and a soft breeze blowing, the great vessel glided gently eastward. It
was a trifle monotonous, but this troubled Mark in only small degree,
for there was always something fresh to take his attention. Sea-birds
were seen; then some fish or another reared itself out of the limpid
sea, and fell back with a splash. Then a shoal of some smaller kind
rippled the surface as they played about, silvering the blue water with
their armoured sides.
Small the boatswain and Billy Widgeon rigged up tackle for the lad to
fish; and he fished, but caught nothing.
"But then, you know, you might have ketched real big fish," said the
little sailor encouragingly, "because, you see, you know they are
there."
It was a consolation, but not much, to one who has tried for days to
capture something or another worthy of being placed by the cook upon the
captain's table.
And so three days of slow progress passed on, after which the progress
grew more slow, and ended in a complete calm, just as they were a few
miles north of a verdant-looking island, whose waving palms, seen above
and beyond a broad belt of dingy mangroves, looked particularly tempting
to those who had been cooped up so long on shipboard, where, now that
the breeze had sunk, it seemed insufferably hot.
"I suppose it can't be hotter than this, Mr Gregory, can it?" asked
Mark, soon after noontide on the second day of the calm.
"Hotter than this?" said the first-mate with an assumed look of
astonishment. "Do you hear him, Morgan? He calls it hot!"
"I say, captain," said the major, "how long's this calm going to last?"
"Impossible to say," said the captain. "I am hoping for a fresh breeze
at sundown, but I dare not prophesy."
"Well, then, let's have the boat out and manned, and two or three of us
go ashore with our guns, to see if we can't shoot something."
The captain hesitated, looked at the sky, at the offing, studied his
glass, and then said that there was no prospect of wind before night,
and if the major liked, they would make up a little party and go.
"We can get some handsome birds for specimens if we get none for food,"
said the major, "and perhaps we may get hold of a snake, or a big
lizard, to make into a stew."
"Stewed lizard! Ugh!" ejaculated Mark.
"And why not, young fellow?" cried the major. "Once upon a time, as the
geologists tell us, the lizard and the fowl were very much alike, only
they divided, and while one went on growing more like a bird, the other
lost his wings and the feathers in his tail, and ran more upon the
ground. Now, I'll be bound to say, sir, that if I shot a lizard, an
iguana, or something of that kind, and made it into a curry, you would
not be able to tell the difference. Come, captain."
"Oh, I'm not coming," said the captain. "I shall stay aboard and look
after my two wives--Mark's mother and the ship. You youngsters can go
and enjoy yourselves. You'll go with them, Gregory."
"No, no, I'll stop with the ship," said the first-mate.
"Then it will be to keep me company," said the captain, "for I shall not
stir."
"Oh, well then, sir, I will take a run," said Mr Gregory.
"You'll go too, Morgan?"
"I should enjoy it much, sir," said the second-mate.
"All right, then. I'll have the gig lowered and manned. The sooner you
are off the better."
"We shall want a man or two to carry the bags," said Mr Gregory. "I'll
have Small."
"And I'll have Widgeon," said Mr Morgan, "in case we find ducks."
"I'll have Bruff," said Mark to himself.
"Look here," said the captain; "this island seems to be uninhabited, and
it may be a foolish precaution, but I should take it. The crew will
have pistols, and I should advise you all to take your revolvers."
"Hot enough carrying our guns," said the first-mate.
"Never mind, sir," said the major. "I remember once in the
neighbourhood of Malacca, how a party of us officers landed to get a
shot at the snipe, and we were surprised by a party of copper-coloured
scoundrels. By George, sir, there we were with nothing better than
snipe-shot, sir, to defend ourselves against as murderous-looking a set
of haythens as ever stepped."
"What did you do, Major O'Halloran?" said Mark.
"Bolted, sir--I mean we retreated through the bog. Murder! that was a
retreat. Take your weapons, gentlemen, and young Strong here shall
carry my revolver."
"No," said the captain, "carry your own, major. I'm going to lend him
mine."
The preparations did not take long, and soon after the little party were
being rowed over the deep dark blue water toward the lonely island,
whose shores were right and left of a rocky nature, save in the
direction they had chosen, where a slight indentation that could hardly
be called a bay offered a splendid landing-place, being a curved stretch
of soft white sand.
All at once the water seemed to change colour from dark blue to pale
green, and on looking over the side the little party found that, instead
of gazing down into the black depths, they were gliding over rocky
shallows illumined by the sun, which showed them sea gardens full of
growths of the most wondrous shapes, among which startled shoals of fish
glided, while others, unmoved by the coming of the boat, played about,
showing their armoured sides dazzling with orange and scarlet, blue and
gold.
Mark could have stopped for hours, content to gaze down into the lovely
transparent waters, but the boat glided on and soon afterwards touched
the shore.
"There, my lads," said the first-mate, taking out a big india-rubber
pouch of tobacco and pitching it to one of the men, "there is not a
great deal of tide, but take care to keep the boat afloat. You can
smoke and sleep, but take it in turns, so as to have some one on the
watch."
The party sprang out, and the men left in the boat looked rather glum
till the major supplemented the first-mate's gift by handing his
cigar-case to another of the men.
"One minute," he said. "I think there are eight cigars in there, and I
should like one for myself. I'll have that, and then you four men will
have a cigar and three-quarters apiece, and you must divide them
according to taste."
As this was going on, Mark stood gazing toward the ship, and as he
looked he saw a white handkerchief waved.
It was too far off to be sure who waved that handkerchief, but it was
either Mrs Strong, the major's wife, or Mary O'Halloran.
"It doesn't matter which," thought Mark, and taking off his cap he waved
it in return.
"Now, gentlemen," said the first-mate, "load away, and then we had
better decide where to go."
"Not necessary," said the major, closing the breech of his piece and
giving the stock an affectionate slap.
"Not necessary?" said Morgan.
"No, sir. This is an uninhabited island, where there are no roads and
nature has it all her own way. We shall have to go which way we can."
They struck inland, and the major's words, the result of old experience,
proved to be true, for as they reached the belt of jungle, which came
within some fifty yards of the shore, it was to find their course stayed
by a dense wall of verdure that was literally impassable, the great
trees being woven together with creepers, notable among which there was
the rattan cane, which wound in and out and climbed up and down in a way
that was almost marvellous.
"This is pleasant," said the major.
"Oh, we can get through, sir," said Mark. "Let me go first."
"Do," said the major, with a smile at Gregory, and as the lad pressed
forward, "_Experientia docet_," he whispered. "I've been in a jungle
before now."
"You can't get through here without an axe to cut your way," said Mark
at the end of five minutes, as he stood perspiring and panting, gazing
half angrily at the dense thicket.
"Thank you for the information, my lad," said the major smiling; "we
knew that before."
"But the island can't be all like this?" said Gregory.
"Oh, yes, it can, my dear sir," said the major. "Islands can be
anything out here in the tropics, especially near the Ayquator. Now
look here: if we want to get inland--as we do, we must find the mouth of
the first river and follow the sides of the stream."
"Sure, sor," said Billy Widgeon, "we passed that same about a hundred
yards back, and the bosun and I knelt down and had a dhrink."
The major turned upon little Billy, who had spoken with a broad Irish
accent, and stared at him, sticking his glass in one eye so as to have a
better look.
"Look here, sir," he said; "you're not an Irishman, and that's a bad
imitation of the brogue. Do you hear? You are not an Irishman, I say?"
"Sorra a bit, sor."
"Then is it making fun of me you are?" cried the major, suddenly growing
broad in turn.
"No, sir, not I," said Billy, looking as serious as a judge and
scratching his head the while.
"Then why did you talk like that?"
"I dunno, sor."
"You don't know, you scoundrel?"
"No, sir. I once lived in Ireland for a whole year, and we used to talk
like that; and I suppose it was hearing you say Ayquator, sir, turned on
the tap."
Gregory turned away so as to ask the second-mate a question just then,
and they both looked very red in the face as the major coughed, blew out
his cheeks, and ended by clearing his throat and speaking as a
drill-sergeant does.
"You'd better be careful, sir. Now, gentlemen," he added, "suppose we
go on."
"I say, bosun," said Billy, rubbing one ear until it was quite red,
"what have I been a-doing of?"
"Getting your tongue in a knot, my lad. Come on."
He led the way and Billy Widgeon followed, talking to himself and
evidently thoroughly puzzled as to the meaning of the major's attack.
But now the attention of all was attracted by the little trickling
stream which made its way from beneath some low growth, and lost itself
directly in the sand; but though the way was blocked up it was evident
that here was a road into the island, for the dense wall of verdure took
somewhat the form of an arch; and as soon as a way had been forced
through, Bruff dashed on ahead, splashing about and barking excitedly.
"That's not the way to get sport, is it?" said Morgan. "Hadn't we
better call the dog back?"
"Yes, call him," said the major.
Mark called, but the dog had evidently gone beyond hearing, so they
followed, finding themselves in an opening about sixty feet wide as soon
as they had passed the arch, and with the sky above them, while they
were walking in the gravelly zigzagging and winding bed of a little
river, with a wall of mighty trees to right and left.
It was evident that at times there was a tremendous current here, and
that the whole place was flooded after the heavy rains, for the
first-mate pointed out, some five feet from the ground, a patch of dry
grass and broken twigs, matted together just as they had been washed
down the river and left there from the last flood, while now the stream
was reduced to a trickling rivulet, with a pool here and a pool there,
some of which were deep and, from the swirling motion of the water,
evidently contained big fish.
There was plenty of room for walking at the sides of the gravelly
stream, and after progressing some little distance inland, at the bottom
of what was like a channel, whose walls were huge tree-trunks towering
to a great height, the party began to look out for birds.
"Phew! it's hot work," said Morgan, wiping his face, for the heat in
that airless chasm was terrific. "I don't think we shall get many
birds."
"I'm not going to try," said Gregory, "for it's neck-breaking work
staring up in the tops of these trees."
"We'll find some ducks soon," said the major, "or some ground pigeons.
You leave it to me. But where's that dog?"
There was no answer, for evidently no one knew. One thing was certain,
however, Bruff had ceased barking, and therefore was not likely to
disturb any game that might be on the way.
But though they progressed nearly a mile inland not a bird was visible.
There was the loud whizzing whirr of innumerable cicadas, and once or
twice they heard a piping cry, after that all was stifling heat and
silence.
Their progress was very slow, for after finding there was not much
chance of getting a shot the various members of the party began to
inspect the objects around them. The major lit his cigar, Mr Gregory
examined the sand to see if it contained gold, Mr Morgan tried to find
crystals among the pebbles, Mark gazed up at the patches of ferns and
orchids among the branches of the trees, and Small and Billy Widgeon
took a great deal of interest in the various pools they passed, but
found no fish, for at their coming the occupants of the pools took
fright and stirred up the sand and mud so that the water became
discoloured.
"And I lays as they're eels," said Billy Widgeon, as he carried on a
discussion with Small.
"And I says they're big jacks or pikes," replied the boatswain; "but I
want to know wheer they're going to feed the beasts."
"Feed what beasts?" said Mark, who was listening to their dispute and
gazing down into a good-sized pool where the water was still in motion.
"These here beasts, sir," said Small with a grin. "All on us. These
canvas bags is heavy, and I want to see the weight o' the wittles
distributed. Much easier to carry that way, and the bottles pitched
overboard."
"Hist!" whispered Billy Widgeon, who was peering through some bushes
where the little river made a curve.
"Whatch yer found, Billy?"
"Don't make a row, and come and look here, Mr Mark, sir. Here's such a
whacking great effet, same as used to be in our pond at home."
Mark hurried to his side, followed by Small.
"Why, it's a 'gator," the latter said as he reached the spot where there
was an extensive pool, quite undisturbed, for the screen of bushes had
hidden it from the passers-by.
"A crocodile!" said Mark as he gazed excitedly into the clear water at
the plainly defined shape of the little saurian, for it was not above
four feet long.
"Wait a minute," whispered Billy; "I'll give him such a wonner in the
skull," and picking up a heavy piece of stone from the many lying in the
half-dry river-bed he pitched it with fairly good aim just above the
basking reptile.
There was a dull plunge; the water seemed to be all alive for a few
minutes, swirling and eddying, and sending rings to the edge, and then
it began to subside, but it was discoloured now, and evident that the
one crocodile they had seen was not without companions.
"Now, it's my 'pinion," said Billy, "that if you'd come fishing instead
o' shooting, and rigged up rods and lines and tried for these here
things in these ponds, you'd have had some sport."
"But what would you have baited with?" said Mark, laughing.
"I d'know," said Billy Widgeon. "Yes, I do," he continued, "dog. They
say as 'gators and crockydiles is rare and fond o' dog."
At that moment, by an odd coincidence, there was a piteous howling
heard, followed directly after by a shot and then by another.
"Major's shot your dog, Mr Mark," said the boatswain, with a comical
look at the captain's son, as they hurried on.
"Bruff wouldn't have howled before he was hurt," said Mark excitedly.
"They've shot some wild beast. Why didn't we keep up with them?"
"Hope it ar'n't lions or tigers," said Billy, as he panted on under the
load of a bag which contained certain bottles of beer.
"No lions or tigers in an island like this," said Small oracularly.
"Oh, there they are."
A turn in the river-bed had brought Mark and his companions in sight of
the major and the two mates about a hundred and fifty yards away. Mr
Morgan was kneeling down by a pool doing something to the dog, while the
major and Gregory looked on.
"I was right," said Small; "they have shot your dog, Mr Mark."
At that moment Bruff caught sight of his master, and uttering a loud
bark, he started off from where he stood and came limping on three legs
towards Mark, holding his right fore-paw in the air and whimpering
piteously.
"Why, Bruff, old chap, what is it?" cried Mark, as the dog came up
holding out his leg as if for sympathy; "have they shot you? Why, no;
he has been in a trap."
"No," said the boatswain, examining the dog's leg, "he's been fighting
and something has bitten him. Wild pig, for a penny."
"Here, Mark, my lad," cried the major, "you nearly lost your dog."
"What's been the matter?" cried Mark.
"A crocodile got hold of him by this pool."
"How, how!" cried Bruff, throwing up his head and giving vent to a most
dismal yell, as if overpowered by the recollection.
"Ah, I said as they likes dog," said Billy Widgeon sententiously.
Bang, bang!
Then, as the smoke rose up slowly after the discharge of both barrels of
his piece, Morgan exclaimed:
"See that?"
"See it! I nearly felt it," cried the major, drawing back from the edge
of the disturbed pool, from which a good-sized crocodile, evidently
pressed by hunger, had charged out at his legs. "Did you hit him?"
"Yes, I must have hit him both times, for he swerved at the first shot,
and turned back at the second; but small-shot can't do much harm to one
of these scaly-hided ruffians."
"Well, I should like to kill that brute," said the major, looking
ruffled, and speaking as if he thought that a great insult had been
offered to an officer in Her Majesty's service. "Think it was the one
which laid hold of the dog?"
"How, how!" cried Bruff piteously, and then, trotting on three legs to
the water's edge, he began to bark furiously.
"Call him away," cried Morgan excitedly, cocking his gun and following
the dog; "that pool swarms with the beasts."
"Here, Bruff, Bruff, Bruff!" cried Mark.
But his cry would have been too late, even if the dog had obeyed, for at
that moment the water was parted and a hideous head with dull gleaming
eyes appeared, as one of the monsters made a rush at Bruff.
Morgan was ready for him, though, and quick as thought, from a distance
of not more than four yards, he poured the contents of his gun right in
the reptile's face, following it up with the second barrel.
To the delight of all, the monster gave a bound and made a clumsy leap
out on to the dry ground, where it lay beating the water with its tail,
giving it resounding blows, and only lying still to begin again.
"Shall I give him another shot?" said Gregory.
"No; half his skull is blown away," said the major. "Let him die."
"Put the game in the bag, sir?" said Billy respectfully.
"Ask Mr Morgan," said the major haughtily. "I did not fire the shot."
Small took out his great pocket-knife, and cut a rattan to a length of
about twenty feet, and after trimming off the leaves readily contrived a
running noose at the end, then cleverly contrived to noose one leg as
well. A sharp snatch drew the noose tight, and at the boatswain's
suggestion everyone took hold of the cane and the struggling reptile was
hauled right away from the water to die, proving a goodly weight though
it was not above nine feet long.
"There, Bruff, old man," said the boatswain, "suppose you give one of
his paws a nip to serve him out. It would be only fair. Shall I give
him the knife, sir?"
"No," said Mr Gregory, "the brute is dying. Good heavens! what's
that?"
It was unmistakably a shot, and not fired with a fowling-piece, but
evidently from some good-sized gun.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
HOW THERE WAS A STARTLING SURPRISE.
"What in the world is that?" cried Gregory.
"That sir?" said the major importantly. "That was the report of a gun."
"Good gracious, man, I know that," said the mate.
"There again," cried Morgan.
"Ship firing signals for recall," said the major. "We are wanted
aboard."
"Nonsense, sir!" said Gregory tartly. "We have no guns that would make
such a report as that. What?"
This last was to Morgan, who whispered something to him excitedly.
"Pooh! nonsense, man!" cried Gregory again. Just then there was another
shot, and another, and the first-mate's face turned of a muddy hue.
"It's fighting, as sure as I'm a soldier," said the major nodding his
head.
"You're right, Morgan," said the first-mate hoarsely.
"Come along, quick! There's something wrong aboard the ship."
"Aboard our ship--the _Petrel_?" cried Mark, with a curious choking
sensation coming upon him, and his heart beating rapidly.
"There, don't turn like that, my lad," said Morgan kindly, as he clapped
the lad on the shoulder. "We only fancy there may be something wrong,
and I hope we have been deceived."
"Do you think there will be a fight, Gregory?" said the major excitedly.
"Heaven forbid, sir!" said the first-mate solemnly.
"What are you talking about, sir? and you all the time with a double gun
in your fist. Why, it warms the very blood in my veins."
"You see I'm not a fighting man, sir," said Gregory sternly. "Yes," he
continued, as he saw the major give him a peculiar look, and reading his
meaning, "you're quite right, sir, I am white, and I feel afraid--
horribly afraid, as I think of what may be happening to those poor women
left on board, and my poor captain and our men."
"And I forgot all about my wife and child," cried the major, increasing
his pace, as he wiped the perspiration from his brow. "Come on,
gentlemen, for heaven's sake!"
They were already going along at a double, where the rough river-bed
would allow, but the progress was very slow, while, though they had come
along leisurely, it was astounding how great a distance they had placed
between them and the boat.
"For heaven's sake, come on, gentlemen!" said the major again, and at
another time his remark would have seemed very Irish and droll, for he
was last but one in the little party, and hard pressed to keep up in the
intense heat of the inclosed and stifling place.
"Ahoy!" came from ahead just then.
"Ahoy!" answered the mate, who was leading, with Mark next; and the next
minute they were face to face with the four men who had been left with
the boat. "What is it, my lads?" he panted.
"Pirates, sir, praus!"
"Nonsense!" cried the mate fiercely.
"'Strue as true, sir. We was all half dozing in the boat when we heared
a shot, and saw a prau alongside of the old Chicken, and another running
up fast, and then there were more firing went on."
"And we ashore!" muttered the mate. "Keep on, my men. What next?"
"Don't know, sir," panted the spokesman; "we come on after you, sir."
"And left the boat?"
"She's got the grapnel out, sir, on the sands."
"But the men in the prau--they could see her."
"Oh, yes, sir; they could see her, sir."
"Man, man! what have you done? They will fetch her off and we shall be
unable to follow."
"Don't blame the man, Gregory, but keep on. We may be in time to save
her. Let me go first, I can run."
Mr Morgan sprang to the front, and with his gun at the trail ran on
ahead at a pace that seemed marvellous; but Mark followed as rapidly as
he could, Mr Gregory next, then the major, and the men in single file.
Mark ran on with a horrible feeling of despair growing upon him as he
thought of those on board; his heart beat; there was the hot suffocating
sensation growing more painful at his throat, and to his misery, in
spite of his efforts, the ground was so rough and stone-strewn that he
was being left behind, while Mr Morgan had disappeared from his view
round one of the sharp turns of the river-bed.
All at once he remembered what he had before forgotten, namely, that he
was wearing a belt and pouch, and that in the soft leather holster
attached there was the revolver his father had lent him.
He had never fired such a weapon in his life, but he had seen this one
handled and loaded, and taking it out, he hardly knew why in his
excitement, he cocked it, and ran on with the piece in his hand.
Directly after he found himself close to the low growth through which
the little river trickled to lose itself in the sand, and through the
opening now broken larger by the passage of so many of his companions he
forced his way out and stood upon the sands.
The sight which met his eye took from him the power of action for the
moment, and he stood there panting, gazing straight away.
Out at sea lay the great _Petrel_ with a couple of praus alongside, and
as far as he could see, in his quick glance, the deck was covered with
swarthy figures. But there was a scene being enacted close at hand
which made him turn giddy, and the blood seemed to run to his eyes.
Mr Morgan had always been a pleasant friend to him from the time of his
joining the ship; and now as Mark gazed it was to see him in a peril
that promised instant death.