dog followed him eagerly to where the ladies stood together shivering
with anxiety in the darkness.
"Keep Bruff with you, mother," he whispered; and then, after a stern
order to the dog to lie down, he hurried back over the black sand, and
found the little party threading its way among the rocks and over the
ridge to reach the spot where the gig lay drawn out of the water of the
lagoon.
They all halted for a few moments as Mark joined them, and just then a
vivid glare of light shone out, showing them plainly the hulls of three
long low boats lying out in the lagoon, whose waters quivered, and
looked for the moment as if of molten steel.
Then all was pitchy darkness, and through it came the sound of voices.
"They have seen us," said Morgan excitedly.
"No," said Captain Strong, "we were in the shadow. Now, then, three on
each side. I'll lead. Slowly does it. Mark, my boy, go to the stern;
you may keep it from touching the rock. Every pound of help will be
worth something now."
Mark eagerly went as directed, and the next minute, with three strong
men on either side, the gig was lifted up, and borne softly forward
almost without a sound, the party listening intently to the loud
jabbering going on aboard the praus.
The task was fairly easy at first, for it was for some distance over the
nearly level sand that the gig was carried, but soon rocks began to crop
up in their path, and in spite of the care exercised the keel of the
boat suddenly grated loudly upon a projecting piece of stone; an effort
was made to slew her round slightly to avoid it, and this caused Mr
Gregory to catch his foot on another block of stone, and nearly fall.
The captain uttered a loud "Hist!" and all stood fast, with beating
hearts, for a loud voice spoke in Malay, and the jabbering on board the
boats ceased, as if all were listening to try and make out what the
unusual noise was ashore.
Just at this moment there was another vivid flash from the mountain, and
the praus could be plainly seen, while now the little party by the boat
realised how thoroughly they were in the shadow of the black rocks.
"If there is a blaze like that when we are on the top of the ridge,"
whispered the captain, "we shall be seen."
Not another word was spoken, and for quite a quarter of an hour there
was an ominous silence as they all waited for the talking to begin again
on board the vessels.
But there was not a sound, and it was evident that the crews were
listening, when suddenly Morgan laid his hand upon the captain's arm,
and pointed in the direction of the lagoon about half-way between them
and the praus.
Every one grasped the meaning, and a chill of dread ran through Mark, in
whose mind's eye wavy krisses were flashed and razor-edged spears
darted, for there, plainly enough, as shown by the flashing and
undulating of the luminous creatures of the water, which they knew so
well, two men were swimming ashore, to see what was the cause of the
noise.
"It means fighting," said the captain.
"Why not leave the boat, father, and get aboard the cutter at once?"
"How?" said the captain coldly. "Wade through water five hundred feet
deep?"
Mark felt as if he could have bitten off his tongue, and then his heart
seemed to stand still, for there suddenly arose a shriek from the
lagoon--a shriek that was terrible in its agonising intensity; there was
the sound of splashing, and the water became ablaze with a beautiful
lambent phosphorescent light, while there was an outburst of yelling and
shouting on board the praus, accompanied by tremendous splashing, as if
the water was being beaten with the oars.
"Quick! All together!" said the captain hoarsely. "Now, forward!"
The men were so paralysed with horror as they each for himself pictured
the fearful scene of two Malay sailors swimming ashore, and being
attacked by the sharks, that for a few moments no one stirred. Then
with the hubbub and splashing increasing, and the water being, as it
were, churned up into liquid fire, the sides of the boat were seized,
and it was borne over and among the rocks to the very ridge, and then,
with a feeling of relief that it is impossible to describe, down lower
and lower, with the sounds dying out; while Mark, who was last, felt
that if the horror had been continued much longer, it would have been
greater than he could have borne, and he must have stopped his ears and
run.
"I don't think they can hear us now," said the captain. "Hah!"
There was a tremendous flash, accompanied by a deafening roar from the
mountain, and the whole of the bay, with its overhanging blackened
rocks, were for a few moments illumined by the quivering light, so that
everything was as distinct as if it were noon.
Then all was pitchy blackness again, and the thunderous roar died slowly
away, as the thunder mutters into silence in a storm.
"That was a narrow escape from being seen," said the captain, cheerily.
"Two minutes sooner, and we should have been in full view. All
together, the ground is getting clearer now."
"If we might only give one good hooray, Mr Mark, sir," said a familiar
voice, "it would seem to do us good;" and the lad realised that it was
Billy Widgeon who had been working all along close to his elbow.
Mark felt with the man, for in his own breast there was an intense
desire to cry out or shout, or give some vent to the pent-up excitement.
But there was plenty to take up their attention, for the captain, now
that the ridge was between them and their enemies, hastened their steps,
in spite of the blackness, so that, after a few slips, and a narrow
escape of breaking in the bows of the boat through a sudden fall upon an
awkwardly-placed rock, she was safely run down to the edge of the
crater, and the oars, mast, and sail replaced.
The next proceeding was to get the ladies on board the little cutter,
which lay some twenty fathoms from the sands, and in darkness and
silence they were handed into the gig, and were half-way to the little
vessel, when, without warning, a vivid light flashed out from the
mountain, and the oars ceased to dip.
But this was no lightning-like flash, but a continuous glow, which lit
up jungle, rock, and the black waters of the bay, while every eye was
turned in the direction of the ridge in expectation of seeing the praus
plainly standing out in the glare.
Fortunately, the ridge was sufficiently high to conceal the occupants of
the boat, and in place of the light proving their betrayal, it aided the
embarkation, the boat going on at the end of the next few minutes, and
all climbing safely on board. Then the gig was secured by a rope
astern, and there was nothing now to be done but wait till daylight, and
then trust to being able to escape by running southward along the lagoon
before the praus could get round the northern arm of the little bay.
"Look at that," cried Billy Widgeon suddenly, as the light flashed out
as quickly as it had appeared, the glowing scene changing
instantaneously to the most intense darkness, while now a peculiar odour
began to pervade the air, a suffocating hot puff coming from the land,
charged with sulphurous vapours.
Everything was ready for a start, but there was one thing needful,
light, for the risk was too great to attempt to get round the southern
point in the darkness. It was dangerous with the gig, but they had
learned the positions of the rocks by heart, and could come round now
with ease. With a boat drawing so much water, however, as the cutter,
it was different, and the course necessary so intricate, that,
tremendously in their favour as a start would now be, the captain dared
not run the risk.
"It's death to stay," said Gregory, as they stood in a group waiting for
day.
"It's death to go," said the captain gloomily. "One touch on a sharp
rock, and we shall fill, or be fast."
"Well, Strong," said the major, "I don't like to interfere in your
navigating matters, but in this case, as a soldier, I say if we are to
die, let's die like Englishmen trying our best."
"We are trying our best, Major O'Halloran," said the captain coldly.
"Yes, my dear fellow; but for Heaven's sake let's start."
"What should you do, Mark?" said the captain, laying his hand on his
son's shoulder.
Mark was silent for a moment or two, and then said huskily:
"I don't like going against your opinion, father, but I should start
now."
"In the darkness?"
"Yes. It seems to be our only chance."
The captain made no verbal reply, but took out his knife, and stepping
to where the rope passed out from the stern, mooring them to a crag of
rock that seemed to rise from unfathomable depths, he divided the
strands, and the rope fell with a splash in the water. Then, going to
the bows, where the other rope ran to one of the timbers of the
_Petrel_, he cut that, and there was another splash.
Then giving his orders, a couple of the men passed sweeps over the side
with the greatest of care, and the head of the cutter began to turn, and
she was moving slowly toward the mouth of the bay when once more the
intense darkness was cut as by a knife, and the little vessel seemed to
be destined to have a light as clear almost as day for making her way
round into the lagoon, where she could catch the wind and escape.
CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.
HOW NATURE SEEMED A FOE.
The distance was not great, and as Captain Strong gazed before him,
knowing, as he did, the perils to be encountered, he hesitated, and was
disposed to stay. But the first step had been taken, and, giving his
orders in a whisper, he went to the helm, while Gregory and Morgan
prepared to hoist the sail, and the men bent steadily to their long
oars.
The light increased, and there seemed to be nothing to prevent the
little vessel from passing safely round the southern point, for the
water looked smoothness itself; but none knew better than the captain
the rocks that were in his path, while away to his right over the
northern arm of the bay lay three praus teeming with bloodthirsty savage
men who would be ready to rush in pursuit the moment they were seen.
It was a painful dilemma for the captain, who had, however, been longing
to make his present venture, but shrank therefrom as too risky till
opinions other than his own urged his attempt. But there was his
position. If he kept to the darkness, wreck seemed certain; if to the
light, he must be seen.
And now the light was most vivid, but still he kept on, the little
cutter gliding slowly on over water that seemed to be golden, while Mark
held his breath as he watched the northern point till by slow degrees
first one and then another and then the third of the praus came full
into view with their rough rigging and cordage distinctly seen in the
glowing light.
Other eyes than Mark's watched the praus, and it was a matter of
surprise to all that the cutter went on and on to the second passage
through the rocks off the south point, round which, if they were
fortunate, she would be able to pass--the first passage being only safe
for the gig--while the praus, if they started in pursuit, would have to
sail out quite half a mile before they could round their point, and as
great a distance back, which would give the fugitives a good start along
the lagoon.
No one spoke as the cutter glided slowly on, the sweeps dipping
regularly and almost without a sound. For fully five minutes this
continued, but to all on board, as they crouched down for the shelter of
the low bulwark, it seemed more like five hours. There they were in
full sight of the praus, but not a sound reached them, and in a whisper
the captain said to Mark, who was at his side:
"They must be all asleep. Oh for a little wind!"
But there was not a breath of air nor even a hot blast from the
mountain, and in spite of the agonising desire to escape they could only
creep slowly over the golden water in a terribly sluggish motion, though
two men toiled hard now at each sweep.
Suddenly, and with a spontaneity which showed how suddenly they had been
perceived, a tremendous yell arose from the occupants of the praus.
"Now, Strong," cried the major, as a thrill of horror ran through the
occupants of the little cutter, "war is declared."
"Be ready with that sail," said the captain; but his words were not
needed, for his two officers were standing with the ropes in their
hands, and at a word the mainsail would have been hoisted.
The yelling continued and the thrill increased, for from moment to
moment the escaping party expected to hear the sharp ring of the brass
guns of the Malays and to have their tin bullets whizzing overhead.
It was a curious position, for the yelling of the Malays was as that of
so many wild beasts unable to reach their prey, the long low spit of
rocky sand lying between them and the bay, and near as they were now,
they could only attack by rowing or sailing right out to where the
current ran swiftly and tumultuously about the point, rounding it, and
then making straight for the bay.
"They are going to fire," said the captain quietly as he stood at the
tiller; "everyone but the men at the sweeps lie down or keep below."
"Which order does not apply to me, Mark," said the major coolly. "I'm
an officer. Lie down, sir! Do you want to be shot?"
"Certainly not, sir," replied Mark, who, in spite of his dread and
excitement, could not help feeling amused at the major's satisfied air,
and the way in which he seemed to play with his gun.
Bang! A sharp ringing report from a lelah as the praus began to move,
and the charge of tin bullets came screaming overhead as the report
echoed from the rocks that surrounded the bay.
"Bad shot at close quarters," said the major; "and they are moving off.
Can't you whistle for the wind and let's show them our heels!"
"The wind will come as soon as we get out beyond the shelter of the
point," said the captain. "Pull, my lads."
The men tugged at the long sweeps, but the cutter was so substantial and
heavily-built that she moved very slowly through the water, beside
which, it was extremely nervous work to keep on pulling while at
intervals of a few minutes there came a shot from one or other of the
receding praus. Still they progressed, and if once they could get over
a few hundred yards there was a prospect of their clearing the rocks off
the south point and getting well along the lagoon.
Shot after shot, some whistling by the mast, some striking the water,
and others going before or behind, but not one touched the cutter, and
as the three praus rowed out and grew more distant the practice became
more wild.
"Ah!" said the major, "being shot at is very exciting; but I don't think
I like it after all. How are you setting on, Mark?"
"I'm all right, sir."
"Well, ladies, we shall not have breakfast till two hours after
sunrise," said the major, as he bent over the entrance to the rough
cabin where they were sheltered, "so I should advise a short nap."
A sad smile was the only reply to the major's cheery remark, and he
nodded and then sighed as he turned to the captain.
"Cease firing, eh?" he said as there was a cessation. "They must be
near the end of the point. Now, Strong."
"In another ten minutes they will be round it, and--what's that,
Gregory? Did we touch on a rock?"
"No," said the mate. "It's deep water here."
There was another shock as if the cutter had gone upon a rock; but she
went slowly on.
"Earthquake," said the major. "The mountain seems uneasy."
Almost as he spoke there was another shock communicated through the
water, which suddenly boiled up and eddied about them, making the cutter
rock to and fro and then roll heavily.
"Pull, my lads!" said the captain; and the men tugged furiously as their
commander looked anxiously out toward the north point, round which the
praus were faintly seen in the glow from the mountain, and then gazing
round him at the black rocks of the little bay and its uneasy waters.
"No fear of their pulling," thought Mark, "if they feel as I do in this
black hole!"
In fact the men were thoroughly sharing the horror of the lad, and
sparing no efforts to get out of the water-filled ancient crater into
the smooth lagoon.
For the black water that always lay so smooth and calm was now rapidly
changing its character, and there was no doubt that a tremendous amount
of volcanic action was going on beneath their feet. The surface heaved
and eddied; waves rose in unexpected places; huge bubbles rushed to the
top from the terrible depths below and burst with a loud puff. And all
the time the cutter swayed and seemed to be receiving a succession of
blows below water-mark, always suggesting rocks about her keel.
But still with the indomitable energy of Englishmen the long oars were
used, and the little vessel moved forward till they were so near the
point that in another ten minutes the captain felt that they would have
the wind and be able to sail steadily along between the rocks where he
had mapped out and sounded his course.
It was an awful piece of navigation, but he had no fear if they could
only catch the wind.
Still there was that hundred yards to clear; and now, favoured by the
currents that played round the north point, it was evident that at least
one of the praus had cleared it and was coming down upon them straight
for the bay. There was the loud rhythmical yelling of the men shouting
together, and the slow beat of the sweeps as they rowed vigorously;
while the two long oars of the cutter, only intended to help her out of
harbour in a calm, hardly gave her headway.
The glare from the mountain increased so that every object was plainly
seen; and Mark could not help gazing at the wondrous aspect of the
mountain, the top of which emitted a light of dazzling brilliancy, while
a thin streak of red seemed to be stealing in a zigzag fashion from one
side.
Then there was a tremendous burst as if of thunder; a rushing, hissing
noise, as if a shower of stones had been hurled into the sky; and then
all was darkness for a few moments.
"Blown out!" said the major laconically as if he were speaking of a
candle; but the words had hardly left his lips before with a frightful
explosion the mountain blazed forth again, with the glare far more
intense, and showing the prau they had dimly-seen before coming on fast.
"The eruption does not seem to scare them," said the captain.
"Well, it does me," said the major. "It's a kind of warfare I don't
understand." Then in a whisper which Mark heard: "Shall we get round
the point, or must we fight for it?"
"Unless we catch the wind," replied the captain, "they will be down upon
us first; and then--"
"We must fight for it," said the major coolly. "Well, fortunately we
are well prepared. Look here, Strong, you keep on with your navigation
as long as you like, while I have the fighting tools ready. The moment
retreat is useless, say the word and we'll show fight."
Captain Strong gave his hand a grip, and then stood gazing straight
before him perfectly unmoved.
The position was one that would have blanched the cheek of the bravest
man. For there in front was the prau coming rapidly on, full of
bloodthirsty pirates, who had ceased firing as they saw their prey
within their grasp; while behind was the volcano, whose eruption was
minute by minute growing more terrible, and around them the luridly
lit-up waters of the old crater in which they were, boiling up, hissing,
and emitting great puffs of steam, where, as the cutter rocked and
plunged, it seemed to be only a matter of moments before she would be
engulfed--sucked down, as it were, into the awful depths below!
Gregory and Morgan stood ready to hoist the sail, but there was not a
breath of air where the cutter lay. It was one awful calm, with the
glow from the volcano seeming to scorch their cheeks, though high
overhead there was a rushing sound as of a mighty wind setting toward
the burning mountain, which now began to hurl volleys of red-hot stones
through the dense cloud which hung above the top, and reflected the
light far and wide upon the sea.
"Hopeless!" said the captain suddenly. "Arm, major, and let's fight it
out like men! Stop!" he cried; "the boat--the shore!"
"Bah!" ejaculated the major angrily. "Are we fishes, captain, that you
want to send us out of the frying-pan into the fire?"
He pointed to the shore as he spoke, and the captain grasped the horror
of the scene. It would, he knew, be madness to land, for there were
signs of fire now in place after place among the rocks; while before
they could have crowded into the gig and tried to row to sea the Malays
would have been upon them--shut in as they were in the bay, which was
literally a trap.
Just then, too, the water began to heave and toss, huge geyser-like
fountains shot up and fell back with a fearful hissing sound, and, as
the light gig was tossed on high, the madness of attempting to crowd
into her was manifest to all.
The arms were passed round, and every man's eyes glistened in the ruddy
glare as with a furious yelling the prau came on, the water looking like
golden foam on either side, and the glint of spears flashing out from
her crowded bamboo deck.
"Don't fire till you can make sure of your man!" said the major sternly;
and a low murmur arose from the little group behind the cutter's
bulwarks, which told in its fierce intensity that if stubborn
determination could save the helpless women crouching below they had
nought to fear.
The prau was not fifty yards away now, and seemed to be glowing as if
red-hot in the glare shed by the golden cloud above the mountain. The
sight of their prey so close at hand set the Malays yelling more
fiercely than ever, and at a shout the sweeps ceased beating the water,
and every man seized his arms, when there was a peculiar hissing sound
heard; the cutter heeled over, then righted, and, to the wonder and
horror of all on board, she began to turn round slowly as upon an axis,
as if preparatory to being sucked down into a frightful whirlpool. In
one short minute she had turned twice, and then, as if caught in some
mighty current, began to glide rapidly round the bay at first toward the
burning mountain, and then outward to sea.
For the moment the horror and strangeness of their position made all on
board forget their enemies, among whom a terrible silence had fallen,
but as the captain glanced in the direction of the praus he saw that the
distance between them had increased, and that, caught in the same
wondrous current, the enemy's vessel was being carried rapidly out to
sea.
The force of the current increased till they seemed to be rolling along
the surface of some cataract, and in a few minutes, as everyone clung to
bulwark or stay, the distance they had striven so hard to compass was
passed again and again, for the sea was shrinking from the isle and they
were being carried out on the retiring wave.
They were now opposite the rocks that they had striven to pass, while
the prau, lighter in construction, was a hundred yards away. The
hissing, rushing sound of the retiring water was terrible, and in blank
despair in face of this awful convulsion of nature all gazed wildly
before them, when all at once there was a sharp shock, the cutter heeled
over a little, and this time there could be no mistake, she had struck
upon the rocks of the north point or arm of Crater Bay, and the sea was
retiring from them and leaving them fast.
CHAPTER FORTY SIX.
HOW SAFETY WAS WON.
The captain recovered himself, but he was helpless in such an emergency,
and no words passed. There was nothing to be done but wait.
"Are we in great danger, father?" whispered Mark, taking his hand.
"Yes, my boy, in great danger," replied the captain in a solemn whisper.
"I can do no more."
"What is the great danger?" said the major quietly. "That," said the
captain, pointing seaward. "The water retires like this, only to come
back in force. There: it is coming back."
They needed no telling, for the awful roar of the earthquake wave
announced its coming, and with it as they remained fixed and helpless
upon the rock they could see the prau, after being sucked out, as it
were, for nearly a quarter of a mile, being carried back at terrific
speed. There was a fascination in the scene of the others' peril that
took away from their own, though, had they paused to think, it must have
been to realise that the cutter would be lifted up by the coming wave
and dashed upon the black perpendicular rocks at the head of the bay.