The Three Admirals Part 50

"I thought you'd turned in," remarked Tom.

"It wouldn't have been of any use; I couldn't have slept had I tried,"

answered Billy, with a sigh. "I want, Tom, to confide a secret to you."

"What is it?" inquired Tom. "You have had no quarrel with any of those military officers, I hope?"

"Oh, no, no," answered Billy. "I know, Rogers, that you were once susceptible of the tender pa.s.sion, and I want to make you my confidant.

I am in love, irretrievably, hopelessly in love, and the fair object of my affections returns it, she a.s.sures me, with the same ardour. But, you know, my income is small. At present I have nothing but my pay, and that will only keep me and allow me a few pounds to spend on tarts and jellies and ice creams, and I should have to give those up at all events, which would be a terrible sacrifice. And then the major, her father, is evidently a hard-hearted, stubborn old fogey, and the mother's a she-dragon. The adorable creature insists that I shall marry her on the first opportunity. She, indeed, proposes that the chaplain should perform the ceremony on board, but I am afraid the captain would not allow that, and I am in a fearful state of perplexity."

"Which of them is it?" asked Tom; "for you appeared equally attentive to both whenever I have seen you together."

"Ah! but you have not observed the glances Angelica has cast at me, nor the blush which mantles on her cheek when I approach. I thought that every one must have observed it, though I desired to keep the matter a secret in my own breast until I confided it to you. We have been s.h.i.+pmates for many years, so that I felt sure I could trust you."

"Indeed you can," answered Tom. "I'll give you the best advice I can.

Don't say anything to any one else for a few days; at all events restrain your ardour, do not commit yourself while the lady remains on board. You can write to her, you know, at any time, when she's safe on sh.o.r.e, then the captain would not interfere. Perhaps, after a little absence, you may find your affection cool; for, from the way you describe her parents, I am, as a friend, bound to tell you that there are some objections to the match, and I am sure the captain would see them."

"I am sure that I shall never love her less than I do now," answered Billy. "I have been thinking of composing some verses to present to her. As you know, I am something of a poet, but I should like to show them to you before I give them."

"Didn't you once begin some to a young lady in Sydney?" asked Tom, slily. "I don't think you ever finished them."

"No, nor did I; still, I thought of completing them now. You must remember that the young lady there gave me no encouragement, but at present I know that they will be received, and my poetic genius will be stimulated. Oh, Tom! it is very delightful to be in love, but it sadly unhinges a man, you know that from experience."

"Bos.h.!.+ If I ever was in love, it is so long ago and I was such a boy at the time, that I have forgotten all about it," answered Tom, not quits liking Billy's remark. "But what about the verses?" he asked.

"I have them in my pocket, as far as I have gone. I would read them by the binnacle lamp but that the helmsman would overhear me. I think, however, I can recollect them. They begin--

"'Angelica, my own beloved, An earthly angel thou!'

"I forget the third line, but the fourth is--

"'Before thy shrine I bow.

"'The jasmine, lily, and the rose, In thee are all entwined.'

"Those third lines bother me, but the fourth I thought of terminating with 'combined.' Perhaps you can help me, Tom?"

"Couldn't you put in something about a sunflower or a poplar," suggested Tom. "The lady in question rather brings to my mind some of the taller productions of nature. You must have remarked she's a head and a half taller than you are, Billy, and Mrs Bubsby even more than that above the major."

"I might begin, 'Tall art thou as the stately pine,' but I think I should be bothered if I had to introduce the sunflower," observed Billy.

"Give them to me," said Tom, "and I will look them over; perhaps I may get the paymaster to help me--he's a capital hand with his pen."

Billy, pulling a paper out of his pocket, gave it to Tom, and after pacing the deck for a few minutes longer went below to turn in, though, he averred, not to sleep. It should have been mentioned that Billy had been promoted before leaving England, and was now junior lieutenant of the s.h.i.+p.

Tom, however, had no opportunity of looking at the verses. The following night the s.h.i.+p was five or six miles from Waterloo Bay, but Jack deemed it prudent to wait until next morning to stand in.

Billy was very miserable at the thoughts of having so soon to part from Angelica.

"I say, Rogers, do you think the captain would let me go on sh.o.r.e just for a day or two? The s.h.i.+p is sure to remain here for some time."

"I'm not so certain of that, and you cannot be spared," answered Tom.

"The captain would smell a rat; depend upon that. He's too sharp-sighted not to have observed what has been going on. I don't think he altogether admires the young lady as much as you do."

"Have you read the remainder of the verses?" asked Billy. "Some of the lines want endings, and some of the verses want lines and rhymes. My ideas are very grand, but I am apt to break down for want of appropriate rhymes."

"I'll find them for you," said Tom. "I've got a dictionary, and I'll run my eye down it, and select as many as you can want."

"I should like to have finished them before she goes on sh.o.r.e," said Billy.

"I don't see how that can be managed," observed Tom. "You can send them to her before we again put to sea; it will be a last tender mark of your affection, and she will appreciate it. If you will write the address on an envelope I will get it sent with the captain's letters."

Billy was contented with this proposal, and turned in until his watch on deck came round. At daylight the _Bellona_ slowly steamed in for the land, for it was very nearly a calm, though heavy undulations rolled on beneath the s.h.i.+p towards the sh.o.r.e. On approaching it the loud roar of the surf was heard. It soon became evident that it would be utterly impossible to land the troops. Jack made a signal to ask how long this state of things would last. The answer was unsatisfactory. It might be for a week or ten days. The troops were greatly wanted, but it would be impossible for them to land, and Captain Rogers was requested to keep close to the coast, that no opportunity might be lost in case the surf should unexpectedly cease. He accordingly put the s.h.i.+p's head round, and was steaming off, when suddenly the engines stopped.

The anchor, of course, was now the only resource, as there was not sufficient wind to enable the s.h.i.+p to claw off the land. As rapidly as possible the anchor was let go. No sooner had it caught the ground, and the cable run out, than the influence of the rollers began sensibly to be felt and the s.h.i.+p began pitching in a very unsatisfactory manner.

Astern was the threatening, barren-looking coast, with a broad line of white breakers das.h.i.+ng savagely on it. On trying the current, it was found setting west by north at the rate of a mile and a half an hour, which, with the swell, would soon have placed the s.h.i.+p in a most dangerous position. Jack himself went below to ascertain the amount of damage to the machinery, and to urge the engineers to work with all speed. The chief engineer looked grave.

"We ought to be in harbour, with smooth water, to accomplish this work,"

he observed; "but we will do our best, sir."

"Should a breeze spring up, we will get under way, and the s.h.i.+p will be far more steady than she is now," answered Jack. "What was the cause of the accident?"

"A flaw, sir, which ought to have been discovered. It is only a wonder that it did not give way before, and I cannot account for its going now.

However, as I said, sir, we will do our best."

"You can do no more, Mr Rivett," answered Jack. "Send for as many hands as you want, if they can a.s.sist you."

"Our own people are enough at present, but we may want them by-and-by,"

was the answer.

Jack returned on deck to find his princ.i.p.al guest looking rather pale.

The major had been often enough at sea to know that a s.h.i.+p caught on a lee sh.o.r.e, with the chance of a heavy gale springing up, was not in a pleasant position. He felt also somewhat physically upset by the unusual motion. The s.h.i.+p was indeed riding uneasily, pulling at her cable as if at any instant she might haul the anchor from the bottom.

Jack ordered another cable to be ranged in case of accident, for, should the bower anchor be carried away, there would be no time to lose in bringing up.

It is an ill wind that blows n.o.body good; and Billy was congratulating himself on the happiness of spending a few more days in the society of Angelica, but the motion of the s.h.i.+p had produced the same effect on her as it had on her papa, and when at length she did appear on deck, Tom remarked that she looked wonderfully yellow about the region of the mouth.

"I say, Billy," he observed, mischievously, "I think it would be very appropriate to compare her to the sunflower now."

In vain Billy tried to console her; she was too miserable to speak. He at length had to lead her below to the door of her cabin.

The calm continued all night, though the weather looked very threatening. In vain the engineers toiled on without ceasing. It might take two or three days even now before the damage could be repaired.

The night came on. The captain, first lieutenant, and master felt too uneasy to turn in. Either the second or third lieutenant remained on the forecastle, ready to issue the necessary orders for letting go the other cable, should the first give way. It held on, however, until morning, but still the same heavy surf as before rolled on the sh.o.r.e, from whence, in answer to Jack's signals, the reply came, "Troops cannot yet land."

"I think, sir, before long, we shall have a breeze," said the master.

"I hope it won't come due south; and from the look of the sky I should say that we shall have it from the south-west, or perhaps from the westward."

"I trust, if we do get it, that it will be from a quarter which will enable us to make sail," answered Jack.

Still hour after hour went by, and no breeze came. At length, towards night, a few ripples were seen on the water. They became more frequent.