Chapter 9

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_ CHAPTER NINE. THE PRISONERS HAVE TO WORK--THE CHASE--THE MERCHANT SHIP IS TAKEN--THE BOYS FIND THEIR FRIEND CAPTAIN RYMER AND MARY--THE HURRICANE.

Next morning, as soon as the boys appeared on deck, the captain again called them aft.

"Aloft with you, lads, and black down the main-rigging," he exclaimed as they approached him, looking more humble even than they felt. Knowing, however, that there was no use in refusing to do what they were ordered, Harry and David took up the buckets to which the captain pointed, and ascended as before.

"We must look out not to drop any tar on deck," said Harry, "he will make it an excuse to give us a rope's-ending if we do; I'm sure he means mischief."

The boys soon gained the masthead, and began their very disagreeable task. The sun was extremely hot; the ship rolled slowly from side to side as she glided on before the wind. Poor David felt very sick and wretched; more than once he thought he must give in, but Harry cheered him by exclaiming--

"Let us show that we are Englishmen, and at all events that we are not to be daunted by any work these Frenchmen can give us."

Thus encouraged, David, who really had as much spirit as Harry, determined to persevere. The work, however, progressed more slowly than on the previous day. Several times the captain came on deck and watched them; they continued their work as it they did not observe him. By the time it was completed, as may be supposed, their clothing was entirely spoiled. As they stepped on deck he grinned at them maliciously.

"Ah! now you look what you must in future expect to be," he remarked; "go forward and stow away those buckets, and then come aft to me."

"I wonder what he is going to make us do next?" said Harry, as they handed the buckets over to the boatswain. Poor David, overcome with the heat, scarcely answered. A cup of water which he had obtained from a cask on deck somewhat revived him.

"Well, we must go aft, and face it out as best we can," he answered; "come along, I'm ready."

The captain ordered them into his cabin.

"Now, lads, I want that furniture cleaned; the brass has not been burnished for some time." He put some leather into their hands. The difficulty of the work was not so great, but it was evidently given to insult them on account of its menial character. Harry especially felt this. Still they had no resource but to obey, and scrubbed away with might and main. At last the captain came below.

"Now, you young English midshipman, I've some special work for you to do. See that locker; there are several pairs of boots and shoes--you'll find a blacking-bottle and brushes. I want them cleaned." Harry's proud spirit rose within him. Should he defy the tyrannical captain, and declare that he would die sooner than so employ himself? The captain seemed to divine his thoughts.

"As you please, youngster," he observed; "no one disobeys me on board this vessel."

Harry remembered the shark, and the captain's threat on the previous day.

"Oh! I will help you," said David, looking at him.

"No, it is his work," said the captain.

Poor Harry saw there was no use in offering any resistance, and taking out the brushes began to clean the shoes. It was a work which a midshipman in those days often had to perform for himself; but then it was very different doing it for another, and that other a Frenchman. At length, however, the boys were dismissed, having performed all the tasks given to them. They hurried forward and dived below. The first person they met was Pierre, who looked with commiseration on their tarred dresses.

"I came on board with a nice clean suit, and had to spoil it just as you have had to spoil yours," he observed; "and now he abuses me when I go into his cabin, for not looking clean."

After this the boys were regularly sent aft to help wash down decks, and to keep the stanchions and other parts about the ship bright. This gave them abundant occupation. However, when they could manage to get below, they were treated even more kindly than before by the crew.

They had been for some weeks cruising up and down without even sighting a sail, when one morning, on Harry and David coming on deck, they found the captain and officers in a considerable state of excitement. The captain himself went aloft with his glass, and on his return ordered the ship's course to be altered, and all sail to be set.

"We are in chase of some vessel or other," observed Harry; "depend upon it the Frenchmen expect to make a prize of her."

All hands were called on deck. Now one sail and now another was added,--some rigged out so as just to skim the surface of the water, while with buckets and scoops the sails were wetted as high as they could be reached. Harry and David could see in the far distance a large ship, which from her narrow yards and the cut of her sails Harry said he thought was really a merchantman, which of course the Frenchman took her to be.

"But suppose she is not," said David.

"Then they will find out that they have caught a Tartar, and we shall get out of the power of this Monsieur Sourcrout," answered Harry; "however, we mustn't raise our hopes too high."

"The ship ahead has shown English colours," the boys heard from some of the crew, for they could not get a glass to look through. She, it seemed, did not like the appearance of the stranger, for she now set all sail and went off also directly before the wind. A stern chase is a long chase, but if the chaser is a faster vessel than the chased, she will come up with her at last. As the day drew on it was very evident that the schooner had gained very considerably on the chase. She was seen to be an old-fashioned merchant vessel, a regular West India trader, probably, which would afford a rich prize to the captors.

The excitement of the captain and officers was extreme. Already they anticipated the rich booty which would soon be theirs.

"Oh! do you think those people on board that vessel will give in without fighting?" asked David.

"I think very likely not," said Harry; "we shall soon know; in less than an hour we shall be alongside."

"What had we better do?" asked David.

"Stay on deck and see what takes place," said Harry.

"What, and run the chance of being shot?" said David; "I don't think that would be wise."

"Well, let us wait and see till the time comes," said Harry, who was evidently very unwilling to go below while any fighting was taking place.

In the meantime the Frenchmen were very active in preparing the ship for action. Arm-chests were thrown open, and arms were handed to each of the crew. The cutlasses were secured to their waists, and the pistols they stuck in their belts. The guns were cast loose and loaded, and the French ensign run up at the peak. The magazine was opened, and Harry and David were called aft by the captain, and told to go below.

"I knew that's what we should have to do," said Harry.

"Stand by, and hand up the powder as it is wanted," said the captain, in an authoritative tone, which there was no disobeying. Pierre and the other boys were employed in the same way.

"We shall have to carry the powder on deck in these tubs, and sit on it till it is wanted," said Harry.

"And run as great a risk of being shot as any of the crew?" asked David.

"There's no help for it," said Harry. "If we refuse, the French skipper is just as likely to shoot us through the head as not. He's been waiting for this opportunity to have his revenge on us."

As soon as the guns were loaded, a fresh supply of powder was called for, and Harry and the other boys were ordered to carry it up on deck. There they sat in a row on the tubs which contained the bags of powder, looking anything but contented with their lot. The schooner now rapidly came up with the merchant vessel,--for such there seemed no doubt was the character of the chase. Whether or not she would fight seemed a question. As they drew nearer, a considerable number of men were seen on deck, and she gave no signs of yielding. As soon as the Frenchman's bow-chaser could be brought to bear, a shot was fired, but no reply was given. Another and another followed in rapid succession. Neither of the shots took effect. At length the schooner got near enough to fire a whole broadside. As she was about to do so, the ship hauled up her courses, and, standing across the Frenchman's bows, gave her a raking broadside which struck down several of her crew, and caused some little damage to her masts and spars. Harry and David looked anxiously towards each other. Neither of them was hurt, nor was Pierre, in whom they took a warm interest. This opposition, however, seemed to excite the captain to the utmost pitch of fury. He stamped and swore, and ordered a broadside to be immediately poured into the English ship. The two vessels now ran on alongside each other. It was clear if the English vessel was to be taken, she would not be captured without a severe struggle. The Frenchman's guns were heavier and more numerous than hers, and the crew were better trained to their use. This soon began to tell. Several of her spars were soon shot away, and from the faintness of her fire it seemed too probable that many of her crew had been killed or wounded. As long as the Frenchman's spars remained standing, to escape was hopeless, and her guns were therefore directed rather to knock away the Frenchman's masts than to kill the crew. In this, however, she was not successful, and several of her own spars were shot away instead. At length the French captain, delivering another broadside, ranged up alongside with the intention of boarding. An attempt was made to avoid this, and boarding nettings were seen triced up above the bulwarks of the English ship. Again the Frenchman ran alongside.

"They shall not foil us a second time," exclaimed the French captain; "no quarter if they do not yield."

Harry and David trembled for the fate of their unfortunate countrymen on board the merchantman. Just then the English ensign was seen to descend from the peak. Those on board the English vessel thought that further resistance was hopeless. The Frenchmen swarmed up the sides, and were quickly in possession of the English ship.

"We'll follow, and see what takes place," said Harry; "we may perhaps help some of the poor people."

As there was no one to interfere with them, they were soon on the merchantman's deck. Some five or six of the crew lay dead, while three or four others, badly wounded, were being conveyed below. The French captain, by his gestures, seemed disappointed at not having his expected revenge, and he was abusing the English captain for having attempted to oppose him. A man stood by, receiving the swords of the captain and several other persons, who seemed to be gentlemen. Harry and David observed one whose face had been turned away from them at first.

"Harry," exclaimed David, "I'm sure that's Captain Rymer. If Mary is on board, how dreadful for her!"

"It's very like him," said Harry; "I'm afraid it must be him. But how could he have come on board the ship? We shall soon know, at all events--I will try and speak to him."

As may be supposed, even their dearest friends would not have known the two lads in their tarry clothes, and their faces begrimed with powder. As soon as the French captain and his followers went below to examine the cargo of the ship, Harry and David stole up to the gentleman whom they supposed to be Captain Rymer. He was indeed their friend.

"What, lads!" he exclaimed, looking at them, "are you really alive? I am thankful to find you so, even in this plight."

Harry rapidly explained how they came to be on board the French vessel.

"And is Mary with you?" asked Harry, eagerly.

"Yes, and there are several other ladies in the cabin below. They have shut themselves in, and I trust will receive no annoyance from the Frenchmen."

"I don't think we should be seen talking with you," said Harry, "because we may hope to be of some assistance, although we don't see clearly how that is to be just yet."

The Frenchmen seemed highly elated at finding they had captured an unusually rich prize, and were in a very good humour, in spite of the loss of a few of their number. The dead were soon thrown overboard, and the wounded placed in the doctor's hands out of sight, the decks washed down, and most of the traces of the combat done away with. A picked crew of the Frenchmen was sent on board the English merchantman, which it seemed the intention of the captain to carry into the nearest port in the West Indies belonging to France. Harry and David could not bear the thoughts of being separated from Captain Rymer, and resolved to stow themselves away on board the English vessel, hoping they might not be missed. Among the prize crew were, to their great satisfaction, their good-natured friends Jacques Rossillion and Pierre Lamont. The first lieutenant came to take the command. The Frenchmen more than doubled the remainder of the English crew, who, however, were expected to assist in working the ship. Scarcely had these arrangements been made when a strong breeze sprang up. The boats were hoisted in, and the two vessels separated. The wind increased very rapidly, and so heavy a sea got up that it would have been dangerous for a boat to pass from one vessel to the other. Before long, however, the schooner ranged up near the ship.

"You have got those two English boys on board; give them the rope's-end," shouted the French captain, who, apparently, had only just then discovered that Harry and David had escaped him.

The French lieutenant replied that he would see to it, and again the vessels separated. He, however, had never looked at them in the same surly way the other officers had done, and as they took good care to keep out of his sight, he seemed to forget the orders he had received. The wind went on increasing till it seemed likely to become a regular hurricane. The management of the ship completely occupied the French crew, so that they had but little time to look after their prisoners. The English captain and his officers were ordered to remain as prisoners in one of the cabins with a sentinel placed over them, but the rest of the crew were allowed to go about at liberty.

"Don't you think it would be possible to get back the ship?" said Harry to David. "Shall I propose to make the attempt to Captain Rymer?"

"If it was not for Mary and the other ladies," said David, "he might consent; but the risk to them would be too fearful were we to fail."

Hitherto they had not had the opportunity of seeing Mary. Finding, however, that the Frenchmen as well as the English crew were engaged in making the ship snug, they stole aft and found their way to the cabin door.

"May we come in?" said Harry.

"Yes, yes," answered a voice, which they thought was Mary's.

When, however, they opened the door and presented themselves, for a minute Mary could scarcely recognise them, so changed were they since the day they had parted from her after the picnic--Harry in his bright new uniform, and David in his trim yachtsman's attire. Now their hair was long, their cheeks were sunken, at least so far as could be seen through the powder which begrimed them, and their dresses were covered from head to foot with tar; still, the moment they spoke, she sprang forward and took them warmly by the hands.

"Oh, I am so thankful that you have not been lost, as we thought you were," she exclaimed, and the tears came into her eyes; "this is a very sad way of meeting, but still I hope God will protect us all, and I am thankful to see you both."

Most of the ladies, who were all passengers, were eager to hear of the boys' adventures. These they briefly gave. Some, however, were too frightened by the sound of the hurricane, and the tossing and rolling of the ship, to listen to them.

"Do you think there is any danger?" at last asked Mary of Harry.

"I hope not," said Harry, "but Captain Rymer knows more about it than I do."

Captain Rymer, who at this moment entered the cabin, looked somewhat anxious, though he endeavoured to speak in a cheerful voice, and began to express his satisfaction at the escape of his young friends from the numerous dangers to which they had been exposed. Night was now coming on, and it was evident that the ship was in the midst of a regular West Indian hurricane. The French officer was evidently a good seaman, and did all that could be done under the circumstances for the safety of the ship. The topgallant-masts were struck, and every sail was furled except a closely reefed fore-topsail, with which the ship ran before the gale. Night had now come on; the wind, as is generally the case during a hurricane, shifted so much that it was difficult to ascertain in what direction she was driving. Captain Rymer several times went on deck, but had a not very satisfactory report to give on his return.

"As long as the ship does not spring a leak we have nothing to fear, however," he observed.

Still the ship rolled and pitched so much that it seemed scarcely possible that a structure of wood and iron could hold together. The poor ladies had to sit on the deck of the cabin and hold on by the legs of the table, while the lamp swung backwards and forwards in a way that threatened every instant to cause its fracture. Harry and David, though they had seen enough of storms, agreed to go up on deck and see what was taking place. One glance satisfied them. The mountain seas, covered with white foam, were rolling up on either side of the ship, and threatened every instant to come down upon her deck. They gladly descended again.

"I don't at all like the look of things, I confess," said David. "As long, however, as Captain Rymer is satisfied that all is right, so should we be." _

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