The coachman smacked his whip, and off galloped the horses, the men cheering and waving their hats at the same time, and throwing showers of silver among the boys in the street, who had gathered to look on, and who were soon engaged in a pretty scrimmage to pick up the coins thus profusely bestowed on them. Tom and I could with difficulty refrain from joining in the scramble.
The junior officers were at a paying-off dinner at the "Blue Posts," to which Tom and I, and Nettleship, who afterwards joined us, were invited.
The wine of course flowed freely. Before the feast was over, the larger number of the party scarcely knew what they were about.
At last it was proposed that we should sally forth, and out we went, arm-in-arm, in good humour with ourselves, and ready for anything that might turn up. One of the party commenced a sea-song, in the chorus of which we all joined at the top of our voices, awaking the sleeping inhabitants, who, however, were not unaccustomed to such interruptions to their slumbers. We were becoming more and more uproarious, when we encountered a party of watchmen in greatcoats, carrying lanterns and rattles. Having been lately reprimanded for allowing disturbances in the streets, they took it into their heads to disperse us, telling us in no very courteous manner to return on board our ships. They were received with shouts of laughter, and, as they still persisted in interfering, our leader cried out--
"Charge them, lads."
At the word we rushed forward, scattering the old gentlemen right and left.
"Chase them, boys! chase them!" cried our leader.
As they went up one street, and then down another, this was no easy matter, and we became quickly dispersed.
"I say, Paddy, this sort of thing doesn"t do," said Tom. "It may be all very well for those fellows who are paid off, and are going home, but we shall be getting into a row before long, and it would look foolish to return on board with broken heads and black eyes."
Just then we met Nettleship, who had been looking for us, and who, being perfectly sober, fully agreed with Tom. We accordingly directed our course to the Point, where we knew we should find a boat to take us off.
Just as we were turning out of the High Street, however, we encountered three of the guardians of the night who had been a.s.sailed by our party.
They instantly accused us of attacking them, and I fully expected that we should be carried off into durance vile.
"How dare you say anything of that sort?" said Nettleship. "We belong to the _Jason_, Lord Robert Altamont, and his lordship will take very good care to bring you to justice should you venture to detain us. Make way there. Let us pa.s.s."
The watchmen were overawed by his manner, and we walked steadily on.
Seeing that we were perfectly sober, they supposed that we did not belong to the party, as they had at first fancied, and we reached the water"s edge without further interruption.
"You see the dangerous consequences of being in bad company," observed Nettleship. "We might have been kept locked up all night, and had our leave stopped for a month when we returned on board."
"But you joined us," said Tom.
"I know I did," said Nettleship, "and I am more to blame than you are, in consequence of setting you so bad an example; but that does not prevent me from reading you a lecture. It"s easier to preach than to practise."
"You are right, I see," said Tom; "and I am very glad we haven"t lost our senses, as most of the other fellows have done."
We roused up a waterman who was sleeping in the bottom of his boat, and got on board the frigate in time to keep the middle watch.
Lord Robert Altamont being fond of amusing himself on sh.o.r.e, was willing to allow his officers the same liberty, provided a sufficient number remained on board to maintain the discipline of the ship, for which he was at all times a great stickler.
"You have never been in London, Paddy," said Nettleship to me one day.
"I have some business that calls me up there. It"s a legal affair, and if I am successful it will add some fifty pounds or more a year to my mother"s income. I have obtained leave, and if you like to accompany me, I"ll ask leave for you to go, and promise to take charge of you."
It was not likely that I should refuse such an offer, and, leave being obtained, we set off by the coach as Nettleship intended. We had inside places, for there was only room outside for four persons besides the coachman, and on the hinder part, on a little box of his own, sat the guard, arrayed in a scarlet coat, a three-cornered hat, a brace of pistols in his belt, a hanger by his side suspended by a sash over his shoulder, while a couple of blunderbusses were stuck into cases on either side of him ready to his hand.
"Why does the man carry all these arms?" Tasked.
"If he didn"t, the chances are that the coach, when pa.s.sing over Hounslow Heath, would be attacked by highwaymen or footpads, and the pa.s.sengers robbed, if not murdered," answered Nettleship. "As it is, occasionally some bold fellows stop the coach and cry, "Your money or your lives," and the guard is either shot down or thinks it wise not to interfere, and the pa.s.sengers have to deliver up their purses."
"I hope that sort of thing won"t happen to us," I said.
"When they look in and see two naval officers, with a brace of pistols and swords by their sides, the highwaymen will probably ride on. They are generally, I fancy, arrant cowards, and prefer pillaging old dowagers, who are likely to afford good booty without any risk," said Nettleship.
Notwithstanding Nettleship"s a.s.sertions, I half expected to be stopped, but we reached London in safety. When he had time Nettleship accompanied me about to see the sights, but when he was engaged I had to go out by myself, and consequently very often lost my way. I always, however, managed to get back to our lodgings without having to obtain a guide. I will not here describe the adventures I met with. As, according to Nettleship"s advice, I looked upon every one who spoke to me as a rogue, I escaped being fleeced, as some of my shipmates were who ventured into the metropolis by themselves. Our leave had nearly expired, and we had to be down at Portsmouth the following evening.
When we went to the coach office to secure our places, we were told that the whole coach had been engaged, it was supposed by a gentleman who was going to take down his family.
"But we must go," said Nettleship to me, "even if we travel in the boot, for I"ve not got money enough left to pay for posting, and I should not like to expend it so even if I had."
We waited until the coach drove up to the office, expecting to see a dignified gentleman with his wife and daughters inside, and his sons and servants on the outside. What was our surprise, then, to behold only a jovial Jack Tar, with his arms akimbo, seated on the roof, looking as dignified and independent as the Sultan on his throne.
"Come, there"s plenty of room," I said to Nettleship. "No one else seems to be coming; the gentleman who took the coach has probably delayed his journey."
Nettleship put the question to the coachman.
"There"s the gentleman who"s taken the coach," he replied, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. "He says it"s his, and that no one else is to ride, inside or out. He has paid his money, and we can"t interfere."
All this time Jack was regarding us with supercilious glances. I felt very indignant, and proposed opening the door and getting inside, whatever the seaman might say, but the doors were locked, and the shutters drawn up.
"That will never do," observed Nettleship. "Let me tackle him, though it won"t do to give him soft sawder. I say, my man, you lately belonged to the _Hero_, didn"t you?" he asked.
"Yes, I did, but I"m free of her now," answered Jack.
"You fought some pretty smart actions in her, I"ve a notion. We have heard speak of them. My young messmate and I were out in the West Indies, and belonged to the _Liffy_. She ran ash.o.r.e. Then we joined the old _Cerberus_, which went down in the Atlantic; and then we went on board the _Hector_, which fought the two French frigates. We had a narrow squeak for our lives, for she went the way of our former ship.
And now we belong to the _Jason_, and shall have to keep the middle watch to-night, which is what you"ll not have to do, I fancy. Now if we overstay our leave and don"t get down, you know what the consequences will be."
"I"ve some notion of it," said Jack. "What is it you"re driving at?"
"If you"ll just let us get inside your coach we"ll say you"re a mighty good fellow; and if you don"t, we"ll leave you to call yourself what you think you would be," answered Nettleship.
"Come, I like an outspoken fellow," said Jack. "Jump in, youngsters; I"ll give you a pa.s.sage down, and nothing to pay for it. You guard there, with your long horn, open the door and let the young gentlemen in, but mind you, you take up n.o.body else, not if the First Lord and all the Admiralty come and axe for places."
In we sprang with our valises, and we heard Jack shout--
"Make sail, coachee, and see how many knots you can run off the reel."
The coachman smacked his whip, and away we rattled through the villages of Knightsbridge, Kensington, and Hammersmith. The coach pulled up at the "Green Dragon" at the latter place, and some parcels were offered, but Jack kept his eyes about him, and would not let one be taken on board. In an authoritative tone he ordered the landlord to bring us out a tankard of ale, and likewise treated the coachman and guard. As we knew it would please him, we did not refuse the draughts. He flung the landlord a sovereign.
"There"s payment for you, old boy," he cried out. "Don"t mind the change; and, I say, you may treat as many thirsty fellows as you like with it. Now drive on, coachee."
Thus Jack went on at each stage, sitting, while the coach was in motion, with his arms folded, looking as proud as a king on his throne. I thought at one time that he would have quarrelled with us because we declined to taste any more of the ale he offered. He was pretty well half-seas over by the time we arrived at Portsmouth. When he came to the door to help us out, Nettleship began to thank him.
"I don"t want your thanks, young masters," he answered gruffly. "I"ve had my spree, and maybe before long I shall be at your beck and call; but I"m my own master now, and intend to remain so as long as the gold pieces jingle in my pocket. Maybe I"ll have another ride up to London in a day or two, and if you like the trip, I"ll give it you. You may thank me or not as you like."
Nettleship and I saw that it would be no use saying more, so, wishing him good evening, we took our way down to the Hard. I turned for a moment, and saw our friend rolling up the middle of the street with his hands in his pockets, as proud as the grand bashaw.
A few nights after this Tom Pim and I, having leave on sh.o.r.e, took it into our heads to go to the theatre. In the front row of seats sat our friend who had given us so seasonable a lift down from London. The seats on either side of him were vacant, and when any one attempted to occupy them he told them to be off. He had taken three seats that he might enjoy himself. There he was, with his arms folded, looking as if he thought himself the most important person in the house. There were a good many more seamen on the other benches,--indeed, the house was more than half filled with them, some in the pit, others in the upper boxes and galleries. The play was "The Brigand"s Bride." The lady evidently had a hard time of it, and appeared to be in no way reconciled to her lot, her great wish being clearly to make her escape. In this attempt she was aided by a young n.o.ble in silk attire, who made his appearance whenever the brigand, a ferocious-looking ruffian, was absent. The lady made piteous appeals to the audience for sympathy, greatly exciting the feelings of many of them, though Tom and I were much inclined to laugh when we saw the brigand and the lover hob-n.o.bbing with each other behind a side scene, which, by some mischance, had not been shoved forward enough. At length the young count and the brigand met, and had a tremendous fight, which ended in the death of the former, who was dragged off the stage. Soon afterwards, the lady rushed on to look for him, and the brigand, with his still reeking sword, was about to put an end to her existence, when, stretching out her hands, she exclaimed--
"Is there no help for me on earth? Am I, the hapless one, to die by the weapon of this cruel ruffian?"
"No, that you shan"t, my pretty damsel," cried our friend Jack, forgetting all the stern selfishness in which he had been indulging himself,--"not while I"ve got an arm to fight for you."