University of Virginia Library

`Well, you rogue, you are wanted
again. You must be in London with
your schooner within five days without
fail. Come up under revenue colors in
the day time until within ten miles of
London, and then keep on after dark
and anchor off a pier one mile and a
half below the Tower. You will know
the place by two large oaks that grow at
the head of the pier and by a red light
which you will see suspended in the
branches of one of the oaks. You will
answer this light by another in your
rigging. Your motions must be secret
and cautious. When you reach the
place, which you must try to do at least
two hours after dark (there will be a
six days' moon), drop your anchor short
and trail up, not furl. Lay there till
you see a boat put off to you. It will
hail you and ask the news from Nelson.
This boat you will let come on board,
when you will give yourself up to the

services and interests of those who shall
visit you. You will be well paid, and
all you are desired to do in return is to
be faithful and secret.'

`It was signed only with the letter O.'

`And did you obey the requisition
upon you?' asked Lord Percival.

`Yes. I had nothing particular then
to occupy me, and so I resolved to run
into the Thames and see what was to
be done. I began to feel myself quite
of service to the state, smuggler as I
was, my lord.'

`You had good reason to feel so; for
a more extraordinary use of a smuggler
was never made by any government.'

`I got into the mouth of the Thames
on the morning of the 3d of October,
and with a light breexe sailed up, but
under shortened sail, as I did not care to
reach too near London before dark. I
was disguised as a revenue cutter and
carried the revenue flag. At dark I was
within eight miles of the pier of the two
wo oaks, which I well knew the situation
of, for I had more than once landed
rich goods there which I had rowed up
from the vessel at the mouth of the river.
I knew it well and the region all about
it. It was about a mile below the
Tower.

`It was quite night. The moon was
near the zenith when the sun went down
and cast a good deal of light upon the
river, as under a three-knot breeze I
proceeded up the stream to the place
pointed out.'

`Was this on the very night named in
Admiral Collingwood's note to you?'
asked Lord Percival.

`Yes, my lord, I had timed it exactly,
though I was afterwards told they
would have waited for me until I came,
if it had been every night that week.'

`Then the admiral had great confidence
in you?'

`Yes, my lord, I told him that when
ever he sent for me to serve the crown
again, I would obey the summons. He
knew that he could depend upon me;
and he knew that I was at the inn when
he sent for me; for he had a spy watching
for me. It was just half-past eight
when I came in sight of two oaks, about
a mile above me. I stood on, and soon
saw the red light sparkling in the deep
gloom of their shadows. I answered it
as I had been directed to do, by hoisting
a similar one in my main rigging. In a
little while I came abreast of the little
piet, and trailing up, dropped anchor
with short cable. All was perfectly quiet
on shore, which was not more than seventy
yards distant. The tops of the dark
trees which overhung the spot shone in
the moon-beams, but beneath them the
gloom was impenetrable. I could see
a red light waving gently in it with the
motion of the branch on which it hung
in the wind.

`I had my men all stationed and ready
to move at a moment's warning by slipping
cable, if it should be a treacherous
attempt to capture me!'

`And you had this suspicion, then?'
asked Lord Percival.

`I thought of it, and felt that it
would do no harm to be prepared. So I
had all my men armed and was armed
myself. My guns also were shotted and
ready for use. I knew it was not best
to trust great men too far, especially
those connected with the government.—
Still, I did not really believe that the old
admiral would play me false. And he
did not.

`I had been anchored about three
minutes when I saw the red signal light
taken down and lowered into a boat,
which pulled off from the shore straight
into the stream. I watched the manœuvres
of it closely with my glass. It contained,
indistinctly visible to me, four
persons, two at the oars, and two dark
figures in the stern.

`The boat came ahead of me, passed
across the bows, and then one of them
hailed and asked

`What news from Nelson?'

`I at once knew they were my men,
and responding

“Good news,' invited them to come
alongside.

`The boat at once pulled to the star-board
gangway, and I cast those in it the
man-rope, which was caught by one of
the gentlemen, who immediately stepped
on board.

`This is Captain Vance?' he said in
a cautious, under tone.

`Yes,' I answered; `will you walk
into the cabin?'

He followed me down and I handed
him a chair, at the same time surveying
him closely. He was dressed in a plain
brown surtout, buttoned over his chest,
and wore a sort of hunting cap. He was
tall and well formed, and had a very
aristocratic air. I set him down for a
nobleman at once, as he proved to be.'

`Will you tell me who it proved to
be?' asked Lord Percival, with the most
absorbing interest.

`I will, my lord, for I have begun this
story, for the purpose of unfolding every
thing truly. It was the Marquis of
Ross!'

`Go on; I see your story chimes well
with what I was led to believe. Now,
proceed!'

`After he was seated, seeing I remained
standing, he immediately rose
again, and for a moment seemed to be
at a loss how to address to me what he
had to say. At length he said, with a
smile, though it was a smile which went
no deeper than the muscles of his face,
`I believe, Captain, you are the brave
fellow who took the despatches to Nelson!'

`I had that honor, sir,' I answered.

`Admiral Collingwood has spoken
highly of you.'

`I respect him greatly, sir,' I answered.

`Through his recommendations, Captain
Vance,' said the Marquis, `you are
about to be entrusted with a commission
of great importance. I have no
doubt you will acquit yourself with credit.
It is, however, a matter of the
strictest secresy, and must be conducted
on your part with the most implicit
obedience to those who employ you!'

`And who are those who employ me?'
I asked. `And what is the nature of
the business I am to be a party to.—
Though a smuggler by profession, I have
certain ideas of honor and conscience.'

`Doubtless you have,' said the gentleman,
smiling. `In the first place I am
one who will employ you. I am the
Marquis of Ross. But there are higher
persons interested in this matter even
than I! Hear from me, Captain Vance,
what is required of you. There is in
the boat a deaf and dumb person—a
woman—who has with her a small child
a few months old. You are to take this
woman and child and convey them to
the island of Bermuda. Upon reaching
that destination, you will land by
night upon the `Black Keys,' near the
fortress that protects the harbour. By
that fortress is a path which leads—leads
to—' Here the Marquis cast his eyes
upon a memorandum, which he held in his
hand, as if to read some minutes, and
then proceeded—`leads by a group of
larch trees to a cottage, situated about
a quarter of a mile from the fortress,
and a short walk from the town. This
cottage, which is very retired, yet commands
a view of the sea, is inhabited by
a man and woman by the name of Oakford.
To these persons you will deliver
this sealed package, and leave with them
the woman and her babe. When you
shall have accomplished this mission, an
order signed by this Oakford upon the

King's Treasury in the town for four
thousand pounds sterling shall be paid to
you there. Are you willing to undertake
this duty, in good faith and secrecy,
and receive at the end this large reward?'

`Who is the woman and her babe?'
I asked of the Marquis.

`That is not necessary for you to
know. It is of importance that she
should be sent to Bermuda for the present.'

`Some State measures, my Lord Marquis?'
I asked.

`You are at liberty to guess, but not
to know,' he responded. Shall I order
them on board!'

`I will undertake it, my Lord Marquis,'
I answered, `for five thousand
pounds, four thousand to be paid me
when it is done, one thousand pounds
down!'

`I agree to this,' answered the Marquis,
without hesitation. You shall
have the money in a Bank of England
note. I have one purposely with me,
for I anticipated some such demand!'

`The Marquis then took out of his
pocket-book a note for that sum, and
placed it in my hands. He then went
on deck, and I followed him. He walked
to the side, and stepping down into
the boat, for it was but a step, my vessel
was so low in the water, and touched
the female on the arm. By a light
which was held by the boy Nick, I saw
that she was a small, delicate-looking
person, with those large speaking eyes
which deaf and dumb people have, and
which cannot deceive one. She was
wrapped in a cloak, and held enveloped
in her arms the infant, though its face
was not visible. The Marquis assisted
her to the deck, and led her at once to
the cabin.

`You have two cabins,' he said, as I
went after him; `so that it wont put you
out at all. The female can have the
after cabin with the child. Now I will
leave them to your charge.'

With this he went up to the young
woman, and taking her hand, pressed it
and touched her forehead. He also made
certain unintelligible gestures with his
fingers, and she replied to them in the
same way, calmly, and as if she felt no
emotion at going on the voyage, or leaving
England in such a manner.

`You need not take any trouble to
try and make her hear, Vance,' said
the Marquis, `for she was born a deaf
mute, and understands only the language
of signs. Treat her kindly, I pray you,
and the infant also. She will be able to
state on her arrival to the man Oakford
how she has been treated, and if you are
rude or harsh to her, it may affect your
reward in its aggregate amount.'

`I answered his Lordship that though
a smuggler, I had no heart to treat a
woman unkindly, especially a mute, and
that I should, now that I had undertaken
the affair, try and make her as happy as
I could.

`At hearing me say this, the Marquis
thanked me, shook me by the hand and
wished me a pleasant voyage, and got
over the side into his boat. He gave
his men orders to put off, and in a few
moments, as I watched his retiring form,
he disappeared from my sight in the
darkness of the silent shores. I soon
after heard a carriage roll rapidly away
along the river road, and the sound of
one or two horsemen galloping along
with it.

`Wondering much at the mystery connected
with all these movements, and resolved
to do my best some time or other
to find out the whole secret, I gave orders
to weigh anchor and make sail on
the vessel. As soon as we were fairly
under canvass I left the deck to my first
officer and went below. I assure you,
my lord, I felt not a little awkwardness

in the presence of a young woman, for
she was both young and very interesting
looking, to whom I could not speak a
word. I was at a loss how to communicate
with her. At length I approached
her and smiling pointed to the infant
which she still held, and motioned for
her to uncover its face. She did so, and
I beheld as fine a looking little girl, about
eleven months old, as you would wish to
see. It was fast asleep; but awoke as
the light flashed upon its eyes and looked
up into my face smilingly. The dumb
female, whom I then supposed to be its
mother, pressed it to her bosom with affection
in the act. I wanted to ask its
name, and a thousand other questions,
but there she was dumb and deaf! I
was completely at fault for once in my
life. I, however, put my curiosity under
hatches for a while, and opening the
door of the inner cabin, signified to her
that she was to occupy it. She seemed
to understand me, and bowed and looked
gratified.

`The next morning, my lord, we were
out of the river. In seven days afterwards
I touched at Flores, in the western
islands, for provisions, for I had come
off on short allowance. The eighteenth
day from the mouth of the Thames I
made the Bermudas, which you will say
was a quick passage, my lord'

`It was, indeed; then you did take
the infant to Bermuda?' asked the earl
earnestly.

`Yes, my lord.'

`That is important to have confirmation
of, very. But proceed. I wish
now to hear all you have to tell relating
to the infant and the disposition of it.—
More is involved in this than you, perhaps,
imagine; for it can hardly be that
you really have a guess who that child
was.'

`I think I shall be able to assure you
that I am not far out of the way in my
suspicions, my lord,' answered Bonfield
with a significant smile. `But you shall
hear and know all that I know of this
odd affair.'