CHAPTER VIII.
ON BOARD THE SAUCY "TONNERAIRE."
"O'er the wide wave-swelling ocean, Tossed aloft or humbled low-- As to fear 'tis all a notion-- When duty calls we're bound to go."--DIBDIN.
The _Tonneraire_ lay at anchor just off the Hoe in Plymouth Sound, aspretty a craft as any sailor need care to look at. Plymouth was anamphibious sort of a place even in those days; and there was not alandsman who had ever been in blue water that, having once caught sightof the saucy _Tonneraire_, did not stop to stare at and admire her as hecrossed the Hoe. Some, indeed, even sat quietly down and lighted uptheir pipes, the better to consider the bonnie ship. Long and low anddark was she, and though a frigate, the poop was not high enough tointerfere with her taking lines of beauty. She carried splendid spars,and from their tapering height it was evident she was built either tofight or to chase a flying Frenchman. But her maintop-gallant masts wereat present below, for the ship was not quite ready for sea. She seemedimpatient enough, however, to get away. The wind blew pretty high, rightin off the Channel, and the frigate jerked and tugged at her anchorslike a hound on leash that longs to be loose and away scouring theplains in search of game. Everything on board was taut and trim andneat: not a yard out of the square, not a rope out of place, the decksas white as old ivory, the polished woodwork glittering like glass, thebrass all gold apparently, the guns like ebony, and the very lanyardspipeclayed till they looked like coils of driven snow.
Post-Captain Mackenzie was walking to and fro on the poop-deck allalone, but casting many an anxious glance shorewards, or upwards at theevening sun that soon would sink over the beautiful wooded Cornishhills.
"There's a boat coming out yonder now, sir," said the signalman.
"Ah! is there, Wilson? Well, pray Heaven it may be the first lieutenant,and that he may have had luck."
Twenty minutes afterwards, Tom Fairlie, lieutenant in his Majesty'snavy, but acting-commander under Captain Mackenzie, was alongside in thefirst cutter. He was not alone, for several other officers were withhim, and among them our old friend M'Hearty. Jack welcomed the latter,figuratively speaking, with open arms, then went to his private cabin,accompanied by Tom, who had been on shore on duty since early morning.
"Sit down, Tom. Now we're off the quarter-deck there is no need forceremony. You look tired and starved. Help yourself to wine and biscuitsthere before you say a single word."
Tom poured out a glass, smiling as he did so.
"Ah!" cried Jack, "I know you have good news."
"Ay, Jack, lots of it. I've been everywhere and I've done everything,and I've had good luck in the whole."
"Wait a moment, Tom.--Steward!"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"I'm engaged for the next half-hour unless any one desires to see me onduty.--Now, Tom, I shall light my pipe. Follow my example. It wants anhour to dinner, and you are my guest to-night. No one else save our twoselves and M'Hearty, I believe."
"Well, Jack," said Tom Fairlie, after he had smoked in silence for a fewmoments, "first I went to the port-admiral's office and saw SecretaryByng. He knows everything. Told me your father was gazetted, and wouldsail with his command in a few months' time."
"Glorious news, Tom. How pleased father will be!"
"Byng told me further that we must get men to fill up our complement,and fifty over, by hook or by crook."
"Fifty over! that means fighting, Tom. Go on."
"The hook and crook means pressment, Jack."
"Well, well, I don't like it; but it is all for the good of the service.Heave round, Tom."
"Then I went to the post-office. Sly dog, am I? Well, perhaps. A letterfrom Flora, and one for you."
Jack tore his open.
"Why, she has gone to live with dear old Father Spence at Torquay, Tom."
"Yes, Jack, till the war is over. Then, if God but spares us all, Ishall be your brother."
"Dear girl," said Jack. "Ah, Tom, what a noble courage she possesses!You and I can meet the foe face to face and fight well; but that isunder excitement. But dear Flora needed more courage than ours to leaveGrantley Hall so bravely as she did. Never a tear, Tom, never a tear;and I even saw my father's eyes wet. Ah well. It is the fortune of war.Heigh-ho!"
"Cheer up, Jack. Somehow, my friend, I think that Grantley Hall willcome back to the Mackenzies yet."
"Ah, never, Tom, never! The dear old place where Flora and I spent ourchildhood, only to think it should come at last into the clutches of theplausible skinflint Keane; the father, though, of--but go on, Tom, goon."
"I next saw two gentlemen of the 'sailors' friend' persuasion."
"Crimps? Scoundrels!"
"Well, anyhow, they are good for forty between them."
"Bravo! Things are looking up. What a capital fellow you are, Tom! But,stay; let me reckon. We still want twenty more."
"And these, Jack, shall be no mere top hampers, I can assure you.I have arranged to lay hands on fifteen at least of thoroughdare-any-things--fellows who look upon fighting as mere fun, and canface the billows as well as tackle a foe."
"You interest me. Proceed."
"What say you to pirates, then?"
"Come, come, Tom."
"Well, they are the next thing to it. They are sea-smugglers. I metOne-legged Butler to-day, the king of coastguardsmen; and if we lend himnets, he will land the fish."
"You mean seamen and cutlasses. Well, he'll have them; and I'll trustthe matter all to you."
"Nay, Jack, nay; the second lieutenant must be left in charge, and _you_must come. Flora must see you."
"Flora?" cried Jack.
"Yes; we are to cut out the smuggler in Tor Bay."
"I'm with you, Tom. Well, we shall meet at dinner. _Au revoir._"
* * * * *
One-legged Butler was quite a character in his way. He had been in theservice in his very young days, and had lost a limb while fightingbravely for king and country. But for this stroke of bad luck he mighthave been an admiral, and there is little doubt he would have been abrave one too. Appointed to the revenue service, he soon proved that,in addition to cunning, tact, and bravery, he possessed detectivequalities of no mean order. His timber toe, as the sailors called hiswooden leg, was no drawback to him. Timber toes in those stirring timeswere as common as sea-gulls in every British sea-port; and Butler'spowers of disguising himself, or making up to act a part in order togain information, were simply marvellous.
On the day Tom Fairlie made his acquaintance, he had been singing "TomBowling" on the street in front of a public-house, and our Tom had goneup to give him a penny. Like the Ancient Mariner, he had held Tom withhis glittering eye; and a very few moments' conversation was sufficientto arrange for one of the cleverest and most daring little adventuresthat ever supplied a man-o'-war with gallant "volunteers," as pressedmen were often ironically termed in those days.
They were a very merry party at dinner that day around the captain'stable. Not a large one, however; only Jack Mackenzie himself, his friendTom Fairlie, M'Hearty, one "middie," and bold Captain Butler, all goodmen and true; and the servant who waited at table was one to be trusted.Despite the fact that he was a Spaniard, he was most faithful, so thatthe conversation could take any turn without danger of a word beingrepeated either forward or to the servants below in the ward-room.
In talking and yarning right quickly passed the evening in the captain'scabin; but everywhere fore and aft to-night both officers and crew werehearty. They had already bidden farewell to friends and home, soon theircountry too would fade far away from sight, and then--the glories ofwar. Ah! never mind about its horrors; what brave young British sailorever thought of these?