A New Plan.
Weeks had passed since the happenings told of in the previous chapter
took place, and nothing of any importance had occurred. Redfox had not
again ordered Willy to climb the mast with him, and even when the ship
was becalmed and lay with slackened sails on a sea smooth and clear as
a looking-glass, he would not allow him to go up to the crow's nest.
"Oh, no, no, if you were to get dizzy and fall, you'd tell that I
pushed you," he sneered at every possible opportunity. Green he
avoided as much as possible.
"The boy was perhaps mistaken, and my suspicions of the Captain and
Redfox may be wholly unfounded," thought honest Green, when week after
week went by without their taking revenge on either him or Willy. The
voyage had been an extraordinarily quick and fortunate one. The days
which ships usually spend in being becalmed under the Equator the 'St.
George' spent under full sail with favoring winds. Everything on
shipboard was going very well, yet the Captain was always sullen and
morose. He and Redfox sat in the cabin and gambled and drank most of
their time. Rarely did they finish one debauch before they began on
another. Redfox seemed to exercise hypnotic power over the Captain.
Willy, the darling of the crew, at first was much grieved over his
uncle's behavior and the aversion which the first officer showed for
him, but he soon became accustomed to their ways. The companionship of
Green, who initiated him into the mysteries of the compass and the
practical work of steering the ship, was pleasant, and he had Peppo.
The Captain had allowed the boatswain to put up another hammock in
Willy's cabin, so that Peppo could sleep there instead of going down
into the steerage. Together the boys said their morning and evening
prayers, just as they were accustomed to do in the pension in Hongkong,
and slept like nabobs in their little hammocks while the ship went
ploughing its way through the placid ocean.
The "St. George" was at this time in the sea between the New Britain
Archipelago, as the group of islands which now goes by the name of the
Bismarck Archipelago was at that time called, and the Soloman Islands.
With full sail the boat was running before a stiff northwest breeze.
The fiery tropical sun burned in the heavens, and far as the eye could
reach the waters rolled in a long swell on the deep blue southern sea.
A pair of screaming sea-gulls circled round the top of the mast, the
sails flapped, the rigging creaked, and the waters swished and dashed
against the sides of the vessel. Other sounds there were none. The
vessel might almost have been a phantom ship upon an enchanted sea.
Green sat near the wheel in the shade of one of the sails smoking his
pipe and with difficulty keeping his eyes open sufficiently to glance
at the big compass and the distant horizon occasionally. "If our
reckonings are right we shall sight the Soloman Islands now at any
minute," he said to himself, and was about to call to the man on watch
in the crow's nest to see that he was not asleep, when Willy came out
from the cabin and motioned to Green that he had something important to
tell him.
"Hello, Willy, what's the matter? Any one would think from the
expression on your face that you had seen 'The Klabautermann'!"
"The Klabautermann" is a spirit of the sea similar to the brownies of
the mountains and the goblins which play such a part in children's
stories. Ordinarily unseen this spirit helps the sailors in their work
when they are good and true, but when he appears with a fiery head and
green teeth, attired in riding boots, yellow hose, and pointed hat,--as
the sailors assert they have seen him--then look out. Beware of
misfortune. Some awful fate awaits the ship, so the superstitious
sailors solemnly swear.
"I have not seen 'The Klabautermann'," answered Willy, "and I don't
believe there is any such spirit, although you are so positive about
it; but I have something to tell you that will surprise you more than a
visit from the Flying Dutchman's haunted ship, that you told me about."
"Well, let's have the surprise."
"Can any one play eavesdropper here?"
"No; no one at all. We are here all by ourselves aft and who is there
that would want to listen to us?"
"Redbeard and my uncle, but they are in the cabin, drinking and
gambling as usual. Last night, you know, Peppo had toothache all night
and couldn't sleep, so this afternoon I took his place in the kitchen
while he went up to have a nap in his hammock. He just came and told
me that he had overheard Redbeard plotting some dreadful thing against
us. Peppo couldn't understand it all, but he got this much, that at
the island to which we are coming today, or at the latest tomorrow
morning, he is going to send you ashore for drinking water. He has let
the water leak out of the casks. 'When Green goes ashore,' he said, 'I
haven't a doubt in the world but that the young one, who stands in your
way, will want to go with him, and the little Chinaman, whom I do not
trust, will also want to go--We can just send them, even if you don't
hanker after this plan. And--well--if they don't come back, why the
wild Soloman Islanders will know what to do with them.' Peppo heard
the first officer say this."
"Oh, the traitor!" said Green. "And so he is going to furnish the
cannibals with a nice juicy stew for their pots, is he? And pray tell,
what did that nice uncle of yours, the Captain, say to all this?"
"At first he would not listen to a word of it; then Redfox threatened
him with something which Peppo could not understand, and at last he
said, 'Oh, you are my bad angel. I am in your power. Do what you
must, but I won't have any part in it.'"
"Pontius Pilate made similar remarks when he gave Our Lord over to
death, but handwashing of that sort is of no use. As for the rest you
are right. Redfox is the chief sinner and forces the Captain into
things which he would never think of doing otherwise.--But what are we
to do? Here we are helpless in the power of these monsters. We might
give them over to the authorities at the first port at which we touch,
but the trouble with that plan comes in just here: Gray will not listen
to or believe what that little Chinaman says. It couldn't be done
without a life and death struggle. I must win over the Chinamen--and
if I fail, by so much as a hair-breadth, I'll go to the gallows as a
rebel.--And yet--I must risk my life for you as well as for the rest of
us. Quick, bring your little friend here. I'll tell him what to say
to the men in the steerage. They will be on our side for they have
been badly treated."
Willy did not understand all that the honest helmsman said for he was
half talking to himself, but he got enough to realize that they were in
great danger, and that Green scarcely knew what to do. Why did
Redbeard wish their death? Green had told him a number of times, but
the boy could not understand the question of the property, even after
it was explained to him, and now there was no time to talk about it.
"Be quick, go get Peppo for me," repeated the helmsman, instead of
answering his questions. "The crisis may come any moment. In the
meantime pray to your guardian angel, who once saved you miraculously
from the power of these monsters."
A few minutes later Peppo slipped down to the steerage and delivered
Green's message to his uncle, and he in turn held a secret counsel with
the most resolute of his companions. They talked much of the warning
which the God of the Golden Fish had given them about keeping out of
broils without arriving at any conclusion, though their feelings
prompted them to wreak vengeance on the Captain for his rough treatment
of them. While they were talking a voice from the crow's nest called,
"Land--ahoy!" and in a moment the ship was all life. The boatswain
sounded his pipe calling every sailor to his place and the Captain came
on deck to give orders. On the left in the South Sea a wooded hill
rose from the water, and quickly became larger, as the ship flew
towards it like a bird. The Captain and Redfox stepped up to the wheel
and the Captain said to Green, "We must heave to."
"What? Heave to in such a fine breeze as this? What have we got for
the cannibals over there?"
"We must have water," said the Captain without looking at the helmsman.
"Redfox says that the cask has leaked and that there is not enough
water to last us through to Australia."
"I saw the cask yesterday, and then there was no leak in it. If it is
empty now there has been foul play."
"Hello! What ails the man?" cried Redfox. "Who has been doing the
foul play?"
"Since you ask I'll tell you. You have. And as you let the water run
out you can see to getting more to put in. Under no circumstances will
I do it."
"Well, Captain, what do you think of the fellow's impudence? I say he
belongs in chains," cried Redfox in a rage.
"Quite right. Insubordination on shipboard cannot be tolerated.
Either you take a small boat and go for water to fill the cask or I'll
put you in irons. A dozen Chinamen and the small interpreter are to
accompany you."
"Just as I thought. And your nephew is to go, too, and when we are on
shore the 'St. George' is to take advantage of favoring breezes, and we
are to be left for the cannibals. You'll have to murder the boy and me
right here; we'll not run our heads into any such trap. Heda! my
little Chinaman, now is the time for your countrymen to defend
themselves. The responsibility is mine," and with these words he threw
himself upon Redfox who drew out his knife with a curse. Green struck
him a blow that knocked him senseless, and then turned on the Captain,
who called loudly for help. The sailors to a man rushed to his aid,
while the Chinamen refused to mix in the white men's quarrel. Green
was quickly overpowered and was thrown into chains in the steerage.
There the Captain also put the boys who had openly taken the helmsman's
part.