There was no bailer; but I had seized my hat before I had got out of the cabin window, and putting in our oars we bailed away as hard as we could. We had succeeded in partly freeing the boat of water, when we heard the splash of oars coming from the direction of the brig. Once more we gave way, the water still coming in. I very much doubted that we should reach the frigate without having again to stop. The boat, however, was gaining on us. Should she come up before we could get under our own flag, we might lawfully be recaptured; the water was already up to the thwarts, and the boat pulled heavily; our pursuers were getting closer and closer. We were nearing the frigate.
I looked round. I saw her high sides and tall masts against the sky.
I shouted at the top of my voice, “Liffy ahoy! help, help here!”
Larry shouted still louder, for he had a voice of his own when he tried to exert it. The boat pulled more heavily than ever. If it had not been for the dread of the sharks, I should have jumped overboard and tried to swim to the frigate. Still we made her move. I can’t say what a leap my heart gave as we ran up against her side. Some ropes were hove to us, for our shouts had attracted attention, and, swirming up them, we each reached a port in time to see our boat’s gunwale flush with the water, and our pursuers turning round to pull away. As we got on deck the quartermaster brought a lantern, which he held so as to throw a light on our faces, and at the same time a midshipman ran up.
“Who have we here?” he exclaimed, and I recognised Chaffey’s voice. “What! Paddy Finn, my boy, where in the world have you come from?”
“From a brig—a prize to the French,” I answered. “But I say, Chaffey, I want to see the captain at once. If there comes a breeze she’ll be slipping out of the harbour, and we must be ready to go after her.”
“Why, we thought you were on board the Soleil, and expected she would be put into commission, and be sent out to rejoin us, as we want small craft to watch the movements of the French.”
I briefly told him what had happened. He in return told me what I was sorry to hear, that nothing had been heard of the Soleil, though the idea was that she had got safely into Port Royal harbour.
“The captain doesn’t like to be roused up; but I suppose as your information is of importance, he won’t give me a wigging for disturbing him,” he said, as we reached the cabin door. Mentioning his object, the sentry stationed there allowed him to pass, and I stood for a time outside, trying to squeeze the water out of my nether garments. I had formed a little pool round my feet by the time Chaffey returned.
“You’re to go into the captain, Paddy,” he said. “He fired off his great guns and small arms at me, so he’ll receive you pleasantly, I hope.”