A STRUGGLE IN THE DARK
He came back with it swinging in his hand a mere tin box, containing a
candle, the dim flame visible through numerous punctures. It promised
poor guidance enough, yet emitted sufficient light to show the way
around in that darkness below. So as not to arouse suspicion, I
wrapped the thing in a blanket, and, with Watkins beside me, started
aft. Dorothy must have been asleep already, for there was no sign of
movement as we passed where she was lying. Neither of us spoke until
my hand was on the companion door ready to slide it open.
"I'll not be long below," I said soberly. "And meanwhile you keep a
sharp watch on deck. Better go forward and see that your lookout men
are awake, and then come back here. Likely I'll have a story to tell
you by that time. The wind seems lessening."
"Yes, sir; shall we shake out a reef in the foresail?"
"Not yet, Watkins. Wait until I learn what secret is below. An hour
will make little difference."
With the lantern held before me, its faint light barely piercing the
intense darkness, I stood on the first step leading down into the
cabin, and slid the door back into place behind me. I had no sense of
fear, yet felt a nervous tension to which I was scarcely accustomed.
For the instant I hesitated to descend into the gloom of that
interior. The constant nerve strain under which I had labored for days
and nights, made me shrink from groping blindly forward, searching for
the unknown. The very darkness seemed haunted, and I could not drive
from my memory the figure of that dead Captain, whose life had ended
there. It even seemed to me I could smell foulness in the air; that I
was breathing in cholera. Yet I drove this terror from me with a
laugh, remembering the open ports through which the fresh wind was
blowing; and cursing myself for a fool, began the descent, guided by
the flickering rays of light.
I was conscious of a quickening pulse, as I peered about me in the
gloom, every article of furniture assuming grotesque form. The
rustling of a bit of cloth over one of the open ports caused me to
face about suddenly, while every creak of the vessel seemed the echo
of a human voice. A blanket in the form of a roll lay on the divan
where I had found Captain Paradilla, and for a moment, as I stared at
it, dimly visible in a ray of light, I imagined this was his
motionless figure. Indeed, I was so strung up, it required all my
reserve of courage to persevere, and traverse the black deck. My mind
was fixed on a great chest in the Captain's stateroom, which, finding
locked, I had not disturbed on my former visit. But first I explored
the steward's pantry, in search of knife or hatchet. I found the
latter, and, with it tucked into my belt, felt my way aft. It may have
required five minutes to pry open the chest, and the reward was
scarcely worth the effort. The upper tray contained nothing but
clothing, and beneath this were books, and nautical instruments, with
a bag of specie tucked into one corner, together with a small packet
of letters. I opened the sack, finding therein a strange collection of
coins, mostly Spanish, estimating the total roughly at possibly five
hundred English pounds. Either this was Paradilla's private purse, or
money kept on hand to meet the expenses of the voyage. I searched the
room thoroughly, discovering nothing, finally concluding that if there
was treasure on board, it must be concealed elsewhere. I did find,
however, that which strengthened my suspicion, for, in rummaging
hastily through a drawer of the rude desk, I came upon a bill of sale
for a thousand slaves, dated two weeks before, but unsigned, although
the parties mentioned within the document were Paradilla and a
merchant of Habana, named Carlos Martinos. This would evidence the
sale for cash of the late cargo of the _Santa Marie_--a goodly
sum--but, whether the amount had been left ashore remained undecided.
Only a careful search of the vessel could determine this.
However, this discovery nerved me to press forward with my
exploration. All fear and dread had left me, and I went at the task
coolly enough, and with a clear purpose. There remained aft two places
unvisited--the lazaret and the port stateroom, which I had not
previously entered, because of a locked door. I determined on breaking
in here first, suspecting its use as a storeroom. There was no key in
the lock, and the stout door resisted my efforts. Placing the lantern
on the deck I succeeded finally in inserting the blade of the hatchet
so as to gain a purchase sufficient to release the latch. As the door
yielded, the hinges creaking dismally, a sharp cry, human in its
agony, assailed me from within. It came forth so suddenly, and with so
wild an accent, I stepped blindly backward in fright, my foot
overturning the lantern, which, with a single flicker of candle went
out. In that last gleam I saw a form--either of man, or boy--a dim,
grotesque outline, fronting me. Then, in the darkness gleamed two
green, menacing eyes, growing steadily larger, nearer, as I stared at
them in horror. I could not move; I seemed paralyzed; I doubt if I
even breathed in that first moment of overwhelming terror. Another
cry, like that of a mad person, struck my ears, and I knew the thing
was coming toward me. There was no other sound, no footstep on the
deck; I merely felt the approach, realizing the increasing glare of
those horrible eyes. They seemed to fascinate, to hold me immovable,
the blood chilled in my veins. Was it man or beast? Devil from hell,
or some crazed human against whom I must battle for life? The green
eyes glared into my face; I could even feel the hot breath of the
monster. I lifted my hand toward him, and touched--hair!
Even as the creature's grip caught me, ripping through jacket sleeve
to the flesh, I knew what my antagonist was--a giant African ape.
Horrible as the reality was, I was no longer paralyzed with fear,
helpless before the unknown. This was something real, something to
grasp, and struggle against, a beast with which to pit strength and
skill. The sting of the claws maddened me, brought me instantly to
life, and I drove my hatchet straight between those two gleaming eyes.
I know not how it struck, but the brute staggered back dragging me
with him in the clutch of his claws. His human-like cry of pain ended
in a brutal snarl, but, brief as the respite proved, it gave me grip
on his under jaw, and an opportunity to drive my weapon twice more
against the hairy face. The pain served only to madden the beast, and,
before I could wrench free, he had me clutched in an iron grip, my
jacket torn into shreds. His jaws snapped at my face, but I had such
purchase as to prevent their touching me, and mindless of the claws
tearing at my flesh, I forced the animal's head back until the neck
cracked, and the lips gave vent to a wild scream of agony. I dared not
let go; dared not relax for an instant the exercise of every ounce of
strength. I felt as though the life was being squeezed out of me by
the grasp of those hairy arms; yet the very vice in which I was held
yielded me leverage. The hatchet dropped to the deck, and both hands
found lodgment under the jaw, the muscles of my arms strained to the
utmost, as I forced back that horrid head. Little by little it gave
way, the suffering brute whining in agony, until, the pain becoming
unendurable, the clinging arms, suddenly released their hold, letting
me drop heavily to the deck.
By some good fortune I fell upon the discarded hatchet, and stumbled
to my feet once more, gripping the weapon again in my fingers. I stood
trembling, breathing hard, my flesh burning, peering about. The
darkness revealed nothing, yet I knew I had been dragged within the
stateroom, from which there was no escape, as I had lost all sense of
direction. For an instant I could not even locate the brute. With an
intense desire to escape, to place the door safely between me and my
antagonist, I felt blindly about in the black void. Silently as I
endeavored to move, I must have been overheard by the beast, for
suddenly his jaws snapped savagely, and I saw once again the baneful
glow of those horrible eyes. I knew enough of wild life to realize
that now the ape feared me, and that my safer course was to attack.
Acting on this impulse, determined to have an end, before he could
grip me once more in those awful arms, and crush me into
unconsciousness, I sprang straight toward him, sending the sharp blade
of the hatchet crashing against the skull. The aim was good, the
stroke a death blow, yet the monster got me with one jaw, and we fell
to the deck together, he savagely clawing me in his death agony. Then
the hairy figure quivered, and lay motionless. With barely strength
enough for the task, I released the stiffening grip, and crept aside,
rising to my knees, only to immediately pitch forward unconscious. It
seemed to me as I went down that I heard voices, saw lights flashing
in the outer cabin, but all these merged instantly into blackness.
When I came back once more to life I knew immediately I was upon the
schooner's deck, breathing the fresh night air. I could see the
outline of the helmsman in the little circle of binnacle light, a ray
of which extended far enough to assure me of the presence of Dorothy.
I watched her for some time, my mind slowly clearing to the situation,
and, it was not until I spoke, that she became aware I had recovered
consciousness.
"Dorothy."
"Yes, yes," she bent lower eagerly. "Oh, I am so glad to hear you
speak. Watkins said you were not seriously hurt, but your clothes were
torn into shreds, and you bled terribly."
"It was not a nightmare then; I really fought that beast?"
"Yes; but it is too horrible to think about--I--I shall never blot out
the sight."
"You saw what occurred yourself?" I questioned in astonishment. "You
actually came below? Then I did hear voices, and see a light, before
my senses left me?"
"Yes; Watkins heard the noise of struggle, the cries of the brute, and
woke me. At first he was afraid to go into the cabin, but I made him,
rather than let me go alone. The only light we had was a torch, made
from a rope end. We got there just as you fell. I saw you staggering
on your knees, and that beast outstretched on deck, a great gash in
its skull. Watkins says it was a chimpanzee."
"It was a huge ape of some kind, crazed with hunger no doubt." I sat
up, aware of the smart of my wounds, but already convinced they were
not deep or dangerous. "You did not look about? You took no note of
what was in the room?"
"No," puzzled at my sudden interest. "I had no thought of anything but
you. At first I believed you dead, until I felt the beat of your
pulse. The light revealed little, until Watkins found the overturned
lantern, and relit the candle."
"But I saw not even that much; the fight was in pitch darkness, yet I
struck against things not furniture--what were they?"
"Oh, you mean that! I think it must have been a storeroom of some
kind, for there were casks and boxes piled up, and a strange
iron-bound chest was against one wall. I sat on it, and held the
lantern while Watkins saw to your wounds. Then we carried you up
here."
"That is the answer I sought. Yes, you must let me get up, dear. Oh, I
can stand alone; a little weak from loss of blood yet, but none the
worse off. Where is Watkins?"
"He went forward. Do you need him?"
"Perhaps it can wait until daylight. You know what I ventured below
for?"
"To learn if there was treasure hidden aboard; you hoped such a
discovery would induce the men to sail this schooner to the
Chesapeake."
"Yes, and now I believe there is--hidden away in the locked room and
guarded by that ape. In all probability no one but Paradilla knew the
creature was on board, and he could have had no better guardian. No
sailor would ever face the brute."
We may have talked there for an hour, Watkins joining us finally, and
listening to my story. My wounds, while painful enough, were all of
the flesh, and the flow of blood being easily staunched, my strength
returned quickly. To my surprise the hour was but little after
midnight, and I had so far recovered when the watch was changed, as to
insist on Watkins going forward, leaving me in charge of the deck. I
felt no desire for sleep, and so he finally yielded to my orders, and
curled up in a blanket in the lee of the galley. The girl was harder
to manage, yet, when I left her alone, she lay down on her bed of
flags. Twice later she lifted her head, and spoke as I passed, but at
last remained motionless, while I carefully covered her with an extra
blanket.
The time did not seem long to me as I paced the deserted deck aft, or
went forward occasionally to assure myself that the lookouts on the
forecastle were alert. There was nothing to see or do, the sea and sky
both so black as to be indistinguishable, and the breeze barely heavy
enough to distend the canvas, giving the schooner a speed not to
exceed six knots, I suspicioned a storm in the hatching, but nothing
evidenced its near approach. However my thoughts busied me, and
vanished all drowsiness. I believed I had won a way to freedom--to a
government pardon. The good fortune which had befallen me in the
salvage of this vessel, as well as our success against the pirates of
the _Namur_, could scarcely be ignored by the authorities of Virginia,
while the rescue of Dorothy Fairfax, and her pleading in our behalf,
would commend us to mercy, and reward from the very highest officials.
The money, the treasure, I personally thought nothing about, willing
enough that it should go to others; but I was ambitious to regain my
honor among men, my place of respectability in the world, for the one
vital purpose which now dominated my mind--that I might claim Dorothy
Fairfax with clean hands. My love, and the confession of her own, had
brought to me a new vista, a fresh hope. It seemed to me already her
faith had inspired me with new power--power to transform dream into
reality.
I stood above her motionless figure as she lay asleep, and solemnly
took a resolve. At whatever cost to myself, or others, the _Santa
Marie_ should sail in between the Capes to the waters of the
Chesapeake. Be the result reward or punishment, liberty or freedom,
the chance must be accepted, for her sake, as well as my own.