The Naval Lieutenant. A nautical romance

Front matter

NOW READY. In Three Vols. THE NAVAL LIEUTENANT. By P. 0. ARMSTRONG, Author of "The Two Midshipmen," "The Medora," "The Lily of Devon," " The Queen of the Seas," &c. In Three Vols. IT MAY BE TRUE. By MRS. WOOD. IN THE PRESS. In Three Vols. (In October.) THE MAITLANDS. In Three Vols. (In October.) AN OLD MAN'S SECRET. By FRANK TR0LL0PE. THE FURNISHING OF BED-ROOMS. HEAL and SON have observed for some time that it would be advantageous to their Customers to see a much larger selection of BED-BOOM FURNITURE than is usually displayed, and that to judge properly of the style and effect of the different descriptions of Furniture, it is necessary that each description should be placed in a separate room. They have therefore erected large and additional Show-Rooms, by which they are enabled not only to extend their show of Iron, Brass, and Wood Bedsteads, and Bed room Furniture, beyond what they believe has ever been attempted, but also to provide several small rooms for the purpose of keeping complete suites of Bedroom Furniture in the different styles.

Japanned Deal Goods may be seen in complete suites of five or six different colours, some of them light and ornamental, and others of a plainer description. Suites of Stained Deal Gothic Furniture, Polished Deal, Oak, and Walnut, are also set apart in separate rooms, so that customers are able to see the effect as it would appear in their own rooms. The Stock of Mahogany Goods for the better Bed-rooms, and Japanned Goods for plain and Servants' use, is very greatly in creased, the whole forming as complete an assortment of Bed-room Furniture as they think can possibly be desired. HEAL and SON'S ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF BEDSTEADS, BEDDING, AND BED-ROOM FTJE,lSriXXJE,E Sent free by Post. 196, 197, 198, TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD A NAUTICAL ROMANCE. IN THREE VOLUMES. BT F . C . ARMSTRONG, Author of " The Two Midshipmen," " The Lily of Duvon," " The Medora," "The Qneen of the Seae," 4c, &c. VOL. II. T onion: T. CAUTLEY NEWBY, TUBLISHEIi. 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE 1865, [llllhi CUT Ul THmsKATlON IS RtShKVtll.J

Chapter I

Therk was in truth plenty to do to set all things in order on board La Belle Poule. But the crew belonged to a well-known privateer, were young and active men, and under the guidance of their own mate, Mr. Hawkins, worked with hearty good will. They were besides exceedingly anxious to shew their young skipper their gratitude for their release from the hands of a set of ruthless ruffians, who, when infuriated by drink, would doubtless have killed most of them, or at least condemned them to severe sufferings. The weather continued thick, the breeze VOL. II. B THE NAV&.L LIEUTENANT. 2 being fresh, but shifting. Mr. Hawkins thought the fog would lift with the rising sun. Tom Darking and a couple of his comrades, were busy setting the cabin in its usual order; others were searching every part of the schooner for arms and ammunition, so that in case of necessity they might be prepared for a determined resistance.

The terrible marks of the recent fight were washed away, and all other matters disposed of, so that by the time daylight dawned everything was tolerably arranged. The wounded were cared for as well as circumstances would admit, the entire crew had provisions and wine served out to them, and when the fog which arose from the waters, dispersed, under the influence of a fine westerly breeze that had sprung up, all on board were in high spirits. " Isn't itsomething wonderful, your honour," said Tom Darking, coming up from the cabin which he and his comrades had rendered quite tidy, " that we should take the same privateer that attempted to capture the Cumberland. Blow me, but you settled the rascally skipper's log this time, anyhow." " Well, it is strange, Tom, and very pro vidential our doing so."

Mr. Hawkins then joined our hero, who already felt a great liking for the mate of the Fox. He was a strong, muscular-built man, with good expressive features, and extremely well-mannered, in fact, quite above his station as mate. u I find this is not your first introduction to the Belle Poule, Mr. Chamberlain," said the mate. " No, indeed ; she attempted to capture the Cumberland Packet, in which I was sailing ; we beat her off, but she had more than fifty men on board her at that time. What has become of them? and besides, she must since then have captured the Fox." " I can explain that to you, sir," said the mate. " After her misadventure with the Cum berland she took two good prizes, and parted with nearly twenty of her men, to send them b into port. But see, the fog disappears, another time we will talk this over ; we had better get under weigh at once."

" You are right, no time ought to be lost," said our hero. " I may tell you, however," observed the mate, " that your prize is a valuable one ; she has eight thousand pounds in specie aboard, besides two thousand pounds belonging to poor Capt. Penson, of the Fox." After the topsails were loosed, and the peak of the mainsail hoisted, the anchor broke ground, and the Belle Poule was under weigh. There was a fine channel, after weather ing the island and its reefs of rock, to work through, between the two Penmarks, east and west — from thence to Ushanttherun was about ninety miles. The ease with which the Belle Poule worked, and her great speed, delighted the young skipper. She was cer tainly a very beautiful vessel, very long, and with great beam, and able to engage with any gun-brig afloat.

" Ah," he thought, " If I could only get the command of this craft when I get to England." Just then they weathered the east point of the island, and stood out for the West; Penmarks. " There's a lugger some four miles to windward," said Mr. Hawkins, handing his glass to the midshipman, " and, I think, a large cutter lying-to further out." " By Jove ! it is not improbable that it is the lugger in which I boarded the schooner — let me see." After a steady look, he ex claimed, " It's the Fraternity. I am sure of it. The rascals, when they cut her adrift last night, must have made sail, and worked out. I should have thought it more likely that they would have made for their own port." " It's not unlikely," said Mr. Hawkins, " but that they, in a spirit of vengeance, and hoping to re-capture the schooner, make for Brest, to give the alarm, and get some cruiser out to intercept us."

" It is possible ; but the cutter I am now looking at is, I think, a French cruizer, and the very same that chased us from the bay of Audierne. If so, we shall not escape without a brush ; for she appeared to me a fast craft, and, no doubt, those fellows in the lugger will betray us." " In that case, sir, we had better prepare to give them a warm reception. We have a very formidable gun amidships, and the only thing we have to guard against is their boarding us. There must be three times or more our number of men aboard the cutter." " Well, i should think so. The manage ment of the 'midship gun I will leave to you, Mr. Hawkins, and take the wheel myself, if they attack us. Keep an eye upon the lugger, for she will reach the cutter before we come up with her. " Now, Tom," added our hero, " take a spell of the wheel for a while, till I just step down and let our passengers know that there is a chance of another fight, and, if I can, persuade them that there is no fear of a re-capture."

" I'm blowed," muttered Tom, as our hero descended the companion stairs, " If ever they'll take this here craft whilst our skipper, or one of us, remains alive." " You are right, old chum," said Bill Barker, coming aft, " he is the lad to set foot on an enemy's deck. I never seed such a chuck of a cutlass in my life as he gived the skipper of this here craft. I helped to put him overboard, and his head was only hang ing on by a piece of skin." Mr. Hawkins and the rest of the men were very busy handing up ammunition, &c, &c. There was an abundance of stores. The tighteen-pounder was loaded heavily with grape and canister, and the eight-pounders with round shot. They were only eighteen able men altogether; nevertheless, they felt as confident of success, in case of a contest with the French cruiser, as if their complement exceeded that of the cutter.

On descending to the cabin, our hero found Mrs. Penson lying on one of the sofas, propped up with pillows, and Rose Talbot pouring out for her some coffee she had boiled, Tom Darking having lighted the cabin stove. " Well, you are much better, my dear friend," said our hero, sitting down, and taking the coffee Rose instantly poured out for him. " Oh, yes, my dear Mr. Chamberlain, I am quite well, taking everything into consider ation. Providence has been very merciful — though I have lost a kind, good husband in Captain Penson, I must not murmur, for I and my beloved child are saved ; but, my dear boy — excuse my calling you so — how you have grown, and into such a handsome man — bless me, what's that?" for the loud boom of a gun was just then heard. Augus tus sprang to his feet, and Rose trembled as she also started up.

" Pon't be alarmed,*' said our hero to Rose, " if you do hear some firing — there is no danger. Now I must go." " Ah, my God ! " said Rose, sinking down beside her terrified mother. " More fighting — more danger to those we love." On reaching the deck, the lieutenant per ceived that they were within less than a mile of the cutter, who had let draw her fore sheet, and was standing towards them. " The lugger has been alongside the cutter, sir," said Mr. Hawkins, " and no doubt those in her have received arms from the cruiser. They know now how few we are, and there fore will try and run us on board." " It would be the best plan certainly" said our hero, taking his place at the wheel, " but with so fine a working breeze as this, I think I shall baffle them ; watch your opportunity, and I'll give you a fair chance of raking her with our shot ; never mind her first broadside; watch my signal, I will raise my cap ; and now run up our ensign, and stand to your tacks and sheets, my lads." b The two vessels approached each other within musket shot, when the cutter, yawing, fired her broadside guns, all eight-pounders.

She was a very large vessel, full of men, and quite a hundred and seventy tons burden. As the Sans Pareil yawed, our hero suddenly luffed up, and the schooner passed under the cutter's stern ; as she did so, our hero raised his cap, and the iron shower from the carronade tore across the enemy's deck, hurling several of her crew into eternity, and cutting away the sheets of her foresail and gib, and causing momentary confusion. As both vessels shot up into the wind, the cutter for want of her foresail and gib, which the men were hauling in to put fresh sheets to, gathered stern way, but continued to fire her side guns, which, however, only cut up the rigging, and made some holes in the sails of the Belle Poule, wounding one man with a splinter. The two vessels for more than twenty minutes kept up an incessant fire with their broadside guns, till the cutter, having got everything in order, made a most determined attempt to board its opponent, favoured by a slight shift of wind and a squall ; but so narrowly did our hero watcli every move ment, that the cutter's intention was frustrated, though the schooner's jib-boom was carried away in the attempt.

Whilst attending to this manoeuvre, the lugger was unnoticed. She also made a resolute attempt to board thinking that the Sans Pareil was sure to succeed, but hauled off in time to avoid collision, passing close under the schooner's stern, and firing a dozen muskets into the Belle Poule. One of the men was hauling in a rope close beside our hero ; he was shot dead by this discharge of muskets. One of the balls also passed along the skipper's sleeve, raising the skin from the elbow to the shoulder. It was the last expiring act of the lugger. The eighteen-pounder was double shotted, for the purpose of crippling the cutter, by bringing down her mainsail, but so enraged was Tom Darking on seeing his comrades fall, and our hero stagger for a moment, that he and Mr. Hawkins swung round the gun, and sent its contents into the lugger's stern, within less than pistol shot.

The balls struck some inches below the water line, as the vessel was raised by a wave, and drove in the stern. It filled rapidly, and, with a wild cry from the doomed crew, sunk ; the miserable remainder of the Belle Poule's crew going down with her. Tom Darking then ran up to the skipper, saying anxiously, " You are hit, sir, the blood is running from your sleeve." "Take this handkerchief, Tom," he an swered; "tie it tight just above the elbow; it's a mere scratch, and fortunately my left arm, and tell Mr. Hawkins to double shot the gun, and aim, when I run you close, at the mast head of the cutter." Both vessels were now a little apart engaged in repairing damages and splicing ropes. The schooner's crew had run out a temporary jib-boom, and cleared away the wreck. The cutter recommenced the contest with double-shotted guns and musketry, but so few were the crew of the schooner that not one man was hit, though the bulwarks and rigging and yards suffered severely.

Watching a favourable opportunity, and giving the wheel to Mr. Hawkins, our hero laid the gun, ran his eye along the sight, and when within pistol shot fired. A loud cheer from his crew attested the result; the mast head of his opponent was knocked into splin - ters, and down came the immense sail, cover in athe entire after-deck of the cutter. Pay in<r right off, the Belle Poule passed under the cutter's stern and hailed, calling on the commander to surrender, or they would rake them. The answer was a volley of musketry from the bows and a couple of brass swivels, with balls and old pieces of iron, wounding James Barker, Mr. Hawkins, and our hero, but all very slightly. Another shower of iron from the eighteen pounder shortly after, and the impossibility of their doing anything but run before the wind, left those in the cutter so com pletely at the mercy of the schooner's terrible gun, that one of the officers held out a flag on a pole as a token of surrender, and then the firing ceased- At that moment the attention of our hero and his crew was attracted by the distant boom of a very heavy gun, and, looking to leeward, they beheld a large ship, evidently a vessel of war, working up to them under a press of canvass.

" Get me the glass, Tom, make haste ; that's a frigate. If it's a French one, our only safety lies in our heels. She's three miles and more to leeward; that's something." After a careful look he joyfully exclaimed, " by Jove, it's the Indefatigable. Now get out the small boat, Tom, the large one is smashed to splinters, and I will board the cutter, for I am particularly anxious to do so." Turning as he spoke, he saw the anxious pale face of Rose Talbot, looking out from the companion, and he waved his hand to her. " Ah ! " said the girl, her eyes resting upon our hero. " He's safe, thank God ! and the fight is over," and she hurried down to tell her mother. Mr. Hawkins had regarded the advancing frigate with some apprehension, but hearing our hero say the stranger was the Inde fatigable, felt considerably relieved, and as soon as the midshipman put off for the cutter he descended into the cabin to let Mrs. Penson know she need now feel perfectly re assured, as no further mischance could occur, wind and weather excepted, to retard their reaching their native land.

Our hero was anxious to board the cutter, not so much to take possession of his prize as to find out, if possible, whether Monsieur de Hauteville had anything to do with her position in the bay of Audierne and her giving them chase. As soon as he was alongside he seized hold of the rigging, and then sprung upon deck, closely followed by Tom Darking. The crew of the Sans Pareil were gathered to gether in groups, the appearance of the deck giving evident tokens of the contest ; several dead bodies lay huddled together, and many of the wounded were sitting pale and haggard looking on the deck, but all glared savagely at the young skipper, and his athletic looking attendant. The captain of the Sans Pareil, with a bandage round his head, and his left arm in a sling, came up to our hero, and after a glance of surprise into his youthful countenance, and another at his faded uniform, said — " Who is it, monsieur, who now commands the Privateer schooner, La Belle Poule."

" I do, monsieur," returned our hero, "for the present. I am an officer belonging to his Britannic majesty's ship Leander." " Sacre diable!" muttered the French skipper, rubbing his head, as if confused, " I do not comprehend ; we have surrendered, at aU events, there was no help for it ; for you knocked us so about with that confounded eighteen-pound carronade, that we got dis abled, for want of our main-sail ; but may I ask you a question or two." " Most undoubtedly, monsieur," said our hero, " if you will in return favour me with a reply to one or two enquiries of mine." " Parbleu, willingly ; now I wish to ask you," began the French skipper, " what vessel captured La Belle Poule?" " I thought the crew of the lugger had given you that information," said our hero, surprised, " did you not recognise the lugger as the one you chased out of Audierne bay ?"

" Is it possible," exclaimed the Frenchman, " we were too hurried ; the men in the lugger merely said they belonged to the Belle Poule, which was boarded in the night by a ship's crew of English, and to give them muskets and ammunition, and they would help us to re-take the schooner." "Then you were stationed, last night," said the lieutenant, " in the bay of Audierne to intercept the escape of some English prisoners who would, if they succeeded in seizing a lugger, run out of the bay steering a northerly course." " Exactly so," said the mystified French skipper, " I received directions to cruise in the bay, keeping a careful look out to the north and east, and to seize any lugger leav ing the bay, and carry the English prisoners to Brest." " Well, monsieur," returned our hero, " you chased the very lugger we sunk ; myself and three sailors were in her.

In the night we boarded the Belle Poule, and with the assist ance of an English crew released from her hold, we took the privateer, whose Captain was slain in the fierce contest that took place." " Tonnerre de diable ! " exclaimed the skipper, "you amaze me ; and now you have taken the Sans Pariel, malheureux que je suis." The crew of the cutter here drew the attention of their skipper to the rapidly ad vancing ship. " A French frigate," exclaimed the skipper, with a shout of joy. "No, monsieur," returned our hero, "an English frigate." " You know her to be Anglais?" exclaimed the poor skipper, looking cast down. " Oui, monsieur ; but I have no wish to make you or any of your men prisoners of war. You may put out your boats, take your personal effects, and the wounded, and pull ashore at the back of the Penmarks."

The crew heard the words, and all rushed down below, and in an incredible short time returned upon deck, laden with their effects. Two boats were launched, and into them descended the captain and his crew and the wounded men, the former shaking our hero by the hand, and calling him " un brave gar§on." By this time the English frigate had reached within two miles of the schooner and cutter ; a wreath of smoke curled out of her bow port, and th.' boom of her heavy gun pealed over the deep. "This is capital work, sir," said Tom Darking, " two fine craft, and only one man killed and two wounded." "Fortune has favoured us, Tom. You had, however, better jump into the boat, and go back to the schooner ; tell Mr. Hawkins to come on board the cutter, and to bring six hands with him. I will then take the boat and pull alongside the frigate."

" Aye, aye, sir, but I trust in whatever ship you goes, you will get Tom Darking a berth. I should like to stick to the same colours that your honour fights under." " Never fear, my man," said our hero, " I don't forget the pike thrust between my head and the cutlass of the privateer captain." " Ah, your honour, we are not half quits yet. I don't forget your jumping overboard off the Island of St. Vincent, and keeping me ■'» 21 THE NAVAL LIEUTENANT. up till my senses that were knocked out by hitting against a lower stun-sail yard, came back." "Faith, Tom," said our hero, "that was a near squeak for both, as a brace of sharks had just made up their minds to breakfast upon us ; but shove off, and hasten Mr. Hawkins." The British frigate came majestically along, and when within pistol shot of the two vessels threw her fore-topsail aback, and lay to.

By this time Mr. Hawkins and six hands were on board the cutter, and our hero jumping into the boat, which four men urged through the water, soon gained the side of the Indefatigable. This frigate, after her action with the Droits de l'Homme, and having narrowly escaped the fate of her consort, had soon repaired her damages, and was again cruising off Brest ; this time forming part of Lord Bridport's fleet. Augustus Chamberlain mounted the side, and stood upon the deck, surrounded by men and officers all strangers to him, and who regarded him with considerable curiosity, though his faded and well-worn uniform, at all events, proved that he belonged to the British navy. One of the lieutenants of the Indefatigable at once addressed him, saying, " Sir Edward Pellew will be glad to see you, sir. He is on the quarter-deck."

" Very good," replied the young man, " I shall be most happy to see a commander I once served under, though only as a volunteer." Our hero and the lieutenant of the Inde fatigable proceeded to the quarter-deck, where Sir Edward Pellew was expecting him. As he approached, our hero at once recognised the commander of the Indefatigable, though rather more than four years had elapsed since he last trod the same deck with him. Sir Edward looked earnestly into the features of the young midshipman, as though he evidently could not recall the time or the place where he had seen him ; there was a misty recollection in the captain's brain that he had before seen the young man who now saluted him respectfully, and then looked up in his face. " By Jove ! I have seen you somewhere or other, sir," said Sir Edward, good humouredly, " pray freshen my memory a little, before I ask you a few questions."

" I was on the deck of the Nymph, Sir Edward, when she fought the Cleopatra ; but I served only as a volunteer." "Ah, by Jove ! I remember you now, though not your name. You are the midshipman who, amid a tremendous fire of musketry, ran up the rigging, and cut away the ropes that held the Cleopatra's jib-boom against our mast-head. You saved our mainmast. Oh, yes ; it's come back all fresh in my memory now. I thanked you at the time for your gallant service. I am glad to see you," and Sir Edward held out his hand, shaking our hero's kindly. " And now, my young friend, refresh my memory with your name, and tell me all about those two vessels you came from." Having told his name, our hero, in as brief terms as possible, stated his escape in the lugger, and the taking of the Belle Poule and Sans Pareil.

" By Jove ! you're a gallant fellow, Mr. Chamberlain," exclaimed the delighted com mander of the Indefatigable, for no one loved gallant and daring exploits more than the future Lord Exmouth. " But come below. I am going to dine, and I must have the pleasure of your company, for I see you have some other details to give. Mr. Spencer," turning to his first lieutenant, " You will join us. By-the-by, I may now, as it has struck my memory, tell you, I saw your name in the last list of promotions sent us. You are appointed third lieutenant of your old ship, the Leander. This list, how ever, was made out before the news of the failure at Santa Cruz was known in England ; therefore you ought to have received your appointment — it must have reached the Leander months ago." " I have been absent, Sir Edward," returned our hero, " many months— ever since the night of our attack upon Santa Cruz," and then he explained the circumstances already known to our readers.

" I am in a sorry plight, Sir Edward," con tinued our hero, with a smile, and casting a look at his certainly much the worse for wear and tear, uniform, " I lost everything in the Droits." " It matters not what a brave man has on, when he has a clear conscience. Mr. Cham berlain ; and, by Jove ! your prizes will rig you out in style. Pray make no apologies for your rough appearance." So saying, Sir Edward led the way to the cabin. During dinner the conversation was not confined to any particular topic ; but when the things were removed, and the wine circu lated, Sir Edward expressed a wish to know VOL. II. c t how a midshipman of the Leander came to be a prisoner on board the Droits. Though our hero was very willing to give a brief recital of his adventures, he neverthe less felt disinclined to mention particulars respecting Miss Mortimer, and also what had occurred to himself during his short stay in the chateau de Hauteville ; suppressing there fore all mention of Annie Mortimer, he gave Sir Edward a very fair and candid account of his shipwreck and escape, and his action with the privateer.

Chapter II

Sir Edward Pellew listened with great at tention and indeed interest to our hero's account of himself, and when he finished the worthy and gallant commander of the Indefatigable said, with a pleased smile, " I congratulate you, Mr. Chamberlain, not only on your exceeding good fortune in getting out of your very perilous situation, but on the gallant conduct with which you followed up your good luck. Now I think I can render you a service that will benefit and please you, as well as enabling you to be of service to your country. " Lord Bridport is off Brest at this moment c with several large ships. Your prize, the Belle Poule, is a notorious privateer, and said -to be one of the fastest out of the French ports, the cutteryou so gallantly and singularly captured, you can send with everything of value you have in theschooner to Plymouth ; there is no fear of her being retaken, for we have made a clean sweep of the channel.

How many men have you altogether ?" " I can count sixteen, Sir Edward, all able and willing hands." Sir Edward Pellew smiled, and, turning to his first lieutenant, said, " it's a true adage, fortune favours the brave." "Ah," returned Leiutenant Spencer, "there's not a doubt of that, Sir Edward; but no one can deny but that the fickle jade has favourites." The baronet laughed. " You must, Mr. Chamberlain, accompany me with your schooner till we join Lord Bridport. It so happens that we have not a single small vessel with the fleet, and our admiral wants to send important information to Sir John Jervis, who is now in Lisbon. Your schooner is a very fast craft. I will put on board a dozen good men, and you w ill make the best of your way to Lisbon. You must assume the rank of lieutenant, and your schooner will probably be made a tender to your old ship the Leander, which is now in the Medi terranean.