The Launching of Roger Brook

Mr. Trattle poured the drink and disappeared to resume his after­noon nap. Dan picked it up and, with a smile, came and sat down at the table.

Lifting his glass he said: 'Well, here's long life to 'e, young Master. 'E've grown quite a bit since I last clapped eyes on 'e, and soon it'll be Mister Brook that us'll all be touchin' our caps to.'

'That's it, Dan,' Roger smiled back, as he sipped his own cordial. The spontaneous lead that he had been given lent itself to the idea he was developing, and an easy distortion of facts came quite readily to his tongue. 'My father is by way of getting me a midshipman's commission, and I hope to be at sea in a month or two.'

'Well, jus’ think o' that now! 'Tis a fine life though; 'tis a fine life, Master Roger.'

'I've never doubted that,' Roger lied, adding after a second: 'But it will take a lot of getting used to, and it's that which worries me. I'll just die of shame, Dan, if I'm sick the first time my ship leaves port on a voyage.'

'Why should 'e be, Master Roger?' Dan asked him in surprise. ' Ts seen 'e often in they little yachts sailin' round the island when it were blowin' quite a bit, an' 'e seemed merry as a grig.'

'But that's different,' Roger objected, 'I may be sick as a dog in a big ship once she's out in the open sea.'

'Nay, 'tis not as different as all that. In a tempest, now, many a strong man's belly turns over on 'im 'fore it's blowed itself out; but 'e've naught to fear given normal weather.'

Roger sighed and looked down into his glass. 'I would that I felt as certain as you do that I'll not make a fool of myself. You see, I've never sailed farther than along the coast to Poole, or up to Southampton, and I haven't an idea what it's like in mid-channel.'

' 'Tis no different, I tell 'e,' Dan assured him; but he was now regarding the boy with thoughtful sympathy, assuming that some old salt must have scared him with tales of waves as high as mountains; and, to his simple mind, there was nothing strange in a land-lubber believing that it was always rough out in unprotected water.

Having planted this seed in the smuggler s mind, Roger pretended to shrug away his own worries and asked: 'How are things with you, Dan?'

'Oh, well enough, Master Roger. There's only one real worry I got. That bastard Ollie Nixon 'as swore to get me, an' 'e's darn nigh done it a brace o' times since Whitsuntide.'

Roger knew that the man referred to was the Chief Excise Officer of the district, whose main business it was to put down smuggling, but a special bitterness in Dan's tone impelled him to ask:

'Why has Mr. Nixon got his knife into you, particularly, Dan?'

' 'Tis on account of an affair last winter, over Poole way. Ollie Nixon's young brother were the leader of a squad o' Preventive Men. They catched some chaps comin' up a chine wi' pack-horses, havin' jus' landed a cargo, an' there were a real set-to.'

'I remember hearing of it,' Roger put in. 'One of the gang hit young Mr. Nixon over the head with a cudgel and he died of it. The Justices have never been down on smuggling, but they won't stand for murder, and 'twas murder, right enough. There was a big reward offered.'

'Aye; fifty guineas, no less, for any of 'em who'd turn King's evidence, an' a free pardon into the bargain; but they ne'er laid hands on the wicked devil that done it.'

'Does Ollie Nixon think that you were mixed up in that affair, then?'

'That's the rig of it, Master Roger. Though as God is my witness, my order to my lads has ever been to jettison the cargo an' take to their heels at first sight o' the Preventives. Better by far lose a cargo than be forced into a fight where a killing may happen.'

'You're right there, Dan, and 'tis hard that Nixon should be endeavouring to pin it on you, since you're innocent.'

'He'll not pin it on me. There be no way he can do that. But 'tis fixed in his mind that 'twas my lugger lying off shore that night, an' that one o' my lads dealt the blow. So he's swore he'll get me, be it by fair means or foul.'

You're off again soon, aren't you? I was just behind my father in the conservatory when you came to the house last night, and you said something to him of another trip.'

'Aye, aye; an' to-night it is. I'll be droppin' down the river wi' the turn o' the tide soon arter midnight.'

Roger sprang his mine. 'Take me with you, Dan.'

The smuggler's eyes opened wide at the request, and he quickly shook his head. 'Nay, Master Roger. 'Tis a crazy thing you ask. Should the Cap'n learn of it he'd ne'er forgive me.'

'He won't learn of it,' Roger said firmly, and added with swift invention: 'He believes I'm lying away from home to-night at Colonel Thursby's house; and as they are not on speaking terms he'll never find out that I didn't.'

Again Dan shook his head. 'Nay, that will not serve 'e. Us'll be gone three days, and unable to land 'e again till four nights from now.'

'Oh, but it will,' Roger parried, 'I'd planned to stay with the Thursbys for a week. I can easily ride over to Highcliffe this evening, make my excuses, and say that I'll not be coming to them till Saturday.'

'My lads would be again' it. They know the quality be our good friends, but they'd be strong against the likes of 'e bein' let into the secrets o' the game.'

'Please, Dan,' Roger begged. 'The making of such a trip would be a vast boon to me. 'Twould give me just the chance I need to prove myself before entering the Navy.'

'Nay, Master Roger, 'tis too great a risk to take. Were anything to happen to 'e I'd have half the gentry o' the county down on me.'

'Why should anything happen—unless we're all caught. And in such a case having me with you would prove to your advantage. The Justices would never convict if it involved sentencing Captain Brook's son to transportation.'

'Aye, there's something in that. Still, I'm agin' it.'

'Look!' said Roger suddenly, 'I'll make it worth your while, Dan. I'll pay you a five-pound bounty to take me on the trip.'

The smuggler's dark eyes showed a gleam of cupidity. In spite of the good profits he made after each successful run he was by no means a rich man. Periodically he was compelled to jettison a cargo from fear of capture, and each time that happened it robbed him of the earnings of many months' hard and dangerous work. Owing to Mr. Nixon's vendetta against him it was much longer than usual since he had made a trip and he was only driven to it now by the grumbling of his penniless crew. He had to pay cash for his goods on the other side and being in low funds himself was not taking over as much money as he could have wished; so an additional five pounds would come in very handy. Yet he still hesitated.

Seeing his hesitation Roger leapt into the breach. 'Please, Dan! I beg you to. If 'tis as you say and the sea no rougher in mid-channel than off the island, a voyage to France and back is the very thing I need to give me confidence. 'Twould make a world of difference to me when I join my first ship this autumn.'

Dan Izzard was a good-hearted man and deeply touched by the appeal. It overcame the last scruples of his better judgment, and he said: 'So be it then. I'll take 'e. But no skylarkin', mind. 'E'11 not be young Master aboard the Sally Ann, but do as 'e's bid.'

'I will, Dan; I will. I promise,' agreed Roger enthusiastically.

'Then be down by Nothover's quay sharp on midnight,' Dan added. ' 'Tis from there we sail, an' time an' tide wait for no man.'

The matter now being agreed the smuggler finished his drink, pulled the tassel of his woollen cap a little further over his left ear, and, with a gruff word of good-bye to Roger, left the inn.

Roger's eyes were still shining from his success in having persuaded the smuggler to take him, as he was confident the trip would prove the solution to the problem that had been worrying him so much. The French authorities, he knew, were entirely indifferent as to if cargoes of spirits shipped from France were for legal or illegal tender when they reached England. Therefore it was certain that Dan would pick up his shipment quite openly in one of the French ports—probably the great city of Le Havre. They would be there for a full day at least, and Roger felt that there should be no difficulty in his going ashore and disposing his treasure to a French goldsmith in the town.

Every Englishman of good appearance and address was, he had often heard, regarded as a fabulously rich Milord in France, so his possession of a pocketful of jewels would not excite the same suspicion there as it was likely to do in England. Moreover, even if the gold­smith to whom he offered them did suspect that they were stolen goods, he would see at once that they were of English origin and, having nothing to fear from the English law, have