Captain Protheroe

“ It was now Captain Protheroe's turn to betray excitement.
"Taken Sir Rupert Winslow! Why, fellow, 'tis impossible. You are dreaming."
"Dreaming or no," answered the corporal sulkily, "he is without. We spied him skulking round the stables to the back o' the Inn. I doubt not wi' intent to steal a fresh horse. There we ambushed him. He made a fierce resistance, but," with an air of supreme complaisance, "I soon overpowered him."
"The devil take the rash fool!" muttered the captain. "Well, bring him in, corporal. And do you see that the men get to rest, we must be off at daybreak to-morrow. ”

“ He was a man standing betwixt two abysses, doubting over which to risk a jump. At last he raised his head, and faced the captain defiantly.
"Captain Protheroe," he said, "I must withdraw your passport and place you under arrest."
Captain Protheroe stared at the judge in dismay. The secretary took a rapid step forward, and stooped over his master's chair.
"My lord," he whispered, "think what you do. These letters——"
"I know! I know!" cried Jeffreys testily; "but I also know Kirke. 'Tis one or the other, and Kirke is not a man to deny." ”

“ When the two women had left the room in search of cloaks, Captain Protheroe turned abruptly to his companion.
"Look you, Sir Ralph, this is a desperate strait. You can await me at Mallet till nine o'clock. If by that time I have not come, then go north, make for Listoke, try to get aboard the Roaring George. And, look you, take these letters (I have made copies of them) . If you are ta'en, get them to Churchill, or, better still, Rochester. They may save you yet, even if I fail."
"But, Heavens, man! if you fail it's death for you. Why not come with us, and try to win to Holland? ”

“ Mr. Prodmore was already at the door, from which he launched his ultimatum. "It's to take or to leave!"
She would have had to leave it, perhaps, had not something happened at this moment to nerve her for the effort of staying him with a quick motion. Captain Yule had come into sight on the staircase and, after just faltering at what he himself saw, had marched resolutely enough down. She watched him arrive—watched him with an attention that visibly and responsively excited his own; after which she passed nearer to their companion. ”

“ We announce with much regret that Sir George Walter Prothero, K.B.E., Litt.D., the emininent Cambridge historian, died at 24, Bedford-square, on Monday, aged 73. His life was undoubtedly shortened by his patriotic labours during and after the war, first under the Admiralty and later as Director of the Historical Section of the Foreign Office. ”

“ Personally, I rather like pipes in the distance in Scotland, or when they play with troops on the march; but between decks, where the [36] beams were only six feet high, the noise made by this solitary specimen of his tribe was enough to wake the dead. John Ommaney Hopkins, in after years a Lord of the Admiralty and Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, was Flag-Captain, and J. R. Fullerton, who afterwards was for so long the Admiral of Queen Victoria’s Yachts, was Commander. ”

“ All of the whites looked in the direction pointed out, and through the mist saw a large vessel drifting along, the sails flapping idly against the masts. The wheel was lashed fast, and nobody was in sight on the deck.
"The Stormy Petrel!" ejaculated Captain Marshall.
"Are you sure?" asked Dave and Phil, in a breath.
"Sure it's the bark," cried Billy Dill. "Say, but this is great luck, ain't it?" and his face brightened up. "Now we can teach them dirty mutineers a lesson."
"Dat you ship?" asked Soko.
"It is," answered Captain Marshall. ”

“ Perceiving the inutility of further effort, Captain Horton brought-to, and hauled down his flag.
In a short time the jolly-boat of the pirate was lowered from the stern, and the commander jumped in, followed by a dozen of his crew.
The vigorous arms of the oarsmen soon brought the boat to the merchantman, and the pirate stood upon the deck of the captured vessel.
"Well, sir, you have given us some trouble to overhaul you," said he, in a manner rather gentlemanly than savage.
"We should have been fools if we had not tried our best to escape." ”

“ Phradates turned to the crowd, which had fallen back a little and now stood strangely silent.
"Who is this insolent fellow?" he cried. "Why do you allow him to interfere here?" he demanded of the captain.
The captain made no reply, and nobody in the throng ventured to answer. Phradates felt deserted. He stood with Chares and the soldier beside the gold-laden scales, beyond which waited Maia, with her eyes fixed upon the face of the newcomer.
"Is there no fair dealing in this land of thieves?" ”

“ I could have saved my honor in the arms of death; the pirate's dirk lay on the table in my cabin—that would have saved me; the deep, deep sea was all around me—there, too, I might have found an honorable safety."
"My dear Florette, do not think of these things now. You are sorry for the past, whether you have done a great wrong, or a small, it is certainly not one which the good God cannot forgive."
"But the world will not; and, lady, I loved the pirate-captain ”

“ New vessels kept continually approaching. As fast as one party left the ship others made their appearance, and at last the Albatross was surrounded by an immense fleet. All their commanders having at last communicated with Oriel Porphyry, they crowded sail for Columbia.
“Captain,” exclaimed the young merchant, after the last of his visitors had departed, “are you sure of the crew?”
“To a man, sir,” replied old Hearty. “There’s such a stir in the ship as never was afore. They are all impatient to be led against your enemies. I never saw such enthusiusiasm in all my life.” ”

“ I can't stand scientists; my sister married one that was an 'erbalist in the Old Kent Road—and since he went to chokey I've lost conceit with science. However, if it must be—why, send 'em along!"
Captain Prowse was not a popular skipper with sailors. They said that he was a "hard nut" and a "sailor-robber," and that his American experience had made him nearly as deadly as any American captain with a belaying-pin. But sailors' experience only works backward: they are good at reminiscence only, and the Nemagosenda got a crew in spite of the captain's reputation. ”

“ The crew of the Betsy Allen, whose anxiety and exertions during the last few hours had been excessive, gladly accepted the captain's offer, and were soon snoring in their hammocks. Captain Horton and Mr. Williams remained on the deck of the Raker, the one too anxious for revenge upon the pirate who had destroyed his brig, to sleep, and the other too much afflicted by the loss of his daughter, and the painful thoughts which it engendered, to think of any thing but her speedy recovery. ”

“ Unfortunately, life in the Navy did not have the reforming effect that was anticipated, and after every sort of thing had been tried to bring this young wretch to his bearings, the Captain decided that, as nothing else had any effect, he would try what a flogging would do. The midshipman in question being an extremely lusty youth, the punishment would do him no physical injury and great moral effects might possibly result. ”

“ Julia returned to her father's side, and silently [Pg 74] watched the strange sail, which was evidently drawing nearer, as her dark hull had shown itself above the waters.
"We have but one chance of escape left," exclaimed Captain Horton; "if we can elude them during the night, all will be well; if to-morrow's sun find us in sight, we shall inevitably fall into their hands."
Night gradually settled over the deep, and when the twilight had passed, and all was dark, the lights of the pirate brig were some five miles to leeward. ”

“ The court sat on board the Culloden, in Bombay harbour, on the 27th Mar. 1809: and, after the fullest investigation, declared that the conduct of Captain Proctor appeared to have been marked by the greatest activity, zeal, and anxiety for the service; that the manoeuvres of the Dédaigneuse, while in the presence of the enemy, were directed with judgment and skill, very honourable to Captain Proctor; and that the escape of the enemy’s frigate resulted entirely from the bad sailing of the Dédaigneuse. ”

“ Greatly to our satisfaction, Captain Fellowes remained on with him as Flag-Captain.
In the days of which I am writing the ignorance of the British public of everything regarding the Navy can only be described as colossal. Of course at great naval ports, such as Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth, the Navy was well known, but outside those three areas lived a huge public who had never seen a man-of-war, and hardly ever seen a sailor unless he happened to be on leave, and in plain clothes. ”

“ There was no surgeon on board, the saloons were awash; but the women tore up their petticoats to bind his wound, and, rolled in blankets from the deck-house, he was made fast to the driest part of the poop.
There, drenched with spray and in a good deal of pain, he lay till evening, declining to use the means of safety he had provided till all but the captain and second mate had left the ship. The rigging up of a traveller had proved a difficult matter with the wreck heeling over as the tide left her, and the wind rising again after the ebb made all other means of communication impossible. ”

“ For a long time the fisherman slept on, so that she had to steer the boat as best she could, but this was an easy task, for the wind was light and the sky clear. But when the old man awoke, she discovered that he was rude and cruel, and would have made a slave of her if he could. It chanced, however, that Proteus, god of the seas, was abroad that day, and was roving over the foamy waves, drawn by his finny steeds. He came upon the little boat, and when he saw that the fisherman behaved roughly to the damsel, he beat the old man and took Florimell into his own chariot. ”

“ They reached the center stand, were ushered with many flourishes to a reserved section already partly filled by Captain Ross and the lesser officers and crewmen of the good-will-touring Patrol ship Vortex Blaster II. Not all of the officers, of course, since many had to stay aboard, and comparatively few of the crew; for many men insist on wearing Tellurian garmenture and refuse to tan their hides under ultra-violet radiation—and no untanned white Tellurian skin can take with impunity more than a few minutes of giant Vega’s blue-white fury. ”

“ I then ordered all our men to be called up, and told them there was a design to seize the ship, and take us for pirates, and asked them if they would stand by us, and by one another; the men answered cheerfully, one and all, that they would live and die with us. Then I asked the captain what way he thought best for us to manage a fight with them; for resist them I was resolved we would, and that to the last drop. He said readily, that the way was to keep them off with our great shot as long as we could, and then to use our small arms, to keep them from boarding us ”

“ At the same Time the Carpenter and Thomas Streaton were brought before the Captain, who told them they were three Rascals, and richly deserved to be sent after the Captain and Mate, but that they were willing to shew them Mercy, and not put them to Death in cold Blood, and he would therefore only put them in Irons, for the Security of the Ship’s Crew; they were accordingly ordered out, and iron’d. Fly then told his Comrades it was convenient to resolve on some Course, when Word was brought them, that a Ship was very near them. ”

“ I don't know who was more surprised, the captain of the Bellonic, listening, or the man John.
"You cub," he cried; "if you talk to me I'll skin you alive!" But I said quickly—
"Gentlemen, these men want every shilling on this ship. Give it them now and save your lives, for you have no alternative. If you give the money up, you have my word that they won't touch you."
"If there's a God above," exclaimed the young captain, "they shall pay for this day's work with their lives. ”

“ Somehow or other (we youngsters, who were naturally the severest of critics, all thought from very faulty seamanship) the Narcissus and another ship of the squadron took the ground rather badly off the coast of Sicily. Of course there was a Court-martial, and to our intense delight our Captain was dismissed his ship and our arrest came to a triumphant conclusion. ”

“ Their coats smell of tar and cockroaches, and their conversation is all about their ships and their adventures at sea and on shore; and then you know they are generally so poor, that it is dangerous to let a girl talk to them. Captain Fleetwood is not very rich, I believe ”

“ Not but what the captain of the 'Primrose'—Mein was his name—did quite right to try and club-haul his vessel when he found himself under the land; only he never ought to have got there, if he took proper soundings. But it's easy talking.
"The 'Primrose,' sir, was a handsome vessel—for her size one of the handsomest in the King's service—and newly fitted out at Plymouth Dock. So the boys had brave pickings from her in the way of brass-work, ship's instruments, and the like, let alone some barrels of stores not much spoiled. ”

“ When we’ve given them a good sweeping discharge, and cleared their deck, captain, I shall, after reloading, drop into the gig, and board her on her weather-side, so that’ll take them between two fires. Now, men, quick to your posts! Boatswain, to the forecastle with three others; gig’s men step out, four blue-jackets and four Hankow Lins; the others of my cutter’s crew will work the guns.”
“May I come with you, sir?” said Mr Sprott anxiously. “I have no special duty here, and I’d like to pay out that cut across my jib on some of them piratical scoundrels!” ”