I told him that above all things it was what I should like.
I now accompanied him to the "Triton," carrying with us the surviving officers of the slaver. They were treated with scant ceremony, but without any undue harshness, on board, and berthed together in a cabin run up on the lower deck. I was, however, able to speak a good word for the officer who had treated me kindly, and been the means of saving my life, and I was pleased to hear the captain thank him, and afterwards the officers, to show their sense of his conduct, invited him to mess with them. He declined doing so, however. He afterwards told my cousin Jack that in consequence of the scenes he had witnessed he had resolved to have nothing more to do with the slave trade.
"It was a great temptation," he said. "I expected to make my fortune in a short time, and that induced me to engage in the accursed traffic."
The corvette now took the schooner in tow. As soon as the sea was calm enough hands were sent on board her to rig jury-masts, and a course was steered for Sierra Leone. The slaver, as may be supposed, was condemned, the slaves liberated, and the whole of them settled in the colony. Paul entered on board the "Triton," and I was placed as a midshipman on her quarter-deck.
We cruised for a short time longer on the coast, and captured another slaver, and then, as the corvette had been her due time on the station, she was ordered home.
Jack, from having been at sea, had not heard of the misfortunes of my family.
As soon as the ship was paid off he insisted on accompanying me and Paul back to Liverpool. We reached the house where I had left my sisters under Mammy"s care. Flowers bloomed before the windows, and there was an air of neatness and comfort about the little abode which looked very pleasing.
I begged Jack and Paul to remain outside while I went in to prepare the inmates for their arrival. Mammy opened the door. She seized me in her arms the moment she saw me, and I did not at all mind the kisses she bestowed on my cheeks, though her lips were thick and her black face shrivelled.
"Your sisters up stairs, Ma.s.sa Harry. They so glad you come back," she exclaimed, and dragged me along. She opened the door where they were seated at work.
"I have brought some strangers to see you," I said, after our greetings were over. "You remember our cousin Jack Haultaught; he insisted on coming, he is a first-rate capital fellow, and a true friend of mine."
"We shall be very glad to see him and to thank him," said Mary and Jane together.
"And I shall be delighted," cried Emily. "I recalled his giving me all sorts of curious things when he came back from his first voyage. I"ll run down and ask him in."
"Mammy," I said, feeling very doubtful how I could best prepare her for meeting her son. "You remember the commission you gave me, I did my best to execute it. I asked all the people I met if they knew Cheebo."
"Ah, you no hear of him," said Mammy, with a sigh.
"I did not say that," I answered. "Mammy, you believe that G.o.d hears your prayers."
"Yes, Ma.s.sa Harry, I am sure He does," she said, and then it seemed to flash across her that I had something of interest to communicate about her son.
"You hear of Cheebo, he become Christian, oh say dat, Ma.s.sa Harry, say dat."
"Yes, Mammy," I answered, taking her hand, "I not only heard of him, but I have seen him; and, Mammy, do you think the joy would not be too much for you if I were to tell you that I hope you will see him too?"
"Oh, he is come! he is come!" exclaimed Mammy.
I made a sign to my sisters to remain with our old nurse, whispering to Mary that I was going to bring up her long lost son. I hurried down stairs, and found that Emily had already invited Jack and his companion into the house. I led Paul to the door, and my sisters slipping out; we left the old woman and her son together.
And now it is time that I should bring my yarn to a conclusion. Jack seemed to find Liverpool a very delightful place; and perhaps it may account for his so doing, when I say that before he went away he asked my sister Mary to marry him. She did not refuse. Soon afterwards he got his promotion, which he well deserved for his activity and zeal during his long service on the African coast.
Through the interest of the captain of the "Triton" I got appointed to a man-of-war brig on that station, where, being pretty well up to the tricks of the slavers, I was instrumental in capturing a number of vessels, and a.s.sisting to put down the abominable slave trade. As a good deal of prize money came into my pocket, I had the gratification of sending home considerable sums to my sisters. Mammy"s joy, when she found that not only had her son become a Christian, but that her husband had accepted the truth, was full. She willingly parted with Paul when she heard of his wish to become a missionary of the gospel. He returned to Sierra Leone, and after remaining a short time there, went on to Abeokuta, to labour with others in spreading the glad tidings of salvation among the dark-skinned sons of Africa.