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In the King's Name: The Cruise of the "Kestrel", a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 34. On Board Once More |
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_ CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. ON BOARD ONCE MORE There was an attempt at flight on the part of the _Kestrels_, but there was no room to fly, though the general impression was that the smugglers were about to hurl down pieces of rock upon them from above, but their dread was chased away by a well-known voice exclaiming: "All right, my lads: I'm not killed." "But you've 'most killed me," growled Tom Tully. "Never mind, Tom. You shall have some grog when we get back aboard. Who's in command?" "I am, sir," exclaimed the lieutenant from somewhere at the back; "and I beg to know what is the meaning of this indecorous proceeding." "Well, sir," said Hilary, "I was in a hurry to rejoin the ship's company, and I was coming down a rope when some one above cast it off." "Three cheers for Muster Leigh!" cried a voice. "Silence!" roared the lieutenant. "Now, Mr Leigh, if you are not joined to the band of rascals show us the way to them." "There's no way here, sir, unless we bring a long spar and rig up some tackle. The rock's forty feet high, and as straight as a wall. Will you let me speak to you, sir?" The lieutenant grunted, and Hilary limped to his side. "Now, Mr Leigh," he said, "I will hear what you have to say; but have the goodness to consider yourself under arrest." "All right, sir," replied Hilary; "I'm used to that sort of thing now." "Where have you been, sir?" "Made prisoner by the smugglers, sir. And now, if you will take my advice, sir, you will draw off the men and secure the lugger. By daylight I can, if we find a way up the cliffs, conduct you to the place they make their rendezvous." "I repeat, Mr Leigh, that you must consider yourself under arrest," said the lieutenant stiffly. "Your plans may be very good, but I have already made my own." Hilary said nothing, for he knew his officer of old; and that, while he would profess to ignore everything that had been said, he would follow out the advice to the letter. And so it proved; for, drawing off the men, they were led down to the boats, the lugger was pushed off, and those of her crew left on board made to handle the sweeps till she was secured alongside of the cutter, where the smugglers to the number of eight were made prisoners below. The men were in high glee, for it proved next morning that there was still enough of the cargo on board to give them a fair share of prize-money, and there was the hope of securing more of the cargo at the old hall of which Hilary spoke. "I am quite convinced of the existence of that place, Mr Leigh," said the lieutenant pompously, "and I have been questioning the prisoners about it. If you give your promise not to attempt an escape, I will allow you to accompany the expedition under the command of the gunner, as I shall be obliged to stay on board." To his intense astonishment, Hilary, who longed to head the party and try to capture the rest of the smuggling crew, drew himself up. "Thank you, sir, no," he replied; "as I am a prisoner, I will wait until I have been before a court-martial. Shall I go below, sir?" The lieutenant was speechless for a few moments. "What, sir? go below, sir? and at a time like this when the ship is shorthanded, and we have eight prisoners to guard? This is worse and worse, Mr Leigh. What am I to think of such conduct?" "What you please, sir," said Hilary quietly. "Then, sir, in addition to deserting, which you try to hide by professing to have been made a prisoner, you now mutiny against my orders!" "Look here, Lieutenant Lipscombe," cried Hilary, who was now in a passion; "if you want me to take command of the expedition, and to lead the men to the smugglers' place, say so like a man. If you do not want me to go, send me below as a prisoner. I'm not going to act under our gunner." "Mr Leigh," said the lieutenant, "I shall report the whole of your insubordinations in a properly written-out despatch. At present I am compelled to make use of your assistance, so take the gunner and six men." "Six will not be enough, sir." "Then take seven," said the lieutenant, impatiently. "Seven will not be enough, sir," replied Hilary. "I must have at least a dozen." "Bless my soul, Mr Leigh! hadn't you better take command of the cutter, and supersede me altogether?" "No, sir; I don't think that would be better," said Hilary. "I have eight prisoners on board, and they must be well guarded." "Yes, sir, of course." "Then I am obliged to have four or five men in the lugger." "Yes, sir; so under the circumstances I think it will be best to place the eight prisoners in the lugger's boat, and send them ashore." "What! to join the others?" "No, sir; I should take care to land them after the expedition party were well on the way." "Bless me, Mr Leigh! this is beyond bearing. How dare you dictate to me in this way?" cried the lieutenant. "And," continued Hilary, "I would disable them for a few hours by means of the irons. There are five or six sets on board." "Ah! yes, yes; but what do you mean?" "I'd let the gunner rivet them on, sir, joining the men two and two. They could not get them off without a blacksmith; and it would disable them for some hours." "Well, yes, I had some such an idea as that," replied the lieutenant. "Under the circumstances, Mr Leigh, I will humour you in this." "Thank you, sir," said Hilary quietly, for he was so much in earnest as to the duty required at this special moment, that he would not let his annoyance keep him back. "Perhaps, too, you had better take command of the expedition, Mr Leigh. Duty to the king stands first, you know." "Certainly, sir." "And, by the way, Mr Leigh, I would certainly change my uniform; for, you will excuse my saying so, you look more like a scarecrow than an officer." Hilary bowed, and soon after he was inspecting the men detailed for the duty in hand, one and all of whom saluted him with a grin of satisfaction. "Well, Tom Tully," he said, "how is your shoulder?" "Feels as if it was shov'd out, sir," growled the big sailor; "but lor' bless your 'art, sir, I don't mind." "Tom wishes you'd fell on his head, sir," said Billy Waters, laughing; "it's so thick, it wouldn't have hurt him a bit." "I'll try to manage better next time," said the young officer; "but I had to look sharp to get away the best fashion I could." "Well, sir, the lads say as they're all werry glad to see you again," continued the gunner; "and they hopes you're going to give them some fun." "I hope I am," replied Hilary; "but I can't feel sure, for they are slippery fellows we are after, and we may get there to find them gone." Meanwhile, in accordance with Hilary's advice, which the lieutenant had adopted as his own idea, the cutter was sailing east in search of an opening in the cliff, through which the party could reach the higher ground; and, after going four or five miles, this was found, the party landed, and the cutter then sailed on to get rid of the boatload of prisoners she towed behind, some eight or ten miles farther away. Hilary felt himself again, as, after he had said a few words to his men, they started off inland, mounting a rugged pathway, and then journeying due north. It was rather puzzling, and the young officer did not anticipate finding the old hall without some trouble; but he had an idea that it lay to the east of the smugglers' landing-place, as well as some miles inland. Hilary's first idea was to get upon one of the ridges, from which he hoped to recognise the hills which he had looked upon from his prison. Failing this he meant to search until he did find it, when a happy thought struck him. He remembered the dam he had seen, and the great plashing water-wheel. There was, of course, the little river, and if he could find that he could track it up to the mill, from whence the old hall would be visible. The place seemed singularly uncultivated, and it was some time before they came upon a cottage, where an old woman looked at them curiously. "River? Oh, yes, there's the little river runs down in the hollow," she replied, in answer to Hilary's questions. It was upon his tongue's end to ask the old woman about the hall; but a moment's reflection told him the cottagers anywhere near the sea would be either favourable to the smugglers, or would hold them in such dread that they would be certain to refuse all information. Even then he was not sure that the old woman was not sending them upon a false scent. This did not, however, prove to be the case, for after a walk of about a couple of miles, through patches of woodland and along dells, where the men seemed as happy as a pack of schoolboys, a ridge was reached, from which the little streamlet could be seen; and making their way down to it, Hilary found that they were on the wrong side, a fact which necessitated wading, though he went over dry-shod, Tom Tully insisting upon carrying him upon his back. Another couple of miles along the winding course brought them to the mill, where a heavy-looking man stood watching the unwonted appearance of a dozen well-armed sailors; but neither party spoke, and after a bit of a rest for the discussion of a few biscuits, Hilary prepared for his advance to the old hall. They were just about to start when the heavy-looking man lounged up. "Going by Rorley Place?" he said. "Rorley Place?" said Hilary; "where's that?" "Yon old house," was the reply. "Don't go in; she's harnted!" "Oh! is she?" said Hilary. "Ay, that she be," said the man. "She's been empty this hundred year; but you can see the lights shining in the windows of a night, and hear the groans down by the gate and by the little bridge over Rorley stream." "Thank you," said Hilary, "we'll take care. Now, my lads, forward. Now, Tom Tully, what's the matter?" "I'm a man as 'll fight any man or any body any day," said the big sailor; "but if we're going again that there place I'm done. I can't abide ghosts and them sort o' things." "Stuff!" said Hilary. "Forward. Why, what are you thinking about, man? That's where I was shut up night after night." "And did you see 'em, sir?" "See what?" replied Hilary. "Them there as yon chap talked about, sir." "I saw a good many very substantial smugglers, and I saw a cellar full of kegs and packages, and those are what we are going to get." Tom Tully seemed a bit reassured, and tightening his belt a little, he kept step with the others, as Hilary led the way right across country, so as to come out of the wood suddenly after a curve, just in front of the entrance to the narrow bridge over the moat. Hilary managed well, and his men following him in single file, he led them so that, apparently unseen by the occupants of the old hall, they were at last gathered together in the clump of trees, waiting the order to advance. The moat, as Hilary knew, was too deep to think of wading, and there was the old bridge quite clear, temptingly offering itself as a way to the front of the old house; but this tempting appearance rather repelled the young officer. He was no coward, but he was good leader enough to shrink from subjecting his men to unnecessary risk. The smugglers would be, under the present circumstances, as desperate as rats in a corner; and as they would certainly expect an attack through his escape, and the events of the past night, it was not likely that they would have neglected to protect the one entrance to their stronghold. "I say, wot are we awaiting for?" growled Tom Tully. "Hold your noise!" said Waters; "don't you see the orsifer as leads you thinks there's a trap?" "Wheer? I don't see no trap. Wot sorter trap?" growled Tom Tully. "Will yer be quiet, Tommy!" whispered the gunner. "What a chap you are!" "Yes, ar'n't I?" said the big sailor, taking his messmate's remark as a compliment; and settling himself tailor-fashion upon the ground, he waited until the reconnaissance was over. For Hilary was scanning the front of the old house most carefully. There was the room in which he had been imprisoned, with the window still open, and the thin white cord swinging gently in the air. There was Adela's room, open-windowed too, and there also was the room where he had seen Sir Henry busy writing, with his child at his knee. Where were they now? he asked himself, and his heart felt a sudden throb as he thought of the possibility of their being still in the house and in danger. But he cast the thought away directly, feeling sure that Sir Henry, a proscribed political offender, would not, for his own and his child's sake, run the slightest risk of being taken. "But suppose he trusts to me, and thinks that I care too much for them to betray their hiding-place?" His brow turned damp at the thought, and for a moment, as he saw in imagination his old companion Adela looking reproachfully at him for having sent her father to the block, he felt that at all costs he must take the men back. Then came reaction. "No," he thought, "I gave Sir Henry fair warning that I must do my duty, and that if we encountered again I should have to arrest him in the king's name. He tried to tempt me to join his party, but I refused, and told him I had my duty to do. He must, I am sure he must, have made his escape, and I shall lead on my men." He hesitated a moment, and then thought that he was come there to capture smugglers, not political offenders, and that after all he would find a way out of his difficulty; but colouring the next moment, he felt that he must do his duty at all hazards; and he turned to Waters. "I can see no trace of anything wrong, gunner," he said, "but I feel that those rascals have laid a trap for us. They'll open fire directly we attempt to cross that bridge." "Then let me and Tom Tully and some one else try it first," said the gunner in reply. "No, no, Waters; that would never do," said Hilary. "If anyone goes first it must be I. Look all along the bottom windows. Can you see any gun barrels?" "Not ne'er a one, sir," replied the gunner; "and I ar'n't seen anything but two or three pigeons and an old lame hen since we've come." "Then they must be lying in wait," said Hilary. "Never mind, it must be done. Here, I shall rush over first with Tom Tully. Then, if all's right, you bring the rest of the men. If I go down, why, you must see if you can do anything to take the place; and if you cannot, you must take the men back." "Hadn't we better all rush it together, sir?" "No; certainly not." "Then hadn't I best go first, sir? I ar'n't so much consequence as you." "No, Waters, I must go first. I can't send my men to risks I daren't attempt myself. Now then, are you ready, Tully?" "Ay, ay, sir." "Let me go first, sir," pleaded the gunner. "Silence, sir," cried Hilary. "Now, Tully--off." Cutlass in hand and closely followed by the elephantine seaman, Hilary ran from his place of concealment across the open space to the bridge, and then without a moment's hesitation he bounded across it, and on to the rough, ill-tended patch of grass. To his intense surprise and delight he got over in safety, and then pausing he held up his sword, and with a cheer Billy Waters raced across with the rest of the men. "Now, quick, Waters, take half the lads and secure the back--no, take four. Two of you keep the bridge. We must capture them all to a man." Not a shot was fired. There was no answering cheer. All was as silent as if there had never been a soul there for years, and after carefully scanning the window Hilary went up to the front door and battered it loudly with his sword-hilt. This knocking he had to repeat twice over before he heard steps, and then a couple of rusty bolts were pushed back, the door was dragged open, and a very venerable old lady stood peering wonderingly in their faces as she screened her eyes with her hand. "Ye'd better not come in," she said in a loud, harsh voice. "The place is harnted, and it isn't safe." "Where's Allstone?" cried Hilary as he led his men into the desolate-looking hall. "Hey?" "I say where's Allstone, the scoundrel?" shouted Hilary. "I'm very sorry, but I can't hear a word you say, young man. I've been stone-deaf ever sin' I came to take care o' this house five year ago. It's a terrifying damp place." "Where are the men?" shouted Hilary with his lips to her ear. "Men? No, no; I ar'n't feared o' your men," said the old lady. "They won't hurt a poor old crittur like me." "There, spread out and search the place," said Hilary. "She's as deaf as a post. Whistle for help whoever finds the rascals." Detaining four men Hilary made his way to the kitchen, and then to the passage by the vault-door and the chapel, to find all wide open; and upon a light being obtained Hilary was about to descend, but, fearing a trap, he left two of his men on guard and went down into the vault, to find it empty. There was some old rubbish and the nets, but that was all. Short as had been the time the smugglers had cleared the place. He went into the chapel and to Sir Henry and Adela's rooms, to find the old furniture there, but that was all; and at the end of a good half-hour's search the party of sailors stood together in the hall, with the deaf old woman staring at them and they staring at each other, waiting their officer's commands. "Ar'n't there not going to be no fight?" growled Tom Tully. Evidently not; and after another search Hilary would have felt ready to declare that there had not been a soul there for months, and that he had dreamed about his escape, if the white cord had not still hung from the window. Further investigation proving to be vain, for they could get nothing out of the deaf old woman, and a short excursion in the neighbourhood producing nothing but shakes of the head, Hilary had to lead his men back to the shore, where they arrived at last, regularly tired out and their commander dispirited. All the same, though, he could not help feeling glad at heart as he signalled to the cutter for a boat, that Sir Henry and his daughter were safe from seizure, for had he been bound to take them prisoners he felt as if he could have known no peace. But Hilary had no time to give to such thoughts as these, for a boat was coming from the cutter, and in a very short time he knew that he would have to face the lieutenant and give his account of the unsuccessful nature of his quest; and as he thought of this he began to ask himself whether the injuries his commander had received at different times had not something to do with the eccentricity and awkwardness of his behaviour. Hilary was still thinking this when he climbed to the deck of the cutter and saluted his officer with the customary "Come on board." _ |
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