Through Russian Snows (22 page)

"Thank you, Lister," Frank said. "I am sure I never wish to hear the
thing mentioned again. I have taken a lot of pains to become a good
shot, and it seems that I have a natural aptitude that way. There is
nothing more to feel boastful about than if nature had made me a giant,
and I had thereby been able to thrash a man of ordinary strength. I am
very glad that I have put it out of Marshall's power to bully other men,
and, as he had several times done, to force them into duels, when his
skill gave him such an advantage that it was nothing short of murder. I
think that I shall go across to the major, and ask him to give me a
fortnight's leave. I have not been away since I joined, and I had a
letter yesterday saying that my aunt was not very well; so I should like
to run down to Weymouth to see her."

"It would be a very good plan, Wyatt, and I am sure the major will give
you leave at once."

When he had finished his breakfast, Frank went across to the major's
quarters.

"I have not had time to congratulate you yet, Wyatt," the major said
warmly, as he entered. "You have rendered a service to the army in
general, and to our regiment in particular; for it would have been a
nasty thing if it had got about that one of us had been grossly insulted
without taking the matter up. If you had not interfered, the commandant
told me that he should have reported the matter at headquarters. Had
Wilmington taken it up, he would have refused to let the matter go on,
until he had received an answer from the Horse-guards; and he would have
done the same in your case, if you had not used such strong language.
Your words practically forced Marshall into challenging you. Still,
although we, who were present, should all have approved of Wilmington's
not being allowed to throw away his life by going out with Marshall, one
can't deny that it would have caused unpleasantness. Those who only
heard that one of our fellows had put up with a gross insult without
taking any steps, and had, so to speak, sheltered himself under the
authority of the commandant, would have considered it an ugly business,
and we should have found it very unpleasant when we joined the army in
Spain. Therefore, we all feel very much indebted to you for having
championed the honour of the regiment. You are a marvellous shot, lad,
and you will have one satisfaction, which is, that when this affair is
talked about, and it is known that you said beforehand that you intended
to take off Marshall's trigger-finger, and that you did it, there is no
chance of your ever being forced into a quarrel as long as you remain in
the army."

"Thank you, Major. I have just come across to ask you if you will allow
me a fortnight's leave of absence. I really want to pay a visit to my
aunt at Weymouth, and I think it will be a very good plan for me to get
away from here until this affair has blown over a little."

"A very good plan indeed, my lad. Certainly, you can have your leave. I
will draw it out this moment, and take it over to the commandant, who
will, I am sure, countersign it at once. Which way do you think of
going?"

"I think I will go by the coach, that comes along here at twelve
o'clock, to Dover; that is, if I see in the paper that there is any hoy
sailing for the west this evening or to-morrow. The wind is in the east,
and, with luck, I should get down there sooner than by going up to town
and taking the coach."

"Here is the list of sailings," the major said, taking up a broad-sheet
from a side table. "Yes, the hoy
Keepsake
will sail, weather
permitting, from Dover this evening for Plymouth, touching at
Southampton and Weymouth. That would just suit you. You had better not
have more than a fortnight, for I think it likely we may get orders for
the two troops to sail before long. Be sure and leave your address at
the orderly-room."

From the major's Frank went straight to Strelinski's lodging, and told
him that he would have a fortnight's holiday.

"I do not want it," the Pole said; "but I am glad that you should have
one, for you have been working very hard lately, and it is now nearly
nine months since you came down here."

"I will get you to write an account of my progress, Strelinski. I told
Sir Robert Wilson that he should have one every three months, and the
third is nearly due now. He was very pleased at your last report."

"This will be even better, for you have been able to give a good deal
more time to it, since you have not had so many drills. Besides,
progress is not so manifest at first, until one is able to converse a
little; after that it goes on rapidly."

Strelinski at once sat down and wrote the report.

Frank read it with some interest, for Strelinski was not in the habit of
saying what he thought of his progress.

"I think you have made this too strong," he said, as he laid it down.

"Not at all," the Pole replied. "We are able to talk freely now, and it
is very seldom that you are at a loss for a word. I can say
conscientiously that you are now able to converse rapidly and well in
it. I could not say that your writing leaves nothing to be desired.
Having acquired it so much by ear and conversation, you are not perfect
in your grammar or construction when you write it; but that is of little
consequence. Sir Robert Wilson will naturally write in his own language,
and is not likely to have despatches to send in Russian. You are quite
fit to act as an interpreter to deliver messages, and to carry on any
ordinary conversation. There is a report that there has been a duel this
morning, and that an officer was carried through the town on a
stretcher."

"Yes. The wound is not a very serious one, but he will probably lose his
forearm."

"And it was you who hit him," the Pole said quietly.

"How do you know that, Strelinski?"

"I guessed it. You have told me how you were practising, and how well
you were getting on. I guessed you had some special purpose for taking
so much pains, and you did not come in yesterday evening as usual. Then,
too, you tell me he was hit in the arm, and you mentioned the other day
that you were practising at that, and showed me the iron hand you had
had made to hold a pistol."

"Well, yes, it was I. The fellow insulted a young comrade in my
regiment, knowing well that he could not shoot; so I took it up, and
there was an end of it."

"I am glad I knew nothing about it until it was all over. I should have
been very unhappy if I had known that you were going to risk your life."

"I do not think there was any risk in it. As I told you, I have
practised shooting very quickly, and felt sure that I should get first
shot, and knew that there was no chance of my missing. The man was a
dangerous fellow, and has fought many duels, but he will not now fight
any more; and he will, I should think, leave the service. Well, I must
not stay any longer, for I go by the twelve o'clock coach, and have to
write a letter to Sir Robert Wilson before I start."

Frank caught the coach without difficulty, and on arriving at Dover went
down and took his berth on board the hoy.

"We shall start at eight sharp," the skipper said.

"I will be on board in good time. I think you are likely to have a quick
passage."

"Yes, if the wind holds we shall be at Southampton tomorrow evening. I
shall get out the cargo by torchlight, for with this wind I don't want
to lose an hour. I don't know how much there will be to take in, but I
reckon anyhow that we shall be off by nine o'clock in the morning, and
if we have luck shall be at Weymouth before dark."

Frank went on shore to the hotel and dined, and spent the time until the
hour fixed for sailing in going over the fortifications. The voyage was
a quick and pleasant one, and although the accommodation was rough it
was vastly superior to that which he had been accustomed to when going
out in the fishing boats. The skipper's calculations as to time were
verified, and they entered the river at Weymouth forty-eight hours after
leaving Dover. Mrs. Troutbeck was delighted to see Frank. He had indeed
written a fortnight before, saying he hoped to be able before long to
get a few days' leave and should come down to see her, and she was
therefore not greatly surprised at his arrival.

"You have grown a good deal, my dear boy," she said after they had
chatted together for some time, "but you are not changed so much as I
expected."

"Well, Aunt, I don't see how I can change much till the hair begins to
grow on my face. Putting on uniform doesn't in itself make one a man;
but of course I feel older, and I think I have grown a bit. But there is
no chance of my ever shooting up like Julian. Of course, you have heard
nothing from him, Aunt, or you would have written to me at once!"

"Nothing, Frank. That fisherman, Bill, came in the other day, and said
he had only heard what we knew before, that he had been sent to gaol,
and that he had been marched away with a batch of prisoners somewhere
inland. The smugglers could not learn what prison they had gone to. They
said that the people of Nantes did not know that, as the guards who went
with them from there only received orders to take them a short distance,
and they were then handed over to other soldiers, who went so much
further with them, and as their escort might be changed a dozen times
not even the officials at Nantes had an idea where they were taken to at
last."

"No news of Markham, Aunt?"

"Only that he is one of the regular crew of that French lugger now."

Frank looked up all his old friends and spent a pleasant week. His visit
did his aunt a great deal of good, and the servant told him that she was
quite a different woman since he had come home again.

"She missed you wonderful, Master Frank, and though she used to go about
as usual, she did not seem to take an interest in things as she did
before. I expect, now that she has seen you again, and has perked up a
bit, she will fall into her old ways more regular. Now she has heard
from you all about what you are doing, and your friends, and such like,
and she knows that you are well and not changed, she will feel more
comfortable, and won't be always worriting herself. Mr. Henderson often
comes in and talks about you, and that always seems to do her good. And
Colonel Chambers, he looks in sometimes, and she tells me that they both
think a great deal of you, and of course that pleases her; and she looks
forward wonderful to your letters coming regular once a week. I don't
think you need trouble yourself about her, Master Frank. She has not
really much the matter with her; only you know it was always her way to
worrit about things, and you can't expect her to be otherwise, and I do
think your coming here will do her a lot of good."

Two mornings later one of the coast-guard came in. "Captain Downes will
be glad, sir, if you will go on board; there is something particular
that he wants to speak to you about."

Frank at once put on his hat.

"We had a sharp fight with the smugglers last night, your honour," the
sailor said as they started. "We had been cruising about for two days to
the west, and yesterday morning we made out to sea and held east, and at
ten o'clock came into Swanage Bay. We came upon the lugger that has
fooled us so many times, and for once we caught her napping. They were
at work unloading a cargo when we came up, and she did not make us out
until we were within a couple of cables'-length of her, then she slipped
and ran; I expect she would have shown us her heels as usual, but we
gave her a broadside, and that big spar of hers came down with a run,
and we were alongside in no time. They made a tough fight of it, but
pretty nigh half her crew were ashore with the kegs. Howsomever we were
not long in beating them below, though two or three of our chaps were
pretty badly hurt, and three of theirs killed before the scrimmage was
over. We did not trouble about the chaps ashore. I expect they were
accounted for all right, for we heard some pistol shots there, but we
came back here at once with the lugger, and got in two hours ago."

"Are the prisoners all French?" Frank asked eagerly.

"Ay, sir, just as French as can be. I was one of the party as took them
ashore and lodged them in jail; and there was no doubt about their all
being French. They had all got rings in their ears; besides, you could
tell from the cut of their jib that they were Frenchies."

In ten minutes Frank stepped on to the deck of the
Boxer
. Captain
Downes met him there. "I congratulate you, Mr. Wyatt," he said warmly.
"I suppose you have been hearing that we had a sharp tussle with the
smugglers, and at last captured that confounded lugger that has given us
so much trouble for the past two years. Though I am mightily pleased at
that, I am more pleased still that among those on board was that fellow
Markham. He fought like a tiger. I reckon he knew that his neck was in a
noose, for he would, of course, have heard from his friends here that
the matter of Faulkner's murder had been cleared up, and there was a
warrant out against him. Well, he got a pistol shot in his chest, and
after it was all over we found that he was pretty near gone. As soon as
a lantern was put to his face two or three of the men knew him at once,
and I went up to him. He was pretty well past speaking, but as I stooped
over him he said, 'You have got me this time, Captain Downes, and no
mistake. Well, it don't make much matter; I was getting sick of the
life. You look in the pocket of my jacket when I am gone, and you will
find a letter there. I swore to young Wyatt that I would clear him of
that charge of shooting Faulkner. I shot him myself, and I have put it
all down there.'

"He died a quarter of an hour later, and here is the letter. I am going
to take it over to Colonel Chambers, but I thought you would like to go
with me. Of course, your brother was really cleared of all suspicion,
but it is just as well to have got it under the real man's own hand."