_VI--The Frigate._
As soon as the galleys saw M. de la Pailletine's signal and turnedreluctantly back from their chase, the capture of the _Merry Maid_became but a question of time. _La Merveille_ was the first to comeup, and, striking fairly at her stern, riddled her windows with agust of artillery and prepared to board: a feat that was thriceprevented by Captain Runacles and a couple of dozen marines, Englishand Dutch. Then followed Captain Denoyre with the _Sanspareil_, whoapproached from the starboard side and lost both his masts as he didso. In fact, the execution done upon his galley was only second tothat suffered by _L'Heureuse_. But as _Le Paon_ followed from thesame quarter, with the _Nymphe_ and the _Belle Julie_ heading down asfast as oars could take them, Captain Barker cast a look back andtouched his old friend's arm.
The first of the merchantmen was entering the Thames.
"Better get back to the fo'c's'le, Jemmy, and entrench yourself."
Captain Runacles nodded. "And you?" he asked.
"Oh, I'm going down to the cabin--first of all." Captain Runaclesnodded again. They looked straight into each other's eyes, shookhands, and parted.
It was obvious that the men of the _Merry Maid_ could no longer keepthe deck. She was hemmed in on every side and it only remained toboard her.
Twenty-five grenadiers from each galley were ordered upon thisservice. Those of _La Merveille_ were the first to start and theyswarmed over the stern without opposition. But no sooner were theycrowded upon the frigate's deck than a volley of musketry mowed themdown. Captain Runacles and his heroes then ran back and entrenchedthemselves in the forecastle; and to advance to close the hatchwaywas certain death. Nor were they forced to surrender until longafter the English flag was hauled down: and, indeed, were onlysilenced when M. de la Pailletine hit on the happy idea of settingfifty men to work with axes to lay open the frigate's deck. A scoreand a half of men were lost over this piece of work. However, theforecastle was carried at last by means of it; and the prisoners werebrought on deck--among them Captain Runacles, with his right handdisabled.
"Are you the gallant captain of this frigate?" asked M. de laPailletine, doffing his hat; for as yet he had received no sword intoken of the _Merry Maid's_ surrender.
"No, sir," Captain Runacles answered; "I have the honour to be hislieutenant."
"He is killed, perhaps?"
"I fancy not."
"Then where is he?"
"Excuse me, monsieur, it strikes me he has yet to be taken."
"But the ship is ours!"
"Well, monsieur, you have hauled down our colours and I can't denyit. But as for the frigate, I doubt if you can call it yours justyet."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Why, simply that you have not yet taken Captain Barker; and excuseme if, knowing Captain Barker better than you can possibly do, I warnyou that that part of the ship which he sees fit to occupy at thismoment will probably be dangerous for some time to come."
As if to corroborate his words, at this moment the hush which hadfallen upon the frigate's deck was broken by the report of a firearm,and two French grenadiers rushed upon deck from below and cameforward hurriedly, one with a hand clapped to a wound in hisshoulder.
"That," said Captain Runacles, "is probably Captain Barker. There isa shutter to his cabin door."
"But this is trivial," exclaimed the French Commodore, frowning.
"If Monsieur will excuse me, it is scarcely so trivial as itlooks. Captain Barker is within ten paces of the powder-magazine.Moreover, between him and the powder-magazine there is a door."
M. de la Pailletine jumped in his shoes. He rushed aft to thecompanion leading to the captain's cabin and called on him tosurrender.
"Go away!" answered a very ill-tempered voice from below.
"But, sir, consider. Your ship is in our hands--"
"Then come and take it."
"--Your gallant officers have surrendered. You have behaved like ahero and there is not one of your enemies but honours you. Monsieur,it is magnificent--but come out!"
"I shan't."
"Monsieur, even this noble obstinacy extorts my veneration; butpermit me to inquire: How can you help it?"
"Very simply, sir. Time is of no concern to me. I have plenty ofvictuals and ammunition down here; and if any man comes to take mysword I shall kill him."
"You cannot kill five or six hundred men."
"No; when I am bored, I shall fire the powder-magazine."
"Monsieur--"
There was no answer but the sound of a man blowing his nose violentlyand the ring of a ramrod as it was thrust home. It was absurd thatone man should hold a ship against hundreds. Nevertheless, it wasso, and the Commodore did not see his way out of it.
"Permit me, sir," said Captain Runacles, stepping forward, "to add myassurance, if such be needed, that Captain Barker is a man of hisword."
The Commodore essayed gentler tactics.
"Listen, monsieur!" he called down.
"Go away!"
"I have the pleasure to announce to you that you shall meet only withsuch treatment as your bravery deserves. Dismiss all apprehension ofimprisonment--"
At this point he skipped backwards with such violence as to knock acouple of sailors sprawling. A bullet had embedded itself in thetimbers at his feet.
He determined to use summary measures, and ordered twelve grenadiers,with fixed bayonets, to advance to the cabin door, break it open, andoverpower the Englishman.
The twelve men advanced as they were bidden. The sergeant washalf-way down the ladder, with his detachment at his heels, when thereport of a musket was heard and down he dropped with a ball in hisleg. The grenadiers hesitated. Another shot followed. It waspretty clear that the besieged man had plenty of firearms loaded andready. They scrambled up the steps again. "It was all very well,"they said; "but as they could only advance in single file, exposingtheir legs before they could use their arms, the Englishman frombehind his barricade could shoot them down like sheep."
M. de la Pailletine stamped and swore, upbraiding them for theircowardice. He was about to order them down again when a diversionoccurred.
A door slammed below, a wheezing cough was heard, and CaptainBarker's head appeared at the top of the ladder.
"Which of you is the French captain?"
M. de la Pailletine lifted his hat.
"H'mph!"
He stepped up on deck and the French officers drew back in sheeramazement. They looked at this man who had defied them for prettynear an hour. They had expected to see a giant. Instead they saw atiny man, hump-backed, wry-necked, pale of face, with a twistedsmile, and glaring green eyes, that surveyed them with a malicioustwinkle. His wig was off, and his bandaged scalp, as well as hisface, was smeared black with powder; and it appeared that he couldnot even walk like other men, for he moved across the deck with agait that was something between a trot and a shamble andindescribably ludicrous.
Yet all this abated his dignity no whit. He trotted straight up toM. de la Pailletine (whose astonishment mastered his manners for themoment, so that he stared and drew back), and working his jaw, as aman who has to swallow a bitter pill which sticks in his mouth, heheld out his sword without ceremony.
"Here you are," he said: "I've done with it; can't waste words."
"Sir," the Commodore answered, bowing, "believe me, I receive it withlittle gratification. The victory is ours, no doubt; but the honourof it you have wrested from us. Sir, I am a Frenchman; but I am asailor, too; and my heart swells over such a feat as yours.Suffer me, then, to remind you that your present captivity is but thefortune of war, against which you have struggled heroically; thatyour self-sacrifice has saved your fleet; and that, as France knowshow to appreciate gallantry in her adversaries, your bondage shall bemerely nominal."
"H'mph," said the little man, "fine talk, sir, fine talk! As for theships, I saw the last of 'em slip into the Thames ten minutes since,from my cabin window. Sorry to keep you parley
ing so long, butcouldn't come out before."
He blew his nose violently, cocked his head on one side, and added--". . . though, to be sure, sir, your words are devilish kind--devilish kind, 'pon my soul!"
M. de la Pailletine, with a pleasant smile, held out his sword tohim.
"Take it back, monsieur--take back a weapon no man better deserves towear. Forget that you are my prisoner: and, if I may beg it,remember rather that you are my friend."
The face of the little hunchback flushed crimson. He hesitated, tookback the sword clumsily, hesitated again, then swiftly held out hishand to M. de la Pailletine, with a smile as beautiful as his bodywas deformed.
"Sir, you have beaten me. I fought your men for awhile, but I can'tstand up against this."