WILLY CROUP COMES TO THE FRONT
The pleasant rays of the semi-tropical sun so warmed and subsequently
melted the varied dispositions of the company on board the _Summer
Shelter_ that in spite of their very different natures they became
fused, as it were, into a happy party of friends.
Willy Croup actually felt as if she were a young woman in a large party
of gentlemen with no rivals. She was not young, but many of her youthful
qualities still remained with her, and under the influence of her
surroundings they all budded out and blossomed bravely. At the end of a
day of fine weather there was not a clergyman on board who did not wish
that Miss Croup belonged to his congregation.
As for the members of the Synod, there could be no doubt that they were
thoroughly enjoying themselves. Tired with the long winter's work, and
rejoiced, almost amazed, to be so suddenly freed from the cold wintry
weather of their homes, all of their spirits rose and most of their
hearts were merry.
There were but few gray heads among these clergymen, and the majority of
them were under middle age. Some of them had been almost strangers to
each other when they came on board, but now there were no strangers on
the _Summer Shelter_. Some of them had crossed the Atlantic, but not one
had ever taken a coastwise voyage on a comparatively small vessel, and
although the consequence of this new experience, their involuntary
seclusion of the first days of the trip, and their consequent
unconventional and irregular acceptance of Mrs. Cliff's hospitality, had
caused a little stiffness in their demeanor at first, this speedily
disappeared, hand in hand with the recollection of that most easily
forgotten of human ills which had so rudely interfered with their good
manners.
As far as the resources of their portmanteaus would allow, these
reverend clergymen dressed themselves simply and in semi-nautical
costumes. Some played quoits upon the upper deck, in which sport Willy
joined. Others climbed up the shrouds, preferably on the inside,--this
method of exercise, although very difficult, being considered safer in
case of a sudden lurch of the vessel. And the many other sportive things
they did, and the many pleasant anecdotes they told, nearly all relating
to the discomfiture of clergymen under various embarrassing
circumstances, caused Captain Burke to say to Mrs. Cliff that he had
never imagined that parsons were such jolly fellows, and so far as he
was concerned, he would be glad to take out another party of them.
"But if we do," he said, "I think we'd better ship them on a tug and let
them cruise around the Lightship for two or three days. Then when they
hoisted a signal that they were all well on board, we could go out and
take them off. In that way, you see, they'd really enjoy a cruise on the
_Summer Shelter_."
As the sun went down behind the distant coast of Florida they were
boarded by a negro pilot, and in the morning they awoke to find
themselves fast to a pier of the city of Nassau, lying white in the
early daylight.
The members of the Synod had readily agreed to Mrs. Cliff's plan to
leave them at Nassau and let them return by a regular passenger steamer,
and they all preferred to go by sea to Savannah and then to their homes
by rail. With expenses paid, none but the most unreasonable of men could
have objected to such a plan.
As Captain Burke announced that he would stop at Nassau for a day to
take in some fresh stores, especially of fruit and vegetables, and to
give Mrs. Cliff and Willy Croup an opportunity to see the place, the
_Summer Shelter_ was soon deserted. But in the evening, everybody
returned on board, as the company wished to keep together as long as
possible, and there would be plenty of time in the morning for the
members of the Synod to disembark and go to the hotel.
Very early in the morning Captain Burke was aroused by the entrance of
the sailing-master, Mr. Portman, into his state-room. "'Morning, sir,"
said Mr. Portman. "I want you to come out here and look at something!"
Perceiving by the manner and tones of the other that there was something
important to be looked at, Captain Burke jumped up, quickly dressed
himself, and went out on deck. There, fastened against the fore-mast,
was a large piece of paper on which were written these words:--
"We don't intend to sail on a filibustering cruise. We know what it
means when you take on arms in New York, and discharge your
respectable passengers in Nassau. We don't want nothing to do
with your next lot of passengers, and don't intend to get into no
scrapes. So good-bye!
(Signed) The Crew."
[Illustration: THERE, FASTENED AGAINST THE FOREMAST, WAS A LARGE PIECE
OF PAPER]
"You don't mean to say," cried Burke, "that the crew has deserted the
vessel?"
"That's what it is, sir," said Mr. Burdette, the first mate, who had
just joined them. "The crew has cleared out to a man! Mr. Portman and I
are left, the engineer's left and his assistant,--they belonged to the
yacht and don't have much to do with the crew,--but the rest's all gone!
Deckhands, stewards, and even the cook. The stewardess must have gone
too, for I haven't seen her."
"What's the meaning of all this," shouted Burke, his face getting very
red. "When did they go, and why did they go?"
"It's the second mate's watch, and he is off with them," said Mr.
Burdette. "I expect he's at the bottom of it. He's a mighty wary fellow.
Just as like as not he spread the report that we were going on a
filibustering expedition to Cuba, and the ground for it, in my opinion,
is those cases of arms you opened the other day!"
"I think that is it, sir," said Mr. Portman. "You know there's a rising
in Cuba, and there was lots of talk about filibustering before we left.
I expect the people thought that the ladies were going on shore the same
as the parsons."
Burke was confounded. He knew not what to say or what to think, but
seeing Mrs. Cliff appearing at the head of the companion-way, he thought
it his first duty to go and report the state of affairs to her, which
he did. That lady's astonishment and dismay were very great.
"What are we going to do?" she asked. "And what do you mean by the cases
of arms?"
"I'm afraid that was a piece of folly on my part," said Burke.
"I didn't know we had arms on board!"
"Well, what we have don't amount to much," said Burke. "But this was the
way of it. After I heard the message from Captain Horn about the
pirates, and everything, and as I didn't know exactly what sort of craft
we would meet round about Jamaica, I thought we would feel a good deal
safer, especially on account of you and Miss Croup, if we had some
firearms aboard. So I put in some repeating rifles and ammunition, and I
paid for them out of my own pocket! Such things always come in useful,
and while I was commanding the vessel on which you were sailing, Mrs.
Cliff, I didn't want to feel that I'd left anything undone which ought
to be done. Of course, there was no reason to suppose that we would ever
have to use them, but I knew I would feel better if I had them. But
there was one thing I needn't have done, and that was,--I needn't have
opened them, which I did the other day in company with Mr. Burdette,
because I hadn't had time before to examine them, and I wanted to see
what they were. Some of the crew must have noticed the guns, and as they
couldn't think why we wanted them, unless we were going on a
filibustering expedition, they got that notion into their heads and so
cut the ship. It was easy enough to do it, for we were moored to a
pier, and the second mate, whose watch they went away in, was most
likely at the head of the whole business!"
"But what are we going to do?" asked Mrs. Cliff.
"I must get another crew just as soon as I can," said he, "and there
isn't a minute to be lost! I was stretching a point when I agreed to
stop over a day, but I thought we could afford that and reach Kingston
as soon as Shirley does, but when he gets there with his message to the
Captain of the _Dunkery Beacon_, I want to be on hand. There's no
knowing what will have to be done, or what will have to be said. I don't
want Shirley to think that he's got nobody to stand by him!"
"Indeed," said Mrs. Cliff, "we ought to lose no time, for Captain Horn
may be there. It is a most dreadful misfortune to lose the crew this
way! Can't you find them again? Can't you make them come back?"
"If they don't want to be found," said Burke, "it will take a good while
to find them. But I'm going on shore this minute, and I wish you would
be good enough to tell Miss Croup and the ministers how matters stand!"
The news of the desertion of the crew when told by Mrs. Cliff to those
of the passengers who had come on deck, and speedily communicated by
these to their companions, created a great sensation. Willy Croup was so
affected that she began to cry. "Is there any danger?" she said; "and
hadn't we better go on shore? Suppose some other vessel wanted to come
up to this wharf, and we had to move away,--there's nobody to move us!
And suppose we were to get loose in some way, there's nobody to stop
us!"
"You are very practical, Miss Croup," remarked the Reverend Mr. Hodgson,
the youngest clergyman on board. "But I am sure you need not have the
least fear. We are moored firm and fast, and I have no doubt Captain
Burke will soon arrive with the necessary men to take you to Jamaica."
Willy dried her eyes, and then she said, "There's another practical
thing I'm thinking of,--there isn't any breakfast, and the cook's gone!
But I believe we can arrange that. I could cook the breakfast myself if
I had anybody to help me. I'll go speak to Mrs. Cliff."
Mrs. Cliff was decidedly of the opinion that they all ought to have
breakfast, and that she and Willy could at least make coffee, and serve
the passengers with bread and butter and preserved meats, but she
remarked to Mr. Hodgson that perhaps the gentlemen would rather go to
their hotels and get their breakfast.
"No indeed," said Mr. Hodgson, a stout, sun-browned fellow, who looked
more like a hunter than a clergyman. "We have been talking over the
matter, and we are not going to desert you until the new men come. And
as to breakfast, here are Mr. Litchfield and myself ready to serve as
stewards, assistants, cooks, or in any culinary capacity. We both have
camped out and are not green hands. So you must let us help you, and we
shall consider it good fun."
"It will be funny," said Willy, "to see a minister cook! So let's go
down to the kitchen. I know where it is, for I've been in it!"
"I think, Miss Croup," said Mr. Litchfield, a tall young man with black
hair and side whiskers, and a good deal of manner, "that you should say
galley or caboose, now that we are all nautical together."
"Well, I can't cook nautical," said Willy, "and I don't intend to try!
But I guess you can eat the food if it isn't strictly naval."
In a few minutes the volunteer cooks were all at work, and Willy's
familiarity with household affairs, even when exhibited under the
present novel conditions, shone out brightly. She found some cold boiled
potatoes, and soon set Mr. Hodgson to work frying them. Mrs. Cliff took
the coffee in hand with all her ante-millionnaire skill, and Willy
skipped from one thing to another, as happy as most people are whose
ability has suddenly forced them to the front.
"Oh, you ought to see the Synod setting the table!" she cried, bursting
into the galley. "They're getting things all wrong, but it doesn't
matter, and they seem to be enjoying it. Now then, Mr. Litchfield, I
think you have cut all the bread that can possibly be eaten!"
Mr. Burdette had gone on shore with the Captain, and Mr. Portman
considered it his duty to remain on deck, but the volunteer corps of
cooks and stewards did their work with hearty good-will, and the
breakfast would have been the most jolly meal that they had yet enjoyed
together if it had not been for the uncertainty and uneasiness
naturally occasioned by the desertion of the crew.
It was after ten o'clock when Captain Burke and Mr. Burdette returned.
"We're in a bad fix," said the former, approaching Mrs. Cliff, who, with
all the passengers, had been standing together watching them come down
the pier. "There was a steamer cleared from here the day before
yesterday which was short-handed, and seems to have carried off all the
available able seamen in the port. But I believe that is all stuff and
nonsense! the real fact seems to be,--and Mr. Burdette and I've agreed
on that point,--that the report has got out that we're filibusters, and
nobody wants to ship with us! Everything looks like it, you see. Here we
come from New York with a regular lot of passengers, but we've got arms
on board, and we drop the passengers here and let them go home some
other way, and we sail on, saying we're bound for Jamaica--for Cuba is a
good deal nearer, you know. But the worst thing is this, and I'm bound
to tell it so that you can all know how the case stands and take care of
yourselves as you think best. There's reason to believe that if the
government of this place has not already had its eye on us, it will have
its eye on us before very long, and for my part I'd give a good deal of
money to be able to get away before they do; but without a crew we can't
do it!"
Mrs. Cliff and Burke now retired to consult. "Madam," said he, "I'm
bound to ask you as owner, what do you think we ought to do? If you take
my advice, the first thing to be done is to get rid of the ministers.
You can settle with them about their travelling and let them go to
their hotels. Then perhaps I can rake up a few loafers, landsmen, or
anybody who can shovel coal or push on a capstan bar, and by offering
them double wages get them to ship with us. Once in Jamaica, we shall be
all right!"
"But don't you think it will be dangerous," said Mrs. Cliff, "to go
around offering extra pay in this way?"
"That may be," he answered, "but what else is there to do?"
At this moment Mr. Litchfield approached. "Madam," said he, "we have
been discussing the unfortunate circumstances in which you find yourself
placed, and we now ask if you have made any plans in regard to your
future action?"
"The circumstances are truly unfortunate," replied Mrs. Cliff; "for we
are anxious to get to Jamaica as soon as possible on account of very
important business, and I don't see how we are to do it. We have made no
plans, except that we feel it will be well for you gentlemen to leave us
and go to your hotel, where you can stay until the steamer will sail for
Savannah day after to-morrow. As for ourselves, we don't know what we
are going to do. Unless, indeed, some sort of a vessel may be starting
for Jamaica, and in that case we could leave the _Summer Shelter_ here
and go on her."
"No," said Burke, "I thought of that and inquired. Nothing will sail
under a week, and in that time everybody we want to see may have left
Jamaica!"
"Will you excuse me for a few minutes?" said Mr. Litchfield, and with
that he returned to his companions.
"Captain," said Willy, "won't you come down and have your breakfast? I
don't believe you have eaten a thing, and you look as if you needed it!"
Captain Burke really did look as if he needed a good many things,--among
others, a comb and a brush. His gold-trimmed cap was pushed on the back
of his head; his white coat was unbuttoned, and the collar turned in;
and his countenance was troubled by the belief that his want of prudence
had brought Mrs. Cliff and her property into a very serious predicament.
"Thank you," said he, "but I can't eat. Breakfast is the last thing I
can think of just now!"
Now approached Mr. Litchfield, followed by all his clerical brethren.
"Madam," said he, "we have had a final consultation and have come to
make a proposition to you and the Captain. We do not feel that we would
be the kind of men we would like to think we are, if, after all your
kindness and great consideration, we should step on shore and continue
the very delightful programme you have laid out for us, while you are
left in doubt, perplexity, and perhaps danger, on your yacht. There are
five of us who feel that they cannot join in the offer which I am about
to make to you and the Captain, but the rest of us wish most earnestly
and heartily to offer you our services--if you think they are worth
anything--to work this vessel to Jamaica. It is but a trip of a few days
I am told, and I have no doubt that we can return to New York from
Kingston almost as conveniently as we can from here. We can all write
home and arrange for any contingencies which may arise on account of the
delay in our return. In fact, it will not be difficult for most of us to
consider this excursion as a part, or even the whole, of our annual
vacation. Those of us who can go with you are all able-bodied fellows,
and if you say so, Captain, we will turn in and go to work this moment.
We have not any nautical experience, but we all have powers of
observation, and so far as I am able to judge, I believe I can do most
of the things I have seen done on this vessel by your common seamen, if
that is what you call them!"
Mrs. Cliff looked at Captain Burke, and he looked at her. "If it was a
sailin'-vessel," he exclaimed, "I'd say she couldn't be worked by
parsons, but a steamer's different! By George! madam, let's take them,
and get away while we can!"