A STORY OF THE WAR OF 1812 BETWEEN AMERICA AND ENGLAND.
BY JAMES BARNES.
CHAPTER XX.
AN EXCHANGE AND A ROBBERY.
ome, lads," I said at last, "don't give up. Give way together. We'll make for that old castle rock, and go ashore."
In a few minutes we had beached both boats in a little cove hardly twenty feet across. I had an idea in my mind of leading the crew to the top of the rock, for it appeared to me that five or six men from the summit could hold a score or more at bay with nothing but stones for weapons.
But to my astonishment I saw that the spit of land which ran out to the tall rock was not more than thirty feet in width, and that it was rounded, as if at some time the sea washed over it. Dugan and Chips had followed me up the slope. When we reached the top, which was not more than ten feet above the beach, we could see the cutter plainly. Through the glass I made out she had come to anchor, and that they were loading some casks into a boat alongside of her:
I handed the glass to the carpenter, who was next to me, and asked him to take a look through it.
"Halloa!" cried Dugan, suddenly, "there are the prisoners on the beach. Now let's see what they're going to do. I wonder if they'll think it is a Yankee trick," he added, with a half chuckle, "scuttling that rotten old junk?"
I took the glass from him without answering, for I saw no humor in the situation. A boat put off from the cutter and brought back two of the men from shore, and now, hidden behind a rock, we watched the proceedings in turn. The idea of getting water was apparently abandoned.
The boat rowed to shore again, picked up the rest of the Englishmen, and then I saw that they were getting out the quarter-boat from the other side.
In a few minutes both were loaded. I caught the glint of steel as they handed muskets and cutlasses into them, and then they pulled off to the northward to go around the farther end of the island.
But an idea had seized me that set my blood tingling!
"How many men does such a craft as that carry?" I croaked, hoarsely.
"Twenty-five to thirty," responded Chips, sullenly.
I had counted twenty men besides the prisoners in the two boats that had put off from the cutter. It would take probably two hours to row around to the north shore of the island.
It would do no harm to broach the subject in my mind to the others, and I did so in a few short words, speaking in hoarse whispers.
"Why not roll one of our boats across the neck of land, and then row down and take the cutter by surprise?"
I did not know how this plan would be received by the others, but when I finished they were looking at me eagerly.
"Captain, I admire ye!" said Dugan, with a trace of Irish in his tone.
Chips grasped my hand.
"By Solomon! we can do it, sir!" he said, and we hurried across to where the men were seated, a dejected-looking group, on the sand.
In twenty minutes the boats from the cutter were out of sight around the north shore cape, and we set to work getting the largest of our own over the barrier.
We broke the oars from the boat we had discarded into rollers, and in five minutes, or a little over, we had made a launching on the western shore.
The men muffled their oars with their shirts, and with a sensation of hunters stalking some dangerous animal, we rowed slowly along against the tide. Truly it was as if the quarry were asleep, and we feared awakening it before we got within striking distance.
Now we were right under her stern, and I read the name, Bat, in gold letters.
She was a tidy little craft, more like a gentleman's yacht than a vessel of war, and from two small ports on her sides poked the muzzles of brass six-pounders.
It was but the hoist of a foot to get on board; and, behold! there was no one there to receive us! But we had no arms; and, picking up a hand-spike and handing it to the carpenter, I led the way down the little hatch, followed by the other eight men, with their closed fists for weapons.
Now if any two people were surprised it was the two Irish sailors who sat there eating with their knives from tin plates they held on their knees.
"SURRENDER!" I CRIED, POINTING THE TELESCOPE AT THEM.
"Surrender!" I cried, pointing the telescope at them as if I had but to touch a trigger to blow out their brains. Before they knew what had happened, or could raise their voices, two of the privateersmen had them pinioned by their wrists.
"Cut that cable; make all sail and get out of this!" I roared, pushing up again.
The jib and foresail went chock-a-block with one heave. Never did men leap to their work so quickly.
Now as it was but a stone's-throw to the shore, I ordered the two sailors overboard into the water, and gave them one of the empty casks to help them make it safely. They were glad of the chance to go.
The mainsail was up by this time, the rope hawser had been severed by the blow of an axe, and we were making out to sea. The crew, all on deck, burst into three hearty cheers, and I led them.
But if they were surprised, and truly they must have been, a greater surprise was in store for me, and I would that I could dwell on my sensations, which I shall but outline. I did not leave the deck to make any investigations of the little sloop until we had covered some five miles, and I had found out that she sailed like a witch, and that there was no sail after us.
The cabin was very handsomely furnished, with a long couch down one side, a handsome table under a fine swinging lamp in the centre, and a desk with many drawers off in a corner, lighted by a handsome sconce. A number of books were thrown about on the couch, and suspended from hooks against the white panels were a half-dozen beautifully executed miniatures; the door to a little cupboard was open, and I saw, hanging up inside, a number of uniforms.
I walked over to the desk and picked up a leather-covered volume that had "Log-book of the Bat" on the cover in red letters, very beautifully done. I turned to the first page, and here is where I got my surprise.
"A journal kept on board H. M. Revenue Cutter Bat, of four guns, commanded by Lieutenant John Hurdis, R.N."
There was my own name staring me in the face. I did not know that Hurdiss was a name well known in the English navy. But I recovered my wits at last, and regarded the coincidence of names as a very lucky omen. I had to take but one step up the little ladder to have my head above the level of the deck. Standing there I called Chips to me, and showed him the entry in the book.
"It's witchcraft," he said, "and nothing less."
The cutter was a little bit larger than our single-gun boats, and perfectly able to go across the Atlantic, or to sail anywhere, provided her provisions held out. We found by an inspection of the hold that there was more than enough to last ten men for a month and a few days over, although we would have to go light in the drinking line.
At once Chips and I set about preparing a routine. The crew were divided into three watches, and I laid out a course that would fetch us somewhere in the vicinity of Boston. On we sailed; everything was fine. For three days I had a most delightful experience, reading the well-chosen books in the cabin, and seeing that the men were kept employed polishing the brass-work and overhauling the forward hold, and so forth.
On the fourth day the fine breeze, that had held from the same direction almost continually, stopped as suddenly as if it had been shut off by the intervention of a great wall.
Before dawn a slight wind came out of the west, dead against us; and at five bells a large ship was seen coming down before the wind with all sail set. I got upon the opposite tack to that I had been holding, and at this the large vessel changed her course, evidently intending to speak me. There was no way of my escaping, for if I had started to run she would soon have overhauled us in two hours. I could see her ports and make out she was a 44-gun frigate, and was not surprised when she displayed the English flag.
I answered in the same manner, and at Chips's suggestion I got out the signal-book that I had found, and the little flags also, hoping that this would be all that it would amount to.
But she did not signalize us, and in a quarter of an hour we were near enough to see the faces of a group of officers leaning over the rail, and to notice that one of them held a trumpet in his hand.
Soon the hail came, "What cutter is that?"
I answered.
"What are you doing out here?"
For an instant I was nonplussed. "Chasing a Yankee privateer," I answered, with an air of bravado.
"Where is she?"
"Got away to the south'ard."
"I'll send a boat on board of you."
This was exactly what I did not wish to happen. "Don't trouble, sir. I'll come on board of you myself," I replied, at the same time ordering out the only boat we had left, a little dingy swung over the stern.
"Now, Chips," said I, "this is a case of must obey. We are edging up to windward, and it's going to thicken. If you can get away, do so; but be cautious. You know the cost. I leave it all to you. Get up to windward without exciting suspicion, and if you don't hear from me in two hours, clear away for home."
This conversation was held under the lee of the frigate; in fact we were so close to her that she shadowed us completely, and although we were both hove to, I knew that we could swing off before she could get the weather-gage. I feared doing this myself, but I knew that my coming on board would disarm all suspicion, and that Chips might be able to carry out the plan.
From the southwest a fog-bank was approaching—I had made note of it—and the air was filled already with fine particles of moisture. It was no easy job to bring the little dingy alongside. But at last we were able to do so, thanks to the good oarsmanship of Caldwell, and at last I grasped the rope-ladder that had been lowered from the gangway, and came on deck. The boatswain shrilled his whistle, and the side-boys touched their caps. A fine-looking officer stepped forward to meet me, saluting and extending his hand.
"Your name, sir?" he inquired.
It would not do to hesitate. I was running risks, of course, but no half-way measures would suffice.
"John Hurdiss, Lieutenant, commanding the cutter Bat," I replied.
"Will you come with me to my cabin, Mr. Hurdiss? I'm Mallet, of the Cæsar."
I followed him at once.
"Isn't it rather a strange thing for you to be in this latitude and longitude, when your station is on the coast?" he continued, severely.
"Not when you understand the circumstances, Captain Mallet," I replied. And forthwith I began a story of how I had chased a small Yankee privateer for the last three days, and that she had given me the slip but the night before.
"I shall make a report of this affair, and it shall be looked into," he said. "Go back on board your vessel, and return to your cruising-grounds."
I was sorely tempted to ask what business all this was of his, but I held my tongue, and we went on deck together. The fog-bank was all about us. The Bat was nowhere to be seen. I could not help showing my impatience. A gun was fired, and then another, and a third, but there was no response.
All eyes were upon me, and in the group of officers I noticed an old man in civilian's dress. He was a distinguished-looking figure, and I overheard some one address him as Mr. Middleton.
"Middleton?" I repeated to myself. "Where have I heard that name before?" I could not place it, but somehow it had staid in my recollection.
"What's the explanation of this, Mr. Hurdiss?" asked Captain Mallet, folding his arms and stepping in front of me.
"That's more than I can tell you," I replied.
As I spoke there came the sound of a shot off to windward.
"There's my vessel," I replied. "Might I ask you to set me on board of her, or shall I consider myself under arrest, sir?"
"You shall consider yourself ordered on board your vessel, with instructions to report to your superior at Dublin at once, to whom you will give this letter."
Scarcely had the boatswain finished shrilling the call for the cutter when the old gentleman in citizen's dress spoke up.
"As Dublin is my destination, Sir John, would it be possible for us to be transferred to this young gentleman's vessel? It would save us much time and trouble."
"I cannot order him to take you," replied the Captain, "but if he chooses—"
The old man looked at me.
"My granddaughter and I," he began, "are very anxious to reach Ireland. If you would do us the favor—"
I was anxious to get away without more parleying, as the boat was now rocking at the foot of the ladder.
"Our quarters are not so large as those of the frigate," I began.
"I hope that this is not asking too much," went on Mr. Middleton, earnestly, interrupting before I had finished.
I glanced over my shoulder, and I saw standing there the figure of a tall young girl dressed in deep mourning.
I went hot and cold from my heart to my finger-tips. The shock came near to paralyzing me.
"I think I can make you comfortable," I said, "if you will allow me to row off and bring my vessel up while you are getting your luggage."
"Thank you very much," said Mr. Middleton; "we'll set about it."
I descended the ladder, jumped into the boat, and gave the orders to pull out into the fog. When we had gone some four or five hundred yards, I made a trumpet of my hands, and shouted:
"Oh, Mr. Chips! Where are you?"
"Here we are, sir!" came the reply close to us.
In another moment we were alongside, and the carpenter, in the uniform of a British quartermaster, helped me on board.
"Mr. Chips," I said, hurriedly, "there will soon be some passengers come off from the frigate. It is supposed that we are bound for Dublin."
"It is a roundabout way we'll take to get there, sir," he said, grinning. "Who are they?"
"Never mind as to that," I answered. "Treat them with all courtesy, and show them to my cabin."
When Mr. Middleton and his granddaughter, whose name the reader has guessed by this time, were put on board of us, I made myself very scarce, hiding in the fore-castle luckily, I thought it better to start to the eastward and sail down to the frigate to allay any suspicion that might still linger in Captain Mallet's mind. It was the best thing I could have done, for we came up to her, finding her yet hove-to.
"Follow in our wake," came the order through the trumpet, as she rounded off on the same course we were holding.
"Ay, ay, sir," I replied; and as soon as she had passed us and was out of sight, I came about and headed to the west through the rain, with the wind bearing the little cutter on, with (to me) the most precious cargo in the world.
The passengers did not come on deck that afternoon; but late in the evening the fog cleared away, and so far as we could see by searching the horizon with a glass not a sail was in sight. I was leaning with my back to the companionway, talking to Mr. Chips, who was at the tiller (the Bat had no wheel), when I heard the sound of a voice that thrilled me through and through. My own talking apparatus was almost normal by this time, I should have stated, although I now could sing bass instead of tenor.
"Give the order to haul up that flag," I said to the carpenter, in an undertone.
It was still bright light, and the sun had not dipped full below the edge of the sea, and clear and bright in all its beautiful colors up went to the peak the stars and stripes.
Mary had seen it first. "What does this mean, grandfather?" she said.
The old man could not reply.
"It means," said I, turning, "that Captain John Hurdiss has come in his own vessel to get you, Mistress Tanner."
I did not know exactly what would be the result of this speech, but if I had had any idea that it was to produce a sensation, the result certainly proved the correctness of my surmisings. Mary gave a gasp and stamped her foot upon the deck. The flash of her eye had more kinds of feeling in it than one can describe.
"Traitor and coward!" she hissed, extending her clinched hands at her sides with the knuckles upward in a rigid gesture. Then she gave a half-inarticulate cry of rage, and turning, stepped down the companionway into the cabin.
Before me was standing Mr. Middleton; his arms were folded, and his fingers clasping and unclasping nervously.
"What in the name of Satan have we here?" he said. "What does this mean? Who are you, and what are you?"
"I am John Hurdiss, the commander of this vessel," I answered in return, folding my arms also, but keeping as quiet as I could. "I am a plain American seaman. You are my guest, sir, and believe me that no harm will come to you."
"You addressed my granddaughter just now as though you had some claim on her. We are in your power, but—"
"Stay," I cried, lifting my hand. "My words may have been ill chosen, but mark this—I would put a pistol to the man's head whose touch might look to harm her, as I would to my own if my thoughts could threaten treachery. Both you and she are safe, I pledge my honor!"
This speech, which really came from the depths of my heart, had the effect of causing the old gentleman to relax his features somewhat.
"Thank you for this assurance," he said. "Will you tell me whither we are bound, and why you inveigled us, pray, to come on board this skipjack? What plot is this?"
"Oh, pardon me," I laughed; "it was your suggestion, and not mine. Every moment that I spent on board that frigate I was in great danger, and not only I, but these brave fellows who have stood by me so nobly. Besides I had hoped, or at least supposed, that affairs might have turned out differently."
"How so?" inquired Mr. Middleton, raising his eyebrows.
"The necessity for explaining my thoughts, sir, has passed," I answered, tersely. "I was mistaken."