entering, chucked her under the chin, andgiving her a hearty smack on her flabby cheeks, told her to be a goodold soul, and to get supper ready for two hungry wayfarers. At firstshe declared that she had dressed suppers for twenty men already, andthat she was too sleepy to put another saucepan on the fire; but Jacob,after a little persuasion, made her promise to exert herself, and hethen led the way into a room at the back part of the house. Here somedozen or more men were sitting round a table, most of them with pipes intheir mouths, others with pots of ale or glasses of spirits before them,while several were playing at cards. They looked up at the new comers,who took their seats at the other end of the table. Jacob soon enteredinto conversation with those nearest him, and learned what ships werefitting out. The characters of various captains were discussed.
"The `Brilliant,' Captain Everard, has just come in to refit, and is inwant of hands. He's a right sort of officer. If I wanted to go afloat,I would volunteer on board his ship as soon as any other," remarked aseaman who was sitting opposite to them.
"What do you say, Harry? Would you like to volunteer on board the`Brilliant'?" asked Jacob.
"No, she would not suit me," answered Harry. "I have my reasons for notwishing to join her."
"Run from her, maybe, once in a time?" observed a seaman.
"Well, then there's the `Nymph,' Captain Cook. He's a good seaman, andnot over-harsh with his men; and there's the `Saint Fiorenzo,' CaptainSir Harry Neale. Never a man has sailed with him who's worth his saltwho would not wish to sail with him again. I wish there were many othercaptains in the navy like him. We should not have cause to complain aswe have now."
Harry and Jacob agreed therefore to volunteer on board the "SaintFiorenzo." While this discussion was going on Sally placed a smokingsupper before her two lately arrived guests. They did ample justice toit, for although the cookery was of a somewhat coarser character thanthat to which Harry had been accustomed, his long walk had given him anappetite. He soon began to feel a great longing to lie down and go tosleep. For three nights, indeed, he had scarcely closed his eyes forten minutes together. Even before he had finished supper his head beganto nod. Jacob observed his condition, and asked Sally for a bed.
"Why," was her reply, "every one I have got are more than full already;you must prick for the softest plank you can find. Not the first timeeither of you youngsters have had to do that."
Jacob knew there was no use remonstrating, and so drawing a bench up toa corner of the room, he placed his bundle under Harry's head, and ledhim to it. Scarcely had Harry stretched himself on the bench, hard asit was, than he was fast asleep. Jacob, however, was not so happy as heintended to be, and calling for come more liquor--he was not veryparticular what it was--he and his new friend opposite were soon engagedin plying each other with tumblers of grog.
There was a knocking at the door. Sally having by this time slept offsome of her evening potations again went to it. Another seaman beggedfor admittance. He had nowhere to lodge, and he was afraid thepress-gang who were about would be getting hold of him. He had plentyof shiners to spend, as Sally should soon know by the glitter of onewith which he would at once cross her hand. This argument had greateffect upon her gentle heart. Opening the door she admitted hervisitor. He was a stout-looking man in a thick pea-coat, with atarpaulin hat firmly fixed on his head, while his hand clutched a stoutwalking-stick. As she was about to close the door behind him great washer indignation to find a crowbar inserted. There was a trampling offeet. She shrieked out with several unfeminine oaths, "Murder! murder!the press-gang is upon us." Her visitor, however, very ungallantlyseized her by the arm as she attempted to close the door, and shoved athick handkerchief into her mouth. In the meantime the door was forcedcompletely back, and two or three men who had been lying down closeunder the walls, had sprung to their feet and entered with their leader.They were quickly joined by others of their party, who had been comingat a quick run down the street. In an instant the inmates were aroused,and the whole house was in a fearful uproar. Some tried to force theirway out by a back door, but no sooner had they opened it than they foundthemselves in the power of a strong body of armed seamen. The men whowere in bed threw on their clothes, some trying to jump from thewindows; but seeing by the number of the press-gang outside that theywould be certainly caught if they did so, rushed down-stairs and joinedin the fray which was going forward in the public room. Some were armedwith bludgeons, others with fire-irons; some seized chairs and benches,and various other articles of Sally's furniture. She, to do herjustice, with her female attendants, fought as heroically as her guests,in a vain endeavour to secure their personal safety.
Harry had slept through the first part of the combat, but at length thefearful uproar aroused him. He started to his feet, not knowing wherehe was or what had happened. The room was almost in total darkness, forthe lights had instantly been extinguished, and only here and there fellthe glare of the men-of-war's men's lanterns as they held them up in thehopes of distinguishing friends from foes. Harry seized Jacob's bundlewith one hand, and the stick with which he had carried it in the other,and attempted to defend himself from the blows which were dealt freelyround. He thought he distinguished Jacob's voice not far from him, andhe made his way up to his friend. At that instant, however, a furtherparty of the press-gang arriving, the seamen were completelyoverpowered. In vain Sally and her attendants fought on, in the hopesof enabling some of their friends to escape. Every outlet was toostrictly guarded. The officer and many of the men composing thepress-gang probably knew the house as well as its inmates, and had takentheir measures accordingly.
In the course of a few minutes, although some heads had received prettyhard cracks, yet no blood was spilt, every man in the house, with theexception of old Tony Hoggart, was in the power of the press-gang. Itwas a most successful haul. Upwards of thirty prime seamen had beencaptured, Jacob and Harry among them. Not till the fight was over didold Tony find his way down-stairs, at the foot of which he stood with alight in his hand, his red nightcap set on one side of his bullet head,his trousers held up by one suspender, his stockingless feet in shoesdown at heel, while from his blear eyes he glared out on the intrudersinto his abode. As if at length aware of what had occurred, hecommenced a series of his vituperative remarks, which increased invehemence as he proceeded, his curses and oaths being first directedtowards the head of the officer in command of the party and his men, thecaptain of the ship, and the navy in general coming in for their share.
"We're in for it, Harry," said Jacob; "keep up your courage, however; ifwe put a good face on the matter, we shan't be so much worse off than ifwe had volunteered. We can tell the first-lieutenant when he examinesus to-morrow morning that we intended to do so. I'll just learn whatship we have been taken for."
Jacob made the inquiry of the seaman who had charge of him.
"The `Brilliant,' Captain Everard," was the answer; "he's a goodcaptain, and you may bless your stars that you have been taken for hisship."
Harry's heart sank when he heard this.
He would at once be recognised by the captain.
What account could he give of himself? The boats were in waiting in theharbour. The men hurried down to them immediately. Some resisting weredragged along. A cuff on the head, or a blow with the butt end of apistol, generally silenced those who cried out in the hopes of beingrescued.
Harry and Jacob walked along quietly. Neither were disposed tostruggle. As soon as the prisoners were got into the boats they shovedoff. In a quarter of an hour afterwards Harry found himself for thefirst time in his life on board a man-of-war.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
THE HERO'S FIRST TRIP TO SEA.--THE FATE OF THE "BRILLIANT."
Harry and the other pressed men stood for some time on the deck of thefrigate, awaiting the appearance of the commanding officer. Harrydreaded his coming, believing that Captain Everard would immediatelyrecognise him. At length an officer appeared from below, accompanied
bythe master-at-arms, who held a ship's lantern in his hand. The officercommenced his inspection at the other end of the line. The light notfalling on him, Harry could not see his features, but his figure waslike that of the captain.
"I must brave it out," he thought. "What shall I call myself? It mustbe a name I can recollect. Andrew Brown will, do as well as any other."
Jacob was standing at a little distance from him. He had just time tostep round and whisper, "I shall take the name of Andrew Brown," beforethe officer approached. He was greatly relieved on finding it was notthe captain. Jacob Tuttle gave his real name. He entered himself asAndrew Brown.
As soon as the inspection was over, the men were ordered down below,being told that they would be entered more