Captain Thornton

“ To obtain popularity, even among the lowest class, he would have done anything, short of disturbing the set of his coat or the arrangement of his hair. Had there been no other way of making himself conspicuous, he would have done it by wearing a feather in his hat, or painting his boots scarlet. Not the least gratification which Captain Thornton derived from his prominent position in the ranks of the Chartists was the belief that he was revenging himself upon the authorities for the manner in which they had treated him. ”

“ Captain Thornton’s company was embodied with the matrosses, who were thought too weak; and this was a great disappointment to him, whose intention was to be in the front, whenever an engagement should take place. Metcalf played before them to the field; but the flag cannon sinking in a bog, Captain Thornton exclaimed, “D—n this accident; we shall see no sport to-day:” and leaving his troop to assist the matrosses in bringing up the cannon to their station, he rode up opposite to the horse which were [89] going to engage. ”

“ Out of the hundred and forty men who agreed to enlist on receiving five shillings a head from Captain Thornton, sixty-four were chosen and clad in uniforms of blue cloth, with buff facings and waistcoats, made by Leeds tailors. These tailors were not at all anxious to hurry, and declined to work on Sunday, upon which the captain sent an indignant message to [130] ask whether, if their houses caught fire on a Sunday, they would not try to put the flames out? ”

“ However, Captain Thornton and the Lieutenant being absent, and the Ensign having died at Newcastle, Metcalf took it upon him to say, “My lads, get the straw together, to burn; our Captain [84] will pay for more, if we should want it:” which being done, he took, out his fiddle, notwithstanding the day, and played to the men whilst they danced round the fire; which made the rest of the army observe them, though they did not follow their example. The Captain and Lieutenant arriving in the midst of the business, expressed much pleasure and satisfaction in seeing the men thus recreate themselves. ”

“ Julian Arden.”
“Not dead? hurrah!” exclaimed Bill, tossing his cap into [Pg 246] the air; “give us your fin; blow me, but you’re a fine lad. Lord love ye! I’m a true salt, though you do see me rigged in this hermaphrodite fashion. That’s Lieutenant Thornton—bless him! he’s coming to—and I’m Bill Saunders. Both of us belong to the old Diamond, and if that ere craft is the Onyx, her commander will be as glad to see Lieutenant Thornton as his own brother.”
“You are right, my fine fellow,” answered the young midshipman; “Captain O’Loughlin would give his life at any time to serve this gentleman. ”

“ During this trip, the Irrawaddy was accurately surveyed throughout a distance of ninety miles.
In the meantime. Lieutenant Thornton had been promoted by the Admiralty to the command of the Slaney 20; but he did not join that sloop, at Madras, until Jan. 1826. He then hastened back to Rangoon, and was there left by Captain Chads, to carry on the naval duties; while his boats, under the charge of Lieutenant George Fuller Stow, were employed in bringing down troops from the evacuated posts on the Irrawaddy [4] . His commission as captain bears date April 30th, 1827.
Agents.– Messrs. ”

“ William Thornton turned round and sat down, and commenced satisfying his appetite, listening attentively, nevertheless, to what Pierre Gaudet said.
“There are more men in the kitchen,” whispered our hero, “for I can hear the murmur of their voices; though the captain of the privateer’s is by far the loudest.”
Having recounted the history of the taking of the Vengeance, the captain then told of their re-taking it; and how he and the mate of the Bon-Citoyen seized and fastened down, in the cabin of the privateer, one of the officers and a seaman. ”

“ There were nearly fifty men on deck, and the [Pg 78] boarders of the corvette were met at first with desperate obstinacy. But the midshipman was a daring youth, of great activity and strength for his years; he burst through the enemy and reached the Captain, who was furiously urging on his men, swearing he would sink the schooner before he would strike his flag. Seeing young Thornton driving his men forward, he aimed his pistol at his head, but missed him; whilst our hero, drawing one from his belt, fired in return, and the Captain fell dead upon the deck. ”

“ The brave youth was carried down into the cabin, and then Lieutenant Thornton, seeing he could do nothing more with the Vengeance, ordered out the two boats left uninjured, saying—
“Now, my lads, as we can do nothing here, let us pull on board your old ship; they are short-handed, and we may be of some service yet.”
A loud cheer testified their eagerness to help their old commander; the boats were got out, and Captain O’Loughlin, seeing their intention, wore round, and, in five minutes, they were alongside, and up upon the deck, where they were gladly received. ”

“ I am not injuring my country by serving the best mistress the poor of this country ever had,” and without further delay he and the lad took to their oars, and pulled in lustily for the shore.
“Come, this is fortunate, my dear friend,” said Captain O’Loughlin, “you will no doubt gain some intelligence of those you are so anxious about.”
“I trust I shall,” said Lieutenant Thornton; “come with me to the cabin, Patrick, and I will tell you what Monsieur Jean Plessis says.” ”

“ But the forts were gallantly stormed, and, after a fierce contest, the British remained in possession.
“You are a brave and gallant lad,” said Captain Elphinstone, putting his hand upon young Thornton’s shoulder, as, [Pg 36] besmeared with dust and clay, without covering to the head, and his jacket cut in several places by musket balls, he made his appearance before the Captain, having just returned from bearing a message to the officer commanding the troops through a fierce fire of musketry—“Go on as you have begun, and, if God spares you, you will be an honour to your country.” ”

“ But "Beau Power" was the last man to be moved from his purpose by a child's tears or pleadings. Captain Farmer was a man of wealth and good family, and also one of his own boon companions. And thus, tearful, indignant, protesting to the last, the girl was led to the altar, by the biggest scoundrel in Tipperary—a "maiden tribute" to a lover's lust and a father's ambition. ”

“ Women can't bear that kind of a thing like we can."
The Captain promised him that they would choose something in the morning. Esteban talked about it at great length. At last the Captain saw him slip under the table, and himself, rising up, went out into the square before the inn. He looked at the line of the Andes and at the streams of stars crowding forever across the sky. And there was that wraith hanging in mid-air and smiling at him, the wraith with the silvery voice that said for the thousandth time: "Don't be gone long. But I'll be a big girl when you get back." ”

“ Lady Sarah's family put every possible obstacle in the way of the proposed union, but the masterful soldier had his way; and one August day in 1781 Captain Napier led his tarnished but loved and loving bride to the altar. For many years poverty was their lot; but they laughed at their empty purse and found their reward in mutual devotion and the sight of their children growing in strength and beauty by their side. ”

“ And if you became a matador and the bull caught you that wouldn't be killing yourself. Only you mustn't put yourself in the bull's way on purpose. Did you ever notice that animals never kill themselves, even when they're sure to lose? They never jump into a river or anything, even when they're sure to lose. Some people say that horses run into bonfires. Is that true?"
"No, I don't think that's true."
"I don't think it's true. We had a dog once. Well, I mustn't think of that.—Captain Alvarado, do you know Madre María del Pilar?" ”

“ Time keeps going by. You'll be surprised at the way time passes."
They started for Lima. When they reached the bridge of San Luis Rey, the Captain descended to the stream below in order to supervise the passage of some merchandise, but Esteban crossed by the bridge and fell with it.
PART FOUR: UNCLE PIO
IN one of her letters (the XXIXth) the Marquesa de Montemayor tries to describe the impression that Uncle Pio "our aged Harlequin" made upon her: "I have been sitting all morning on the green balcony making you a pair of slippers, my soul," she tells her daughter. ”

“ An hour afterwards William Thornton was put on board the Babet, where he found his friend Lieutenant O’Loughlin, the appointed commander of the corvette, walking the quarter deck, enjoying a glorious sunset and a pipe.
“Well, my lad, bade them all good bye? There’s Madame below, and her daughters, quite anxious that you should take your coffee with them; and your little protégée popping up her head every now and then to see if you have arrived. Be the piper of Moll Kelly, you’re a broth of a boy with the fair sex; go on and prosper; faith, I think you might turn Turk with advantage.” ”

“ He stood there with his head up, looking utterly—oh, you know how he can look—" Thornton nodded. "When—I don't know if the ship rolled a little, or if he just lost his balance, but he fell—before Emily could catch him—striking the corner of the companionway with a dreadful wrench. ”

“ His object now was to make himself as comfortable as he could on the island, and then wait patiently for a sail to come and take him off, or something to turn up in his favor of a nature calculated to restore him again to the world and enable him to carry out to the letter Captain Thorne’s dying request.
By noon he had his tent up; then he went to the vessel and quickly removed to his new quarters one of the smallest of the casks of water on deck, a case of ship biscuits and the tin box the captain had charged him to guard with untiring care. ”

“ Sergeant Perrin read the paper presented, compared it with some remarks in his book; and, with a bow returned it, saying—
“Quite correct, monsieur; but, if you please, I must just have a look at your man, Pierre Bompart—a mere form, but it’s my duty, and Monsieur le Maire requires an exact performance of my official duties.”
“Certainly,” said Lieutenant Thornton, “you shall see him, poor fellow. He is, and has been for years, deaf and dumb; but as fine and faithful a fellow as ever lived. I am so accustomed to his sighs and ways, that I scarcely remark his being dumb.” ”

“ To-night, nothing can disturb me, nothing can frighten me. I have supped too full of horrors, dear John, but I am glad, and proud and happy!"
It is hardly necessary to say more. Within five minutes the old lieutenant and my girl had passed away like ghosts from the near shore and I was down in the cabin again.
Bernard was taking off his clothes and putting on those of the dead captain of the submarine. Scarlett and Adams were already dressed in the uniform of the German sailors. Bosustow stood in his shirt and drawers, and so did my two school-boys. ”

“ She is so pretty and lively, that you cannot be dull where she is.”
“Did you hear anything at Havre yesterday, Rose,” questioned our hero, as they opened the shutters to admit the light, which before only entered from loopholes left in the shutters, “anything about the English prisoners taken on board the Vengeance, I mean?”
“Yes, monsieur; my sister told me they had been marched [Pg 151] to Rouen, and that the Commander and the young officer with him were to be sent to Paris.”
“To Paris!” repeated Lieutenant Thornton, in a tone of regret; “I am sorry for that. ”

“ It is scarcely possible to describe the anxiety of Mr. Thornton (who had been hitherto supposed to be a passenger for the West Indies) until the morning [Pg 251] gun of the Victory informed them that their ship was on the rocks to the northward of Wingo Beacon, over which the flag of the Victory (white at the fore) could be plainly distinguished, and in an hour afterwards he was safe in the Admiral's cabin. ”

“ Several men were employed setting up the rigging; the mizen-mast was yet unshipped. On the opposite side of the creek was a long wooden shed containing stores, and several other sheds, and a very long stone building showed that vessels were built and repaired there; for a large collection of spars and timber lay along the shore and in the water.
“I would rather cut that vessel out,” said Lieutenant Thornton, “than sink a French seventy-four. My gallant commander may linger years in a French prison owing to her, whilst I and Saunders nearly fell victims to her cut-throat commander.” ”

“ My eye! that's enough to give a man a bad head. It's over a thousand years old."
"Nonsense, my man," said the captain, laughing. "It means that this bottle is one of a cargo of five hundred."
"Of course," said the bo'sun, slapping his knee. "What a thundering old idiot I am, to be sure. You're right, sir, as you always are, for I see the other four hundred and ninety-nine down below there. But," he added ruefully, "we've got no proof that they're smuggled."
"We'll soon get that," said the captain, thrusting the bottle into the capacious skirt pocket of his sea-coat. ”

“ 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.” ”