'This is mutiny--mutiny!'
'Don't get excited, sir,' said Arizona; 'don't get flighty or
flurried. With a tough and horrid crowd like this always keep cool.
We wants to know unanimous what your purpose is in wearin' that
weepon and pullin' it out and flourishin' it permiscus? For we're
very peaceful and worships peace, and hates to die.'
'Go--go to the devil!' said Bertie. 'Confound you, let me pass.'
For now there were at least thirty men round him, and some of the
stokers who were off duty stood in the background roaring with
laughter.
'Make him hand over his gun, Bill,' said Ben, edging closer.
'We'd like to look at it to see if it's a real gun, sir,' said
Arizona, with a very taking air of simplicity. 'Some of us reckons
it's real, and some says your dad heeled you with a wooden one to
scare a timid lot of boys from Arizona and Texas and Louisiana.
Please let us look at it, sir.'
'Do, dear Bertie,' said the rest. And what happened then no one
quite knew. Some said Bertie meant to shoot, some said he made a
break for the _brow_ which was the horse-gangway at the main hatch,
and some say that Ben grabbed him. For about ten seconds there was a
rough-and-tumble on the fore-hatch, in which three lanterns were
finally expended, and then from the rumpus there emerged a pale and
desperate Bertie, without a gun, in the grip of Ben, Arizona, and the
silent Seth Graves. Jack from Missouri had the gun.
'Boys, the verdict of this expert is that this is a real gun,' said
Jack, 'a real forty-five Frontier pistol, loaded with real
cartridges. And if you pulls the trigger hard it's likely to go off.'
'There, dear Bertie, see what you've been monkeyin' with,' said
Arizona. 'Mizzoura knows a gun well. You might have killed one of
us poor boys, mostly orphans too, owin' to similar accidents
happenin' to our paws.'
But the speechless son of the owner found his tongue.
'Let me go. I'll kill some of you! What the devil do you mean?'
He struggled frantically, and found his struggles entirely vain. For
Seth Graves had him from behind in a clutch that it would have taken
a small and healthy grizzly bear to get free of.
'I'll tell you what we mean,' said Ben, dusting himself carefully.
'We mean to give you some healthy advice. Mebbe you remember kickin'
this child in the ribs when he was sick?'
'And me!' said Seth, who spoke for the first and last time.
'And you let on that you would kick me, boy,' said Arizona, 'and
nothin' but the second officer interferin' saved you from it. Now
we're goin' to investigate your case and decide what kind of immejit
death will be joodishal. Boys, put a bale on the fore-hatch and I'll
appint myself judge with a view to strict impartiality, for if I
don't Ben Wilkins will, and he cayn't be impartial, as he said las'
night he'd decided to hang the prisoner if he was appinted judge.'
He climbed on the bale.
'Boys, the Court is now sittin'. No one that the prisoner hez kicked
can be on the jury. Them as he hez pulled his gun on ain't
disqualified, or there wouldn't be no panel. Bein' sworn at ain't no
disqualification neither.'
The jury was formed after several bitter quarrels. It was composed
of a Louisiana man called Buckeye Joe; a Canadian-Frenchman known as
French Pete; a young Californian originally from Mendocino County,
but later from the San Francisco House of Correction; a Finn; a
Dutchman from Amsterdam; an Englishman who had been born at sea, and
brought up in Australia; and the Major, who in the struggle had
annexed Bertie's eyeglass, and was now wearing it with the curious
effect of making him look almost like a gentleman again, and several
others who came from countries between Patagonia and Hudson's Bay.
'Our verdict is "Guilty,"' said the foreman, Buckeye.
'Don't be previous,' said Arizona; 'he is guilty, of course, we all
know that, but we've got to act impartial and hear some evidence.
And I've to sum up. You look out for my summing up, Bertie. It'll
make you squirm, or I'm no true-born impartial citizen of the United
States. Ben, take the stand and lay your complaint against this
bobtail burro.'
The helpless prisoner shook his head feebly. He was entirely done
for and seriously alarmed; there wasn't a kick left in him. Seth
Graves' job was now a sinecure, and he let him go.
'This lop-eared leper kicked me,' said Ben Wilkins, who had been
adding to his already extensive vocabulary of picturesque abuse by
consorting with the stokers. 'He said "Get up, you lazy loafin'
scumpot, and do your dooty," and with that he booted me in the ribs.
If I was on the jury I'd bawl for death. And it's only because you
asked me to let him off, Arizona, that I didn't slay him when I could
stand. Boys, your verdict, if just, will be "death."'
This was irregular, and Arizona said so.
'You ain't addressin' the jury, Ben,' said the judge. 'You've no
call to, either. I'll do that. You can stand down.'
'I heven't hardly cleared my throat to begin with,' urged Ben. 'I've
a deal more to say, oh, a deal more.'
'Oh, dry up,' said Arizona. 'Who's running this Court, you or me?
Where's the one-eyed galoot from Caraccas?'
The one-eyed galoot from Caraccas testified to having been smitten on
the side of his head by Bertie. Bill translated the evidence without
editing it. One-eye said he hadn't killed Bertie because he was too
sick to do it. He addressed the Mexicans on the jury with much
fervour, and though reproved by Bill, did not cease his oration till
Ben, who was jealous, pulled him down.
A Dutchman spoke afterwards, but did not meet with great sympathy
from the judge.
'Cut it short,'said Bill, 'a Dutchman don't count anyhow, hardly
more'n a nigger.'
This was rather hard on three 'coons' grinning in the background, and
lighting up the darkness with their teeth. However, Dutchmen and
negroes are never really troublesome unless they are in the majority,
and no protest was made.
After that Arizona refused to hear any more evidence.
'That'll do the palaver,' he said, 'it's as clear as the Missouri in
flood-time that Bertie is a gone coon. He struck citizens of the
United States with a British shoe, and he smote Caraccas over the
cabeza with a British hand. The jury can consider their verdict,
while the judge considers his sentence.'
'Ain't the prisoner to be allowed no defence?' asked old Wadd, who
had been given the tip there was something on.
'To bee sure,' said Bill. 'Bertie, can you say anythin' to prevent
your bein' found guilty right off?'
'Go to the devil!' said Bertie. 'I'll have you all in gaol for
mutiny at Cape Town.'
'That's contempt of Court,' said Bill, 'but we pass it by secure in
the dignity of our high office. Is there any one who can testify on
behalf of poor doomed Bertie before the verdict is announced?'
Not a soul volunteered.
'What! no witnesses ez to character?' asked Bill. 'Would the
seafaring gentleman in the background, who threw some reflections on
me just now by inquiring if the prisoner warn't to hev no defence,
like to speak on behalf of Bertie?'
Bob Wadd shuffled uneasily. But Green egged him on.
'His old dad ain't a bad sort,' said Wadd at last, with all that
trepidation which paralyses an Englishman in his first speech. 'His
old dad----'
'So far the Court is with you,' said Arizona. 'But the evidence is
what lawyers justly calls irreverent. His old dad has our sympathy,
but the griefs of the prisoner's parent cayn't interfere with the
course of justice. Have you anythin' else to allege on his behalf?'
'Well, the grub's good in this packet,' said Wadd desperately. 'And
old Mr. Fortescue----'
'Oh, give us a rest,' said the judge. 'You tire me, my son, by your
continued irreverence. The fact is you cayn't rake up the least
thing in favour of this benighted burro, and you slide off on the
matter of the chewing, just as if the old man's notions of hash could
help the criminal I see before me. Gentlemen of the Jury, what is
your verdict?'
'Guilty,' said Buckeye Joe, 'and we all say it, and you might as well
have heard us first as last.'
'Do you all say "Guilty"?' demanded Bill, ignoring the foreman.
'Yep, si, oui, ja, yes,' said the jury, 'by crimes, we do, all of us,
todos, tous, the hull crowd unanimous. And we sentences him to
death.'
'Rise up the prisoner,' said Bill, 'and the jury can sit down and
hold their blamed tongues. This isn't _lynchin'_; this is a Court
with a joodishul jedge. If witherin' sarcasm warn't lost on the lot
of you, I'd tell you what I think of your trespassin' upon my rights.
Rise up the prisoner.'
And Seth Graves 'rose' him up.
'Let me go, you damn fool,' said Bertie. 'How dare you? You've no
right to do it, to make a fool of me. Help! help! I'm not going to
stay here and be jeered at. Don't you touch me,' and he foamed at
the mouth. Even Seth Graves found him hard to freeze to.
'Hold on,' said Arizona, now without a smile. 'Mr. Bertie Fortescue,
mebbe you think this is a joke? Well, so it is, in one way, but not
in the next. Do you reckon it a joke?'
'No,' said Bertie, through his teeth.
'You're right,' said the judge, 'for at the bottom, my son, it's
tol'rable serious. While we've been takin' the evidence, I've been
considerin' my sentences. I reckon one sentence ain't enough, so
I'll do my best to put a few together. For the sentence of this
Court is that you are to be told briefly and with a rasp what I and
the rest think of you, my son. Silence, boys, there's somethin'
actual afterwards, and I'm goin' to hev peace while I orate, or a few
of you will go on deck in a horse-sling.'
Arizona stood up, and there was a look in his eye which produced
order. He turned again to Bertie.
'You miserable young jackass,' said the impartial and just judge.
'You miserable young jackass, listen and l'arn. We've been good to
you, I've been good to you, and by my orders your life hez been
spared. You kicked Seth Graves, you hoofed Ben Wilkins in the ribs,
you threatened to kick me, and if it hadn't bin for a friend of yourn
on board this packet you'd ha' bin shot and thrown overboard. I
wonder if you understand, my son, that you're no one, that you're
ignorant, that you're as green and juicy as grass in rain. Mebbe you
never saw _men_ before. We're a rough and tough crowd, we've lived
our lives, seen men die and taken chances ourselves, though I own
some of us are little better than hoboes or tomayto-can vags, and you
come along flourishin' a gun (thishyer gun) that you cayn't shoot
with, and shoot off your mouth at us! By the great horn spoon, it's
a marvel, boys, ain't it?'
'That's so,' said the crowd seriously.
'Do you believe me, Bertie, when I tell you straight that if I hadn't
interfered you'd hev been dead by now?' asked Bill as he sat down
again.
'No,' said Bertie.
Ben Wilkins got up and walked close to the prisoner.
'Don't you?' asked Ben. His eyes were like furnaces. 'Don't you?'
'Stand back, Ben,' said Bill. 'My son, don't you think you kin
persuade yourself I speak the trewth?'
There was a strange short silence.
'Speak,'said Bill.
'Ye--es,' said Bertie.
Bill nodded.
'Ah, I thought you'd see it, my son. It's true, it's truer than most
gospel, as preached. Why, you miserable galoot, what we thinks of
you is below words. What do you know? You know nothin'. You reckon
you know "horse." Let me tell that does, that you don't know
"horse," nor mewel, nor even jackass. Your knowledge of horses is
equal to your knowledge of men. Mebbe this'll teach you some. Your
clothes don't make you a man, nor your eyeglass. You talked a while
back about mutiny! Waal, I ain't an expert in mutiny, but my notion
is that the only authority such as you possess is the authority
nat'ral to a man. You've got none. You said you'd hev us all in
gaol at Cape Town. Some of us hev assaulted you, eh? Well, you
assaulted some of us. Is your opinion of yourself ez high ez it was
at supper-time, or hev you come to the conclusion that you've suthin'
to l'arn? I don't press for an answer, for I reckon one ain't
required. You've been taken down some, and we've done it serious,
and without violence, because you're a boy and may be made a man of
yet. I ain't down on Englishmen, like some is out West. I know good
men Englishmen, real good. But your kind, when green, would rise the
dander of a peaceful cow. The order of this Court is, that your gun
shall be throwed overboard, and that you'll wear no real gun while
we're here to take care of you. Ben, break up Bertie's nice new gun,
and do it now.'
Ben Wilkins smashed the stock of the six-shooter on the iron coamings
of the hatch, and then broke the trigger. He threw the disorganised
weapon into a muck-skip.
'Whose nice new gun has been taken away and bust up?' asked Ben.
'Baby Bertie's nice new gun has,' said the crowd.
'And now,' said Bill, 'to take the sting out of these proceedings, we
propose to present you with a gun that cayn't do no harm. Produce
the gun, Ben.'
And Ben produced a piece of wood shaped roughly in the form of a
six-shooter.
'We invests you with the order of the wooden gun,' said Bill. 'And
our advice to you is, that you will treasure it and put it up in your
cabin and look at it daily till you come to understand why we
presented it. From the way you've took these proceedings since your
last fight to down Seth, which no man on board can do, this Court and
the rest of the crowd hez hopes of you. Boys, do I voice the
sentiments of this educational meetin' on the orlop deck o' the
_Pilgrim_, belonging to Messrs. Fortescue and Son, when I say we all
believe that this collegiate course will eventuate in makin' a man of
Mr. Fortescue's son and heir?'
'You do,' said the unanimous crowd. 'We hev high hopes of him.'
'Release the prisoner,' said Bill. 'And this Court is dissolved into
its constituent individuals.'
And Bertie rose from the hatch, not knowing where he was, or what he
was, or who he was. But of one thing he was quite certain. He was
not the young man who came below an hour before. He walked away
perfectly quietly, not knowing that the wooden gun was suspended from
his shoulder by a string.
'Ah!' said Bertie. He went through the crowd as if he didn't see
them, walked up the brow to the 'tween-decks, and presently found
himself outside his cabin on the spar deck. He nodded and said 'ha,'
and found the order of the wooden gun. He dropped it inside the
cabin and went for'ard to the bridge. Old Scantlebury waddled to him.
'Ain't it a lovely heavenly night, sir?' said the 'old man.' 'And
going along so peaceful, while the stars shine on us. Are the horses
all right, and the men?'
'They're--all right,' said Bertie. He seemed so silent that the
skipper said no more.
'I wonder who Arizona meant when he said a friend of mine,' thought
Bertie. 'I'll--I'll ask him.'
He went down below on the main deck and found Arizona leaning on a
breast-rail and rubbing a big grey's muzzle.
'Arizona,' said Bertie.
'Yes, sir,' said Arizona.
'What friend of mine did you mean just now?'
Arizona looked at him. The electric light was strong there and fell
on Bertie's face. It seemed quite different from what it had been.
Arizona looked him full in the eyes as if nothing whatever had
happened.
'It was the second mate, Mr. Forder, sir.'
'Why did he interfere?' asked Bertie.
'Well, sir,' said Arizona, 'he hez bin in Texas and in Arizona, and
he understands things.'
Bertie turned away.
'He understands--what?'
'Us, I reckon,' said Arizona simply.
'Thanks,' said Bertie, and he went to the second officer's room, and
tapped at the door. Forder opened to him, for he was reading.
'Yes,' he said, 'what is it?'
If he spoke without any audible tone of respect, it was only what
Bertie looked for.
'I'm sorry we had that trouble the other day,' said the owner's son.
'I've had a talk with Arizona.'
'Don't mention it,' said Forder. 'It's a beautiful night, Mr.
Fortescue.'
'It is,' said Bertie. 'Good night, Mr. Forder.'
'Good night, sir,' said the second officer.
And Bertie stood for half an hour by the rail looking into the sea.
'Damn!' said Bertie, 'I don't know----'
But Arizona said there were hopes of him.