THE RISING
In advising that the yacht's course should be laid for Rio I assumed
that possibly the mutineers would not have completed their
arrangements, and would be taken by surprise. My assumption was
justified, though its very correctness came near to wrecking what
reputation I had left as a man of sense. I had long recognised that I
was looked upon as having a bee in my bonnet, and the fact that we
arrived safely in the port must have increased the doubts of those who
knew I was responsible for the alteration of the course. The change
could not, of course, be concealed very long. The watch was privy to
it, when Day set the new course, and by next morning it was all over
the ship. Yet the same dignified routine proceeded; no one volunteered
any act of violence; and if I believed in myself no one else did, I am
sure. Little Pye mused openly on the change, but withdrew himself at
once into his legal reticence when I also expressed my surprise. To say
the truth, I was not anxious that it should be known that I was the
author of the alteration, and so made inquiries with a show of
innocence. Nor do I think that any one suspected me, for neither the
Prince nor Day would be likely to talk. Day, indeed, surprised me. He
thanked me privately for my medical advice, and, with a smile, added:
"Perhaps I should say also nautical."
I shook my head, smiling also. "It was political, captain, and that's
all."
He nodded absently, and said suddenly, "I think, doctor, I will get rid
of Pierce at Rio."
I was heartily glad to hear this, and would have suggested that Holgate
also should go, but refrained. I knew not how far his improvement would
bear the strain of the suggestion.
We lay at anchor in the bay to coal, and the passengers took themselves
off to the shore, Mlle. Trebizond in a wild flutter of excitement. This
meant for her the nearest approach to Paris, I suppose, that was
available. At least she was in great spirits, and talked with the
officers. As we entered the harbour we heard the sound of music pouring
from the saloon, which had never yet been used by the party, and on
that the rich notes of a fine mezzo-soprano. The little exhibition
arrested the men at their work, and, after that long passage of
silence, seemed to wake us up and put us in a better mood. As it was
disagreeable on board during the coaling operations, I, too, followed
the party on shore in the company of Barraclough.
We had arrived at mid-day, and the yacht was to sail on the following
evening, for the simple methods of coaling in Rio protract the
business. I lunched at the English Hotel, and occupied the time in the
usual manner of the sight-seer; visited the summit of the hill by the
Alpine Railway, and walked negligently in the Botanical Gardens. I
slept ashore, and was joined on nightfall by Lane, who was full of the
gust of living. He could only be said to enjoy himself when he got
ashore, and yet he could not keep off the sea. I learned from him with
satisfaction that Pierce, the boatswain, was gone, paid off at the
captain's orders. So here was something for my consolation. I breathed
a little more freely, and inquired further. But the rest of his
information was not so satisfactory. Besides the passengers, Day,
Barraclough, McCrae, and himself had come ashore, leaving Legrand with
Holgate and little Pye to represent what might be termed the
aristocracy of the deck. And next morning I got a glimpse in the
streets of Pye, so that Holgate was, barring the second officer, master
of the yacht. I will confess I did not like this look of things; so
deep was my distrust of Holgate. In the Rua do Ouvidor I had a fleeting
vision of Princess Alix and Mlle. Trebizond as they turned into a shop;
but for the rest I enjoyed myself as a stranger to the _Sea Queen_, and
one with no concern in her fortunes.
It was late afternoon when I got to the quay to take a boat to the
yacht; for, as I calculated, that would leave me a full hour to the
time appointed for sailing. Judge, then, of my amazement when I saw her
standing out, the smoke-wrack flying abaft, and trudging steadily for
the mouth of the harbour. I stood there, I think, fully three minutes
before I moved or took action, but during that space of time I had
jumped at the conclusion. I was not wanted aboard. Was it Day? No; the
idea was absurd, as he was most meticulous in his observation of the
conventions. It certainly was not the Prince. The inference was only
too obvious. The hour of sailing had been shifted. By whom?
I sprang down to the foot of the quay, where one of the big two-decked
harbour ferry-boats was lying.
"Is your steam up?" I shouted to a man on the bridge. "I want you to
catch that yacht."
He stared at me in astonishment, and shook his head. I shouted back
again, and he replied in Portuguese, I assume, of which tongue I am
quite ignorant. I clambered aboard and made my way to him, by which
time he had been joined by another man, with gold lace round his cap. I
repeated my query in French, and the second man replied indolently.
"It was impossible."
"I will give you twenty pounds if you catch her," I said, and fumbled
in my mind for some computation in their wretched currency. I do not
know how many hundred thousand reis I mentioned, but it seemed to have
some effect. Both men stared after the yacht. I added several hundred
thousand more reis, and they were plainly shaken. Heaven knew why I
should have been offering my poor money for the sake of Prince Frederic
of Hochburg. I did not stop to reason, but acted merely on impulse. The
man with the gold band went to the speaking-tube and shouted down it.
The other man began to give brisk orders in a small, thin voice.
Evidently my offer was accepted. I turned and looked out into the bay,
and there was the _Sea Queen_, still steaming leisurely for the heads.
When once the ferry-boat shook herself loose she made fair way. She
champed and churned in a fussy manner, and the great steel crank in her
middle began to thud in a terrifying manner. We had backed out, and
were driving down the harbour at the rate of perhaps nine knots. Was
the _Sea Queen_ making more? It was impossible to judge at that
distance. The yacht might have been a mile away, and if she were going
as fast as we it would probably be impracticable to attract her
attention for some time, until, at any rate, we were clear of the
shipping. Surely then the sight of a cumbrous ferry-boat beating down
on an unwonted journey to the heads would draw their eyes and fill
their speculations. We were three miles out twenty minutes after
starting, and now it was obvious that we were not making ground, but
losing. The trail of the smoke swept the water behind her, and her nose
was plunging for the open sea. I was in despair. I shouted to the
captain in the effort to get him to hoist signals, and at last one was
found which suited the emergency. I have forgotten what it was, but it
apparently signified that help was required immediately. But still the
yacht held on, and the distance between us grew.
It seemed that I was after all destined to be free of the fortunes of
that ship, whatever they might be; and I stood by the captain of the
ferry-boat with a feeling of defeat and helplessness, silent, and
almost resigned. And then, by one of those strange ironies the solution
came to me, came to me too just as mere selfish considerations were
asserting themselves. I had thought of the Prince and the conspirators
if I had thought at all, certainly not of myself; and now came the
reflection that I had pledged my last sovereign in the endeavour to
catch the yacht, and that I was to be landed again in that foreign port
penniless. Was it under the stimulus of that thought that I recalled of
a sudden the first appearance of the _Sea Queen_ in my life, and
remembered the flash of the rocket?
"Have you any rockets?" I asked, turning abruptly round.
The man stared, smiled deprecatingly, and shook his head. He addressed
his mate in Portuguese, and they held an animated conversation. Finally
he turned to me, and the mate went below.
"There is one, he believes, monsieur," said the captain. "It was for
saving life, but it is old."
Well, old or new, I was resolved to try it, and presently, when the
mate appeared with a huge bomb in his hands, we set ourselves to work.
The men by this time were interested, and we had the rocket rigged in a
trice. The anxious moment was when we came to fire it. Would it fizzle
out. Was the touch long gone?
It resisted sullenly for some minutes, and then unexpectedly took the
bit in its teeth, if I may put it that way, and bolted. In the summer
evening sky was a great rush of light, and in my ears the hissing of a
hundred serpents. Then there was silence, and the light, describing its
arc, vanished into the water ahead. I gazed anxiously, but it was not
until ten minutes later that we were able to judge of the success of
our venture. Then the little captain touched me on the shoulder,
beaming. He did not trust to his inadequate French, but pointed. I had
already seen the _Sea Queen_ lay to.
A quarter of an hour later I stepped aboard her, and the man who let
down the gangway was Holgate.
"Why, doctor, we thought you were in your cabin. A near shave!" said
he.
"Pretty close," said I; "I thought the hour was six."
"It was changed to five by captain's orders," he replied. "Notice was
sent duly."
"It missed me," I answered cheerfully. "I wasn't at the hotel all the
time."
I passed him and met Legrand, who stared at me. "It's not your ghost,
doctor?"
"No," I said in a lower voice. "But maybe it will come to ghosts yet."
He stroked his short beard, and turned about. Day, I found, was
surveying me from the bridge in the most elegant suit of ducks.
"Now that you have arrived, Dr. Phillimore, perhaps we may be allowed
to proceed," he said sarcastically.
I made no reply, but went aft, where my adventures must be poured into
Lane's ears. Barraclough looked me up and down in his cool, indifferent
way.
"Come aboard, sir?" he said, with a grin.
"Yes," said I with a deliberate drawl. "It cost me just twenty-five
pounds."
"Damned if I wouldn't sooner have stayed and had a good old time," said
Lane. "What's the use of a bally ship?"
"Oh," said I, "being a millionaire I can't tell. If I'd only thought of
it, Lane, I might have followed your advice."
"Didn't you get the notice?" asked Pye.
"No, I was enjoying myself, you see. I'm a careless fellow, but I'm a
modest one also; and I've made too much of a sensation for my taste."
"You're fond of sensations, my good sir," said Sir John, with his
abominable arrogance.
"Well, if you'll allow me, I'll shed all I can of this--that is,
clothes," I replied calmly, and I went below.
When I had had a bath and assumed my yachting costume, I came on deck
again, only to meet Day in a furious temper, as I could tell from his
eyes. I explained the circumstances of my mishap, adding that I had not
received my notice, which was no doubt my fault.
"I certainly might have made more changes at Rio than I did," he said
maliciously, and passed by me.
It was ungracious, but the man was not responsible. From the deck
above, the face of Mlle. Trebizond peered down at me, smiling and
handsome.
"It was an adventure," she said in her English, showing her pretty
teeth. "It was most exciting, doctor, to be chased by a pirate."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, mademoiselle," said I politely. "I take some
credit to myself for the rocket."
"Oh, but it should have been dark--that would have been much better,"
said she. "Come up and tell me all about it."
After a momentary hesitation I obeyed, and when I reached the deck I
found Princess Alix there. Once more I explained my misadventure, and
Mlle. Trebizond chatted and laughed in great good-humour. She had made
many purchases, but complained of the shops. She could not get her
favourite perfume, she protested, and wondered how people could live in
such remote regions. Then she tired of me, I suppose, and walked off,
leaving me to the Princess. Her blue eyes, as cold as her brother's,
flashed a question at me.
"It was not an accident?" she said.
"The notice, I find, was sent last night, after Mr. Morland had
communicated with Captain Day. It should have reached me at the hotel
early this morning. It didn't."
"I see." She looked towards the forts at the mouth of the harbour,
which we were then passing. "I am glad you did your duty in rejoining
the yacht," she said next.
I think I was between amusement and irritation at her words, for, after
all, I considered that it was not a time to talk of duty when I had
been the victim of a trick, and had, after my own poor fashion, paid so
heavily for it. I might even have looked for a sentence of thanks for
my zeal. But the Princess was a princess still, despite that she was
also Miss Morland and the sister of a man who had thrown away all to
contract a morganatic marriage. But amusement got the upper hand. I
smiled.
"Oh, we English have usually a severe sense of duty," I replied, "at
least, when it comes to a pinch. On the other hand, of course, we lack
discipline."
She glanced at me, and, with a little bow, moved away. I was dismissed.
The yacht was pointed now for Buenos Ayres, at which port it was clear
that, for reasons of his own, Prince Frederic was anxious to arrive. It
was not until the second evening, however, that anything of importance
occurred. But that was of considerable importance, as you shall see. I
had occasion to pay a visit to the stoke-hole, where one of the men had
injured his hand, and I had finished my work and was mounting the
grubby wire ladder, when a fireman passed me with averted face. I
hardly glanced at him, and certainly did not pause the least fraction
of a second; but to the half-glance succeeded a shock. The nerves, I
suppose, took a perceptible instant of time to convey the recognition
to the brain; but, despite the grime on his face and the change in his
appearance, I could not be mistaken. It was Pierce, the discharged
boatswain.
Here was news indeed! Pierce, of whom Day thought he had got rid in
Rio, was employed as stoker on the yacht. How came he there? This
bespoke treachery again. And now I began to get some notion of how vast
and subtle was the web of the conspiracy. It could not be that only a
few men were concerned in it. Holgate had been right. How many hands
could we depend on? Who put Pierce in his present situation? I went on
deck in a fume of wonder and excitement. Plainly something was
hatching, and probably that very moment. If fierce thought I had
recognised him it would doubtless precipitate the plans of the
villains. There was no time to be lost, and so, first of all, I
went--whither do you suppose? To see the Princess.
She received me in her boudoir, where she was reclining in an evening
gown that fitted her beautiful figure closely, and she rose in
astonishment. But at once her eyes lighted.
"You have something to tell me?" she inquired.
"Yes," said I. "The man who was dismissed is still on board. He is
acting as stoker."
She compressed her lips and eyed me.
"That spells, madam, business," said I.
"What is to be done?" she asked quietly, but I could see her bosom
moving with excitement.
"I have come to you first because it is you who must prepare the Prince
and persuade him of the crisis. I will go to the captain with my tale,
and Heaven knows how I shall be received. It is the Prince who must
act."
"Yes--yes," she said quickly. "Go at once. I will find my brother."
Day was in his cabin, and, knocking, I entered without waiting for
permission. I found him with his arm bared and a syringe in his hand.
He stared at me and scowled.
"There is no time for words, sir," said I. "Pierce is on board, and
there is danger. There will probably be a rising to-night."
He threw the syringe down. "I'm very glad to hear it," he declared, in
even tones. "Take that away, doctor. Where's Sir John Barraclough?"
I told him that he was on the bridge.
"Send Mr. Legrand to me, and----" he broke off. "But how do you know?"
he asked suspiciously.
"It is not a case of knowledge. It is a case for preparation," he said.
"If we have the arms distributed----"
I was interrupted by a sharp report from below. Day ran out in his
pyjamas, and I followed. We heard Barraclough's voice from the bridge,
raised angrily.
"Go back there, man; get back, Gray."
It was a pitch black night, save for the glittering stars, and I could
only make out a knot of men at the head of the ladder leading from the
lower deck.
"What the devil do you mean?" shouted Barraclough; and then all of a
sudden the knot of men opened in a struggle, and a man burst through
and dashed towards us, falling at my feet.
"For God's sake, sir," he panted out. "They've seized the engine-room,
and Mr. McCrae's shot. 'Twas Pierce done it."
I recognised by his voice Grant, one of the deck-hands, and I helped
him to his feet.
"Who's in this?" I asked; but before he could reply the gang of men
approached nearer, and some one spoke from their midst. It was Holgate.
"Captain Day, I regret to state that the men are not satisfied with the
way things are being conducted," he said, in a level voice. "They are
not satisfied with their pay, for one thing, and there are other
matters. No harm is intended, but they have decided that I am to take
your place, and for the present you are to consider yourselves
prisoners--particularly the doctor," he added.
The offensive assurance of the man made me boil, but on Day it seemed
to have a curiously astringent effect.
"So, Mr. Holgate, there has been a council of war," he said quietly,
even drily, "and you are to step into my shoes. I will give you three
minutes to retire from the deck. Go back! I tell you, do you hear, men?
Go back!"
His acrid voice rang out thinly, but Barraclough above shouted
hoarsely:
"Good God, can't you do something to them?"
At this moment I was aware of noises on the promenade deck, and,
looking up, saw the Prince's figure outlined dimly against the stars.
"You have your orders," he called out in his deep voice. "Go back to
your quarters."
There was a pause, and then the silence was broken by a shot, and one
of the men fell. A second report rang out, and a curse rose on the air.
A third followed, and the men turned and retreated.
From the hurricane deck came still another shot, and they tumbled down
the ladder pell-mell. The Prince was shooting as calmly as at so many
partridges. I ran down stairs and fetched my revolver, and when I
returned I could hear no sound from the lower deck. Barraclough met me
at the door of the saloon.
"There's not a pound of steam on her," he said. "The brutes have shut
off the valves."
"Let her go," said I. "We have something more important on our hands.
They'll be here again. The Prince took them by surprise. No English
captain would have used his weapons so."
"No, by Heaven," he exclaimed. "This makes it a question of----"
He paused. Mr. Legrand came running along the deck.
"We've got it now," he said. "Oh, we've got all we want now."
"Look here," said I. "Is Ellison with you? I'm sure he's not in this?"
"Yes," said Barraclough.
"Well, post him at the ladder, and here's Grant. Let's find out how we
stand."
"It'll be hot work to-night," said Legrand.
Day's voice came to us from his cabin door: "Sir John Barraclough, be
good enough to place all the men you can trust on guard, with orders to
fire in case of necessity. I shall be obliged for your company and that
of the officers in my cabin."
We had four men, including Ellison, on the deck, and there was also the
man at the wheel, who had not quitted his place through all these
events. One could surely rely upon a man with such a sense of duty; so,
having made such dispositions as were possible, Barraclough followed us
to the captain. The ladies, I hoped, were safe in their cabins, as I
had heard no sound of them.
Day was brief and businesslike. "Dr. Phillimore was right," said he. "I
ask his pardon. We must see how many men we have. There is Mr. Lane and
Mr. Pye. Where is Mr. Pye?"
"I am here, sir," said the little clerk from the back.
"That makes, including Mr. Morland, twelve men to depend on, so far as
we know--if, that is," he added almost with a sneer, "we can depend on
them."
"Grant may know more," said Legrand.
"Bring him," said Day, and opened the door to the Prince.
Prince Frederic was cool and collected, and showed little to mark the
disturbance and bloodshed of the last quarter of an hour--little,
unless it were in the increased blue of his eyes, which shone frostily.
"Have you all your men, captain?" he remarked in his determined German
way, quite free of vivacity.
"We are sure of twelve," said Day, "and we are trying to find out about
the others, so as to separate sheep and goats."
But here was Grant arrived, blood on his face, and a brisk air of
savagery about him.
"Grant, who are the mutineers?" said the captain.
"Couldn't speak to 'em all, sir," said the man. "I knew nothing of it
till half an hour ago, when I ran into them, and they seized me. There
was Gray and Pierce and Mr. Holgate and Granger, and half a dozen in
the lot that took me."
"Do you mean to say that you had no inkling of this?" said Day, with
asperity.
"I'll take God to witness, no, sir," said the man earnestly, "and I'll
take my oath Williams and Naylor hadn't neither."
"That makes two more," said the Prince, nodding. "But where are they?"
Grant looked over his shoulder in the direction which would indicate
the forecastle. "If they're not here, sir, your highness," he said
hesitatingly, "I don't know where they are. The stokers is all joined,
I heard 'em say."
"Good Lord, they've made a clean sweep," said Barraclough, with a
laugh. "And what's this about McCrae?"
"Mr. McCrae was shot at the first, sir, in seizing the engines."
"And they've fetched her pretty nigh to a standstill," growled the
first officer. "Phew! No, there she goes," he exclaimed, as the screw
began to bump. "They've picked her up. That'll be Crossley. He's with
them, confound him."
"Then that leaves twelve," said the purser, "and forty-odd t'other
side. Oh!" he whistled, "this makes swank, don't it?"
"Silence, Mr. Lane," commanded the captain. "We must first of all be on
our guard, armed; and, secondly, see if we are in a position to add to
our numbers. But we have the deck, which can only be reached one way.
The stewards, Mr. Lane?" he asked quickly.
"I'll answer for the three, and the cuisine," declared the purser
boldly. "I'll go bail on them. I've known Jackson on other voyages. I
engaged 'em myself."
"Then who the devil engaged the others, I'd like to know?" asked Day,
in his old irritable tone; at which, to the astonishment of all, a
small voice broke the silence.
"I did, sir."
We all wheeled round. It was Pye. The little man fixed his gold glasses
on his nose with two fingers in his nervous way, and blinked through
them at us, unruffled as a cock-sparrow that yet had doubts.
"He, by heaven!" whispered Legrand to me, with infinite scorn. "He
chose 'em!"
"And I regret to find, sir," pursued Pye, "that some of them have gone
wrong. I feel myself in a way responsible."
"It all comes of putting things in the hands of lawyers," said Lane,
with innocent recklessness.
Day looked down his nose. "Well, Mr. Pye," he said drily, "we'll try to
forgive you. You fell in with the wrong crowd. If I had known----" he
paused. "The question is, how are we to get in touch with the faithful
men who may be in the forecastle?"
"If you will allow me, sir, I will venture into the forecastle and find
out," said Pye, with a restrained sense of importance.
"You!" cried Day in amazement, and there was a general burst of
laughter, except on the part of the Prince, who was eyeing Pye
severely, and on the part of myself, who did not see anything for
ridicule in the unexpected courage of a timid man.
"I feel in a way responsible," repeated Pye; but his protest was feeble
in effort, for Day put him curtly aside.
"I fear you will not do, sir," said he.
"But I will, captain," I called out. The Prince's eyes came over to me,
leaving Pye. He nodded and addressed Day in an undertone.
"My dear sir, they've marked you out first and foremost," said
Barraclough.
"I'll back the doctor," declared Lane excitedly.
"Oh, I go only in the mission of humanity," I replied. "McCrae may not
be dead. No one knows. And, what's more, the mutineers have two or
three cripples on their hands. They won't lay a hand on me at present."
"That's true, Dr. Phillimore," remarked Day. "Well, if you have weighed
the risks I will not prevent you. It is essential we should know
something more. It will come to blows again, and that without notice.
Mr. Morland," he hesitated, "wishes me to express his thanks for your
offer."
"In that case," said I, acknowledging the compliment with a bow, "I may
as well take time by the forelock," and nodding to Legrand, I slipped
out on the deck.