Jack Archer: A Tale of the Crimea Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  AN ADVENTURE AT GIB

  It was on the 1st of February, 1854, that the "Falcon" sailed fromPortsmouth for the East, and ten days later she dropped her anchor atGibraltar harbor. Jack Archer was by this time thoroughly at home. Inthe week's hard work during the preparation for sea at Portsmouth, hehad learned as much of the names of the ropes, and the various partsof the ship, as he would have done in a couple of months at sea, andhad become acquainted with his new ship-mates. So great had been thepressure of work, that he had escaped much of the practical joking towhich a new-comer on board ship, as at school, is generally subject.

  He had for comrades four midshipmen; one of these, Simmons, hadalready nearly served his time, and was looking forward to the war asgiving him a sure promotion; two others, Delafield and Hawtry, hadalready served for two or three years at sea, although only a year orso older than Jack, while the fourth, Herbert Coveney, was a yearyounger, and was, like Jack, a new hand. There were also in the berthtwo master's mates, young men of from twenty to two-and-twenty. Withall of these Jack, with his high spirits, good-tempered face, merrylaugh, soon became a favorite.

  During the first two days at sea he had suffered the usual agoniesfrom sea-sickness. But before reaching Gibraltar he had got hissea-legs and was regularly doing duty, being on the watch of thesecond lieutenant, Mr. Pierson.

  The wind, which had blown strongly across the Bay of Biscay and downthe coast of Portugal, moderated as the "Falcon" steamed past Cape St.Vincent with its picturesque monastery, and the straits were calm as amill-pond as she slowly made her way along the Spanish coast andpassed Tarifa. Up to the time when she dropped her anchor in the Bayof Gibraltar, the only incident which had happened on the way wasthat, as they steamed up the straits, they passed close by ahomeward-bound P. and O. steamer, whose passengers crowded the sides,and cheered and waved their handkerchiefs to the eastward-bound ship.

  The "Falcon" was not a fast vessel, seldom making, under favorablecircumstances, more than eight knots an hour. She carried sixteenguns, twelve of which were eighteen-pounders. It had been intendedthat the "Falcon" should only stay a few hours at Gibraltar,proceeding immediately she had taken in a fresh supply of coal. Theengineers, however, reported several defects in her machinery, whichwould take three or four days to put in order.

  Jack was pleased at the delay, as he was anxious to set his foot forthe first time ashore in a foreign country, and to visit the famousfortifications of the Rock. The first day he did not ask for leave, ashe did not wish to presume upon his being the first lieutenant'srelation.

  Charles Hethcote differed widely from the typical first lieutenant offiction, a being as stiff as a ramrod, and as dangerous to approach asa polar bear. He was, indeed, a bright, cheery fellow, and although hewas obliged to surround himself with a certain amount of officialstiffness, he was a great favorite among officers and crew.

  It was not till the third day of his stay that Jack, his seniorshaving all been ashore, asked for leave, which was at once granted.Young Coveney, too, had landed on the previous day, and Hawtry, whomJack was inclined to like most of his shipmates, now accompanied him.They had leave for the whole day, and, as soon as breakfast was over,they went ashore.

  "What a rum old place!" Hawtry said, as they wandered along theprincipal street. "It looks as Spanish as ever. Who would have thoughtthat it had been an English town for goodness knows how long?"

  "I wish I had paid a little more attention to history," Jack said. "Itmakes one feel like a fool not to know such things as that when onecomes to a famous place like this. Look at that tall fellow with thetwo little donkeys. Poor little brutes, they can scarcely staggerunder their loads. There is a pretty girl with that black thing overher head, a mantilla don't they call it? There is a woman withoranges, let's get some. Now, I suppose, the first thing is to climbup to the top of the Rock."

  With their pockets full of oranges, the boys started on their climb,which was accomplished in capital time. From the flagstaff theyenjoyed the magnificent view of the African coast across the straits,of Spain stretching away to their right, of the broad expanse of theblue Mediterranean, and of the bay with its ships, and the "Falcon"dwarfed to the dimensions of a toy vessel, at their feet. Then theycame down, paid a flying visit to the various fortifications and tothe galleries, whence the guns peer out threateningly across the low,sandy spit, known as the neutral ground.

  When all this was finished, it was only natural that they should go tothe principal hotel and eat a prodigious luncheon, and then Hawtryproposed that they should sally out for a ramble into Spain.

  They had been disappointed in the oranges, which they found in no waybetter than those which they had bought in England. But they thoughtthat if they could pick them off the trees, they must somehow have asuperior flavor. Accordingly they sallied out by the land gate, passedunquestioned through the line of British sentries, and were soon inthe little village inside the Spanish lines.

  "It's awfully hot," Hawtry said, mopping his forehead. "Who would havethought that it would have been so hot as this in any place in Europein the middle of February? Just fancy what it must be here in July!Look, there is a fellow with two mules. I expect he would let them. Ivote we go for a ride. It's too hot for walking altogether.

  "I say, old boy," he said, approaching a tall and powerfully-builtman, who was smoking a cigar, and leaning lazily against one of hismules; "you let mules, we hire them, eh?"

  The Spaniard opened his eyes somewhat, but made no reply, andcontinued to smoke tranquilly.

  "Oh, nonsense," Hawtry said. "Look here."

  And he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out some silver. Thenhe made signs of mounting one of the mules, and waved his hand overthe surrounding country to signify that he wanted a general ride.

  The Spaniard nodded, held up five fingers, and touched one of themules, and did the same with the other.

  "He wants five shillings a head," Hawtry said.

  "I don't know," Jack said doubtfully. "I don't suppose he knows muchabout shillings. It may be five dollars or five anything else. We'dbetter show him five shillings, and come to an understanding that thatis what he means before we get on."

  The Spaniard, on being shown the five shillings, shook his head, andpointing to a dollar which they had obtained in change on shore,signified that these were the coins he desired.

  "Oh, nonsense!" Hawtry said indignantly. "You don't suppose we're suchfools as to give you a pound apiece for two or three hours' ride onthose mules of yours. Come on, Jack. We won't put up with beingswindled like that."

  So saying the two lads turned away, and started on their walk.

  While they were speaking to the Spaniard, he had been joined by one ofhis countrymen, and when they turned away, these entered into a rapidconversation together. The result was, that before the boys had gonethirty yards, the Spaniard with the mules called them back again, andintimated that he accepted their terms.

  They were about to jump up at once, but the man signed to them tostop, and his companion in a minute or two had brought out two roughrugs which were secured with some cords over the wooden saddles.

  "That's an improvement," Jack said. "I was just wondering how we weregoing to sit on those things, which are not saddles at all, but onlythings for boxes and barrels to be fastened to."

  "I wonder which way we'd better go," Hawtry said, as he climbed upwith some difficulty, aided by the Spaniard, on to one of the mules."My goodness, Jack, this is horribly uncomfortable. I never can standthis. Hi, there! help me down. It would be better a hundred times toride barebacked."

  Accordingly the saddles were taken off, the rugs folded and secured onthe animals' backs by a rope passed round them, and then the boysagain took their seats.

  "I hope the brutes are quiet," Jack said, "for I am nothing of a riderat the best of times, and one feels an awful height at the top ofthese great mules, with one's legs dangling without stirrups."

  "If you find yourse
lf going, Jack," Hawtry said, "the best thing is tocatch hold of his ears. Come on, let's get out of this. All thevillage is staring at us."

  The mules, upon the reins being jerked, and boys' heels brisklyapplied to their ribs, moved on at a fast walk.

  "We shall have to stop under a tree and cut a stick presently," Hawtrysaid. "It will not do to get down, for I should never be able to climbup again. Mind, we must take our bearings carefully, else we shallnever get back again. We have neither chart nor compass. Hallo! herecomes the mules' master."

  They had by this time gone two or three hundred yards from thevillage, and, behind them, at a brisk trot, seated on a diminutivedonkey, was the Spaniard.

  "Perhaps it's best he should come," Jack said. "There will be no fearof being lost then, and if one of us gets capsized, he can help him upagain."

  Upon the Spaniard coming up to them, he gave a sharp shout to themules, at the same time striking the donkey on which he rode with astick. Instantly the mules, recognizing the signal, started into asharp trot, the first effect of which was to tumble Hawtry from hisseat into the road, Jack with difficulty saving himself by clutchingwildly at the mane.

  "Confound it!" Hawtry exclaimed furiously, as he regained his feet, tothe Spaniard. "Why didn't you say what you were going to be up to?Starting the ship ahead at full speed without notice! I believe I'vebroken some of my ribs. Don't you laugh too soon, Jack. It will beyour turn next."

  The Spaniard helped Hawtry to regain his seat, and they were soonclattering along the dusty road at a brisk rate, the boys quicklygetting accustomed to the pace, which, indeed, was smooth and easy.For hours they rode on, sometimes trotting, sometimes walking, takingno heed whither they were going, and enjoying the novelty of the ride,the high cactus hedges, the strange vegetation, little villages hereand there, sometimes embowered in orange trees, and paying no heed totime.

  Presently Jack exclaimed,--

  "I say, Hawtry, it must be getting late. We have been winding andturning about, and I have not an idea how far we are now from Gib. Wemust be through the gates by gun-fire, you know."

  They stopped, and by pantomime explained to the Spaniard that theywanted to get back again as soon as possible.

  He nodded, made a circle with his arm, and, as they understood,explained that they were making a circuit, and would arrive ere longat their starting-place.

  For another hour and a half they rode along, chatting gayly.

  "I say, Jack," Hawtry exclaimed suddenly, "why, there's the sun prettynearly down, and here we are among the hills, in a lonelier lookingplace than we have come to yet. I don't believe we're anywhere nearGib. I say, old fellow, it strikes me we're getting into a beastlymess. What on earth's to be done?"

  They checked their mules, and looked at each other.

  "What can the Spaniard's game be, Hawtry? We've had a good fiveshillings' worth."

  "Let us take our own bearings," Hawtry said. "The sun now is nearly onour left. Well, of course, that is somewhere about west-sou-west, sowe must be going northward. I don't think that can be right. I'm sureit can't. Look here, you fellow, there is the sun setting there"--andhe pointed to it--"Gibraltar must lie somewhere over there, and that'sthe way we mean to go."

  The Spaniard looked surly, then he pointed to the road ahead, andindicated that it bent round the next spur of the hill, and made adetour in the direction in which Hawtry indicated that Gibraltar mustlie.

  "What on earth shall we do, Jack? If this fellow means mischief, weare in an awkward fix. I don't suppose he intends to attack us,because we with our dirks would be a match for him with that longknife of his. But if he means anything, he has probably got some otherfellows with him."

  "Then hadn't we better go in for him at once," Jack said, "before hegets any one to help him?"

  Hawtry laughed.

  "We can hardly jump off our mules and attack him without any specificreason. We might get the worst of it, and even if we didn't how shouldwe get back again, and how should we account for having killed ourmule-driver? No. Whatever we are in for, we must go through with itnow, Jack. Let us look as though we trusted him."

  So saying, they continued on the road by which they had previouslytravelled.

  "I don't believe," Hawtry said, after a short silence, "that they canhave any idea of cutting our throats. Midshipmen are not in the habitof carrying much money about with them, but I have heard of Guerillascarrying people off to the mountains and getting ransoms. There, weare at the place where that fellow said the road turned. It doesn'tturn. Now, I vote we both get off our mules and decline to go a stepfarther."

  "All right," Jack said. "I shall know a good deal better what I amdoing on my feet than I shall perched up here!"

  The two boys at once slid off their mules to the ground.

  "There is no turning there," Hawtry said, turning to the hill. "Youhave deceived us, and we won't go a foot farther," and turning, thelads started to walk back along the road they had come.

  The Spaniard leapt from his donkey, and with angry gesticulationendeavored to arrest them. Finding that they heeded not his orders, heput his hand on his knife, but in a moment the boys' dirks flashed inthe air.

  "Now, my lad," Hawtry said. "Two can play at that game, and if youdraw that knife, we'll let daylight into you."

  The Spaniard hesitated, then drew back and gave a loud, shrill whistlewhich was, the boys fancied, answered in the distance.

  "Come on, Jack. We must run for it. We can leave this lumberingSpaniard behind, I have no doubt," and sheathing their dirks, the boysset off at full speed.

  The Spaniard appeared inclined to follow them, but distrusting hispowers, he paused, gave a long, shrill whistle, twice repeated, andthen mounted his donkey and driving the mules before him, he followedthe boys at a hand gallop.

  They had, however, a good start, and maintained their advantage.

  "I don't think," Jack said, "we have passed a village for the lasthour. When we get to one, we'd better rush into a house, and ask forshelter. These fellows will hardly dare to touch us there."

  Had the race been simply between the boys and their immediate pursuer,it is probable that they would have won it, for they were light,active, and in good condition, while the animals behind them hadalready been travelling for five hours, at a rate considerably abovethe speed to which they were accustomed. The road, however, was anexceedingly winding one, which gave time to the confederates of themule-driver to make a short cut, and, as the boys turned a sharpcorner, they saw three men barring the road in front.

  "It's all up, Jack," Hawtry said, pausing in his run. "It's no usemaking any resistance. We should only get our throats cut straightoff."

  Jack agreed, and they walked up to the men in front just as themuleteer came galloping up with his troupe.

  "What do you want with us?" Hawtry said, advancing to the men.

  There was a volley of maledictions at the run they had given them. Theboys were seized by the collar, their dirks, watches, and moneyroughly taken from them, their arms tied to their sides by the ropestaken from the mules, and they were motioned to accompany theircaptors. These at once left the road and struck up the hill, themuleteer proceeding along the road with the animals.

  With their arms tied, the boys found it hard work to keep up withtheir captors, who strode along with long steps. The sun had by thistime sunk, and presently they heard the distant boom of the sunset gunfrom Gibraltar.

  "That gun must be fifteen miles away," Hawtry said. "What fools wehave been, Jack, to be sure!"

  In one of the three men who accompanied them they recognized thepeasant who had spoken to the muleteer when he refused to accept theirfirst offer, and they had no doubt that he had arranged with the manto lead them to a certain spot, to which he had proceeded direct,while their guide had conducted them by a circuitous route.

  They walked for four hours without a pause, ever ascending among thehills, until they at last reached a sort of plateau, upon which somesix or eight men were g
athered round a fire. Upon three sides the hillrose abruptly, on the fourth the ground sloped away, and in front,seemingly almost at their feet, some 2000 feet below them stretchedaway the waters of the Mediterranean, sparkling in the moonlight.

  "They have got something to eat that smells nice," Jack said, as theyapproached the fire. "I hope to goodness they are going to give ussome. I feel awfully peckish."

  The men gathered round the fire rose at the approach of thenew-comers, and an animated conversation took place. Then the boyswere motioned to sit down, and the rest threw themselves round thefire. Some meat which was roasting on a rough spit over it was takenoff, and one of the men undid the cords which tied their arms, and ashare of the meat was given them.

  "This is stunning," Jack said. "What on earth is it? It does not tasteto me like mutton, or beef, or pork, or veal."

  "I fancy it's kid," Hawtry said. "Well, it is evident they have noidea of cutting our throats. If they had been going to do that, theywould have done it a quarter of a mile after we left the road. Isuppose they are going to try to get a ransom for us. Where it'scoming from as far as I'm concerned, I don't know, for my father is aclergyman, and has as much as he can do to make ends meet, for thereare eight of us and I'm the eldest."

  "It's an awful fix altogether," Jack said. "And anyhow, we shall loseour ship and get into a frightful row, and, if somebody won't pay ourransom, I suppose they will knock us on the head finally. The bestthing, you know, will be for us to make our escape."

  "But how on earth are we to do that?" Hawtry said. "There are ten ofthem, and I see a lot of guns piled there."

  "Oh, I daresay we shall see some chance," Jack said cheerfully. "Wemust think it over. Jack Easy, Peter Simple, and all those fellowsused to get into worse scrapes than this, and they always managed toget out of them somehow; so why shouldn't we? The best thing is, justto think what one of them would have done if he had been in our place.I wish to goodness that we had Mesty prowling about somewhere; hewould get us out in no time."

  Hawtry answered with a grunt, and devoted himself to his kid.Presently Jack spoke again.

  "Look here, Hawtry, I vote that to begin with we both pretend to be inan awful funk. If they think that we are only two frightened boys,they won't keep as sharp a watch over us as if they thought we weredetermined fellows, likely to attempt our escape. There is the seadown there in front of us, and there are sure to be villages on thecoast. Therefore we shall know which way to go if we once manage toescape, and, if we can get down there, we can either claim theprotection of the head man in the village, or we can take a boat andmake off to sea."

  When the meal was over, one of the men, who appeared to be the leader,rose and come to the boys. Pointing to himself, he said, "Pedro," toanother "Sancho," to a third "Garcia."

  "He wants to know our names," Jack said, and pointing to hiscompanion, he said, "Hawtry," and to himself "Archer."

  The Spaniard nodded and resumed his seat, when an animatedconversation took place. Jack, in the meantime, began to enact thepart which he had arranged, turning over upon his face, and at timesmaking a loud, sobbing noise.

  Hawtry, after hesitating for some time, seconded his efforts byburying his face in his hands, and appearing also to give way toviolent grief.