Francis Armstrong

“ Bill Saunders, who followed our hero like a shadow, and who had shipped on board the Diamond the moment he heard of Lieutenant Thornton’s appointment, was one of the crew of the launch, and in high glee. Bill was a special favourite with officers and men, for he was not only a first-rate seaman, but always steady and sober, as fond of a lark as a boy, but knew when to enjoy one without infringing on his duty. ”

“ Poor Mabel looked even paler than usual.
“It is a suffering few escape,” said Madame Volney, “but I suppose it is what we must endure for a few days; indeed, very likely, if we have a good passage, we shall not have time to become good sailors.”
“I trust you will not suffer beyond to-day, or to-morrow at furthest,” said our hero.
“We must have sailed very fast in the night, Mr. Thornton; I see no land anywhere. What an immense ship that is away before us!” said Agatha Volney, trying to shake off the disagreeable sensation of giddiness she experienced. ”

“ I hoped when appointed to a ship to have had him for my first lieutenant; his interest with Lord Hood, and his own gallantry, would have made him a commander in six months.”
“But with his fortune and rank,” said Mabel, seriously, “why should he continue in the navy?”
“My dear Mabel,” said Agatha Volney, “neither rank nor wealth would have the least effect on Sir Oscar de Bracy, for I think we ought to give him the name he is entitled to; rank or fortune would weigh nothing in the balance with honour and glory. The navy is his pride and delight.” ”

“ Captain O’Loughlin was greatly moved by this last mark of Sir Oscar’s esteem and remembrance, whilst Mabel deeply deplored that one so kind-hearted and noble should have undergone such trials; and that, just as his heart became relieved by the joyous intelligence received of his son’s being still in existence, when life would have been a boon, the destroyer should have laid his hand on his victim.
“But we are not to murmur,” she said; “it is not upon earth we are to seek or expect our reward for trials; we must look higher.” ”

“ Our hero had just disarmed Bertram Gramont, inflicting a severe wound on his sword arm, but the tool was destined to slay his master. The ball from Vadier’s pistol grazed the cheek of William Thornton, and passed through the brain of Bertram Gramont, who, falling back against the bulwarks, went over the side a corpse.
“Curse you, you sneaking lubber!” shouted Bill, as he raised the struggling form of Augustine Vadier in his arms; “the death of a brave man is too good for you. Die like a dog!” ”

“ What good would it do me to lodge those two Englishmen in prison, and get Jean Plessis suspected? Would that pay off the mortgages on my property, regain me Coulancourt, or enable you to set up for yourself in another country? I have agreed to give you a certain sum, and get you safe out of France, for I tell you your party and Robespierre’s are crushed for ever. People are sick of blood, and jacobinism is at a fearful discount. Your throat would be cut with frantic joy if you were caught in Paris. ”

“ In a few minutes they were completely rigged in two French seamen’s garments, and the furious flames hurried them on deck just as the lugger struck upon a reef, gave two or three heavy lurches, heeled over, and sunk in deep water under a lofty cliff, extinguishing the flames of the hull, and leaving the remnants of the burning sail fluttering in the wind. That part of the deck unconsumed was level with the water, but the swell over the bank washed over it. ”

“ I wish to heavens I was on board the Vengeance, for I am sure there will be a fight between that vessel and the Vengeance; what is she called?”
“That is the Etoile privateer, Captain Obet,” replied the skipper of the Ca-Ira; “but in this light wind I can outsail her. She is a very fine craft, but a dull sailer in light winds; she is under-masted. Mon Dieu!” he exclaimed, “look here,” pointing seaward; “there is the Virginie frigate, crowding sail, and heading as near as she can lie for the coast.” ”

“ By twelve o’clock the Diamond was again under weigh, and, with easy sail, continued working up the noble inlet forming the many harbours designated as Brest. On nearing the ship at anchor, they could make her out to be a ship of the line; still they created no suspicion.
“By my conscience,” said O’Loughlin to our hero, as they paced the deck, “we are making free and easy with the enemy’s port; if that big fellow yonder only knew who we were, wouldn’t it wake him out of his sleep!” ”

“ Lieutenant Thornton thought so too, and he also thought the chasse-mare was a privateer. It was a clear, fine night, with a light wind at east and by south. To let the two vessels run into Havre would betray the Vengeance being on the coast, so he made up his mind to run the chasse-mare on board and take her, if possible, by surprise. When the crew of the Vengeance were apprised of his intention, they joyfully ran to arm and prepare for the struggle, not bestowing a thought upon the disparity of force in men. ”

“ As she advanced towards womanhood her feelings for her young protector she felt, though she scarcely knew how, were undergoing a great change; the childish love was maturing itself in her young and most affectionate heart. The mere mention of his name caused the rich blood to rush to her cheek, and a deep anxiety stole over her when news arrived of the English fleet, or engagements between any of the French and English ships. Four years had elapsed since she had seen William Thornton, as she still called him, though convinced his real name was Oscar de Bracy, and that they were cousins. ”

“ She will never forget you, and, by Jove, you may depend on it, she will have lots of cash!”
“By Jove, O’Loughlin, you are pitching into the future, like a jolly boat in a head sea—manufacturing a wife for me five or six years off. I don’t intend,” continued our hero, “to get married till I am a post captain—perhaps an admiral.”
“Tare and nouns! If you wait till you are an admiral, with perhaps a leg and an arm or an eye less than your complement, she must be a tidy craft that will take you in tow. Hollo! There’s a squall!” ”

“ Poor Mabel, scarcely able to keep from weeping, kissed the midshipman’s hand, and bade him good-night in a voice that trembled with emotion, and then Mr. Osborn, the steward, took her under his care.
William Thornton, who never quitted his hold of the casket, proceeded to his berth, and locked it up carefully in his chest. Several of his comrades tormented him with inquiries, but hastily swallowing his supper and a glass of grog, he tumbled into his berth, turning a deaf ear to all their questions.
Midshipmen always sleep under every variety of disturbance, either of body or mind ”

“ I was so startled by his saying he had discovered Louis Lebeau to be Julian. There must be some traitor or spy in the château; who can it be?”
“It must be Dedan, the girl from Dame Moret’s farm. Julia told me she had a lover to whom she was shortly to be married—a domestic in the house of Monsieur Gramont. She appears a kind, good-humoured girl. Oh! here is Julia.”
“Thanks to the Virgin,” said Julia, “they are gone, gendarmes and all; and only to think of it! it’s that girl Dedan who has done all the mischief. Here is my father, he will explain all.” ”

“ She was a fine, handsome craft, apparently carrying sixteen guns, and well manned. She hoisted the privateer flag, and ranging up alongside, within pistol-shot, poured in a discharge of grape and canister from her eight-pounders; but, from the fury of the gale, and the tremendous swell, the iron shower passed harmless over the deck of the Babet.
“Now, my lads,” cried Captain O’Loughlin, “we must try and get rid of this troublesome leech, for if the wind lulls, which it will, the farther we draw to the southward, she will be too much for us. ”

“ With a passport signed by Barras and Fouché, no one dares obstruct us. I have engaged the captain of a fast-sailing chasse-mare—he is a smuggler, I confess, but that does not matter—who is apparently to take us to Rouen. We shall sail in the day as if for Rouen, and when some miles up the river, he will come to an anchor. In the night, he will up anchor, and drop down with the tide, and put to sea; and if this English vessel of war is the one Monsieur Thornton expects, the smuggler will place us all on board; if not, he engages to land us safely on the coast of England. ”

“ Port Mahon would be better if we could manage it. But, hark! do you hear that noise aloft; do you feel the change of temperature?”
“There’s the nor’-wester aloft, sir,” said the first mate, who was standing by the wheel; “it’s coming out of the Gulf of Lyons like thunder.”
“Be the powers of war! the gale is aloft, sure enough,” said Captain O’Loughlin; “it will strike us very shortly. Now my lads,” turning to the crew, who were splicing the main brace, “let us see what we can do to get up a jury-mast, just to keep us steady before the gale. Faith! ”

“ The water round the launch was lashed into foam, and the spray flew over the men; but, as often happens, strange to say, in attacks of the same kind, not a man was hit.
“Now, Bill, give them an answer,” said our hero; and then followed the loud boom of the launch’s twelve-pounder, as it poured its deadly contents over the decks of the Vengeance, and the next instant they were alongside, and Lieutenant Thornton, cutlass in hand, sprang upon her deck, followed by his brave crew; though a desperate volley of musketry was fired full in their faces, killing one man and wounding three. ”

“ Young hearts—young hearts—how few and simple are the words from the lips beloved that constitute the felicity! We know not the delights in the years that follow.
As they approached the château, walking up from the bottom of the lawn, they beheld Rose Moret running from the front door to meet them.
“What can cause Rose to hurry so?” exclaimed Mabel—we will drop her assumed name; but Rose was up with them before they could surmise, or utter a conjecture. ”

“ But just as the boat had come within hail of the corvette, a gun from the French ship and a signal run up to the mast-head, caused them, to the extreme surprise of Captain O’Loughlin, to at once turn back, and lower the flag of truce.
“What’s in the wind now?” exclaimed Captain O’Loughlin. “Be the powers of war, Mr. Pearson,” addressing his first mate, “there goes the frigate and the lugger, the lugger bang in amongst the Cardinal Rocks, and the frigate standing right across us. Lie down, quick!” he shouted to the men, as he cast a glance round; “she is going to fire!” ”

“ William Thornton laughed, and dived down the companion, and soon found himself seated at table beside his serious-faced little protégée, and the two lively, pretty daughters of Madame Volney.
“So we sail to-morrow?” said Agatha Volney, fixing her laughing blue eyes on the midshipman; “you seem quite elated at quitting the Victory for this little ship.”
“You must remember,” said our hero, “that the Victory has not the attractions on board that the Babet has. This little voyage will be quite a charming episode in a poor midshipman’s career. One to be remembered with delight.” ”

“ Captain O’Loughlin had rigged up a flag-staff, from which floated the flag of Old England. They had got up a jury-mast forward, and some of the crew were bending on a yard a spare topsail. There was not a cloud in the sky, the gale blowing with unmitigated violence, and a nor’-west sea rapidly rising, though a tremendous swell still ran in from the eastward. ”

“ But tell me, William, how long will it take you to teach me a few French sentences, such as—hem—as, ‘I love you,’ and all that kind of thing; for, confound it, I don’t know a word of their parley-vous, and that’s a sweet creature below.”
“Oh,” said William Thornton, with a smile, “the admiral’s widow—ah, so she is; best tempered woman possible.”
“Devil take your impudence; you don’t want to make love to the whole three, do you; and leave me the mother, eh?”
“Make love,” said the hero, very demurely; “who ever heard of a midshipman making love? ”

“ As the enemy came up, a continued discharge of musketry took place from both vessels, but the lugger discharged her four-pounders rammed full of grape into the Vengeance, wounding several of the men, and a young midshipman named Beecroft. This gallant young lad refused to leave the deck, merely tying a handkerchief over the wound.
“I fear, Thornton,” said Sir Sidney, stooping to pick up his hat, which a musket ball had knocked off, “I fear we shall have to give in, or needlessly sacrifice our brave fellows; there are four dead already, and I see those boats coming up are full of men.” ”

“ There was an awning over the stern of the vessel, and the wind being fair, and the tide strong, the Ca-Ira, under her fore-sail and mizen, went rapidly up with the tide. Jean Plessis pointed out to Madame Coulancourt, Mabel, and his daughter Julia, several privateers in the harbour, one a remarkably handsome lugger, the Etoile, which they passed close alongside.
“That,” said Jean Plessis, “is a larger vessel than the Vengeance, though not reputed so fast or so fortunate as the other was before her capture. The Etoile has eighty men on board, and carries twelve guns of various calibre. ”

“ Just at daybreak a very light breeze sprung up from the nor’-west, and, as the fog lifted a little, our hero, who was on the watch, thought he perceived, as he was looking out over the weather quarter, something dark, that loomed like the hull of a craft, amid the vapour. He called the attention of the quarter-master, who was standing near him, to the object, but the fog again grew dense, and obscured their view; but so satisfied was William that what he had seen was the hull of a vessel, that as they were on dangerous ground, he roused his Commander, who had lain down half-dressed. ”

“ The groups of hardy tars hovering round filled the mind of the young girl with awe, and, trembling and dismayed, she grasped her young protector’s arm, and gazed up into his face with her large, intelligent eyes, so full of all her little heart felt, that William Thornton began to feel almost as much as she did.
Lieutenant Cooke returned with the steward.
“Now, my dear child,” said the officer, “we place you for the night under the care of the steward, he will show you every attention. He is a father himself, and will feel for you as for one of his own children in a like situation.” ”

“ The situation is perilous,” continued our hero to Bill Saunders, who came to his side, knowing full well how deeply anxious his master must be, seeing the object he so ardently longed to behold coming towards him.
“We must cross between that lugger and the chasse-mare, Bill. Get your men to the guns; I will take the helm and pass as close to her as I can. We will prevent this privateer lugger closing with her; and if the chasse-mare with the red flag hauls her wind she may stand along shore, having the advantage of the breeze, and thus escape, for the frigate will not look to her.” ”