At sunset we wore round and stood away to the southward.
The conversation round the captain’s mahogany that night was naturally upon one topic only, namely, how to get hold of the frigate.
Captain Annesley listened with exemplary patience to all that was said; and, at last, when every possible suggestion, practicable and impracticable, had been made, he said,—
“Thank you, gentlemen, one and all, for your very valuable suggestions, none of which, however—if I may be excused for saying so—strike me as being so simple as the one I have myself thought upon. It is this. I propose returning during the night to a spot near where the French frigate lies—I marked it particularly to-day, while we were lying off and on—and sending a boat’s crew ashore about an hour before daybreak to-morrow morning, to see what can be done with that battery. They will, of course, be kept upon the tiptoe of expectation all night to-night, anticipating an attempt to cut the frigate out, or something of that sort. Toward morning, however, hearing nothing of us, and being fatigued moreover by their night’s watch, they will relax their vigilance; and then I think perhaps something may be achieved in the nature of a surprise. I say a surprise, because, whatever is done, I should like done without giving the frigate the alarm. The battery once in our possession, be it only for five minutes, those heavy guns, of which I so much dislike the look, may be spiked; and then we shall have nothing to do but run into the bay, lay the frigate alongside, and help ourselves. Now, what do you think of my plan?”
“Capital! Excellent! The very thing!” was the verdict, and everybody applauded to the echo, as of course in duty bound to do. But, apart from that, it really was an excellent proposal, and far better than any of the previous suggestions.
“Very well, then,” resumed the skipper. “Now as to details. The surprise and silencing of that battery is, as you must all see, a matter of the last importance, and will need a cool and steady hand as leader of the expedition. I cannot spare many men, as we are short of our complement already; and I have an idea that the French craft, ill-disposed as she seems to come out to us, will make a gallant defence when we go in to her. For the same reason, I can ill spare any of my officers. Under such circumstances, who, in your opinion, should be sent to deal with the battery?”
There was a dead silence for a minute. Then up spake Paddy Flinn.
“Bedad thin,” said he, his eyes sparkling with animation, “it’s myself would like to take the job in hand if it wos shtorrrming the battery that was wanted, captain, darlint; but since it’s a surprise, for your own sake and that of iverybody else, don’t send me; for I know I’d be puttin’ me fut in it and raising no end of a distorbance before I’d done wid it.”
There was a hearty laugh at this frank speech, in which the skipper joined until the tears rolled down his cheeks.
“No, no, Flinn,” said he. “You are the last man I should think of sending upon such a business. Besides, I shall want you to lead one of the boarding-parties, where I know you will be in your element. Mr Woods, I shall also want you; and I really don’t see how I can well do without you, Mr Martin. So that we now come down to the midshipmen; and to tell the candid truth, young gentlemen, I have great qualms about entrusting so important a business to any of you. What do you say, Ralph, do you think you could manage so delicate a business without making a hash of it?”