With Porter in the Essex

"The British government has been threatenin', I reckon," Master Hackett said with an air of great wisdom, "an' the governor himself is countin' on our gettin' the worst of the fight; but there's where he's makin' a mistake, unless it so chances that too many Englishmen come up at the same time."

"We shall have the Essex Junior to help us," I said like a simple, whereupon the old man replied scornfully: —

"What would she amount to in a fight? In an action with a frigate she wouldn't be any force to speak of. A craft carryin' ten 18-pound carronades and ten short sixes, with a crew of only sixty men, would likely be in the way rather than lend any help. No, lad, the Junior ain't to be thought of; an' when we go to quarters, you'll find that she'll get orders to keep at a proper distance, if only for the sake of showin' that we don't put two craft against one. The Phœbe will get fair play, an' no mistake."

There was never a thought in Master Hackett's mind that the commander of the Phœbe might not count on giving us fair play; but the fact was soon made known to us.

"How many men can we muster?" Phil asked.

"What with prize crews, an' them as have been drafted to the Junior, I'm told that there are only two hundred an' twenty-five aboard this 'ere ship, countin' officers, cooks, boys, and sich-like useless raffle."

"How many would likely be on board the Phœbe?"

"A full hundred more than we've got, an' when it comes to boardin', or close quarters where muskets can be used, that extra hundred will count against us terrible."

"Are you growing faint-hearted, Master Hackett?" Phil asked with a laugh; at which question the old man turned upon him savagely.

"An old shellback like me grow faint-hearted? You're talkin' at random, lad! My time is bound to come before many years have passed, an' I only hope to lose the number of my mess while standin' by the guns in a fair fight. A sailorman ain't built to die in his bed, nor does it beseem him to be buried on shore. What he needs to put him out of this world comfortably is the roaring of a broadside, the cheers of his messmates, an' a shot tied to his feet when he's dropped over the rail after havin' done his duty. So that we win the battle, it don't make much difference when I go into the next life; but if you should speak of bein' took prisoner, an' kept cooped up in a cage like that day in an' day out, there's where I might show the white feather, an' small blame to me."

The conversation was taking on altogether too gloomy a turn, more especially since we knew beyond a peradventure that before many days the frigate would be in action, and I put an end to it by proposing that one or the other of us go on deck for a whiff of fresh air.

Phil took advantage of the opportunity; Master Hackett followed him up the ladder, and I was left with only my gloomy thoughts for company, unless one counts the prisoner, as perhaps would be correct, since on this occasion he took it upon himself to be unusually friendly.

"I'm not counting on saying what your chances will be when the Essex meets the Phœbe" he began. "Your people may get the best of her – "

"As we surely will!" I replied angrily, for I did not like the tone of doubt which accompanied the words.

"Very well, say that you whip her handsomely. Do you think it can be done without sacrificing some of your men?"

"Of course we must expect that more than one poor fellow will lose the number of his mess."

"The Phœbe isn't the only ship that's likely been sent out against you; and even though you whip the first two or three you come across, the time must arrive when you'll be too short-handed to work the frigate. In other words, no matter how successful your ship may be, you're bound to come to grief finally."

It was some such thought as this which was in my own mind, and it angered me that the Britisher should put it into words, for I did not relish being reminded of what appeared to be a fact.

"Why should you figure on our meeting vessel after vessel until we no longer have a crew left?" I asked sharply.

"Because it proves that in the long run I shall be set free by my countrymen, and then will come the time when I'll have the upper hand once more."

"Well?" I asked, failing to grasp his meaning.

"Well?" he said with a laugh. "To save your own neck, why not make friends with me now? It isn't to be expected that you could set me ashore; but you might leave the door unlocked by accident, and when the time came that you were in the brig of a British man-of-war, I would do you a good turn."

It surprised me so much, this speech of Benson's, that I allowed him to finish, instead of checking the villain as I should have done when it first dawned upon me that he was proposing I play the traitor.

"Look you, Oliver Benson!" I cried, speaking slowly that the words would have more weight. "If I knew beyond a peradventure that I might save my own life by doing the wicked thing you propose, I would say 'no' with my last breath. If you so much as hint at such a proposition again I will go straight to the captain with the story, and then you may be certain he'll give you a taste of the cat."

"My turn will come before the Essex is out of this scrape, and of that there is no doubt," he replied venomously; and I questioned not but that he would wreak vengeance upon Phil and me whenever the opportunity presented itself.

I was yet in the dumps when Phil returned, refreshed by a sniff of the sea air and a glimpse of the sun; but did not think it well to give him an account of the conversation just held with Benson. In the first place it could do no good, and, secondly, might make him as dispirited as I had become; for a fellow may not speak of death or imprisonment, when one or the other is sure to come soon, without experiencing a certain heaviness of heart which does not tend to mental comfort.

If we were to suffer death or imprisonment as the conclusion of the cruise, there was no good reason for looking forward to it.

Phil reported that the Essex Junior could be seen in the offing; that the frigate was lying near the entrance of the harbor where she could be gotten under way whatever the direction of the wind, and that everything, save the taking down of the bulkheads aft, was in trim for a fight.

"You'd hardly recognize the gun-deck now," he said in conclusion. "The men are not lounging around jawing or spinning yarns; but appear on the alert as if expecting the call to quarters at any instant, and it needs only sand on the deck, so Master Hackett says, to give the proper showing.

"Sand on the deck?" I repeated.

"Ay, so that the planks shall not be slippery when covered with the blood of our men. I am told that it is always strewn around before a ship goes into action."

I could not repress a shudder. It was bad enough to hear Benson talk of what must surely come to us finally, without listening to an account of the preparations made for the actual approach of death.

At that time, when it seemed as if we were cornered like rats, I thought of my home which I had left so many months, and with the thought came a great wonderment that boys should ever be eager to leave their mother's side in order to take part in the wickedness of the world – for surely a war is wicked, whatever the cause.

While I sat there in the darkness, staring at the bars of Benson's prison, I heard again my mother's voice, and for the hundredth time since leaving home realized that she was my best friend; that I had voluntarily left her in order to come at last face to face with death or a lingering imprisonment.

Surely, this world never held a lad so foolish as I had proved myself to be!

CHAPTER XIII

THE BRITISHERS

After making the proposition that I allow him to escape, Benson gave over holding any intercourse with Phil and me. According to orders, we allowed him to come out of the cage every day and pace to and fro on the deck by way of exercise; but he did so in silence, and I was by no means disgruntled because he held his peace.

Master Hackett spent considerable time with us two lads while we were in port awaiting the enemy; but, after the conversation lately set down, he did not indulge in any speculations which might arouse disagreeable thoughts in our minds. Perhaps he understood that, confined in the dark hold, we would quite naturally give ourselves more wholly up to reflection and foreboding than would be possible on the gun-deck, and brooding over possible dangers while we were thus virtually alone would cause them to seem greater than they really were.

Whatever may have been his motive, I noted with satisfaction the fact that he spoke in a more cheery strain of the expected action, and on one or two occasions even went so far as to predict that the Essex would live to carry the stars and stripes around the Horn again.

Both Phil and I had come to believe that when the Britishers did arrive to give us battle, he and I would be forced to remain below, guarding our prisoner, and again and again we questioned the wisdom of setting two to watch one when the frigate was really short-handed.

Despite the cowardly thoughts which we realized would come into our minds as soon as an engagement was begun, we were sad because there seemed to be no chance we should bear our share of it. It would have pleased both of us very decidedly if it could have been possible to sail the Essex into a home port without a severe fight; but since one must come, we were eager to perform our full part, whatever might be the result, and this could not be done if we were forced to act as jailers.

However, this, like many another trouble, was of slight consequence when the decisive moment arrived, as we soon learned.

One morning when the men were beginning to believe that the information regarding the Britishers having passed around Cape Horn was false, Master Hackett came below with every evidence of excitement on his face and in his movements.

"The enemy are in the offin' at last!" he cried, slapping us two lads on the back as if believing he had brought most glorious news.

"Can we see them from the deck?" Phil asked as he leaped toward the ladder, for it was my time of duty.

"No, lad, not yet: but the Junior is headin' for the harbor with signals set that she has sighted the enemy, an' it won't be very long now before we'll be showin' the Phœbe what we're made of!"

Having said this much Master Hackett went swiftly on deck again, and I was left with my own fears and Oliver Benson for company.

I fully expected that he would try once more to persuade me into letting him escape, but fortunately for his own skin he said not a word, and I sat there silent and motionless, trying to picture my behavior in case it should by some lucky chance be possible for me to bear a hand in the action which seemed to be so near at hand.

The moments passed slowly yet quickly, and I believed that a full hour had elapsed when Phil finally showed himself with excuses for having stayed away so long.

"The Junior is close alongside with her anchors down, and Lieutenant Downes is with Captain Porter, most likely getting orders as to how his ship is to be handled during the engagement."

"Can you see the Britisher?" I asked breathlessly.

"Not yet; the boat's crew which brought the lieutenant on board says that they should be off the harbor in an hour at the longest."

"They should be off the harbor. Is there more than one?"

"Ay, two, so it's reported, and Master Hackett says we'll tackle all that come, even if it's a whole squadron."

"He is talking foolishly!" I cried petulantly. "It isn't reasonable to suppose our commander will take any more chances than are absolutely necessary."

"I can't say what he may do; but our people are wild with excitement, and if the decision was left to them I doubt not but that Master Hackett's statement would sound less improbable. Go on deck and have a look around; but give me a chance when the Britishers heave in sight."

I lost no time in acting on his proposition, and as I came into the open air I saw Lieutenant McKnight approaching.

"Well, lads, your disagreeable work has come to an end for a time at least, and I can't fancy that you'll be sorry."

I looked perplexed, as indeed I was, and my cousin added: —

"The prisoner will be sent on board the Junior for a while."

"May I ask why, sir?"

"Because it would not be quite the proper treatment to keep him under fire. As soon as Lieutenant Downes comes on deck again some of our men will be sent below to iron the fellow and bring him on deck for transshipment."

I did not wait to hear more, or even to take a look around; but ran below with all speed to impart the cheering news to Phil.

On hearing what my cousin Stephen had said the lad was almost beside himself with joy; but Benson was overpowered by rage. He tore and beat with his fists at the bars of the cage, now crying out that we should be paid off with interest for treating him in such a manner, and again begging that we ask Captain Porter to allow him to remain on board.

There could be but one cause for his frenzy, which was that he had really made friends with some of the marines, and counted on their aiding his escape during the excitement of a battle.

We gave no attention to either his threats or entreaties; but it was a wonderful relief when three men, headed by Master Hackett, came below, the latter telling us we were free to go on deck since there was nothing we might do to aid them in their work.

I breathed freely for the first time since we had been given charge of the Britisher, when we stepped on the spar-deck and had a look around.

Within half a cable's length lay the Essex Junior, her boat alongside our ship, and in the offing two British men-of-war standing directly into the harbor.

"I wonder if the fighting will be done while we lay at anchor?" I said like a simple that I was, and Phil replied with the air of one who is wiser than his comrade: —

"Certainly not. In the first place, Master Hackett says it is against all the rules for ships to fight in a harbor belonging to a nation with which we are not at war. Then again, it is necessary to manœuvre the frigate while the fighting is going on, and to do that she must be on the open ocean."

"I see no signs of our getting under way."

"Then you must be blind indeed! Notice the men; each is at his proper station, and on the gun-deck the ammunition has already been brought out. Perhaps they have sanded the decks."

I turned away from him impatiently. Of what good was it to mention such a sinister preparation as that? It quickened the blood in one's veins to see the crew standing motionless, ready to execute on the instant the first order which should be given; and made the cold chills run down a fellow's spine to think that measures were being taken to cover that which represented the life of our people.

While I stood, half a coward and half eager to have a hand in the work about to be done, Benson was brought up from below – literally brought up, for he refused to lift hand or foot – and then dropped bodily into the boat alongside.

Lieutenant Downes took his station in the stern-sheets, and the small craft was pulled quickly away, leaving us on the Essex to meet the coming enemy.

The wind fined down as the Britishers came into the harbor, the Phœbe leading the way, and we had a good opportunity of examining them minutely.

I had taken a station by Master Hackett's side, and therefore came to know a good many things which otherwise would have failed of attracting my attention.

"They've taken on extra metal to meet us," the old sailor said with a chuckle, as if such fact pleased him wonderfully. "Thirty long eighteens, sixteen 32-pound carronades, one howitzer, an' six 3-pounders in her tops. That's givin' us the credit of bein' good fighters, even though they do accuse us of not darin' to tackle anything but whalers."

"Did you ever see the other ship, Master Hackett?" I asked.

"Ay, lad, time and time again. She's the Cherub, a 20-gun ship; but now she's carryin' twenty-eight in all – eighteen 32-pound carronades below, with eight 24-pound carronades and two long nines above. There can't be less than two hundred men on board, an' take it all in all, we've got a decently tough job laid out for us; but we'll tackle it in great style, lad. Why, the fact that the Britishers don't care to meet us with such a frigate as the Phœbe alone, is enough to stiffen the backbone of every man jack belongin' to this 'ere craft."

As the leading ship came nearer we could see that her crew was at quarters, and more than one old sea-dog looked aft questioningly, as if expecting our captain would give the word to prepare for action.

Friendly port or not, it seemed very much as if the Britisher was making ready to give us a broadside without the courtesy of hailing.

Nearer and nearer came the Phœbe, forging ahead slowly, and when she was less than a pistol shot distant her commander, Captain Hillyar, hailed, asking after Captain Porter's health as if the two were warm friends.

Our commander answered politely, and then warned the Britisher that he was coming too near.

"If you foul us, sir," Captain Porter cried, "there will necessarily be much confusion, and I cannot be answerable for the consequences."

"I certainly do not meditate making an attack, my dear sir," the Britisher replied with a bow; but there was that in his voice which caused me to believe he was not speaking the truth, and Master Hackett muttered: —

"He'll take us if he gets into position, an' now's the time when our captain should give him somethin' more'n soft talk. If I was in command of this 'ere frigate I'd sink him off-hand."

At that moment the wind shifted, taking the Phœbe suddenly aback, and her bow payed off directly upon the Essex.

It was as if they were minded to board us, and Captain Porter must have believed that such was the case, for suddenly came the command to call away the boarders.

"Now we're in for it, lad!" Master Hackett cried gleefully as he ran to his station, I following close by his side. "The Britisher counts on havin' a scrimmage whether we're in a neutral port or not, an' I reckon we're in the mood to give him all he wants!"

"I do not intend to board you, sir!" the British captain shouted when he saw that we were ready for him, and Captain Porter replied with a warmth that pleased me wonderfully, considering the fact that at heart I am a coward: —

"If your ship fouls this frigate, sir, I shall open upon you, for I am fully prepared for action!"

"I do not intend to board you, sir!" Captain Hillyar cried again; but all the while the Phœbe was creeping nearer to us.

"Stand ready, boarders!" Captain Porter shouted, giving no further heed to the Britisher's announcement. "Get away the instant she touches us, and once on her decks you know your duty!"

By this time the jib-boom of the Phœbe was across our forecastle, and the ship in such a position that we might have sunk her before the Cherub could come near enough to take part in the work. Master Hackett had already laid hold of the spar, and I was alongside of him, never for an instant remembering that I should have been frightened. Phil, a huge cutlass in his hands, was looking about for a place on which to leap; and, taking it all in all, if I had been capable of connected thought, I would have said that neither ship could avoid an action.

Fortunately – there were many aboard us who would say unfortunately– the two frigates did not come into actual contact, and, seeing that he had put his ship into a most dangerous situation, Captain Hillyar began shouting: —

"It is all an accident, sir! I have no intention of opening an engagement!"

While he spoke he waved his hands, the better to attract attention, and otherwise behaved much like a man who is afraid after he has voluntarily got himself into a bad scrape.

Captain Porter gave the word for our men to retire from the forecastle-deck, and the Britisher slowly drifted by, her captain bowing and waving his hat, as well he might, considering the fact that our commander would have been justified in sinking him while it was not possible for him to strike a blow.

How our men raved and stormed when the Englishman went by to the inner harbor uninjured; but they took precious good care that our commander did not hear their angry words.

Then, after the Cherub passed us and joined the Phœbe at a berth nearer the town, leaving our men at liberty to do as they pleased, what a noisy confab went on among the deck lawyers! All were agreed that we should have sunk the Britisher; that the boarders should have been sent away because by coming across us there was every indication that the enemy intended mischief; and again, that there can be but one meaning when a man-of-war approaches with her crew at quarters.

I do not think the men were actually enraged with Captain Porter for not having taken advantage of the opportunity; but they blamed him severely for accepting the apology instead of beginning an action which could have had but one ending, owing to the fact that the Phœbe would surely have been sunk before her consort could creep up.

"Mark my words!" one of the old barnacles shouted. "Captain Porter won't find the Britisher so willin' to let him sneak out of a small hole; an' if the time ever comes when he can get at us unfairly, we may count on his doin' it."

"That's the solemn truth!" half a dozen voices shouted, and I asked Master Hackett to tell me exactly what he thought of the whole affair.

"Well," the old man said slowly and thoughtfully, "I don't feel called upon to rough into our commander simply because he acted the part of a gentleman. That man Hillyar is a bully, or he'd never come into the harbor with his men at quarters, an' I'll lay all my prize money against a herrin', that if he'd found us unprepared, his boarders would have been called away in short order."

"Then you think he really meant to attack us?" Phil, who had just come up, asked.

"What else could he have counted on doin'? He was takin' the chances of gettin' the advantage in some way; but his consort didn't keep quite as near as he'd have liked, an' then when the ship was taken aback, he found himself at our mercy. If he wasn't up to mischief, why should he have come so close alongside before luffin'? Captain Porter wouldn't be fooled by the fine words thrown aboard the Essex when the Britisher was quakin' in his boots; but he acted the gentleman, as sailors always should, an' I ain't the man to blame him, though I do wish he could have seen it in his way to rake the Phœbe when she'd come into such a beautiful position for the work!"

The people aboard the Essex Junior were in quite as high a state of excitement as were we. When word was passed for the boarders, Lieutenant Downes began warping his ship alongside the frigate in order that he might have a hand in the scrimmage, and now the Junior was so near that we could talk in whispers to her crew, who still overhung the rail.

I suppose Captain Porter knew full well how disappointed our people were because of having lost such a fine opportunity. He went below, calling some of the lieutenants after him, and it is in my mind that he did so simply in order that our old shellbacks might have a chance to ease their hearts by hard words.

The Britishers were at anchor, therefore all hands knew we would not have an encounter for some time to come; and after each man had talked himself hoarse over the matter, we began to turn our attention to other things.

Phil and I were eager to learn if Benson would be kept safely on board the Junior, and questioned some of her men regarding the villain.

"Don't worry your heads about him," one of the crew replied with a grin. "We've got no bloomin' marines here, an' every man jack of us has it well in mind that he's to get what's due him this time. He'll stay where he is until we make the home port, unless it so be that some of his friends overhaul us."