"It is possible that more than two vessels were engaged," remarked the captain. "We shall know, however, before long. Have the night-signals ready, Mr Handsel. We must take care not to fire into a friend."
The excitement on board increased as the frigate, moving at the rate of two or three knots an hour, drew near the spot where it was expected that the strangers would be discovered. The men stood at their guns prepared to open the ports and run them out when the order should be given. The magazines were open and powder and shot pa.s.sed up. The surgeon and his a.s.sistants were below in the c.o.c.kpit, making their arrangements for the duties they might have to perform; looking to their instruments, their bandages and styptics, and rigging their amputation-table.
"How do you feel, Paul?" asked d.i.c.kenson of young Chandos. "If we could see the enemy I shouldn"t mind; but, for my part, I don"t like this sort of work in the dark, I confess."
"I was thinking of home and my mother and sisters," answered Chandos.
"I used to long to be in a battle, and I should be sorry to miss it, but I wish it was over. I would rather have to look back at it than forward."
"So would I, provided I hadn"t lost an arm or a leg or been killed outright," said d.i.c.kenson, in a dolorous tone.
"I haven"t thought about being killed, and I hope that neither you nor I will be," answered Chandos; adding, "I shouldn"t mind, perhaps, a bullet through my arm or leg for the honour and glory of the thing, and to talk about when we get home."
"I"m sure I don"t want any such honour and glory, and I wish you wouldn"t speak about such things," groaned out d.i.c.kenson. "Perhaps we shan"t have a fight after all."
"I hope we shall, though," exclaimed his more plucky messmate; "that is to say if it does not last too long. I could hold out for an hour or so, but then I think I should begin to wish it was over."
"Beg pardon, young gentlemen; you"d hold out better after the first hour than for the first five minutes," observed old Jacob Crane, who had overheard the conversation. "Just let us exchange a couple of broadsides and you"d think no more about the matter than if you were s...o...b..lling each other. I know the stuff you"re made of too well to doubt that."
"Thank you, Crane, for the compliment," said Chandos; "but do you think we shall have a fight?"
"Sure on"t," answered the old man; "just look out over the larboard bow and you"ll see three ships hove to, and some bright lights in the stern of the biggest of them. She"s a lumping frigate if she isn"t something larger, and though our signal has been hoisted some time she hasn"t answered it."
The midshipmen, whose eyes were not so well accustomed to pierce the gloom of night as were old Jacob"s, had at first some difficulty in distinguishing the three ships, though they saw the bright lights he pointed out. Gradually the frigate drew near, and the tall masts and widespread canvas of the strangers appeared clearly enough against the sky, like large phantoms stalking across the waters. Still the private signal remained unanswered. There could be no longer any doubt that the largest ship was an enemy, and that she had captured one or both of the others. Notwithstanding her apparent superiority, Captain Shortland did not hesitate about attacking her. Sail was shortened, and the frigate stood on with topsails, jib, and spanker set, so as to be thoroughly under command. It was no longer necessary to keep the ports closed.
The order to open them and to run out the guns was given, and at the same time the crews of the guns were cautioned not to fire a shot till they heard the word of command. The hearts of the coolest beat quicker than usual when about midnight the _Falcon_ drew within a mile of the enemy. The lights from the fighting lanterns of the latter, which exhibited two rows of ports, with only a small s.p.a.ce between them, gave her a most formidable appearance. She evidently carried many more guns than the English frigate.
"What"s the odds, lads," cried old Jacob, when some of the men near him remarked this. "It isn"t the number of guns a ship carries will give her the victory, it"s the way they are fought, and we"ll soon show the mounseers how we can handle ours."
In a short time the enemy filled his sails, the two ships thus nearing each other more rapidly; then suddenly he hove in stays when on the lee bow of the _Falcon_, and his guns thundering forth, sent their shot flying through her rigging, the only serious effect, however, of which was to bring down her jib. The _Falcon_ crew stood ready, the captains of the guns with lanyards in hand eager to fire in return, but no order came. Captain Shortland knew that he could depend on the steadiness of his crew, and was reserving their fire for a shorter and more effective distance. Several more shots hurtled through the air around them.
"The weathermost of the smaller ships Is firing at us, sir," observed the first lieutenant to the captain.
"Never mind that, we can settle with her by-and-by," was the answer.
Thus the _Falcon_ stood majestically on as if not a foe were near.
Though Ralph had never before seen a shot fired in anger, he stood at his post close to the wheel as calm and collected as the oldest seaman.
The eager crew had not much time to wait, before, by a clever manoeuvre, the frigate had been brought with her starboard broadside to bear directly on the stern of the French ship at less than pistol-shot distance. At the same moment the order to fire was pa.s.sed along the decks and rapidly obeyed. Every shot went crashing into the French ship, raking her fore and aft, and probably killing the men at the wheel; for before she had time to alter her position the _Falcon_ luffed into the wind, just sc.r.a.ping clear of her spanker-boom, and shooting up to leeward, let fly the whole of her other broadside with terrible effect into her opponent. So rapidly had this manoeuvre of the English frigate been performed, that several of the Frenchman"s weather guns went off after she had pa.s.sed to leeward. The action was now carried on broadside to broadside, the position in which British seamen most delight.
"Aim low, my lads! aim low!" was the oft repeated order of the officers in charge of the guns, as they moved along the decks; not that there was much necessity for it, as the men had got a good mark before them, and were pounding away at it as fast as they could load and run out their guns. The Frenchmen were at the same time vigorously returning their fire, but as if intent on crippling their foe and then taking her at a disadvantage, they sent most of their shot flying through her rigging, bringing blocks and spars and ropes in thick showers down on deck.
Though most of the enemy"s shot flew high, others came whizzing between the men"s heads, crashing into the sides of the frigate, or knocking away her bulwarks. Several of the crew had been wounded and carried below, but as yet two only had been killed, their bodies being drawn aside, when it was found that they were really dead, out of the way of their shipmates at the guns. Hitherto Ralph had escaped unhurt, though the head of one of the men at the wheel close to him had been taken off by a round shot, and an officer near him had been struck to the deck.
By the lurid glare from the quick succeeding flashes and the light of the lanterns, he caught a glimpse of d.i.c.k working away manfully at one of the upper deck guns, he, like most of the crew, stripped to the waist, with a handkerchief tied round his head. Now he was visible, now he was concealed by the clouds of smoke which, circling round and then rising in the air, formed a dark canopy over the combatants. Young Chandos was not far off. Whatever might have been his sensations at first, he was collected enough now to attend steadily to his duty, and the work going on was a pretty severe trial to young nerves. The midnight battle raged fiercer and fiercer. A shot came flying by.
Ralph felt that he was. .h.i.t severely in the arm, and was compelled to summon another man to the wheel; but binding up his wounded limb, he stood as before at his post. Not many minutes afterwards a round shot struck the bulwarks, sending splinters flying in every direction. At the same moment Ralph, who had his eye on the captain, saw him stagger, and springing forward, caught him with his unwounded arm just as he was falling to the deck. Others gathered round. It was evident that he had been most seriously wounded. In vain he endeavoured to speak, but becoming senseless was carried below. Lieutenant Handsel at once took the command, making his clear voice, as he issued his orders, heard amid the wild din of battle. For an hour and a half the engagement had raged on and yet was as furious as ever. The lieutenant of marines, a tall, handsome young man, was cut almost in two by a round shot soon after the captain had fallen, and several more men were hit. Aloft, however, the damage was far more severe than on deck; the running rigging hung in festoons, the standing rigging was cut to pieces, every sail was riddled through and through, and the masts and yards were badly wounded in many places. Judging by the crashing sound which came back from the French ship after each broadside fired by the _Falcon_, and the white splinters which flew from every part of her upper works, she was in a still worse plight. Still her crew kept up a hot fire. The young midshipmen, and even others, might possibly have begun to wish that the battle was over.
"Keep at it, my lads!" was the cry pa.s.sed along the decks; "she"ll soon give in."
Broadsides had been exchanged: another proceeded from the _Falcon_; but none came in return.
"Cease firing!" cried Lieutenant Handsel; and as soon as all was silent he hailed the enemy and asked if she had struck. No reply was made.
Again the _Falcon_ opened fire; but as the Frenchmen did not return it, she at once ceased, and a second time the lieutenant hailed, but no answer was made.
"We must give them more of it!" he shouted.
At that instant, the smoke clearing away, it was seen that the rigging of the French ship was swarming with men, who were endeavouring to loose their topgallant sails, apparently with the intention of escaping. Some of the crew of the _Falcon_ were ordered aloft to set theirs while the rest let fly another thundering broadside. Before the Frenchmen had time to descend, the mizenmast of their ship fell over the side, and several must have been plunged into the water; not a minute afterwards the main-mast, fore-mast, and bowsprit followed, and she lay a helpless wreck on the ocean.
Loud cheers burst from the throats of the British crew, and hearty shakes of the hand were exchanged among them. Before the question was asked, a voice came from the French ship, crying out that she had struck, and entreating that the English frigate would not again fire.
"No fear of that," was the answer; "what ship is she?"
"The French frigate _Concorde_," replied the officer who spoke. "Send a boat, I pray, for we have none left."
Three boats which had escaped injury were instantly lowered, and Mr Handsel, not aware that Ralph was wounded, ordered him to go in one of them. When he reached the deck of the prize, such a scene of horror as he had scarcely imagined met his sight. The boats, booms, the wheel, capstern, binnacle, and indeed all the upper portions of the ship, were cut to pieces; the bulwarks were destroyed and the starboard side almost beaten in, while the decks, slippery with gore, were literally strewn with the dead and badly wounded. The French captain, two lieutenants, several junior officers, and fully sixty men were killed, and two other lieutenants and eighty men were wounded. A young officer with his arm in a sling, who by the death of his superior had succeeded to the command, presented his sword in token of submission to the third lieutenant of the _Falcon_. It was at once returned to him with a compliment to his bravery and an expression of sympathy, and an a.s.sistant-surgeon was sent for from the _Falcon_ to attend to the sufferers. Ralph was the first person the young man spoke to on coming on board.
"You are hurt, Michelmore," he said, in a friendly tone; "I must look to you at once;" and by the light of a lantern he dressed Ralph"s arm, which greatly needed care. "I fear that our good captain is mortally wounded; but he has not forgotten you, for as soon as he came to himself he ordered his clerk to make out your appointment as a midshipman and signed it, though he could scarcely hold a pen. You"ll come in for your share of prize-money as such, and be placed on the quarter-deck; so I"ll congratulate you, my lad. There, now you"ll do; but I must get you sent on board again, you"re not fit for work here."
Ralph very unwillingly obeyed the order he received to return to the _Falcon_. When he had reached her he would not even then go below; but though he was unable to handle a rope, having reported himself to Mr Handsel, he received directions to superintend a party of men in refitting the rigging. There was work indeed for every one; for though the _Falcon_ had suffered less than her antagonist, her masts and spars, wounded in various places, required to be fished and the standing rigging to be spliced, to enable her to make sail and go in chase of the two other ships just before captured by the _Concorde_. Happily it fell perfectly calm; and thus, while the prizes could not escape, time was obtained for repairing damages. There was not a moment to be lost, for every one knew that should a breeze spring up before the rigging had been set to rights, the tottering masts would to a certainty go over the side.
CHAPTER SEVEN.
Daylight found the _Falcon"s_ crew still hard at work, the prisoners on board the _Concorde_ being a.s.sisted by the English seamen taken out of the two merchant vessels. The latter were South Sea whalers, furnished, as was not unusual in those days, with letters of marque, and returning home from round Cape Horn with full cargoes and a considerable amount of booty. They lay, their sails all set, about two miles off, waiting for a breeze to make their escape. Their masters, who had been found as prisoners on board the _Concorde_, were eager to attempt their recovery, and offered to man the _Falcons_ boats with their crews, and to lead an expedition against them. Mr Handsel, however, at first considered that it would be extremely hazardous, and he could not spare the necessary number of men for the enterprise. So busy were all hands that no inquiries had been made about the killed and wounded. Few perhaps even thought of their shipmates writhing in agony below. The voices of several officers wont to be heard were silent, and not a few of their messmates were missed from among them. At length there was a rumour that their brave captain was even worse hurt than was at first supposed--it was soon whispered that he was dying--and then came the news that he was dead. Many a tear was dropped from the eyes of his hardy crew, which the loss of their own messmates had failed to draw forth. But there was no time to express their sorrow. All hands had to work on as hard as ever. The carpenters, having secured the masts and spars, were busy with the boats. Mr Handsel at length determined to send an expedition to recapture the whalers, which, fortunately lying rather more than a mile apart, could not a.s.sist each other. Ralph offered to go in one of the boats; as it was his left arm which was wounded, he could steer or handle a cutla.s.s with his right.
"Yes, you will go in charge of the gig as an officer; Mr Symonds will take command of the expedition in the pinnace; the masters of the whalers will go in the other boats: should Mr Symonds fall, the command will devolve on you," said Mr Handsel. Mr Symonds was a master"s mate; one of the lieutenants being wounded and the other on board the _Concorde_, he was the next in rank able to go. Four boats were quickly in the water, the last nail being driven in by the carpenter as they were being lowered. Their crews were armed with pistols and cutla.s.ses.
It was resolved to attack the nearest vessel first; and as she was said to be the fastest sailer, should she be captured, it was hoped that the other would be quickly overtaken. Old Jacob and d.i.c.k were with Ralph.
The boats shoved off from the ship"s side and pulled for the nearest whaler. As they approached she opened a hot fire, on which Mr Symonds ordered them to keep apart and to steer for her stern. One of the masters in charge of the pinnace did not hear the order. Ralph saw that she was struck several times. Mr Symonds"s boat also suffered. He with the second cutter dashed on, the others following: one boarded on each quarter. The Frenchmen had to quit their guns and to defend themselves with pikes and pistols, but their a.s.sailants quickly swarmed on board, Ralph, in spite of his wounded arm, getting up the side with Jacob"s a.s.sistance. The fight on deck was short. The prize-crew gave way, and in three minutes the English were in possession of the ship.
Ralph looked round for Mr Symonds. He lay dead in the stern of his boat, and Ralph found himself in command of the prize. The master of the whaler just captured was also killed. The other was badly wounded, and several of their men had fallen. Having secured the prisoners and released the crew below, he ordered the boats to tow ahead towards the other whaler. As they approached she opened her fire, but by steering to the eastward he kept directly ahead of her, out of range of her guns.
Getting still nearer, he brought his broadside to bear on her, when the Frenchmen, to avoid the consequences, hauled down their colours. She was quickly taken possession of, when the prize-crew were secured and the Englishmen remaining on board were released. As each vessel had six boats they in a short time were towed near to the _Falcon_. As they approached they were received with a loud cheer, and Mr Handsel ordered Ralph to take command of the first re-captured, the _Eagle_, and to send all the hands he could spare to a.s.sist in refitting the _Concorde_ and setting up jury-masts. Of the other vessel, the _Penguin_, her only surviving mate took charge; for both had fought bravely, and had not struck till after a long chase, and when several officers and men had fallen. Both vessels had also so severely suffered in hull and rigging, that it would have been dangerous without undergoing repairs to proceed on their voyage.
Lieutenant Handsel therefore determined to proceed with all the ships to Rio de Janeiro, the nearest port in the Brazils. Ralph could scarcely believe that he was not in a dream when he thus found himself in command of a fine ship, with the probability of having to navigate her home.
Should, however, a fitting man be obtained at Rio to take charge of her, he would be superseded and have to return to the _Falcon_. He naturally hoped that no one would be forthcoming. He should then realise his fondest hopes--be united to Jessie--with a good sum from his prize-money and pay as captain of the _Eagle_ with which to set up house. He might then rejoin the navy as an officer, or obtain his discharge, or go back to the _Amity_, should Captain Mudge wish him to do so. "I will not be ungrateful to my kind old friend, though I suspect that Jessie would wish me to remain in the service; and though I entered unwillingly, I should now be sorry to leave it," he thought. "Perhaps I may rise still higher--others have done so--why should not I, if I do my duty, and my life is preserved?"
Ralph quickly got accustomed to his new position. His scanty crew acknowledged that they had never had a better captain. They were kept of necessity at work, but he made that work as light as possible by setting them to do it in the best way it could be done, and only ordering them to do what was absolutely required. Sailors, as indeed is the case with most cla.s.ses of men, are very quick in discovering when they have an efficient officer placed over them who knows his duty.
Insubordination and mutiny are generally the consequences rather of the ignorance and sloth of the captain than of tyranny.
Fortunately, the calm continued. The decks were washed clean of their b.l.o.o.d.y stains; the dead were committed to their ocean graves, and their shipmates, if they did not forget, soon ceased to talk about them.
Jury-masts were rigged on board the _Concorde_, and a breeze at length springing up, the four ships, thus partially repaired, made sail for Rio.
Old Jacob and d.i.c.k had accompanied Ralph on board the _Eagle_. It was an unfortunate circ.u.mstance for the latter. Spirits were more easily obtained than on board the frigate, and he very soon became quarrelsome and mutinous. Ralph, not observing his state, had directed him to perform some duty.
"Not for you, or any man like you. You, who were before the mast only yesterday--you think you can top the officer over me, do you? I told you I wouldn"t stand it, and I won"t," exclaimed d.i.c.k, reeling about and flourishing his arms as his excitement increased.
The whaler"s crew laughed, and some of the rougher characters even encouraged d.i.c.k with their applause.
Ralph knew that discipline must be maintained, though ready himself to bear any insult, and most unwilling to punish his former messmate. A boat from the _Falcon_ was alongside. He ordered the boatswain and some other men on whom he could depend to seize d.i.c.k and lower him into her.
It was done before the unhappy man knew what was happening. Ralph then wrote a note to Lieutenant Handsel, saying that the proceeding was necessary to prevent worse consequences, but begging that, as Bracewell had behaved bravely in the action, his offence might be overlooked.
d.i.c.k stormed and raged when he found himself being carried back to the frigate, and vowed that he would be revenged. Ralph regretted what had happened, the more as he had hoped that, by keeping d.i.c.k on board the _Eagle_, he might have prevented him from attempting to desert. He resolved, however, as soon as they arrived at Rio, to go on board the _Falcon_ and to try and bring him to reason. Though the distance to be run was not great, they were very long about it. Light winds and calms prevailed, and when there was a breeze, the other ships had to wait for the _Concorde_, which, under jury-masts, made but slow progress. At length land was sighted, and all hoped to get in the next day. As, however, evening drew on the weather looked very threatening. Dark clouds gathered rapidly in the sky. Squalls in quick succession swept over the ocean, and a heavy sea got up, in which the ships plunged and rolled as they made their way towards the harbour"s mouth. Night coming down on the world of waters, the rest were ordered by a signal from the _Falcon_ to stand off the land till daylight. Ralph trembled for the masts of the _Eagle_, and was still more anxious about those of the _Falcon_, The night became very dark, and the gale increased. The lights from the other ships could be distinguished at some distance apart. The _Falcon_ and _Penguin_ appeared to be making fair way, and the _Eagle_ behaved very well, but the _Concorde_ was evidently dropping astern. Ralph had kept his eye on her lights. They grew dimmer and dimmer. It was doubtful whether she was even holding her own. The _Eagle_ was under close-reefed topsails, and could with difficulty carry them. A perfect hurricane was blowing dead on sh.o.r.e. "Lord help those on board the prize! I can nowhere see her lights," exclaimed old Jacob, who had been looking out to leeward. "She must have carried away her jury-masts, or her canvas has blown to ribbons, I fear. If not, we shouldn"t have lost sight of her."
Ralph looked in vain in the direction in which he had last seen the lights of the _Concorde_, while those of the frigate and the whaler were clearly visible, the former about a mile ahead of the _Eagle_, and the latter rather further off, astern.