Roger Kyffin's Ward Part 17

"You feel for the fatherless and widow. It is a right feeling; it's a divine feeling; it's as our Father in heaven feels. Have all my hopes come to this?--thus early cut off, my boy, my Harry! Let me look at that paper again. I must try and see the people who are mentioned here.

They may tell us how it happened. Might they, notwithstanding this account, by some means have escaped?"

"I know what it is to be on board a foundering s.h.i.+p in the midst of the stormy ocean, darkness around, strong men crying out for fear of death, the boats swamped alongside. Words of command scarcely heard, or if heard not attended to, and then, when the s.h.i.+p goes down, down, too, go all things floating round her. No, sir, no, I cannot hope, and that's the fact of it."

"Have you told the ladies?" asked Mr. Kyffin. "It will be a fearful thing breaking the matter to them."

"I have not, sir, and I would as lief have my head blown off at the cannon's mouth," answered Paul; "but it must be done, and what we have to do is to consider the best way of breaking it to them. Never flinch from what must be done; that's what the colonel always said."

Roger Kyffin at first thought of requesting Dr. Jessop to communicate the sad intelligence; but he was afraid lest in the meantime it might in a more abrupt manner reach the ears of Miss Everard and her aunt. He determined, therefore, to introduce himself, and in the presence of Paul to mention the account he had seen in the papers, expressing at the same time a hope which he himself could not help entertaining, that those in whom they were most interested might have escaped.

While Roger Kyffin and Paul were still discussing the matter, a carriage rapidly approached the house. Three persons got out of it. One of them started with a look of astonishment when he saw Mr. Kyffin. It was Silas Sleech. He, however, quickly recovered his self-possession.

"Sad news this, sir, the death of our relative the captain," he said; "it's what sailors are liable to, though. Allow me to introduce my father, Mr. Tony Sleech--Mr. Roger Kyffin. Although fortune may smile on me, I don't purpose yet deserting business and Idol Lane. `Business is business,' as you've often observed, Mr. Kyffin, and I love it for itself."

"I really don't understand what you mean," said Mr. Kyffin. "How can Captain Everard's death affect you?"

"Ah! I see you are not acquainted with the state of the case," said Mr.

Silas. "We won't trouble you with it. My father and I have come to condole with the ladies who are now staying here, on their bereavement, and to tell them that we, who are heirs-at-law, beg that they will not trouble themselves to move for the next two or three days. After that, you see, it would be very inconvenient for us to be kept out of the property."

Silas evidently said this more for Paul Gauntlett's information than for Mr. Kyffin's, though his eye dared not meet that of the old soldier.

Paul clutched the stick which seldom left his grasp. The moment for action had arrived. In another instant the Mr. Sleeches--father and son--would have felt its force, had not a third person, who had got out of the carriage, stepped forward. He had from the first kept his eye upon Paul, and now saw by the movement of his hand that he meditated mischief.

"I am an officer of the law, and have been brought to see that the law is respected," he said, stepping up to Paul. "You had better not use that stick, that's all. Mr. Sleech has sworn that he expects forcibly to be, kept out of this property, which is legally his; therefore let any one at his peril attempt to interfere with his proceedings."

"He never swore a truer word in his life," exclaimed Paul, clutching his stick. "I care for the law, and I respect the law, but I don't respect such sneaking scoundrels as you and he," exclaimed the old soldier, lifting his stick with a savage look.

Silas sprang down the steps, knocking over his father in his descent.

The constable eyed the old soldier. Though his locks were grey, he looked like no mean antagonist. The man seemed doubtful whether it would be wise to attack him.

"I call all here to witness that I have been a.s.saulted in the execution of my duty by this man, the attendant of the late Colonel Everard," he said, as he also retreated more slowly down the steps.

"Do you intend to prevent the rightful owners from taking possession of this their rightful property?" he exclaimed, from a safe position at the bottom of the steps, at the top of which stood Paul, still flouris.h.i.+ng his stick.

"The rightful owners have got the property, and the rightful owners will keep it," answered Paul.

The Mr. Sleeches and their companion on this retired to a distance, to consult apparently what steps they would next take.

"You must not attempt to impede the officer in the execution of his duty, my friend," said Mr. Kyffin, "you will gain nothing by so doing."

"I don't expect to gain anything," answered Paul. "I am only obeying the colonel's orders in keeping the house against all intruders. If these people aren't intruders, I don't know who are."

"If they have the law with them we must not interfere," again repeated Mr. Kyffin. "I am anxious to break the sad news to the ladies before these men do so abruptly. I should have thought better of Silas Sleech; but I suppose he has been urged on by his father."

"One's no better than the other, in my opinion," muttered Paul.

"However, sir, if you will tell the poor ladies what has happened in as gentle a way as possible, I will bless you for it. As for me, I could not do it, that I could not."

With a sad heart Mr. Kyffin took his way through the grounds, hoping to fall in with Mabel and her aunt. Paul Gauntlett in the meantime kept guard at the door, while two other stout fellows with bludgeons appearing round the corner of the house, induced the besiegers to keep at a respectful distance.

Mr. Kyffin soon met the two ladies. He had no doubt who they were, and at once introduced himself. The result of his announcement, though made as cautiously as possible, can better be imagined than described.

"If it is so, G.o.d's will be done!" said Madam Everard, whose whole thoughts were centred in her niece, whom she and Roger Kyffin with difficulty bore to the house. The news soon flew around the place, and Dr. Jessop hearing it at once repaired to Stanmore, where he found his old friend Roger Kyffin.

For several days Mabel lay almost unconscious, attended carefully by Dr.

Jessop, through whose speedy arrival, in all human probability, her life had been saved.

Scarcely had she begun to recover, than Mr. Sleech, armed with further authority, arrived at the Park. Mr. Wallis was in consultation with Madam Everard. She and her niece must remove at the bidding of her brother-in-law.

"Nothing can be done," said Mr. Wallis. "At all events, no attempt must be made to prevent his being admitted into the house." With a heavy heart Paul Gauntlett heard the lawyer's decision, though even then he seemed very doubtful whether he ought to submit to Madam Everard's orders.

"I would rather a thousand times have fought it out to the last, and died in the breach," he exclaimed, das.h.i.+ng his stick on the floor.

"However, if it must be, it must be, and it's not the first time a scoundrel has gained the day and got into the place of an honest man."

Paul had abundance of occupation for the remainder of his stay at Stanmore.

With a countenance in which sorrow, anger, and indignation were blended, he a.s.sisted in packing up the property belonging to Madam Everard and her niece. This was at once conveyed to Lynderton, where a house had been secured for them. In as short a time as possible they removed from Stanmore Park with everything they possessed. Scarcely were they out of the house than Mr. Sleech and his family took possession.

Silas, however, lost the satisfaction of taking up his abode at the Park as the owner, for Mr. Coppinger informed him that he must either give up his situation or return to the counting-house. He selected the latter alternative, greatly to Mr. Kyffin's surprise. The estimation in which that gentleman held Mr. Silas Sleech had of late been considerably lowered. He once had thought him a hard-working, plodding, honest fellow who could be thoroughly trusted--a valuable man in a counting-house. Several circ.u.mstances had of late come under Mr.

Kyffin's notice with regard to Silas Sleech's mode of life. What he saw of him at Stanmore and heard of him at Lynderton had also yet further lowered him in his estimation. His mind was one especially addicted to forming combinations. He put several things he had seen and heard of Mr. Sleech together. To this he added his own opinion on certain doc.u.ments which Mr. Sleech had produced, with apparent unwillingness, to criminate Harry.

He also found from the porter in Idol Lane that the two young men had been in the constant habit of going out together, and very often not returning till a late hour. These and other circ.u.mstances which need not be narrated, made Mr. Kyffin resolve to watch very narrowly the proceedings of Mr. Sleech for the future. Suspicion is more easily aroused than quieted. On further inquiries he had no doubt that the letter for which Silas Sleech had called during his absence, addressed to his house at Hampstead, was from Harry, and that it had been purposely withheld, although Silas declared, when taxed with receiving it, that he had forwarded it to Ireland. Altogether there was a fair prospect that the rogueries of Mr. Silas Sleech would be brought to light. Still, however, he sat at his desk, working on with apparently the greatest diligence, and the same unmoved countenance as usual.

In the meantime Mr. Sleech had taken possession of Stanmore for his son, and he and his family were making themselves thoroughly at home in their own fas.h.i.+on. They were somewhat indignant that the neighbourhood did not immediately call and pay that respect which their relatives had been accustomed to receive. It cannot be supposed that Mr. Wallis, nor even Dr. Jessop, had been silent with regard to the way Mr. Sleech had behaved to his sister-in-law and niece, while Paul Gauntlett took every opportunity of describing how he had defended the house, and how they had ultimately outmanoeuvred him.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

ON THE RAFT.

We must now go back to a solitary raft which bore Captain Everard, Harry Tryon, and Jacob Tuttle tossing on the bosom of the wide Atlantic. The sea, after the foundering of the frigate, had gone down, and several casks had floated, which had been secured by the occupants of the raft.

One contained bread, another meat, and a third, more valuable still, water. By these means there seemed a prospect that those on the raft might preserve their lives. Still, as day after day pa.s.sed by, and their provisions decreased, the fate from which they had at one time expected to escape, again appeared to approach them.

Eagerly they strained their eyes, in the hope of seeing a sail, but the sun rose and the sun went down again and still they floated all lonely on the ocean. The last drop of water was expended, not a particle of food remained. They knew that a few days might probably end their existence. Harry Tryon kept up his spirits, and endeavoured to sustain those of Captain Everard, who felt acutely the loss of his s.h.i.+p. Harry, however, had not made himself known to him, while Jacob Tuttle always addressed him by the name of Brown. One of their number was sinking fast, another poor fellow had become delirious. It seemed too likely that they would drop off one by one till none remained upon the raft.

Again the weather became threatening. A dense mist lay over the water.

Few of those on the raft expected to see another daybreak. At length, however, the dawn appeared, but still the mist surrounded them.

Suddenly it broke, and the bright sun burst forth and shed his rays on the white canvas of a vessel close to them. They shouted and waved.

Their voices could not have been heard, but they were seen. The vessel bore down upon them, and in a few minutes they were hoisted safely on board.

The vessel was from the Saint Lawrence, homeward bound. They were treated with kindness. The weather was fine. For many days they made good progress. They were expecting in the course of another day to sight the Irish coast. A gale sprung up. They were driven off the coast. The brig was dismasted, and lay helpless on the tossing ocean.

Just when about to get up jury masts, a strange sail hove in sight. She was a French privateer, and the battered vessel became her prize. The officers of the merchantman, with Captain Everard and part of the English crew, were taken on board the privateer; but several men, among whom were Jacob Tuttle and Harry, were left on board the brig to a.s.sist the prize-master in navigating her into port. Fortunately, however, on her voyage the prize was separated from the privateer, and was recaptured by a British man-of-war, to whose decks Harry and Tuttle, with several other able-bodied seamen, were transferred, while the prize was sent into Falmouth.

Harry soon discovered that all s.h.i.+ps in the British navy were not alike, and he and Tuttle often wished themselves on board the "Brilliant,"

under the command of Captain Everard.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

THE MUTINY AT THE NORE, AND HOW THE HERO BECAME IMPLICATED IN IT.

Once more Harry gazed on the coast of England. He felt an earnest longing to go on sh.o.r.e and see Mabel. He wished to tell her that her father had escaped death, and that, although a prisoner, he might soon return home. The "Latona," the frigate on board which Harry found himself, sailed swiftly up the Channel, and rounding the Isle of Wight, came to an anchor at Spithead. A large fleet lay there, under the command of Lord Bridport. Harry, with several others, asked leave to go on sh.o.r.e. He was sternly refused. The captain of the frigate was one of those men who seemed to take delight in tyrannising over their crews and in making them miserable. No, not although Harry pleaded his s.h.i.+pwreck and the suffering he had gone through. The captain turned a deaf ear to his entreaties. Several s.h.i.+ps' companies had similar causes of complaint.