"But I am not polite, my dear," said Mr Parkley. "This is Senor Manuel
Lorry, a gentleman from Havana. Senor, Mrs Pugh, the wife of my future
partner, and almost my daughter."
The Cuban bowed low as the young Englishwoman rose and looked anxiously
at him, her eyes falling directly, and she blushed vividly, as though
her fair young cheeks were scorched beneath his ardent gaze.
A pang shot through the breast of Dutch Pugh; but the eyes were raised
again to his with so naive and innocent a look that the pain was
assuaged, and he crossed to her side.
"Well, Senor," said Mr Parkley, "I am to see that you are not imposed
upon, so you are in my charge."
"I know so much of the straightforward honesty of the English, sir, that
I am glad to be in your hands."
"That's complimentary," said Mr Parkley.
"It is true, sir," said the Cuban, bowing.
"Very well, then," said Mr Parkley, "we'll begin by trusting one
another fully. Well, Rasp, what is it now?"
"Here's Sam Oakum just come from Barrport."
"Well, have they got out all the copper?"
"Not a bit of it, for the men won't go down."
"Why?"
"Say the engine don't supply enough air, and the receiver's bust. Won't
go down, hany one on 'em."
"Nonsense!"
"John Tolly's dead or thereabouts."
"Dead?"
"So Sam says."
"Tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated Mr Parkley. "Always something wrong.
Pugh, you'll have to go down directly, and set an example, or I must.
Tolly always comes up dead when he don't like a job."
"No, no, no!" exclaimed Mrs Pugh, leaping off to catch her husband by
the arm. "He must never go down again. Promise me you will not go,"
she cried, turning her ashy face up to his.
"But she is beautiful indeed!" muttered the Cuban.
"My darling," whispered Dutch, "be a woman. There is no danger."
"No danger!" she wailed. "Dutch, I've dreamed night after night of some
terrible trouble, and it is this. You must not--must not go."
"My darling," he whispered. And, bending over her, he said a few words
in her ear, which made her set her teeth firmly and try to smile, as she
stood up clasping his hand.
"I will try," she whispered--"try so hard."
"I'm ready, Mr Parkley," said the young man, hoarsely.
"That's right, Pugh. Go and set matters square. I'll see your wife
safe back home."
"I leave her to you," said Dutch, in a low voice. "Good-bye, my
darling, get back home. I'll join you soon," he whispered, and hurried
out of the office.
But as he turned for a moment, it was to see the Cuban's eyes fixed upon
the trembling girl; while the goblinlike figures against the wall seemed
to be nodding and gibbering at him, as if laughing at the troubles that
assailed his breast.
"Off down to Barrport, Mr Pug?" said Rasp, as he stood in the outer
office.
"Yes, instantly. Come, Oakum," he said, to a rough-looking sailor, who
stood hat in hand.
"Sharp's the word, Mr Pug," said Rasp; "but I say," he continued,
pointing with his thumb over his shoulder, "that foreign chap, I don't
like the looks o' he."
"I tell you what it is, sir," said the rough-looking sailor, as he
walked by Dutch Pugh's side down to the station. "If I weer much along
o' that Rasp, it would soon come to a row."
"Why, man?"
"'Cause he's such a overbearing sort of a chap. He's one of them kind
as always thinks he's skipper, and every one else is afore the mast. If
he'd come aboard the ship and hailed me, I should ha' ast him to sit
down on the deck and handed him the bacco; but when I comes in he sits
and stares at one orty like, and goes on taking his bacco, in a savage
sorter way, up his nose, and never so much as says, `Have a pinch,
mate,' or the like."
"You don't know him, my man," said Dutch, quietly.
"And don't want to," growled the old sailor. "I should just like to
have him aboard our vessel for a month. I'd show him how to count ten,
I know."
"Well, there are more unlikely things," said Dutch. "Perhaps he may
sail with you."
"What, are we going off, sir?" said the sailor, facing round.
"I don't know yet," said Dutch, "but it is possible."
"I'm glad on it," said the sailor, giving his canvas trousers a slap.
"I'm tired o' hanging about the coast as we do. All this diving work's
very well, but I want to get out in the blue again."
"Tell me all about the upset over the work," said Dutch. "Is Tolly
bad?"
"Not he, sir," chuckled the sailor. "I'd ha' cured him with a
rope's-end in about two twos. Didn't want to go down, and when the
skipper turned rusty, and said as how he must, his mates takes sides
with him, and say as Mr Parkley wants to send 'em to their death, and
then the real sore place comes out--they wants a rise in the pay.
`Well, then,' says the skipper, `I'll send for Mr Parkley;' and then
Tolly says in his blustering way, `Ah,' he says, `I ain't afraid to go
down, and if I loses my life it's all the governor's fault.' So down he
goes, and dreckly after he begins pulling his siggle rope, and they
pulls him up, unscrews him, and lays him on the deck, and gives him cold
grog."
"But was he senseless?"
"He wasn't so senseless that he couldn't lap the grog, sir, no end; and
if he warn't playing at sham Abraham, my name ain't Sam Oakum."
Barrport was soon reached, and, boarding a small lugger, Dutch and his
companion were put aboard a handsomely-rigged schooner, lying about four
miles along the coast, at anchor, by the two masts of a vessel seen
above the water. And here it was evident that arrangements had been
made for diving, for a ladder was lashed to the side of the vessel,
evidently leading down to the deck of the sunken ship, while four men in
diving suits lounged against the bulwarks, their round helmets, so
greatly out of proportion to their heads, standing on a kind of rack,
while the heavy leaden breast and back pieces they wore lay on the
planks.
"Ah, Pugh," said a weather-beaten, middle-aged man, greeting Dutch as he
reached the deck; "glad you've come. When I've a mutiny amongst my own
men I know what to do; but with these fellows I'm about done, especially
as they say the machinery is defective."
"Of course, Captain Studwick," said Dutch aloud, "men cannot be asked to
risk their lives. Here, Tolly, what is it?"
The diver spoken to, a fat-faced, pig-eyed fellow, with an artful leer
upon his countenance, sidled up.
"The pump don't work as it should, Mr Pugh," he said. "Near pretty
nigh gone--warn't I, mates?"
The others nodded.
"Is the work below very hard?" said Dutch, quietly.
"Well, no, sir, I don't know as it's much harder nor usual; but the
copper's heavy to move, and the way into the hold is littler nor usual;
ain't it, mates?"
"Take off your suit," said Dutch, after glancing at the men at the
air-pump, and seeing that they were those he could trust.
"It won't fit you, sir," said the man, surlily.
"I'm the best judge of that," said Dutch; "take it off instantly."
The man glanced at his companions, but seeing no help forthcoming from
them, he began sulkily to take off the copper gorget and the
india-rubber garments, with the heavy leaden-soled boots, which, with
the help of the old sailor, Dutch slipped on with the ease of one
accustomed to handle such articles; then fitting on the leaden weights--
the chest and back piece--he took up the helmet, saw that the tube from
the back was properly adjusted and connected with the air-pump, which he
examined, and then turned to Captain Studwick--
"You'll see that no one touches the tube, Mr Studwick," he said, in a
low tone. "One of those fellows might feel disposed to tamper with it."
The captain nodded, and Dutch then lifted on the helmet, the rim of
which fitted exactly to the gorget, had the screws tightened, and then,
with the old sailor and the captain himself seeing that the tube and
signalling cords were all right, the pump began to work, and Dutch
walked heavily to the side, took hold of the rungs of the ladder, and
began to descend.
In a few moments his head had disappeared, and his blurred figure could
be made out going down into the darkness, while a constant stream of
exhausted air which escaped from the helmet-valve kept rising in great
bubbles. The pump clanked as its pistons worked up and down, and the
sailors and divers--the former eagerly and the latter in a sulky
fashion--approached the side and looked over.
Captain Studwick himself held the signal-line, and answered the calls
made upon him for more or less air by communicating with the men at the
pump; and so the minutes passed, during which time, by the necessity for
lengthening out the tube and cord, it was evident that Dutch was going
over the submerged vessel in different directions. All had gone so well
that the captain had relaxed somewhat in his watchfulness, when he was
brought back to attention by a violent jerking of the cord.
"More air!" he shouted--"quick!" just as there was a yell, a scuffle,
and the man Tolly struggled into the middle of the deck, wrestling hard
with a black sailor, who backed away from him, and then, running forward
like a ram, struck his adversary in the chest and sent him rolling over
into the scuppers.
By this time the signalling had ceased, and Dutch was evidently moving
about at his ease.
"What was that?" said Captain Studwick, sternly, as the man Tolly got up
and made savagely at the black, but was restrained by the strong arm of
the old sailor, Oakum.
Tolly and the black both spoke excitedly together, and not a word was to
be understood.
"Here you, Mr Tolly, what is it?" cried the captain. "Hold your
tongue, 'Pollo."
"I bash him head, sah. I--"
"Hold your tongue, sir," said the captain. "What was it?"
"I happened to look round, sir, and found this stupid nigger standing on
the tube, and when I dragged him off he struck me."
"Who you call nigger, you ugly, white, fat-head tief?" shouted the
black, savagely. "I bash your ugly head."
"Silence!" cried the captain.
"It great big lie, sah," cried the black. "I turn roun' and see dat
ugly tief set him hoof on de tubum, and top all de wind out of Mass'
Dutch Pugh, and I scruff him."
"You infamous--"
"Silence!" roared the captain. "Stand back, both of you. Oakum, see
that no one goes near the tube. Haul in gently there; he's coming up."
This was the case, for in another minute the great round top of the
helmet was seen to emerge from the water; its wearer mounted the side,
and was soon relieved of his casque, displaying the flushed face of
Dutch, who looked sharply round.
"Some one must have stepped on the tube," he said. "Who was it?"
"It lies between these two," said Captain Studwick, pointing to the pair
of adversaries.
"It was the nigger, sir," said Tolly.
"No, sah, 'sure you, sah. I too much sense, sah, to put um foot on de
tubum. It was dis fellow, sah," said the black, with dignity.
"I presume it was an accident," said Dutch, quietly. Then, turning to
the divers--"I have been down, as you see, my men. The apparatus is in
perfect working order, the water clear, the light good, and the copper
easy to get at. Begin work directly. If anything goes wrong, it is the
fault of your management."
"But ain't this black fellow to be punished?" began the man Tolly.
"Mr John Tolly, you are foreman of these divers," said Dutch quietly,
"and answerable to Mr Parkley for their conduct. If one of the sailors
deserves punishment, that is Captain Studwick's affair."
For a moment there was dead silence, then 'Pollo spoke.
"I not a sailor, sah; I de ship cook. You mind I not put de cork in de
tubum, Mass' Tolly, next time you go down."
"There! do you hear him?" cried Tolly. "Who's going down to be
threatened like that?"
"Yah, yah, yah!" laughed the black. "Him great coward, sah. He not
worf notice."
Then he turned and walked forward, while Tolly resumed his suit, vacated
for him by Dutch, their helmets were put on by two of the men, and
diving commenced, Dutch remaining on board till it was time to cease,
and having the satisfaction of seeing a goodly portion of the copper
hauled on the deck of the schooner, the divers fastening ropes round the
ingots, which were drawn up by the sailors.
"That was a malicious trick, of course," said Dutch to the captain while
Tolly was below.
"I'm afraid it was," said the captain, "to try and make out that the
machinery was out of order."
"Yes, I expected it," said Dutch; "and that's why I spoke to you. They
did not mean to do me a mischief, of course--only to frighten me. I
don't suspect the black, though."
"What, 'Pollo!" said the captain. "Good heavens, no! He's as staunch
as steel. A thoroughly trustworthy man."
"I must wink at it, I suppose," said Dutch, "for it is not easy to
supply vacancies in our little staff, and the men know it. They are
hard fellows to manage."
"And yet you manage them well," said the captain, smiling. "You ought
to have been a skipper."
"Think so?" said Dutch; "but look, who is this coming on board?"
"Poor John!" said the captain, with a sigh. "Poor boy, he's in a sad
way."
"But he's very young, Mr Studwick, and with the fine weather he may
amend."
"He's beginning to be out of hope, Pugh, and so is poor Bessy. The
doctor says he must have a sea voyage into some warmer climate--not that
he promises health, but prolonged life."
"Indeed!" said Dutch, starting, as he thought of the Cuban's proposal,
and the probability of Captain Studwick having charge of the vessel if
the trip was made, but not feeling at liberty to say much; and, the boat
from the shore touching the side, he held his peace.
A minute later a fine, handsome, but rather masculine girl--whose clear
eyes sparkled as they lit on Dutch Pugh, and then were turned sharply
away--stepped on deck, holding out her hand directly after to assist an
invalid to pass the gangway, which he did, panting slightly, and then
pausing to cough.
He was evidently enough the girl's brother, for with his delicate looks
and hectic flush he looked strangely effeminate, and in height and
stature the pair were wonderfully alike.
"I don't think it was wise of you to come out, John," said the captain,
kindly; "it's a cold, thick day."
"It's so dull at home," said the young man, "and I must have change.
There, I'm well wrapped up, father; and Bessy takes no end of care of
me."
He gave the girl a tender and affectionate look as he spoke; and she
smiled most pleasantly.
"Ah, Mr Pugh, I'm glad to see you. Have you been down?"
"Yes, just for a little while," said Dutch, shaking hands with him, and
then holding out his hand to the sister, who half shrank from him with
an angry, flushed face; but his frank, pleasant look overcame her, and
she held out her hand to him.
"You have not been to see us yet, Miss Studwick," he said, frankly.
"Hester quite expects you to call, and I hope you will be friends."
"I will try to be, Mr Pugh," said the girl, huskily. "I'll call--
soon."
"That's right," he said, smiling. "Come, too, John. We shall be very
glad to see you."
The young man started, and looked at him searchingly with his
unnaturally bright eyes.
"No," he said, sadly. "I'm too much of an invalid now. That is, at
present," he said, catching his father's eye, and speaking hastily. "I
shall be better in a month or two. I'm stronger now--much stronger; am
I not, Bessy? Give me your arm, dear. I want to see the divers."
The couple walked forward to where the air-pump was standing, and the
eyes of the captain and Dutch Pugh met, when the former shook his head
sadly, and turned away.
There was something very pathetic in the aspect of the young man, in
whom it was plain enough to see that one by one most fatal diseases had
made such inroads as to preclude all hope of recovery; and saddened at
heart, for more than one reason, above all feeling that his presence was
not welcome, Dutch superintended his men till, feeling that it would be
absolutely necessary that some one would have to be on deck every day
till the copper was all recovered, he made up his mind that it would
fall to his lot, except at such times as Mr Parkley would relieve
guard.