"What ship is that?" were the words now faintly heard through the chorus of the gale. The corporal made no reply. It was no part of his policy to give any sort of answer first. He, on the contrary, was resolved to know who was his questioner before he risked the committing himself. Waiting till the stranger had arrived at her nearest point of approximation, he pretended not to have heard her hail, but applying the captain's speaking-trumpet to his lips, returned it in the same words. "What ship is that?" The stranger, not having the same cause for caution, and anxious not to lose the opportunity afforded by her position, rapidly replied, 66 His majesty's ship Alcibiades-what ship is yours?" The danger was now past, and the corporal, selecting one of the names of the senior frigates on the station, replied, "His majesty's ship Memnon." To this no answer was heard, for the two vessels, urged by the mighty force of the gale, rapidly flew by each other on their various courses, and nothing was again heard but the roaring of the waters as they closed after the departing frigate's counter, and the fierce and melancholy moaning of the wind that swept through their own rigging. CHAPTER XXI. A pause-it is the crisis of our fate: "BRAVO, corporal!” cried Herbert, as the Alcibiades swept down proudly to leeward, ignorant of the deceit that had been so daringly palmed upon her. "That's a noble frigate, and a better sea-boat one needn't wish to have, though, for the matter of that, I'd match ours against her. I don't think she'll trouble us much more with her company." "I don't know that," replied the corporal, looking after the ship with a far more sad and troubled air than was ever witnessed in general upon his striking but impenetrable features. "If the officers on board that craft know who we are, there's not à ship in the service has half the reason to remain resolutely by us." 66 Why, how so?" 'Why, don't you remember?—the Alcibiades was the frigate which was sent on before us with Lieutenant and Miss Livingstone on board-our late captain's son and daughter." "What! Mr. Ramsay's sweetheart, the young lady as was aboard of us." "The same." "Poor soul! I feels for her; but as for that ragarouche, her brother, I wish with all my heart he was on Mr. Ramsay's island, and Mr. Ramsay in his place.' 99 "It would be more like justice, Herbert, but we can't always have that. But, see, yon frigate's hauling up to leeward of us on the same tack." "So she is-what does that mean?" Why, I'm afraid that she wants to communicate with us, thinking, perhaps, that to-morrow the gale may be gone down enough for her to send a boat alongside. But that must never be, if we can help it." "Right, corporal; if they once come to know aboard there who we really are, that young fellow will be coming aboard to see his father. 66 Well, there then he'll be mistaken, that's one comfort,” launch, shook his head mysteriously, and, without the utterance of a word, resumed the interrupted gaze. "At any rate," said the corporal, speaking, considerably below his breath, so that no accent of his words should reach the ears of any other than of those two for whom they were intended, "let us make out what we can of her." "This I make out without a doubt; yon stranger's a man-of-war; and, what's more, one from our own country, or I'm much mistaken." At this decided opinion, so broadly expressed, both his hearers looked up. In the features of neither could be traced any mixture of that surprise which is generally the result of information we have not been altogether prepared to hear. The quartermaster's countenance seemed to say, "We've hit the truth at last;" that of Cresswell wore the air of mischief, distinguishing that of some urchin who sees his seniors in a scrape. "What's to be done?" exclaimed all three in a breath, which, was, however, at the same time but a whisper. Whatever might be the reply the thoughts of each suggested, none seemed willing to be the first to breathe it. Without uttering a word, or giving sign of thought, save such as might be found in a compressed lip or bended brow, they all once more applied themselves to their glasses. After a more lengthened and minute investigation, however, they apparently saw no reason to alter their opinions, and in silence walked aft together to the tasfrail, to confer on the steps that should be taken. "Well, what's the go now?" cried Cresswell and Mustapha, as soon as they had gained the signal-locker, and had looked round to see that no one was within hearing. "What!" repeated the corporal calmly, and with that decision and quickness of mind, as well as authoritative manner, that in the hour of difficulty and danger marks out the man of superior intellect; "our steps have but to go right forward; the first one has given us a direction, and the rest must follow; mutiny knows no repentance. At present I see no difficulty;-to be sure, yon ship's an English man-of-war, and she'll soon be within shot of us; there's no blinking that matter. Let us stand on then, as if we too were the same as we were this day week. If they make no signal to us, neither will we to them." "Ay, ay, my boy, that's all very fine, but English menof-war don't pass each other in that fashion," said old Mustapha. "Suppose they "It's no use supposing this, that, or the other, my good fellow," interrupted the corporal; "the matter's just come to this-if we can shy them, we will, and if we can't, we must fight them. But all will depend on what they do. A man's wits, if he has any worth mentioning, are never so sharp as when the pinch comes. But we may plan a thousand things, and all be defeated by her acting differently. I vote we stand on without taking any notice of her; that's the course least likely to excite suspicion; and, if the worst comes to the worst, we can but engage her. "Twill only be tying our own crew more closely together; and men who fight with halters round the neck,-for it's no use blinking the truth,-such fellows, I say, generally fight in earnest." 66 Well, perhaps so," said Mustapha; "but, for my part, I set so much store upon my pluck, that I'd a mighty deal sooner save it up for some rich East Indyman, or good fat trader. We've changed our trade now, you'll please to remember, Mr. Corporal, as the gentleman in the Raby Nights says to his princess. Last week we were the boys who fought for honour and glory, with a bit of prizemoney now and then, as a red herring to our potaty; now, you see, as we have cut all that ere sort of humbug adrift, it's every man for himself, do you understand, and the devil take the hindmost; and I've seen you tried in too many a squall not to know that we're as safe in your guidance as in that of ere a man aboard. Still, d'ye see, I think it's quite as well to insinivate that there's nothing to be had by fighting that ship to windward but hard knocks, one of which goes a long way sometimes. By the gods of Hellespoint, Mr. Corporal, a man gets one of those, and, before he knows where he is, he's as dead as Julyus Cæsar, I'm blowed if he isn't; there's no mistake about that, you know, and that isn't now our business at all." "Very true, Mustapha, very true," said Cresswell; "and I'm sure the corporal thinks with us; but if we must fight "Oh! I'm quite agreeable-werry; for as I sees pretty clearly that there are mighty few lads in this ship as will die in their beds, seeing that's not the place for either hanging, shooting, or drowning-the general run of a mutineer's bounty-why 'tis but a matter of time whether we share the prize to night or the day after; still I must think with Shezzerade, (Scheherazade,) when the king was going to cut her head off, 'tis as well to put the thing off as long as we can; because, you know, we havn't had our cruise yet; and the corporal there, who has a mighty nice fancy in that line, has planned out a wery agreeable one -four wives for every man of us, and a deal more, as soon as we get Mr. Ramsay back-and we must not forget him." "I fear," said the corporal, and his brow darkened as he spoke, "that after the delay that has taken place, and is still more likely to occur, our hopes of saving that brave gentleman are sadly weakened. But, notwithstanding, we must do all we can. I agree with both of you that fighting is no longer our trade, except for those articles of luxury and enjoyment which are to contribute to our happiness. Still, we have set every thing upon the cast of a perilous throw, and let us, if we lose, pay the stake, like fearless seamen, boldly. What is it to any of us to die? Have we not died daily for the last two years, beneath the command of such fellows as those whom a peculiar providence has taken from among us? What is death after that? We are no children, to frighten ourselves with a bugbear. One stroke of the cat gives more pain than many deaths, whether they come from the rope or the shot. No, if we can get off without any encounter, so much the better; if not, we must stand the worst. Is it resolved?" Ay, ay!" were the replies which sealed the lives of hundreds in a breath. “Very well, then," returned the iron-hearted corporal; "that's disposed of; and now to some other business. We can't keep those officers below in arrest, if we have to go into action. I vote we send down, and offer to leave them at liberty, provided they pass their word neither to interfere with the command of the ship, nor try, directly or indirectly, to regain possession of her, nor cross our plans." 66 'Ay, Bo, I think that would be an excellent plan, Cress. Well, my lad, you go down, and bring them to their senses; and mind you tell 'em it's no use to kick against the pricks; if that doesn't convince them, why they're unreasonable-that's all I say.". 66 66 Why, so say I; so shall I start, corparal?" Ay, do; and as soon as they agree to it, let Mr. Robinson call them all together, and tell them the terms. But mind, whoever breaks word with us, high or low, may make his will first, for he'll have no time to do it afterward." With this fearful hint of what was likely to follow, down went Cresswell; but in a few minutes he returned with the blank look of disappointment. "What's the matter?" demanded the confederates. |