University of Virginia Library

12. CHAPTER XII.
CONCLUSION.

The morning after Herbert Vincent's visit to the prison in which
Keith was confirmed, he was pacing the deck of the privateer as she
lay at anchor off the north pier. He was revolving in his mind a plan,
which he had conceived from the first moment of his interview with
Freemantle, of taking the command of the privateer into his own
hands even at the expeuse of blood. There was in the character of
this young man a feeling of reckless desperation, engendered by the
circumstances in which his conduct as an officer in the Navy had
placed him. He felt that he had forfeited his portion in society, and
that upright men regarded him with distrust and withheld their confidence.
But more than by these considerations was he annoyed, by
the withdrawal of the confidence of Col. Hood and of Henry. He was
fully aware that they would never give their consent to his union with
Mary; and that if he wished to make her, who he believed was still attached
to him, his wife, it must be done by stratagem. He, however,
was too well acquainted with the pure morality and high sense of filial
obedience of the young girl to hope that she would yield her consent to
a clandestine union with him, however strong might be her attachment
to him.

He had, therefore, conceived the idea of getting possession of Freemantle's
vessel, and anchoring her off the villa endeavor to get her into
his possession and so compel her to a union with him. His subsequent
course he had not clearly decided upon; his first movement would be
to get possession of the schooner; his second to get Mary Hood into
his power. The future he left to be decided by circumstances. If
the war continued he resolved to pursue a course of privateering adventure;
and should it terminate he knew that there was upon the wide
sea a field for the most daring enterprize.

As he paced up and down the deck he occasionally looked shore-ward
with an earnest scrutiny, as if in search of some object. At
length he saw a small boat put off from an inlet point near the customhouse
dock and approach the schooner. As it came near he recognised
the tall figure of Keith, though disguised in a truckman's frock.

`So you have escaped without giving alarm,' he said to the Englishman

as he came upon deck; and addressing him in a tone that his men
could not overhear.

`Yes; I am here. I met with no difficulty. My disguise was faithful
to me. My men will be free to night by their underground passage.'

`Your men I don't want! I will take you on board. Captain, on the
terms agreed on.'

`I have come alone as you see! I agree to the conditions. You
have a fine craft here!'

`Yes. With your aid in twenty-four hours I will be master of her
and you second in command! I have full authority now on board. The
mate whose place I have taken left yesterday. I wait only for Freemantle.
He is in the city and sent me word he should be on board at
ten. My boat is on shore waiting for him! Remove your frock, Captain
Keith, and go forward and comport yourself as one of the crew.
You will sound each man.'

`I know my duty,' answered the Englishman in a tone somewhat
imperious. Nevertheless he moved slowly forward and mingled with
the men. The privateer's boat was now visible, approaching from the
pier. As she came near, Herbert saw that Freemantle was on board.'

`So, sir, you are at your post,' he said as he stepped on deck, addressing
Vincent in a tone friendly but with the air of a superior.

`It is so great an honor to hold command under you, Captain Freemantle,
that I have not let any delay intervene between my appointment
and the assumption of my duties.'

`I saw my mate on shore! He told me he had resigned his place to
you. If you please, I will take the ring by virtue of which you were
enabled to assume command. Now I have news to communicate to
you. Intelligence has just reached the city that a treaty of peace has
been concluded.'

`Concluded?' repeated Vincent with surprise.

`Yes. Henceforth my vocation as a Privateersman is at an end.'

`And mine also, I suppose,' responded Herbert, not making any effort
to disguise his mortification.

`Yes, as my second in command! But as I know you desire to be at
sea, and might not love so soon to resign and stay on shore, (though
for the present I am not sorry to cast anchor on the land awhile,) I am
willing you should take the command of the vessel, if you will accept
it, and run her to the West Indies as a trader! You can make
money in this way, and I am content with a fair share of the proceeds
of your adventures!'

Herbert was silent for a moment or two. This proposition with the
news of peace and of Freemantle's intention to remain on shore, gave
a new aspect to affairs. He did not regret that an opportunity for possessing
himself of the schooner without bloodshed, was thus thrust into
his hands by the retirement of her late commander. He saw that by
complying with his proposal the schooner was virtually his; for the idea
of ever returning with her to Boston, was not in his mind.

`I will take the schooner as you propose, Captain Freemantle,' he
replied. `You honor me with such confidence in me.'

`If I had not confidence in you, Mr. Vincent, as a gentleman and
sailor, I certainly should not make this proposal to you,' answered
Freemantle, who had no suspicion of the true character of the unprincipled
young man. He knew he had been an officer in the navy
and that he had been cashiered; but Mary Hood, with whom he had
conversed about Vincent, had explained the circumstances to him so
as to exculpate him in his mind from any act dishonorable to his reputation.
He knew also that he was a young man of good family, and
in the possession of no inconsiderable property. He, therefore, gave
him his confidence.

After remaining on board an hour with Vincent, Freemantle took
his leave, and Herbert followed his retiring boat with looks of exultation.

`Now am I master here, thanks to the credulity of one who has
more courage than caution in his make. A trader to the Havana! We
shall see when we get outside! The wide sea is all before me where
to choose. But I must first sound my men! I must see who will go
with me! I would Keith were now safely back in prison, for I have
more fear of him than need of him now, that Freemantle has given up
the vessel of his own accord. I must get rid of him! Then I must
get possession of my sweet bride elect, and then circumstances shall
govern my future movements.'

Herbert now called Keith aft and informed him of what had occurred,
and told him in a very positive manner that he wished him no
longer to remain on board! The Englishman at first refused to go on
shore; but Vincent threatened to give him up to the authorities, when
he suffered himself to be set on shore after night-fall. Vincent then
made an address to the crew: informed them of the Peace, and gave
them their choice to go on shore or follow his adventures. Thirty
men, only forty in number, consented to go with him. The rest chose
to go ashore.

`Now am I indeed master here!' said Hebert, as the last boat left
with those who did not wish to follow the fortunes of the new captain;
though he had merely said he was going on a trading voyage to the West
Indies. `I have men enough for my present purposes. To-morrow,
Freemantle says he will be on board to give me the proper papers and
conclude the arrangements for my assuming the command and settling
with the men. I shall not wait for him.'

Thus deciding, he gave orders to his men to weigh anchor in silence.

Keith, the Englishman, after being landed, remained upon the pierhead
gazing back upon the schooner dimly seen through the gloom of
the night. His breast was fired with rage. He paced up and down
the wharf planning some scheme of vengeance. While thus engaged
he saw the schooner's boats come ashore with the men. He questioned
them and learned that they had declined remaining in the vessel now
peace was declared.

`If I only had my own men free with me,' he said as he walked
aside alone, after the privateer's crew had gone up the wharf, `I would
try and take her at anchor. I will go back and spy about round the
prison to see if there is any prospect of the men getting out.'

He was about to move up the wharf when three men passed him hurriedly.
He recognized one of them by his height and walk.

`Crossel!' he called in an under tone.

`Ah, Captain, is it you?'

`When did you escape?'

`Just now! Not ten minutes ago! The rest are coming in parties
of two's and three's so as not to draw attention. Our plan was to reach
the North Pier and by means of shore boats, board some vessel, take
her and make sail. But how came you to desert us! We are afraid to
trust you.'

`I only escaped first to lay my plans and have already! Come under
this boat house; and as your comrades come down call them in here!
There is an armed schooner with only thirty men on board, lying
abreast the pier,' he said addressing all the men when they at length
arrived at their rendesvouz; `you can just see her outline. That vessel
must be ours! Let us remain here concealed for an hour or two,
till all is quiet, and then we will possess ourselves of these shore boats
tied at the stairs and pull out for the schooner.'

The proposal was received by all with a murmur of deep satisfaction.
Every man provided himself with oaken staves from a pile near them,
and just as the old North tolled eleven they filled three boats and pulled
swiftly and noiseless towards the schooner.

The crew were at the windlass or aloft loosing sails; and the Englishman
and his men were upon the deck and upon them ere they were
aware of his approach along side. They were struck down by the oaken
weapons of the boarders and overpowered. The deck of the privateer
was in less than two minutes in the hands of Keith, and Herbert
Vincent a prisoner in his own cabin.

There was no delay in weighing the anchor. The English crew
took the place of the discomfitted privateersmen at the windless. In
an hour afterwards the Privateer was bowling along past Boston light
before a strong norwester, and at day-light she was invisible beyond
the horizon. Three weeks afterwards an armed schooner was wrecked
in a tornado upon the Double Headed shot keys. Two bodies only
were washed on shore. One of these was Keith the Englishman; the
other that of Herbert Vincent, bound in chains.

We now return to Freemantle and the villa. He returned the next
day to the residence of Colonel Hood and mentioned the unaccountable
disappearance of Herbert with the schooner in the night; and from
Colonel Hood he received so clear and plain a history of Herbert's character,
that he was satisfied he had gone with the vessel upon some lawless
expedition.

The young privateersman now sought an interview with Mr. Forrest.
The result was that Freemantle and his bride knelt side by side before
him and received his blessing. We shall not attempt to describe the
surprise of all on learning that they were bridegroom and bride. Colonel
Hood made Clara relate the whole story of their loves and adventures.
The effect of this intelligence upon the sensitive mind of Henry

Hood was painful in the extreme. He withdrew from society and
gave himself up to melancholy, and at the expiration of a year he
buried his disappointment in the repose of the grave.

When certain information reached the Villa that Herbert Vincent
was no more, the grief of Mary Hood was lessened and mitigated by
the reflection that if he had lived and pursued his career he might
have blackened his life by crime and ended it with ignominy. She
eventually recovered from her misplaced passion, and subsequently
married a nephew of `the elderly gentleman,' whom Clara had left in
India, whither she at length repaired to reside and realize all the charms
of a land which in her imagination had hitherto been one of fable and
fiction.

Freemantle, shortly after the recognition of his marriage by Mr.
Forrest, visited Ireland, and ultimately succeeded in establishing his
claim to the heriditary seat of his noble ancestry, of whose courage
and virtues he was a noble and faithful representation.