In the King's Name Part 54

"Stop!" cried the officer. "Why have you done that, sir, without my permission?"

This was too much for Hilary, and he spoke out: "Because, sir, I am in command here, and there is no occasion for the men to row any longer."

"I insist, sir, upon their keeping on with the towing."

"And I insist, sir," replied Hilary, "on the men returning on board."

"I shall report your conduct," cried his officer.

"Do so, sir," replied Hilary, "if you think it your duty. In with you, my lads. Let go the halyards there, and down with that squaresail.

Quick with those boats. There will be a squall upon us directly."

He had proved himself on the alert, guided as he had been by the signs of the weather, and the great squaresail had hardly been lowered, the boats made snug, and a reef or two taken in the mainsail, before the wind came with a sharp gust, and the next minute the _Kestrel_ was sending the water surging behind her in a long track of foam.

"Ah! that's better," cried the officer, whose ill-humour seemed to vanish on the instant. "How painful it is, Mr Leigh, to be lying like a log, and all the time with important despatches to deliver!"

"It is, sir," said Hilary quietly.

"I declare there were times when I felt disposed to jump overboard and to swim on with the despatches."

"Rather a long swim," said Hilary drily; and he thought it rather odd that the other should think of swimming on with the papers that he had locked up in the cabin despatch-box, and that again in a locker for safety.

"Well, yes," said the other, "it would have been a long swim. But tell me, Mr Leigh, about what time do you think we shall make Dunkerque?"

"If this wind holds good, sir, by eight o'clock to-morrow morning."

"Not till eight o'clock to-morrow morning!" cried the other furiously.

"Good heavens! how we crawl! There, have the reefs shaken out of that mainsail, and send the cutter along."

Hilary looked aloft, and then at the way in which the cutter lay over, dipping her bowsprit from time to time in the waves.

"I think she has as much canvas upon her as she can bear, sir."

"Absurd! nonsense! You can get two or three knots more an hour out of a cutter like this."

"I could get another knot an hour out of her, sir, by running the risk of losing one of her spars; and that means risking the delivery of the despatches."

"Look here, Mr Leigh," said the officer; "you seem to be doing all you can to delay the delivery of these despatches. I order you, sir, to shake out the reefs of that mainsail."

Hilary took up the speaking-trumpet to give the order, but as he held it to his lips he felt that he would be doing wrong. He knew the cutter's powers intimately. He saw, too, that she was sailing her best, and he asked himself whether he would not be doing wrong by obeying what was, he felt, an insensate command. Surely there must be some limit to his obedience, he thought; and more than ever he felt what a peculiar position was that in which he had been placed, and he wondered whether Captain Charteris could be aware of the peculiar temperament of his companion.

Hilary lowered the speaking-trumpet, as the cutter rushed on through the darkness.

"Well, sir," said his companion, "you heard my orders?"

"I did, sir," replied Hilary. "Here, bosun."

"Ay, ay, sir."

"How much more canvas will the cutter bear?"

"Bear, sir?" said the experienced old salt; "begging your pardon, sir, I was going to ask you if you didn't think it time to take a little off if you don't want the mast to go."

"Silence, sir!" said the officer. "Mr Leigh, these despatches must be delivered at all hazards. I order you again, sir, to risk more canvas."

Hilary stood for a moment undecided, and his thoughts flashed rapidly through his brain.

This man was unreasonable. He did not understand the _Kestrel's_ powers, for she was already das.h.i.+ng at headlong speed through the sea, and he wanted him to run an unwarrantable risk. At all hazards he would refuse. He knew his duty, he felt that he was a better seaman than his mentor, and he turned to him quietly:

"My orders were, sir, to refer to you for advice in times of emergency; but I was not told to run risks that my commonsense forbids. The cutter will bear no more canvas, sir, for the wind is increasing. In half an hour we shall have to take in another reef."

"If you dare!" said the officer, laying his hand upon his sword.

"I dare do my duty, sir," replied Hilary, ignoring the gesture; and the cutter dashed on through the darkness of the night.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

DELIVERING DESPATCHES.

The men had been witnesses of all that took place, and had heard the officer's angry words, respecting which they talked in a low tone, Billy Waters more than once saying that he didn't like the lookout forrard-- the "forrard" being the future, and not the sea beyond the cutter's bows.

As the night wore on the officer had become very friendly. "I was wrong, Mr Leigh. Put it down, please, to my anxiety. I beg your pardon."

"Granted," said Hilary frankly. "I would not oppose you, sir, if I did not feel that I was right."

"I am glad I am in the company of so clever a young officer," the other replied. "Now about rest. I am too anxious to lie down to sleep. I will take charge of the deck while you go and get a few hours' rest."

"Thank you, no," said Hilary quietly; "I, too, am anxious, and I shall not be able to sleep till we are in port and the despatches are delivered."

"But there is no need for both of us to watch, my dear sir," said the other blandly.

"Then pray go below, sir," said Hilary. "You may depend on me."

The officer did not reply, but took a turn or two up and down, and as the time glided on he tried again and again to persuade Hilary to go below, which, in his capacity of chief officer, holding his first command on a dark night and upon an important mission, he absolutely refused to do.

Towards morning on two occasions the officer brought him gla.s.ses of spirits and water, which Hilary refused to take; and at last, fearing to make him suspicious, the officer desisted and stood leaning with his back against the side, wrapped in a cloak, for it was very cold.

The light in front of the wheel shone faintly upon him as Hilary walked slowly fore and aft, visiting the lookout man at the bows and the man at the wheel; and at last, in the gloomy darkness of the winter's morning, Hilary saw the Dunkerque lights.

"We're in sight of port, Mr Anderson," he said as he walked aft.

"Indeed!" said the other starting, and the wind gave his cloak a puff, showing for a moment what Hilary saw was the b.u.t.t of a pistol.

"What does he want with pistols?" said Hilary to himself; and after a short conversation he again went forward, feeling curiously suspicious, though there seemed to be no pegs upon which his suspicions could hang.

But he was not long kept in suspense and doubt. When they were about a couple of miles from the entrance to the port a boat manned by eight rowers came towards them, and Hilary noticed it directly.