As the slow-match began to sputter Hilary drew back, closed the door of
the lantern, and walked backwards aft, towards where the men were
gathered. The desire was strong upon him to run and rush right into the
far corner of the cabin; but he was a king's officer, and the men looked
up to him for example, so he told himself that he could not show the
white feather.
Fortunately he was able to keep up his dignity and retreat in safety to
where the men were crouching down, and, joining them, he too assumed a
reclining position upon the deck, and watched the sparkling of the piece
of paper in the darkness of the forepart of the cutter.
Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle, with plenty of scintillation; like some
little firework made for their amusement, but no sign of the train being
fired.
On deck there was an ominous silence, as if the smugglers had received
warning of the coming danger, and they too were watching for the
explosion.
More sparkling and more bright flashes of light, and yet the train did
not catch. Never had moments seemed to Hilary so long before, and he
felt sure that the slow-match had not been connected with the train, as
it must have fired before now.
Then as he waited he wondered what would be the effect of the explosion,
and whether it would do more harm than blow off the hatch. He hoped
not, for Sir Henry's sake; and there were moments during that terribly
lengthy time of watching when he hoped that after all the plan had
failed, for it seemed too terrible, and he would gladly have run forward
and dashed the light aside.
They were lightning like, these thoughts, for it really was but a
question of very few moments before there was a flash, a hissing noise,
a bright light, and then it was as though they had all been struck a
violent blow with something exceedingly soft and elastic, and at the
same moment there was a dull heavy roar.
Simultaneously the lower deck was filled with the foul dank choking
fumes of exploded gunpowder, the thick smoke was blinding, and the men
crouched in their places for the moment forgetful of their orders till
they heard the voice of Hilary Leigh shouting to them to come on, and
they leaped to their feet and followed.
It was a case of blindman's-buff; but the quarters below were narrow,
and after a little blundering the two men who had charge of the ladder
forced aside some of the heap of chests, hammocks and planks, placed the
steps in position, and, sword in one hand, pistol in the other, the
young officer sprang up. The gunner followed, and in less than a minute
the whole crew were over the shattered coamings of the hatchway and on
deck, ready to encounter the enemy.
The change from the stifling fumes below to the soft night-air was
delightful, and the men leaped along the deck after their young leader,
their cutlasses flashing in the faint light cast by the lanterns swung
aloft and astern; but no enemy was to be seen.
They dashed aft right to the taffrail, and back along the starboard
side, and away to the bowsprit; but the deck was without an enemy.
"Why, they're gone!" cried Hilary, in astonishment, as he now realised
the meaning of the silence over his head when he was awaiting the
explosion. "Here, hi! Waters, Brown, what does this mean? Quick! go
to the helm, Brown!" he shouted; "we're going through the water at an
awful pace. Quick! quick! down--down hard!" he roared. But it was too
late; the wheel was lashed, and before the slightest effort could be
made to check the cutter's way, she glided, with heavy sail set, over
half a dozen long rollers, and then seemed to leap upon the beach, which
she struck with so heavy a thud that the little vessel shuddered from
stem to stern, and pretty well the whole crew were thrown upon the deck.
The causes of the enemy forsaking the cutter were plain enough now.
They did not want her, and if they did it would have been without the
crew, who would have been a cause of risk and trouble to them. If they
could put her _hors de combat_ it would do just as well, and to this end
all the sail had been hoisted and sheeted home, the wheel lashed, and
with the unfortunate cutter running dead for the beach the party who had
seized her had quietly gone over the side while Hilary and his men were
plotting their destruction, and knowing full well they had nothing to
fear till next tide floated her off--if ever she floated again--they
proceeded to carry out their plans.
The men struggled to their feet once more as the great sail flapped,
while a wave that seemed bent on chasing them struck below the cutter's
taffrail, and the spray leaped on board.
Fortunately for them it was calm and the tide fast falling, or the
gallant little _Kestrel_ would have flown her last flight. As it was,
it was open to doubt whether she would ever spread her long wings again
to skim the sea, for the rising tide might bring with it a gale, and
before she could be got off her timbers might be torn into matchwood.
It was a rapid change from danger to danger. But a few minutes back
they risked sinking the vessel by the explosion of gunpowder, believing
her to be in the hands of the enemy who had cleverly compassed her
defeat, and now they were cast ashore.
Hilary Leigh was seaman enough, however, to know what to do without
consulting the boatswain, and giving his orders rapidly he stopped the
heeling over and beating of the _Kestrel_ upon the sand by relieving her
of her sail, in the midst of which he was startled by the voice of Mr
Lipscombe.
"Good heavens, Mr Leigh!" he exclaimed, angrily, "what does this mean?
I go and lie down for a few minutes, leaving you in charge of the
cutter, and I come up and find her ashore. Brown, Waters! where are
you, men? Have you been mad, asleep, or drunk? Oh, my head! Good
gracious, why, what's this--blood?"
He staggered, and seemed about to fall, but Hilary caught his arm.
"I am glad to see you better, sir," he cried; "but had you not better
lie down?"
"Better?" he said--"better?"
"Yes, sir; don't you remember?"
"Remember? Remember?" he said, staring.
"Yes, sir, the smugglers; they knocked us down and took possession of
the ship."
"Yes, of course, yes," said the lieutenant eagerly. "I remember now.
Of course, yes, Leigh. But--but where are they now?"
"That's just what I should like to know, sir," said Leigh, sharply;
"we've got rid of them, but they ran the little _Kestrel_ ashore."