FREE.
From the direction of the wheel there came a loud snore. The sailor had
deliberately seated himself upon the deck in a comfortable position.
Jack stole up to the sleeping seaman and softly encircled his arms with
the noose. Then he passed the lashing around his ankles and tied them
firmly. This aroused the sleeper, who began to mumble protests.
Instantly Jack slapped the plaster over his mouth. Then he dragged the
man to the skylight and tumbled him down unceremoniously, and followed
him into the cabin.
Frank and Hetherington held him while Jack removed the plaster and
thrust him through the hole in the bulkhead. Just as Jack once more put
his head through the skylight, there was the sound of a voice and Jack
drew inside.
"Something queer on this ship, I tell you," declared the leader. "First
Pedro goes overboard and then Antonio follows him. Sebastian, you take
the wheel."
"Not me," came the reply. "I'm not going overboard if I can help it.
Take the wheel yourself."
"Neither am I," declared another voice.
A wrangle followed, with the result that the leader was forced to take
the wheel. Looking out again, Jack saw that the man was peering out over
the water. Softly he again dropped to the deck, and stole upon the
unsuspecting leader.
A fierce struggle ensued. The Italian was a big man, and in spite of
Jack's strength and size, he put up a furious battle. The two rolled
against the rail, there was a sharp crack and with a loud cry the leader
suddenly went overboard. Jack jumped back to the skylight and crouched
down; and it was not a moment too soon.
The other three men approached.
"He's gone all right," said one, gazing at the spot where the leader had
stood a moment before.
"Yes, he's gone," said another. "I guess it will be our turn next."
Suddenly a cry from the water drew their attention.
"It's Ferdinand," said one of the sailors, "and he is swimming."
"What's to be done?" demanded another. "We can't let him drown like
that."
"No," replied another. "Francisco and I will get out the boat and pull
him in. You stay here," turning to the third man.
"What!" came the reply. "Stay here by myself?"
"You do as I say. We have got to get Ferdinand."
Suddenly Jack was struck with an idea. He was well aware of the
superstitious nature of sailors, and he planned to play upon it. He
descended to the cabin and from the wall took a suit of the captain's
oilskins. Then he went back on deck.
Two of the men had gone over the side in the small boat, and the
remaining sailor was now engaged in hanging a lamp from the stern. Jack
silently approached him.
Having secured the lamp, the sailor took a long look out over the sea
and then turned toward the deck; and as his eyes fell on the tall,
oil-skinned figure, he uttered a gasp of horror, and began to shuffle
backward.
"The captain's ghost!" he exclaimed in an awed voice.
Suddenly the sailor's heels caught on a ringbolt and he staggered and
fell on the deck with a howl of terror; but in another instant he had
scrambled to his feet and rushed away forward, whence the slam of the
forecastle scuttle announced his retirement to a place of safety.
More than half an hour elapsed before a hoarse hail from the sea
heralded the return of the boat.
"Is all well?" came the cry. "Ferdinand is gone. We couldn't find him."
Jack stepped back into the shadow of the mainsail. Soon the heads of the
two men appeared over the rail, and they swung themselves to the deck.
For one instant they stood as if petrified; then, with one accord, they
stampeded forward, and once more the forecastle scuttle slammed. Jack
followed, and, quietly thrusting a belaying pin through the staple of
the scuttle, secured them in their retreat.
The mutiny was a thing of the past.
Then Jack made his way to the cabin, where he informed his two
newly-made friends of the success of his endeavors, and the three went
on deck.
"You're all right," Frank told Jack in great admiration, as the three
gazed out over the water. "I had given up all hope of getting away
alive. I don't see how you ever managed it."
"Nor I," said Hetherington. "I know Frank and I couldn't have done it
together."
Jack laughed modestly.
"A little thinking is all that's necessary," he replied.
"Well, you are quite a thinker," said Frank; "but it strikes me you are
something of a fighter besides."
"What shall we do now?" broke in Hetherington.
"I suppose I had better get home," replied Jack. "Besides, we are not
far from there. You had both better come with me."
"I want to get back to Naples," declared Frank.
"And I must get to Nalut, Tripoli, at the earliest possible moment,"
declared Hetherington.
"Nalut!" exclaimed Jack. "Why, we can't be far from there now. It's
close to my home. I have been there several times."
"You don't mean it," cried Hetherington. "Then I can get there from your
place?"
"Easily, by camel. It is about a day's journey."
Hetherington turned to Frank.
"Why can't you come with me?" he asked. "I'll look after you. I expect
to be back in England in a couple of weeks, and you can go with me. Then
you can return to the United States."
"But I wanted to get back to Naples and try and find my father."
"You probably wouldn't be able to find him now. The chances are he has
returned home himself, hoping to find you there, as he has been unable
to find you in more than a week."
"I guess you are right," replied Frank. "I'll go with you."
It was late the next afternoon when the schooner once more drew near the
little African town in which Jack lived, and dropped anchor.
Jack called the prisoners from below.
"I don't know why I should bother with you," he said. "I know you are
mutineers and should be dealt with severely, but I am not an
executioner. Pay me my two pounds four," he continued, turning to one of
the men, "and we shall leave the ship. It's not my ship and neither is
it yours; but you can have it as far as I am concerned."
"Yes," said Frank. "We don't need it any longer."
One of the Italians ran hurriedly below. Returning he placed two bags of
gold in Jack's hand.
"Take this, _signor_," he exclaimed. "We will have no luck unless we
give you this gold."
"No," replied Jack, "all I want is what is due me."
"Yes, yes; you must take it, _signor_," cried all the Italians.
Jack thrust his hand into one of the canvas bags and brought out a
handful of coins, from which he selected two. The others he returned to
the bag, adding to them a couple of coins from his own pocket.
"Two shillings change," he remarked.
He threw the bags down on deck and dropped himself into the small boat
now lying alongside. The other two followed him.
But he had hardly taken his seat when two heavy thumps on the floor of
the boat, followed by a jingling impact, announced the arrival of the
two bags of gold.
"You must take the gold, _signor_. You must take it, else we shall have
no luck."
Jack stood up in the boat. Frank and Hetherington pulled on the oars.
"Pull," Jack commanded, and the boat started away.
Aiming skillfully at the open gangway, Jack sent the heavy bags, one
after the other, skimming along the deck.
One of the Italians grabbed them up and rushed to the gangway. But he
was too late. The boat was twenty yards away, and leaping forward
beneath the strokes of Frank and Hetherington.