which they had come ashore, and every detail in those brief moments
seemed to be photographed on the lad's active brain. The gig was
anchored as the men had said, but it was at some distance from the shore
to which the men must have waded; and he recollected now how wet they
had been. There before him was a small boat of Malay build coming from
one of the praus, full of men, some rowing, some standing up with spears
in their hands. They were swarthy-looking savages, in plaid sarongs of
bright colours, these being twisted tightly about their waists, and in
the band thus formed each had a kris stuck, above which the man's dark
naked body glistened in the sun.
They were so near that the sun gleamed on their rolling eyes as well as
flashed from their spears, two of which were now poised and held by
their owners as if about to be hurled.
Mark shuddered as he saw all this, and the rest of the picture before
him has yet to be described.
The boat was evidently coming to secure the gig, and to save this, and
to prevent their being left alone and helpless upon this island without
the means of communicating with the ship, Mr Morgan was straining every
nerve. As Mark came out through the bushes, it was to see the
second-mate reach the edge of the water, the sea having gone down some
distance, and then he had a hundred yards to wade.
How it all happened Mark only knew afterwards from what he was told, but
as he grasped the position he stood, as has been said, paralysed, and
then in his agony of mind his power of action returned. Running down
over the hard sand as quickly as he could, he watched the progress of
events, and saw that the second-mate was still some distance from the
gig, while the Malays were nearing fast. He was evidently so exhausted
that he would not be able to reach the gig first, and as he realised
this he paused for a moment, raised his gun and fired at the men.
This drew from them a savage yell, which seemed to be echoed from the
praus; when as if to intimidate enemies and encourage the men a small
gun was fired on board one of the vessels, and a little ball came
skipping over the sea, to go crashing into the jungle.
Morgan went on a few steps farther and fired again; but though his shots
evidently told, the men wincing and one falling, but only to spring up
again, the fire did not check their progress, and they were fast nearing
the gig.
Morgan made another desperate effort to reach it, when first one and
then another of the Malays hurled his spear, which went through the air
in a low curve.
Mark was now at the edge of the shallow water, with a blind feeling of
despairing rage urging him on, boy as he was. What he was about to do
he did not know himself. All he realised was that he must try and help
Mr Morgan, who, as the spears were hurled, fell headlong into the
deeper water, which splashed up around him glistening in the sun.
At this Mark uttered a groan and once more stopped short, as if
paralysed, while, with a yell of triumph at the apparent success of
their aim, the Malay boat came on and had nearly reached the gig.
But at that moment, as if moved by some other power, Mark raised the
revolver and fired point-blank at the advancing boat.
Again and then again he fired--three shots--each, as the little weapon
uttered its sharp ringing crack, sending a rifled bullet whizzing at the
Malays. One ball struck the water before them, and went over their
heads; the second passed before them, and the third struck one of the
rowers, who leaped up with a yell and fell overboard.
This checked the progress of the on-coming boat. But as they dragged
their wounded companion back into the boat they uttered another defiant
yell, and, in spite of the two remaining shots sent pinging at them
without effect, they reached the gig, and one man sprang in to cut the
grapnel line.
At that moment there was quite a little volley fired from the edge of
the jungle, the major and Gregory discharging four barrels at the
Malays, and then with a shout they and the six sailors came running down
the sands.
The man in the gig leaped back into the boat, and as the shots from the
fowling-pieces were supplemented by bullets from the men's pistols the
Malays rapidly paddled away, while Mark thrust back his revolver, and
waded out to where Mr Morgan was trying to raise himself in the water
and kept falling back.
"No, no, not much hurt, my lad," he gasped. "Got the gig ashore? Hah!
That's saved."
He had just caught sight of Gregory's excited face as he came splashing
towards him to pant hoarsely:
"That's right! Hold him a moment and I'll be back."
He was back directly with the gig, and by that time the men were about
him, and the injured man was carried ashore, two of the sailors dragging
the gig right up to the sands, upon which Mr Morgan was laid.
"Let me look," said the major, taking out his knife and ripping up the
mate's shirt. "Ah! I see. I've had some experience of these things.
A nasty cut, my dear boy, but it isn't wide enough to let out your
spirit. You let me put a bandage on it, and I warrant it will soon
heal."
"Poisoned, major?" whispered the injured man.
"Poisoned, bedad! Nonsense, man. It's a clean cut in your shoulder,
and thank your stars it was there, and not in your chest."
"Look out!" shouted one of the men.
His reason was apparent, for one of the praus, seeing that the Malays
were going back discomfited, began firing from her brass gun, sending a
ball skipping over the water, and it finally dashed high up among the
trees.
"Bah! let him fire," said the major scornfully; "they couldn't hit the
Hill o' Howth, and the safest place to be in is the one they aim at.
There, my dear boy, that's a business-like job, and it's in your left
shoulder. Now, Gregory, what's to be done?"
"We must go off at once in the gig and retake the ship," said Gregory
sternly.
"No," said the major, shaking his head, as he gazed out to where the
_Petrel_ lay.
"Not go, sir, and you've got a wife and child on board."
"And I a father and mother," groaned Mark to himself.
"Yes, sir; and I've got a wife and child on board," said the major
sadly; "and I want to help them. But I'm a soldier, Mr Gregory, and
I've learned a little of the art of war, and it isn't the way to save
people in a beleaguered fort to go blindly and throw away your life and
that of your men."
"But those on board, sir," groaned Morgan. "Hadn't we better share
their fate?"
"We don't know their peril yet," said the major; "but I know this, if
anything has happened to my poor wife--and child," he added softly, "my
sword and pistol were in the cabin, and some one or two black scoundrels
have gone to the other world to announce what has been done."
"For heaven's sake, sir, don't talk," cried Gregory, who was half
frantic with excitement; "what shall we do that is better?"
"There's another shot," said the major coolly. "Go on, my fine fellows,
waste all the powder you can."
This shot was wider than the last, and it was followed by one from the
other prau which went farther away still.
"What shall we do?" said the major--"by the way, those shot were meant
to sink that gig, and they went fifty yards away--Do? Wait and see what
the scoundrels go about next."
"But the _Petrel_?"
"Well, they can't sail that away, sir, in this calm."
"But we must retake her," said Gregory.
"Well, we'll try," said the major, "but it must be by cunning, not
force. Now, it's my belief that the captain has intrenched himself in
the cabin, and that he will keep the scoundrels at bay till we get to
him."
"It's my belief, sir, that they are all murdered by those cut-throats.
They're Sulu men. I saw two of their praus leave Singapore, and they've
been on the watch for us. Idiot that I was to come away. Ah, Mark, my
lad, I didn't mean you to hear that," he added, as he saw the lad's ashy
face.
"And he's all wrong. Erin-go-bragh!" cried the major; "there, what did
I say: that's the captain speaking, I'll swear."
For just then a series of shots were heard from the _Petrel_, and a
faint film of smoke was seen to rise.
There was the distant sound of yelling for a time, every shot being
followed by a fierce shout, and as the party on the sands tried to
realise the conflict going on their feelings were of the most poignant
kind.
"He's all right so far," said the major confidently.
"Or beaten," said the mate.
"Beaten, sir? No," cried the major. "If he had been beaten there would
have been yelling to a different tune;" and he whispered in the mate's
ear: "We should have seen the water splash up about the vessel's stern."
Another shot followed, and then another; but the brass lelahs carried
very wildly at that distance, and no harm was done.
"Hadn't we better go off at once, major? There: it is our duty. Come,
my lads, in with you."
"Stop!" shouted the major fiercely. "Mr Gregory, we can only succeed
in doing good by being sensible. What you propose is rash folly.
Counter-order that command, sir, and as soon as it is night we'll see
what can be done."
The mate hesitated between an eager desire to afford help and the
feeling that the major's science-taught ideas were right.
"Stop, my lads," he said sadly; "the major's right, but I ask you to
bear witness, Morgan, that I do this unwillingly."
"The major is quite right," said Morgan, sitting up, his brow knit with
pain. "Mark, my lad, we have you to thank for saving the gig."
"Oh, nonsense, Mr Morgan," said the lad.
"It's quite right," he said; "and I believe you saved my life too. At
all events, you gave the others time to get up and stop them. Without a
boat we should have been helpless."
"Hah! he'd make a capital soldier," said the major, as he shaded his
eyes with his hand. "Now, then, Mr Gregory, can your lads get the gig
right up the sands and into the river-bed yonder?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do it, then, for one of the praus is coming on so as to be within reach
of the shore, and either land men, or try and shatter the gig. Now, I
tell you what: we'll intrench ourselves a bit, and then when they're
near enough, and I've got the barrel resting in a fork of one of these
trees, if I can't pick off a few men with a revolver, my name's not
O'Halloran. Now, then, to work."
The order was given; and as the men ran up the gig, one of the two praus
was seen to swing slowly round, and then began to move toward them, with
her long sweeps dipping regularly in the calm blue sunlit sea, while at
that moment, forgotten till then, Bruff, the dog, came limping over the
sand, after a laborious journey on three legs, to lie down uttering a
low whine at his master's feet.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
HOW THE MAJOR SHOWED HIMSELF TO BE A MAN O' WAR.
Poor Bruff had to be contented with a pat on the head, and then creep
after his master back through the bushes to where the major was doing
his best to bring his military knowledge to bear.
"It's a hard job," he said, "but it must be done. As they come nearer
they'll keep on firing at that boat, and in it lie all our hopes. Mr
Gregory, that boat must be got through those bushes and hidden."
"All hands," said the mate, in answer; and setting the example, he
helped to drag the boat round, so that her bows pointed at the narrow
opening in the bushes up to which she was run, and then, with the prau
continuing her fire, the gig was with great labour forced through to the
open ground beyond, and placed behind some rocks in the river-bed.
The next task was to help Morgan through, and Small and Billy Widgeon
went to where he was lying on the sand, with Bruff beside him, sharing
the wounded couch.
"No, my lads, I can walk," said the second-mate. "Sorry I am so
helpless."
"Not more sorry than we, sir," said Billy Widgeon respectfully. "I wish
we'd brought Jacko with us instead of the dog."
"Why?" asked Morgan, as he walked slowly and painfully toward the
opening.
"Might have climbed a tree, sir, and got us a cocoa-nut."
"I'll be content with some water, my lad," said Morgan; and then he
turned so faint that he gladly took Mark's arm as he came up to help
Bruff, who was limping along in a very pitiful way.
"There," said the major, as soon as all were through the gap; "now, I
think if we bend down, and lace together some of these boughs across, we
shall have a natural palisade which we are going to defend. That's
right; fire away; I don't think we have much to fear from their gun.
Now, Mr Gregory, if you will examine that side, I'll look over this,
and see if we have any weak points on our flanks, and then we'll prepare
for our friends."
A hasty look round right and left showed that, save after a long task of
cutting down trees and creepers, no attack could be made on the flanks,
while, on gathering together in the front, a strong low hedge of thorny
bushes separated them from the coming foes--a breastwork of sufficient
width to guard them from spear thrusts, while the defenders would find
it sufficiently open to fire through.
Points of vantage were selected, and a careful division of the arms
made, two of the men, in addition to their pistols, being furnished with
the spears which had been thrown at Morgan, and were found sticking in
the sand, with their shafts above water.
Small took possession of these, and handed one to Billy Widgeon.
"I'm the biggest, Billy, and you're the littlest," he said, "so we'll
have 'em. I don't know much about using 'em, but I should say the way's
to handle 'em as you would a toasting-fork on a slice o' bread, these
here savage chaps being the bread."
"Or," said Billy, making a thrust through a bush, "like a skewer in a
chicken. Well, I'm a peaceable man, Mr Mark, sir, and if they let me
alone and us, why it's all I ask; but if they won't, all I hopes is, as
two on 'em'll be together, one behind the other, when I makes my first
job at 'em with this here long-handled spike."
"Now, my lads," said the major, who seemed to be enjoying his task,
"just two words before we begin. I'm going to tell you what's the fault
of the British soldier: it's firing away his ammunition too fast. Now,
in this case, I want you to make every shot tell. Don't be flurried
into shooting without you have a chance, and don't give the enemy
opportunities by exposing yourselves. Lastly, I need not tell you to
stick together. You'll do that."
"Ay, ay, sir."
"That's good, and now recollect you are Englishmen fighting for women as
well as yourselves."
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Mr Gregory lets me command, because I'm used to this sort of thing, so
don't mind me taking the lead."
"No, sir, we won't," chorused the men.
"Very well, then: don't be bloodthirsty, but kill every scoundrel you
can."
There was a hearty laugh at this, for, even in times of peril, your
genuine British seaman has a strong appreciation of fun, and in spite of
their position the major's ways and words had a spice of the droll in
them.
Just at that moment Morgan came up, pistol in hand, his gun having been
given to one of the men.
"Why, my dear Mr Morgan," said the major, "this is not right. You are
in hospital, sir."
"No," said Morgan grimly; "I am better now, and I'm not a bad shot with
a revolver."
"You had better leave it to us, Morgan," said the first-mate. "You and
Mark Strong go and lie down in shelter."
"Oh, Mr Gregory," cried Mark.
"Why, you miserable young cockerel," said the major, "you don't want to
fight?"
"No, sir; but it seems so cowardly to go and hide away when the men are
fighting."
"So it does, my lad, so you shall stop with me, and load for me while
I'm firing. Come along. Now, my lads, steady, and not a Malay pirate
shall get through that bush."
Every man uttered a low cheer, and settled in his place, well hidden
from the occupants of the coming prau, and ready to deliver his fire
when the enemy came near.
It was coming steadily in, the sweeps being worked by the motley crew of
scoundrels on board with a regularity which drew rough compliments from
the men, and made Mr Gregory utter a remark.
"Oh, yes," said the major, "they row well enough, but so did the old
galley-slaves in the convict boats. Now, I won't use my revolver yet,
but I've got four cartridges of BB shot that were meant for cassowaries
or wild swans. Now, Mark, I think I'll give our friends their first
peppering with them."
"They will not kill, will they, sir?" said Mark anxiously.
"No, not at the distance I shall fire from. Ah, that was better aimed,"
he said, as the brass lelah on board the prau was fired, to strike the
sand in front of the natural stockade, and then fly right over the
sailors' heads. "I'll lay a wager, Gregory, that our friends don't make
such another shot as that to-day."
Then followed a few minutes of painful inaction, which seemed drawn out
to hours. While the prau swept slowly in, the sun beat down with
terrible force, and there was not a breath of wind to cool the burning
air. Fortunately, though, the little stream gurgled among the stones,
and was so handy that the men had but to scoop out holes in the sand, or
to form them by turning over some huge stone, to have in a few minutes
tiny pools of clear cool water with which to slake their thirst.
On came the prau, with her swarthy crew crowding her bamboo decks, and
their dark skins shining in the sun. Their spears bristled, and as they
leaned over the side and peered eagerly among the bushes, the party
ashore felt to a man that once they were in the power of so
savage-looking a crew no mercy must be expected.
The men lay close, and to the enemy there was nothing to indicate that
there would be any defence.
This seemed to make the Malays more careless, for they came on
excitedly, and, as it was about low water, made no difficulty in that
calm sea of running their vessel's prow right ashore.
Then there was a few minutes' pause, which the defending party did not
understand.
"I see," said Mr Gregory, at last; "they're getting the lelah in a
better place, so as to have another shot at us before the men charge."
The first-mate was right, for all at once there was a loud roar, and a
charge of stones, it seemed, came hurtling over their heads, and flew
up, to break down twigs and huge leaves from the trees, while, as the
smoke rose, the Malays leaped overboard on either side, yelling
excitedly, splashing in the water, and then began to wade ashore.
"Eighty yards is a long shot," said the major just then, "but I may as
well give them a taste of our quality."
"No; wait a few moments," said Gregory, for the men were collecting in a
cluster, and directly after began to rush up the sands toward the
opening, yelling furiously and shaking their spears, ready to hurl.
"Now," said the mate.
By this time the Malays were little over fifty yards away, and taking
careful aim low down the major drew both triggers so quickly, one after
the other, that the report was almost simultaneous.
The smoke as it cleared away unveiled a strange scene of men running
here and there evidently in pain, others were spluttering about and
leaping in the water, others were returning hurriedly toward the prau,
while about a dozen still came on yelling with rage and brandishing
their spears.
"Now," said the major, "fire steadily--gunners only. Pistols quiet."
Two shots followed, then two more, and the effect was an instantaneous
retreat. One man dropped, but he sprang to his feet again and followed
his companions, the whole party regaining the prau and climbing aboard,
while the firing was resumed from the lelah.
"Now I call that pleasant practice, gentlemen," said the major. "Plenty
of wounded, and no one killed. It has done some good work besides, for
it has let the captain know we are all right, and ready to help. By
Saint George--and it's being a bad Irishman to take such an oath--see
that!"
"See what?" cried the mate.
"The flag, Mr Gregory. Look!" cried Mark.
For plainly enough now a signal was being made from one of the stern
windows of the ship, and as far as they could make out it was a white
cloth being waved to and fro.
"Now if we could only answer that," said the major, "it would encourage
them."
"I could answer it, sir," cried Mark.
"How, my lad?"
"Give me a big handkerchief, and I'll climb up that tree and tie it to
one of those branches."
"Capital, my lad," said the major. "But, no; risky."
"They could not hit me, sir," cried Mark; "and it's like taking no
notice of my father's signals to do nothing."
"I think he might risk it, major," said Gregory.
"All right, then, my lad. Go on."
Mark started, and after a struggle reached an enormous pandanus, one of
the many-branched screw-pines. It was not a very suitable tree for a
signal staff, and there were cocoa palms and others of a far more
appropriate kind, but these were unclimbable without notches being
prepared for the feet, whereas the pandanus offered better facility.
Still it was no easy task, and it was made the more difficult by the
fact that the Malays began firing at him with their brass gun, a fact
enough to startle the strongest nerves.
But Mark recalled for his own encouragement the fact that the major had
laughingly announced the spot at which the enemy aimed as being the
safest, and so he climbed on till about thirty feet above the ground he
managed to attach the major's great yellow handkerchief, so that it hung
out broadly, and then came down.
Four shots were fired at him as he performed this feat, and on rejoining
the major and Mr Gregory, the former laughingly said that not a shot
had gone within fifty yards of him.
"But I tell you what," he continued, "that's a bad signal--the yellow
flag; they'll think we have got fever."
"So we have, sir," said Morgan grimly--"war fever."
"Look!" cried Mr Gregory; "they see the flag signal, and are answering
it. Do you see?"
It was plain enough; two flags were held out of the cabin-window, and
after being waved withdrawn.
"Yes," said the major, "it's mighty pretty, but there's one drawback--
one don't know what it means."
The firing from the lelah was kept up at intervals, but every shot went
over them, whether fired point-blank or made to ricochet from the sands.
There was tremendous bustle and excitement on board the prau, but no
fresh attempts were made to land, and as the long, hot, weary hours
crept on the question rose as to what would be the enemy's next move.
"They'll wait till dusk and attack us then," said Mr Gregory.
"No," said the major, "I think not. These people never seem to me to be
fond of night work. I think they'll wait till the tide rises and then
go back."
"Without destroying our boat?" said Morgan.
"Yes, my lad. It's bad warfare to leave an enemy behind; but you'll see
that is what they'll do."
The major proved to be right, for after a time the prau began to move
slowly round, and they saw it go back leisurely, the great sweeps
dipping in the calm blue sea and an ever-widening line left behind.
"That's one to us, my lads," said the major, "and next time it's our
play."
The men gave a cheer, and Small rose and came forward.
"Lads says, sir," he began respectfully, "that if it were all the same
to you they'd like me to pipe down to dinner."
"Of course," said Gregory. "Where are the provisions?"
"Well, you see, sir, when we all come running down, the bags o' wittles
was chucked away in the jungo--in the wood, sir."
"Then a couple of men must go after it--those who threw it away."
"Well, sir, seeing as it were me and Billy Widgeon, we'll go arter it,
if you like."
The necessary permission was given, the two men departed, and at the end
of an hour returned to find their companions still watching the praus,
which were both made fast to the ship.
"Thought as the crockydiles had been at it, sir," said Small grimly;
"but we found it at last. I've brought Billy Widgeon back safe."
"Of course," said the mate quietly. "Why not?"
"Well, you see, sir, there was one crock took a fancy to him, and we see
another lying on the edge of the pool, smiling at him with his mouth
wide open; but Billy wouldn't stop, and here's the prog."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
HOW THE CREW OF THE "BLACK PETREL" WERE IN SORE STRAITS.
The supply of food, supplemented by the bottles of beer, which were
equitably distributed so as to give all the men a tiny cup or two, had a
wonderful effect upon their spirits, so that the rest of the afternoon
was passed waiting patiently for the night, the sailors expressing
themselves as willing to do whatever their leaders bade.
Billy Widgeon was the spokesman, Small occupying a sort of middle
position between officers and men.
"We says, sir," he began, addressing the major--"I mean they says as
we--I mean they ain't fighting men, never having 'llsted or gone in the
ryle navy; but in a case like this they will--no, we will, for of course
I ar'n't going to stand back--have no objection to a bit of a set-to so
as to lick the niggers. For if ever niggers wanted licking it's niggers
as'll take advantage of a ship being in a calm, and part of her officers
and crew away, and--and--here: what was I to say next, lads?"
Billy Widgeon had come to a stand-still, and had to appeal to his
companions.
"That's about all," said one of the men. "I'd stow it now."