Marryat_Mr._Midshipman_Easy.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
not to go
board. ' you want us, come take us--'pose you can. all de
power, but we make mince-meat of you, anyhow."
seamen paused--they were ready to fight for their country, but not
to be killed by or kill those who were their own countrymen, and who
were doing exactly what they would have done themselves.
lieutenant thought otherwise; he was exasperated at this sensation.
" black scoundrel, left you out because thought you not worth
having, but now 'll add you to the number."
" a little," replied .
lieutenant would not take the 's very prudent advice; he
flew forward to seize , who, striking him a blow with the flat of
his sabre, almost levelled him to the deck. this the men and other
officers of the frigate darted forward; but after a short scuffle, in
which a few wounds were received, were beaten back into the boats.
lieutenant was thrown in after them, by the nervous arm of --and
assailed by cold shot and other missiles, they sheered off with
precipitation, and pulled back in the direction of the frigate.
" will be a row about this," said , "as soon as they come
clear of the vessel. the frigate gets hold of us she will show us
no mercy. is a breeze coming from the north-west.
fortunate! we shall be three leagues to windward, and may escape."
" doubt if she could catch us. any point of sailing they may come
up with the prizes, but can do nothing with them."
", the boats which boarded them are already returned to the frigate;
she must wait for them, and that will give us a start, and it will be
night before they can make sail."
" a gun for the prizes to close," said ; "we will put the men
on board again, and then be off to as fast as we can."
" can do no better," said . " ever chance to meet that
fellow again, will trouble him to repeat his words. the sails,
my lads."
" language was unpardonable," observed .
" 've been in the service, , have always observed that
some officers appear to imagine, that because they are under the
king's pennant, they are warranted in insulting and tyrannising over
all those who have not the honour to hoist it; whereas, the very fact
of their being king's officers should be an inducement to them to show
an example of courtesy and gentlemanly conduct in the execution of
their duty, however unpleasant it may be."
" is only those who, insignificant themselves, want to make
themselves of importance by the pennant they serve under," replied our
hero.
" true, ; but you are not aware that a great part of the
ill-will shown to the service is owing to the insolence of those young
men in office. king's name is a warrant for every species of
tyranny and unwarrantable conduct. remember telling one
of them, when--"
" beg your pardon, ," interrupted , "but we have no
time to chat now; the breeze is coming down fast, and perceive the
prizes are closing. us lower down the boat, send the men on board
again, and give them their orders--which will do in writing, in case
they part company."
" true, sir. will be dark in half an hour, and as we are now
standing in-shore, they will think that we intend to remain on the
coast. soon as it is quite dark we will shape our course for
. will go down and look at the chart."
winds up the nautical adventures of .
half an hour the prizes were again alongside, the men put on board,
and the boat hoisted up. frigate still remained becalmed to
leeward, and hoisted in her boats. watched until she was hid by
the shades of night, and then wearing round stood away, with the wind
two points free, for the coast of . next morning when the
sun rose there was nothing in sight. anomaly, in a state of
high civilisation, where you find your own countrymen avoided and more
dreaded than even your foes!
run was prosperous, the weather was fine, and the prizes did not
part company.
the sixteenth day the and her convoy anchored in
. wind was light in the morning that they stood in, and as
had a large blue flag with in white letters hoisted at
the main, and were on board and greeting our
hero, before the 's anchor had plunged into the clear blue
water.
information which our hero received, after having been assured of
the health of and her parents, was satisfactory.
disappearance of the friar had, at first, occasioned much surprise;
but as the servants of swore to his return without the
black, and the letter of , sent to the convent, requesting
his presence, was opened and read, there was no suspicion against the
family. hundred conjectures had been afloat, but gradually they had
subsided, and it was at last supposed that he had been carried off by
the banditti, some of whom had been taken, and acknowledged that they
had seized a friar, on a day which they could not recollect.
reader will remember that it was .
received pratique, and hastened on shore with
and his brother, and was once more in company of , who, in
our hero's opinion, had improved since his departure. young men
in love think the same after an absence, provided it is not too long.
prizes were sold and the money distributed, and every man was
satisfied, as the cargoes fetched a larger sum than they had
anticipated.
must pass over the pros and cons of and his lady, the
pleading of for immediate nuptials, the unwillingness of the
mother to part with her only daughter, the family consultation, the
dowry, and all these particulars. month after his arrival was
married, and was, of course, as happy as the day was long.
few days afterwards, advised departure, as the expenses
of the vessel were heavy, and it was his duty so to do.
and obtained leave to go to , with their sister and
her husband. , , who found a very pleasant
residence, was persuaded by the and his wife to remain there a
month, and then there was crying and sobbing, and embracing, and
embarking; and at last the , whose cabins had been arranged for
the reception of the party, weighed and made sail for ,
having promised to call upon the governor.
four days they anchored in , and paid his
respects to his old friend, who was very glad to see him.
governor sent his own barge for , and she was installed in the
state apartments, which were acknowledged to be very comfortable.
hero had, as usual, a long story to tell the governor, and the
governor listened to it very attentively, probably because he thought
it would be the last, which opportunity employed to narrate the
unfortunate end of his father.
" would not have said so at the time, , but now the wound is
healed, tell you, that it is the best thing that could have
happened--poor old gentleman! he was mad indeed."
hero remained a fortnight at , and then was
re-embarked, and once more the made sail.
" you well, my lad; what have seen of your brothers-in-law
pleases me much; and as for your wife, it will be your own fault if
she is not all that you would wish. ever come to again,
will pay my first visit to . bless you!"
never did go back to , and this was their final
adieu. more the pursued her course, stopped a day or two
at , shared the proceeds of the captured gun-boat, and then
made sail for , where she arrived without adventure or accident
in three weeks. ended the last cruise of .
soon as their quarantine at the was over, they disembarked,
and found and waiting for them at the
. hero scarcely had time to introduce his wife, when the
waiter said, that a lady wished to speak to him. did not wait to
know if was visible, but forced her way past him. looked at
her large proportions, and decided at once that it must be
, in which conjecture he was right.
", sir, what do you mean by carrying off my husband in that way?"
exclaimed the lady, red with anger.
" forbid that should have to carry your husband, , he
is rather too heavy."
", sir, but it's little better than kidnapping, and there's a law
for kidnapping children at all events. shall send my lawyer to you,
that you may depend upon."
" hardly can consider your husband as a child, ,"
replied , laughing.
" well, sir, we shall see. , where is he now?"
" is on board, , and will be delighted to see you."
"'m not quite so sure of that."
"'s very anxious to see little ," said .
" do you know of little , young man?"
" more than anxious to be on shore again. 's quite tired of
sleeping single, ."
", very well, he has been talking, has he? very well," exclaimed the
lady, in a rage.
"," said , " am happy to say, that with pay and prize-money,
during his short absence, he has brought home nearly five hundred
pounds."
" hundred pounds!--you don't say so, sir?" exclaimed ;
"are you sure of that?"
" sure," rejoined .
" hundred pounds!--, that is comfortable--dear me! how glad
shall be to see him! , , it was hard to part with him in
so unhandsome a way--but all's for the best in this world. a dear
nice lady your wife is, --but won't intrude beg pardon.
is the brig, ?"
" coming into harbour," replied ; "if you bargain, you can
get off for twopence."
" hundred pounds!" exclaimed , whose wrath was now
appeased.
" all power, she no fool of a woman dat," said , as she
retreated curtseying. " fink very right sleep tingle."
have now come to the end of our hero's adventures: that afternoon
they all started for , where everything was ready for their
reception. 's men were paid off, and were soon distributed
on board of his 's ships; the vessel was sold, and
retired to , to the society of his wife and little .
he obtained from his wife a divorce de thoro is not handed
down.
, who was now of age, invited all within twenty miles of home
to balls and dinners, became a great favourite, kept a pack of hounds,
rode with the foremost, received a deputation to stand for the county,
on the conservative interest, was elected without much expense, which
was very wonderful, and took his seat in . and
, after two months' stay, took their passage back to
, fully satisfied with the prospects of their sister as to
competence and happiness. had no occasion to argue the point
with ; she conformed at once to the religion of her husband,
proved an excellent and affectionate wife, and eventually the mother
of four children, three boys and a girl.
held his post with dignity, and proved himself trustworthy.
, by the interest of the conservative member, soon obtained
the rank of post-captain, and was always his devoted and sincere
friend.
thus ends the history of .