Ronald Morton, or the Fire Ships Part 31

"Mere pop-guns to hers, depend on that," observed Sims. "What do you say to her being a heavy frigate, capable of blowing this old tea-chest out of the water?"

Morton was informed of the sail in sight, but he was too much occupied in guiding the s.h.i.+p out of the labyrinth of reefs to make any other reply than the simple one, "If she is like an enemy get the s.h.i.+p ready for action."

What he felt his countenance did not show.

The "Osterley" continued to thread the narrow pa.s.sage; the slightest inattention would have brought her upon the reefs. Those who could employ their eyes kept looking now at the approaching stranger--now at the direction where they hoped the frigate would appear. At length old Doull's deep voice was heard exclaiming, "We are free now, sir, of all dangers; we may stand away to northward."

Ronald sprang down on deck, and the deep sigh which escaped his bosom showed the anxiety he had felt.

"Brace up the yards on the starboard tack!" he cried out, as he stepped aft, and, calling for his telescope, took a steady examination of the stranger. He expressed no opinion as to what she was, but ordered all the sail the s.h.i.+p could carry to be set on her. As she had now a large crew this was rapidly done. The stranger must have seen, by the way the "Osterley" made sail, that she was strongly manned. Captain Winslow and his officers, after a long look at the former, p.r.o.nounced her to be the very s.h.i.+p which had captured them. Ronald longed to try and turn the tables, and to take her, but a glance at the pa.s.sengers made him feel that his duty was in this case to do his utmost to escape. A bright look-out was kept for the frigate.

"If the mounseers catches sight of she, they'll be inclined to put the helm down pretty sharp, and go about on t'other tack," observed Job Truefitt.

As the stranger approached all doubt as to what she was vanished. She had before proved herself a good sailer. She maintained her character, and with a regret almost amounting to anguish, Ronald saw that there was little probability of avoiding a fight. He had brave men under him, but the Indiaman was badly armed, and the enemy had before found her an easy prey.

"We must, I fear, Winslow, place the ladies and children below, as you did before," he observed, with a sigh. "I pray heaven the frigate may heave in sight, for the honest truth is, I never felt so little inclined to fight; yet, if fight we must, I should never fight more fiercely."

"Spoke like a brave man, Morton," answered his friend. "When I have helpless women and children under my charge, though I would fight to the last gasp to protect them, I would always rather run than fight."

"Sail ho! ho-o!" shouted the man at the mast-head, with a prolonged cadence.

"Where away?" asked Morton.

"To the north-west," was the reply.

His heart gave a bound; it was the quarter in which the frigate was likely to appear. He kept away a little towards her. The "Thisbe"

showed her number. The "Osterley" signalised, "We have all safe on board. An enemy to the south-east."

There was no time for further greeting. The frigate made all sail and stood on. The tables were now fairly turned. The Frenchman made her out, and going about, stood away to the southward.

"We shall have Captain Gerardin and his sentimental lieutenant among us again before long," observed Captain Winslow, rubbing his hands.

The corvette showed that she had a remarkably fast pair of heels, and night coming on hid the pursuer, as distance had already hid the pursued, from the sight of those on board the "Osterley." Sail was taken off the "Osterley," and she was hove-to, that she might wait for the return of the frigate.

A very important question now arose as to what port they should steer for. The pa.s.sengers very naturally begged that they might be carried to Bombay, but Morton conceived that they ought to return to Calcutta.

However, that was a point Captain Calder could alone decide. Poor Captain Winslow, on his part, wanted to get back the command of his s.h.i.+p; but that of course, Morton had no power to bestow on him. All were eager for the morning, but never did a night appear to pa.s.s by more slowly. Dawn broke at last, and a sail was seen to the southward. She proved to be the "Thisbe"--the corvette had escaped.

"We'll catch the fellow one of these days, though," exclaimed Captain Calder. "And if he proves to be a pirate, and I believe he is very little better, we'll hang him without compunction at his own yard-arm."

His captain highly commended Morton for his conduct, and decided that the "Osterley" should return under his charge to Calcutta, where Admiral Rainier still was, that he might decide how she should be disposed of.

"She's worth some thousand pounds to us Morton," he observed. "It will help you to furnish house whenever you set up in that way ash.o.r.e."

Ronald hoped that it would not be long before he should employ his well-gained prize money in the manner his captain suggested. He cared little to which port the "Osterley" might be sent, except that he would have preferred the one at the greatest distance, which might have prolonged the voyage.

Never had Ronald Morton been so happy. He was in the constant enjoyment of the society of Edda Armytage. She no longer concealed her love for him, and his attentions appeared to meet the approval of both her parents. The days thus glided swiftly by. It was with anything but satisfaction to him that the "Osterley" at length made the mouth of the Hooghly. A line-of-battle s.h.i.+p was at the anchorage. As the "Thisbe"

brought up, the two men-of-war exchanged numbers, and Morton discovered with infinite satisfaction that she was the old "Lion," on board of which his father was boatswain.

Ronald was unwilling to leave the "Osterley" even for a short time, so he despatched a boat with a note to his father, to inquire after his health, at the same time giving an account of what had occurred, and promising to visit him as soon as he was at liberty. No reply was sent, but in a short time a boat from the "Lion" came alongside the "Osterley," and Rolf Morton himself stepped on board. Ronald welcomed his father with the affection of a son. He thought not of the subordinate rank he held in the service, nor of the fine lady and gentlemen pa.s.sengers who might be making inquiries as to who he was.

After a short conversation on the quarter-deck, they retired to Ronald's cabin, where a considerable time was spent in giving and listening to accounts of each other's proceedings.

"And let me hear again this strange story you tell me of these old men,"

said Rolf. "I must talk to them, and listen to what, they have to say, though I scarcely expect that any good will result to us from it."

Rolf Morton had never been of a sanguine temperament; he had become still less so as he advanced in life. Ronald, on the contrary, was accustomed to look on the bright side of objects. He believed that he had obtained a clue which would lead to the discovery of a matter now he felt of so much importance to his future happiness.

The two old men were sent for. They looked at Ronald, and then at his father; but neither seemed willing to speak. Archie Eagleshay, especially, put on a stupid expression of countenance, as if he had lost all recollection of past events. After a time, however, Doull repeated the account he had already given to Ronald, and the other old man nodded his head to confirm the correctness of the statement.

"Would you swear to all this my friends, in a court of law in England?"

asked Ronald.

Even Doull hesitated. The idea of a court of law, in consequence of his early transgressions, had terrors for him which he could not overcome.

As pale a hue as his sunburnt skin would allow came over old Archy's face as he heard the words, and Ronald soon discovered that he had made a mistake by putting the question.

"Well, my friends, we will not ask you to do what you do not like," he remarked. "But do not you think that if it was to serve my father and me, and that we would take care that you suffered no injury, you could swear to the truth of the story you have told us? It is my belief that you see before you the very man you a.s.sisted to carry off when a child from his family and his country. He bears you no ill-will in consequence. Surely you would wish to do your best to repair the injury you have done him?"

"I would do anything to serve you, Captain Morton, that I would, sir, or swear anything you please: and for that matter, so would Archy."

"No, no, my friends," exclaimed Ronald, somewhat inclined to laugh; "I only wish you to swear the truth, nothing else can serve me. However, the time for doing so has not yet arrived. We must get home first."

"The truth!" muttered Rolf Morton. "Where is that to be found? I doubt that it will serve us anyhow."

"Well, dear father, all is in G.o.d's hands," said Ronald, after he had dismissed the old men; "I have always been content and proud to be your son, and to me, therefore, as far as my own feelings are concerned it matters little who was your father, or to what family he belonged, except--ah--I for an instant forgot--others may value family more than I do." And Ronald told his father of his love for Edda Armytage, and of his belief that his love was returned.

Rolf Morton listened earnestly. He had more knowledge of the world than his son, and he was less accustomed to look on the bright side of things.

He shook his head.

"I doubt not she is all you say, and I am grateful to her mother's sister for instructing you in your boyhood, but I have little cause to love her race. The old Sir Marcus worked me all the ill he could, and from what I have heard of this son-in-law of his, he is a proud and vain man, not likely to have much regard for the feelings of young lovers'

hearts. But cheer up, Ronald. You have a n.o.ble profession, and the way to its highest rank is open to you."

"But Edda has promised to be mine, and her father could scarcely wish to make her break her word," answered Ronald, with a simplicity which would have made a man of the world smile.

"I would not damp your spirits, lad; but if you would escape having your hopes stranded, don't trust too much to promises."

Ronald thought that his father was taking too desponding a view of matters.

"We'll hope, father, that in this instance you are mistaken as to Colonel Armytage," he answered, in a cheerful tone. "I am sure that you would like both his wife and daughter."

"Ronald, my boy, you forget that I am a bo'sun," said Rolf, rising from his seat. "Let us go on deck."

They there met Glover, who welcomed Mr Morton with the greatest cordiality.

"I first went to sea with you, Mr Morton, you remember," he observed.

"You taught me more of seamans.h.i.+p than I ever learnt from anybody else.

Besides, you know if it hadn't been for your son I should long ago have been food for the fish."