"Captain 'Enery"
While the boat was away on its errand Captain Jeremy turned to me.
"You see, Master Clifford, that I am in a very awkward position. As
master of this vessel I look upon mutiny and similar uprisings
against authority as an offence of the blackest dye. 'Tis certain
that Master Oddicombe and his following have dealt hardly with the
captain of the _Neptune_ and his crew, and for that they deserve to
be delivered up to justice at the first English settlement we touch.
On the other hand, they were fighting for their liberty 'gainst a
tyrant, while, to go farther, they fought side by side with us under
Monmouth's banner. But for the workings of Providence, I and a score
of my men now on board this vessel would have been similarly dealt
with. Had we been in their place, how should we have acted, had the
means of regaining our freedom been opened to us?"
"Same as they, Cap'n," exclaimed 'Enery, who, with Touchstone and
myself, formed a little council in the cabin.
"I did but sound your inclinations," continued Captain Jeremy. "Sink
me! I cannot blame them. But now, by the laws of the sea, the
_Neptune_ is in our keeping till we bring her into a port, when the
Admiralty courts shall decide our share of the salvage. But if we do
that, what is to become of the yokels that are on board? Nay, that
will not serve."
"We could do with another ship and a sprinkling of fighting men,"
observed the master gunner tentatively.
"You have spoken mine own mind," rejoined Captain Jeremy. "If we can
but make yon peasants see that therein lies the best chance of
safety, I'll tranship half of them, and send thirty of our men under
you, bos'n, to work the leavening of the rest. I know these men.
They are full of fight, and only need a stiffening of good seamen to
turn them into a passable crew."
"Then you expect we shall have opposition, sir?" I asked. "From
whom?"
"From the buccaneers, unless I be greatly mistaken. With the _Golden
Hope_ alone 'twould be necessary to avoid an engagement should these
rogues think fit to molest us, for they swarm all over the Caribbean
Sea; but with a consort like the _Neptune_ we can hold our own. Is
she a seaworthy craft?"
"As sweet a craft as I could wish for--saving our own," replied
'Enery.
"And well found?"
"Both in stores and munitions of war, though I have not made a full
search. Eight twelvepounders and an eighteen on her fo'c'sle, and a
goodly store of muskets, cutlasses, and pikes, to say naught of a
stock of bilboes."
"And water?"
"Enough and to spare."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Captain Jeremy. "But here is the boat
alongside. We'll hear what Master Oddicombe hath to say to our
proposals."
Master Oddicombe needed but little persuasion to fall in with
Captain Jeremy's suggestions. He realized only too well that his
bold step in taking possession of the _Neptune_ brought the greater
chance of difficulties and dangers; and that, had they been
overhauled by a King's ship, every man would assuredly have graced a
halter.
Captain Jeremy next proceeded to explain the mission of the _Golden
Hope_, and our expectation of securing a vast treasure.
"Although I can offer you no share in the matter," he continued, "I
shall require you and your companions to pledge yourselves to serve
us faithfully for the space of not more than two years. At the end
of that time, or before, should we attain the object of our search,
I'll warrant your safe discharge at some settlement, where you will
be free men. More than that, should we be able, by the united work
of both vessels, to capture any buccaneering craft who think to
molest us, their cargoes will be equally divided betwixt all hands.
So if you and your men are willing to serve us faithfully, and
engage in an enterprise of adventure and profit, now is the chance
of that and your freedom."
Nothing loath, Master Oddicombe gave the required promise on behalf
of his men, and the compact having been sealed over a bottle of
Madeira, we all repaired on deck, where Captain Jeremy gave orders
for our crew to assemble.
"My lads," said he, "You know I'm a bluff sailor and not given to
making speeches, so I come straight to the point. Yon brig is now
our consort. Together we'll make a match for any buccaneer that
dares to assail us. You need not fear that your shares in the
expedition will be lessened by our increased numbers--if anything,
you stand to gain. I hope you'll welcome your new messmates. Some of
you will greet them as old companions on the battlefield. That's all
I'm going to say. Now, thirty men are wanted to serve aboard the
_Neptune_ under Captain 'Enery." Here our former bos'n almost lost
his balance, at the shock of hearing his new title. "Seven of our
men are already aboard her," continued Captain Jeremy, with a sweep
of his arm in the direction of the _Neptune_, which, like the
_Golden Hope_, had been hove-to during the last hour or so. "Those
willing to serve under Captain 'Enery will muster on the larboard
side."
To my surprise, not a man crossed over to the larboard, but with one
accord all stepped briskly and resolutely to the starboard side.
"What's this I see?" shouted Captain Jeremy.
"Do you want to cruise single-handed? Are you afraid that, against
my word, your shares will go down? Do I scent mutiny aboard the
_Golden Hope_? Bestir yourselves, my hearties!"
"'Tain't neither, Cap'n," replied one of the men, Tom Cherry by
name. He had been one of the Captain's comrades in the cave, and was
a stanch, honest fellow. "We'll all go if you gives the word, but we
don't want you to think as 'ow we wants to leave you."
"You won't be leaving me; it's the _Golden Hope_ you're leaving, to
join a consort under my orders. I thank you all for your expression
of loyalty, but as some of you must ship aboard the _Neptune_ we'll
leave it to chance. Master Touchstone, do you draw the men into two
ranks."
Thereupon the crew took up their position, fifty-one all told, for
Captain 'Enery and the master gunner were, with Captain Miles and me
on the poop.
"Down you go, Master Clifford, and pick out a man at random," said
our Captain; and, descending the poop ladder, I walked between two
rows of as fine a set of men as ever served afloat.
"Fall out, you," ordered Captain Jeremy, as I touched a smart
lower-yard man on the shoulder.
"Now, count out every seventh man."
"There you are, Captain 'Enery," he continued, when the counting out
was completed; "a proper crew for you, and no favouritism. I trust
they'll do you credit. Now, lads, there's no time to be lost, so
dismiss and pack up your traps."
With this there was a wild skelter, as the men dived into the
forepeak to gather together their personal property; and a quarter
of an hour later the backbone of the _Neptune's_ crew rowed off to
our consort.
An hour or more elapsed ere the sixty peasants were brought on board
the _Golden Hope_, for Captain 'Enery, with considerable tact, had
allowed them to settle amongst themselves who should stay and who
were to go. Thus there was no separation of relations or
friends--for, poor fellows, they had had enough of that when they
left England--and each band of yokels had the satisfaction of
finding themselves made up of practically the manhood of their
respective villages.
Our westward course was now resumed, the two vessels keeping their
stations with commendable precision, the _Golden Hope_ leading at
about a cable's length from the _Neptune's_ larboard bow.
From early morn to late afternoon, day after day, the new arrivals
were trained in the use of arms, manning the guns under Master
Touchstone's supervision, and going through the musketry exercises
and the cuts and guards of the cutlass drill. It was not long before
their smocks and other homely garments had given place to clothes of
a nautical cut, while each day added to their transformation into
stout-hearted British seamen.
Nor were the conditions under which the crew of the _Neptune_ lived
less strenuous. Although we were unable to go aboard her, for the
Trades blew steadily during this time, and both vessels kept up a
good eight knots, I could see by the aid of a glass that her men
were hard at work with their ordnance and small arms; while it
seemed that Captain 'Enery rarely quitted his quarter-deck. Whenever
I chanced to look that way I could distinguish his tall, gaunt,
bearded figure slowly pacing his domain; and I realized that, should
we ever find ourselves in a tight fix, we should have reason to be
thankful for the aid of Captain 'Enery.