*CHAPTER XIII*
*OFF LUSCOMBE*
During the latter part of the voyage Jack had devoted a good deal ofthought to his future course of action. To report to the admiral wouldbe his first duty; when that was done he wished to wipe off a personalscore. He had been shipped off to France by the smugglers of Luscombe;they had unquestionably been assisted by Monsieur de Fronsac; and,remembering the name Goujon mentioned by the Frenchman, he felt prettysure that the boat in which he had been conveyed from the shore belongedto the sufferer from the flutters, Mr. Nathaniel Gudgeon. It was not inhuman nature that he should let slip his chance of having his tit fortat.
And apart from his personal feelings, there were other reasons for thisdetermination. To put down smuggling was part of his duty as a king'sofficer; it was no less his duty to suspect a Frenchman whom he found inleague with them. There was something mysterious in their connectionwith De Fronsac, and something very unpleasant in the idea of DeFronsac's sailing under false colors in the house of Squire Bastable.It seemed to Jack that he would only be fulfilling a public duty, aswell as getting even with private enemies, if he probed the mystery andlaid the offenders by the heels.
But to do this it was very necessary that his return to England shouldbe kept secret. The Luscombe smugglers would, no doubt, have friendsspying for them in neighboring ports, and if he were seen they would beon their guard, and De Fronsac would have time to get away. He wasglad, therefore, that it was dark when the _Glorieuse_ came to heranchorage. It increased his chances of escaping notice in preparing totake the smugglers by surprise.
Smartening himself up as well as he could, and removing as far aspossible the traces of his wound, he went ashore and made his way toAdmiral Horniman's lodgings in the Hard. He was admitted at once onexplaining his errand, and found himself in the presence of a big manwith rugged, weather-beaten face, fierce white eyebrows, and a woodenarm. The admiral was alone, examining a chart with the aid of a tumblerof toddy and a long pipe.
"Mr. Midshipman Hardy, sir," said the servant.
"Come in and shut that door," roared the admiral in a quarter-deckbellow. "Dash my buttons! Do you want me to catch my death of cold!Now what's this?"
"Come to report a prize, sir."
The admiral looked Jack up and down.
"You have come to report a prize, have you, sir? And what's yoursuperior officer about when he sends a youngster like you?"
"He's in a French prison, sir. I--"
"The deuce he is! How do you come to be in charge of a prize, eh?What's your vessel?"
"The _Glorieuse_, sir!"
"Don't trifle, sir! I didn't ask you for French crack-jaw. Your ownvessel, sir?"
"The _Fury_, sir," Jack responded.
"What! Are there two Furies? The only _Fury_ I know was the cutterthat that fool Blake allowed to be captured. Didn't they tell me shewas carried into Boulogne?"
"Yes, sir, but we retook her."
"By George! I'm glad of it; a smart cutter, the fastest on the station.And you took a craft called the _Glorieuse_ too, did you? What's yourvessel, and who's your captain, and why isn't he here?"
"If you please, sir--"
"Answer my question, sir--a plain question and a plain answer."
"My vessel's the _Fury_, sir," replied Jack, "and it was the _Fury_captured the _Glorieuse_, a thirty-gun brig."
"What! that cockle-shell take a thirty-gun brig?"
"Yes, sir, we took her by surprise, and--"
"And who retook the _Fury_?"
"Some threescore English seamen, sir; I was in command, and--"
"You in command! Bless my soul, what are you talking about? What'syour name, sir?"
"Jack Hardy, sir."
"Why, why, didn't Lieutenant Blake report you as missing? Haven't I gothis report--somewhere, hang me if I know where. Where's LieutenantBlake? Why didn't he come and report all this himself?"
"I'm sorry to say he's a prisoner in France, sir. He was taken inland,and--"
"Am I standing on my head or on my feet?" cried the peppery admiral."What's all this beating about the bush? Explain yourself, sir!"
"Why don't you give me a chance?" thought Jack; but Admiral Horniman'simpetuous manner was well known on the Portsmouth station; no finersailor ever served his Majesty; and those who knew him knew what asterling character underlay his rough exterior. He raised his glass nowand emptied it at a draft; and Jack took advantage of the action tobegin his story, using as few words as possible, and hurrying on when hesaw the admiral preparing to interrupt. Somewhat to his surprise, hereached the end without misadventure.
"Bless my soul! And you mean to tell me, Mr. Hardy, that you capturedthe _Glorieuse_ yourself?"
"No, sir; I was bowled over; but the men fought splendidly, and BenBabbage--"
"Turnip-tops! I know him! Brother Sol on the brain! but a good seaman.Well, Mr. Hardy, you'll write all that down--plain, mind you, so that Ican read it, no finicking spidery scrawl for me, egad! Now run off andget a sawbones to look at that wound of yours, and take a few days'leave ashore. The sooner you're fit for duty the better. We'll takecharge of your prize."
"Thank you, sir. But about the leave--if you don't mind, I'd rather nottake it at present."
"What in thunder do you want to be at then?"
"You know what happened at Luscombe, sir--at Congleton's Folly?"
"Yes--no; hang me! I remember Blake reported something. He broke intoa tower, or something of that sort, and found nothing--wasn't thatit?--everything gone, lock, stock, and barrel."
"Yes, sir. I want to find out what is going on in Luscombe now. Ican't do it if the smugglers learn that I've come back. Of coursethey're bound to know that the _Fury_ has been retaken and the_Glorieuse_ brought in a prize; but if my name's kept out of it theywon't be on their guard; and if you would allow me a few days' absence,I'd--"
"So you shall, by the Lord Harry!" cried the admiral, without waiting tohear what. "And I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll keep the _Glorieuse_and the _Fury_ in quarantine. Not a man from either of 'em shall comeashore till you've reported to me. They'd blab if they did. Andthere's blabbing enough. Egad! Several of our merchantmen have beenscooped up lately, and I'll keel-haul the villain who betrays 'em to theFrench if I catch him. But what about your wound, eh? Won't that betroublesome?"
"'Tis just a flesh wound, sir," replied Jack; "I shall be all right in acouple of days. There's just one thing; may I have the _Fury_ if I findI can use her?"
"Certainly, certainly, when you like; in fact, Blake being absent,you'll be in command till my lords make another appointment."
Jack took his leave, very well pleased with the result of the interview.He returned to the _Glorieuse_, waited until a lieutenant was sent bythe admiral to take charge of her, and then, with twenty-five men,including Babbage and Turley, and stores hastily provided from the brig,he sailed out of the harbor in the _Fury_. The admiral, he suspected,would be somewhat amazed when he learned of the sudden departure; but,having permission, Jack had resolved on his way back to set off at onceon his quest. The sooner the _Fury_ was out of sight the better; and bysailing in the darkness she would be most likely to escape observation.
The wind was not very favorable. A fresh breeze was blowing from thesouthwest, and it was a somewhat tedious beat down Channel to the point,abreast of Luscombe, where he had seen the signal light from Congleton'sFolly. Had the signalers sufficiently regained confidence, he wondered,to resume their midnight work?
"What do you think of it, Babbage?" he asked of the bo'sun, who was atthe tiller.
"Well, sir, I think of a saying of brother Sol's: 'When the cat's away,the mice do play.' There be several cats in the case, sir. One, the_Fury_--a good name for cat or cutter; two, Mr. Blake; three, youyourself, sir; four, me and Turley, for, having made up our littledifference, we two make one; I've got the claws, he've got thecaterwaul. A
ll these cats being away, those there mice will have a rarerandy. Why, that there tower was as empty as a blown egg-shell when wedrove in the door, and climbed to the top; and the smugglers will bea-hugging theirselves that all's clear, and thinking they can go on withtheir work without any danger of a visit from the preventives. Lor'bless you, I were a mouse myself once."
"I agree with you. 'Tis six months since I disappeared, and they'llhave had all that time to recover from any fright we may have giventhem. I wish the wind would change. I want to get opposite the towerbefore morning."
"But you can't expect them to do the signaling every night, sir. Nosmugglers ever I knew or heard of could be so spry as that would mean.Belike we shan't see the light for a matter of days--nights, that is--orweeks. Like as not they'll have their regular times and seasons, sameas the herrings."
"That's just why I'm so anxious to get there to-night. 'Tis Wednesday;'twas on a Wednesday I first saw the light; for all we know Wednesday istheir regular day."
"There may be summat in that."
"And as we don't want to be discovered I'll have the tackle blocksoiled, and tell the men to keep quiet."
"Specially Turley, sir; but there, I take that back, sir, or he'll bea-calling of me Spring Onions again."
That night was so dark that Jack had some doubts whether he could hitthe exact spot from which the light was visible. But he ventured tocreep in toward the shore sufficiently near to descry the landmarks, andhaving at length assured himself on that point, he ran out again, andcruised about, keeping a keen lookout for the light.
Two hours passed. It was near midnight, and he had almost given up hopeof success when, to the southwest, he saw a gleam. At the moment the_Fury_ was running up the Channel before the wind. The light evidentlycame from a vessel. But it had disappeared--no; there it was again;three times the same light was shown and extinguished.
"A signal, Babbage," said Jack. "Hope we shan't be seen."
"Better hold on our course, sir, then beat out. We've to get that therecraft atween us and the shore."
Jack acted on the bo'sun's suggestion. In a few minutes the same signalwas seen, this time full on the weather beam.
"They haven't answered her yet, sir," said Babbage, "and she won't sailin much closer, 'cos if she do, she won't see the light from the Folly,if so be 'tis that she's looking for."
"No. But I'm afraid she'll see us. She certainly will if we venturetoo close. Yet if we make too wide a sweep round her she may dowhatever mischief she's about before we can make up on her. How far isshe out, Babbage?"
"About five mile, I should say, sir."
"Well, I'm going to risk it. We'll run out beyond her, and hit thestraight line between her and the Folly; we'll see then if any signalingis going on."
As soon as he thought he had made sufficient offing, Jack brought the_Fury_ closer to the wind and crept toward the line he had mentioned. Heno longer expected to see any signal from the vessel; the lantern wouldbe turned away from him. But he looked anxiously toward the shore.Minute after minute passed, and yet he saw nothing. He began to fearthat either he had lost his bearings and crossed the line whilesignaling had been going on between the tower and the vessel, or thatthere was no one at the Folly, after all, and both he and the commanderof the other ship were to be disappointed.
Suddenly a light flashed out from shore, and remained gleaming brightlyand steadily. So strong was it that Jack felt not a little anxiety lestit should show up the _Fury_ to the vessel now between her and the land.But a moment's reflection reassured him. At this distance the lightcould have no illuminating power; and if he could not see the strangecraft, it was not very likely that she could see him.
He was wondering what his next move had better be when the lightdisappeared. But only for a moment. Then it shone out again. Again itdisappeared, and then for several seconds it alternately came and went,with regular intervals of very brief duration between the flashes. Atlast there was a longer interval; then the regular flashes began again.
"Heave to, Babbage!" cried Jack.
Springing down to the cabin, he returned in a few moments with a slip ofpaper, a pencil, and a shaded lantern. By the light of the last, Jackmade a note. It would not have conveyed much or anything to anonlooker. It began-- 17 -- 3 -- 18 -- 2 ---- 1 -- 17 -- 17 -- 3 -- 20-- 2 ---- 16 ---- 11 ---- 15 -- 1 -- 20 -- 3 -- 17 -- 2 ... and thissuccession of numbers and dashes grew until it completely filled thepaper. After he had written for nearly half an hour the lightdisappeared altogether; he waited ten minutes on the chance of theflashes being resumed; then folded the paper, put it in his pocket, andordered the men to crowd on all sail.
In a few seconds the _Fury_ was running before the wind in the directionJack thought the strange vessel might have taken. There was just achance that he might overhaul and capture her, for he guessed that shewas little if anything larger than the cutter, and in all likelihood thesame lugger which had escaped Lieutenant Blake months before. Butthough he cruised about for a couple of hours he failed to find her.
"We'll give it up," he said at length to Babbage. "Now I want a littletime to work out a puzzle. We mustn't be seen from Luscombe or theneighborhood, so we'll beat down Channel and make for Falmouth. That'sfar enough away to be out of reach of the Luscombe men or their spies;and I'll eat my boots if I haven't a pretty piece of news to report toAdmiral Horniman to-morrow."