without a current of air through the ship it would have been impossible
for those below to have kept on with their suffocating task.
For the first quarter of an hour the captain and those with him worked
like giants, and then came up, to be relieved by the mate and others,
those who had been below now passing the water.
But it was blind and helpless work, and when this had been going on for
about three-quarters of an hour, and the toilers were getting exhausted
by the heat and smoke, Mr Morgan came up and announced that the boats
were all ready, and this set four strong men at liberty to help with the
water.
The second-mate went down at once, and in a quarter of an hour was
relieved by the captain, who came up in turn, looking more stern than
Mark had ever seen before.
"I can't help feeling that we are wasting our energy," he said to Mr
Morgan. "We are not making the slightest impression."
"I'm afraid not," said the officer addressed. "The fire is increasing."
"Yes; and at any moment it may burst forth with a roar, Morgan,"
whispered the captain; "but for heaven's sake don't show that we think
so."
Another anxious quarter of an hour passed, and matters were evidently
growing worse. The water was passed down into the hold with unabated
vigour, the men working desperately, but the pillar of smoke which rose
from the hold grew thicker and thicker and half hid some of the flapping
sails, for now it had fallen quite a calm. From time to time Mark had
been to his mother, who was trying, with the major's wife, to whisper
hope and encouragement to Mary, the poor girl being horrified at the
idea of having to leave the ship in an open boat. But at last there
seemed to be no hope to whisper from one to the other. Men grew more
stern as they worked with savage energy; and in spite of the time which
had elapsed since the first alarm there had not been a murmur nor a
whisper of going to the boats, which floated on either side and astern.
But the captain and the two mates knew that before long there must be a
rush of fire up through the great hatch, that the sails would
immediately catch, and then the masts and rigging would rapidly be a
blaze from stem to stern.
Mark had just returned from one of his visits to the front of the cabin,
where the helpless women stood gazing at the dimly-seen crowd about the
hatch, going and coming, and blotting out the dim light of the lanterns
placed here and there. He was close to his father as once Mr Gregory
came up, blinded with the smoke, and half suffocated.
"I can't hit upon the place," he said angrily. "We're wasting time,
Captain Strong, for the smoke comes up all over, and we have never yet
touched its source."
"No," said the captain gloomily; "but we must persevere."
"Oh, yes, sir, we'll persevere; never fear for that."
"If I could only think of what would be likely to light by spontaneous
combustion, it might help us."
"I can help you to that," said the mate.
"The fire's gaining fast, sir," said Small, the boatswain, coming up;
"Mr Morgan says we must have more hands below."
A thrill ran through the men, and one of them threw down his bucket.
"It's labour in vain, captain," he said. "Better keep our strength for
the oars."
"Take up that bucket, sir," roared the captain furiously, "or--"
He did not finish his sentence but took a couple of strides forward, and
the man resumed his work.
"I give orders here," said the captain in a loud deep voice. "Now, Mr
Gregory, what is it?"
"Matches. A chest or two must have been sent by some scoundrel
described as something else, and the pressure or crushing in of the case
has ignited them."
"That does not help us, sir," said the captain bitterly. "I want to
know where they are."
"Matches--did you say matches?" cried a highly-pitched voice; and Jimpny
dropped his bucket and started forward.
"Back to your work!" cried one of the men, but the captain stopped him.
"Yes, matches, my man," he said, for there was a faint hope that Jimpny
might know something.
"There were chests of 'em down below where I lay," said Jimpny eagerly.
"I could smell 'em strong all the time."
"Smell them?" cried Mr Gregory.
"Yes, sir, onion phosphory smell, you know."
"Hurrah!" cried the first-mate excitedly. "Axes, my lad, and lanterns.
We know now."
Three men started forward, but the captain caught the axe from one and a
lantern from another, and was about to follow the first-mate when an
uneasy movement among the crew arrested him, and he handed the axe and
light to Mr Morgan.
"You go down," he said. "I may be wanted here."
It was a wise resolve, for it stayed a rush to the boats just at the
moment when a chance was left of saving the vessel.
The captain's stern presence was, however, sufficient to keep the men
back; and as the pumping and carrying of water ceased, all stood
irresolute, listening to the blows of hatchets and the breaking of wood
below.
All doubt as to the right place being found was ended the next minute,
for a lurid light shot up from the hatch, and a shout arose from the
men, who would have rushed away in panic but for the captain's words.
"Pump! pump!" he roared; "now then, pass on that water."
The hiss and splash of water arose directly from below, showing that the
well-directed stream was now striking the fire.
There was a cheer from below, too, which sent a thrill through them; and
for the next half-hour the water was sent down with the energy of
despair. Then despair began to give way to hope, for the glare from
below was fainter; then it grew paler still, and at last nothing but a
dense white blinding smoke came up; and directly after the two mates,
Small, and a couple of men came staggering up, to fall on the deck
exhausted.
"Major O'Halloran!" shouted the captain, handing him his revolver, "take
charge here, sir, till these men recover. Now, my lads, we've nearly
won. Two men to go with me below."
The captain sprang down, followed by Billy Widgeon and Jimpny, while, as
the men cheered and went on pumping, Mark ran to the cabin to return
with spirits to revive the exhausted men.
It was a good idea, followed out by Mrs Strong and the major's wife,
who handed refreshments to all the men in turn.
Mr Morgan was the first to rise to his feet and try to go down again,
but he was too weak, and staggered away from the hatchway.
One of the men started forward, but Mark was before him.
"If my father can live down there, I can," he thought; and he dropped
down to crawl through the smoke beside the leather hose of the fire
pump, and this led him directly to where his father was directing the
nozzle of the branch down through the broken deck, a dim lantern beside
showing that a pillar of smoke was slowly rising up and away from the
captain.
"That you, Mark? Go and tell them to stop sending down buckets; the
hose will do now. The fire is mastered, and--"
He did not finish his sentence, for his voice was choking and husky as
Mark ran to the other hatch and climbed up with his message.
It was received with a tremendous burst of cheering, the men who had
been handing the buckets dashing them down and seizing each other's
hands, while others indulged in a hearty hug.
For the danger was indeed past, and at the end of an hour the men, who
had been working in relays, were able to leave off pumping just as the
dawn was beginning to appear in the east, while an hour later, when it
was broad daylight, the sun rose upon a thin blue thread of steam rising
from the hold, and disclosed a group of haggard-looking,
smoke-blackened, red-eyed men, utterly worn out by their efforts.
But the ship was saved, and the captain said, "Thank God!"
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
HOW JACK PROVED TO BE AN IMPOSTOR.
The damage could not be thoroughly ascertained, for a vast deal of
mischief must have been done by the water poured into the hold, water
which exercised the men's patience a good, deal before it was all
cleared out; but the amount destroyed by fire when they worked down to
the seat of the mishap was comparatively small, for the smouldering had
produced a vast amount of smoke.
One little matter which took place toward the next evening, when order
was once more restored, the boats in their places, and everyone assured
that there was no chance of a fresh outbreak, deserves recording.
It was close upon dusk when, as Jimpny came slouching along the deck, he
encountered the first-mate, and was about to turn aside; but Mr
Gregory, who had been chatting with Mark, and patting Bruff, who had won
the distinction of giving first warning of the fire, stopped him.
"I'm rather rough sometimes with the men, Jimpny, and I have been
particularly hard on you. I can't say a good word for you as a sailor,
but you have saved this ship by coming aboard, and if Captain Strong--"
"What about him?" said the captain. "Oh, I see; you were talking to
Jimpny here. Ah! he has his strong points, you see, Gregory. I shall
not forget what took place last night."
"Don't talk about it, sir," said the stowaway in a shamefaced fashion.
"Only too glad to have recollected about the matches."
"Ah," said the mate; "and if you could only recollect the scoundrel who
sent them, he should pay for the damage, eh, Captain Strong?"
"Yes," said the captain; "it was a cruel trick, for the sake of saving a
few pounds. But, as I said before, Jimpny, I shall not forget last
night's work."
"I thank you kindly, sir," said the man, "but I don't want nothing, only
a chance to get on a bit."
"And that," said the captain, "you have found."
The damaged cargo was thrown overboard, the hold pumped dry, and exposed
to the air as much as possible, and the risk they had all run began to
be looked upon as a thing of the past. But there was one personage, if
he could be so styled, who did not recover quite so quickly from the
troubles of that night, and that was Jacko, who suffered so severely
from the overpowering nature of the smoke in the hold that he became
quite an invalid, and had to be brought up on deck by Billy Widgeon, and
laid upon a wool mat in the sun.
The poor animal was very ill, but his ludicrous aspect and
caricature-like imitation of sick humanity excited laughter among
passengers and men. He used to lie perfectly still, with his face
contracted into comical wrinkles; but his eyes were bright and always on
the move, while, if Bruff were away from his side for five minutes, he
would begin to chatter uneasily, and then howl till the dog returned, to
take hold of his arm, and pretend to bite him, ending by lying down and
watching him with half-closed eyes.
After a while Bruff would utter a remonstrant growl, for Jack would set
to work trying to solve the problem why the dog's curly coat would not
lie down smooth and straight; and in his efforts to produce that
smoothness that he was accustomed to see upon his own skin, he sometimes
tugged vigorously enough to cause pain.
Mark was watching the pair one day, when Billy Widgeon came up.
"Why don't he get better?" said Mark. "He ought to be all right by
now."
Billy Widgeon looked at the monkey, which seemed to be watching them
both intently, and mysteriously drew Mark aside.
"That there settles it, Mr Mark, sir," he said.
"Settles what?"
"'Bout his being so ill, sir. I see it all just then in his wicked old
eyes."
"I don't understand you, Billy."
"Don't you? He's a-gammoning on us, sir."
"Gammoning us?"
"Yes, sir. That's his artfulness. He likes to be carried down to his
snug warm bed, and carried up again, and set here in the sun, and being
fed with figs and sweet biscuits and lumps of sugar. It's my 'pinion
that he's as well as you and me."
"No, no," said Mark. "I believe the poor thing is very ill."
"I don't, sir, and if you'll let me, I'll cure him in a minute."
"But you'd hurt him."
"Well, sir, I might hurt his feelings, but I wouldn't hurt him nowheres
else."
"What will you do, then?"
"Here, hold hard," said Billy in a whisper. "Don't talk so loud; he's
a-watching of us."
Mark glanced in the direction of the monkey, and sure enough the animal
had drawn himself up a little, and was peering at them over the dog's
back, as the latter lay down at full length in the sunshine.
"That's his artfulness, Mr Mark, sir," whispered Billy. "I've had the
keer of that there monkey ever since he come aboard, and have stood by
him many's the time when the men was up to their larks, and wanted to
make him pick up red-hot ha'pennies, and to give him pepper pills to
eat. Why, there was one chap used to spend hours setting traps for him.
What d'yer think he used to do?"
"I don't know," replied Mark.
"Well, I'll just tell you, sir: he used to shove a little thin old file
through a cotton reel, and make a drill of it. You know what a drill
is, sir?"
"Yes, I've seen it used," said Mark; "worked to and fro with a steel bow
and catgut."
"That's him, sir; only my messmate hadn't no steel bow and no catgut,
but he made hisself a sort of bow out of a bit o' cane and some string,
and then he used to get a few nuts and stick 'em one at a time in a
crack, and drill holes in the sides. When he'd done this, he used to
sit o' nights and pick all the kernels out, a bit at a time, with a pin,
just the same as you used to do with the periwinkles, sir."
"That I never did," said Mark, laughing, as he seated himself outside
the bulwark, and gazed down in the clear water while he listened.
"Well, I used to, sir, and werry nice they is."
"I daresay, but go on."
"Well, sir, he used to pick all the kernels out, and when they was
empty, fill 'em up with snuff, and plug the holes with a bit o' tar."
"What for?"
"That's just what I'm a-coming to, sir, only you keeps a-interrupting
so. Then he used to put these here nuts full o' snuff in one pocket,
and some good uns in the other, and wait till he see Jack. Fust time he
did it, I didn't know there was any game on, and I see him give Jack a
nut. He cracked it, and ate the kernel, and then my mate give him
another, and he cracked and ate that, and held out his hand for more.
This time he give him one full o' snuff, but Jack tasted the tar as
stopped up the hole, and was too many for him. He wouldn't crack it,
but chucked it away. I thought it was only a bad one, for I never smelt
the snuff; but what does my mate do but begs a bit o' wheeling sacks o'
the steward."
"A bit of what?" said Mark.
"Wheeling sacks, sir; what they fastens up letters with."
"Oh, sealing wax," cried Mark.
"Yes, sir, I said so--sealing wax, and stops up the holes with that.
Jack didn't taste that, and first time he cracks one o' them bad uns he
gets his mouth full o' snuff, and there he was a-coughing and sneezing
for 'bout half an hour, while as soon as he see as it was a trick, he
jumps on my back and bites me in the neck, and runs away to get up in
the rigging and swear--oh my eye, but he did swear!"
"Nonsense, Billy! a monkey can't swear."
"But he did, sir. He went on calling us all the names he could lay his
tongue to in monkey, and whenever my mate give him nuts again, he used
to crack 'em on the deck with a marline-spike. Then my mate used to try
it on with other tricks, but I wouldn't have it, and I've had no end o'
rows with my messmates on account o' that little chap, for I've got to
love him like a brother a'most--ah, more than you do your dog; but he's
that howdacious artful that I get ashamed on him. He aren't got no more
morals than a lobster, as would pinch his best friend's finger off as
soon as look at him."
"And Jack bites you, then, same as he would anyone else?"
"More, sir; ever so much more. Why, I'm all over his bites."
"And so you think he's shamming?" said Mark.
"I'm sure of it, and I'm a-going to cure him."
"What will you do?"
"Well, I shall try him easy-like at first, sir, and if that don't do I
shall try rope's end."
"No, no, do it by kindness, Billy," said Mark.
"Well, that would be kindness, sir. Monkey's only a monkey, but even a
monkey ought to be taught to have some morals. You come along o' me."
Mark leaped down, and followed the little sailor back to where Jack was
lying watching them; and as soon as they reached the spot, Billy bent
down, placed his hands upon his knees, and poured forth a stream of the
most voluble vituperation ever invented by man. He called the monkey
all the lazy, idle, good-for-nothing swabs, lubbers, and humbugs
possible, while the effect was droll in the extreme.
At first the little animal chattered at him, then he shook his head,
then he grew angry, and at last curled himself up, covering his head
with his long arms, and howled piteously.
"That's a-touching of him up, sir," said Billy. "He knows it, you see.
Why, you miserable little black-faced, bandy-legged sneak," he
continued, addressing the monkey, "what's in my mind is to--"
Woof!
Billy Widgeon made a bound, and caught a rope, by whose help he swung
himself up into the rigging.
"Lay hold o' that dog, Mr Mark, sir," he cried.
For Bruff, who had been lying down when this tirade began, slowly raised
his head, then placed himself in a sitting posture, and ended by staring
at Billy, till Jack gave a more piteous howl than any he had before
uttered, when the dog gave vent to one low growling bark, and sprang at
the sailor.
"Ah!" said Billy, as soon as Bruff was quieted down, "you see he takes
his part. Being a dog he don't know no better, sir. I must try another
way."
Billy slowly swung himself down, displaying wonderful muscular strength
of arm as he did so, and beckoning Mark aside he continued:
"I'm going to show you now, sir. Can you make your dog howl?"
"Oh, yes, Billy, easily."
"How will you do it?"
"Shut him up somewhere, or chain him, and then call him. As soon as he
finds he can't get to me, he'll make noise enough."
"That's your sort," said Billy. "You bring him along, then."
Mark called the dog, who leaped up and bounded to him, and five minutes
later he was chained up under the main hatch and left, while Billy led
the way back to the deck, and helped Mark up to a place of vantage,
where they could see the monkey without being seen, and at the same time
make the dog hear.
"Now then, Mr Mark, sir. You call old Bruff."
Mark obeyed, and there was a sharp bark in reply, then a volley of
barks, a rattling of the chain, and, on the call being repeated, quite a
howl.
At the first bark Jack turned his head and listened, then, as the
barking continued more angrily, he raised his head and looked in the
direction from whence the sounds came. At the first howl he went upon
his hands and knees, and uttered an uneasy kind of noise, but threw
himself down again, and laid his head close to the deck, shuffling about
uneasily.
Then there was peace for a few moments.
"Call him again, Mr Mark, sir," whispered Billy.
Mark obeyed, and, leaning down, uttered the dog's name in a suppressed
way, which sounded as if it came from a great distance.
The result was a burst of barking, followed by a series of the most
piteous howls, wild and prolonged, such as an animal might utter who was
suffering from some terrible torture.
"That'll fetch him," whispered Billy; and he seemed to be right, for, as
the howling continued, Jack grew restless. He sat up, listened, threw
himself down, turned over, then on the other side, and ended by bursting
out into a fit of chattering, and going at full speed along the deck to
the hatchway, down which he disappeared at a bound, old practice
teaching him that he would drop upon the steps, and his experience being
right.
"Come along," said Billy chuckling. "I told you so, Mr Mark, sir; I
told you so. I thought it was his games."
Billy Widgeon took up the sheepskin rug, and carried it down below in
the forecastle, while, when Bruff was let loose, and the two animals
returned on deck, Jack walked slowly to his sunny corner, and stood
staring about him as if unable to make out what it all meant, ending by
lying down on the bare deck.
But this did not seem to afford any satisfaction, and as if realising
that his companion was quite well once more, Bruff charged at him, and
rolled him over. Jack retaliated by getting hold of his curly coat with
both hands, and making a playful bite at his neck, when the game went
on, and for the next half-hour they were frisking and bounding about the
deck till they were tired, and Bruff found a sunny spot for a nap, as
Jack had sought refuge among the sails.
CHAPTER TWELVE.
HOW MARK FIRST TASTED JUNGLE.
A hot but uneventful voyage succeeded, during which the passengers were
well roasted in the Suez Canal, and saturated with the steamy moisture
of Ceylon, where Mark stared with wonder at the grandees, whose costume
strongly resembled that of some gorgeously-decked little girl of fifty
years ago dressed up for a party.
Then there was a glimpse of Sumatra, and a stay at busy bazaar-like
Singapore, with its shipping of all nations from great steamers down to
Malay praus, with their bamboo sides and decks, and copper-coloured
wide-nostrilled Malays in little flat military caps, and each wearing
the national check sarong, so much after the fashion of a Highlander's
tartan, baju jacket, and deadly-looking kris.
"Yes, these are Malays, Mark," said Mr Morgan as they stood gazing over
the side at the hundreds of vessels of all sizes. "Clever sailors they
are too."
"And pirates?" said Mark.
"Yes, whenever they can get the chance with some one weaker than
themselves, but our cruisers have made their trade less profitable than
it used to be."
"Should you think these are pirates?" said Mark, pointing towards one
particularly swift-looking prau just gliding out of the harbour.
"Very likely," said the second-mate. "They are traders and fishermen,
and sometimes all's fish that comes to their net. Not very formidable
looking enemies, though."
"They've no guns," said Mark, looking rather contemptuously at the
quaint craft.
"Not visible," said the second-mate, "but I daresay they may have two or
three down below ready for mounting as soon as they get to sea."
"Very large guns?"
"No; small brass pieces which they call lelahs, and which send a ball
weighing perhaps a pound."
"But pirates would not dare to attack a great ship like this," said
Mark.
"Oh, yes, they would, for these Malays are fighting men, who always go
armed, while they know that our merchantmen, as a rule, are not. But
there is not much to fear. They generally attack weak or helpless
vessels, and most of their strongholds have been rooted out."
Mark watched the departing prau with no little eagerness as he recalled
accounts which he had read of attacks by pirates, poisoned krises, and
goodly vessels plundered by the bloodthirsty men of Moslem creed, who
looked upon the slaying of a Christian as a meritorious act.
As he gazed after the retiring prau, with its dusky crew, a vessel,
similar in shape and size, and which had been lying close alongside of
the _Petrel_, heaved up her anchor and set sail.
"Where are they likely to be going?" Mark asked.
"Trading among the islands. They are rare fellows for pushing their way
in a slow fashion, but are not such business people as the Chinese."
"One might have thought that this was China," said Mark, as he gazed
ashore at the celestial quarter, and noted the great junks manned by
Chinamen lying anchored here and there.
The stay at Singapore was not long. The three German students bade the
passengers good-bye politely, and took their departure, beaming upon
everyone through their spectacles, making quite a gap at the saloon
table, though they were not much missed, for they had all been
remarkably quiet, only talking to each other in a subdued manner, and
always being busy with a book a piece, whose contents were tremendous
dissertations on agricultural chemistry, all of which they were going to
apply out in Queensland as soon as they got there.
Then one bright morning, well supplied with fresh provisions, and, to
Mark's great delight, with an ample store of fruit--from bananas, of
three or four kinds, to pine-apples, the delicious mangosteen, and the
ill-odoured durian, with its wooden husk, delicate custard, and large
seeds--the ship continued her course.