University of Virginia Library

10. CHAPTER X.

Henry Vth.

Mademoiselle Viefville, with a decision and intelligence
that rendered her of great use in moments of need,

hastened to offer her services to the wounded man, while
Eve, attended by Ann Sidley, ascended the ship and made
her way into the cabins, in the best manner the leaning position
of the vessel allowed. Here they found less confusion
than might have been expected, the scene being ludicrous,
rather than painful, for Mr. Monday was in his state-room
excluded from sight.

In the first place, the soi-disant Sir George Templemore
was counting over his effects, among which he had discovered
a sad deficiency in coats and pantaloons. The Arabs
had respected the plunder, by compact, with the intention of
making a fair distribution on the reef; but, with a view to
throw a sop to the more rapacious of their associates, one
room had been sacked by the permission of the sheiks. This
unfortunate room happened to be that of Sir George Templemore,
and the patent razors, the East Indian dressing
case, the divers toys, to say nothing of innumerable vestments
which the young man had left paraded in his room,
for the mere pleasure of feasting his eyes on them, had disappeared.

“Do me the favour, Miss Effingham,” he said, appealing
to Eve, of whom he stood habitually in awe, from the pure
necessity of addressing her in his distress, or of addressing
no one; “do me the favour to look into my room, and see
the unprincipled manner in which I have been treated. Not
a comb nor a razor left; not a garment to make myself decent
in! I'm sure such conduct is quite a disgrace to the civilization
of barbarians even, and I shall make it a point to
have the affair duly represented to his majesty's minister the
moment I arrive in New York. I sincerely hope you have
been better treated, though I think, after this specimen of
their principles, there is little hope for any one: I'm sure we
ought to be grateful they did not strip the ship. I trust we
shall all make common cause against them the moment we
arrive.”

“We ought, indeed, sir,” returned Eve, who, while she
had known from the beginning of his being an impostor, was
willing to ascribe his fraud to vanity, and who now felt charitable
towards him on account of the spirit he had shown in
the combat; “though I trust we shall have escaped better.

Our effects were principally in the baggage-room, and that,
I understand from Captain Truck, has not been touched.”

“Indeed you are very fortunate, and I can only wish that
the same good luck had happened to myself. But then, you
know, Miss Effingham, that one has need of his little comforts,
and, as for myself, I confess to rather a weakness in
that way.”

“Monstrous prodigality and wastefulness!” cried Saunders,
as Eve passed on towards her own cabin, willing to
escape any more of Sir George's complaints. “Just be so
kind, Miss Effingham, ma'am, to look into this here pantry,
once! Them niggers, I do believe, have had their fingers
in every thing, and it will take Toast and me a week to
get things decorous and orderly again. Some of the
shrieks” (for so the steward styled the chiefs) “have been
yelling well in this place, I'll engage, as you may see, by the
manner in which they have spilt the mustard and mangled
that cold duck. I've a most mortal awersion to a man that
cuts up poultry against the fibers; and, would you think it,
Miss Effingham, ma'am, that the last gun Mr. Blunt fired,
dislocated, or otherwise diwerted, about half a dozen of the
fowls that happened to be in the way; for I let all the poor
wretches out of the coops, that they might make their own
livings should we never come back. I should think that as
polite and experienced a gentleman as Mr. Blunt might have
shot the Arabs instead of my poultry!”

“So it is,” thought Eve, as she glanced into the pantry
and proceeded. “What is considered happiness to-day gets
to be misery to-morrow, and the rebukes of adversity are
forgotten the instant prosperity resumes its influence. Either
of these men, a few hours since, would have been most happy
to have been in this vessel, as a home, or a covering for
their heads, and now they quarrel with their good fortune
because it is wanting in some accustomed superfluity or pampered
indulgence.”

We shall leave her with this wholesome reflection uppermost,
to examine into the condition of her own room, and
return to the deck.

As the hour was still early, Captain Truck having once
quieted his feelings, went to work with zeal, to turn the late

success to the best account. The cargo that had been discharged
was soon stowed again, and the next great object
was to get the ship afloat previously to hoisting in the new
spars. As the kedges still lay on the reef, and all the anchors
remained in the places where they had originally been
placed, there was little to do but to get ready to heave upon
the chains as soon as the tide rose. Previously to commencing
this task, however, the intervening time was well
employed in sending down the imperfect hamper that was
aloft, and in getting up shears to hoist out the remains of the
foremast, as well as the jury mainmast, the latter of which,
it will be remembered, was only fitted two days before. All
the appliances used on that occasion being still on deck, and
every body lending a willing hand, this task was completed
by noon. The jury-mast gave little trouble, but was soon
lying on the bank; and then Captain Truck, the shears
having been previously shifted, commenced lifting the broken
foremast, and just as the cooks announced that the dinner
was ready for the people, the latter safely deposited the spar
on the sands.

“ `Here, a sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bowline,' ” said
Captain Truck to Mr. Blunt, as the crew came up the staging
in their way to the galley, in quest of their meal. “I
have not beheld the Montauk without a mast since the day
she lay a new-born child at the ship-yards. I see some half
a dozen of these mummified scoundrels dodging about on the
shore yet, though the great majority, as Mr. Dodge would
say, have manifested a decided disposition to amuse themselves
with a further acquaintance with the Dane. In my
humble opinion, sir, that poor deserted ship will have no
more inside of her by night, than one of Saunders' ducks
that have been dead an hour. That hearty fellow, Mr.
Monday, is hit, I fear, between wind and water, Leach?”

“He is in a bad way, indeed, as I understand from Mr.
John Effingham, who very properly allows no one to disturb
him, keeping the state-room door closed on all but himself
and his own man.”

“Ay, ay, that is merciful; a man likes a little quiet when
he is killed. As soon as the ship is more fit to be seen,
however, it will become my duty to wait on him in order to

see that nothing is wanting. We must offer the poor man
the consolations of religion, Mr. Blunt.”

“They would certainly be desirable had we one qualified
for the task.”

“I can't say as much in that way for myself, perhaps, as
I might, seeing that my father was a priest. But then, we
masters of packets have occasion to turn our hands to a
good many odd jobs. As soon as the ship is snug, I shall
certainly take a look at the honest fellow. Pray, sir, what
became of Mr. Dodge in the skirmish?”

Paul smiled, but he prudently answered, “I believe he
occupied himself in taking notes of the combat, and I make
no doubt will do you full justice in the Active Inquirer, as
soon as he gets its columns again at his command.”

“Too much learning, as my good father used to say, has
made him a little mad. But I have a grateful heart to-day,
Mr. Blunt, and will not be critical. I did not perceive
Mr. Dodge in the conflict, as Saunders calls it, but there
were so many of those rascally Arabs, that one had not an
opportunity of seeing much else. We must get the ship
outside of this reef with as little delay as possible, for to tell
you a secret”—here the captain dropped his voice to a
whisper—“there are but two rounds a-piece left for the
small arms, and only one cartridge for the four-pounder. I
own to you a strong desire to be in the offing.”

“They will hardly attempt to board us, after the specimen
they have had of what we can do.”

“No one knows, sir; no one knows. They keep pouring
down upon the coast like crows on the scent of a carrion,
and once done with the Dane, we shall see them in hundreds
prowling around us like wolves. How much do we want
of high water?”

“An hour, possibly. I do not think there is much time
to lose before the people get to work at the windlass.”

Captain Truck nodded, and proceeded to look into the
condition of his ground-tackle. It was a joyous but an anxious
moment when the handspikes were first handled, and
the slack of one of the chains began to come in. The ship
had been upright several hours, and no one could tell how
hard she would hang on the bottom. As the chain tightened,

the gentlemen, the officers included, got upon the bows
and looked anxiously at the effect of each heave; for it was
a nervous thing to be stranded on such a coast, even after
all that had occurred.

“She winks, by George!” cried the captain; “heave
together, men, and you will stir the sand!”

The men did heave, gaining inch by inch, until no effort
could cause the ponderous machine to turn. The mates,
and then the captain, applied their strength in succession,
and but half a turn more was gained. Everybody was now
summoned, even to the passengers, and the enormous strain
seemed to threaten to tear the fabric asunder; and still the
ship was immoveable.

“She hangs hardest forward, sir,” said Mr. Leach:
“suppose we run up the stern-boat?”

This expedient was adopted, and so nearly were the
counteracting powers balanced, that it prevailed. A strong
heave caused the ship to start, an inch more of tide aided
the effort, and then the vast hull slowly yielded to the purchase,
gradually turning towards the anchor, until the quick
blows of the pall announced that the vessel was fairly afloat
again.

“Thank God for that, as for all his mercies!” said Captain
Truck. “Heave the hussy up to her anchor, Mr.
Leach, when we will cast an eye to her moorings.”

All this was done, the ship being effectually secured, with
due attention to a change in the wind, that now promised to
be permanent. Not a moment was lost; but, the sheers
being still standing, the foremast of the Dane was floated
alongside, fastened to, and hove into its new berth, with as
much rapidity as comported with care. When the mast was
fairly stepped, Captain Truck rubbed his hands with delight,
and immediately commanded his subordinate to rig it,
although by this time the turn of the day had considerably
passed.

“This is the way with us seamen, Mr. Effingham,” he
observed; “from the fall to the fight, and then again from
the fight to the fall. Our work, like women's, is never
done; whereas you landsmen knock off with the sun, and
sleep while the corn grows. I have always owed my parents
a grudge for bringing me up to a dog's life.”

“I had understood it was a choice of your own, captain.”

“Ay—so far as running away and shipping without their
knowledge was concerned, perhaps it was; but then it was
their business to begin at the bottom, and to train me up in
such a manner that I would not run away. The Lord forgive
me, too, for thinking amiss of the two dear old people;
for, to be candid with you, they were much too good
to have such a son; and I honestly believe they loved me
more than I loved myself. Well, I've the consolation of
knowing I comforted the old lady with many a pound of
capital tea after I got into the China trade, ma'amselle.”

“She was fond of it?” observed the governess politely.

“She relished it very much, as a horse takes to oats, or a
child to custard. That, and snuff and grace, composed
her principal consolations.”

“Quoi?” demanded the governess, looking towards Paul
for an explanation.

“Grace, mademoiselle; la grace de Dieu.”

“Bien!”

“It's a sad misfortune, after all, to lose a mother, ma'amselle.
It is like cutting all the headfasts, and riding altogether
by the stern; for it is letting go the hold of what
has gone before to grapple with the future. It is true that
I ran away from my mother when a youngster, and thought
little of it! but when she took her turn and ran away from
me, I began to feel that I had made a wrong use of my legs.
What are the tidings from poor Mr. Monday?”

“I understand he does not suffer greatly, but that he
grows weaker fast,” returned Paul. “I fear there is little
hope of his surviving such a hurt.”

The captain had got out a cigar, and had beckoned to
Toast for a coal; but changing his mind suddenly, he broke
the tobacco into snuff, and scattered it about the deck.

“Why the devil is not that rigging going up, Mr. Leach?”
he cried, fiercely. “It is not my intention to pass the winter
at these moorings, and I solicit a little more expedition.”

“Ay, ay, sir,” returned the mate, one of a class habitually
patient and obedient; “bear a hand, my lads, and get
the strings into their places.”

“Leach,” continued the captain, more kindly, and still
working his fingers unconsciously, “come this way, my
good friend. I have not expressed to you, Mr. Leach, all I
wish to say of your good conduct in this late affair. You
have stood by me like a gallant fellow throughout the whole
business, and I shall not hesitate about saying as much
when we get in. It is my intention to write a letter to the
owners, which no doubt they'll publish; for, whatever they
have got to say against America, no one will deny it is easy
to get any thing published. Publishing is victuals and
drink to the nation. You may depend on having justice
done you.”

“I never doubted it, Captain Truck.”

“No, sir; and you never winked. The mainmast does
not stand up in a gale firmer than you stood up to the
niggers.”

“Mr. Effingham, sir—and Mr. Sharp—and particularly
Mr. Blunt—”

“Let me alone to deal with them. Even Toast acted like
a man. Well, Leach, they tell me poor Monday must slip,
after all.”

“I am very sorry to hear it, sir; Mr. Monday laid about
him like a soldier!”

“He did, indeed; but Bonaparte himself has been obliged
to give up the ghost, and Wellington must follow him some
day; even old Putnam is dead. Either you or I, or both of
us, Leach, will have to throw in some of the consolations
of religion on this mournful occasion.”

“There is Mr. Effingham, sir, or Mr. John Effingham;
elderly gentlemen with more scholarship.”

“That will never do. All they can offer, no doubt, will
be acceptable, but we owe a duty to the ship. The officers
of a packet are not graceless horse-jockeys, but sober, discreet
men, and it becomes them to show that they have some
education, and the right sort of stuff in them on an
emergency. I expect you will stand by me, Leach, on this
melancholy occasion, as stoutly as you stood by me this
morning.”

“I humbly hope, sir, not to disgrace the vessel, but it is
likely Mr. Monday is a Church-of-England-man, and we
both belong to the Saybrook Platform!”

“Ah! the devil!—I forgot that! But religion is religion;
old line or new line; and I question if a man so near
unmooring will be very particular. The great thing is consolation,
and that we must contrive to give him, by hook or
by crook, when the proper moment comes; and now, Mr.
Leach, let the people push matters, and we shall have everything
up forward, and that mainmast stepped yet by `sunset;'
or it would be more literal to say `sun-down;' ” Captain
Truck, like a true New-England-man, invariably using a
provincialism that has got to be so general in America.

The work proceeded with spirit, for every one was anxious
to get the ship out of a berth that was so critical, as well
from the constant vicinity of the Arabs as from the dangers
of the weather. The wind baffled too, as it is usual on the
margin of the trades, and at times it blew from the sea,
though it continued light, and the changes were of short
continuance. As Captain Truck hoped, when the people
ceased work at night, the fore and fore-top-sail-yards were
in their places, the top-gallant-mast was fitted, and, with the
exception of the sails, the ship was what is called a-tanto,
forward. Aft, less had been done, though by the assistance
of the supernumeraries, who continued to lend their aid, the
two lower masts were stepped, though no rigging could be
got over them. The men volunteered to work by watches
through the night, but to this Captain Truck would not
listen, affirming that they had earned their suppers and a
good rest, both of which they should have.

The gentlemen, who merely volunteered an occasional
drag, cheerfully took the look-outs, and as there were plenty
of fire-arms, though not much powder, little apprehension
was entertained of the Arabs. As was expected, the night
passed away tranquilly, and every one arose with the dawn
refreshed and strengthened.

The return of day, however, brought the Arabs down
upon the shore in crowds; for the last gale, which had been
unusually severe, and the tidings of the wrecks, which had
been spread by means of the dromedaries far and wide, had
collected a force on the coast that began to be formidable
through sheer numbers. The Dane had been effectually
emptied, and plunder had the same effect on these rapacious

barbarians that blood is known to produce on the tiger. The
taste had begotten an appetite, and from the first appearance
of the light, those in the ship saw signs of a disposition to
renew the attempt on their liberty.

Happily, the heaviest portion of the work was done, and
Captain Truck determined, rather than risk another conflict
with a force that was so much augmented, to get the spars
on board, and to take the ship outside of the reef, without
waiting to complete her equipment. His first orders, therefore,
when all hands were mustered, were for the boats to
get in the kedges and the stream anchor, and otherwise to
prepare to move the vessel. In the mean time other gangs
were busy in getting the rigging over the mast-heads, and in
setting it up. As the lifting of the anchors with boats was
heavy work, by the time they were got on board and stowed
it was noon, and all the yards were aloft, though not a sail
was bent in the vessel.

Captain Truck, while the people were eating, passed
through the ship examining every stay and shroud: there
were some make-shifts it is true, but on the whole he
was satisfied, though he plainly saw that the presence of the
Arabs had hurried matters a little, and that a good many
drags would have to be given as soon as they got beyond
danger, and that some attention must be paid to seizings;
still, what had been done would answer very well for moderate
weather, and it was too late to stop to change.

The trade wind had returned, and blew steadily as if
finally likely to stand; and the water outside of the reef was
smooth enough to permit the required alterations, now that
the heavier spars were in their places.

The appearance of the Montauk certainly was not as
stately and commanding as before the wreck, but there was
an air of completeness about it that augured well. It was
that of a ship of seven hundred tons, fitted with spars intended
for a ship of five hundred. The packet a little resembled
a man of six feet, in the coat of a man of five feet
nine, and yet the discrepancy would not be apt to be noticed
by any but the initiated. Every thing essential was in its
place, and reasonably well secured, and, as the Dane had
been rigged for a stormy sea, Captain Truck felt satisfied he

might, in his present plight, venture on the American coast
even in winter, without incurring unusual hazard.

As soon as the hour of work arrived, therefore, a boat
was sent to drop a kedge as near the inlet as it would be
safe to venture, and a little to windward of it. By making
a calculation, and inspecting his buoys, which still remained
where he had placed them, Captain Truck found that he
could get a narrow channel of sufficient directness to permit
the ship to be warped as far as this point in a straight line.
Every thing but the boats was now got on board, the anchor
by which they rode was hove up, and the warp was brought
to the capstan, when the vessel slowly began to advance
towards the inlet.

This movement was a signal to the Arabs, who poured
down on both reefs in hundreds, screaming and gesticulating
like maniacs. It required good nerves and some self-reliance
to advance in the face of such a danger, and this so much
the more, as the barbarians showed themselves in the greatest
force on the northern range of rocks, which offered a good
shelter for their persons, completely raked the channel, and,
moreover, lay so near the spot where the kedge had been
dropped, that one might have jerked a stone from the one to
the other. To add to the awkwardness of the affair, the
Arabs began to fire with those muskets that are of so little
service in close encounters, but which are notorious for
sending their shot with great precision from a distance. The
bullets came thick upon the ship, though the stoutness of the
bulwarks forward, and their height, as yet protected the men.

In this dilemma, Captain Truck hesitated about continuing
to haul ahead, and he sent for Mr. Blunt and Mr. Leach for
a consultation. Both these gentlemen advised perseverance,
and as the counsel of the former will succinctly show the
state of things, it shall be given in his own words.

“Indecision is always discouraging to one's friends, and
encouraging to one's enemies,” he said, “and I recommend
perseverance. The nearer we haul to the rocks, the greater
will be our command of them, while the more the chances
of the Arabs' throwing their bullets on our decks will be diminished.
Indeed, so long as we ride head to wind, they
cannot fire low enough to effect their object from the northern

reef, and on the southern they will not venture very near,
for want of cover. It is true it will be impossible for us to
bend our sails or to send out a boat in the face of so heavy
a fire, while our assailants are so effectually covered; but
we may possibly dislodge them with the gun, or with our
small-arms, from the decks. If not, I will head a party into
the tops, from which I will undertake to drive them out of
the reach of our muskets in five minutes.”

“Such a step would be very hazardous to those who ventured
aloft.”

“It would not be without danger, and some loss must be
expected; but they who fight must expect risks.”

“In which case it will be the business of Mr. Leach and
myself to head the parties aloft. If we are obliged to console
the dying, damn me, but we are entitled to the privilege
of fighting the living.”

“Ay, ay, sir,” put in the mate; “that stands to reason.”

“There are three tops, gentlemen,” returned Paul, mildly,
“and I respect your rights too much to wish to interfere
with them. We can each take one, and the effect will be in
proportion to the greater means we employ,—one vigorous
assault being worth a dozen feints.”

Captain Truck shook Paul heartily by the hand, and
adopted his advice. When the young man had retired, he
turned to the mate, and said—

“After all, these men-of-war's men are a little beyond
us in the science of attack and defence, though I think I
could give him a hint in the science of signs. I have had
two or three touches at privateering in my time, but no regular
occupation in your broadside work. Did you see how
Mr. Blunt handled his boat yesterday? As much like two
double blocks and a steady drag, as one belaying-pin is like
another, and as coolly as a great lady in London looks at
one of us in a state of nature. For my part, Leach, I was
as hot as mustard, and ready to cut the throat of the best
friend I had on earth; whereas he was smiling as I rowed
past him, though I could hardly see his face for the smoke
of his own gun.”

“Yes, sir, that's the way with your regular builts. I'll

warrant you he began young, and had kicked all the passion
out of himself on old salts, by the time he was eighteen. He
doesn't seem, neither, like one of the true d—n-my-eye breed;
but it's a great privilege to a man in a passion to be allowed
to kick when and whom he likes.”

“Not he. I say Leach, perhaps he might lend us a hand
when it comes to the pinch with poor Monday. I have a
great desire that the worthy fellow should take his departure
decently.”

“Well, sir, I think you had better propose it. For my
part, I'm quite willing to go into all three of the tops alone,
rather than disappoint a dying man.”

The captain promised to look to the matter, and then
they turned their attention to the ship, which in a few more
minutes was up as near the kedge as it was prudent to haul
her.