CHAPTER XVI.
"Let winds be shrill, let waves roll high, I fear not wove nor wind; Yet marvel not, Sir Childe, that I Am sorrowful of mind."
CHILDE HAROLD.
"Well, Sir Jarvy," said Galleygo, following on the heels of the twoadmirals, as the latter entered the dressing-room of the officeraddressed; "it has turned out just as I thought; and the County ofFairvillain has come out of his hole, like a porpoise coming up tobreathe, the moment our backs is turned! As soon as we gives the orderto square-away for England, and I see the old Planter's cabin windowsturned upon Franco, I foreseed them consequences. Well, gentlemen,here's been a heap of prize-money made in this house without muchfighting. We shall have to give the young lieutenant a leave, for a fewmonths, in order that he may take his swing ashore, here, among hisbrother squires!"
"Pray, sir, what may be your pleasure?" demanded Sir Gervaise; "and whatthe devil has brought you at my heels?"
"Why, big ships always tows small craft, your honour," returnedGalleygo, simpering. "Howsever, I never comes without an errand, asevery body knows. You see, Sir Jarvy,--you see, Admiral Blue, that oursignal-officer is ashore, with a report for us; and meeting me in thehall, he made it to me first like, that I might bring it up to youa'terwards. His news is that the French county is gone to sea, as I hasjust told you, gentlemen."
"Can it be possible that Bunting has brought any such tidings here!Harkee, Galleygo; desire Mr. Bunting to walk up; and then see that youbehave yourself as is decent in a house of mourning."
"Ay-ay-sir. No fears of I, gentlemen. I can put on as grievous a look asthe best on 'em, and if they wishes to see sorrow becomingly, andship-shape, let them study my conduct and countenance. We has all seendead men afore now, gentlemen, as we all knows. When we fou't MounsheerGraveland, (Gravelin,) we had forty-seven slain, besides the hurt thatlived to tell their own pain; and when we had the--"
"Go to the devil, Master Galleygo, and desire Mr. Bunting to walk upstairs," cried Sir Gervaise, impatiently.
"Ay-ay-sir. Which will your honour have done first?"
"Let me see the signal-officer, _first_," answered the vice-admiral,laughing; "then be certain of executing the other order."
"Well," muttered Galleygo, as he descended the stairs; "if I was to doas he says, now, what would we do with the fleet? Ships wants orders tofight; and flags wants food to give orders; and food wants stewards tobe put upon the table; and stewards wants no devils to help 'em do theirduty. No--no--Sir Jarvy; I'll not pay that visit, till we all goes incompany, as is suitable for them that has sailed so long together."
"This will be great news, Dick, if de Vervillin has really come out!"cried Sir Gervaise, rubbing his hands with delight. "Hang me, if I waitfor orders from London; but we'll sail with the first wind and tide. Letthem settle the quarrel at home, as they best can; it is _our_ businessto catch the Frenchman. How many ships do you really suppose the countto have?"
"Twelve of two decks, besides one three-decker, and beating us infrigates. Two or three, however, are short vessels, and cannot be quiteas heavy as our own. I see no reason why we should not engage him."
"I rejoice to hear you say so! How much more honourable is it to seekthe enemy, than to be intriguing about a court! I hope you intend to letme announce that red riband in general orders to-morrow, Dick?"
"Never, with my consent, Sir Gervaise, so long as the house of Hanoverconfers the boon. But what an extraordinary scene we have just hadbelow! This young lieutenant is a noble fellow, and I hope, with all myheart, he will be enabled to make good his claim."
"Of that Sir Reginald assures me there can be no manner of doubt. Hispapers are in perfect order, and his story simple and probable. Do younot remember hearing, when we were midshipmen in the West Indies, of alieutenant of the Sappho's striking a senior officer, ashore; and of hishaving been probably saved from the sentence of death, by the loss ofthe ship?"
"As well as if it were yesterday, now you name the vessel. And this yousuppose to have been the late Sir Wycherly's brother. Did he belong tothe Sappho?"
"So they tell me, below; and it leaves no doubt on my mind, of the truthof the whole story."
"It is a proof, too, how easy it is for one to return to England, andmaintain his rights, after an absence of more than half a century. He inScotland has a claim quite as strong as that of this youth!"
"Dick Bluewater, you seem determined to pull a house down about your ownears! What have you or I to do with these Scotch adventurers, when agallant enemy invites us to come out and meet him! But, mum--here isBunting."
At this instant the signal-lieutenant of the Plantagenet was shown intothe room, by Galleygo, in person.
"Well, Bunting; what tidings from the fleet?" demanded Sir Gervaise. "Dothe ships still ride to the flood?"
"It is slack-water, Sir Gervaise, and the vessels are looking all waysat once. Most of us are clearing hawse, for there are more round turnsin our cables, than I remember ever to have seen in so short a time."
"That comes of there being no wind, and the uselessness of the stay-sailsand spankers. What has brought you ashore? Galleygo tells us somethingof a cutter's coming in, with information that the French are out; but_his_ news is usually _galley_-news."
"Not always, Sir Gervaise," returned the lieutenant, casting a side-lookat the steward, who often comforted him with ship's delicacies in theadmiral's cabin; "this time, he is right, at least. The Active is comingin slowly, and has been signalling us all the morning. We make her outto say that Monsieur Vervillin is at sea with his whole force."
"Yes," muttered Galleygo to the rear-admiral, in a sort of aside; "theCounty of Fairvillain has come out of his hole, just as I told SirJarvy. Fair-weather-villains they all is, and no bones broken."
"Silence--and you think, Bunting, you read the signals clearly?"
"No doubt of it, Sir Gervaise. Captain Greenly is of the same opinion,and has sent me ashore with the news. He desired me to tell you that theebb would make in half an hour, and that we can then fetch past therocks to the westward, light as the wind is."
"Ay, that is Greenly, I can swear!--He'll not sit down until we are allaweigh, and standing out. Does the cutter tell us which way the countwas looking?"
"To the westward, sir; on an easy bowline, and under short canvass."
"The gentleman is in no hurry, it would seem. Has he a convoy?"
"Not a sail, sir. Nineteen sail, all cruisers, and only twelve of theline. He has one two-decker, and two frigates more than we can muster;just a Frenchman's odds, sir."
"The count has certainly with him, the seven new ships that were builtlast season," quietly observed Bluewater, leaning back in hiseasy-chair, until his body inclined at an angle of forty-five degrees,and stretching a leg on an empty stand, in his usual self-indulgentmanner. "They are a little heavier than their old vessels, and will giveus harder work."
"The tougher the job, the more creditable the workmanship. The tide isturning, you say, Bunting?"
"It is, Sir Gervaise; and we shall all tend ebb, in twenty minutes. Thefrigates outside are riding down channel already. The Chloe seems tothink that we shall be moving soon, as she has crossed top-gallant androyal-yards. Even Captain Greenly was thinking of stretching along themessenger."
"Ah! you're a set of uneasy fellows, all round!--You tire of your nativeland in twenty-four hours, I find. Well, Mr. Bunting; you can go off,and say that all is very well. This house is in a sad state ofconfusion, as, I presume, you know. Mention this to Captain Greenly."
"Ay-ay-sir; is it your pleasure I should tell him any thing else, SirGervaise Oakes?"
"Why--yes--Bunting," answered the vice-admiral, smiling; "you may aswell give him a hint to get all his fresh grub off, as fast as hecan--and--yes; to let no more men quit the ship on liberty."
"Any thing more, Sir Gervaise?" added the pertinacious officer.
"On the whole, you may as well run up a signal to be ready to unmoor.The ships can very w
ell ride at single anchors, when the tide has oncefairly made. What say you, Bluewater?"
"A signal to unmoor, at once, would expedite matters. You know verywell, you intend to go to sea, and why not do the thing off-hand?"
"I dare say, now, Bunting, you too would like to give thecommander-in-chief a nudge of some sort or other."
"If I could presume so far, Sir Gervaise. I can only say, sir, that thesooner we are off, the sooner we shall flog the French."
"And Master Galleygo, what are your sentiments, on this occasion? It isa full council, and all ought to speak, freely."
"You knows, Sir Jarvy, that I never speaks in these matters, unlessspoken to. Admiral Blue and your honour are quite enough to take care ofthe fleet in most circumstances, though there is some knowledge in thetops, as well as in the cabin. My ideas is, gentlemen, that, by castingto starboard on this ebb tide, we shall all have our heads off-shore,and we shall fetch into the offing as easily as a country wench turns ina jig. What we shall do with the fleet, when we gets out, will be shownin our ultra movements."
By "ultra," David meant "ulterior," a word he had caught up from hearingdespatches read, which he understood no better than those who wrote themat the admiralty.
"Thanks to you all, my friends!" cried Sir Gervaise, who was sodelighted at the prospect of a general engagement, that he felt a boyishpleasure in this fooling; "and now to business, seriously. Mr. Bunting,I would have the signal for sailing shown. Let each ship fire arecall-gun for her boats. Half an hour later, show the bunting tounmoor; and send my boat ashore as soon as you begin to heave on thecapstan. So, good-morning, my fine fellow, and show your activity."
"Mr. Bunting, as you pass the Caesar, do me the favour to ask for myboat, also," said Bluewater, lazily, but half-raising his body to lookafter the retiring lieutenant. "If we are to move, I suppose I shallhave to go with the rest of them. Of course we shall repeat all yoursignals."
Sir Gervaise waited until Bunting was out of the room, when he turned tothe steward, and said with some dryness of manner--
"Mr. Galleygo, you have my permission to go on board, bag and baggage."
"Yes, Sir Jarvy, I understands. We are about to get the ships under way,and good men ought to be in their places. Good-by, Admiral Blue. Weshall meet before the face of the French, and then I expects every manon us will set an example to himself of courage and devotion."
"That fellow grows worse and worse, each day, and I shall have to sendhim forward, in order to check his impertinence," said Sir Gervaise,half-vexed and half-laughing. "I wonder you stand his saucy familiarityas well as you appear to do--with his Admiral Blues!"
"I shall take offence as soon as I find Sir Jarvy really out of humourwith him. The man is brave, honest, and attached; and these are virtuesthat would atone for a hundred faults."
"Let the fellow go to the devil!--Do you not think I had better go out,without waiting for despatches from town?"
"It is hard to say. Your orders may send us all down into Scotland, toface Charles Stuart. Perhaps, too, they may make you a duke, and me abaron, in order to secure our fidelity!"
"The blackguards!--well, say no more of that, just now. If M. deVervillin is steering to the westward, he can hardly be aiming atEdinburgh, and the movements in the north."
"That is by no means so certain. Your really politic fellows usuallylook one way and row another."
"It is my opinion, that his object is to effect a diversion, and my wishis to give it to him, to his heart's content. So long as this force iskept near the chops of the channel, it can do no harm in the north, and,in-so-much, must leave the road to Germany open."
"For one, I think it a pity--not to say a disgrace--that England cannotsettle her own quarrels without calling in the aid of either Frenchmanor Dutchman."
"We must take the world as it is, Dick, and act like twostraight-forward seamen, without stopping to talk politics. I take itfor granted, notwithstanding your Stuart fervour, that you are willingenough to help me thresh Monsieur de Vervillin."
"Beyond a question. Nothing but the conviction that he was directlyemployed in serving my natural and legitimate prince, could induce me toshow him any favour. Still, Oakes, it is possible he may have succoursfor the Scotch on board, and be bound to the north by the way of theIrish channel!"
"Ay, pretty succours, truly, for an Englishman to stomach!_Mousquetaires_, and _regiments de Croy_, or _de Dillon_, or some d----dFrench name or other; and, perhaps, beautiful muskets from the _Bois deVincennes_; or some other infernal nest of Gallic inventions to put downthe just ascendency of old England! No--no--Dick Bluewater, yourexcellent, loyal, true-hearted English mother, never bore you to be adupe of Bourbon perfidy and trick. I dare say she sickened at the veryname of Louis!"
"I'll not answer for that, Sir Jarvy," returned the rear-admiral, with avacant smile; "for she passed some time at the court of _le GrandMonarque_. But all this is idle; we know each other's opinions, and, bythis time, ought to know each other's characters. Have you digested anyplan for your future operations; and what part am I to play in it?"
Sir Gervaise paced the room, with hands folded behind his back, in anair of deep contemplation, for quite five minutes, before he answered.All this time, Bluewater remained watching his countenance andmovements, in anticipation of what was to come. At length, thevice-admiral appeared to have made up his mind, and he delivered himselfof his decision, as follows.
"I have reflected on them, Dick," he said, "even while my thoughts haveseemed to be occupied with the concerns of others. If de Vervillin isout, he must still be to the eastward of us; for, running as the tidesdo on the French coast, he can hardly have made much westing with thislight south-west wind. We are yet uncertain of his destination, and itis all-important that we get immediate sight of him, and keep him inview, until he can be brought to action. Now, my plan is this. I willsend out the ships in succession, with orders to keep on an easybowline, until each reaches the chops of the channel, when she is to goabout and stand in towards the English coast. Each succeeding vessel,however, will weigh as soon as her leader is hull down, and keep withinsignal distance, in order to send intelligence through the whole line.Nothing will be easier than to keep in sight of each other, in such fineweather; and by these means we shall spread a wide clew,--quite ahundred miles,--and command the whole of the channel. As soon asMonsieur de Vervillin is made, the fleet can close, when we will begoverned by circumstances Should we see nothing of the French, by thetime we make their coast, we may be certain they have gone up channel;and then, a signal from the van can reverse the order of sailing, and wewill chase to the eastward, closing to a line abreast as fast aspossible."
"All this is very well, certainly; and by means of the frigates andsmaller cruisers we can easily sweep a hundred and fifty miles ofocean;--nevertheless, the fleet will be much scattered."
"You do not think there will be any danger of the French's engaging thevan, before the rear can close to aid it?" asked Sir Gervaise, withinterest, for he had the profoundest respect for his friend'sprofessional opinions. "I intended to lead out in the Plantagenet,myself, and to have five or six of the fastest ships next to me, with aview that we might keep off, until you could bring up the rear. If theychase, you know we can retire."
"Beyond a doubt, if Sir Gervaise Oakes can make up his mind to _retire_,before any Frenchman who was ever born," returned Bluewater, laughing."All this sounds well; but, in the event of a meeting, I should expectto find you, with the whole van dismasted, fighting your hulks likebull-dogs, and keeping the Count at bay, leaving the glory of coveringyour retreat to me."
"No--no--Dick: I'll give you my honour I'll do nothing so boyish andsilly. I'm a different man at fifty-five, from what I was attwenty-five. You may be certain that I will run, until I think myselfstrong enough to fight."
"Will you allow me to make a suggestion, Admiral Oakes; and this withall the frankness that ought to characterize our ancient friendship?"
Sir Gervaise stop
ped short in his walk, looked Bluewater steadily in theface, and nodded his head.
"I understand by the expression of your countenance," continued theother, "that I am expected to speak. I had no more to say, than to makethe simple suggestion that your plan would be most likely to beexecuted, were I to lead the van, and were _you_ to bring up the rear."
"The devil you do!--This comes as near mutiny--or _scandalummagnatum_--as one can wish! And why do you suppose that the plan of thecommander-in-chief will be least in danger of failing, if AdmiralBluewater lead on this occasion, instead of Admiral Oakes?"
"Merely because I think Admiral Oakes, when an enemy is pressing him, ismore apt to take counsel of his heart than of his head; while AdmiralBluewater is _not_. You do not know yourself, Sir Jarvy, if you think itso easy a matter to run away."
"I've spoiled you, Dick, by praising your foolish man[oe]uvring so muchbefore your face, and that's the whole truth of the matter. No--my mindis made up; and, I believe you know me well enough to feel sure, whenthat is the case, even a council of war could not move it. _I_ lead out,in the _first_ two-decked ship that lifts her anchor, and _you_ followin the _last_. You understand my plan, and will see it executed, as yousee every thing executed, in face of the enemy."
Admiral Bluewater smiled, and not altogether without irony in hismanner; though he managed, at the same time, to get the leg that hadbeen lowest for the last five minutes, raised by an ingenuity peculiarto himself, several inches above its fellow.
"Nature never made you for a conspirator, Oakes," he said, as soon asthis change was effected to his mind; "for you carry a top-light in yourbreast that even the blind can see!"
"What crotchet is uppermost in your mind, now, Dick? Ar'n't the ordersplain enough to suit you?"
"I confess it;--as well as the motive for giving them just in thisform."
"Let's have it, at once. I prefer a full broadside to your minute-guns.What is my motive?"
"Simply that you, Sir Jarvy, say to a certain Sir Gervaise Oakes, Bart.,Vice-Admiral of the Red, and Member for Bowldero, in your own mind,'now, if I can just leave that fellow, Dick Bluewater, behind me, withfour or five ships, he'll never desert _me_, when in front of the enemy,whatever he might do with _King George_; and so I'll make sure of him byplacing the question in such a light that it shall be one of friendship,rather than one of loyalty.'"
Sir Gervaise coloured to the temples, for the other had penetrated intohis most secret thoughts; and, yet, spite of his momentary vexation, hefaced his accuser, and both laughed in the heartfelt manner that thecircumstance would be likely to excite.
"Harkee, Dick," said the vice-admiral, as soon as he could commandsufficient gravity to speak; "they made a mistake when they sent you tosea; you ought to have been apprenticed to a conjuror. I care not whatyou think about it; my orders are given, and they must be obeyed. Haveyou a clear perception of the plan?"
"One quite as clear, I tell you, as I have of the motive."
"Enough of this, Bluewater; we have serious duties before us."
Sir Gervaise now entered more at length into his scheme; explaining tohis friend all his wishes and hopes, and letting him know, with officialminuteness, what was expected at his hands. The rear-admiral listenedwith his accustomed respect, whenever any thing grave was in discussionbetween them; and, had any one entered while they were thus engaged, hewould have seen in the manner of one, nothing but the dignifiedfrankness of a friendly superior, and in the other the deference whichthe naval inferior usually pays to rank. As he concluded Sir Gervaiserang his bell, and desired the presence of Sir Wycherly Wychecombe.
"I could have wished to remain and see this battle for the successionfairly fought," he said; "but a battle of a different sort calls us inanother quarter. Show him in," he added, as his man intimated that theyoung baronet was in waiting.
"What between the duties of our professional stations, and those of theguest to the host," said the vice-admiral, rising and bowing to theyoung man; "it is not easy to settle the question of etiquette betweenus, Sir Wycherly; and I have, from habit, thought more of the admiraland the lieutenant, than of the lord of the manor and his obligedguests. If I have erred, you will excuse me."
"My new situation is so very novel, that I still remain all sailor, SirGervaise," answered the other, smiling; "as such I hope _you_ will everconsider me. Can I be of any service, here?"
"One of our cutters has just come in with news that will take the fleetto sea, again, this morning; or, as soon as the tide begins to run astrong ebb. The French are out, and we must go and look for them. It wasmy intention and my hope, to be able to take you to sea with me in thePlantagenet. The date of your commission would not put you very highamong her lieutenants; but, Bunting deserves a first lieutenancy, and Imeant to give it to him this afternoon, in which case there would be avacancy in the situation of my own signal-officer, a duty you could wellperform. As it is, you ought not to quit this house, and I must take myleave of you with regret it is so."
"Admiral Oakes, what is there that ought to keep one of my stationashore, on the eve of a general battle? I sincerely hope and trust youwill alter the last determination, and return to the first."
"You forget your own important interests--remember that possession isnine points of the law."
"We had heard the news below, and Sir Reginald, Mr. Furlong, and myself,were discussing the matter when I received your summons. These gentlementell me, that possession can be held by deputy, as well as in person. Iam satisfied we can dispose of this objection."
"Your grandfather's brother, and the late head of your family, lies deadin this house; it is proper his successor should be present at hisfuneral obsequies."
"We thought of that, also. Sir Reginald has kindly offered to appear inmy place; and, then, there is the chance that the meeting with Monsieurde Vervillin will take place within the next eight-and-forty hours;whereas my uncle cannot be interred certainly for a week or ten days."
"I see you have well calculated all the chances, young sir," said SirGervaise, smiling. "Bluewater, how does this matter strike you?"
"Leave it in my hands, and I will see to it. You will sail near or quitetwenty-four hours before me, and there will be time for more reflection.Sir Wycherly can remain with me in the Caesar, in the action; or he canbe thrown aboard the Plantagenet, when we meet."
After a little reflection, Sir Gervaise, who liked to give every one afair chance, consented to the arrangement, and it was decided thatWycherly should come out in the Caesar, if nothing occurred to render thestep improper.
This arrangement completed, the vice-admiral declared he was ready toquit the Hall. Galleygo and the other servants had already made thedispositions necessary for embarking, and it only remained to take leaveof the inmates of the dwelling. The parting between the baronets wasfriendly; for the common interest they felt in the success of Wycherly,had, in a degree, rendered them intimates, and much disposed SirReginald to overlook the sailor's well-known Whiggery. Dutton and theladies took their departure at the same time, and what passed betweenthem and Sir Gervaise on this occasion, took place on the road to thehead-land, whither all parties proceeded on foot.
A person so important as Sir Gervaise Oakes did not leave the roof thathad sheltered him, to embark on board his own ship, without a due escortto the shore. Bluewater accompanied him, in order to discuss any littlepoint of duty that might occur to the mind of either, at the lastmoment; and Wycherly was of the group, partly from professional feeling,and more from a desire to be near Mildred. Then there were Atwood, andthe surgeons, Mr. Rotherham, and two or three of the cabin attendants.Lord Geoffrey, too, strolled along with the rest, though it wasunderstood that his own ship would not sail that day.
Just as the party issued from the gate of the park into the street ofthe hamlet, a heavy gun was fired from the fleet. It was soon succeededby others, and whiffs and cornets were seen flying from the mast-headsthat rose above the openings in the cliffs, the signals of recall fo
rall boats. This set every one in motion, and, never within the memory ofman, had Wychecombe presented such a scene of confusion and activity.Half-intoxicated seamen were driven down to the boats, by youngsterswith the cloth diamond in their collars, like swine, who were reluctantto go, and yet afraid to stay. Quarters of beeves were trundled along incarts or barrows, and were soon seen swinging at different main-stays;while the gathering of eggs, butter, poultry, mutton, lamb, and veal,menaced the surrounding country with a scarcity. Through this throng ofthe living and the dead, our party held its way, jostled by the eagercountrymen, and respectfully avoided by all who belonged to the fleet,until it reached the point where the roads to the cliffs and the landingseparated, when the vice-admiral turned to the only midshipman present,and courteously lifting his hat, as if reluctant to impose such a dutyon a "young gentleman" on liberty, he said--
"Do me the favour, Lord Geoffrey, to step down to the landing andascertain if my barge is there. The officer of the boat will find me atthe signal-station."
The boy cheerfully complied; and this son of an English duke, who, bythe death of an elder brother, became in time a duke himself, went on aservice that among gentlemen of the land would be deemed nearly menial,with as much alacrity as if he felt honoured by the request. It was by atraining like this, that England came, in time, to possess a marine thathas achieved so many memorable deeds; since it taught those who weredestined to command, the high and useful lesson how to obey.
While the midshipman was gone to look for the boat, the two admiralswalked the cliff, side by side, discussing their future movements; andwhen all was ready, Sir Gervaise descended to the shore, using the verypath by which he had ascended the previous day; and, pushing through thethrong that crowded the landing, almost too much engaged to heed evenhis approach, he entered his barge. In another minute, the measuredstrokes of the oars urged him swiftly towards the Plantagenet.