George Manville Fenn

“ Hilary Leigh had set his mind upon catching four—two for himself and two for the skipper—and he had congratulated himself upon the fact that he had already caught his two, when there was a sharp snatch, the line began to quiver, and for the next minute it was as though the hook was fast in the barbs of a silver arrow that was darting in all directions through the sea.
“Here’s another, Billy!” cried the young man, or boy—for he was on the debatable ground of eighteen, when one may be either boy or man, according to one’s acts, deeds, or exploits, as it used to say in Carpenter’s Spelling. ”

“ Beside it was an orchard full of very old lichened trees, with patches of green moss about their boles, and beyond this there seemed to be a garden in a very neglected state, while surrounding all was a wide black moat.
“I wonder whether there’s a bridge,” thought Hilary, as he looked at the smooth dark water, dotted with the broad leaves of the yellow water-lily, and amidst the herbage of whose banks a sooty-looking water-hen was walking delicately upon its long thin green toes, darting its crimson-shielded head forward and flicking its white black-barred tail at every step. ”

“ Doors and windows were well guarded, and with such odds Hilary knew that it would be but a wretched struggle without avail. Better, he thought, maintain his dignity. And he did, as he saw the officer pick up the pistol from the table and point it at his head.
A momentary sensation of horror appalled Hilary, and he felt the blood rush to his heart, but he did not flinch.
“I am a king’s officer,” he thought, “and I have done my duty in the king’s name. Heaven give me strength, lad as I am, to die like a man!” ”

“ Hilary looked up at the flapping sails, which hung motionless; then out to windward in search of cats’-paws upon the water; then at his men, who were lounging about the lee side of the cutter; and then back at his companion.
“Really, sir,” he said at last, “I am quite helpless. You are more experienced than I. What would you advise me to do?”
“And you are placed in command of this cutter!” said the other ironically. “Why, a child would know better. Have out the boats, sir, and let the men tow the cutter.”
“Tow, sir!” cried Hilary; “why, it would be exhausting the men for nothing. ”

“ Tom Tully growled out his assent to the order given to him, and the next moment the gunner made a dash forward into the darkness, striking sharply downwards with his cutlass, so sharply that the sparks flew from the rock, where his weapon struck, while on recovering himself for a second blow he found that it, too, struck the rock, and Billy Waters uttered a yell as he started back, overcome with superstitious horror on finding himself at the end of the narrow rift, and quite alone. ”

“ Every man grasped his weapon, and a thrill of excitement ran through Hilary as he felt that he was really about to engage in what might be a serious fight. Fortunately for the crew of the Kestrel, both of the boats were not able to board at once, for that on the larboard bow was driven right into the wreck of the jibboom and sail, which, with the attendant cordage, proved to be sufficient to hamper their progress for the time being, while the other boat dashed alongside with a French cheer, and, sword in hand, the crew swarmed over on to the deck. ”

“ Then, as if fearing that the blocks might run stiff and that there would be some delay at starting, Hilary gave his orders and the mainsail was run up, a turn or two of the wheel laid the cutter’s head to the wind, and there she lay with the canvas flapping and straining and seeming to quiver in her excitement to be off once more.
“Poor old gal! she feels just as if she was just let out of prison,” said the boatswain affectionately. “How well she looks!”
“Ay, she do,” said Billy Waters. “Well, Tom Tully, my lad, how d’yer feel?” ”

“ On again—stop again—jolt here—jolt there—more blows and kicking, and Hilary still lying there half stifled beneath the straw; but his youth and abundant vitality kept him up, so that he lay listening to the battles between the donkey and his driver; then he thought of his men, and wondered whether they had made a good search for him; then he began to think of the lieutenant, and wondered what he would say when the men went back and reported his absence; lastly, he began to wonder whether Mr Lipscombe would come with the Kestrel and try to find him. ”

“ Why, there’s a snake crawling out in the sun on that patch of sand, and—phew! what a whopper! a ten-pounder, if he’s an ounce!” he cried, as, simultaneously with the flashing out of a shoal of little silvery fish from the black surface of the moat there was a rush, a swirl, a tremendous splash, and the green and gold of a large pike was seen as it threw itself out of the water in pursuit of its prey.
“I wonder whether they’ve got any fishing-tackle here,” he cried excitedly. “How I could enjoy a week or two at this place! Why, there’d be no end of fun, only one would want a companion. ”

“ The gulls and kittiwakes rose and fell, uttering their peevish wails; a large shoal of fish fretting the radiant surface of the sea was passed and about a dozen porpoises went right across the cutter’s bow, rising and diving down one after the other like so many black water-boys, playing at “Follow my leader;” but the eyes of all on board the Kestrel were fixed upon the dingy looking chasse marée, which apparently still kept on trying hard to escape by its speed. ”

“ Now and then he could hear a splash in the moat made by fish or water-vole, and once or twice he saw the star-bejewelled surface twinkle and move as if some creature were swimming across; but soon that was all calm again, and the booming, buzzing noise of some great beetle sweeping by on reckless wing sounded quite loud.
“It’s as lively as keeping the middle watch,” said Hilary impatiently. “The best thing I can do is to go to sleep.” ”

“ Tom Tully, owner of the longest tail in the cutter, and the envy of all his messmates, was not happy. He was ambitious; and where a man is ambitious there is but little true bliss. He wanted “that ’ere tail” to be half a fathom long, and though it was duly measured every week “that ’ere tail” refused to grow another inch.
Billy Waters had a fine tail, but his was only, to use his own words, “two foot one,” but it was “half as thick agen as Tom Tully’s,” so he did not mind. In fact the first glance at the gunner’s round good-humoured face told that there was neither envy nor ambition there. ”

“ A Surprise for Sir Henry.
It was very tempting. The country looked so bright and beautiful from his prison window; the voice of his old companion brought up such a host of pleasant recollections, and it would have been delightful to renew the old intimacy. Then, upon the other hand, what would he give up? A dull monotonous life under a tyrannical superior, with but little chance of promotion, to receive honour, advancement, and no doubt to enjoy no little adventure.
It was very tempting, and enough to make one with a stronger mind than Hilary Leigh waver in his allegiance. ”

“ Cutlass in hand and closely followed by the elephantine seaman, Hilary ran from his place of concealment across the open space to the bridge, and then without a moment’s hesitation he bounded across it, and on to the rough, ill-tended patch of grass.
To his intense surprise and delight he got over in safety, and then pausing he held up his sword, and with a cheer Billy Waters raced across with the rest of the men.
“Now, quick, Waters, take half the lads and secure the back—no, take four. Two of you keep the bridge. We must capture them all to a man.” ”

“ He went into the chapel and to Sir Henry and Adela’s rooms, to find the old furniture there, but that was all; and at the end of a good half-hour’s search the party of sailors stood together in the hall, with the deaf old woman staring at them and they staring at each other, waiting their officer’s commands.
“Ar’n’t there not going to be no fight?” growled Tom Tully.
Evidently not; and after another search Hilary would have felt ready to declare that there had not been a soul there for months, and that he had dreamed about his escape, if the white cord had not still hung from the window. ”

“ For the first few moments Hilary kept close to the house, but, considering that a bold effort was the only one likely to succeed, he walked out straight to the moat, hesitated a moment as to whether he should leap in and swim or wade across, and ended by walking sharply along its brink till it turned off at right angles, and he now saw a sandstone bridge facing the entry of a large, old-fashioned hall, that had evidently gone to ruin, and which, from the outside aspect, seemed to be uninhabited, for a more thorough aspect of desolation it was impossible to imagine. ”

“ Hilary flushed a little at the other’s imperious way. He was not going to prove so pleasant a companion as he had hoped for, and there was that worst of all qualities for a man in command—unreason.
“I am to take your advice, sir, in emergencies,” said Hilary, restraining his annoyance; “what would you suggest for me to do?”
“I suggest, Lieutenant Leigh!” exclaimed the other, stamping up and down the little deck. “I am not in command of the cutter. It is your duty to suggest and to act.”
“Yes, sir, and I will,” replied Hilary. ”

“ And if there had been any doubt before what donkey it was, Hilary’s mind was set at rest, for as the bray ended in a long-drawn minor howl there came two or three sharp raps, just as if the jackass has relieved his feelings with these good kicks, as was the case, up against the boards of the shed in which he was confined.
“Well, this is a rum set-out,” said Hilary, getting up, and then bending down to have a rub at his legs, which still suffered from the compression of the cord. “Hang it all! what a mess my uniform is in with this chaffy straw!” ”

“ The minute had reached two when a peculiar grunting noise was heard, and, to Hilary’s horror, an exceedingly pendulous, narrow-backed pig came snuffing and rooting into sight, turning over stones with its huge pointed snout, investigating clods of earth, pushing aside pieces of wood, and all the while making an ill-used grunting squeaking noise, as if protesting against the long period that had elapsed since it was fed.
“Well, of all the ugly, hungry-looking brutes I ever saw,” said Hilary, as he gazed down at the pig, “you are about the worst. ”

“ Hilary Leigh fished and caught mackerel, bass, pollack, and sometimes a conger eel, and for a bit of excitement a little of his majesty’s powder was blazed away and a cannonball sent skipping along the surface of the water, but that was all.
Hilary used sometimes to own to himself that it was no wonder that Mr Lipscombe, who was a disappointed man, should spend much time in sleeping, and out of sheer imitation he once or twice took to having a nap himself, but twice settled that. ”

“ Go in some of you.”
“Who’s going in?” said another voice. “There’s smoke enough to choke you. Why don’t you go in yourself?”
“Because I tell you to go,” cried Allstone savagely. “I’m master here when the skipper’s away, and I’ll be obeyed. Go in, two of you, and fetch the boy out.”
“He don’t want no fetching out,” said one of the men, as the current of air that set from the window drove the smoke aside and revealed the dimly-seen figure of Hilary seated in the embrasure holding on to the iron bars. “He don’t want no help; there he sits.” ”

“ Hilary flushed, for he fancied he was a bit of a French scholar, but he said nothing; and the lieutenant jumped into the boat. A few strokes took them to the dingy lugger, at whose side were gathered about a dozen dirty-looking men and boys, for the most part in scarlet worsted caps, blue jerseys, and stiff canvas petticoats, sewn between the legs, to make believe they were trousers.
“Va t’en chien de Français. Pourquoi de diable n’arrêtez vous pas?” shouted the lieutenant to a yellow-looking man with whiskerless face, and thin gold rings in his ears. ”

“ In fact, in several places it seemed that an active man could climb up to where a thin fringe of green turf rested upon the edge of the cliff; but this did not satisfy Hilary, who felt convinced that such a place was not likely to be chosen for the landing of a cargo.
No opening in the cliff being visible, he spread his men to search right and left, but there was no sand here; all was rough shingle and broken débris from the cliff with massive weathered blocks standing up in all directions, forming quite a maze, through which they threaded their way. ”

“ I give you my word that you shall not be hurt.”
“I cannot give you my word that you will not be hurt, Sir Henry, if you do not keep out of danger,” cried Hilary. “We are all coming on deck, cutlass in one hand, pistol in the other. Now, my lads! Forward!”
Madness or no madness he made a dash, and at the same moment Tom Tully struck upwards with his iron bar, sweeping aside the presented muskets, half of which were fired with the effect that their bullets were buried in the woodwork round the hatch. ”

“ There was always a bit more caulking to do, a little more paint to put on, new ropes to reeve; and when at last she seemed quite ready, an overlooker declared that she would not be fit to go to sea until there had been a thorough examination of the keel.
It was during these last few days that Hilary found a chance of going ashore, and gladly availed himself of his liberty, having a good run round Portsmouth, a look at the fortifications; and finally, the weather being crisp, sunshiny, and the ground hard with frost, he determined to have a sharp walk inland for a change. ”

“ All at once there was a puff of smoke from one of the forts, and the deep roar of a gun.
“Hullo!” cried Hilary. “What does that mean?”
“Practice, I should say,” replied the newcomer. “Nothing that concerns us. You have your orders, sir.”
“Yes,” said Hilary, “and I’ll obey them;” and away sped the Kestrel, her young commander little thinking that he had been made the victim of a clever plot, and that he was bearing despatches to the enemy such as might set England in a blaze. ”

“ But as he shouted he knew that his order was absurd, and tucking the lieutenant’s sword under his arm he buckled on his own before leaping down to where his leader lay.
“Are you much hurt, sir?” he asked; but there was no answer.
“I’ve got a orfle whack side o’ the head, sir,” growled Tom Tully.
“So’ve I, sir,” said another man.
“Serve you right too, for not keeping a good lookout,” cried Hilary savagely; “here, it’s disgraceful! A king’s ship taken by a set of smuggling rascals. Look alive, there, my lads. Here, you marines, be smart. Where’s Billy Waters?” ”

“ I say were you all drunk?” roared the lieutenant.
“Please your honour,” said the gunner, “we never see a drop of anything except seawater since we went ashore.”
“Silence, sir! How dare you speak?” roared the lieutenant. “Insubordination and mutiny. Did I speak to you, sir? I say, did I speak to you?”
“No, your honour, but—”
“If you say another word I’ll clap you in irons, you dog!” cried the lieutenant. “A pretty state of affairs, indeed, when men are to answer their officers. Do you hear, there, you mutinous dogs! If another man among you dares to speak I’ll clap him in irons.” ”