The Missing Ship: The Log of the "Ouzel" GalleyKingston, William Henry Giles
General
The Missing Ship: The Log of the "Ouzel" Galley
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Sea stories
No regard, however, was paid to his threats. Some of the more daring of
the crowd leaped forward, springing now on one side, now on the other,
under the idea of escaping the bullets which might be fired at them.
The lieutenant and his two men on this had begun to flourish their
cutlasses, which in such an affray would be of far more use than
pistols, and serve, as before, to keep their assailants from coming to
close quarters; still, as they retreated the mob advanced, and every
moment threatened to make a rush, when by their superior numbers they
must have succeeded in overwhelming the lieutenant and his men and
rescuing their prisoners. At this juncture a loud hurrah was heard, and
a fresh body of seamen came hurrying along the street. The mob no
sooner saw them than the greater number scampered off to a safe
distance, where they gave vent to their feelings by uttering the most
fearful howls and hurling maledictions on the heads of the pressgang;
but the prisoners must have seen that all hope of escape was gone, for
they now quietly submitted to their fate, and when they reached the quay
stepped, as ordered, into the boats.
The man whom Gerald supposed to be O'Harrall was put into his boat. "We
have met before," said Gerald, after they had pulled some little way
down the river; "I wonder you don't know me."
"It must have been a long time ago, then, sir, for I haven't the
slightest recollection of ever having set eyes on you," answered the
man.
"What, were you never on board the _Ouzel Galley_?" asked Gerald.
"Never heard of her till a couple of days ago, when I saw her alongside
the quay," was the reply.
"What, don't you know the name of Carnegan?" said Gerald.
"I may know it--but it isn't my name," answered the man.
"Then perhaps it is O'Harrall," said Gerald.
The man started. "How did you come to know that name?" he asked; adding
quickly, "But that isn't my name either. If you want to know it,
Michael Dillon is my name; and since I am to have the ill luck to be
compelled to serve his Majesty afloat, I intend to show that it's one no
man need be ashamed of."
"It is very extraordinary," thought Gerald. "This man's answers are so
straightforward that I suppose I must have been mistaken." He did not
further question the prisoner. The boats at length reached the ship,
and the captives were sent below under a guard. Mr Foley, at Gerald's
suggestion, gave orders that Dillon especially should be strictly
watched, as should any of them leap overboard, they were sure to have
friends waiting in readiness to pick them up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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