“I am not quite sure that I understand the meaning of the lad, Mr Ark. Every officer, from the Captain to the boatswain, in the King’s fleet, that is, every man of common discretion, carries his authority to act as such with him to sea, or he might find himself in a situation as awkward as that of a pirate.”
“That is just what I said, sir; but schooling and long use have given your Honour a better outfit in words. Guinea and I have often talked the matter over together, and serious thoughts has it given to us both, more than once, Captain Bignall. ‘Suppose,’ says I to the black, ‘suppose one of his Majesty’s boats should happen to fall in with this here craft, and we should come to loggerheads and matches,’ says I, ‘what would the like of us two do in such a god-send?’—‘Why,’ says the black, ‘we would stand to our guns on the side of master Harry,’ says he; nor did I gainsay the same; but, saving his presence and your Honour’s, I just took the liberty to add, that, in my poor opinion, it would be much more comfortable to be killed in an honest ship than on the deck of a buccaneer.”
“A buccaneer!” exclaimed his Commander, with eyes distended, and an open mouth.
“Captain Bignall,” said Wilder, “I may have offended past forgiveness, in remaining so long silent; but, when you hear my tale, there may be found some passages that shall plead my apology. The vessel in sight is the ship of the renowned Red Rover—nay listen, I conjure you by all that kindness you have so long shewn me, and then censure as you will.”
The words of Wilder, aided as they were by an earnest and manly manner, laid a restraint on the mounting indignation of the choleric old seaman. He listened gravely and intently to the rapid but clear tale which his lieutenant hastened to recount; and, ere the latter had done, he had more than half entered into those grateful, and certainly generous, feelings which had made the youth so reluctant to betray the obnoxious character of a man who had dealt so liberally by himself. A few strong, and what might be termed professional, exclamations of surprise and admiration, occasionally interrupted the narrative; but, on the whole, he curbed his impatience and his feelings, in a manner that was sufficiently remarkable, when the temperament of the individual is duly considered.
“This is wonderful indeed!” he exclaimed, as the other ended; “and a thousand pities is it that so honest a fellow should be so arrant a knave. But, Harry, we can never let him go at large after all, our loyalty and our religion forbid it. We must tack ship, and stand after him; if fair words won’t bring him to reason, I see no other remedy than blows.”
“I fear it is no more than our duty, sir,” returned the young man, with a deep sigh.
“It is a matter of religion.—And then the prating puppy, that he sent on board me, is no Captain, after all! Still it was impossible to deceive me as to the air and manner of a gentleman. I warrant me, some young reprobate of a good family, or he would never have acted the sprig so well. We must try to keep his name a secret, Mr Ark, in order that no discredit should fall upon his friends. Our aristocratic columns, though they get a little cracked and defaced, are, after all, the pillars of the throne, and it does not become us to let vulgar eyes look too closely into their unsoundness.”
“The individual who visited the ‘Dart’ was the Rover himself.”
“Ha! the Red Rover in my ship, nay, in my very presence!” exclaimed the old tar, in a species of honest horror. “You are now pleased, sir, to trifle with my good nature.”