I was sorry that I didn’t know rather more about navigation, but I thought that I could manage, by carrying on, to keep in sight of the frigate. I was especially thankful that we had not been compelled to hang Dan Hoolan and the other men, for ruffians as they were, and outlaws as they had been, I felt for them as countrymen, and should have been sorry to see them suffer so ignominious a fate. The brig was still hove-to, and I was pacing the deck with all the dignity of a commanding officer, when I saw another boat come off from the frigate, full of men. In a short time, Sinnet stepped up the side.
“I have come to supersede you, Paddy,” he said. “The captain doubts your capabilities as a navigator; besides which, he wants you as an interpreter, so you need not consider yourself slighted.”
“Not a bit of it,” I answered. “Only look out that the Frenchmen don’t take the brig from you.”
“The captain has made sure that that won’t be the case, by ordering all the prisoners to be sent to the frigate,” he replied.
I saw Larry step on deck with the new arrivals, and fancied that he had been sent to form part of the brig’s crew. I asked him if we were to be separated.
“No, Mr Terence, I’m thankful to say; but I axed leave of Mr Saunders to come and look for my fiddle. ‘To be shure,’ said he; ‘it puts life into the men, and you may go.’ So I’ve come, Mr Terence. If Dan Hoolan hasn’t hove it overboard, I’ll be after setting the men a-jigging this very evening, supposing we haven’t to fight the French, or do any other trifle of that sort!”
“Be smart, then, Larry, about it,” I said, “for I have to be off;” and Larry dived below. I ordered the Frenchmen to tumble into the boat,—they obeying in their usual light-hearted manner, not in any way looking as if they were prisoners. The last man had got into the boat, when Larry came up from below with his fiddle-case under his arm.
“Hooray, Mr Terence! shure I’m in luck, for I’ve got back my Cremona!” he exclaimed, as he came down the side, “I’ll set your heels going, mounseers, so don’t be down-hearted, my boys,” he said, addressing the French prisoners.
They seemed to understand him. Some exclaimed, “Bon garçon!” snapping their fingers, and moving their feet, to show that they were ready enough to dance notwithstanding that they were prisoners.
“It’s a wonder, Mr Terence: I’ve been after looking for Dan Hoolan, but never a sight could I get of him, or Phelan, or Casey,” said Larry.