The Story of Paul Jones. Alfred Henry Lewis
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Alfred Henry Lewis
The Story of Paul Jones
An Historical Romance
Published by Good Press, 2021
EAN 4064066124403
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I—HIS BAPTISM OF THE SEA
CHAPTER IV—THE KILLING OF MUNGO
CHAPTER V—THE SAILOR TURNS PLANTER
CHAPTER VI—THE FIRST BLOW IN VIRGINIA
CHAPTER VIII—THE PLANTER TURNS LIEUTENANT
CHAPTER IX—THE CRUISE OF THE “PROVIDENCE”
CHAPTER X—THE COUNSEL OF CADWALADER
CHAPTER XI—THE GOOD SHIP RANGER
CHAPTER XII—HOW THE “RANGER” TOOK THE “DRAKE”
CHAPTER XIII—THE DUCHESS OF CHARTRES
CHAPTER XIV—THE SAILING OF THE “RICHARD”
CHAPTER XV—THE “RICHARD” AND THE “SERAPIS”
CHAPTER XVI—HOW THE BATTLE RAGED
CHAPTER XVII—THE SURRENDER OF THE “SERAPIS”
CHAPTER XVIII—DIPLOMACY AND THE DUTCH
CHAPTER XIX—NOW FOR THE TRAITOR LANDAIS
CHAPTER XX—AIMEE ADELE DE TELISON
CHAPTER XXI—ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
CHAPTER XXII—THE FÊTE OF THE DUCHESS DE CHARTRES
CHAPTER XXIII—THE WEDDING WITHOUT BELLS
CHAPTER XXIV—THAT HONEYMOON SUB ROSA
CHAPTER XXV—CATHERINE OF RUSSIA
CHAPTER XXVI—AN ADMIRAL OF RUSSIA
CHAPTER XXVII—THE HOUSE IN THE RUE TOURNON
CHAPTER XXVIII—LOVE AND THOSE LAST DAYS
CHAPTER I—HIS BAPTISM OF THE SEA
This is in the long-ago, or, to be exact, in July, 1759. The new brig Friendship, not a fortnight off the stocks, is lying in her home harbor of Whitehaven, being fitted to her first suit of sails. Captain Bennison is restlessly about her decks, overseeing those sea-tailors, the sail-makers, as they go forward with their task, when Mr. Younger, the owner, comes aboard. The latter gentleman is lowland Scotch, stout, middle-aged, and his severe expanse of smooth-shaven upper-lip tells of prudence, perseverance and Presbyterianism in even parts, as traits dominant of his character.
“Dick,” says Mr. Younger, addressing Captain Bennison, “ye’ll have a gude brig; and mon! ye s’uld have a gude crew. There’ll be none of the last in Whitehaven, for what ones the agents showed me were the mere riff-raff of the sea. I’ll even go to Arbigland, and pick ye a crew among the fisher people.”
“Arbigland!” repeats Captain Bennison, with a glow of approval. “The Arbigland men are the best sailor-folk that ever saw the Solway. Give me an Arbigland crew, James, and I’ll find ye the Rappahannock with the Friendship, within the month after she tears her anchor out o’ Whitehaven mud.”
And so Mr. Younger goes over to Arbigland.
It is a blowing July afternoon. An off-shore breeze, now freshening to a gale, tosses the Solway into choppy billows. Most of the inhabitants of Arbigland are down at the mouth of the little tide-water creek, that forms the harbor of the village, eagerly watching a small fishing yawl. The latter craft is beating up in the teeth of the gale, striving for the shelter of the creek.
The crew of the yawl consists of but one, and him a lad of twelve. His right hand holds the tiller; with the left he slacks or hauls the sheets, and shifts the sail when he goes about.
The yawl has just heeled over on the starboard tack, as Mr. Younger pushes in among the villagers that crowd the little quay.
“They’ll no make it!” exclaims a fisherman, alluding to the boy and yawl; “they’ll be blawn oot t’ sea!”
“Ay! they’ll make it sure enough,” declares another stoutly. “It’s little Jack Paul who’s conning her, and he’d bring the yawl in against a horrycane. She’s a gude boat, too—as quick on her feet as a dancing maister; and, as for beating to wind’ard, she’ll lay a point closer to the wind than a man has a right to ask of his lawful wedded wife. Ye’ll see; little Jack’ll bring her in.”
“Who is he?” asks Mr. Younger of the last speaker; “who’s yon boy?”
“He’s son to John Paul, gardener to the laird Craik.”
“Sitha! son to Gardener Paul, quo’ you!” breaks in an old fish-wife who, with red arms folded beneath her coarse apron, stands