The _Good Hope_ had got well to the southward. Hitherto things had gone
on smoothly, though we found our crew less inclined to submit to
discipline than we desired. Neither did Martin and Watkins pull very
amicably together.
At first we thought that the old gunner was inclined to demand more
respect from the boatswain than the latter was inclined to pay, but one
night, while I was keeping watch on deck, Martin came up to me. He
looked round to ascertain that no one was near, as if he had something
of importance to communicate.
"Well, old friend, what has happened?" I asked.
"Nothing as yet, but something will happen, if we don't look sharp," he
answered.
"I mistrust that fellow Watkins."
"That's just what I wanted to speak to you about. It would be better
for the discipline of the ship if you could make friends with him.
Unless the officers pull together, we cannot hope to keep a crew like
ours in order."
"It's not my fault that we have disputes," answered the old man; "he's
always trying to pick a quarrel with me and to bring me into disrepute
with the crew. I have had my eye on him of late, and I have observed
that he is constantly going among the men when below, talking to them in
the most familiar way, endeavouring to make them think him a very fine
fellow, to gain them over to some plan or other he has in his head."
I questioned Martin, thinking he must have been deceived, but he was
positive that he had not.
"I will tell the captain what you say, and I'll take such precautions as
are possible," I replied. "In the meantime let me know what men are
likely to hold staunch to us if your surmises should prove correct."
"I think I can find a dozen God-fearing men, who were compelled against
their will to serve with the Malignants. The rest are a drunken,
rollicking, swearing lot, who would be ready to carry out any evil deed
Watkins may propose."
"With a dozen good men and ourselves, being prepared beforehand, we may
be able to counteract any plan the boatswain has in view," I observed.
"Do you, Martin, secure those who you think you can trust, and I will
consult with the captain as to the precautions which may be necessary.
Go below, now, and take care no one discovers that we suspect Watkins."
As soon as Dick came on deck, I told him what Martin had said, and he
promised to be on the alert; then going below, I went into Lancelot's
cabin, and we held a consultation together on the subject. He at once
arrived at the conclusion that Watkins had conceived the possibility of
taking the ship from us, and, should he succeed, that he intended to
join Prince Rupert, or make a piratical cruise on his own account.
He might hope, by hoisting the Prince's flag, to be taken for one of his
squadron, and be able to sell his prizes in a Spanish or French port, or
if he could not, by running across to the West Indies to dispose of them
there. As Martin did not lead us to suppose that Watkins' plans were
mature, we agreed that we might wait without apprehensions of mutiny for
a day or two, or perhaps longer, until we ascertained who were the men
we could trust.
Next morning a heavy gale sprang up, and the crew had plenty of work in
shortening sail and attending to their other duties, so that they had
little time for plotting, were they so inclined. The gale lasted three
days, the sea running mountains high, and threatening to engulph the
ship. During the time we marked the way the men performed their duties,
and noted such as appeared the best seamen, believing that those
generally would prove the most trustworthy. When the storm was over the
ship was put on her proper course and all sail made, for we were eager
to get through the Straits to prosecute the object of our voyage.
We were now about the latitude of Cadiz. Dick Harvey was on deck, I was
seated in the cabin with Lancelot, when Martin came in under pretence
that he had been sent for to receive orders.
"I was not mistaken in my suspicions, Captain Kerridge," he said.
"Watkins has won over well-nigh two-thirds of the crew, and their
intention is as soon as they get inside the Straits to seize the ship
and join Prince Rupert, if he is still up the Mediterranean, and if not,
to follow him wherever he has gone, making prizes of all the craft they
can fall in with, to supply themselves with provisions and stores. They
have learned a pretty lesson from their Cavalier leaders, and it is
natural that they should desire to follow it."
"But have you found any men on whom you can rely?" asked Lancelot.
"That's just what I was going to tell you I have done," answered the old
gunner. "There are twelve I have spoken to who have promised to fight
to the last, rather than let their shipmates follow such desperate
courses, and there are six others who are not likely to join the
mutineers when they find there is a party to oppose them. It has been
so ordered by Providence that I have discovered a young nephew of mine,
who, having been seemingly won over by Watkins, is in all his secrets.
When he found out who I was, he told me everything, believing that to do
so was for the good of us all. I advised him not to let it be known
that he had changed sides. He is a sharp lad, and though he has been in
bad company, he has not forgotten the lessons his mother taught him, and
wishes to do what is right. Thus I am kept informed of all the purposes
of the mutineers, who are not likely to take us by surprise, as they
have not yet secured any of the arms."
We settled, to prevent them from doing so, to lock up all the small arms
and ammunition in one of the after cabins, without allowing the crew to
know what we had done. Lancelot then directed Martin to go forward, as
he wished not to excite suspicion by keeping him in the cabin longer
than was necessary. We at once armed ourselves, and either Martin,
Lancelot, Dick, or I kept watch on deck, while we took care always to
have two trustworthy men at the helm.
Martin assured us that the mutineers had no suspicion that their designs
were known. The weather had again become fine, and we ran through the
Straits of Gibraltar. The moment the mutineers proposed to execute
their plan was approaching. Martin brought us word that they intended
to seize the ship at midnight, putting in irons all who refused to join
them, and to kill us should any resistance be offered.
As soon as it was dark, we ran two of the guns called "murtherers"
through the ports of the after-castle opening on the main deck, which
should an enemy when boarding gain a footing there, are intended to rake
it.
We also loaded and placed in readiness arms for about a score of men,
who we hoped would side with us, while we also barricaded all the doors
which led to the after part of the ship.
When all was ready, Martin, going below, told the men he could trust to
muster aft.
One by one they crept up, so as not to attract the attention of the
rest. As they came up we put arms into their hands, and stationed them
under the after-castle. To our satisfaction we found that we had as
many as we had expected, who all swore to protect us with their lives
from the mutineers.
Before the expected moment all our arrangements had been made. The sea
was calm, a gentle breeze filled the sails, and the ship glided on,
leaving a long trail of bright light astern.
Midnight came, when the captain's voice was heard, summoning all hands
on deck to shorten sail. The crew, supposing that the ship was about to
be struck by one of those white squalls which sometimes come on with
fearful suddenness in the Mediterranean and lay over many a stout ship,
hurried up from below, and instinctively sprang aloft. The boatswain
having remained on deck, Dick and I, with two men we called to our aid,
rushed forward, and seizing him dragged him aft.