The Pilot (11 page)

The young men smiled as the tough old seaman uttered his sentiments so
frankly, rising with his subject, to that which with him was the climax
of all discussion; but his commander, who was but a more improved
scholar from the same rough school, appeared to understand his arguments
entirely, and without altering a muscle of his rigid countenance, he
required the opinion of the junior lieutenant.

The young man spoke firmly, but modestly, though the amount of what he
said was not much more distinct than that uttered by the master, and was
very much to the same purpose, with the exception that he appeared to
entertain no personal reluctance to trusting himself on dry ground.

The opinions of the others grew gradually more explicit and clear, as
they ascended in the scale of rank, until it came to the turn of the
captain of marines to speak. There was a trifling exhibition of
professional pride about the soldier, in delivering his sentiments on a
subject that embraced a good deal more of his peculiar sort of duty than
ordinarily occurred in the usual operations of the frigate.

"It appears to me, sir, that the success of this expedition depends
altogether upon the manner in which it is conducted." After this lucid
opening, the soldier hesitated a moment, as if to collect his ideas for
a charge that should look down all opposition, and proceeded. "The
landing, of course, will be effected on a fair beach, under cover of the
frigate's guns, and could it be possibly done, the schooner should be
anchored in such a manner as to throw in a flanking fire on the point of
debarkation. The arrangements for the order of march must a good deal
depend on the distance to go over; though I should think, sir, an
advanced party of seamen, to act as pioneers for the column of marines,
should be pushed a short distance in front, while the baggage and
baggage-guard might rest upon the frigate, until the enemy was driven
into the interior, when it could advance without danger. There should be
flank-guards, under the orders of two of the oldest midshipmen; and a
light corps might be formed of the topmen to co-operate with the
marines. Of course, sir, Mr. Griffith will lead, in person, the musket-
men and boarders, armed with their long pikes, whom I presume he will
hold in reserve, as I trust my military claims and experience entitle me
to the command of the main body."

"Well done, field-marshal!" cried Barnstable, with a glee that seldom
regarded time or place; "you should never let salt-water mould your
buttons; but in Washington's camp, ay! and in Washington's tent, you
should swing your hammock in future. Why, sir, do you think we are about
to invade England?"

"I know that every military movement should be executed with precision,
Captain Barnstable," returned the marine. "I am too much accustomed to
hear the sneers of the sea-officers, to regard what I know proceeds from
ignorance. If Captain Munson is disposed to employ me and my command in
this expedition, I trust he will discover that marines are good for
something more than to mount guard and pay salutes." Then, turning
haughtily from his antagonist, he continued to address himself to their
common superior, as if disdaining further intercourse with one who, from
the nature of the case, must be unable to comprehend the force of what
he said. "It will be prudent, Captain Munson, to send out a party to
reconnoitre, before we march; and as it may be necessary to defend
ourselves in case of a repulse, I would beg leave to recommend that a
corps be provided with entrenching tools, to accompany the expedition.
They would be extremely useful, sir, in assisting to throw up field-
works; though, I doubt not, tools might be found in abundance in this
country, and laborers impressed for the service, on an emergency."

This was too much for the risibility of Barnstable, who broke forth in a
fit of scornful laughter, which no one saw proper to interrupt; though
Griffith, on turning his head to conceal the smile that was gathering on
his own face, perceived the fierce glance which the pilot threw at the
merry seaman, and wondered at its significance and impatience. When
Captain Munson thought that the mirth of the lieutenant was concluded,
he mildly desired his reasons for amusing himself so exceedingly with
the plans of the marine.

"'Tis a chart for a campaign!" cried Barnstable, "and should be sent off
express to Congress, before the Frenchmen are brought into the field!"

"Have you any better plan to propose, Mr. Barnstable?" inquired the
patient commander.

"Better! ay, one that will take no time, and cause no trouble, to
execute it," cried the other; "'tis a seaman's job, sir, and must be
done with a seaman's means."

"Pardon me, Captain Barnstable," interrupted the marine, whose jocular
vein was entirely absorbed in his military pride; "if there be service
to be done on shore, I claim it as my right to be employed."

"Claim what you will, soldier; but how will you carry on the war with a
parcel of fellows who don't know one end of a boat from the other?"
returned the reckless sailor. "Do you think that a barge or a cutter is
to be beached in the same manner you ground firelock, by word of
command? No, no, Captain Manual—I honor your courage, for I have seen
it tried, but d—e if—"

"You forget, we wait for your project, Mr. Barnstable," said the
veteran.

"I crave your patience, sir; but no project is necessary. Point out the
bearings and distance of the place where the men you want are to be
found, and I will take the heel of the gale, and run into the land,
always speaking for good water and no rocks. Mr. Pilot, you will
accompany me, for you carry as true a map of the bottom of these seas in
your head as ever was made of dry ground. I will look out for good
anchorage; or if the wind should blow off shore, let the schooner stand
off and on, till we should be ready to take the broad sea again. I
would land, out of my whaleboat, with long Tom and a boat's crew, and
finding out the place you will describe, we shall go up, and take the
men you want, and bring them aboard. It's all plain sailing; though, as
it is a well-peopled country, it may be necessary to do our shore work
in the dark."

"Mr. Griffith, we only wait for your sentiments," proceeded the captain,
"when, by comparing opinions, we may decide on the most prudent course."

The first lieutenant had been much absorbed in thought during the
discussion of the subject, and might have been, on that account, better
prepared to give his opinion with effect. Pointing to the man who yet
stood behind him, leaning on a gun, he commenced by asking:

"Is it your intention that man shall accompany the party?"

"It is."

"And from him you expect the necessary information, sir, to guide our
movements?"

"You are altogether right."

"If, sir, he has but a moiety of the skill on the land that he possesses
on the water, I will answer for his success," returned the lieutenant,
bowing slightly to the stranger, who received the compliment by a cold
inclination of his head. "I must desire the indulgence of both Mr.
Barnstable and Captain Manual," he continued, "and claim the command as
of right belonging to my rank."

"It belongs naturally to the schooner," exclaimed the impatient
Barnstable.

"There may be enough for us all to do," said Griffith, elevating a
finger to the other, in a manner and with an impressive look that was
instantly comprehended. "I neither agree wholly with the one nor the
other of these gentlemen. 'Tis said that, since our appearance on the
coast, the dwellings of many of the gentry are guarded by small
detachments of soldiers from the neighboring towns."

"Who says it?" asked the pilot, advancing among them with a suddenness
that caused a general silence.

"I say it, sir," returned the lieutenant, when the momentary surprise
had passed away.

"Can you vouch for it?"

"I can."

"Name a house, or an individual, that is thus protected?"

Griffith gazed at the man who thus forgot himself in the midst of a
consultation like the present, and yielding to his native pride,
hesitated to reply. But mindful of the declarations of his captain and
the recent services of the pilot, he at length said, with a little
embarrassment of manner:

"I know it to be the fact, in the dwelling of a Colonel Howard, who
resides but a few leagues to the north of us."

The stranger started at the name, and then raising his eye keenly to the
face of the young man, appeared to study his thoughts in his varying
countenance. But the action, and the pause that followed, were of short
continuance. His lip slightly curled, whether in scorn or with a
concealed smile, would have been difficult to say, so closely did it
resemble both, and as he dropped quietly back to his place at the gun,
he said:

"'Tis more than probable you are right, sir; and if I might presume to
advise Captain Munson, it would be to lay great weight on your opinion."

Griffith turned, to see if he could comprehend more meaning in the
manner of the stranger than his words expressed, but his face was again
shaded by his hand, and his eyes were once more fixed on the chart with
the same vacant abstraction as before.

"I have said, sir, that I agree wholly neither with Mr. Barnstable nor
Captain Manual," continued the lieutenant, after a short pause. "The
command of this party is mine, as the senior officer, and I must beg
leave to claim it. I certainly do not think the preparation that Captain
Manual advises necessary; neither would I undertake the duty with as
little caution as Mr. Barnstable proposes. If there are soldiers to be
encountered, we should have soldiers to oppose them; but as it must be
sudden boat-work, and regular evolutions must give place to a seaman's
bustle, a sea-officer should command. Is my request granted, Captain
Munson?"

The veteran replied, without hesitation:

"It is, sir; it was my intention to offer you the service, and I rejoice
to see you accept it so cheerfully."

Griffith with difficulty concealed the satisfaction with which he
listened to his commander, and a radiant smile illumined his pale
features, when he observed:

"With me then, sir, let the responsibility rest. I request that Captain
Manual, with twenty men, may be put under my orders, if that gentleman
does not dislike the duty." The marine bowed, and cast a glance of
triumph at Barnstable. "I will take my own cutter, with her tried crew,
go on board the schooner, and when the wind lulls, we will run in to the
land, and then be governed by circumstances."

The commander of the schooner threw back the triumphant look of the
marine, and exclaimed, in his joyous manner:

'"Tis a good plan, and done like a seaman, Mr. Griffith. Ay, ay, let the
schooner be employed; and if it be necessary, you shall see her anchored
in one of their duck-ponds, with her broadside to bear on the parlor-
windows of the best house in the island! But twenty marines! they will
cause a jam in my little craft."

"Not a man less than twenty would be prudent," returned Griffith. "More
service may offer than that we seek."

Barnstable well understood his allusion, but still he replied:

"Make it all seamen, and I will give you room for thirty. But these
soldiers never know how to stow away their arms and legs, unless at a
drill. One will take the room of two sailors; they swing their hammocks
athwart-ships, heads to leeward, and then turn out wrong end uppermost
at the call. Why, damn it, sir, the chalk and rottenstone of twenty
soldiers will choke my hatches!"

"Give me the launch, Captain Munson!" exclaimed the indignant marine,
"and we will follow Mr. Griffith in an open boat, rather than put
Captain Barnstable to so much inconvenience."

"No, no, Manual," cried the other, extending his muscular arm across the
table, with an open palm, to the soldier; "you would all become so many
Jonahs in uniform, and I doubt whether the fish could digest your
cartridge-boxes and bayonet-belts. You shall go with me, and learn, with
your own eyes, whether we keep the cat's watch aboard the Ariel that you
joke about."

The laugh was general, at the expense of the soldier, if we except the
pilot and the commander of the frigate. The former was a silent, and
apparently an abstracted, but in reality a deeply interested listener to
the discourse; and there were moments when he bent his looks on the
speakers, as if he sought more in their characters than was exhibited by
the gay trifling of the moment. Captain Munson seldom allowed a muscle
of his wrinkled features to disturb their repose; and if he had not the
real dignity to repress the untimely mirth of his officers, he had too
much good nature to wish to disturb their harmless enjoyments. He
expressed himself satisfied with the proposed arrangements, and beckoned
to his steward to place before them the usual beverage, with which all
their consultations concluded.

The sailing-master appeared to think that the same order was to be
observed in their potations as in council, and helping himself to an
allowance which retained its hue even in its diluted state, he first
raised it to the light, and then observed:

"This ship's water is nearly the color of rum itself; if it only had its
flavor, what a set of hearty dogs we should be! Mr. Griffith, I find you
are willing to haul your land-tacks aboard. Well, it's natural for youth
to love the earth; but there is one man, and he is sailing-master of
this ship, who saw land enough last night, to last him a twelvemonth.
But if you will go, here's a good land-fall, and a better offing to you.
Captain Munson, my respects to you. I say, sir, if we should keep the
ship more to the south'ard, it's my opinion, and that's but one man's,
we should fall in with some of the enemy's homeward bound West-Indiamen,
and find wherewithal to keep the life in us when we see fit to go ashore
ourselves."