Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

——- ee a te oe ee -- _ A a ee = - - ee * — " —_ a ee — —_—— = ——— aaa ail = ee oO ee -—- ——_ " - ~ net __ SOREN OREO. 38 —< ; , —_ EES 2 A eS ——— eens -“T am sorry that you have ever domestic dissen- | sides over the placid surface of the water—the white | Yes, directly ; now send your boat away, Easy, with sions, Mr. Oxbelly.”’ Aa, smoke ascending as the sun rose in brilliancy in a clear | directions to your officer in command. We must go ‘*And I only queens with her at night, sir. She will | blue sky—the distant echoes repeated from the high | back to Gibraltar, for we have received_some injury, take up more than her share of the bed, and won't | hills—had a very beautiful effect for those who are | and, Iam sorry to say, lost 8omemen. You are going allow me to sleep single; but never mind that, sir; now | partial to the picturesque. But Jack thought it advis- then, I presume, to stay on board and dine with me; we will you please to muster the men?”’ _ able to prepare for action instead of watching for tints shall be at anchor before night.” “Tf you please, Mr. Oxbelly.” /—and, in a short time, all was ready. ‘“‘T will with pleasure, sir. But now I will send my The men were mustered, and Jack made them along ‘They'll not come to us, Mr. Easy, as long as they boat away and shake hands with Gascoigne.”’ speech upon insubordination, discipline, activity, duty, | have the frigate to hammer at; but still we had better Gascoigne was under the half deck waiting to receive and so forth. be sae for we cannot well pass them without hav- his friend, for he had seen him come up the side from ‘*A very good speech, Mr. Easy,” said Mr, Oxbelly, | ing a few shot. When I came up the Straits in the pri- his station on the forecastle. A hurried conversation as the men went forward; ‘‘I wish my wife had heard | vateer we were attacked by two, and fought them for took place, after our hero had dismissed his boat with it. But, sir, if you please, we'll now get under way as | three hours; their shot dashed the water over our decks | the assistant-surgeon in it to dress the two wounded fast as we can, for there is a Channel cruiser working | till they were wet fore and aft, but somehow or another men, Jack then went on deck, talked with the officers, up at St. Helen’s, and we may give him the go-by by | they never hit us—we were as low as they were. I'll be looked with pleasure at the Rebiera with the gunboat running through the Needles.” | bound but they'll hull the frigate, though. Mrs. Ox- | in tow, keeping company with the frigate, although ‘*But what need we care for the Channel cruiser?’ | belly and Billy were on deck the whole time—and Billy only under the same canvas—promised Gascoigne to “You forget, sir, that as soon as she drops her an-| was quite delighted, and cried when they took him — the next day with him either on shore or on board chor she will come on board and take a fancy to at | down to breakfast.”’ the Rebiera, and then returned to the cabm, where he least ten of our men.”’ ‘** Why, Mrs. Oxbelly must be very courageous.” had a long conference with Captain Sawbridge. ** But they are protected.” “Cares neither for shot nor shell, sir—laughs when “When you first entered the service, Easy,” said ‘Yes, sir, but that’s no protection, nowadays. I | they whiz over her head, and tells Billy to hark. But, Captain Sawbridge, ‘‘I thought that the sooner the have sailed in a privateer at least three years, and 1 sir, it’s not surprising; her father is a major, and her | service was rid of you the better; now thatyou have know that they have no respect for letters of marque | two brothers are lieutenants in the Bombadiers.”’ left it, I feel that it haa lost one who, in all probability, or for privateers.” | “That, indeed,”’ replied Jack; “‘but see, there is a would have proved a credit to it.”’ “TI believe oe are right, Mr. Oxbelly; so, if you , breeze springing gee the westward.” “*Many thanks, sir,’ replied Jack; ‘‘ but how canlI please, we will up with the anchor at once.”’ | “Very true, Mr. Easy, and a steady one it will be, for bea midshipman with eight thousand pounds a year?” The crew of the Rebiera had been well chosen; they | it comes up dark and slow; so much the better for the ‘*T agree with you that it is impossible—but dinner is were prime men-of-war’s men, most of whom had de- | frigate, for she'll get little honor and plenty of mauling | serving; go into the after-cabin and the steward will serted from the various ships on the station, and, of | at this work.”’ give you all you require.” course, were most anxious to be off. Inafew minutes! “I hope we shall take it up with us,” observed Jack;| Our hero, whose face and hands were not a little the Rebiera was under way with all sail set below and | ‘“ how far do you reckon the gunboats from the shore?” | grimed with the inpowder, washed himself, combed aloft. She was in excellent trim and flew through the *T should think about five miles, or rather less.” out his curly dl hair, and found all the party in the water; the wind was fair, and by night they had passed “Trim sails, Mr. Oxbell P cei we may cut one | fore-cabin. Gascoigne, who had not been asked in the Portland Lights, and the next morning were steering a | or two of these off—steer in shore of them.” | forenoon, was, by the consideration of Captain Saw- course for the Bay of Biscay without having encoun- | “Exactly. Up there, my lads, set top-gallant stud-| bridge, added to the number. Before dinner was long tered what they feared more than an enemy—a British | ding sails, top-mast studdings to hand ort out the | off the table, the first lieutenant reported that it was cruiser to overhaul them. booms—keep as you go now, my lad—we shall be well | necessary to turn the hands up, as they were close to “T think we shall do now, sir,’ observed Mr, Ox-|in shore of them, and out of the range of the bat- | the anchorage. The party, therefore, broke up sooner belly to our hero; “‘ we have made afamousrun. It’s | teries.”’ than otherwise would have been the case; and as soon twelve o’clock, and if you please I'll work the latitude, The breeze came down fresh, and all sail was set upon as the Latona’s sails were furled, Captain Sawbridge and let you know what it is. We must shape our | the Rebiera. She took the wind down with her, aud it went on shore to acquaint the governor with the results course so as not to run in with the Brest squadron. A | passed her but little—half a mile ahead of them all was of the action. He asked Jack to accompany him, but little more westing, sir. I'll be up in one minute. My | still and smooth as a glass mirror, and they neared and | our hero, wishing to be with Gascoigne, excused him- wife—but I'll tell you about that when I come up.” gained in shore at the same time. The gunboats were self until the next day. “Latitude forty degrees twelve minutes, sir. I was | still engaging the frigate, and did not appear to pay any | “And now, Easy,” said Gascoigne, as soon as the about to say that my wife, when she was on board of | attention to the Rebiera coming down. At last the | captain had gone over the side, ‘1 will ask permission the privateer that I commanded—”’ breeze reached them and the frigate, light first and to go on board with you—or will you ask?”’ ‘Board of the privateer, Mr, Oxbelly ?”’ then gradually increasing, while the Rebiera foamed | “Iwill ask,” replied Jack; “ agentleman of fortune ** Yes, sir, would go; told her it was impossible, but | through the water, and had now every chance of cut- has more weight with a first lieutenant than a midship- she wouldn’t listen to reason—came on board, eg ting off some of the gunboats. The frigate trimmed | man.” herself into the standing bed-place, and said that there | her sails, and steered toward the flotilla, which now So Jack went up to the first lieutenant, and with one she was for the cruise—little Billy with her—”’ thought cope to haul off and put their heads in shore. | of his polite bows hoped, “if duty would permit, he **What! your child, too?” followed by the frigate firing her bow-chasers. But the | would honor him by coming on board that evening with ‘** Yes, two years old—fine boy—always laughed when | Rebiera was now within half gun-shot in shore, and | some of his officers, to see the Rebiera and to drink a the guns were fired, while his mother stood on the lad- | steering so as to intercept them. Asshe rapidly closed, | bottle or two of champagne.”’ der and held him on the top of the booby-hatch.”’ the flotilla scarcely knew how to act; to attack her| The first lieutenant, as the Rebiera was anchored not “T wonder that Mrs. Oxbelly let you come here! would be to lose time, and allow the frigate to come up__ two cables’ lengths from him, replied, “ that as soon as now?” and occasion their own capture; so they satisfied them- he had shifted the prisoners and secured the gun-boat selves with firing at her as she continued to run down | he would be ve ” so did three or four more of between them and the land. As they neared, Jack the officers, and then Jack ged asa favor, that his opened his fire with his eighteen-pound carronades and | old friend, Mr. Gascoigne, might be permitted to go long nines. The gunboats returned his fire, and they _ with him now, as he had important kages to intrust . were within a quarter of a mile, when Jack shortened | to his care to England. The first lleutenant was very | sail to his top-sails, and a warm engagement took place, | willing, and Gascoigne and our hero jumped into the | which ended in one of the gunboats being, in a few min- | boat, and were once more in all the confidence of tried utes, dismasted. The frigate, under all canvas, came | and deserved friendship. rapidly up, and her shot now fell thick. The flotilla Ye Jack, I've been thinkins of it, and ’'ve made up my then ceased firing, passing about two cables’ length , mind, said Gascoigne. shall gain little or nothing 1 ahead of the Rebiera, and race all possible sail for | by going home for my promotion; I may as well stay takes the largest share of it. the land. Jack now fired at the flotilla as they passed, | here, and asI have served my time and passed, my pay * Perhaps pe may both be right.” , with his larboard broadside, while with this star- | is now of little consequence. Will you take me wit ‘No, no; it is she who creates all the disturbance. If | board he poured in grape and canister upon the un-— you?” I get nearer to the wall she jams me up till I am asthin | fortunate gun-boat which was dismasted, and which| “It was exactly what I was thinking of, Ned. Do as a thread-paper. If I put her inside and stay outside, | soon hauled down her colors. In a few minutes | you think that Captain Sawbridge will consent?” she cuts me out as you do a cask, by the chime, till 1 | more the remainder were too far distant for the carro- **T do; he knows how I am umstanced, and that tumble out of bed.”’ nades, and, as they did not fire, Jack turned his atten- | my going home was merely because I was tired of look- “Why don’t you make your bed larger, Mr. Ox-| tion to take possession of his prize, sending a boat | ing after the Aurora.” . lly?” _with ten men on board, and hea -to close to her to We'll go together and ask him to-morrow,”’ replied “Sir, I have proposed, but my wife will have it that ‘take her in tow. Ten minutes more and the frigate | Jack. the is large eee if I would not toss in my sleep. | was also hove-to a cable’s length from the Rebiera, and| ‘“ At all events, you'll have a more gentlemanly com- I can’t convince her. However, she'll have it all to her- our hero lowered down his other quarter-boat to go on | panion than Mr. Oxbelly.”’ self now. I slept well last night, for the first time since board. 1“ ‘** But not so steady, Ned.” I ri Senin? 7 “Have we any men hurt, Mr. Oxbelly?’’ inquired es orgs ae and peers ome on een e cea?”’ ack, passed a merry evening. ere’s nothing passes ) “Yes, sir, 1 was second lieutenant of the Boadicea “Only two; Spearling has lost his thumb with a more agreeably away than champagne, and if you do for > | peg ‘of langrage, and James has a bad wound in | not affront this regal wine by mixing him with any ' **So you would, sir, but I'll explain that—she thinks I’m in London about my half-pay. She knows all by this time, and frets, I don’t doubt; but that will make her thin, and then there will be more room in the bed. Mrs. Oxbelly is a very stout woman.”’ ‘Why, you are not a little man!” “ No, not little—tending to be lusty, as the saying is— that is, in good condition. It’s very strange that Mrs. Oxbelly has an idea that she is not large. I cannot rsuade her to it. That's the reason we always spar bed, She says it is I, and I know that it is she who three years. ** She’s a fine frigate, I’m told.” he thigh.” other, he never punishes you the next morning. “On the contrary, such a pinched-up little craft be- “ Very well; I will ask the surgeon to come on low I never saw. y, Mr. Easy, I could hardly get | board.’ CHAPTER XL, into the door of my cabin—and yet, as you must see, Jack pulled to the frigate and went up the side, | A COUNCIL OF WAR, IN WHICH JACK DECIDES THAT HB I'm not a large man.” touched his hat in due form, and was introduced by the | WILL HAVE ONE MORE CRUISE. “Good heavens! is it possible,” thought Jack, | midshipmen to the other side, where the captain s | As Captain Sawbridge did not return on board that ‘that this man does not really know that he is mon-| “Mr. Easy!’ exclaimed the captain. evening, Easy went on shore and called upon him at the strous?” “ Captain Sawbridge!” replied our hero, with rise. herr to whom he was introduced, and received an Yet such was the case. Mr. Oxbelly had no idea ‘“*Good heavens! what Bere you here?” said the invitation to dine with him. As Gascoigne could not that he was otherwise than in good condition, al- | captain; ‘*and what vessel is that?” | come shore, our hero took this opportunity of making his though he had probably not seen his knees for years. The Rebiera, letter of marque, commanded and request to Captain Sawbridge, stating that the Pgs It was his obesity that was the great objection to | owned by Mr. Easy,” replied Jack, laughing. _he had with him was not such as he wished and could him, for in every other point there was nothing against | Captain Sawbridge gave him his hand. _ confide everything to; that is, not one to whom he could him. He had, upon one pretense and another, been| ‘‘Come down with me into the cabin, Mr. Easy;Iam | talk about Agnes. Jack, as he found that Captain Saw- -etlony Se the maneuvers of the captains, out of dif- | very glad to see you. Give you great credit for your nego did not immediately assent, pressed the matter ferent ships, until he went up to the Admiralty to know | conduct, and am still more anxious to know what has : at last Captain awbridge, who reflected that Gas- if there was any charge against him, The first lord at | induced you to come out again, I knew that you had coigne’s interest hereafter would be much greater once perceived the charge to be preferred and made a | left the service.” _ through his friend Easy, than any other quarter, and mark nst his name as not fit for anything but harbor | Jack, ina very few words, told his obje@t in fitting that the more the friendship was cemented the more duty. Out of employment, he had taken the command | out the Rebiera, advantageous it might prove to Gascoigne, gave his of a privateer cutter, when his wife, who was ex-| “But,” continued Jack, “allow me to congratulate consent to our hero’s wish who called on board of the cessively fond, would, as he said, follow him with little | you upon your promotion, which I was not aware of. Latona to acquaint Gascoigne and the first lieutenant Billy. He was sober, steady, knew his duty well; but | May ask where you left the Harpy, and what is the | of Captain Sawbridge’s intentions, and then went on he weighed twenty-six stone, and his weight had | name of your frigate?” board of the Rebiera and ordered Mesty to come with swamped him in the service. | “The Latona. [ have only been pom to her one , his portmanteau onshore to the inn, that he might dress His wish, long indulged had become, as Shaks month, after an action in which the Harpy took a large | for dinner. Gascoigne, now considered as not belong- says, the father of his thought, and he had really at | corvette, and am ordered home with reg ergy to Eng- | ing to the Latona, was not pees to accompany last brought himself to think that he was not_by any | land. We sailed yesterday evening from ibraltar, were him; and Jack found himself looking out of the win- means what could be considered afat man. His wife, | becalmed the whole night and attacked this morning by | dow at which he had hung out his trowsers upon the as he said, was also a very stout woman, and this ex- | the gun boats.” memorable occasion when the boatswain had to follow uberance of flesh on both sides was the only, but con-| ‘How is Captain Wilson, sir?” _ his own Pore of ‘‘ duty before decency.”’ tinual, ground of dispute. “T believe he is very well, but I have not seen him.” “Wha scenes of adventures I have passed through “ How did you know, then, that I had left the ser- | since that,” thought Jack; ‘“‘not much more than four CHAPTER XXXTX. vice, Captain Sawbridge?”’ | years ago, then not three weeks in the service.’’ Where- MIDDLE OF IT. “*Gascoigne!"’ exclaimed our hero. baboon and of Dane. On the eleventh day the Rebiera entered the Straits, “Yes, he was sent up to join the Aurora by the gov-, The repairs of the Latona were all made good by the and the rock of Gibraltar was in sight as the sun went | ernor, but she had left the fleet, and having served his | next en and gn ome ha received his dis- down; after which the wind fell light, and about mid- | time, and a passing day being ordered, he passed, and | charge-t cket, went on board the Rebiera. The gun- night it became calm, and the edup. At sunrise | thought he might as well go home with me and see if | boat was put into the hands of the ag they were roused by the report of heavy ;, and per- | he could make any interest for his promotion. ceived an English iaets about eight yailes furthe IN WHICH OUR HERO, AS USUAL, GETS INTO THE VERY | “From Mr. Gascoigne, who is now on board,” upon Jack fell intoa deep reverie, and thought of the ent, and shortly | afterward purchased by government. The Rebiera’s rup, “Pray, Captain Sawbridge, is the gunboat our prize | erew did not, » owever, 0 their prize-money and the Straits, and more in the mid-channel, nine or yours?’ share of the head-money, for she had seventy men on Oe te an tah boats: which had come sut'trom | “It ought to be wholly yours; but the fact is, by the | board, until their return, but, as they said “ieg ted to attack her. It still continued a dead calm, regulations we share.” broken the ice, and that was eve . Moreover, it the boats of the frigate were all ahead towing her, With all my heart, sir. Will you send an assistant- Bay them confidence in themselves, in their vessel, and rb n e their commander. Our hero weighed a short time ”? | after the Latona, having first Pies leave of Captain so as to bring he roadside to bear upon the Spanish | surgeons on board te look after two of my men who are flotilla, The reverberating of the heavy cannon on ° ~ v a Eomichbooks-com —