CHAPTER XVII
EXILED
AGAIN, as far as I was concerned, time pursued its even course, andin my retreat I had little cause to complain of the manner of life Iwas leading, were it not for the galling fate of circumstances thathad befallen my King and country. There were hundreds of braveCavaliers, ruined by their devotion, who lurked in obscurity andsequestration, awaiting the time when their swords were once more tofly from their scabbards in the defence, and for the honour, of HisMajesty, so that I comforted myself that in my present position I wasby no means an exception.
One dark evening in the month of November I was returning from a longramble through the woods of Quarr, and on gaining the little hard onthe Fishbourne side of the creek, where I had left my boat, I saw thedark sails of a large craft of strange rig glide past up the channel.I say strange, but 'twas strange only as far as the locality wasconcerned, for I could have staked my all that those sails were cutin the West Country.
The vessel passed on, and disappeared in the darkness, but by thesound of the creaking tackle and shouts of the crew I knew she haddropped anchor just above the pool where the fishing craft are wontto lie.
Now it happened that just at the spot where this craft had brought upthere is what the fishermen call a "hard bottom," rocks and largestones abounding, upon which a vessel would do herself an injury whenshe grounded at low tide; so, as I had to pass the craft on mypassage over o the other side, I thought it but right that I shoulwarn the crew, who were obviously strangers, of their danger.
The flood tide was making strongly, and it required but a few strokesto bring me alongside the new arrival as she fretted at her hempencable in the swirl of the swift-running flood.
With the least perceptible jar my little boat rubbed sides with thelarger craft, and standing up, I held on to the bulwarks of thelatter and peered through the gloom to try and find some of her crew.
The deck was deserted, but from a half-open hatch came the gleam of alamp that shot upwards through the thick night vapour, like a strayshaft of light that finds its way into the dusty atmosphere of adarkened room.
Judging by the sounds of the different voices, the boat carried alarge crew, and for a moment I hesitated to hail them, fearing theymight be a gang of smugglers, who, in these troublous times, oftenadded piracy to the list of their numerous accomplishments. But, tomy surprise, I heard a well-known voice exclaim: "Yet before weadventure ourselves in this matter, I would fain seek out SirHumphrey Markham."
Caution was no longer necessary, and pounding on the deck with myfist, I called:
"Ralph! Ralph! 'Tis I--Humphrey."
The next instant Ralph Granville rushed up through the hatch, closelyfollowed by Nick Firestone.
"Come aboard! Come aboard, Humphrey!" exclaimed Ralph. Then, as Icame within range of the light, he continued: "And to think weshould find you in the garb of a fisherman or woodman!"
"Which, I perceive, is a like garb to that which you yourselves arewearing," I replied, laughing, for there was little differencebetween our dress and that of the crew, amongst which I recognisedDick, the master of the _Emma Farleigh_.
Then I realised that I stood once more on the deck of the staunchlittle craft that effected my rescue from the sea, when my horsecarried me willy-nilly over the cliffs of the Cornish coast.
"Come below and tell us how you have fared this long while,"exclaimed Firestone. "And how came ye to find us?"
"Find you?" I repeated. "'Twas by pure chance that I saw you come in,not knowing who and what you were. But what brought you in hither?"
"To look for you, knowing that you were somewhere about in theseparts. Our business is of a stern nature. Look behind you."
Ranged along the bulkhead of the cabin were several musketoons,pistols, boarding-pikes, and heavy swords known to seamen ascutlasses, while two swivel guns completed the armoury. In additionto Granville, Firestone, and myself, there were ten lusty seamen, allCornishmen of the good old sea stock, crowded into the little cabin,their bronzed, bearded faces gleaming with zeal and intelligence.
"Turned pirate to build up the fortune of your home, Ralph?" Iasked jocosely.
"Nay, lad, nay. 'Tis an affair of duty and honour. In short, we hopeto have His Majesty aboard the _Emma Farleigh_ or her consort, the_Three Brothers_, within a couple of days. Dost remember his futileattempt to escape during the spring?"
"Ay," I replied. "Seeing that I had a hand in it."
"Then fie on you for a bungler, Humphrey. But to continue the storyof our plans. The _Three Brothers_ lies in Newtown River, within anhour's ride of Carisbrooke. Thither we will repair, and joininghands, there will be sufficient men to surprise the castle and effecta rescue. Then hey for France! Wilt join with us?"
"There is no need to ask me," I replied. "But will it be an' easytask, think you? Colonel Hammond, I hear, has been removed. He wasordered to Windsor but yesterday week, and Colonel William Sydenhamhas been given the charge of His Majesty's person."
"Sydenham? I know him to be a red-hot fanatic," remarked Firestone;"and, moreover, a thorough soldier, though he be a rebel. Our taskis rendered doubly difficult."
"Nevertheless, we must see the thing through," added Ralphresolutely. "Now, Humphrey, if you have any preparations to make,hurry on with them, for we must needs be at the rendezvous withoutundue delay."
Accordingly I hurried ashore, took a change of clothing, my sword,and a few small articles of value, since I knew not whether I shouldever return; then, locking the door, I left the key in the hands ofan old fisherman, one Robert Young, who had oftentimes before lookedafter my dwelling when I had occasion to be away for long.
When I returned on board, a steady south-easterly breeze was blowingdown the creek, and in a very little time the sails were hoisted, andthe _Emma Farleigh_ glided over the tide towards the Solent.
The night was bitterly cold, but, with Dick in charge on deck, therewas no necessity for us to remain without; so we retired to thecabin, there to talk over our respective adventures after we hadseparated at Chalton.
By and by there was a scurrying of feet on deck, and we heard Dick'spowerful voice shout, "Mind your helm, there."
Rushing on deck, we saw the dim outlines of a vessel disappearingastern of us, and even as we looked a light flashed thrice in quicksuccession above her sides.
"Quick, there, show a flare!" ordered the master and in obedience oneof the crew replied with a similar signal, which was replied to withanother succession of six flashes.
"'Tis the _Brothers_, sure enough," said Dick; "I wonder what they aredoing out here?"
With the dark water churning up under her forefoot our consort drewup under our lee, and a hasty conversation took place between the twomasters, to the effect that the crew of the _Three Brothers_ hadheard that the King was to be taken from Carisbrooke over to HurstCastle that morning, and they feared he would be conducted thence toLondon.
"Are you sure of it?" shouted Firestone.
"Ay. Walter heard it direct from one of the sofdiers at an inn nearYarmouth, and a coach has already lef t for the castle."
"Then we are too late," exclaimed the colonel, turning to Ralph."Unless we can intercept the vessel that bears him across the Solent."
"Can we manage that?" asked Granville of the master.
"If us keeps out o' range o' the guns at Hurst Castle, 'twill be safeenow," replied Dick. "An' I'll warrant never a ship on thesewaters'll show 'er 'eels to the likes o' we."
"Then speak with the Brothers, and desire them to bear us company.Sink or swim, I'll have this craft laid alongside the vessel thatbears His Majesty across the Solent."
For the rest of the night the crew were busily engaged in setting upthe swivel guns, bending the larger and lighter sails in the place ofthe heavier winter canvas, and leaving nothing untouched that wouldincrease our speed; and as the grey dawn stole across the easternsky, we found ourselves standing close in shore within a shortdistance of Worseley Tower, hard by the little town of Ya
rmouth.
We observed a small sloop lying at anchor just off the tower, whileseveral soldiers on shore were intently watching us. Presently a boatpushed off from the land, and an officer ordered us roughly to standfarther off.
"Can us not fish here?" asked Dick, who with two others aloneremained on deck.
"No, sirrah," replied the officer. "For all I know, you and your otherboat may be looking for fish that does not swim in the sea. Get yougone, I say."
There was no help for it. We could have seized the officer, but thatdeed would not have helped us, for the rebels would have delayedputting His Majesty across till a sufficient number of ships hadassembled to guard his passage, or else they might have sent him fromCowes to Titchfield Haven.
So the two vessels stood out from shore, the _Emma Farleigh_ leading,with the _Three Brothers_ close astern. The wind had fallen verylight, and we barely moved through the water. A slight haze hungaround, entirely blotting out Hurst Castle from our view.
"If this fog becomes no thicker, 'twill serve our purpose well,"commented the colonel, as we came on deck once more. But, happeningto look shorewards, we observed with great uneasiness that we werebeing simply borne through the narrow channel by the irresistibleforce of the tide.
In vain we tried to hold our own, but the wind was not sufficient toenable us to do so, and we observed with dismay that the breeze blewstrongly off Yarmouth, while we were practically becalmed.
Then, to our mortification, we saw a party of soldiers hurry on boardthe sloop, a cloaked, bent figure in their midst, and in utterhelplessness we saw the vessel shake out her sails, and heeling overto the breeze, stand on her way towards the frowning walls of HurstCastle.
Our efforts to rescue His Majesty had failed.
A feeling of depression had seized upon everyone on board both ourvessels, and for a long time we breasted the tide at twenty yardsapart, without any fixed plan or purpose.
At length Firestone suggested that, to avoid needless risk, and theconsequences of an already existing suspicion, the _Three Brothers_should return to the west, while the _Emma Farleigh_ should land meat Wootton, and follow at her leisure. This was agreed to, and anhour later our former consort was a mere speck against the westernsky.
By this time the sun had completely dispersed the mist, and HurstCastle stood out clearly against the dark, tree-clad outlines of theNew Forest. With the now favouring tide we made for the eastward oncemore, Firestone and Granville having promised to be my guests at myhumble dwelling for a few days, until we had gathered definite newsof the fate of our royal master.
But our plans were doomed to receive a rude shock, for, as we roundedOld Castle Point, and were just opening out the entrance to thecreek, we saw a small boat rowing hurriedly towards us.
As it drew nearer I recognised the rower as the old fisherman, RobertYoung, and calling to us to shake the vessel up in the wind, he camealongside.
"Don't 'e go back home, as you value your life, Master White," heexclaimed breathlessly.
"Why?" I inquired, a sudden suspicion flashing through my mind.
"'Cause a pack of rascally soldiers have taken charge of yourcottage. They say that you are a Royalist, and that a price is set onyour head. They've ransacked everything in your house, and I hadgreat trouble to steal away and warn you. I'd flee, if I were you,while there is yet time."
"The man has given you good advice, and 'tis certain you ought toprofit by it," remarked the colonel. "And we, too, are like to putour heads in a noose should we venture ashore. Clearly England is noplace for us."
"So it seems," I replied despondently.
"Then there remains but one course open to the three of us," hecontinued. "Abroad we may seek refuge until such time that we canadventure our persons in a more successful enterprise. What say you?"
To this we all agreed, and after a consultation with Dick, the latteragreed to land us at Havre, in consideration of a certain sum ofmoney; and before night the white cliffs of the Isle of Wight hadvanished beneath the horizon.
* * * * *
Very little remains to be told. Directly we landed on French soil wehastened to offer our services to the Prince of Wales.
And here, in a strange land, we await, in common with a devoted andever-growing band of loyal English refugees, the time when HisGracious Majesty King Charles II will, with the blessing of God,wrest his inheritance from the rebels, at whose lawless hands we haveso grievously suffered for King and country.
THE END
Transcribers notes:
- Near the end of chapter III: [One of our men uttered "come" coarse jest] is probably [One of our men uttered "some" coarse jest]
- Halfway chapter VIII: [and waited, in dead silence, for the "threatened" catastrophe.] is probably [and waited, in dead silence, for the "threatening" catastrophe.]
- Halfway chapter VIII: [for the rebells are leaving "Listithiel" this day.] is probably
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