Such was one of the incidents in our heros career.
Chapter Two.
Commences the Story
About the beginning of the present century, during the height of the war with France, the little fishing village of Fairway was thrown into a state of considerable alarm by the appearance of a ship of war off the coast, and the landing therefrom of a body of blue-jackets. At that time it was the barbarous custom to impress men, willing or not willing, into the Royal Navy. The more effective, and at the same time just, method of enrolling men in a naval reserve force had not occurred to our rulers, and, as a natural consequence, the inhabitants of sea-port towns and fishing villages were on the constant look-out for the press-gang.
At the time when the man-of-wars boat rowed alongside of the little jetty of Fairway, an interesting couple chanced to be seated in a bower at the back of a very small but particularly neat cottage near the shore. The bower was in keeping with its surroundings, being the half of an old boat set up on end. Roses and honeysuckle were trained up the sides of it, and these, mingling their fragrance with the smell of tar, diffused an agreeable odour around. The couple referred to sat very close to each other, and appeared to be engaged in conversation of a confidential nature. One was a fair and rather pretty girl of the fishing community. The other was a stout and uncommonly handsome man of five-and-twenty, apparently belonging to the same class, but there was more of the regular sailor than the fisherman in his costume and appearance. In regard to their conversation, it may be well, perhaps, to let them speak for themselves.
I tell ee wot it is, Nelly Blyth, said the man, in a somewhat stern tone of voice; it wont suit me to dilly-dally in this here fashion any longer. Youve kept me hanging off and on until I have lost my chance of gettin to be mate of a Noocastle collier; an here I am now, with nothin to do, yawin about like a Dutchman in a heavy swell, an feelin ashamed of myself.
Dont be so hasty, Bill, replied the girl, glancing up at her lovers face with an arch smile; what would you have?
What would I have? repeated the sailor, in a tone of mingled surprise and exasperation. Well, I neverno, I never did see nothin like you women for bamboozlin men. It seems to me youre like ships without helms. One moment youre beatin as hard as you can to windard; the next you fall off all of a sudden and scud away right before the breeze; or, whew! round you come into the winds eye, an lay to as if youd bin caught in the heaviest gale that ever blowd since Admiral Noah cast anchor on Mount Ararat. Didnt you say, not three weeks gone by, that youd be my wife? and now you ask me, as cool as an iceberg, what I would have! Why, Nelly, I would have our wedding-day fixed, our cottage looked after, our boat and nets bought; in fact, our home and business set a-goin. And why not at once, Nelly? Surely you have not repented
No, Bill Bowls, said Nelly, blushing, and laying her hand on the arm of her companion, I have not repented, and never will repent, of having accepted the best man that ever came to Fairway; but
The girl paused and looked down.
There you go, cried the sailor: the old story. I knew you would come to that but, and that youd stick there. Why dont you go on? If I thought that you wanted to wait a year or two, I could easily find work in these times; for Admiral Nelson is glad to get men to follow him to the wars, an Tom Riggles and I have been talkin about goin off together.
Dont speak of that, Bill, said the girl earnestly. I dread the thought of you going to the wars; butbutthe truth is, I cannot make up my mind to quit my mother.
You dont need to quit her, said Bill; bring her with you. Ill be glad to have her at my fireside, for your sake, Nell.
But she wont leave the old house.
Hm! well, that difficulty may be got over by my comin to the old house, since the old ooman wont come to the noo one. I can rent it from her, and buy up the furniture as it stands; so that there will be no occasion for her to move out of her chair.Why, whats the objection to that plan? he added, on observing that Nelly shook her head.
She would never consent to sell the things,not even to you, Bill; and she has been so long the head of the house that I dont think she would like toto
To play second fiddle, put in the sailor. Very good, but I wont ask to play first fiddle. In fact, she may have first, second, and third, and double bass and trombone, all to herself as far as I am concerned. Come, Nelly, dont let us have any more buts; just name the day, and Ill bear down on the parson this very afternoon.
Leaving them to continue the discussion of this interesting point, we will turn into the cottage and visit the old woman who stood so much in the way of our heros wishes.
Mrs Blyth was one of those unfortunates who, although not very old, have been, by ill-health, reduced to the appearance of extreme old age. Nevertheless, she had been blessed with that Christian spirit of calm, gentle resignation, which is frequently seen in aged invalids, enabling them to bear up cheerfully under heavy griefs and sufferings. She was very little, very thin, very lame, very old-looking (ninety at least, in appearance), very tremulous, very subdued, and very sweet. Even that termagant gossip, Mrs Hard-soul, who dwelt alone in a tumble-down hut near the quay, was heard upon one occasion to speak of her as dear old Mrs Blyth.
Beside Mrs Blyth, on a stool, engaged in peeling potatoes, sat a young woman who was in all respects her opposite. Bessy Blunt was tall, broad, muscular, plain-looking, masculine, and remarkably unsubdued. She was a sort of maid-of-all-work and companion to the old woman. Mrs Blyth lived in the hope of subduing her attendantwho was also her nieceby means of kindness.
Who came into the garden just now? asked Mrs Blyth in a meek voice.
Who would it be but William Bowls? sure he comes twice every day, sometimes oftener, replied Bessy; but whats the use? nothing comes of it.
Something may come of it, Bessy, said Mrs Blyth, if William settles down steadily to work, but I am anxious about him, for he seems to me hasty in temper. Surely, Bessy, you would not like to see our Nell married to an angry man?
I dont know about that, replied the girl testily, as she cut a potato in two halves with unnecessary violence; all I know is that I would like to see her married to Bill Bowls. Hes an able, handsome man. Indeed, I would gladly marry him myself if he asked me!
Mrs Blyth smiled a little at this. Bessy frowned at a potato and said Humph! sternly.
Now it happened just at that moment that the press-gang before referred to arrived in front of the cottage. Bessy chanced to look through the window, and saw them pass. Instantly she ran to the back door and screamed Press-gang, as a warning to Bill to get out of the way and hide himself as quickly as possible, then, hastening back, she seized one of old Mrs Blyths crutches, ran to the front door, and slammed it to, just as the leader of the gang came forward.
Meanwhile William Bowls, knowing that if he did not make his escape, his hopes of being married speedily would be blasted, turned to leap over the garden wall, but the leader of the press-gang had taken care to guard against such a contingency by sending a detachment round to the rear.