CHAPTER SEVEN.
ONLY A BOY.
The rough old skipper was right, for after getting in as close as hecould, the vessel took the ground, and some time was spent in hailingand getting a large flat barge close alongside to the open gangway.
A big spar with its blocks and tackle was run out, and proceedings werecommenced with the men for slinging the horses off the deck and loweringthem down; but everything was of the roughest kind and perfectlyunsuitable, while the horses, which were recovering fast from theirstormy journey, grew more and more restless, and after several attemptswith the King's charger, which was to be the first, it resented thehandling of the men, lashed out, and then began to rear, proving in ashort time that disaster must follow the attempt, for plainly enough, ifthe horse began to struggle when raised from the deck, it would freeitself from the badly fitted on ropes and be seriously damaged andmaimed before being finally lowered down.
The worse matters grew the more the King lost his temper. He bullied,raged, and stormed, called the skipper and his men clumsy idiots andimbeciles, till temper was lost on the other side, the skipper's face,always ruddy and brown, grew red and black, and he ended by telling hisMajesty that he would have to wait, for the men should do no more.
"This will be the end of our travels," whispered Saint Simon, "for theKing will now betray himself."
"The Comte, you mean," said Denis quietly; for he had been standing verythoughtful and quiet, thinking over his conversation with the skipperhours before, and starting forward suddenly just as the King wasclapping his hand to his sword, he whispered to him quickly:
"I think I can get the horses ashore, Sire."
"How dare--here--how?"
"Will your Majesty let me try--I mean, Monsieur le Comte, will you letme try?"
"Hah! That's better, boy. But speak; what do you mean to do?"
"Let me show you, sir," cried the boy excitedly, and going to where hissteed was tethered, he patted and tried to soothe it for a few momentsbefore taking bit and bridle and fitting them on. Then he called to theskipper.
"What do you want?" said the man gruffly, as he came up scowling.
"Have that flat hauled away," said Denis quickly, "and then give me aclear space on the deck. There isn't much room, but I think I canmanage."
"Hah!" cried the skipper. "Well done, youngster! I see what you mean,and if you can do that there will be no trouble with the others. Welldone! Good idea!"
The anger against the King seemed to die out at once, and giving hisorders sharply, in a very brief space of time the shallow barge had beenallowed to drift astern, there was a fairly clear space on deck, therewas the open gangway on the side of the vessel nearest the shore, andthe time had come for the young esquire to act.
The next minute Denis cast loose the halter which tethered his chargerto the vessel's side, turned it round, patted the arched neck once more,and then, bridle in hand, sprang up, threw over one leg, and the nextmoment was seated upon his barebacked steed.
The sailors gave a cheer, which startled the horse, but a few words fromDenis quieted it again, and in obedience to the pressure of the rider'sheels it paced forward along the deck as far as the hamper of the vesselwould allow, turned in obedience to the pressure on the rein, and pacedback again in the other direction, to be turned once more.
Everyone else on board was turned into a spectator now, the men in theflat watching as eagerly as the rest. "He will never do it, SaintSimon," said the King.
"Think not, sir?" was the reply. "I believe he will. Look!"
For after walking his beautiful steed to and fro again, Denis waitedtill they reached the open gangway, and then turned the noble animal'shead and let it stop to stretch out its muzzle towards the shore to gazewith starting eyes at the solid land and moving people there.
It snuffed the air loudly, and then a loud neigh rang out like achallenge, which was answered by one of the horses attached to a trolleyhigh-up on a wharf.
This had the effect of setting the other two chargers challenging inturn, and as they ceased, Denis spoke to and patted his steed, bendingwell forward the while. Then he turned its head again and rode a fewyards up and down the deck once more.
"Well done, my lad," cried the skipper, coming to his side. "You willdo it. Go on."
"How deep is the water here?" said Denis eagerly.
"About a fathom. Plenty of room for you to swim."
Denis set his teeth, walked his horse up and down once more, turned itsharply toward the gangway, and then with voice and heel urged itforward, but only to elicit a loud snort as it stood with all four feetpressed firmly on the deck.
Once more, half despairing now, Denis rode up and down again, beforeturning toward the open gangway, and it happened that just as he reachedit a neighing challenge came afresh from the shore, sending a quiverthrough the charger, which snorted loudly, and then, in obedience to therider's voice and the pressure of his heel, rose and bounded bravelyforward from the vessel's side, out into the water, descending with aheavy splash, and then submerged all but the extended neck, and with thelad with the water rising above his hips, but firmly in his seat,bending forward and giving as if part of the brave animal that had begunswimming steadily towards the shore.
A ringing cheer rose from the vessel, was taken up by the men on theflat, and answered from the shore, while all watched the progress ofhorse and rider, who both seemed as if to the manner born.
"That means success, sir," said Saint Simon eagerly. "Will you gonext?"
"But I shall be so wet, man. You had better follow with my chargernow."
"Yes, sir, I will if you wish," whispered Saint Simon; "but--this is thebeginning of our adventures, and--"
"Yes," said the King, in a voice full of vexation, "it seems so cowardlyif I hang back. I am not afraid to do it, man, but I shall be sohorribly drenched."
"You can get dry, sir, when we are ashore."
"Yes, of course," whispered the King. "Here, I'll go next. I am notgoing to be beaten by that boy."
He was in full earnest, and bitting and bridling his horse himself,refusing Saint Simon's help and leaving him to perform the same task onhis own steed, almost as soon as Denis had reached the shore, for hissteed to stand snorting and shaking the water from its flowing mane andtail, the King was mounted, barebacked too. He rode his charger to theopen gangway, where the brave beast answered the neigh that came fromits companion on land, and without hesitation made the splashing leap sosuddenly that the rider nearly lost his seat, having an undignifiedstruggle to get himself upright again; while as soon as there was aclear way Saint Simon followed without the slightest difficulty, hischarger in a few strides getting abreast of the King's; and they swamtogether till the water shallowed and the swimming became a splashingwade to where, wet and triumphant, Denis was waiting their arrival.
The King's Esquires; Or, The Jewel of France Page 7