Prince Rupert, the Buccaneer

by Charles John Cutcliffe Wright Hyne

"If I were there to lead them," said Watkin, "I warrant I'd come through sound enough myself, and bring a good handful in at my heels. But I'll own they lack a leader. There are several amongst them who have borne officers' ratings, and I dare say could put troops through pretty exercises on a parade ground. But we want something more than mere drill-book out here, as I daresay you are beginning to learn for yourself. For you I take it, Mr. Prince, were once just a routine soldier."

"My man," said Rupert, "I am not given to take offence where none is meant, especially from a fellow who is in his cups, but I'll not have my previous service sneered at, neither will I have unfortunate cavaliers spoken of with contempt."

"Oh, I say what I think," retorted Watkin with a sour look.

"Then, sir, you had better take your sword, and I will do you the honour of crossing it with mine."

Watkin thrust out an underlip. "Mr. Prince," he said, "you may be a big man where you come from, but let me tell you, that you've a lot to learn about New World manners yet. Why, you set up to belong to the Brotherhood of the Coast, and here you're offering to break one of the first rules. Don't you know, 'all private disputes with a Captain, duly appointed, shall be left over for settlement till the end of the cruise?' And further: 'Whoso draweth upon a Captain, duly appointed, that man shall be hanged, or put to some such other end as may be convenient?' Let me tell you, too, there's no buccaneer in these seas that would dare to ride down those rules. Why, our good friend, Captain Wick, that takes such pride in having a man of title beneath him as quartermaster, would be the first to garter your neck with a rope. Indeed, I believe it would tickle Wick mightily if he could brag hereafter amongst the wineshops that once he hanged a bona-fide, genuine-made prince."

"Let it suffice that I threw away most of my rank when I came to my present nasty company. But for the other matter, Captain Watkin, as I acted in ignorance of the rules, I am free to acknowledge my error. Your chastisement shall wait till the fitting season, and when it does come, I trust you bear me out that I have not omitted to add due usury for the delay. But touching the present, sir. The flavour of your company is vastly disagreeable to my palate, and I should take it as courteous if you would set me ashore in the track of these cavaliers who are my friends."

"If you want to go and try your hand on the engagés," said Watkin sullenly, "you shall be landed to-morrow. I've had enough of your fine finicking ways on this ship. I'm not Wick."

In this manner, then, was brought about the separation of Prince Rupert from the sea expedition of the buccaneers, and Stephen Laughan, who alone was set upon the shore of the Main in his company, was not sorry to be rid of their ungenteel society, thinking then, poor fool, that nothing could be more disagreeable. The beach on which they were cast was desert; the country beyond, mere forest and jungle; and for inhabitants, there were wild beasts and still wilder tribes of Indians. But somewhere in the country was a band of cavaliers, and after so long a divorce from these old companions, both Rupert and the secretary hungered mightily to come in touch once more with their manners and pretty conversation.

Their chance of finding this band of forlorn adventurers was truly vague enough, but they were not without some trace of direction. "Here is the very spot where I set the fellows ashore," Watkin had said, "and you can see for yourself the fire they built to keep away the mosquitoes from their first camp. Who but raw fools would have advertised their whereabouts with a smoke like that? But this batch always seemed to think of comfort first and consequences afterwards. You see that saw-edged mountain inland? There's an Indian village in a dead line between the place of the fire and the highest tooth of the saw, and their orders were to make for the village first. It's likely they'll have carried those orders out, or they'll have starved else. They're such poor creatures that they've no sense to find food for themselves, even in a country that teems with food."

This, in fact, was all the real direction that was given, and Prince Rupert was too proud a man to ask for more. The other buccaneers had bawled out wishes for good luck, civilly enough, as the pair were being put upon the beach, though all decided that the mermaiden must have appeared as a special warning to the Prince, and advised extra caution accordingly. The secretary, loving her dear patron so tenderly, and being so nervous for his safety, could not but fall in with this view, seeing that these rude mariners must have learned much of the omens and dangers native to the Carib Sea through sheer familiarity and custom. But Rupert would have it that the thing was preposterous.