was verbal, according to a method invented by Bluewaterhimself, and by means of which, using the ordinary numbers, he wasenabled to communicate with his friend, without any of the captains, or,indeed, without Sir Gervaise's own signal-officer's knowing what wassaid. In a word, without having recourse to any new flags, but, bysimply giving new numbers to the old ones, and referring to a prepareddictionary, it was possible to hold a conversation in sentences, thatshould be a secret to all but themselves. Sir Gervaise took down thenumber of the signal that was flying, and directed Bunting to show theanswering flag, with a similar pennant over it, and to continue thisoperation so long as the rear-admiral might make his signals. Thenumbers were to be sent below as fast as received. As soon as Buntingdisappeared, the vice-admiral unlocked a secretary, the key of which wasnever out of his own possession, took from it a small dictionary, andlaid it by his plate. All this time the breakfast proceeded, signals ofthis nature frequently occurring between the two admirals. In the courseof the next ten minutes, a quarter-master brought below a succession ofnumbers written on small pieces of paper; after which Bunting appearedhimself to say that the Caesar had stopped signalling.
Sir Gervaise now looked out each word by its proper number, and wrote itdown with his pencil as he proceeded, until the whole read--"Godsake--make no signal. Engage not." No sooner was the communicationunderstood, than the paper was torn into minute fragments, the bookreplaced, and the vice-admiral, turning with a calm determinedcountenance to Greenly, ordered him to beat to quarters as soon asBunting could show a signal to the fleet to the same effect. On thishint, all but the vice-admiral went on deck, and the Bowlderos instantlyset about removing the table and all the other appliances. Findinghimself annoyed by the movements of the servants, Sir Gervaise walkedout into the great cabin, which, regardless of its present condition, hebegan to pace as was his wont when lost in thought. The bulk-heads beingdown, and the furniture removed, this was in truth walking in sight ofthe crew. All who happened to be on the main-deck could see what passed,though no one presumed to enter a spot that was tabooed to vulgar feet,even when thus exposed. The aspect and manner of "Sir Jarvy," however,were not overlooked, and the men prognosticated a serious time.
Such was the state of things, when the drums beat to quarters,throughout the whole line. At the first tap, the great cabin sunk to thelevel of an ordinary battery; the seamen of two guns, with the properofficers, entering within the sacred limits, and coolly setting aboutclearing their pieces, and making the other preparations necessary foran action. All this time Sir Gervaise continued pacing what would havebeen the centre of his own cabin had the bulk-heads stood, thegrim-looking sailors avoiding him with great dexterity, and invariablytouching their hats as they were compelled to glide near his person,though every thing went on as if he were not present. Sir Gervaise mighthave remained lost in thought much longer than he did, had not thereport of a gun recalled him to a consciousness of the scene that wasenacting around him.
"What's that?" suddenly demanded the vice-admiral--"Is Blue watersignalling again?"
"No, Sir Gervaise," answered the fourth lieutenant, looking out of a leeport; "it is the French admiral giving us another weather-gun; as muchas to ask why we don't go down. This is the second compliment of thesame sort that he has paid us already to-day!"
These words were not all spoken before the vice-admiral was on thequarter-deck; in half a minute more, he was on the poop. Here he foundGreenly, Wychecombe, and Bunting, all looking with interest at thebeautiful line of the enemy.
"Monsieur de Vervillin is impatient to wipe off the disgrace ofyesterday," observed the first, "as is apparent by the invitations hegives us to come down. I presume Admiral Bluewater will wake up at thislast hint."
"By Heaven, he has hauled his wind, and is standing to the northward andeastward!" exclaimed Sir Gervaise, surprise overcoming all hisdiscretion. "Although an extraordinary movement, at such a time, it iswonderful in what beautiful order Bluewater keeps his ships!"
All that was said was true enough. The rear-admiral's division havingsuddenly hauled up, in a close line ahead, each ship followed her leaderas mechanically as if they moved by a common impulse. As no one in theleast doubted the rear-admiral's loyalty, and his courage was of proof,it was the general opinion that this unusual man[oe]uvre had someconnection with the unintelligible signals, and the young officerslaughingly inquired among themselves what "Sir Jarvy was likely to donext?"
It would seem, however, that Monsieur de Vervillin suspected arepetition of some of the scenes of the preceding day; for, no soonerdid he perceive that the English rear was hugging the wind, than five ofhis leading ships filled, and drew ahead, as if to meet that division,man[oe]uvring to double on the head of his line; while the remainingfive, with the Foudroyant, still lay with their top-sails to the mast,waiting for their enemy to come down. Sir Gervaise could not stand thislong. He determined, if possible, to bring Bluewater to terms, and heordered the Plantagenet to fill. Followed by his own division, he woreimmediately, and went off under easy sail, quartering, towards Monsieurde Vervillin's rear, to avoid being raked.
The quarter of an hour that succeeded was one of intense interest, andof material changes; though not a shot was fired. As soon as the Comtede Vervillin perceived that the English were
disposed to come nearer, hesignalled his own division to bear up, and to run off dead before thewind, under their top-sails, commencing astern; which reversed his orderof sailing, and brought le Foudroyant in the rear, or nearest to theenemy. This was no sooner done, than he settled all his top-sails on thecaps. There could be no mistaking this man[oe]uvre. It was a directinvitation to Sir Gervaise to come down, fairly alongside; the bearingup at once removing all risk of being raked in so doing. The Englishcommander-in-chief was not a man to neglect such a palpable challenge;but, making a few signals to direct the mode of attack he contemplated,he set fore-sail and main-top-gallant-sail, and brought the wind directlyover his own taffrail. The vessels astern followed like clock-work, andno one now doubted that the mode of attack was settled for that day.
As the French, with Monsieur de Vervillin, were still half a mile to thesouthward and eastward of the approaching division, of their enemy, theComte collected all his frigates and corvettes on his starboard hand,leaving a clear approach to Sir Gervaise on his larboard beam. This hintwas understood, too, and the Plantagenet steered a course that wouldbring her up on that side of le Foudroyant, and at the distance of aboutone hundred yards from the muzzles of her guns. This threatened to beclose work, and unusual work in fleets, at that day; but it was the gameour commander-in-chief was fond of playing, and it was one, also, thatpromised soonest to bring matters to a result.
These preliminaries arranged, there was yet leisure for the respectivecommanders to look about them. The French were still fully a mile aheadof their enemies, and as both fleets were going in the same direction,the approach of the English was so slow as to leave some twenty minutesof that solemn breathing time, which reigns in a disciplined ship,previous to the commencement of the combat. The feelings of the twocommanders-in-chief, at this pregnant instant, were singularly incontradiction to each other. The Comte de Vervillin saw that the reardivision of his force, under the Comte-Amiral le Vicomte des Prez, wasin the very position he desired it to be, having obtained the advantageof the wind by the English division's coming down, and by keeping itsown luff. Between the two French officers there was a perfectunderstanding as to the course each was to take, and both now feltsanguine hopes of being able to obliterate the disgrace of the previousday, and that, too, by means very similar to those by which it had beenincurred. On the other hand, Sir Gervaise was beset with doubts as tothe course Bluewater might pursue. He could not, however, come to theconclusion that he would abandon him to the joint efforts of the twohostile divisions; and so long as the French rear-admiral was occupiedby the English force to windward, it left to himself a clear field andno favour in the action with Monsieur de Vervillin. He knew Bluewater'sgenerous nature too well not to feel certain his own compliance with therequest not to signal his inferior would touch his heart, and give him adouble chance with all his better feelings. Nevertheless, Sir GervaiseOakes did not lead into this action without many and painful misgivings.He had lived too long in the world not to know that political prejudicewas the most demoralising of all our weaknesses, veiling our privatevices under the plausible concealment of the public weal, and renderingeven the well-disposed insensible to the wrongs they commit toindividuals, by means of the deceptive flattery of serving thecommunity. As doubt was more painful than the certainty of his worstforebodings, however, and it was not in his nature to refuse a combat sofairly offered, he was resolved to close with the Comte at every hazard,trusting the issue to God, and his own efforts.
The Plantagenet presented an eloquent picture of order and preparation,as she drew near the French line, on this memorable occasion. Her peoplewere all at quarters, and, as Greenly walked through her batteries, hefound every gun on the starboard side loose, levelled, and ready to befired; while the opposite merely required a turn or two of the tacklesto be cast loose, the priming to be applied, and the loggerhead tofollow, in order to be discharged, also. A death-like stillness reignedfrom the poop to the cock-pit, the older seamen occasionally glancingthrough their ports in order to ascertain the relative positions of thetwo fleets, that they might be ready for the collision. As the Englishgot within musket-shot, the French ran their top-sails to the mast-heads,and their ships gathered fresher way through the water. Still the formermoved with the greatest velocity, carrying the most sail, and impelledby the greater momentum. When near enough, however, Sir Gervaise gavethe order to reduce the canvass of his own ship.
"That will do, Greenly," he said, in a mild, quiet tone. "Let run thetop-gallant-halyards, and haul up the fore-sail. The way you have, willbring you fairly alongside."
The captain gave the necessary orders, and the master shortened sailaccordingly. Still the Plantagenet shot ahead, and, in three or fourminutes more, her bows doubled so far on le Foudroyant's quarter, as topermit a gun to bear. This was the signal for both sides, each shipopening as it might be in the same breath. The flash, the roar, and theeddying smoke followed in quick succession, and in a period of time thatseemed nearly instantaneous. The crash of shot, and the shrieks ofwounded mingled with the infernal din, for nature extorts painfulconcessions of human weaknesses, at such moments, even from the bravestand firmest. Bunting was in the act of reporting to Sir Gervaise that nosignal could yet be seen from the Caesar, in the midst of this uproar,when a small round-shot, discharged from the Frenchman's poop, passedthrough his body, literally driving the heart before it, leaving himdead at his commander's feet.
"I shall depend on you, Sir Wycherly, for the discharge of poorBunting's duty, the remainder of the cruise," observed Sir Gervaise,with a smile in which courtesy and regret struggled singularly for themastery. "Quarter-masters, lay Mr. Bunting's body a little out of theway, and cover it with those signals. They are a suitable pall for sobrave a man!"
Just as this occurred, the Warspite came clear of the Plantagenet, onher outside, according to orders, and she opened with her forward guns,taking the second ship in the French line for her target. In two minutesmore these vessels also were furiously engaged in the hot strife. Inthis manner, ship after ship passed on the outside of the Plantagenet,and sheered into her berth ahead of her who had just been her ownleader, until the Achilles, Lord Morganic, the last of the five, layfairly side by side with le Conquereur, the vessel now at the head ofthe French line. That the reader may understand the incidents morereadily, we will give the opposing lines in the precise form in whichthey lay, viz.
Plantagenet le Foudroyant
Warspite le Temeraire
Blenheim le Dugay Trouin
Thunderer l'Ajax
Achilles le Conquereur.
The constantly recurring discharges of four hundred pieces of heavyordnance, within a space so small, had the effect to repel the regularcurrents of air, and, almost immediately, to lessen a breeze of six orseven knots, to one that would not propel a ship more than two or three.This was the first observable phenomenon connected with the action, but,as it had been expected, Sir Gervaise had used the precaution to lay hisships as near as possible in the positions in which he intended them tofight the battle. The next great physical consequence, one equallyexpected and natural, but which wrought a great change in the aspect ofthe battle, was the cloud of smoke in which the ten ships were suddenlyenveloped. At the first broadsides between the two admirals, volumes oflight, fleecy vapour rolled over the sea, meeting midway, and risingthence in curling wreaths, left nothing but the masts and sails of theadversary visible in the hostile ship. This, of itself, would have soonhidden the combatants in the bosom of a nearly impenetrable cloud; butas the vessels drove onward they entered deeper beneath the sulphurouscanopy, until it spread on each side of them, shutting out the view ofocean, skies, and horizon. The burning of the priming below contributedto increase the smoke, until, not only was respiration often difficult,but those who fought only a few yards apart frequently could notrecognise each other's faces. In the midst of this scene of obscurity,and a din that might well have alarmed the caverns of the ocean, t
heearnest and well-drilled seamen toiled at their ponderous guns, andremedied with ready hands the injuries received in the rigging, each manas intent on his own particular duty as if he wrought in the occupationsof an ordinary gale.
"Sir Wycherly," observed the vice-admiral, when the cannonading hadcontinued some twenty minutes, "there is little for a flag-officer to doin such a cloud of smoke. I would give much to know the exact positionsof the divisions of our two rear-admirals."
"There is but one mode of ascertaining that, Sir Gervaise--if it be yourpleasure, I will attempt it. By going on the main-top-gallant-yard, onemight get a clear view, perhaps."
Sir Gervaise smiled his approbation, and presently he saw the young manascending the main-rigging, though half concealed in smoke. Just at thisinstant, Greenly ascended to the poop, from making a tour of observationbelow. Without waiting for a question, the captain made his report.
"We are doing pretty well, now, Sir Gervaise, though the first broadsideof the Comte treated us roughly. I think his fire slackens, and Burysays, he is certain that his fore-top-mast is already gone. At allevents, our lads are in good spirits, and as yet all the sticks keeptheir places."
"I'm glad of this, Greenly; particularly of the latter, just at thismoment. I see you are looking at those signals--they cover the body ofpoor Bunting."
"And this train of blood to the ladder, sir--I hope our young baronet isnot hurt?"
"No, it is one of the Bowlderos, who has lost a leg. I shall have to seethat he wants for nothing hereafter."
There was a pause; then both the gentlemen smiled, as they heard thecrashing work made by a shot just beneath them, which, by the sounds andthe direction, they knew had passed through Greenly's crockery. Stillneither spoke. After a few more minutes of silent observation, SirGervaise remarked that he thought the flashes of the French guns moredistant than they had been at first, though, at that instant, not atrace of their enemy was to be discovered, except in the roar of theguns, and in these very flashes, and their effect on the Plantagenet.
"If so, sir, the Comte begins to find his berth too hot for him; here isthe wind still directly over _our_ taffrail, such as it is."
"No--no--we steer as we began--I keep my eye on that compass below, andam certain we hold a straight course. Go forward, Greenly, and see thata sharp look-out is kept ahead. It is time some of our own ships shouldbe crippled; we must be careful not to run into them. Should such athing happen sheer hard to starboard, and pass _inside_."
"Ay--ay--Sir Gervaise; your wishes shall be attended to."
As this was said, Greenly disappeared, and, at the next instant,Wycherly stood in his place.
"Well, sir--I am glad to see you back safe. If Greenly were here now,_he_ would inquire about his _masts_, but _I_ wish to know the positionof the _ships_."
"I am the bearer of bad news, sir. Nothing at all could be seen from thetop; but in the cross-trees, I got a good look through the smoke, and amsorry to say the French rear-admiral is coming down fast on ourlarboard-quarter, with all his force. We shall have him abeam in fiveminutes."
"And Bluewater?" demanded Sir Gervaise, quick as lightning.
"I could see nothing of Admiral Bluewater's ships; but knowing theimportance of this intelligence, I came down immediately, and by theback-stay."
"You have done well, sir. Send a midshipman forward for Captain Greenly;then pass below yourself, and let the lieutenants in the batteries hearthe news. They must divide their people, and by all means give a promptand well-directed _first_ broadside."
Wycherly waited for no more. He ran below with the activity of hisyears. The message found Greenly between the knight-heads, but hehurried aft to the poop to ascertain its object. It took Sir Gervaisebut a moment to explain it all to the captain.
"In the name of Heaven, what can the other division be about," exclaimedGreenly, "that it lets the French rear-admiral come upon us, in a momentlike this!"
"Of that, sir, it is unnecessary to speak _now_," answered thecommander-in-chief, solemnly. "Our present business is to get ready forthis new enemy. Go into the batteries again, and, as you prize victory,be careful not to throw away the first discharge, in the smoke."
As time pressed, Greenly swallowed his discontent, and departed. Thefive minutes that succeeded were bitter minutes to Sir Gervaise Oakes.Beside himself there were but five men on the poop; viz., thequarter-master who tended the signals, and three of the Bowlderos. Allof these were using muskets as usual, though the vice-admiral neverpermitted marines to be stationed at a point which he wished to be asclear of smoke, and as much removed from bustle as possible. He began topace this comparatively vacant little deck with a quick step, castingwistful glances towards the larboard-quarter; but though the smokeoccasionally cleared a little in that direction, the firing having muchslackened from exhaustion in the men, as well as from injuries given andreceived, he was unable to detect any signs of a ship. Such was thestate of things when Wycherly returned and reported that his orderswere delivered, and part of the people were already in thelarboard-batteries.
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