CHAPTER XI
A PLEASANT DINNER-PARTY AT SEA
The Blanche was on the starboard beam of the Guardian-Mother, or, in shoreparlance, she was on the right-hand side of her as both ships sailed to theeastward. She chose her own position, and it varied considerably atdifferent times, though it was generally about half a mile from herconsort. At the present time she had come within less than a quarter of amile, as the sea was quite smooth.
"Why, the Blanche is all dressed up as though she were going to a ball!"exclaimed Mrs. Belgrave, as the booming gun attracted the attention of theentire party.
"So she is," added the commander, as he observed her altered appearance forthe first time; for he had been giving his whole attention to the lecture."Captain Sharp is evidently getting up some sort of a frolic."
The first gun was followed by a second, and then by a third; and theycontinued till thirty-one of them had been discharged. Four pieces wereevidently used, and they were fired with considerable rapidity, provingthat the British tars who formed her ship's company had seen service in thenavy.
"What does all that mean?" queried Captain Ringgold, as the party gatheredabout him for an explanation, though he was as much puzzled as any of them."It is not a national salute, so far as I know, and I am utterly unable tosay what it means."
But as soon as the firing ceased a signal number went up to the fore-peak.Bangs was the signal officer, and he had his book open as soon as he sawthat it was needed.
"What is it, Bangs?" asked the commander at the window of the pilot-house.
"'Stop; I have something to communicate,'" replied the quartermaster.
"All right; give her one bell," added the commander.
Bangs gave the proper signal for the affirmative, after he had struck thegong. The letting off of the steam was enough to inform the captain of theBlanche that his request was complied with, and it was seen that he had aboat all ready to drop into the water. The screw of the ship ceased torevolve; and then, to save time, the commander of the Guardian-Motherordered the quartermaster to ring to back her, and the Blanche followed herexample. As soon as the headway was nearly killed, the quarter-boat wentinto the water, with an officer in uniform in the stern-sheets. The cutterpulled to the American's side, and a ladder was dropped.
The officer was a very trim-looking man of forty, and was promptlyconducted to the commander on the promenade deck. He was as polite as aFrench dancing-master.
"I have not the honor to be acquainted with Captain Ringgold, but I beg tointroduce myself as Mr. Bland, first officer of the Blanche," said thevisitor, with all necessary nourishes.
"I am glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Bland. My friend Captain Sharpappears to be engaged in a frolic this afternoon," replied the commander,shaking hands with the officer.
"This is General Noury's birthday, sir, and Captain Sharp is taking propernotice of it," replied Mr. Bland, as he took from his pocket a note, anddelivered it to Captain Ringgold.
"The general's birthday!" exclaimed the commander. "I wish him many happyreturns of it;" and he opened the note.
It took him but a minute to read it, and then he looked extremelygood-natured, as though he was more than ordinarily pleased; for he knewthat its contents would afford a great deal of satisfaction to hispassengers.
"By particular request of General Noury, in whose honor the guns were firedand the Blanche is dressed as you see her, Captain Sharp invites all thecabin party of the Guardian-Mother, including the guests, to dine on boardof the Blanche on this happy occasion. Shall the invitation be accepted?Those in favor of accepting it will please raise the right hand, and keepit up till counted," continued the commander, who was in a merry mood forhim. "Our honored guests are expected and requested to vote; for we couldnot think of leaving them alone on board of the ship. That would be neitherdecent nor hospitable, and the invitation specially includes them. Pleaseto vote, all."
The hands all went up; and the party seemed to be greatly amused at theoperation of voting. The presiding officer declared that it was a unanimousvote, and the invitation was accepted.
"Not quite unanimous, Mr. Commander," interposed Louis Belgrave. "Mr. Scottdid not vote."
"You wish to vote in the negative, Mr. Scott?" inquired the captain.
"I do not intend to vote at all, Captain," replied the third officer. "Itwould be a little cheeky for me to vote to leave the ship without thepermission of the captain or of the first officer."
"'In colleges and halls in ancient times there dwelt a sage calledDiscipline;' and a very good old fellow he was to have about, and quite asgood on board ship as in institutions of learning. Do you wish to acceptthe invitation, Mr. Scott?" asked the commander.
"I should be exceedingly happy to do so."
"Then ask Mr. Boulong's permission."
"Granted!" shouted the first officer, who stood within hearing.
"Mr. Bland, give my compliments to Captain Sharp, and inform him that hisinvitation is unanimously accepted by both passengers and guests, and wewill be on board at five o'clock," said Captain Ringgold, addressing theofficer from the Blanche; and he went over the side into his boat.
"You don't give us much time to get ready, Mr. Commander," said Mrs.Belgrave, as all the ladies hurried away to the cabin to prepare for thegrand occasion that had so suddenly dawned upon them.
"Elaborate toilets are hardly expected at sea, out of sight of land.Claw-hammer coats are not imperative, gentlemen," said the captain.
Though the two steamers were not in a hurry, both of them resumed theircourse as soon as the Blanche's boat was hoisted up to the davits; for itis part of the shipmaster's gospel to "keep moving" under all possiblecircumstances, and to lose no time in arriving at his destined port. Allthe passengers went below to prepare for the dinner. The Blanche had comewithin fifty yards of her consort, as the sea was quite smooth.
"Where is that music, Mr. Boulong?" asked the captain, opening the doorfrom his cabin to the pilothouse.
"From the Blanche, Captain."
"But it seems to be a band. Is it an orchestrion?"
"Not at all; there are eight pieces of music on the promenade deck. Itseems that His Highness has a small band on board, though I have not heardit before," added the first officer.
The commander thought the music was very fine, and he concluded thatCaptain Sharp was running near the Guardian-Mother for the purpose ofgiving the band an introduction to the consort. Besides the ship's company,there was no one on board of the Blanche but the general and Mrs. Sharp;and the Pacha, accustomed as he was to merriment and revelry, must havebeen rather lonesome. But it was already proved that he was a reformed man,and had entirely changed his manner of life.
The barge, which was a large eight-oar boat, had been made ready to lowerinto the water, and the gangway had been rigged out. Though it was winter,the ship was in 18 deg. north latitude, and the weather was as mild andpleasant as in midsummer. There was no spray, and the ladies could go tothe Blanche as comfortably as in a carriage on shore.
At quarter before five the gong was sounded in the cabin and on deck tocall the party together in the boudoir, where they were to assemble. Theship stopped at the mandate of the captain, and the barge was lowered, andbrought to the gangway. The boat was as handsome as anything that everfloated, and the stern-sheets were luxurious enough for a fairy craft. Thecrew of nine were all dressed in their white uniforms, and sat with theiroars tossed, except the cockswain, who stood bolt upright abaft theback-board.
There were sixteen in the party, and the "Big Four" made their way to thefore-sheets; the ladies were handed into the stern by the three guests, andthe barge shoved off. The Blanche had taken a position on the beam of theGuardian-Mother, her band playing for all they were worth. Captain Sharpwas on the platform of the gangway, and took every lady by the hand as heassisted her to disembark. At the head of the gangway on deck stood GeneralNoury, who received the ladies, all of
whom he had met before; and thedistinguished guests were presented to him, after which he shook hands withevery other member of the party. He was especially respectful, and evenreverential, to the commander of the Guardian-Mother, who had forgiven somuch in his past conduct.
Mrs. Sharp came in for a large share of the consideration of the visitors.An hour was spent in the drawing-room, as they called the deck cabin, whichwas as large as the boudoir and music-room of the Guardian-Mother. The bandhad laid aside their brass instruments, and organized as an orchestra,stationed in a sort of recess in the forward part of the cabin. The generalconversed with every person in the party; and when Scott addressed him as"Your Highness," he protested that he did not wish to hear the expressionagain.
He talked French with Louis, Italian with Sir Modava, and Spanish with LordTremlyn; for it was understood that he spoke at least half a dozenlanguages besides his own, and the guests found he was equally fluent inall they knew. To Miss Blanche he was very polite; but he did not give amoment more to her than to the other ladies, much to the satisfaction ofher parents.
The dinner was fully equal to Mr. Sage's best efforts, and the occasion wasas hilarious and as pleasant as it could be. Possibly the English guestsmissed their wine on such an occasion. Lord Tremlyn declared that he seldomdrank it at all, and Dr. Ferrolan said the same; and Sir Modava was thestrictest sort of a teetotaler, having been engaged in preaching thisdoctrine among the Sepoys as opportunity offered. The captain of theBlanche informed the commander of the Guardian-Mother that the general hadnever touched wine since he came on board.
After dinner several of the gentlemen sang songs, and the general gave onein Moroccan, which amused the party, though they could not understand aword of it. Later in the evening Captain Ringgold made a speechcomplimentary to General Noury, and wished him many happy returns of theoccasion they celebrated. He was followed by Dr. Hawkes, Uncle Moses,Professor Giroud, and then by the three distinguished guests from theTravancore.
The general replied to all of them at the close of the entertainment. Hewas a pleasant speaker, and his handsome face added a great deal to hiswords. The affair was declared to be a great success for a dinner-party atsea, and the commander of the Guardian-Mother invited all their hosts toassist him in a similar one on board his ship, the signal for which was tobe the American Union Jack when the weather was suitable.
The party returned to their ocean home; and the commander spent the rest ofthe evening in telling his guests the story of General Noury, andespecially of his wonderful reformation.
"Then Captain Sharp really saved his life?" added Lord Tremlyn.
"No doubt of it. The two ruffians in a street of Messina had disabled thegeneral, and would certainly have finished him if the captain had notwounded one with his revolver, and tackled the other. He owes his life toSharp without a doubt. Mrs. Sharp took care of him for quite a time whilehe was recovering from his wound, and she made a deep impression upon him.He is a Mohammedan, and he sticks to his religion; but even that is capableof making a better man of him than he was before."
"I was much pleased with Mrs. Sharp, not because she is an English woman,but because she is a very worthy person," added his lordship.
"You are quite right, my lord, and she has had a romantic history;" andbefore they retired he had told the whole of it.
At the usual time the next day the company were assembled in ConferenceHall; and when the commander announced that Lord Tremlyn would address themon the general subject, "The People of India," they manifested theirinterest by a liberal salvo of applause.