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Updated: June 4, 2025
"Hope you'll take me with you, sir." "I should like to have you, Waters, and Tom Tully. By the way, how is he this morning? He got hurt." "Oh, he's all right, sir," said the gunner grinning. "He got a knock, sir, but he didn't get hurt. Nothin' hurts old Tom. I don't believe he's got any feeling in him at all." "Now, if I propose to take them," thought Hilary, "Lipscombe will say they sha'n't go.
Lieutenant Lipscombe appeared with a broad bandage round his head, for his head had been severely cut in his fall, and the pain he suffered did not improve his already sore temper. For though he said nothing, Hilary Leigh could see plainly enough that his officer was bitterly annoyed at having been mastered in cunning and so nearly losing his ship.
On the deck of the little cutter all was in that well-known apple-pie order customary on board a man-of-war, for so Lieutenant Lipscombe in command always took care to call it, and in this he was diligently echoed by the young gentleman who acted as his first officer, and, truth to say, second and third officer as well, for he was the only one to wit, Hilary Leigh, midshipman, lately drafted to this duty, to his great disgust, from on board the dashing frigate Golden Fleece.
For, as he thought matters over, he was compelled to own that, however much Lieutenant Lipscombe might feel disposed to search for him, he had been spirited away so suddenly that it was not likely that success would attend the search.
"The fact is, Mr Leigh," said the admiral kindly, "Lieutenant Lipscombe unwittingly advanced your cause, and it was solely on account of what has occurred coming to my ears that you were to-night put to so severe a proof. Now, good-night. You will receive your despatches to-morrow morning, and lieutenant Anderson will come on board.
He was a lithe, sunburnt fellow, and after looking at him for a few moments with a vague kind of feeling that he had seen him before, Hilary sent a message below, and Mr Lipscombe came up with his hand before his mouth to hide a yawn. "Are you the captain?" said the man. "I command this ship, fellow. What is it?"
"Lipscombe might have found me out by this time; and when I do get out, I'm caught and brought back. But never mind; if they think I'm beaten they are wrong, for I'll get out, if only to show Sir Henry what a mean-spirited fellow he is."
The lieutenant grew more angry, and the carpenter looked at him in the calmest possible way, till in despair, seeing that he was doing no good, but only hindering progress, Lieutenant Lipscombe went aft to his cabin and bathed his eye.
Hilary was still thinking this when he climbed to the deck of the cutter and saluted his officer with the customary "Come on board." Lieutenant Lipscombe was so dissatisfied with the result of Hilary's expedition that he landed himself the next day with a party of the Kestrels and went over and searched the old hall.
Taken altogether that is in connection with his position, and the probability that he might be kept here a prisoner for any length of time, and that most likely he had already been reported by Mr Lipscombe as a deserter there was such a bright prospect held out that Hilary felt for the time extremely weak and ready to give up.
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