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I'm Jerry Tucker, late Bo'sun in 'is Britannic Majesty's navy, 'Bully-Sawyer, Seventy-four. D'ye get that? Well, now listen again. According to orders I hove anchor and bore up for London very early this morning, but being strange to these 'ere waters, was obleeged to haul my wind and stand off and on till I fell in with a pilot, d'ye see.
"Sarvent, sir name o' Jerry Tucker, late Bo'sun, 'Bully-Sawyer, Seventy-four; come aboard with despatches from his Honor Cap'n Chumly and my Lady Cleone Meredith. To see Mr. Barnabas Beverley, Esquire. To give these here despatches into Mr. Beverley Esquire's own 'and. Them's my orders, sir."
I'm Chumly, Captain John Chumly, plain and without any fashionable varnish. Consequently, though I have commanded many good ships, sloops, frigates, and even one Seventy-four " "The 'Bully-Sawyer, Trafalgar!" added the Bo'sun. "Seeing I am only John Chumly, with a U and an M, I retire still a captain.
Then the enemy's ships opened on us one arter another, the 'Beaucenture, the 'San Nicholas, and the 'Redoutable' swept and battered us wi' their murderous broadsides; the air seemed full o' smoke and flame, and the old 'Bully-Sawyer' in the thick o' it.
"Is that you, John?" inquired Barnabas, with bowed head. "No, sir, axing your pardon, it be only me, Jerry Tucker, Bo'sun, 'Bully-Sawyer, Seventy " "Bo'sun!" With the word Barnabas was upon his feet. "Why, Bo'sun," he cried, wringing the sailor's hand, "how glad I am to see you!" "Mr.
As I lay there I heerd our lads a cheering above the roar and din, and presently, the smoke lifting a bit, I see the Spanisher had struck, but I likewise see as the poor old 'Bully-Sawyer' were done for; she lay a wreck black wi' smoke, blistered wi' fire, her decks foul wi' blood, her fore and mainmasts beat overboard, and only the mizzen standing.
"I'm afraid not," said Barnabas, rather apologetically. "Not 'eerd o' the 'Bully-Sawyer, Seventy-four, Lord, young sir! axing your pardon, but not 'eerd o' the why, she were in the van that day one o' the first to engage the enemy but a cable's length to wind'ard o' the 'Victory' one o' the first to come up wi' the Mounseers, she were.
"Though I'd beg to remind you, sir, as orders is orders, and consequently she's bound to marry 'is Lordship some day " "I want you, John, to know my good friend Bo'sun Jerry," said Barnabas, "a Trafalgar man " "'Bully-Sawyer, Seventy-four!" added the Bo'sun, rising and extending his huge hand.
Up we mounted forthwith, the Tinker gave Diogenes his head, and we bumped and jingled on our way. "Pray, Mr. Todd," I gasped, as we clutched and swayed together, "may I enquire if you have been a soldier or a sailor?" "Both, brother," he answered, "I was a powder-boy aboard the old Bully-Sawyer a powder-monkey and sat on my tub?" "But why on a tub?"
As we bore closer their shot began to come aboard o' us, but the old 'Bully-Sawyer' never took no notice, no, not so much as a gun. Lord! I can see her now as she bore down on their line; every sail drawing aloft, the white decks below the gleam o' her guns wi' their crews stripped to the waist, every eye on the enemy, every man at his post very different she looked an hour arterwards.
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