WISE JAN WAXES WISER
Jan Pettigrew started with the gold piece in his hand to get the
provisions in the town of Lis-op-Zee. So soon as he was out of sight
Wat Gordon was in the long-boat hunting about like a terrier dog. His
eye had caught the least touch of bright color among the rubbish in
the stern of the boat. He was on his knees presently, holding a bit
of ribbon in his fingers which in hue appeared like the stone called
aquamarine, or, as one would say, blue and green at the same time. He
pressed it with passion to his lips.
"It is my love's!" he cried. "It is most surely hers. Thrice I saw her
wear it about her beautiful neck! She must have sat in this boat not so
many hours since."
"And what else do you suppose I have been getting out of that
incredible lout, all the while you were staring at this bit of ribbon
and trying to get in your silly word and spoil everything?" said
Scarlett, testily. For sleeplessness and his companion's impatience had
certainly been trying to the temper.
But Wat continued to cherish his ribbon to the exclusion of all else.
He had had but little to feed his affection upon, poor lad, ever since
he had been clapped behind iron bars--and, indeed, not so very much
before that.
Wat and Scarlett carried the cask and beakers to a spring which they
found in an old overgrown garden not far from the harbor. They made a
convenient stretcher by removing part of the rough decking from the
bottom of the long-boat, and carrying the vessels to and fro upon
that. They had hardly returned for the last time when they descried
Wise Jan Pettigrew coming back along the shore with a whole army of
helpers at his tail, carrying parcels and packages innumerable. He was
in the full tide of discourse to them.
"Ye see, lads," he was saying, as he came up, "my father was a man from
Amersfort that came to England; and desiring to settle there, he had
dealings with my mother, who was a farmer's daughter in the county of
Dorset. And in due time he married her--yes, in good sooth, he married
her, and that is why I am called Jan Pettigrew. For my father must have
me called Jan. He would hear of nothing else. Whereat my mother, not to
be beaten, swore that some part of my name should carry with it a good
old English smell. So Jan Pettigrew I was christened, of my mother's
surname, with my father standing by and never daring so much as to say
a word!"
The louts of Lis were chuckling and nudging each other with suppressed
laughter, for it was obvious that Wise Jan Pettigrew had been looking
most unwisely upon the Hollands when it gave its color aright in the
cup. However, they hastened to plant their parcels and stores in the
long-boat, and meantime they gazed with wide-open eyes at Wat and
Scarlett.
"These honest gentlemen," said the wise and reticent Jan, "are for the
fishing. Oh yes, they are for the fishing"--his finger went to his
nose--"you all understand, lads, the fishing. Then when we come back to
Lis here to make a declaration to the burgomeister of the number and
weight of the fine fish we have taken on the Banks, why, there will be
drink at the Three Castles for every honest fellow here!"
He would have said more, but Scarlett, growing suddenly tired of his
clatter, tumbled him unceremoniously into the boat, and cried out to
the men of Lis:
"Here's good silver for whoever will give us a hand that the boat may
be launched--silver to drink the health of the prince this very night
at the inn of Lis in sound, stark Hollands!"
The men and boys, hearing this, gave a rousing cheer, and setting
their strength to the long-boat of the _Sea Unicorn_, they rattled it
down the pebbles and out into the heave and murmur of the incoming
tide. Scarlett ran his hands through the pockets of Jan Pettigrew's
clothing, and handed all the small silver which he found there--a round
handful--to the tallest of the 'prentice lads.
"There," he said, "drink the prince's health, and if there be any over,
drink to the health of Captain Smith of the _Sea Unicorn_, and of all
his crew and passengers."
And at this liberal and comprehensive toast the lads on shore again
cheered, as men with drink in prospect will cheer at anything.
There was still a rousing breeze astern, and making Jan Pettigrew
keep awake so that he might at least direct them in the necessary
manoeuvres, Wat and Scarlett proceeded to erect the mast and unbend
the sail with ignorant, unseamanlike hands. But after a little, under
guidance, they did featly enough, so that the distance widened, and
they saw with delight the shores of Holland drop back and the solemn,
waffing windmills stand up in a long row out of the polder.
"Now for England and Kate!" cried Wat, as though they had already found
both.
Jan Pettigrew, who had become noisier and more oracular, so soon as he
found himself on the lift and heave of the sea, and the boat began to
cradle buoyantly among the short waves, cried out to Wat and Scarlett
to set the foresail. This Wat attempted to do, but, though he found the
small triangular sail readily enough, he could neither attach it to
the bowsprit nor yet bend it properly.
Then Jack Scarlett did a thing which exceedingly astonished Master
Jan. That wise youth was lying in the stern-sheets, with his pipe in
his hand, content to issue commands, and laughing and sneering at the
landsmen's awkward manner of executing them.
When he had ordered them for the third time to bend the foresail,
Scarlett turned on him and very curtly bade him do it himself and look
spry. Jan, the self-satisfied one, could scarce believe his ears. He
felt astounded, his pipe went out, his jaw began to fall and his mouth
to open as it had done while he listened to Scarlett's eloquence on the
shore.
But Scarlett was in a different mood this time. He simply repeated his
advice in a louder tone.
Then Wise Jan Pettigrew grew sulky and pointedly declined, asserting
that he had not come upon this particular cruise for the purpose of
pulling ropes with two greenhorns to do it for him. As the words left
his mouth he felt something cold touch his right temple. He turned
rapidly, and the movement brought his entire cheek against the cold
bell mouth of a horse-pistol. The self-satisfaction flickered out of
his face. His gin-reddened cheek whitened to chalk, and he began to
tremble violently in all his limbs.
"Get up and bend the foresail without a word more!" quoth Scarlett,
sternly, "and remember for the remainder of this cruise you will do
very precisely as you are bid."
Jan, being upon compulsion really wise, instantly and without a murmur
complied. In a minute the foresail was properly bent and also a little
square-sail in the stern--which last had a great effect in steadying
the boat in the cross winds which were now whipping the tops off the
waves and driving the spray over the boat, as they sat under the
shelter of the windward side.
Presently Scarlett began to explain the situation to Jan Pettigrew. He
told him that though he must be ready to work the boat in all matters
of seamanship, yet both of the others would assist him to the best of
their ability. He must, however, be willing to go where they wished and
to obey their orders. In the event of their cruise being successful
he was to receive ten gold pieces. And even if it were not, in the
event of his proving faithful and silent, he should have five for his
pains--which was a great deal more than he would have received on many
voyages from Captain Smith of the _Sea Unicorn_.
At first Jan lay sulkily enough in the bow of the boat and pretended to
pay no attention to Scarlett's words. But presently he grumbled, "How
can I or any man take a boat to England without so much as a compass or
a chart?"
"That is not my business," said Scarlett; "it is surely a strange
seaman that cannot keep a boat to its course for a few miles by the
stars. All I know is that if you do it not I shall be compelled
most reluctantly to blow your brains out, and let your carcass drop
overboard to feed the fishes."
[Illustration: "THE SELF-SATISFACTION FLICKERED OUT OF HIS FACE"]
He pronounced this in so matter-of-fact a voice that the lad came
instantly aft, and began to search carefully in the side lockers and
drawers. Two of these were locked and had to be opened with the blade
of Scarlett's dagger. Wat cut away part of the wood round the wards of
the lock, into which aperture Jan inserted an iron spike that lay in
the bottom of the boat, whereupon the locks gave sharply in both cases.
In one compartment was a small compass, and in the other a sheaf of
charts.
* * * * *
When the morning broke on the third day of their cruise a long, low
island was in sight immediately in front. Then a flat coast with
rolling country stretched away behind, with many woods shining
palely green, and looking newly washed as the morning sun sucked the
night dews from the leaves. An ancient castle stood gray and stern on
the left, and far to the right the tower of a noble church took the sun
and gleamed like the white sail of a ship.
Wise Jan Pettigrew, who had long since composed himself to all his
duties and become the devoted slave of Jack Scarlett (whom his eyes
followed with a kind of rapt adoration), pointed with his finger.
"Branksea!" he cried, with pride both in voice and gesture.
And indeed he had some reason for self-congratulation. For the cross
channel voyage in an open boat, together with a long trip down the
coast, had not often been so successfully undertaken.
Keeping the boat well to the left, they rounded a low spit of shingle
and turned in sharply towards a tiny landing-place, from which a neat
path extended up into the woods.
A flag was flying among the trees and making a splash of brave color
among the greenery.