Chapter 3. Madeira Sighted...

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_ CHAPTER THREE. MADEIRA SIGHTED--MISFORTUNES OF COMMANDER BABBICOME--A RIDE ON SHORE--NAVAL CAVALRY CHARGE DOWN A HILL AND OVERTURN SOME DIGNITARIES OF CHURCH AND STATE--A PLEASANT VISIT OF APOLOGY--SUDDENLY ORDERED TO SEA--AN EXPEDITION TO BRING OFF "WASH CLOTHES."

A few days after the storm was over Madeira was made; to the eastward of it, as the frigate sailed on, there came in sight a small island called the Desertas. Tom, wishing to show that he was wide awake, reported a large ship coming round the Desertas. He was, however, only laughed at, for his supposed ship turned out to be a rock of a needle form, rising several hundred feet out of the sea, and would have been as Higson told him, if it had been a ship, bigger than the famed _Mary Dunn_, of Diver, whose flying jibboom swept the weathercock off Calais church steeple, while her spanker-boom end only just shaved clear of the white cliffs of old England. The scenery of Madeira, as they sailed along its shore, was pronounced very grand and beautiful; its lofty cliffs rising perpendicularly out of the blue ocean with a fringe of surf at their base, and vine-clad mountains towering up into the clear sky beyond them; here and there a small bay appearing, forming the mouth of a ravine, its sides covered with orange groves and dotted with whitewashed cottages, and a little church in their midst. Rounding the southern end of the island, the frigate came to an anchor in the bay of Funchal, the town in a thin line of houses stretching along the shore before them, and a wild mountainous region beyond, with country houses or quintas scattered over the lower ground, and high above it the white church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, glistening in the sun.

An important object had attracted Captain Hemming to Madeira. It was to ship a couple of casks of its famed wine for the admiral on the Jamaica station, as well as one for himself, and he took the opportunity of fitting a new topgallant-mast. A few hours afterwards the _Tudor_ came in and dropped her anchor close to the frigate. She had evidently suffered severely in the gale. Her fore-topsail-yard was so badly sprung that sail could not be carried on it. Her mizen-topmast was gone, her starboard bulwarks forward stove in, one of her boats carried away; besides which she had received other damages. The sea which had injured her bulwarks had swept along her deck, but everything had been secured, without doing further harm, and fortunately no one had been lost.

Commander Babbicome at once came on board the _Plantagenet_ to pay his respects to Captain Hemming. He was a short, stout man, with a red face and thick neck, betokening a plethoric habit. After having been on shore for some years he had been appointed to the _Tudor_ through the influence of a relative, who had actively supported the ministry in electioneering matters. Probably never much of a sailor, though he might have been as brave as a lion, such experience as he possessed being that of days gone by, he had an especial horror of all new-fangled notions. He laid all the blame of the disasters his ship had met with to the Dockyard riggers. "They don't do things as they used to do, that's very clear, or I shouldn't have lost my mizen-topmast!" he exclaimed, while pacing the frigate's deck with angry steps; "I doubt whether in this hole of a place we can get our damages repaired."

"I'll send my carpenters on board, so that you may be independent of the natives. How long will it take to set you to rights?"

"Three or four days I should suppose," was the answer.

"Well, I will remain for that time, and we will sail together," said Captain Hemming.

It was quickly known on board both ships that they were not to leave for some days, and parties were made up to go on shore the next morning, and take a ride to the Corral and other places of interest.

A merry set of gun-room officers and midshipmen left the ships soon after breakfast, Jack and Adair, with Lieutenant Jennings leading. Murray could not go, but Archy Gordon got leave; his services, as he told his friends, not being absolutely required. They wisely landed in shore-boats, thus escaping a drenching from the surf, and were hauled up the shingly beach by a number of shouting, bawling, dark-skinned natives, who handed them over to an equally vociferous crowd of muleteers and donkey boys, assembled in readiness with their beasts of high and low degree, to carry travellers up the mountain. Amid the wildest hubbub produced by the shouting, wraggling, jabbering of the owners of the beasts, each man praising the qualities of his own animal as he dragged it to the front, the naval party managed to mount; those who could secure them, on horses, the rest on mules; donkeys being despised, though attempts were made to thrust the midshipmen on them. The tall lieutenant of marines had not secured his horse, which he chose for its height, without a desperate struggle. A band of natives rushing on him, one had hoisted his right leg across a mule, another shoving a donkey's rein into his hands, while a third adroitly brought a pony under his left leg, while kicking in the air; but the owner of the high horse saw that his eye had been fixed on it, and being a big fellow came to the rescue, and offering his shoulder as a rest, enabled the lieutenant to spring clear of the mule and other beasts on to the one he had chosen.

"Forward, my lads," he shouted in triumph, as he galloped to the front. Amid an increased chorus of strange-sounding shrieks and cries, the party, shouting and laughing themselves almost as loudly as their attendants, set forward.

"Whoo! whoo!" sung out all the assembled natives in chorus, when the muleteers, catching hold of the tails of their respective animals with their left hands, began to urge them on by digging into their flanks the points of the short goads held in their right hands.

"Arra burra! cara! cara cavache! caval!" screamed out the natives, and on went the steeds, kicking and clattering through the pebble-paved streets, well nigh sending some of their less experienced riders over their heads, and dispersing to the right and left every one they encountered.

"I say, we won't be after having these fellows at our heels all the way," exclaimed Adair.

"Of course not," said Jack; "it would be a horrid bore."

"Be off with ye, now," cried Adair, to the natives; Jack and the rest giving similar orders; but the muleteers, in the first place, did not understand what they said, and, in the second, knew better than to let go, as without the usual tail-pulling and goading, the beasts would not have budged a foot.

"We shall be quit of yer, ye spalpeens, when we get to the lull," cried Adair, at which the swarthy natives grinned, and would have grinned more had they comprehended his remark. Quickly passing through the town, up the steep sides of the mountain, they clattered between high stone walls, crowned by vines, geraniums, and numberless flowering plants, while orange groves were seen here and there through various openings, with pretty quintas nestling amid them; or when they turned their heads glimpses were caught of the town and bay, and the blue ocean.

They had not gone far when they met an Englishman on horse-back, who, pulling up, introduced himself as the merchant about to ship the admiral's wine, and invited them to stop at his quinta, on their way down from the Corral.

"With all the pleasure in life," answered Adair; "and will you have the kindness, sir, to tell these noisy fellows, pulling at our horses' tails, that we can dispense with their company?"

"It would be far from a kindness if I did, for you would find that your beasts would not move ahead without them," said the merchant, laughing, and directing the arrieros to stop at his house on their return, he bade the merry party good morning.

Up and up they went, till Gerald declared that they should reach the moon if they continued on much longer. At length they found themselves on the brink of an enormous chasm, some thousand feet in depth, upwards of two miles in length, and half-a-mile in width, while before them a precipitous wall of rocks towered up towards the blue heavens, broken into numberless craggy pinnacles, amid which the clouds careered rapidly, although far below they lay in thin strata, unmoved by a breeze.

"Grand! magnificent!" and similar exclamations broke from the party. They pushed on to the end of the ravine, where it almost closes; a natural bridge of rocks existing over it to the opposite side; another much broader ravine opening out beyond. Returning by the way they came, the party gazed down upon Funchal and their ships in the harbour.

"Faith, they look for all the world like two fleas floating with their legs in the air," exclaimed Adair; "this is a mighty big mountain, there is no doubt about that."

Their keen appetites and the recollection of the merchant's promised repast made them hurry on their downward way. They were not disappointed either in the substantials, or in the delicacies, oranges, and grapes, with other fruits and wines provided for their entertainment.

"I am expecting your captains and a few grandees and others to dinner, or I would have pressed you to stay," said their kind host, as he wished them good-bye; "I hope you will come to-morrow, though, and remember that my house is at your orders as long as you stay."

Most of the naval heroes had imbibed a sufficient quantity of the merchant's generous liquid to raise their spirits, even somewhat above their usual high level, and Adair took Gerald to task for not having refused the last few glasses offered, though he declared that he himself was as sober as an archbishop.

"And so, faith, am I, Uncle Terence," cried Gerald; "to prove that same I'll race ye down to the bottom of this hit of a hill, and whoever comes in first shall decide the question. Now off we go. 'Wallop ahoo! ahoo! Erin-go-bragh!'" And urging on his steed, of which his arriero had long since let go, as had the others of their animals on descending the mountains, away he started; Adair shouting to him to stop, from the fear that he would break his neck, followed, however, at the same headlong speed, giving vent, in his excitement, to the same shout of "Wallop ahoo! ahoo! Erin-go-bragh!"

The example was infectious, the marine officer even catching it, and off set lieutenants and surgeons, and midshipmen and clerks, as if scampering away from an avalanche to save their lives, instead of running a great risk of losing them. In vain their attendants shouted to them to stop, and went bounding after them. The animals kept well together in a dense mass--a regular stampedo--Terence and his nephew keeping the lead. To check themselves had they tried it was impossible, without the certainty of bringing their steeds to the ground, and taking flying leaps over their heads. Suddenly there appeared before them a palanquin--a dignified ecclesiastic seated in it--attended by footmen, while further on were seen several cavaliers, some in military uniforms, with a couple of naval cocked hats rising in their midst. That instant had the cry of "Erin-go-bragh!" escaped from the excited Irishman's throat. "Avast! haul up for your life, boy," shouted Adair, on beholding the spectacle before him. "Starboard your helm, or you'll be over the padre."

Gerald did try to pull up with might and main, but it was too late, his steed stumbled, shooting him as from a catapult, right on the top--not of a humble padre, but of a bishop of the holy Roman Empire, when his floundering steed upsetting the leading bearer, bishop and midshipman rolled over together, the former shouting for help, the latter apologising. The matter did not stop here. Though Adair managed to clear the bishop, after knocking over one of his lordship's footmen, his steed bolted into the midst of the cavaliers behind, coming full tilt, as ill-luck would have it, against Commander Babbicome of the _Tudor_, who, in spite of his boasted horsemanship, was incontinently capsized, while, before he could recover himself, or his companions rescue him, down came thundering on them the rest of the hilarious cavalcade. Several of the riders, including Tom, attempting to rein in their animals, were sent flying over the prostrate bishop, among the foremost ranks of the party ascending the mountain, while the rest dashing on overthrew the military governor and several other personages of distinction, till Jack, who had from the first reined in his steed, and was behind the rest, could see nothing but a confused mass of kicking legs, and cocked hats, and naval caps, and here and there heads and backs and arms, with a shaven crown in their midst, blocking up the narrow roadway, shouts, cries, shrieks and execrations issuing from among them. The liberated horses had dashed on, leaving their riders to their fate. This contributed considerably to lessen the difficulties of the case. The drivers coming up, Jack dismounted, and giving his horse to one of them ran to assist the bishop and his fallen friends. The midshipmen quickly picked themselves up, very much frightened at what they had done, but not a bit the worse for their tumble. The ecclesiastic was next placed on his legs, with robes somewhat rumpled, but happily without contusions or bones broken, though dreadfully alarmed and inclined to be somewhat angry at the indignity he had suffered. Jack endeavoured to apologise with the few words of Portuguese he could command, Tom and Gerald assisting him to the best of their power, though their united vocabulary failed to convey their sentiments. Meantime, the dismounted cavaliers behind had regained their saddles, as had the gunroom officers and young gentlemen who had tilted against them their feet. Lieutenant Jennings and Terence had scraped clear without losing their seats, but nearly all the rest had been unhorsed. Commander Babbicome was the only one who had suffered damage, and he had received a bloody nose by a blow from his horse's head, but he was infinitely the most irate. "It is a disgrace to the service that such things should be allowed," he exclaimed. "Captain Hemming, I shall demand a court-martial on your officers, or an ample apology. Mine know how to respect their commander." At that moment his eye fell on his own purser and surgeon, with two or three others who were trying to get by close to the wall on either side. "Ah! I see; they shall hear more about it, they may depend on that!"

"Lieutenant Adair will be ready to make you an ample apology, I can answer for that, and you know that naval officers are not always the best of horsemen, of which we have just had an example," said Captain Hemming, who, though annoyed at what had happened, wished to soothe the feelings of the angry commander.

The Portuguese officers ascertaining that the bishop was unhurt took their own overthrow very coolly. "It's the way of those young English naval officers," they observed, with a shrug of the shoulders. "Paciencia!"

With bows and further apologies the two parties separated; the one to partake of the banquet prepared for them, the other to make the best of their way into the town.

"Uncle Terence, you bate me, I'll acknowledge, but if it hadn't been for the fat bishop I'd have won," exclaimed Gerald, as they met Adair not very comfortable in his mind, coming back to look for them.

"We shall all get into a precious row, ye young spalpeen, in consequence of your freak," answered Adair. "Why didn't you pull up at once when I told you?"

"Pull up was it ye say, Uncle Terence?" cried the irrepressible young Irish boy. "Faith now, that's a good joke. Didn't I pull till I thought my arms would be after coming off, but my baste pulled a mighty dale harder."

"Really that nephew of mine will be getting into serious difficulties if he does not learn to restrain the exuberance of his spirits," said Terence quite seriously to Jack, as they rode on together. "When I was a youngster I never went as far as he does."

"As to that, we are apt to forget what we were, and what we did, in the days of our boyhood," answered Jack, laughing heartily.

"You certainly had a wonderful aptitude for getting out of scrapes when you had tumbled into them. However, as it is wiser to keep clear of them altogether, you will do well to give your nephew a lecture on the subject, and I hope that he will benefit by it. I intend to bestow some good advice on Tom on the subject. Many a promising lad injures his future prospects by thoughtlessness. Though we were not always as wise as Solomon, we were invariably sober fellows, or we should probably have come to grief like so many others we have known."

"Faith, yes, it was that last magnum of Madeira floored the bishop and Commander Babbicome, no doubt about it," observed Adair, with a twinkle in his eye.

By this time they had reached the beach, when the arrieros having claimed their horses, not forgetting a liberal payment for their use, the party returned in shore-boats to the ships.

The next morning Commander Babbicome's anger was somewhat cooled down, though to vindicate his outraged dignity, as he could not punish the _Plantagenet's_ midshipmen, he stopped all leave from the _Tudor_. Captain Hemming considering that the matter should not be altogether overlooked, took Tom and Gerald on shore to apologise to the bishop, who instead of being angry, laughed heartily, and gave them a basket full of sweet cakes and fruit, for which, though it was a gentle hint that he looked upon them as children, they were very much obliged to him, and voted him a first-rate old fellow.

When the midshipmen of the _Tudor_ heard of it they wanted to go and apologise also, but as none of them unfortunately had tumbled over his lordship, they could not find a sufficient excuse for paying him a visit, and though they sent a deputation on board the _Plantagenet_ to put in a claim for a share, old Higson declined to entertain it.

Captain Hemming afterwards went on board the _Tudor_, and having told Commander Babbicome of the kind way the bishop had behaved, suggested that it was more Christian-like to forgive than revenge an insult even if premeditated, while that of which he complained certainly was not, and finally induced him to promise that he would say no more about the matter.

The repairs of the _Tudor_ were nearly completed.

"A man-of-war steamer coming in from the eastward," reported the signal-midshipman to Mr Cherry.

"She has made her number the _Pluto_," he shortly added.

The _Pluto's_ huge paddle-wheels soon brought her into the bay, when the lieutenant commanding her came on board the _Plantagenet_, with despatches for Captain Hemming.

"It was thought possible that we might catch you here as we have had a good deal of calm weather, and our wheels carry us along rather faster than your sails under such circumstances," observed the lieutenant, who knew that his tea-kettle was held in no great respect.

"Ah, yes, steam is useful for despatch-boats," answered the captain, in a slightly sarcastic tone, as he opened the despatches.

He was to direct the _Plantagenet_ and _Tudor_ to proceed without delay to Trinidad, and thence to go on to Jamaica, calling at the larger Caribbean Islands, belonging to Great Britain, on their way. There was an idea that the blacks were in an unsettled state of mind, and that the appearance of a couple of men-of-war would tend to keep them in order.

Instantly the news became known there was a general bustle on board the frigate. Washed clothes had to be got off and fresh provisions obtained. She was to sail at daylight the next morning, and the _Tudor_ was to follow as soon as ready.

"What are we to do for our washed clothes?" exclaimed Higson. "Mother Lobo wasn't to bring them on board till to-morrow evening, and if we send to her the chances are she doesn't get the message or doesn't understand it if she does."

"Sure, the best thing will be to go for them, then," exclaimed Gerald. "Does any one know where she lives?"

"Well thought of, youngster," said Higson; "I know where she hangs out, to the west of the town, beyond the old convent, some way up the hill, but as I can't make her understand a word I say, even if I was to go there, I should not much forward matters."

"But I can talk Portuguese like a native," exclaimed Norris, a midshipman who had been on board a ship stationed at Lisbon for several months, and who, professing to be a great linguist, was always ready to act as interpreter. Whether he understood the replies of the natives or not, he never failed to translate them. It was reported of him that once having accompanied the first lieutenant on shore to get a new topmast made, he asked the Portuguese carpenter at the dockyard,--"In how many dayso will you make a new topmasto for mio fregato?"

"Nao intende," was the answer.

"'Not in ten days,' he says, sir," reported Norris to the lieutenant.

"Why, we can make one on board in less than half that time. Lazy rascals, we will have nothing to do with them," exclaimed the lieutenant, his confidence in the midshipman as a linguist unshaken.

On the present occasion Norris's services were, however, accepted, and all in the berth who could get leave agreed to go. Some of the _Tudor's_ midshipmen who were on board the frigate offered to bring on the things if they were not ready.

"No! no! thank ye," answered Higson, cocking his eye, "I've a notion that clean linen would be plentiful aboard the corvette, and by the time it reached us it would be ready again for the laundress."

He, however, accepted their offer to accompany the expedition. As the wind was light and off shore they got leave to take the jolly-boat, being able easily to land in her. Under the guidance of Higson they made their way up the hill to Senhora Lobo's abode. A stream ran near it, on the banks of which half-a-dozen women were kneeling battering away, fine as well as coarse articles of clothing on some rough granite slabs, occasionally rubbing them as a change, with might and main on the hard stones, singing at the same time as they rubbed, or stopping occasionally to laugh and chatter. Among them was discovered Senhora Lobo or Mother Lobo, as Higson designated her, battering away harder than anybody at one of his shirts, as an example to her handmaidens. She rose from her knees, twisting tightly the dripping garment, not to lose time, as she recognised the young gentlemen, when Norris for a wonder made her comprehend more by signs than words, that as the ship was about to sail they must have their clothes immediately.

"Amanaa? to-morrow?" asked Senhora Lobo.

"No, no, 'esta noite,' to-night," answered Norris vehemently.

The washerwoman consulted with her attendants. Piles of wet linen lay on the ground, but a quantity had not yet seen the water. After a considerable amount of jabbering and talking, it was agreed that the task could be accomplished. The sun was hot, and the gentlemen must not be very particular about the ironing. While one half of the damsels set to work again in the stream, the rest, headed by the mistress, began to hang up the washed articles, a young girl being despatched apparently for further assistance. This looked like being in earnest, and the dame assured Norris that the things should be ready by ten o'clock. How to spend the intermediate time was the question, and a ramble into the country was agreed on. Had they been wise they would have secured some mules or donkeys to convey the clothes to the beach. They had, however, undertaken to carry the bags themselves, and were resolved heroically to persevere. They set off on their ramble, Tom and Gerald, and the other youngsters, skylarking as usual. They expected to fall in with some venda, or wine-shop, where they could obtain the refreshment they should require before returning, and Dick Needham was sent back with an order for the boat to come for them at the appointed hour. After rambling to a considerable distance, they began to feel hungry, but in vain they searched for a venda. Fortunately at this juncture they fell in with an Englishman on horseback, to whom they made their wants known.

"Come along with me," he answered; "I will show you a place where you can get some food."

Turning to the right, he led them through a gateway, along a walk bordered by orange-trees, myrtles, geraniums, ever-blossoming rose-trees, and numberless other plants and flowers, up to a bungalow-style of building, from the verandah of which a fine view could be enjoyed over the bay, with the town in the distance, and the hills on either side.

"This looks like a regular first-class boarding-house; we shall have to pay handsomely," whispered Tom to Gerald; "but never mind, we shall enjoy ourselves, and I am terribly sharp-set!"

"Make yourselves at home, gentlemen," said their guide; "supper will soon be on the table."

"Let's have it as soon as possible, that's all, and pray tell the landlord that we shall be perfectly content if we can have a few cold fowls and a ham, or eggs and bacon, and bread and cheese, and some bottles of country wine--we are in no ways particular!" exclaimed Higson, throwing himself on a garden-seat and producing his cigar-case. "Will any of you fellows have a smoke?"

When the case was opened but one cigar remained. Their guide observed it.

"Never mind, I dare say I can find some in the house," he said, and soon returned with a box full. He offered it round.

"What do they cost?" asked Gerald, who indulged in a smoke sometimes, when out of Adair's sight, though his slender purse forbade cigars.

"Never mind," was the answer; "it shall be put down in the bill."

The midshipman took a cigar, when a black servant appearing with a dish of charcoal embers, it was lighted and pronounced excellent. Shortly afterwards several ladies came out of the house and entered into conversation with the young officers, who took them to be guests staying at the inn. The time sped pleasantly by till supper was announced. The ladies accompanied them in, the oldest taking one end of the table, while their guide sat at the other.

"He's mine host after all!" whispered Tom to Gerald. "He knows, however, how to look after his guests properly."

There might not have been quite as many cold chickens on the table as Higson would have desired, but ample amends was made by the variety of other good things and the abundance of fruit, cakes, and wine.

"Capital Madeira, this of yours, landlord! Haven't tasted better anywhere in the island!" exclaimed Higson, smacking his lips. "I'll trouble you to pass the bottle."

"I am glad you approve of it, sir," said mine host, doing as he was requested. "There are several other qualities, but I always put the best before my guests."

Altogether the young gentlemen enjoyed themselves particularly, and talked and laughed away with unrestrained freedom to the ladies, who seemed highly amused by them, and insisted on filling the pockets of the younger midshipmen with cakes and fruit to take to their messmates on board.

"It's myself could manage better with a handkerchief!" exclaimed Paddy Desmond, producing a good big one.

The hint was taken, and some of the oldsters pulling out theirs got them filled likewise, supposing that it was the custom of the country for the guests to carry off the remains of a feast. Coffee was brought in, and a stroll through the grounds was then proposed. The object of the young gentlemen's visit to the shore came out in the course of the evening.

"You must stay here, then, till the time you have appointed, and I will show you a much shorter cut to the shore than by the high road," said mine host.

Higson gladly accepted his offer. Tea and further refreshments were found on the table on their return from the garden, and then one of the younger ladies went to the piano, and another took a harp, and a third a guitar, and the young officers who could sing were asked to do so, which of course they did, Paddy Desmond especially having a capital voice. Thus the evening passed pleasantly away, till it was nearly ten o'clock.

"I had no idea there were such capital houses of public entertainment as yours in the island," said Higson, highly pleased with mine host, who had been very attentive to him. "Whatever Englishmen undertake, however, they always beat the natives hollow, and now just tell me what's to pay?"

"I am amply repaid by having had the pleasure of entertaining you," answered mine host, laughing. "I must not let you go away under a mistake. The ladies you have seen are my mother and wife, and our sisters and two cousins staying with us. You may have heard my name as one of the principal shippers from the island, and when you come across my brand in the old country you will be able to say a good word for it."

"That I will, sir; but I must beg ten thousand pardons for my stupidity, and that of my shipmates. We ought to have found you out at first-- couldn't understand it, I confess."

Mr--soon set Higson and the rest at their ease, and thanks and farewells being uttered, under the guidance of the former they commenced their journey through orange groves and vineyards down the hill.

Senhora Lobo's washing establishment was soon reached, and there stood before her house a long line of bags and bundles, the former containing clothes, the latter tablecloths, sheets, and towels, each weighing twenty or thirty pounds. As time would be lost by sending to the boat for men the young gentlemen agreed to carry their property between them. Their new friend at once declared his intention of assisting. How to fist the bundles was the question. One could be easily carried on the back; but on counting them it was found that each person must carry two. After due discussion it was decided that the only way to do this was to fasten the bags or bundles two and two together, by the strings of the bags or the corners of the bundles, and to sling them thus over their shoulders, one hanging before and one behind. The two younger midshipmen got the lightest for their share, old Higson manfully taking the largest, and saying that he would bring up the rear. Their new friend led to show them the way. There was a high gate near the bottom of the path, but that was sure to be open. Off started the strange procession amid shouts of laughter, to which Senhora Lobo and her hand-maidens added their share. "Adios, adios, senhores!" they shrieked, clapping their hands and bending almost double in their ecstasies. The shouts of the merry damsels could be heard long after they had been lost to sight, as the not less jovial young gentlemen descended the hill. At first the path was tolerably even, but gradually it became steeper and steeper, and the bundles seemed to grow heavier and heavier, and the night darker and darker. They could see that they were passing though a vineyard, formed on terraces, built upon the hillside. The assistant surgeon, who followed next their friend, had slackened his speed, allowing the latter to get ahead of him. Suddenly the medico lost sight of his guide, when stumbling he let his bags slip off his shoulders, and was obliged to stop a minute to adjust them, bringing everybody else behind him to a halt. Then to make up for lost time he pushed on at greater speed than before. He heard their guide cry out something, but what it was he could not tell. "Make haste you in the rear," he exclaimed, but scarcely were the words out of his mouth than he found himself going headforemost from the top of a high wall, when he began to roll over and over, down a steep declivity. He was not alone, for one after the other came his companions, the darkness preventing those behind from discovering what had happened, Higson being the last, till the whole party were rolling away down the hill, struggling and kicking with the bags round their necks, some well-nigh strangled by the cords which held them together.

"Och, it's kilt I am entirely!" exclaimed Paddy Desmond, who was the first to find his voice. "Where are we after going to? Is the say below us, does any one know?"

"Can't some of you fellows ahead stop yourselves?" sung out Higson, who came thundering along with his big bundles about his neck; but the ground had just been cleared, not a root or branch offered a holdfast, and his weight giving a fresh impetus to the rest away they all went again over another terrace wall, shrieks and shouts and groans proceeding from those whose throats were not too tightly pressed by the cords to allow them utterance. Their cries quickly brought their friend to their assistance, when a level spot having fortunately been reached, with his aid, after some hauling and twisting, they were at length got on their legs, and their bundles and bags being replaced on their shoulders they proceeded in the same order as before. One or two groaned, occasionally, from the weight of their burdens or from the pain of their bruises, but most of the party trudged on, laughing heartily at their adventure.

"Hillo, why the gate is locked--never knew that before!" they heard their guide exclaim. "Never mind, we can easily climb it." Saying this he threw his bags over, and climbing to the top safely dropped down on the other side. The rest of the party, with one exception, followed his example. When Higson came to the gate it looked so contemptibly easy that he determined to climb it with his bundles on his back. Telling Tom, who was next him, to go on, he mounted to the top, when just as he had got over his foot slipped, and down he came, having his body on the outer side and his huge bundles still on the inner, his neck being held fast by the cord which fastened them together. A deep groan escaped him. It might have been the last he would ever have uttered, but fortunately Tom heard it, and turning back discovered what had happened.

"Help! help!" he shouted; "here's old Higson hanging himself."

His shout brought the rest to the rescue, accompanied by Dick Needham, who had come up from the boat to see after them. While a couple of the oldsters climbed to the top of the gate Dick raised the old mate with his shoulders, and after much pulling and hauling his neck was cleared from the noose, when he would have fallen to the ground had not Dick caught him.

"I'm much afeered Mr Higson's gone," exclaimed Dick, as he placed his burden gently down.

"Dead! why he was kicking tremendously just now," cried Tom, much concerned, for he had a real regard for his messmate.

"I'm afeered so," repeated Dick, with a sigh.

"Let me see," said McTavish, the assistant-surgeon, and stooping down he undid Higson's handkerchief and rubbed away at his throat, feeling carefully round it. "Neck not dislocated, as I feared; he's all right, and will come round presently," he said, the announcement giving infinite relief to those who stood around.

As McTavish had predicted, Higson soon recovered; and as Dick was there to carry his bundles the adventurers were once more _en route_ to the boat. All hands were warm in their expressions of thanks to their hospitable entertainer.

"You'll not forget 'mine host' of the country venda," he said, laughing, as he shook hands for the last time. They gave him three cheers, as the boat shoved off and pulled away for the frigate.

Higson had been silent, while the rest were talking, as if brooding over something; at length he exclaimed, "I say, Rogers, I'll not have you call me old Higson--they were the last words I heard."

"Then you didn't hear me call the other fellows to your assistance," answered Tom promptly. "If I hadn't you wouldn't have been sitting up and talking now. It wouldn't have been pleasant for your friends to have seen a paragraph in the papers, 'John Higson, mate of HMS _Plantagenet_, was hung on the --'"

"Avast there," cried Higson, "or I'll break your head, you--"

"He really was the means of saving your life," said McTavish.

"Then I'm obliged to you, Rogers, and you may call me old Higson as often as you like, provided you do me an equal service every time."

The next morning the frigate stood out of the Bay of Funchal on her way to the West Indies. _

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