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Updated: June 27, 2025
"Our friend `Blueblazes' would have been perfectly happy here," said Desmond, laughing, as he and the captain sat at the wardroom mess table, at which they daily dined. They had had some especial fine fish for dinner that day indeed, they were never at that time on short commons.
Tom looked, as he felt, very unhappy; Dicky Duff and Billy Blueblazes, especially, thought him a hardly-used individual though his older messmates were more inclined to laugh than to sympathise with him.
They had nearly reached the bottom, when they saw Billy Blueblazes and Jerry Bird looking up towards them. The countenances of both wore an aspect of dismay. "What has happened?" asked Tom. "The boat has gone!" answered Billy; "we can't see her anywhere, not even a bit of her wreck."
I would not have gone on if I hadn't thought they were close at our heels." "Nor would I," said Archie; "it's some blundering of that fellow Billy Blueblazes. He must have tumbled off his horse, and Tom wouldn't leave him." The lieutenant could give them very little consolation.
Notwithstanding the heavy fire to which his ship was exposed, Jack continued at his post, firing away till the hour arrived at which he was directed to leave the harbour; and he and his French consort steamed away to rejoin the fleet. Tom was unusually serious during the following day. "I say, Rogers, what's the matter with you?" asked Billy Blueblazes.
Jack had his second lieutenant with him, Mr Norman, his brother, Billy Blueblazes, and about sixty men, among whom were Jerry and Tim Nolan. Adair was accompanied by Desmond, his second lieutenant, and about the same number of men. While the main body of the troops were to assault the pah in front, other parties were sent round to attack it in the rear, as also to cut off the retreat of the enemy.
For his assistants he chose Billy Blueblazes and Peter the black. Billy was not ingenious, but, as the doctor observed, "he could collect wood and blow the bellows."
Dick Needham, though eligible for a much higher rate, had joined as gunner, with Mr Large, who had been with Jack in the Gauntlet, as boatswain. When it was known that Jack was to command the Dragon, several old shipmates volunteered, Jerry Bird and Tim Nolan among them. Tom was much pleased to have his old messmate Billy Blueblazes. Dicky Duff had joined the Eolus.
The steamer must at the same time have been discovered by the pirates, for the junks' sails were hoisted, and the wind favouring them, they stood away towards a channel in the opposite direction. "The villains will soon find they have made a mistake, if they expect to get off that way," observed Tom to Blueblazes. "They will fall from the frying-pan into the fire.
On returning to the deck, Tom and Desmond found Billy Blueblazes fast asleep on the companion hatch; and as they could scarcely keep their own eyes open, they followed the captain's advice and turned in, where they quickly forgot what had happened and where they were. They awoke up for a short time to take supper, and very soon went off to sleep again.
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