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As I approached him the poor fellow groaned rather than spoke. "Thank God that you're able to move at last, Mr Grenvile! I was mortal afraid that 'twas all up with you when you toppled over just now.
"Thank you, sir!" said I. "I am very much obliged to you for your continued confidence in me, which you shall find has not been misplaced; and, as to my health, I really think I shall get well quicker at sea than I should by remaining here on the coast. May I have San Domingo again as cabin steward, sir?" "Why, yes, certainly, if you like, Mr Grenvile," answered the captain good-naturedly.
The brig I took to be a craft of about our own size, say some three hundred tons, while the schooner appeared to be about two hundred tons. I had just ascertained these particulars when the voice of the skipper came pealing up to me from the stern-grating, near which he stood, with Mr Seaton alongside of him. "Well, Mr Grenvile, what do you make of them?"
I, however, heard a very gentle and musical voice say: "How do you do, Mr Grenvile? I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. Lucy, dear, please throw open the jalousies. We are so dark here that Mr Grenvile cannot see where he is."
"Why," answered Chips, "that brig that chased us you remember, Mr Grenvile? turns out to be a regular pirate. As they ranged up alongside of us they poured in a whole broadside of grape that knocked you over, and killed five outright, woundin' six more, includin' yourself, after which of course they had no difficulty in takin' the schooner.
I was probably the most elated young man on the West Coast that afternoon as I hurried from the commodore's presence and made my way aboard the sweet little Francesca, where I found the whole of my former crew, Keene included, already installed. "Hullo, Grenvile, what is the meaning of this?" was his enquiry as I went up the vessel's low side and passed through the gangway. "What's in the wind?
Sir William Waller, indeed, commanded for the Parliament in those parts too, and particularly in Dorsetshire, Hampshire, and Berkshire, where he carried on their cause but too fast; but farther west, Sir Nicholas Slanning, Sir Ralph Hopton, and Sir Bevil Grenvile had extended the king's quarters from Cornwall through Devonshire, and into Somersetshire, where they took Exeter, Barnstaple, and Bideford; and the first of these they fortified very well, making it a place of arms for the west, and afterwards it was the residence of the queen.
He served the King successfully in the west of England, and was dangerously wounded at Newbury. He was entrusted by Charles II. to negotiate with General Monk. Monk's brother was vicar of Kelkhampton, so that Grenvile and Monk would in all probability be well acquainted before the time of the negotiation.
Now, I want you to understand, Mr er Grenvile, that I'm not sayin' this because he and I don't happen to get on very well together which is a fact; I'm not jealous of him, or of his position, because I couldn't fill it if 'twas offered to me I'm not a good enough navigator for that, but I think it's only right I should tell you that, as like as not, he'll not only blow me up sky-high for pickin' you and your men up, when he finds out that you're aboard, but, maybe well, I dunno whether he'll go quite so far as that, but he may refuse to let you stay aboard, and order you to take to your boats again.
"Yes, yes, that's right, Grenvile," agreed the general as he stood beside me, very upright and stern-looking, his lips white, but the eager light of battle already kindling in his eyes. "It will be a saving of time in the long run." "I certainly think so," said I. "Now, my man, heave ahead with your yarn."
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