Blue Jackets; or, The Adventures of J. Thompson, A.B., Among "the Heathen Chinee": A Nautical NovelGreey, Edward
General
Blue Jackets; or, The Adventures of J. Thompson, A.B., Among "the Heathen Chinee": A Nautical Novel
Greey, Edward
Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Fiction; Seafaring life -- Fiction
Having secured the young lady, the Stingers retraced their steps, and
when night came on they camped. The poor girl would not take rest, but
sat by Thompson, who she persisted in declaring was her deliverer. Jerry
was exceedingly kind and attentive; in fact, he watched her as a brother
would a sister. The situation was most romantic: the lady had been in
great distress, and he the first to find her. "I'd rather ha' done this
than have a hundred pounds given me," he said to Lieutenant Wilton, and
undoubtedly he spoke the truth.
At daylight the party remounted, the lady being accommodated with the
coxswain's steed, he having found a sumpter-horse laden with the
captain's plunder, upon the top of which he perched himself, so as to
keep the young girl in view. The fiddler headed the procession, and
lightened the march by playing patriotic airs. The men felt free and
happy, chatting and laughing like schoolboys. However, they did not
remain long in that blissful state, for on nearing a village Crushe (who
had allowed them to enjoy themselves only on account of the captain's
not expressing a wish otherwise), upon Puffeigh observing they were too
noisy, at once brought them to a sense of their position by ordering
them to "stop their row, unless they wanted to taste the cat." A number
of the vanguard were smoking; and when the lieutenant bawled out his
order, those of the men who had not before indulged in the weed, then
lit their pipes. Observing this, Crushe rode forward and commanded them
to stop smoking. One of the marines, who had displayed great bravery
during the attack on the pirates, upon hearing this order, threw his
pipe away, certainly without intending any disrespect to his officer;
seeing which the bully swore at him, heedless whether the words were
heard by the young lady or not; and after abusing the soldier for some
moments, ordered him to the rear, and placed him under arrest. The man
laughed in his face, and told him that as he was sure of a flogging
anyhow, he preferred staying where he was. Crushe vented his rage in a
further flow of abuse, but determined to let the matter drop until they
arrived on board the ship, besides not caring to say more before the
supernumeraries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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