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From Powder Monkey to Admiral: A Story of Naval Adventure, a novel by William H. G. Kingston |
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Chapter 16. Voyage On The Raft |
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_ CHAPTER SIXTEEN. VOYAGE ON THE RAFT Bill and Jack remained for a few seconds in the dark shade caused by the tall wall of the chateau, listening attentively for any sounds of people moving about. None reached their ears, and only here and there, in the more distant part of the building, were any lights to be seen gleaming from the windows. "We may run for it now without much chance of being seen," said Bill. "We must step lightly, though, or we may be heard by some of the sentries. Keep your eye on the star, it's the best guide we have for the harbour. Now for it! let's start." They set off, treading as lightly as they could on the ground with their bare feet, the soles of which were pretty well hardened. For some distance they had only grass to run over, and a couple of phantoms could scarcely have produced less sound. In a short time, however, they reached a fence. It was somewhat rotten, and as they were climbing over it, a part gave way and came down with a crash. "Quick!" said Bill, as he was helping over Jack, who followed him; "we must run on like the wind; somebody may be coming to find out what's the matter." They did not stop, as may be supposed, to repair the damage they had caused, but soon reaching a road which led in the direction they wished to take, they scampered on at full speed. Tall trees grew on either side of the road, which, casting a dark shadow over it, would have effectually concealed them from view, even if anybody had been looking out for them. The darkness, however, also prevented them from seeing any one who might be ahead. Sometimes indeed they had a difficulty in keeping in the middle of the road. "I hope we're going in the right direction," said Jack; "I can't see the star, and the road seems to me to have twisted about." "We must, at all events, go on," answered Bill. "Perhaps we shall catch sight of the star again before long, and we must steer our course accordingly. There's no use stopping still." They went on and on. "There it is at last," cried Jack. The trees which lined the road were much lower, being indeed mere pollards, and allowed them to see the sky overhead. Presently they heard a dog bark; then another and another. Could the brutes be barking at them? It was a sign that there were dwellings near, and the inhabitants might be looking out to ascertain what made their dogs bark. "Never mind," whispered Bill; "the chances are that the dogs are tied up, and if we keep moving the people won't see us." They passed through the village or hamlet. They were still, they knew, some distance from the harbour. Here and there only could they see a light twinkling from a window, probably of some sick-chamber. It was pretty evident that most of the people had gone to bed, still some one or other might be up who would give the alarm. They found themselves verging to the right; it was better, however, than keeping to the left side, which might lead them away from the harbour. Presently they came to some grassy downs, and the regular road they had been pursuing turned sharp off to the left. "We had better keep straight on," said Bill; "we shall be more exposed on the open downs; but then it isn't likely that anybody will be there to see us, so that won't matter." Jack, as usual, was ready to do whatever Bill proposed. They got quickly over the grass, which was cropped short by sheep feeding on it, and they could manage to see somewhat better than they had done on the road. Presently Jack, whose eyesight was even keener than Bill's, having been well practised at night from his childhood, caught his companion's arm, exclaiming, "Hold back; it seems to me that we have got to the edge of the downs." They crept cautiously forward. In another instant they would have leapt down a cliff some hundred feet in height, and been dashed to pieces. They turned away from it, shuddering at the fearful risk they had run, and kept along on somewhat lower ground, still having the star which had before guided them ahead. Once more they found themselves approaching buildings, but they were low and scattered; evidently only in the outskirts of the village. "We must be close to the harbour now," said Jack. "The greater reason that we should be cautious," observed Bill. "This road, I suspect, leads right down to the part of the harbour we want to reach." They ran on, their hope of escape increasing. Suddenly they heard the voice of a man shouting out, "Who goes there?" Bill seized Jack's arm, and pulled him down in the shadow of a high wall, near which they happened at that moment to find themselves. Some minutes they waited, scarcely daring to draw breath. The shout was not repeated. "We may go on now," whispered Jack; and getting up, they crept forward. Presently, below them, they caught sight of the harbour, with the stars reflected on its surface. The most difficult part of their undertaking was now to be performed. They had to find out exactly where their raft lay. Bill had not failed to observe the shape of the harbour, and to take note of the various objects on shore, as he and Jack were brought in prisoners by the French boat; but the partial survey he was then able to make did not enable him to settle positively in what direction they ought to proceed to find their raft. By keeping on as they were then going they believed that they should make the shore of the harbour at no great distance from the mouth. They might then keep along up it until they reached the place where they landed, near which they hoped to find their raft moored. "I am only afraid that we may meet some guards or patrols, or fishermen coming on shore or going off to their vessels," observed Jack. "If we do we must try to hide ourselves," answered Bill. "We'll keep along as close as we can under the cliffs, or any walls or houses we are passing, so that we may see people before we are seen ourselves." They acted as Bill suggested, and pushed boldly onwards. Not a sound was heard coming either from the land side or from the harbour. The water was as smooth as glass. They were still going forward when Jack seized Bill's arm. "That's the place," he whispered. "I can make out the raft, moored outside a boat at the end of a slip." Bill, creeping forward, assured himself that Jack was right, and, as nothing could be gained by waiting a moment, they hurried on, and in a few seconds were on board their raft. Jack plunged his hand into one of the chests, to ascertain that the articles it had contained were still there. They had not been taken away. He could scarcely refrain from shouting out for joy. Even the oars had not been removed. They got another from the boat alongside to supply the place of the one which had been splintered. "Cut the warps," cried Bill. "We'll paddle on till we find the breeze." The raft was quickly cast loose, and, getting out the oars, they began to paddle silently down the harbour. They could not avoid making some slight noise, but they hoped that there was no one on the watch to hear it. Very frequently they turned their glances astern to ascertain if they were followed, but they could see nothing moving. There were several vessels lower down the harbour, so they steered a course which would carry them past at some little distance from them. The raft moved easily over the smooth surface, and they made good way. There was only one vessel more which they had to pass before they reached the harbour's mouth. They both earnestly hoped that her crew were fast asleep, and that no watch was kept on deck. They paddled slowly by, and more than half a cable's length from her, moving their oars as gently as possible, and scarcely daring to breathe. The slightest sound might betray them. At length they got outside her, and there was nothing now between them and the open channel. Again Jack could hardly refrain from shouting. Just then a voice came from the vessel. Bill looked back. He judged by the distance the vessel was off that the character of the raft could not be discovered. He answered in very good French, "We are going out early this morning, and if we have good luck in fishing, we'll bring you some for breakfast." "Thank you, my friend, thank you," answered the man on board the vessel. Bill had been paddling on all the time he was speaking. He was certain that the man did not suspect who he and Jack were, and in a few minutes they lost sight of the vessel altogether. They now gave way with might and main. They were rowing for life and liberty; for if again caught, they fully believed that they should be shot. How anxiously they wished that a breeze would spring up! For fully an hour they rowed on, till the shore faded from sight. They were steering by the polar star, which both Jack and Bill knew well. "If there's a breeze from the southward, we ought to feel it by this time," observed Jack. "Never fear; we shall find it before long," answered Bill. "We are not so far away from the cliffs as you suppose, and it would be as well not to speak loud, or our voices may reach any boat passing, or even people on shore." "I hope there will be none there at this hour, though they will come down fast enough in the morning from the chateau, when they find we have taken French leave," said Jack. "A very proper thing to take, too, seeing we were in France," remarked Bill, with a quiet chuckle. "I hope we shall never set foot on its shores again." "So do I; but I'm afraid we have a great chance of doing so, unless we get a breeze pretty soon. I am inclined to whistle for it," said Jack. "It won't come the faster for that," answered Bill. "We shall do more good by working our oars. We are sending the raft along at three knots an hour at least, and as it will be three hours or more before daylight, we shall be ten miles or so away from the shore, even if we do not get a breeze, before the Frenchmen find out that we have got off." As Bill advised, he and Jack continued pulling away as lustily as at first. The smoothness of the water was a great advantage to them, for had there been any sea their progress would have been much slower. An hour or more passed away, when Bill exclaimed, "Here comes the wind, and right aft, too! It's not very strong yet, but it will freshen soon, I hope. Stand by, Jack, to hoist the sail!" "Ay, ay!" answered Jack, taking hold of the halyards and feeling that all was clear. "Hand me the sheet; and now hoist away," said Bill. Jack, with right good will, hauled away at the halyards, and the sail was soon set. The raft felt the influence of the breeze and glided on at an increased speed. It was cheery to hear the water rippling against the bows. "We must take care not to capsize the raft if the wind increases much," observed Bill. "Keep the halyards ready to let go in a moment; the sail is full large for our craft, and it would not take long to capsize it." "Trust me for that," said Jack; "I have no wish to be drowned, and I feel wonderfully jolly at the thought of having got away. Are you steering a right course, Bill? It seems to me that the sail must be between you and the polar star." "No; I can see it directly over the yard when I stand up and keep well aft," answered Bill. "The wind, too, won't let us go in any other direction." "How about the tide?" asked Jack. "Why, as it was just on the ebb when we came out of the harbour, and helped us along, it is, I calculate, making to the westward. It won't, however, run much longer in that direction, and it will then carry us to the eastward for a good six hours. We'll be well out of sight of land by that time, and, I hope, may fall in with an English cruiser, though, for my part, I would rather run right across the Channel. It would be fine fun to land, and tell the people how we managed it. They would think more of our raft than the Frenchmen did, though there are not many boys afloat who would not try to do as we have done." Jack was of the same opinion, and as there was no necessity for rowing, while Bill steered, Jack sat on a chest with his arms folded. Suddenly he exclaimed, "I say, Bill, I am getting very peckish; I vote we have some supper." "Well, we have not far to go for it," observed Bill, "seeing we have got enough in our pockets to last us for the whole of to-morrow." As Bill could not well manage to steer and tend the sheet and eat his supper, too, he let Jack finish his; after which they changed places, and Bill fell to with a good appetite on some of the old Frenchwoman's provisions. "I hope the kind old creature won't get into any scrape for supplying us," said Bill. "I don't see how it will be found out that she gave us so much," said Jack. "When she finds that we are gone, she'll keep her own counsel, depend on that." "We must not expend the food too fast, though," remarked Bill. "It will take us several days to get across Channel; and it won't do to run short of provisions." "You forget those we have in the chest," said Jack. "Are you certain that the Frenchmen allowed them to remain there," asked Bill, opening the lid of one of them, and feeling about. "Yes! here's a piece of beef or pork and some biscuit. All right, we shall do now. I'll take the helm again if you like; I feel more comfortable when I'm at it, though you steer well enough, I dare say." "As you like," said Jack. "I'd just as soon stand by the halyards." They again changed places. Bill kept his eye on the polar star, while Jack peered under the sail ahead, that they might not, as he said, run down any craft. Thus the night passed away. The breeze slightly increased, but Bill considered that they might still carry their whole sail with safety. Perhaps they did not move along quite so fast as he supposed. He told Jack that he thought they were running through the water at five knots an hour; but four, or even three, knots was a good deal for a raft to make, with flat bows, light and well put together as it was. They were too much excited to feel the slightest inclination to sleep, and being both in capital spirits, did not trouble themselves with thinking of the possibility that the weather might change before they could get across to the English coast. A fast lugger would take nearly two days to do the distance. The dawn now broke, and they eagerly looked out on every side for a sail. As the light increased they were greatly disappointed, on gazing astern, to discover the French coast still in sight, though blue and indistinct, like a cloud rising out of the water. No sail, however, was to be seen in that direction. That was a comfort; they were not pursued by any large craft, and could certainly not be seen from the shore. To the northward, however, they caught sight of a sail just rising above the horizon, and soon afterwards another was seen to the eastward, but which way she was standing they could not determine. As the sun rose the wind decreased, and before long it became perfectly calm. "We must lower the sail and take to our oars again," said Bill. "It won't do to stop where we are." "I am ready to pull on as long as I have any strength in me," answered Jack, as he stowed the sail, and got out his oar. _ |
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