Notwithstanding the fears of the prisoners, the pirates seemed to have
no intention of starving them, for in a short time a man came to the hut
with an ample supply of cooked meat and a basket containing several
bottles of wine.
"There, mates," he said, "our captain sent you these things, and advises
you to think over the matter our chief mate spoke to you about the other
day. You will judge how we fare ourselves by the way we treat you."
As there was food enough to last for some time they naturally expected
they should not receive another visit during the day. As soon,
therefore, as they had satisfied their hunger, Burridge continued his
examination of the roof, and found, by removing the bamboo rafters, he
could without difficulty force his way out through it. He proposed,
therefore, as soon as it was dark, to get out and find his way down to
the shore, as, in all probability, the island being but small, he could
do so without difficulty. He thought then that if a boat or a small
vessel could be found, they might all manage to get on board and make
their escape without being discovered.
"You see," he observed, "all is fish which comes to the nets of these
gentlemen, and they will take small craft as well as large vessels.
They are very likely to have captured a small schooner or sloop, and to
have brought her into the harbour. They're certain also, if they have
done so, not to keep any strict watch over her, and if we 'bide our time
we shall find a way of getting on board without interruption. I have
heard of the doings of these gentry, and, depend upon it, some night
they will be having a carouse when no one will be on the look-out."
These remarks of the honest boatswain raised the spirits of his
companions, and they determined, at all risks, to take advantage of the
opportunity should it occur. The midshipmen proposed that the whole
party should go together; but this Jack over-ruled, considering that
should any body come to the hut and find it empty, search would be made
for them, whereas by only one being absent, discovery was less likely.
As soon, therefore, as it was dark Burridge made his way through the
roof, and they heard him drop gently to the ground on the other side of
the hut. He immediately afterwards came round to the window.
"All right, sir," he said; "I saw the glimmer of the water when I was on
the top of the hut, and I shall easily find my way to it. The pirates
are carousing down by the huts on the shore, for I heard their voices
singing and shouting, so I shall have a good chance of not being found
out."
Saying this Burridge glided away through the cocoanut grove by which the
village was surrounded.
His companions waited anxiously for his return.
"If he is taken, I have a fancy they would not hesitate to send a
pistol-bullet through his head," said Hawke. "I wish that I could have
gone with him, Mr Deane."
"You would only have shared his fate, and so have gained nothing, and
done him no good," answered Jack. "Let us wait patiently: he has his
wits about him, and he will take good care not to be caught."
Two or three hours passed by and still Burridge did not make his
appearance. His companions grew more and more anxious, both on his
account and on their own. If he was taken their prospect of escape
would be much lessened. In Jack's mind also a new difficulty had
arisen. Even supposing that the opportunity should occur of escaping,
he could not bring himself to leave the island without ascertaining
whether Dame Pearson and Elizabeth were residing on it. Before
therefore he could go he must settle this point, one almost as difficult
as that of escaping.
At length a voice was heard under the window.
"All right," said Burridge, in a whisper; "I'll tell you all about it as
soon as I'm safe inside again."
He soon made his way up to the top of the hut, and getting through the
hole replaced the thatch and bamboo rafters before he jumped down to the
ground.
"I was right," he said, "and made my way down to the harbour. It is
farther off though than I supposed; and I heard people moving about, so
I had to be cautious; and more than all, they have two or three of those
Spanish bloodhounds with them, and it's a wonder the beasts did not find
me out, and if they had come across my track they would have done so to
a certainty. However I got down to the shore safe. I counted six or
seven vessels in the harbour, besides two or three small ones, and
several boats hauled up on the beach. So far as a craft is concerned,
we have only to pick and choose. Then comes the difficulty of getting
on board and finding our way out of the harbour. If we had been on deck
when we came in we might have done that more easily, but to get out at
night without knowing the passage will be a hard job indeed. However,
it must be done by some means or other."
It was agreed at last that they must wait for a moonlight night, when by
sounding with a boat they might hope to get the vessel, in which they
finally expected to make their escape, safe through the passage. It
would also be necessary that the pirates should be indulging in a
carouse and be off the watch, and that the wind should blow down the
harbour. Every time the men who brought them their provisions came Jack
sent a message to the captain, begging that they might be released, and
allowed to wander at their will throughout the island. Several days had
passed, however, and no answer had been returned.
Deane possessed an iron frame, but the anxiety which he endured began to
tell greatly upon him, and for the first time in his life, he felt that
he was becoming seriously ill. The thought occurred to him that it
might be the yellow fever. Every day he grew worse and worse. His head
ached, his limbs were full of pains, still he kept up his spirits as
well as he could, and he and his companions continued to entertain hopes
of escaping. One night Burridge returned from his usual expedition in
high spirits. He had important information to give. While wandering
along the shore he came suddenly upon a person seated on a rock,
apparently watching the harbour as he had been. At first he felt very
nervous about approaching the man, doubting who he could be. Still it
struck him that it was not likely to be one of the pirates. He
therefore cautiously approached him and, in a low voice, asked him who
he was.
"You may suppose, sir," said Burridge, "when he gave me the account my
heart did leap with joy, when I found that he was an old shipmate--the
pilot of a vessel I once sailed in! And what was more curious, he has
been thinking of the same thing that we have, and hoping to make his
escape in the same manner. He tells me that he has two companions on
the island who are kept at work by the pirates as slaves; but that he
has had an opportunity of speaking to them, and that they're ready to
help him make off with a vessel. If I had not known him, I should have
been afraid of treachery; but he is a true man, and we need have no fear
on that score. There will be moon enough for our purpose about five
days hence, and I've arranged that we should all meet him at the spot
where I found him at midnight at that time."
This information raised Jack's spirits, which had become very low in
consequence of his illness. The effect, however, was only temporary,
for the following day he became worse, and his companions began to fear
that he would be taken from them. Their daily visitor, as it happened,
remained in the hut longer than usual, and had thus an opportunity of
observing how ill Deane looked. The midshipmen and Burridge also told
him that they were afraid their officer would die if he had not some
help.
"True enough, master," said the man. "I will tell our captain, and
perhaps he will do something for him. We have no objection to killing
men in fair fight; but it is not our way to put them out of the world by
clapping them into prisons, as they do in some countries."
Saying this the man took his departure, promising to inform his captain
of Deane's state of health.
"Whatever happens to me," said Deane to his companions, "you must
endeavour to make your escape, according to the present arrangement. If
you can find your way to Jamaica, you will be able to tell the
authorities whereabouts this island is situated, and they will then
probably send a man-of-war to bargain with the pirates for my release,
or if they will not do that, to get me off by force."
About an hour after their first visitor had left them, footsteps were
heard approaching the door. It opened, and Jack, as he lifted his head
from the bed of straw on which he lay in one corner, saw standing before
him his old acquaintance--Pearson!
"They tell me you have fallen sick," he said, "and want a doctor. Now
I'm none myself, and there's no one I can send here to cure you; but, as
I don't want you to suppose that we are entire barbarians, if you wish
it, I will have you taken to my house, and there are some there who,
maybe, will look after you and help cure you better than any doctor we
can find in these parts."
Under other circumstances, Deane would certainly have declined the
offer, which would have made his escape impossible; but from the remarks
made by the pirate captain, he could not help hoping that the persons he
spoke of might prove to be Dame Pearson and Elizabeth. He felt, too,
that even should he wish to attempt escaping, from his weakness he would
be a great burden to his companions, while he would run the risk of
losing his own life. He therefore replied that he was thankful for the
offer made to him, and gladly accepted it. At this the captain summoned
a couple of men who were waiting outside with a litter, and lifting Jack
upon it, without allowing him much time to bid farewell to his
companions, they carried him off. The midshipmen were greatly afraid
that he would exact a promise from them not to attempt to escape. They
were therefore greatly relieved when they saw him take his departure,
leaving them at liberty to act as they thought best. They immediately
consulted what should be done, and agreed, for his sake as well as their
own, that they should endeavour to make their way to Port Royal as soon
as possible, and despatch an expedition to destroy the nest of pirates.
Deane's bearers carried him along through the cocoanut grove for some
distance, when they came before a cottage far superior in appearance to
any of those he had before passed. A garden in front bloomed with
flowers, and a wide verandah afforded shade to the rooms within.
Deane's heart beat somewhat quicker than usual as he saw these and other
signs of the presence of females.
"Here, dame, is a man who wants looking after. It will be to your and
fair Bessy's taste, and he will be grateful I doubt not. He was brought
in here some time since on board a prize, and if it had not been for me,
he and his companions would have been food for sharks by this time."
Jack heard these words spoken as his bearers reached the door of the
cottage. He had little difficulty in recognising the voice of Master
Pearson, though perhaps had he not previously seen that individual he
might not have done so. Pearson, for some reason or other, kept out of
sight, and Deane found himself carried into a room and placed on a couch
formed out of bamboos. The room was, however, in other respects richly
furnished, with silk hangings, and gold and silver ornaments of all
descriptions, quite out of character with the general appearance of the
building.
"Dare, massa, you will do well," said one of the negro bearers, with a
good-natured expression of countenance. "Soon lily-white lady come look
after you. I is 'Tello, you remember me, massa; I love Englishmen."
Jack was not left long alone. Scarcely had the negroes taken their
departure when he heard footsteps approaching the door. His heart beat
quickly, for he fully expected to see Elizabeth Pearson, who he could
not help persuading himself was an inhabitant of the island. Instead of
Elizabeth, however, an old lady entered the room, followed by a black
damsel. He turned his eyes towards the former, expecting to recognise
the features of Dame Pearson. At first he could scarcely believe that a
few years could have made so great an alteration in her, and he had to
look twice before he was certain that she was the good dame who had
treated him so kindly in the fens, sickness and anxiety having already
worked a great change in her; yet Dame Pearson was the person who had
just entered the room, of that he was sure.
"I was told that an English officer is ill, and requires aid," she said.
"I therefore desired that he might be brought here. I will feel your
pulse, sir, that I may judge what remedies to apply."
Jack was not surprised that she did not recognise him, and he thought it
better not to make himself known to her at first. He felt however great
disappointment at the non-appearance of Elizabeth; still, till he had
told Dame Pearson who he was, he could not ask after her. From what the
negro said, however, he still hoped that she might be in the house. The
dame, after consulting with her attendant, retired again, saying that
she would prepare such remedies as were most likely to benefit him. He
thanked her, begging that they might be applied soon, for he felt so ill
that, stout of heart as he was, he could not help at times believing
that he should not recover.
"We will do our best for you, but the issue is in the hands of God,"
answered the dame calmly. "However, in the meantime I will send my
daughter that she may read to you from His Word. Thence you will obtain
more comfort than man can bestow."
Saying this she left the room. Jack's eyes kept continually turned
towards the door, and in another minute it opened, and a fair girl
entered the room. She was taller, however, and of larger proportions
than the little Elizabeth he had so often thought of. She carried a
Bible in her hand, and taking a seat at a short distance from him,
scarcely giving him more than a slight glance, opened the Book.
"You will undoubtedly draw comfort, as we have done, sir, from God's
blessed Word. I will therefore read to you from the Psalms of David,
who was a man tried and afflicted."
She commenced reading in a low, gentle voice. Jack could with
difficulty refrain from making himself known, for he at once recognised
that sweet voice which he had known so well. She read on for some short
time, and then turned to passages in other parts of the Book which she
thought calculated to bring comfort to one in sickness and distress.
Jack at length could restrain himself no longer.
"Elizabeth," he exclaimed, "Elizabeth de Mertens! do you not know me?"
She flew to his side, and trembling took his hand which he stretched out
towards her.
"Who are you?" she exclaimed. "Yes, yes, I know you, I know your voice!
Jack Deane you are--yes, you must be! But oh, how did you come here?
How do you know me, and that name by which you call me? I remember it
well. It was my own name, though I had well-nigh forgotten it. Have
you come to take me away from this dreadful place? and oh, from that
dreadful man too?"
"Yes, indeed I am Jack Deane--and often have I thought of you,
Elizabeth!" he answered; "and it was in consequence of the ring you gave
me that I discovered your name. But sit down, and I will tell you by
degrees what has occurred. If I was to give the history all at once, I
have so many things to say that I should bewilder you. But I also want
to learn about you--how you came here, and your adventures; for it seems
strange that you have been brought out to this lonely island, to live
among pirates and outlaws!"
"I am afraid you give them but their true name," answered Elizabeth;
"but let me hear about yourself, and those from whom you learnt my
name."
Jack could not speak without difficulty, but he managed, however, to
give Elizabeth a brief account of himself, entering more particularly
into the way in which he had discovered her parents. They were
interrupted by the return of Dame Pearson and her black attendant.
"Hush!" said Elizabeth; "say nothing now: I will tell my mother when the
girl is not present. I fear she is not to be trusted."
The discovery Jack had made, instead of increasing his fever, had a
beneficial effect, so it seemed, as it restored his spirits in a way
that nothing else would have done. All his thoughts were now occupied
in devising a scheme for carrying off Elizabeth from the island.
So completely had the fever deprived Jack of strength, that for several
days he was unable to rise from his couch, although, thanks to the kind
and constant attention he received, he was gradually recovering. He was
especially anxious all this time to hear from his companions; but Dame
Pearson could give him no information, nor could Elizabeth, although
they believed that they still remained shut up in their prison.