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." "So Ididn't! My mind wanders lately.Damnedannoying-wasGilbert passed a palm over his forehead.With astart, Jared saw that his uncle's brow was wet withsweat.He was breathing in a raspy way.Hegroaned softly as he lowered himself into his chair,tousling his daughter's hair.Jared said, "She's been listening too,uncle."Gilbert looked at him."Yes, I was aware.""You were? I thought-was"I wanted her to hear.She's just as much a Kent asyou are, Jared."He bent and kissed his daughter's cheek.The rainrattled on the planks.Jared helped himself to morewine, wondering whether he could ever live up to all hisuncle expected of him.Accompanied by a harpsichord moved in for the occasion,the baritone sang every verse of the song Jared now knewby heart:"The first broadside we poured Swept theirmainmast overboard, Which made this lofty frigatelook Abandoned-O- Then Dacres he did sigh.And to his officers did cry, I did not think theseYankees were So handy-O!" hisJared reflected dully that the songwriter hadPage 252 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlgotten things a bit mixed up; Guerri@ere'smizzen, not her mainmast, had gone down under the firstsalvos.Two more verses, he thought.Then the toasts begin.We're going to broil here half the night.But most of the several hundred men gathered inFaneuil Hall were enjoying the performance,tapping or stamping the beat of the drinking song to which newwords had been set.Copies of the lyrics wereavailable all over Boston in a fast-sellingbroadside.With appropriate fervor, the baritone launchedinto the final verse:"Now fill your glasses full, Let's drink atoast to Captain Hull, So merrily we'll pusharound The brandy-O- For John Bull may drinkhis fill, And the world say what it will, The Yankeetars for fighting are The dandy-O!"Loud applause greeted the end of the song, and earnedthe baritone several bows.Jared sat back in hischair, folded his arms and closed his eyes.Thehall was an inferno, and the dinner had made himsleepy.He ached for a breath of outside air,hot as it was.But since he couldn't make aspectacle by walking out, a surreptitious nap wasthe next best thing.A voice droned from the dais.Another was stilldroning when he woke up to discover nothing hadchanged, except for the temperature, which seemed morehellish than ever, and the quantity of pipe and cigarsmoke, which had reached asphyxiating proportions.In his place of honor, Captain Hullstill looked quite alert and attentive, however.Hischeeks gleamed like polished apples and his dressuniform was resplendent.At his right hand lay avelvet box containing a commemorative medalstruck in gold at the order of the Congress.Silver medals had been struck for the officers.All of them were present on the dais except forMorris and Stovall, who were still under medical care."Won't they ever stop?" one of the boys at the tablewhispered as yet another well-dressed gentlemanrose to offer a toast."That's only sixteen so far," a second boysaid."Fourteen," said the first"It damn well seems like a hundred andfourteen!"A gentleman at the next table shushed them.Thespeaker raised his glass:"Our infant navy! We must nurture the youngHercules in his cradle, if we mean to profit by thelabors of his manhood!"Every man in the hall stood up, and drank.Manystamped or shouted, "Hear!" The boys were requiredto stand but not to drink.Only the hardiest topers amongthem kept pace with the toasts, and that groupdidn't include Jared.The guests resumed their seats.Waiters brought morewine to each table.Jared perked up slightly whenPage 253 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlGilbert, seated at the extreme left end of thedais, stood up with glass in hand.Jared noticeda few sour expressions when his uncle rose."Christ, he's white as chalk," a boy whisperedas Gilbert cleared his throat.Jared sat forward,wide awake and alarmed.The boy was right.Gilbert held his glass aloft."To unconditional victory! We have suffered theinjuries and insults of despotism with patience, butits friendship is more than we can bear-wasA groundswell of grumbling greeted the extremeanti-British sentiment.But it hushed the instant theglass fell and broke.Gilbert swayed, his eyes rolling up in his head.His fisted left hand jammed against the center of hischest.Inthe silence, his gasps could be heard in every corner of thehall.Jared jumped up.Gilbert toppled, smashing chinaand dragging the tablecloth after him as he slid to thefloor.In the sharp air of late October,Constitution put to sea.Jared Kent was aboard.Sowas a new sixth lieutenant.After the frigate passed Boston light, Jaredlooked back at the blur of the channel islands.Uncle Gilbert had suffered a seizure from which hehad not yet recovered.His heart rhythm remainedirregular.He'd been unconscious when Jaredslipped in to kneel at his bedside and bid him asilent goodbye
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