In the Eastern Seas Part 41

Day after day we glided on, still favoured by fine weather. The little tent we had brought sheltered the Frau and her charges. Those who had been on watch also were not sorry in the day-time to creep into it and go to sleep. Thus we all obtained sufficient rest, and those alone who have been exposed as we were, can understand how sweet that rest was.

"A sail! a sail!" cried Roger Trew. The beams of the rising sun were s.h.i.+ning on the white canvas of a s.h.i.+p which was hull down a long way to the westward. She seemed to be crossing our course, but whether we could reach her before she had stood to any great distance seemed doubtful. We got out our oars to increase the speed of our raft. How eagerly we all kept looking towards that patch of white just rising above the horizon! We drew nearer and nearer. Perhaps the look-out aloft might have seen us. From the deck of the s.h.i.+p we could scarcely have been visible. Frequently, as we drew nearer, I felt inclined to shriek out and to shout to her to stay for us.

"Do you think she is English?" asked Mr Hooker.

"Little doubt about it," answered Mr Thudic.u.mb. "She is a merchantman, though probably bound round from Singapore to trade with some of these islands, and maybe to go to Sydney, or perhaps up to China."

It seemed very doubtful, however, whether she would perceive us before she had got to a distance. Already she was ahead of us, standing away on the port tack. Our eyes, as they had hitherto been, were still fixed on her.

"See! see! there is lift tacks and sheets!--the helm's a-lee!--she's coming round!" shouted Tarbox. "We are seen! we are seen!"

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN.

OLD ENGLAND REACHED AT LAST--CONCLUSION.

The s.h.i.+p was standing towards us. We had now no doubts of her being a large English merchantman. She was a new s.h.i.+p, too, apparently.

Presently she was hove to. A boat was lowered, and with rapid strokes pulled towards us. "Who are you? Where do you come from?" asked some one in the boat as we lowered our sails.

"Our answer would be a long one, friend," said Mr Sedgwick. "We are English people escaping from a burning mountain."

"You will be welcome aboard our s.h.i.+p at all events," was the answer.

"Here, catch hold of this rope, and we will tow your raft alongside."

A rope was hove to us over the stern of the boat, and without further words we were towed away towards the s.h.i.+p. I eyed her with pleasure. I had often thought that if I once got ash.o.r.e I should never wish to go to sea again. On looking, however, at her fine proportions and trim rigging, I felt that I should be proud to be an officer of such a craft.

Of course we did not move quickly. It was some time before we were alongside. "Come, we must now take you on board," said the officer in the boat. "The ladies first, I conclude." The Frau, Emily, and Grace were handed in. "We can take more, though. Here you, young man, and one of you gentlemen." Mr Hooker followed him into the boat.

An accommodation ladder was let down, as the sea was as smooth as in a sheltered harbour. The Frau was helped up the side first, and the two girls followed. Suddenly I heard a loud shriek of astonishment, and presently whose face should I see but that of my old friend Captain Davenport appearing at the gangway. In another instant he had his daughter Grace in his arms.

"My mother! where is my mother?" exclaimed Grace.

"Here, here, my child!" and Mrs Davenport received her daughter from her husband's arms. Both held her, gazing anxiously at her face.

"You are restored to us, my child," said Mrs Davenport.

"And Emily, our second daughter!" exclaimed the old captain, taking Emily in his arms. She received almost as loving a welcome as Grace had done, and I had ample reason to be thankful for my reception.

I must make a long story short. We found that Captain and Mrs Davenport, after waiting at Singapore for some months, vainly expecting our return, and after having made every inquiry in their power for the missing _Dugong_, had at length given up the search, under the belief that we had been lost in a typhoon. A s.h.i.+p had touched at Singapore whose captain had died, and Captain Davenport having lost so much of his property in the _Bussorah Merchant_, had been compelled to accept the charge of taking her home. He had there been immediately appointed to the command of a new s.h.i.+p--the _Ulysses_. The offer he gladly accepted, as she was, after touching at Singapore, to proceed round the south coast of Borneo, and thus up through the Sea of Celebes to the Philippine Islands and j.a.pan. He had faint hopes of finding us, but yet the opportunity was not to be lost.

Our meeting was indeed wonderful, and we had reason to be thankful that we had been saved the sufferings to which we might have been subjected, and that their anxiety was thus happily ended. I need scarcely say that Mrs Davenport and her husband suffered greatly at the supposed loss of their daughter, while I fully believe they mourned also greatly for us; indeed, they treated both Emily and I as if we were their own children, and nothing could exceed their kindness and attention. Captain Davenport offered to return to Singapore for the sake of landing Mr Hooker and our uncle; but they preferred remaining on board the s.h.i.+p, declaring that they must set to work to replace the treasures they had lost; and as the s.h.i.+p was to remain for several days at every place she touched at, they hoped in a limited degree to do so; but I could not help being amused sometimes at hearing them mourning the loss of their specimens--not, however, so much on their own account as on that of the scientific world in general.

"But surely, uncle," I said one day, "you have saved your note-books, and from them you may give a good deal of information."

"Of course, Walter," he answered. "That is my great consolation. Had it not been for that, I scarcely think I could have survived the terrible disaster."

We had reason to be thankful that we had fallen in with the _Ulysses_, for we had not been on board a couple of days when it came on to blow hard, and so heavy a sea got up, that I suspect our raft would scarcely have held together, or at all events we should probably have been washed off it. I must reserve the notes we made at the fresh places we visited for another occasion.

At length we were once more on our homeward voyage. The first mate of the s.h.i.+p having got appointed to the command of a vessel which had lost her master, Mr Thudic.u.mb took his place. The boatswain also was taken ill, and d.i.c.k Tarbox became boatswain in his stead; while the other men entered as seamen on board the _Ulysses_.

We arrived in England after a prosperous voyage. I told Captain Davenport that I hoped he would allow me to accompany him again to sea, trusting that I might soon obtain a berth as mate on board his s.h.i.+p.

"I should be very glad to have you, Walter," he said; "but I have received some information which will make it your duty, I suspect, to remain on sh.o.r.e. When I was last in England, I saw an account in the newspapers of the death of the surviving children of your father's elder brother, and now he himself has followed them to the grave. As far, therefore, as I can learn, you are heir-at-law to the t.i.tle and estates of Lord Heatherly."

I almost lost my breath as I listened to this information. I could scarcely indeed believe it.

"I think you must be mistaken, my dear sir," I answered. "I never even heard my father say that he was likely to succeed to the t.i.tle."

"Probably not," said Captain Davenport, "as your eldest uncle had two children, and Lord Heatherly had a younger brother; but as all four have since been removed by death, I believe that there is no other heir than yourself."

This information he gave me at his house at Poplar, where Emily and I were residing with him. That very afternoon our uncle, Mr Sedgwick, arrived. He, too, had just heard of the death of my uncle, Mr Heathfield, though he was not aware that all his children were also dead.

"I see that I must bestir myself, Walter, for your and Emily's interests," he observed. "Captain Davenport is right, I am sure, in supposing that you are the heir-at-law to Lord Heatherly, besides which you have inherited some property which would have been your mother's."

My uncle, though an enthusiastic naturalist, was also a man of action.

He proposed immediately setting off to visit Lord Heatherly, and to see whether he would acknowledge my claims.

"I was once well acquainted with his lords.h.i.+p," he observed, "and I think he will attend to my representations. If he does not, we must see how far the law can help us. I have, however, little doubt that he will be ready to acknowledge you as his heir."

The next day a postchaise arrived at the door, when my uncle and I started in it for Hamps.h.i.+re, in which county Lord Heatherly resided. As we neared the house, I observed the sadly dilapidated condition of numerous cottages we pa.s.sed; indeed, the whole property seemed to wear an air of neglect very unusual, I must say, about an English estate. On arriving at the house, the servant who opened the door said that Lord Heatherly was very ill, and could not possibly see strangers.

"But I am not a stranger," said Mr Sedgwick; "and this young gentleman is a relation of his lords.h.i.+p,--indeed, the nearest he has; and probably Lord Heatherly would be glad to see one who will some day succeed to his name and estates."

The manner of the servant immediately changed. "Lord Heatherly, sir, is, I am afraid, dying," he answered; "but I will let his lords.h.i.+p know who has come, and possibly he may be ready to do as you wish. At the same time, pray understand, sir, that it will not be my fault if he refuses to see the young gentleman."

"Of course not, my good man," said Mr Sedgwick.

In a short time the servant returned, saying that Lord Heatherly would see us. We found the old lord lying on a stately bed in a handsome room, a harsh-featured nurse by his side, while a footman stood at the foot of the bed ready to receive orders.

"Mr Sedgwick, I remember you," he said. "Your sister married my cousin.--And so this lad claims to be my heir? Let me look at him. I remember Walter Heathfield's features well. Yes, I can believe that you are his son. I have made no will. All my estates are entailed, and if you can prove that you are next of kin, you will succeed. It matters not to me, though I should prefer that they were inherited by one who has been brought up as a gentleman. I do not wish to dispute your rights, if you are really my heir. The doctors say I am dying. They may be right. I have lived a number of years, and I am pretty well tired of life. You think, young gentleman, that you are about to succeed to a n.o.ble inheritance; but let me tell you that an estate like this entails many cares and responsibilities. The responsibilities I have ignored. Of the cares I have had enough. If you follow in my footsteps, you will find but little satisfaction in the property. It is somewhat heavily enc.u.mbered; and if my brother Jack had succeeded, it would in a short time have been still more so. There, I have given you a few hints; it will be your own fault if you do not take them.

Speaking so much has wearied me. You and Mr Sedgwick are welcome to remain in the house as long as you please. If I am alive to-morrow morning I shall be happy to see you again. You will find dinner prepared for you. And now, good afternoon."

My cousin, who was propped up with pillows, made an inclination with his head, but did not even attempt to hold out his hand. My uncle bowed, and I followed his example as we left the room. We found the servants arranged in the hall, and with many bows they ushered us into the drawing-room. Soon afterwards the housekeeper made her appearance, and begged to learn my commands. I declined, however, giving any, saying that we were but guests in the house of Lord Heatherly, and would trust to her to act as she thought fit. I asked Mr Sedgwick whether he wished to remain.

"Yes, Walter," he said; "I think it will be the best thing to do. If his lords.h.i.+p publicly acknowledges you it will be nine-tenths of the law in your favour; and, indeed, as I cannot learn who else claims to be the heir, I trust that you will have no compet.i.tor."

I had never in my life seen a better entertainment than was in a short time put before my uncle and me. I felt very shy when sitting down at table with so many attendants, and was very glad when dinner was over and they retired. My uncle and I then drew our chairs towards the fire, and talked over my prospects. Certainly the change seemed very great, when I reflected that not a year ago I was living a solitary being, cast away on an island in the Eastern Seas, and that I was now heir to a t.i.tle and a large estate.

During the night I was awaked by hearing the sound of footsteps moving along the pa.s.sage, and soon afterwards there was a rap at the door. I jumped out of bed, and asked who it was. It was the butler, who entered the room and lighted the candles.

"His lords.h.i.+p is very much worse, sir," he said; "and if you wish to see him alive, you should come immediately."

I hurried on my clothes, and, accompanied by Mr Sedgwick, who had also been roused, repaired to Lord Heatherly's room. The doctor was by his side. He made a sign to us to come forward. The dying man opened his eyes and fixed them on me. "He is my heir," he said. "In a few minutes he will be Lord Heatherly, and I shall be dust."

Scarcely had he uttered these words when I saw a fearful alteration take place in his countenance. The medical man held his pulse, and presently I saw him lean forward and close my cousin's eyes, whose last gaze had been fixed on me.

"He is gone," said the doctor, "and I can be of no further service.